Rabindranath Tagore

Unlike yesterday’s failed attempt, I spent this morning at Rabindranath Tagore’s family home. It was incredibly comprehensive, covering many aspects of his life. The house shows photos and paintings from various parts of his life.

Rabindranath Tagore was multitalented. He was a poet, painter, educator, and set up a university. He is one of the great figures of modern India. You see statues of him everywhere.

Early life

Tagore was born in 1861 in Calcutta (Kolkata). At the time, this was part of British India.

He was part of the prominent Tagore family of Jorasanko. They were known for their contributions to Bengali culture and the Indian renaissance in art and literature.

His family blended Hindu tradtions with Western influences. Tutored at home, he briefly studied in England but didn’t complete any formal education there.

He started writing poetry at an early age and published his first collection at 16.

Literary career

Tagore wrote prolifically in Bengali and English, covering poems, songs, short stories, novels, essays, and plays. His poetry often focused on nature, spirituality, love, and humanity. His famous works include:

• Gitanjali (Song Offerings)
• Gora
• The Home and the World (Ghare-Baire)
• Kabuliwala (short story)

Nobel Prize

In 1913, Tagore became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, for Gitanjali. He translated this collection of poems into English. The Nobel Prize brought him international fame.

Music and art

Not content with being a poet, Tagore composed over 2,000 songs. These are known as Rabindra Sangeet (also Tagore Songs), which blended classical Indian music with lyrical poetry.

He wrote the lyrics and tune for India’s national anthem (Jana Gana Mana) and Bangladesh’s national anthem (Amar Shonar Bangla).

In later life, he took up painting and held exhibitions internationally. One of the galleries in the house said he trained with Japanese and Chinese masters to learn their style. Despite beginning to paint in his sixties, he created over 2,500 works. These gained international recognition through exhibitions across Europe, USA, and Asia.

Educational vision

In 1921, Tagore founded Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan, promoting a blend of Eastern and Western learning, creativity, and holistic education. He believed in freedom in learning, beyond the rigid colonial education system. He emphasised the arts, humanities, and connecting with nature.

Travels and global influence

Tagore traveled extensively to Europe, the Americas, China, Japan, and other countries. He spoke about internationalism, humanism, and peace. He met many major thinkers of his time, including Einstein, HG Wells, Gandhi, and Yeats.

Social and political views

Tagore’s political views were complex. He opposed narrow nationalism while supporting Indian independence. Although he initially supported the Swadeshi movement, he later criticized its more extreme elements. The Swadeshi movement advocated economic self-sufficiency. It promoted indigenous industries and boycotted British goods and institutions. Tagore, however, preferred a universalist approach and criticised the movement when it became exclusionary or violent.

Tagore’s relationship with Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders was also complex.

He spoke against British colonial rule, especially after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and returned his knighthood in protest (1919).

Later life and legacy

In his final years, Tagore suffered from persistent health problems. He continued writing and lecturing despite his declining health. He died in 1941 in Calcutta aged 80.

Tagore’s legacy lives on through his immense literary output, educational institutions, philosophical ideas, and artistic vision. His work continues to influence literature, music, art, and education across South Asia and beyond. It embodies a humanistic tradition that transcends national and cultural boundaries.