Rabindra Nath Tagore is the only Indian who won the Nobel Prize in literature. His book of poems titled ‘Gitanjali’ got him the coveted prize. It is a book of prayers written with incredible spiritual depth. A reader can not help reading the lines again and again. Every time a deeper meaning emerges without any sight of the bottom. Nowhere in his book there is any trace of anger, spitefulness, vengeance or violent thoughts. This fact took the western world by surprise.
Tagore was born on 6th May, 1867 to a reasonably rich family of Thakurs in Bengal. His mother passed away when he was very young. So, his father brought him up. From the very childhood he had mind of his own. He revealed his unwillingness to go to the conventional school to start his education. He thought that such schools were monotonous and stuck to set rules. It cramped the body and the soul of a student. Rabindra Nath’s father was considerate. He allowed his son to have his way. The son was allowed to be tutored at home. At that stage itself Rabindra Nath was dreamy and thoughtful like a philosopher. Cares would not touch him. He was a nature lover.
This fascination kept growing by the time.
His father thought of giving his son the benefit of liberal western atmosphere. Rabindranath was sent to England when he was barely sixteen years old. He did little studying there. After dawdling for some time he returned home. His mind was rooted in Indian values. Rabindra Nath had started writing poems in Bangla even before he went to England. His poems were well received and appreciated locally. After his return he delved deeper into poetry. His poems reflected his thinking and inner feelings. In short time he earned name and fame as a Bangla poet of a different class. His sentiments were deeply meaningful. His early poems were published under the titled ‘Morning Songs’. The songs reflected the depth of the thoughts of the young poet.
Rabindra Nath Tagore was a messenger of peace to the world. A true friend of the humanity he was. He loved his country. Although he admired the English for their qualities of statesmanship and discipline yet he opposed the colonial rule of the British over India. In his own soft and unique way he revealed India’s ancient culture, thought and its past to the western world. Rabindra Nath was a man of many talents. Besides being a poet, he was a novelist, story writer, dramatist, performed music shows and painted with equal elan. He led a saint like life and impressed everyone who came into contact with him.
Rabindra Nath was an authority on ethical values. He could speak on any subject, topic or occasion impromptu. Such was his mastery.
Besides winning Nobel Prize and bringing glory to the country he set up an open air university called ‘Vishwabharti Shanti Niketan’. It has now grown into a world famous institution. Shanti Niketan offers a new environment of education where students live in close association with the nature, seek its blessings and work manually. It was based on ancient Indian ‘Gurukul’ system.
Rabindra Nath Tagore also was decorated with Knighthood for his services to the literature and art. However he later returned the title to the government in protest against Jalianwala Bagh massacre of innocents. His life itself was a poetry which came to an end in 1941. But he lives through the legacies he left behind to us.
