Robindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore: (in Bengali, his name is pronounced as Rabindranath Thakur)

A Bengali poet, a writer, a painter, a philosopher and one of the greatest mind of all time. He was the first non-European descended to ever receive Nobel Prize in any category until 1913. He won the prestigious Nobel award in 1913 in literature for Gitanjali, a collection of poems where he put his thoughts with imagination, deeply religious emotion and love of nature and his homeland.

The famous Irish poet Yeats was not only an admirer of Tagore but took the first initiative in bringing him to the world attention. He expressed his feelings toward Tagore by saying, "He is the first among our saints who has not refused to live, but has spoken out of life itself and that is why we give our love." The translation and publication of Gijanjali in England touched the mind of the conscious world. The editorial section of Times wrote, "Many intellectuals in England agree that Tagore is undoubtedly the best poet and thinker in contemporary world." The literary supplement of Times wrote, "As we read his pieces we seem to be reading the psalms of a David of our times."

Tagore was born in Bengal in May, 1861. His father Debendranath Tagore was a prominent philosopher at that time. Tagore began to write poetry as a child; his first book appeared when he was 17 years old. After a brief stay in England (1878) to study law, he returned to Bengal, where he rapidly became the most important and popular author of the colonial era, writing poetry, short stories, novels, and plays. He composed several hundreds popular songs. In 1888, at the age of 27, he was asked by his father to take charge of the estate in Shilaidaho, Kushtia, Bangladesh. He not only fell in love with the nature and the river Padma in shilaidaho, but lived there permanently form 1891-1901 and wrote many of his great writings.

He established a school, Shantiniketan in 1901 to teach a blend of Eastern and Western philosophies, which expanded into an international university, known as Visva-Bharati. His talent was not only confined within writings but began painting in 1929.

Tagore wrote primarily in Bengali, but translated many of his works into English himself; critics agree that they are much more effective in the original Bengali language. In 1915 he was knighted by the British king George V. Tagore renounced his knighthood in 1919 following the Amritsar massacre of 400 Indian demonstrators by British troops.

Rabindranath Thakur wrote the national anthems of both Bangladesh and India. His writings, songs and novels still influence the Bengali culture in every stage of life, even after so many years. He died in 1941.

¾ SHAMS