A few days back, I was staying with a Bangladeshi friend of mine. We were listening to Rabindrasangeet (Tagore songs) when she exclaimed. "Our Rabindranath was someone so truly amazing. How could he compose such wonderful songs?" That word "our" struck me. So a girl from a different country also considers Rabindranath to be someone from her culture? In fact, why wouldn't she when the national anthem of her country has been composed by Rabindranath too?
It is really difficult for me to fathom the depth of Tagore's literary works. However, what I understand and like most are his poetry and songs. Rabindranath's literary career spans over several decades and covers novels, short stories, articles, poetry, songs and plays. He wrote "Sahaj paath" (easy lessons) and many poems for children and on the other hand, his writings delve into the deepest philosophical thoughts. Some of his novels and other stories might have become time barred but his poetry and songs have transcended all boundaries of space and time.
Rabindranath was a true "internationalist". He travelled far and wide from the Unites Staes to the Far East and wherever he went, he mesmerized the people. It was not only that learned people like Albert Einstein, W. B. Yeats or Hellen Keller came to meet him, but common men of war torn Europe also came to listen to what he said. His feeling about the human race is expressed in his poem "Africa" where he wrote about the Dark Continent.
To love human race in general, one has to love his fellow countrymen first. Rabindranath was an inspiration to the nationalists during our freedom struggle. His patriotic songs and poetry, like "where the mind is without fear ans the head is held high" ("chitto jetha bhoy shunyo uchcho jetha shir") still insipre us. "Ekla chalo re" (if no one responds to your call then go ahead alone) was Mahatma Gandhi's favorite song. Rabindranath's play, "Tasher desh" (the land of cards) was dedicated to the revolutionary leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. In the play, a young prince brings new rules to a kingdom stagnated by blind faith. Tagore was so shocked at the Jalianwallah Bagh massacre that he renounced knighthood and in the poem he wrote at that time "Proshno" (question), he asks God to pardon him because he cannot forgive those people who committed this sin. Rabindranath expressed concern for the poor and downtrodden in his writings. He knew that unless and until the caste ridden society uplifts its last, least and lost ("Sabar niche, sabar pichhe, sab harader majhe") the blessings of God cannot be hoped for.
When Rabindranath was in the autumn of his life, critics commented that he had nothing new to produce. It was at that time when he wrote "Sesher kobita" (the last poem), a story evolving around an unconventional love theme that is so very modern and so magical, that I doubt how many people really understand it.
Rabindranath's songs and poetry have the inner voice of the Upanishads. He faced grave sorrows in his lifetime. Untimely deaths of his wife and almost all his children left him in mourning. After the death of his wife, Mrinalini Devi, he composed a song which says, sorrow, death and bereavement come in our lives but the world goes on in its own pace. Let my mind rest at the foot of the Supreme Being where there is complete peace.
It is human nature to pray to God when we are in distress, but what Rabindranath said is different. He prays to God not to rescue him from trouble but to give him strength so that he is not afraid to face the reality.
He wrote many love songs too, which can also be interpreted as depicting the subtle relationship between God and the devotee.
Rabindranath Tagore was actually a philosopher and we find him relevant till date, because his songs and poetry are there fore every situation of human life. I shall end this article with one of Tagore's lines -
"Get rid of fear, have strength in yourself and win over yourself" ("Mukto koro bhoy,apona majeh shakti dhoro, nijere koro joy").
[Written in July 2008 for a magazine "Yuvak kranti" from Pune, India]
It is really difficult for me to fathom the depth of Tagore's literary works. However, what I understand and like most are his poetry and songs. Rabindranath's literary career spans over several decades and covers novels, short stories, articles, poetry, songs and plays. He wrote "Sahaj paath" (easy lessons) and many poems for children and on the other hand, his writings delve into the deepest philosophical thoughts. Some of his novels and other stories might have become time barred but his poetry and songs have transcended all boundaries of space and time.
Rabindranath was a true "internationalist". He travelled far and wide from the Unites Staes to the Far East and wherever he went, he mesmerized the people. It was not only that learned people like Albert Einstein, W. B. Yeats or Hellen Keller came to meet him, but common men of war torn Europe also came to listen to what he said. His feeling about the human race is expressed in his poem "Africa" where he wrote about the Dark Continent.
When Rabindranath was in the autumn of his life, critics commented that he had nothing new to produce. It was at that time when he wrote "Sesher kobita" (the last poem), a story evolving around an unconventional love theme that is so very modern and so magical, that I doubt how many people really understand it.
Rabindranath's songs and poetry have the inner voice of the Upanishads. He faced grave sorrows in his lifetime. Untimely deaths of his wife and almost all his children left him in mourning. After the death of his wife, Mrinalini Devi, he composed a song which says, sorrow, death and bereavement come in our lives but the world goes on in its own pace. Let my mind rest at the foot of the Supreme Being where there is complete peace.
It is human nature to pray to God when we are in distress, but what Rabindranath said is different. He prays to God not to rescue him from trouble but to give him strength so that he is not afraid to face the reality.
He wrote many love songs too, which can also be interpreted as depicting the subtle relationship between God and the devotee.
Rabindranath Tagore was actually a philosopher and we find him relevant till date, because his songs and poetry are there fore every situation of human life. I shall end this article with one of Tagore's lines -
"Get rid of fear, have strength in yourself and win over yourself" ("Mukto koro bhoy,apona majeh shakti dhoro, nijere koro joy").
[Written in July 2008 for a magazine "Yuvak kranti" from Pune, India]
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