Kolkata, Aug 8 (IANS): People of West Bengal on Thursday organised special prayers and cultural activities to pay homage to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore on his 78th death anniversary.

The day -- 22 Shrabon in the Bengali calendar (August 7, 1941 in the Roman calendar) -- was observed with due solemnity, highlighting Tagore's genius. It has been an age-old custom to celebrate Tagore's birth and death anniversaries as per the Bengali calendar.

Special prayers were also organised at Shantiniketan, the knowledge town of Tagore's dreams that blossomed into the Viswa Bharati University in 1921. Cultural activities, lectures and tree plantation marked the day with teaching, non-teaching staffs and students participating.

Tagore who holds the unique distinction of having composed the national anthems of two countries - India and Bangladesh.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid tribute to Tagore quoting few lines of his composition 'Prano bhoriye trisha horiye, More aaro aaro aaro dao pran' on her social media account. A "Tribute to Rabindranath Tagore on his death anniversary," Banerjee tweeted.