Music, Myth, and the Feminine Divine in Tagore’s ‘Ami chini go chini’

“Ami chini go chini,” written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1895 at Shilaidaha, is a Rabindrasangeet of Prem (Love), set to Ektaal and the raga Khamaj. Musically rooted in a raga associated with light classical forms such as thumri and ghazal, the song blends lyrical tenderness with a soothing, cyclical cadence. Its notation, documented in Swarabitan (Vol. 50), was prepared by Dinendranath Tagore.
The poem centres on the enigmatic Bideshini – the “female foreigner” – who appears across seasons and spaces: beyond the ocean, in autumn, spring, and finally within the poet’s heart. More than a romantic figure, she embodies a universal, imagined presence. Drawing from Indian mythic consciousness, the Bideshini resonates with the divine feminine – Shakti or Durga, worshipped in autumn and mythologically linked to the ocean and the celestial realm of Manidweepa. The song thus charts a spiritual journey, where music becomes the bridge between longing and surrender, echoing Tagore’s later vision in Geetanjali.
To carry this depth beyond Bengal, Brainware University has launched a distinctive audio-visual initiative to popularise Rabindrasangeet globally. Spearheaded by its Founder-Chancellor Phalguni Mookhopadhayay, the project combines anecdotal narration, rich renditions, and translations, aiming to reach non-Bengali audiences worldwide.
Remarkably, the entire initiative is produced in-house at the university’s studios. Though untrained in formal music, Mookhopadhayay’s passionate commitment – driven by Tagore’s belief that music bridges souls – has already drawn wide appreciation, reaffirming Rabindrasangeet as a living, universal art.