Remembering Rabindranath Tagore and his wise words

The poet, philosopher, essayist, novelist and visionary whose creations touched many aspects of life, nature, human relations, nationalism, and politics was none other than Rabindranath Tagore.

The poet, philosopher, essayist, novelist and visionary whose creations touched many aspects of life, nature, human relations, nationalism, and politics was none other than Rabindranath Tagore. The first Indian to win Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, he wrote the national anthems of India and Bangladesh and created many other songs.

He is known by many names, including Gurudev, Kabiguru, and Biswakabi, and is commonly referred to as 'the Bard of Bengal.' Tagore was born on May 7, 1861, in a Brahmin family in Kolkata and started writing poems at the age of 8. He created his first collection of poems at the age of 16 using the pseudonym "Bhanusimha".

In 1877 he released his first book of stories and dramas under his own name. He authored several volumes of poetical works that stand out to proclaim his philosophy of life and spiritualism.

The collection of his poems was published in London in 1912 under the title Gitanjali and got the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Let's look at some of the popular creations of Tagore.

'Gitanjali' It is Tagore's most famous work, a collection of poetry published in 1910. The poems, which were originally composed in Bengali, were based on mediaeval Indian devotional poetry and had a common topic of love. They also portrayed the tension between materialistic desire and spiritualism. It was translated into English as 'Gitanjali: Song of Offering' in 1912. It became quite popular among European readers, and the literary work helped him win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.

'Chokher Bali' is a Bengali novel published in 1903 that has variously been translated as A Grain of Sand or Dust in the Eyes. It was Tagore's first serious attempt at writing a novel. The story is a mirror of difficult relationships and extramarital affairs. It demonstrates how widows in society were secluded and denied numerous rights, and how their lives used to be full of emptiness and sadness. It recounts the life of Binodini, a young widow, and her extramarital affair with Mahendra. The book also addressed the themes of female literacy, child marriage, patriarchy within the family, and widows' destiny.

'Sonar Tori' This is a book of Bengali poetry that was published in 1894 and is considered to be one of his most popular works written between 1891 and 1901. Many of the poems in this collection were written during his time at this location. The poet is seeking beauty and appears to be alienating himself from mankind.

Kabuliwala, Fireflies, Stray Birds, The Post Office, The Gardener, Nationalism, The Broken Nest, and Chitrangada are among his other works. Another notable work of Tagore is 'The Home and the World'.

It is a 1916 novel which is all about Tagore's inner conflict as a follower of Western culture and his defiance against them. The story revolves around two main characters Nikhilesh, who is rational and opposes violence, and Sandip, the one who can do anything to achieve his goal. Set during the early years of Indian independence movement, the novel was translated into English by the author's nephew, Surendranath Tagore. Apart from his books, his memorable quotes, which reflect on life, relationships and humanism are also remembered.

Tagore's quotes include "You cannot cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water," which implied that having ambition is not enough. To make them translate into action, one must work relentlessly towards his goal. According to him, the greatest joy lies in serving the mankind. He used to say, "I slept and dreamt that life was a joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold service was joy."

Another quote is, "Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark." Faith is at the crux of any being. If faith is lost, life becomes meaningless and futile even for a moment. Faith can bring back everything that is lost from life. Restoring the faith in universal humaneness, the seer wrote these lines.

The quotes are so encouraging in all phases of life that it is still implied by many in their daily life. When we desire something in life, we must first make ourselves worthy of receiving it. When we increase our deservedness, things will come to us automatically. In this quote, Tagore shows us the importance of increasing our deservedness.

"Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it." In 1883, Tagore married Mrinalini Devi, and the couple had five children. His wife died in 1902, and at the age of 80, he passed away on August 7, 1941.

On his birth anniversary, many paid tribute and remembered the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore's teachings through his works and quotes will always be embedded in our souls. (ANI)

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