Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti is the birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) – Nobel Laureate - poet, novelist, musician, painter and playwright. The Jayanti celebrations are annually held on May 7. In 2024, it is the 163rd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Certain Bengal calendars usually mark the day on May 8.
He was a freedom fighter, educational reformist through experimental school at Shantiniketan, painter, musician, novelist but it is his poetry that caught the imagination of his country men and world.
He was a freedom fighter, educational reformist through experimental school at Shantiniketan, painter, musician, novelist but it is his poetry that caught the imagination of his country men and world.
He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for Gitanjali.
Homeschooled till the age of 17, Tagore was a child prodigy. He penned his first poem at the age of eight. By the time he turned 16, he had a large poetry collection and few plays to his name. He dropped out of a law school in London as literature excited him more.
Homeschooled till the age of 17, Tagore was a child prodigy. He penned his first poem at the age of eight. By the time he turned 16, he had a large poetry collection and few plays to his name. He dropped out of a law school in London as literature excited him more.
Tagore brought about several
social reforms, especially in the field of education. He
started the Visva Bharati University in Shantiniketan, which emphasizes multidisciplinary
learning. Music, painting and dramatic performances are an integral part of
its curriculum.
Tagore’s ancestral home, Jorasanko in north Kolkata, is now
a museum dedicated to his life and works. He was born and breathed his last
here. You can learn more about Tagore and his life through family photographs,
portraits on display here.
At 60, Tagore picked up the paint brush quite late in life.
Even then he was able to produce masterpieces. His work shows a unique use of
colour because he was partially colour blind. He could not distinguish between
the shades of red and green.
Tagore renounced the knighthood conferred upon him by the
British to protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. On April 13, 1919,
the British Army opened fire upon
unarmed civilians, who had gathered there in Amritsar to dissent against
the government’s policies.
The “Jana Gana Mana” that we sing today is only one of the five stanzas of a hymn composed by Tagore. Another
composition of his “Amar Shonar Bangla” was adopted as the national anthem of
Bangladesh, while national anthem of Sri Lanka was inspired by his works.
Songs written by Tagore are fondly known as Rabindra
Sangeet’. All of his songs are published in the book titled “Gitabitan.” Tagore
also composed dance dramas or Nritya Natya. The Visva Bharati University offers a bachelor’s degree in Rabindra
Sangeet.
The best way to know Rabindranath Tagore is take any of his poems and read it.
Here is one his poems -
Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God,
First fill your own house with the Fragrance of love...
Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God,
First remove the darkness of sin from your heart...
First remove the darkness of sin from your heart...
Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer,
First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen...
First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen...
Go not to the temple to pray on bended knees,
First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden...
First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden...
Go not to the temple to ask for forgiveness for your sins,
First forgive from your heart those who have sinned against you.
Related
More Teachings and Quotes of Rabindranath Tagore
First forgive from your heart those who have sinned against you.
Related
More Teachings and Quotes of Rabindranath Tagore