Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore

Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore was the most famous poet of India. He was born on 6th May 1861 in a rich family of Thakurs in Bengal. He had to take care of his family because his mother passed away when he was very young. He was brought up in discipline and in a strict environment. His upbringing was mostly in the hands of the servants. Though his childhood was not so happy, he wanted to be carefree, dreamy and caring.

He did not like conservative schooling. According to him, the schools of his times were dull and one had to strictly follow the set rules. He received his education at home. He received the first impressions of the Upanishads under the direction of his father. Gradually, he created interest and started reading the works of medieval mystics and the Vaishnav poets of India.

In 1877, at the age of sixteen he went to England in order to study law. He returned to India without doing anything. Writing poems had attracted him from an early age of fifteen. His poems were praised and he received fame. His thoughts and feelings could be reflected through his poems. His early poems were given the title of ‘Morning Songs’.

Before he turned 18, he had succeeded in publishing over six thousand lines of verses and a great quantity of prose. He came to be known as the `Lapsing Poet’ and the ‘Bengali Shelley’.

Rabindranath was a great patriotic. He spoke against narrow nationalistic beliefs. He wrote vigorous political poems, essays and songs. Although Rabindranath was a good friend of British for their qualities of discipline and leadership, he fought against their rule in India. He always left a deep and unforgettable impression on everything around him. His philosophic way to lead life not only won him great fame in India but also around the world.

In 1901, Tagore started an experimental school at Shanti Niketan, where he tried his Upanishadic ideals of education. His school won him international fame. It became an institution to impart nationalist education to the students during British rule. It became a university in 1921. During the years between 1901 and 1910, Tagore began to compose `Gitanjali’ in search of peace. In 1912, he translated it into English from its original Bengali script. In 1913, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for this collection of verses, securing his place as not merely an Indian poet but as a world poet.

This great master of literature passed away on 7th August 1941. He was a man of many talents – a singer, painter, educationist, artist, freedom fighter, novelist, playwright, philosopher and social worker. He was also awarded Knighthood for his service to art and literature. However, as a mark of protest against the British rule in India, he returned the title. Truly, he was a proud son of India.