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Music
Tagorewasaprolificcomposerwith2,230songstohiscredit.Hissongsareknownasrabindrasangit("Tagore
Song"),whichmergesfluidlyintohisliterature,mostofwhichpoemsorpartsofnovels,stories,orplaysalike
werelyricised.InfluencedbythethumristyleofHindustanimusic,theyrantheentiregamutofhumanemotion,
rangingfromhisearlydirgelikeBrahmodevotionalhymnstoquasieroticcompositions.[97]Theyemulatedthe
tonalcolourofclassicalragastovaryingextents.Somesongsmimickedagivenraga'smelodyandrhythm
faithfullyothersnewlyblendedelementsofdifferentragas.[98]Yetaboutninetenthsofhisworkwasnotbhanga
gaan,thebodyoftunesrevampedwith"freshvalue"fromselectWestern,Hindustani,Bengalifolkandother
regionalflavours"external"toTagore'sownancestralculture.[27]Scholarshaveattemptedtogaugetheemotive
forceandrangeofHindustaniragas:
thepathosofthepurabiragaremindedTagoreoftheeveningtearsofalonelywidow,
whilekanarawastheconfusedrealizationofanocturnalwandererwhohadlosthisway.Inbhupalihe
seemedtohearavoiceinthewindsaying'stopandcomehither'.Parajconveyedtohimthedeep
slumberthatovertookoneatnight'send.[27]
RebaSom,RabindranathTagore:TheSingerandHisSong."[99]
TagoreinfluencedsitarmaestroVilayat
KhanandsarodiyasBuddhadevDasguptaandAmjadAli

"TabuMoneRekho"sungby
RabindranathTagore

Khan.[98]Hissongsarewidelypopularandundergirdthe
BengaliethostoanextentperhapsrivallingShakespeare's
impactontheEnglishspeakingworld.[citationneeded][who?]Itis
saidthathissongsaretheoutcomeoffivecenturiesofBengali
literarychurningandcommunalyearning.[citationneeded]Dhan

0:00

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"TabuMoneRekho",asongbyTagore,
sunginhisownvoice.Thesongwas
writtenin1887CE(1294Bengali
year.[100]
Problemsplayingthisfile?Seemediahelp.

GopalMukerjihassaidthatthesesongstranscendthe
mundanetotheaestheticandexpressallrangesandcategoriesofhumanemotion.Thepoetgavevoicetoall
bigorsmall,richorpoor.ThepoorGangesboatmanandtherichlandlordairtheiremotionsinthem.Theybirthed
adistinctiveschoolofmusicwhosepractitionerscanbefiercelytraditional:novelinterpretationshavedrawn
severecensureinbothWestBengalandBangladesh.[citationneeded]
ForBengalis,thesongs'appeal,stemmingfromthecombinationofemotivestrengthandbeautydescribedas
surpassingevenTagore'spoetry,wassuchthattheModernReviewobservedthat"[t]hereisinBengalnocultured
homewhereRabindranath'ssongsarenotsungoratleastattemptedtobesung...Evenilliteratevillagerssing
hissongs".A.H.FoxStrangwaysofTheObserverintroducednonBengalistorabindrasangitinTheMusicof
Hindostan,callingita"vehicleofapersonality...[that]gobehindthisorthatsystemofmusictothatbeautyof
soundwhichallsystemsputouttheirhandstoseize."[101]
In1971,AmarShonarBanglabecamethenationalanthemofBangladesh.Itwaswrittenironicallytoprotest
the1905PartitionofBengalalongcommunallines:loppingMuslimmajorityEastBengalfromHindudominated
WestBengalwastoavertaregionalbloodbath.Tagoresawthepartitionasaploytoupendtheindependence
movement,andheaimedtorekindleBengaliunityandtarcommunalism.JanaGanaManawaswritteninshadhu
bhasha,aSanskritisedregisterofBengali,andisthefirstoffivestanzasofaBrahmohymnthatTagore
composed.Itwasfirstsungin1911ataCalcuttasessionoftheIndianNationalCongress[102]andwasadoptedin
1950bytheConstituentAssemblyoftheRepublicofIndiaasitsnationalanthem.
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Paintings
Atsixty,Tagoretookupdrawingandpaintingsuccessfulexhibitionsofhismanyworkswhichmadeadebut
appearanceinParisuponencouragementbyartistshemetinthesouthofFrance[103]wereheldthroughout
Europe.Hewaslikelyredgreencolourblind,resultinginworksthatexhibitedstrangecolourschemesandoff
beataesthetics.TagorewasinfluencedbyscrimshawfromnorthernNewIreland,HaidacarvingsfromBritish
Columbia,andwoodcutsbyMaxPechstein.[94]Hisartist'seyeforhishandwritingwererevealedinthesimple
artisticandrhythmicleitmotifsembellishingthescribbles,crossouts,andwordlayoutsofhismanuscripts.Some
ofTagore'slyricscorrespondedinasynestheticsensewithparticularpaintings.[27]
SurroundedbyseveralpaintersRabindranathhadalwayswantedtopaint.Writingandmusic,
playwritingandactingcametohimnaturallyandalmostwithouttraining,asitdidtoseveralothersin
hisfamily,andinevengreatermeasure.Butpaintingeludedhim.Yethetriedrepeatedlytomaster
theartandthereareseveralreferencestothisinhisearlylettersandreminiscence.In1900for
instance,whenhewasnearingfortyandalreadyacelebratedwriter,hewrotetoJagadishchandra
Bose,"YouwillbesurprisedtohearthatIamsittingwithasketchbookdrawing.Needlesstosay,the
picturesarenotintendedforanysaloninParis,theycausemenottheleastsuspicionthatthe
nationalgalleryofanycountrywillsuddenlydecidetoraisetaxestoacquirethem.But,justasa
motherlavishesmostaffectiononherugliestson,soIfeelsecretlydrawntotheveryskillthatcomes
tomeleasteasily."Healsorealizedthathewasusingtheerasermorethanthepencil,and
dissatisfiedwiththeresultshefinallywithdrew,decidingitwasnotforhimtobecomeapainter.[104]
RabindraChitravali,editedbynotedarthistorianR.SivaKumar,forthefirsttimemakesthepaintingsofTagore
accessibletoarthistoriansandscholarsofRabindranthwithcriticalannotationsandcommentsItalsobrings
togetheraselectionofRabindranath'sownstatementsanddocumentsrelatingtothepresentationandreception
ofhispaintingsduringhislifetime.[105]
TheLastHarvest:PaintingsofRabindranathTagorewasanexhibitionofRabindranathTagore'spaintingstomark
the150thbirthanniversaryofRabindranathTagore.ItwascommissionedbytheMinistryofCulture,Indiaand
organisedwithNGMADelhiasthenodalagency.Itconsistedof208paintingsdrawnfromthecollectionsofVisva
BharatiandtheNGMAandpresentedTagore'sartinaverycomprehensiveway.Theexhibitionwascuratedby
ArtHistorianR.SivaKumar.Withinthe150thbirthanniversaryyearitwasconceivedasthreeseparatebutsimilar
exhibitions,andtravelledsimultaneouslyinthreecircuits.ThefirstselectionwasshownatMuseumofAsianArt,
Berlin,[106]AsiaSociety,NewYork,[107]NationalMuseumofKorea,[108]Seoul,VictoriaandAlbert
Museum,[109]London,TheArtInstituteofChicago,[110]Chicago,PetitPalais,[111]Paris,GalleriaNazionaled'Arte
Moderna,Rome,NationalVisualArtsGallery,[112]KualaLumpur,McMichaelCanadianArt
Collection,[113]Ontario,NationalGalleryofModernArt,[114]NewDelhi

Theatre
Atsixteen,TagoreledhisbrotherJyotirindranath'sadaptationofMolire'sLeBourgeoisGentilhomme.[115]At
twentyhewrotehisfirstdramaopera:ValmikiPratibha(TheGeniusofValmiki).InitthepanditValmikiovercomes
hissins,isblessedbySaraswati,andcompilestheRmyana.[116]ThroughitTagoreexploresawiderangeof
dramaticstylesandemotions,includingusageofrevampedkirtansandadaptationoftraditionalEnglishandIrish
folkmelodiesasdrinkingsongs.[117]Anotherplay,DakGhar(ThePostOffice),describesthechildAmaldefying
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hisstuffyandpuerileconfinesbyultimately"fall[ing]asleep",hintinghis
physicaldeath.Astorywithborderlessappealgleaningravereviewsin
EuropeDakGhardealtwithdeathas,inTagore'swords,"spiritual
freedom"from"theworldofhoardedwealthandcertified
creeds".[118][119]IntheNazibesiegedWarsawGhetto,Polishdoctor
educatorJanuszKorczakhadorphansinhiscarestageThePostOfficein
July1942.[120]InTheKingofChildren,biographerBettyJeanLifton
suspectedthatKorczak,agonisingoverwhetheroneshoulddetermine
whenandhowtodie,waseasingthechildrenintoaccepting
death.[121][122][123]InmidOctober,theNazissentthemtoTreblinka.[124]

[I]n
days
long
gone
by[...]
I
can
see[...]
the
King's
postman
coming
down
the
hillside
alone,
a
lantern
in
his
left
hand
and
on
his
back
a
bag
of
letters
climbing
down
for
ever
so
long,
for
days
and
nights,
and
where
at
the
foot
of
the
mountain
the
waterfall
becomes
a

Tagoreperformingthetitlerole
inValmikiPratibha(1881)withhisniece
IndiraDeviasthegoddessLakshmi.

butthemeaningislessintellectual,more
emotionalandsimple.Thedeliverancesought
andwonbythedyingchildisthesame
deliverancewhichrosebeforehis
imagination,[...]whenonceintheearlydawn
heheard,amidthenoiseofacrowdreturning
fromsomefestival,thislineoutofanoldvillage
song,"Ferryman,takemetotheothershoreof
theriver."Itmaycomeatanymomentoflife,
thoughthechilddiscoversitindeath,forit
alwayscomesatthemomentwhenthe"I",
seekingnolongerforgainsthatcannotbe
"assimilatedwithitsspirit",isabletosay,"Allmy
workisthine".[126]
W.B.Yeats,Preface,ThePostOffice,
1914.
Hisotherworksfuselyricalflowandemotionalrhythmintoatightfocusonacoreidea,abreakfrom
priorBengalidrama.Tagoresought"theplayoffeelingandnotofaction".In1890hereleasedwhat
isregardedashisfinestdrama:Visarjan(Sacrifice).[116]ItisanadaptationofRajarshi,anearlier
novellaofhis."Aforthrightdenunciationofameaningless[and]cruelsuperstitiousrite[s]",[127]the
Bengalioriginalsfeatureintricatesubplotsandprolongedmonologuesthatgiveplaytohistorical
eventsinseventeenthcenturyUdaipur.ThedevoutMaharajaofTripuraispittedagainstthewicked
headpriestRaghupati.Hislatterdramasweremorephilosophicalandallegoricalinnaturethese
includedDakGhar.AnotherisTagore'sChandalika(UntouchableGirl),whichwasmodelledonan
ancientBuddhistlegenddescribinghowAnanda,theGautamaBuddha'sdisciple,asksatribalgirlfor
water.[128]
InRaktakarabi("Red"or"BloodOleanders"),akleptocratrulesovertheresidentsofYakshapuri.He
andhisretainersexploithissubjectswhoarebenumbedbyalcoholandnumberedlikeinventory
byforcingthemtominegoldforhim.ThenaivemaidenheroineNandinirallieshersubject
compatriotstodefeatthegreedoftherealm'ssardarclasswiththemorallyrousedking'sbelated
help.Skirtingthe"goodvsevil"trope,theworkpitsavitalandjoyouslsemajestagainstthe
monotonousfealtyoftheking'svarletry,givingrisetoanallegoricalstruggleakintothatfound

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stream
inAnimalFarmorGulliver'sTravels.[129]Theoriginal,thoughprizedinBengal,longfailedtospawna
he
"freeandcomprehensible"translation,anditsarchaicandsonorousdidacticismfailedtoattract
takes
to
interestfromabroad.[5]Chitrangada,Chandalika,andShyamaareotherkeyplaysthathavedance
the
footpath dramaadaptations,whichtogetherareknownasRabindraNrityaNatya.
on
the
bank
and
walks
Tagorewroteeightnovelsandfournovellas,amongthemChaturanga,ShesherKobita,CharOdhay,
on
through andNoukadubi.GhareBaire(TheHomeandtheWorld)throughthelensofthe
the
idealisticzamindarprotagonistNikhilexcoriatesrisingIndiannationalism,terrorism,andreligious
rye
then
zealintheSwadeshimovementafrankexpressionofTagore'sconflictedsentiments,itemerged
comes
froma1914boutofdepression.ThenovelendsinHinduMuslimviolenceandNikhil'slikelymortal
the
sugarcane wounding.[130]
field
and
GoraraisescontroversialquestionsregardingtheIndianidentity.AswithGhareBaire,mattersof
he
disappearsselfidentity(jti),personalfreedom,andreligionaredevelopedinthecontextofafamilystoryand
into
lovetriangle.[131]InitanIrishboyorphanedintheSepoyMutinyisraisedbyHindusasthe
the
narrow
titulargora"whitey".Ignorantofhisforeignorigins,hechastisesHindureligiousbackslidersoutof
lane
lovefortheindigenousIndiansandsolidaritywiththemagainsthishegemoncompatriots.Hefalls
cutting
through foraBrahmogirl,compellinghisworriedfosterfathertorevealhislostpastandceasehisnativist
the
zeal.Asa"truedialectic"advancing"argumentsforandagainststricttraditionalism",ittacklesthe
tall
stems
colonialconundrumby"portray[ing]thevalueofallpositionswithinaparticularframe[...]notonly
of
syncretism,notonlyliberalorthodoxy,buttheextremestreactionarytraditionalismhedefendsbyan
sugarcanes
then
appealtowhathumansshare."AmongtheseTagorehighlights"identity[...]conceivedof
he
reaches asdharma."[132]
the
open
InJogajog(Relationships),theheroineKumudiniboundbytheidealsofivaSati,exemplified
meadow
byDkshyaniistornbetweenherpityforthesinkingfortunesofherprogressiveand
where
the
compassionateelderbrotherandhisfoil:herroueofahusband.Tagoreflauntshisfeminist
cricket
leaningspathosdepictstheplightandultimatedemiseofwomentrappedbypregnancy,duty,and
chirps
and
familyhonourhesimultaneouslytruckswithBengal'sputrescentlandedgentry.[133]Thestory
where
there
revolvesaroundtheunderlyingrivalrybetweentwofamiliestheChatterjees,aristocratsnowonthe
is
decline(Biprodas)andtheGhosals(Madhusudan),representingnewmoneyandnewarrogance.
not
a
Kumudini,Biprodas'sister,iscaughtbetweenthetwoassheismarriedofftoMadhusudan.Shehad
single
riseninanobservantandshelteredtraditionalhome,ashadallherfemalerelations.
man
to
Otherswereuplifting:ShesherKobitatranslatedtwiceasLastPoemandFarewellSongishis
be
seen,
mostlyricalnovel,withpoemsandrhythmicpassageswrittenbyapoetprotagonist.Itcontains
only
elementsofsatireandpostmodernismandhasstockcharacterswhogleefullyattackthereputation
the
snipe
ofanold,outmoded,oppressivelyrenownedpoetwho,incidentally,goesbyafamiliarname:
wagging
their
"RabindranathTagore".Thoughhisnovelsremainamongtheleastappreciatedofhisworks,they
tails
havebeengivenrenewedattentionviafilmadaptationsbyRayandothers:ChokherBaliandGhare
and
poking
Baireareexemplary.Inthefirst,TagoreinscribesBengalisocietyviaitsheroine:arebelliouswidow
at
whowouldliveforherselfalone.Hepilloriesthecustomofperpetualmourningonthepartof
the
mud
widows,whowerenotallowedtoremarry,whowereconsignedtoseclusionandloneliness.Tagore
with
wroteofit:"Ihavealwaysregrettedtheending".
their
bills.

Novels

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I
can
feel
him
coming
nearer
and
nearer
and
my
heart
becomes
glad.
Amal
inThePost
Office,
1914.[125]

RabindranathTagoreWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Stories
Tagore'sthreevolumeGalpaguchchhacompriseseightyfourstoriesthatreflectupontheauthor's
surroundings,onmodernandfashionableideas,andonmindpuzzles.[40]Tagoreassociatedhis
earlieststories,suchasthoseofthe"Sadhana"period,withanexuberanceofvitalityand
spontaneitythesetraitswerecultivatedbyzamindarTagore'slifeinPatisar,Shajadpur,Shelaidaha,
andothervillages.[40]Seeingthecommonandthepoor,heexaminedtheirliveswithadepthand
feelingsingularinIndianliteratureuptothatpoint.[134]In"TheFruitsellerfromKabul",Tagore
speaksinfirstpersonasatowndwellerandnovelistimputingexoticperquisitestoanAfghanseller.
Hechannelsthelucubrativelustofthosemiredintheblas,nidorous,andsudorificmorassof
subcontinentalcitylife:fordistantvistas."Therewereautumnmornings,thetimeofyearwhenkings
ofoldwentforthtoconquestandI,neverstirringfrommylittlecornerinCalcutta,wouldletmy

mindwanderoverthewholeworld.Attheverynameofanothercountry,myheartwouldgoouttoit[...]Iwouldfall
toweavinganetworkofdreams:themountains,theglens,theforest."[135]
TheGolpoguchchho(BunchofStories)waswritteninTagore'sSabujPatraperiod,whichlastedfrom1914to
1917andwasnamedforanotherofhismagazines.[40]TheseyarnsarecelebratedfareinBengalifictionandare
commonlyusedasplotfodderbyBengalifilmandtheatre.TheRayfilmCharulataechoedthecontroversial
TagorenovellaNastanirh(TheBrokenNest).InAtithi,whichwasmadeintoanotherfilm,thelittleBrahminboy
Tarapadasharesaboatridewithavillagezamindar.Theboyrelateshisflightfromhomeandhissubsequent
wanderings.Takingpity,theelderadoptshimhefixestheboytomarryhisowndaughter.Thenightbeforehis
wedding,Tarapadarunsoffagain.StrirPatra(TheWife'sLetter)isanearlytreatiseinfemale
emancipation.[136]MrinaliswifetoaBengalimiddleclassman:prissy,preening,andpatriarchal.Travellingalone
shewritesaletter,whichcomprehendsthestory.Shedetailsthepettinessofalifespententreatinghisviraginous
virilitysheultimatelygivesupmarriedlife,proclaiming,Amiobachbo.Eibachlum:"AndIshalllive.Here,Ilive."
HaimantiassailsHinduarrangedmarriageandspotlightstheiroftendismaldomesticity,thehypocrisiesplaguing
theIndianmiddleclasses,andhowHaimanti,ayoungwoman,becauseofherinsufferablesensitivityandfree
spirit,foredidherself.InthelastpassageTagoreblaststhereificationofSita'sselfimmolationattemptshehad
meanttoappeaseherconsortRama'sdoubtsofherchastity.MusalmaniDidieyesrecrudescentHinduMuslim
tensionsand,inmanyways,embodiestheessenceofTagore'shumanism.Thesomewhatauto
referentialDarpaharandescribesafeyyoungmanwhoharboursliteraryambitions.Thoughheloveshiswife,he
wishestostifleherliterarycareer,deemingitunfeminine.InyouthTagorelikelyagreedwith
him.Darpaharandepictsthefinalhumblingofthemanasheultimatelyacknowledgeshiswife'stalents.Asdo
manyotherTagorestories,JibitooMritoequipsBengaliswithaubiquitousepigram:Kadombinimoriyaproman
koriloshemorenai"Kadombinidied,therebyprovingthatshehadn't."

Poetry
Tagore'spoeticstyle,whichproceedsfromalineageestablishedby15thand16thcenturyVaishnavapoets,
rangesfromclassicalformalismtothecomic,visionary,andecstatic.Hewasinfluencedbytheatavisticmysticism
ofVyasaandotherrishiauthorsoftheUpanishads,theBhaktiSufimysticKabir,andRamprasadSen.[137]Tagore's
mostinnovativeandmaturepoetryembodieshisexposuretoBengaliruralfolkmusic,whichincluded
mysticBaulballadssuchasthoseofthebardLalon.[138][139]These,rediscoveredandrepopularisedbyTagore,
resemble19thcenturyKartbhajhymnsthatemphasiseinwarddivinityandrebellionagainst
bourgeoisbhadralokreligiousandsocialorthodoxy.[140][141]DuringhisShelaidahayears,hispoemstookona
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lyricalvoiceofthemonermanush,theBuls'"manwithintheheart"andTagore's"lifeforceofhisdeeprecesses",
ormeditatinguponthejeevandevatathedemiurgeorthe"livingGodwithin".[27]Thisfigureconnectedwith
divinitythroughappealtonatureandtheemotionalinterplayofhumandrama.Suchtoolssawuseinhis
BhnusihapoemschroniclingtheRadhaKrishnaromance,whichwererepeatedlyrevisedoverthecourseof
seventyyears.[142][143]

TagorereactedtothehalfhearteduptakeofmodernistandrealisttechniquesinBengaliliteratureby
The
writingmatchingexperimentalworksinthe1930s.[145]TheseincludeAfricaandCamalia,amongthe
time
that
betterknownofhislatterpoems.HeoccasionallywrotepoemsusingShadhuBhasha,aSanskritised
my
dialectofBengalihelateradoptedamorepopulardialectknownasCholtiBhasha.Otherworks
journey
takes
includeManasi,SonarTori(GoldenBoat),Balaka(WildGeese,anameredolentofmigrating
is
souls),[146]andPurobi.SonarTori'smostfamouspoem,dealingwiththefleetingenduranceoflife
long
and
andachievement,goesbythesamenamehauntinglyitends:Shunnonodirtirerohinupoi/Jaha
the
way
chhiloloegloshonartori"allIhadachievedwascarriedoffonthegoldenboatonlyIwasleft
of
behind."Gitanjali( )isTagore'sbestknowncollectioninternationally,earninghimhis
it
long.
Nobel.[147]
I
came
SongVIIofGitanjali:
out
on
the

chariot

of
the

first

gleam
of

light,
and
Amareganchheechhetarshkol
pursued
longkar
my
voyage
Tomarkachherakheniarshajer
'
through
hongkar
the
wildernesses
longkarjemajhepemilnete
,
of
aalkre,
worlds
leaving
Tomarkthahakejetarmukhro

my
track
jhngkar.

on
Tomarkachhekhaenamorkobir

many
a
grbokra,
star
Mhakobi,tomarpaeeditechaije

and
planet.
dhra.
It
, Jibonloejtonkorijodishrolbshi
is
the
goi,

most
distant
Aponshuredibebhoriskolchhidro
course
tar.
that
comes

nearest
,
to
thyself,

and

that
training

is
the

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most
intricate
which
leads
to
the
utter
simplicity
of
a
tune.
The
traveller
has
to
knock
at
every
alien
door
to
come
to
his
own,
and
one
has
to
wander
through
all
the
outer
worlds
to
reach
the
innermost
shrine
at
the
end.
My
eyes
strayed
far
and
wide
before
I
shut
them
and
said
'Here
art
thou!'
The
question
and
the
cry
'Oh,
where?'
melt
into
tears
of

RabindranathTagoreWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Tagore'sfreeversetranslation:

Hungary,1926.

Mysonghasputoffheradornments.
Shehasnoprideofdressanddecoration.
Ornamentswouldmarouruniontheywouldcome
betweentheeandmetheirjinglingwoulddrownthy
whispers.
Mypoet'svanitydiesinshamebeforethysight.
Omasterpoet,Ihavesatdownatthyfeet.
Onlyletmemakemylifesimpleandstraight,
likeafluteofreedfortheetofillwithmusic.[148]
"Klanti"( "Weariness"):

, ,

,

,
, ,

Klantiamarkhmakroprobhu,
Pthejodipichhiepoikobhu.
Eijehiathrothrokpeajimontro,
Eibedonakhmakrokhmakro
probhu.
Eidinotakhmakroprobhu,
Pichhonpanetakaijodikobhu.
Dinertaperoudrojalaeshukaemala
pujarthalae,
Sheimlanotakhmakrokhmakro,
probhu.

GlossbyTagorescholarRebaSom:
ForgivememywearinessOLord
ShouldIeverlagbehind
Forthisheartthatthisdaytremblesso
Andforthispain,forgiveme,forgiveme,OLord
Forthisweakness,forgivemeOLord,
IfperchanceIcastalookbehind
Andintheday'sheatandundertheburningsun
Thegarlandontheplatterofofferingwilts,
Foritsdullpallor,forgiveme,forgivemeOLord.[149]
Tagore'spoetryhasbeensettomusicbycomposers:ArthurShepherd'striptychforsopranoand
stringquartet,AlexanderZemlinsky'sfamousLyricSymphony,JosefBohuslavFoerster'scycleof
lovesongs,LeoJanek'sfamouschorus"Potulnlenec"("TheWanderingMadman")for
soprano,tenor,baritone,andmalechorusJW4/43inspiredbyTagore's1922lecturein
CzechoslovakiawhichJanekattended,andGarrySchyman's"Praan",anadaptationofTagore's

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a
poem"StreamofLife"fromGitanjali.Thelatterwascomposedandrecordedwithvocals
thousand
[150]In1917
streams byPalbashaSiddiquetoaccompanyInternetcelebrityMattHarding's2008viralvideo.
and
hiswordsweretranslatedadeptlyandsettomusicbyAngloDutchcomposerRichardHagemanto
deluge
the
produceahighlyregardedartsong:"DoNotGo,MyLove".ThesecondmovementofJonathan
world
Harvey's"OneEvening"(1994)setsanexcerptbeginning"AsIwaswatchingthesunrise..."froma
with
the
letterofTagore's,thiscomposerhavingpreviouslychosenatextbythepoetforhispiece"Song
flood
Offerings"(1985).[151]
of
the
assurance
'I
am!'

Politics

Song
XII,Gitanjali,
1913.[144]

TagoreopposedimperialismandsupportedIndian
nationalists,[152][153][154]andtheseviewswerefirstrevealed
inManast,whichwasmostlycomposedinhis

twenties.[47]EvidenceproducedduringtheHinduGermanConspiracy
TrialandlatteraccountsaffirmhisawarenessoftheGhadarites,and
statedthathesoughtthesupportofJapanesePrimeMinisterTerauchi
MasatakeandformerPremierkumaShigenobu.[155]Yethelampooned
theSwadeshimovementherebukeditin"TheCultoftheCharka",an

TagorehostsGandhiandwife
KasturbaatSantiniketanin1940.

acrid1925essay.[156]Heurgedthemassestoavoidvictimologyand
insteadseekselfhelpandeducation,andhesawthepresenceofBritish
administrationasa"politicalsymptomofoursocialdisease".Hemaintainedthat,evenforthoseattheextremesof
poverty,"therecanbenoquestionofblindrevolution"preferabletoitwasa"steadyandpurposeful
education".[157][158]

Suchviewsenragedmany.HeescapedassassinationandonlynarrowlybyIndianexpatriates
So
duringhisstayinaSanFranciscohotelinlate1916theplotfailedwhenhiswouldbeassassinsfell
I
repeat
intoargument.[160]TagorewrotesongslionisingtheIndianindependencemovement.[161]Twoof
we
Tagore'smorepoliticallychargedcompositions,"ChittoJethaBhayshunyo"("WheretheMindis
never
can
WithoutFear")and"EklaChaloRe"("IfTheyAnswerNottoThyCall,WalkAlone"),gainedmass
have
appeal,withthelatterfavouredbyGandhi.[162]ThoughsomewhatcriticalofGandhian
a
true
activism,[163]TagorewaskeyinresolvingaGandhiAmbedkardisputeinvolvingseparateelectorates
view
of
foruntouchables,therebymootingatleastoneofGandhi'sfasts"untodeath".[164][165]
man
unless
we
have
Seealso:ListofpeoplewhohavedeclinedaBritishhonourKnighthood(KnightBachelor)
a
love
for
TagorerenouncedhisknighthoodinresponsetotheJallianwalaBaghmassacrein1919.Inthe
him.
repudiationlettertotheViceroy,LordChelmsford,hewrote[166]
Civilisation
must
be
Thetimehascomewhenbadgesofhonourmakeourshameglaringinthe
judged
and
incongruouscontextofhumiliation,andIformypart,wishtostand,shorn,ofallspecial
prized,
distinctions,bythesideofthoseofmycountrymenwho,fortheirsocalled
not
by
insignificance,areliabletosufferdegradationnotfitforhumanbeings.
the
amount
of
power
it

Repudiationofknighthood

SantiniketanandVisvaBharati

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has
Tagoredespisedroteclassroomschooling:in"TheParrot'sTraining",abirdiscagedandforcefed
developed,
textbookpagestodeath.[167][168]Tagore,visitingSantaBarbarain1917,conceivedanewtypeof
but
by
university:hesoughtto"makeSantiniketantheconnectingthreadbetweenIndiaandtheworld
how
much
[and]aworldcenterforthestudyofhumanitysomewherebeyondthelimitsofnationand
it
geography."[160]Theschool,whichhenamedVisvaBharati,[g]haditsfoundationstonelaidon24
has
evolved December1918andwasinauguratedpreciselythreeyearslater.[169]Tagoreemployed
and
abrahmacharyasystem:gurusgavepupilspersonalguidanceemotional,intellectual,andspiritual.
given
expressionTeachingwasoftendoneundertrees.Hestaffedtheschool,hecontributedhisNobelPrize
to,
monies,[170]andhisdutiesasstewardmentoratSantiniketankepthimbusy:morningshetaught
by
its
classesafternoonsandeveningshewrotethestudents'textbooks.[171]Hefundraisedwidelyforthe
laws
and
schoolinEuropeandtheUnitedStatesbetween1919and1921.[172]
institutions,
the
love
of

humanity.

TheftofNobelPrize

Sdhan:
The
Realisation
ofLife,
1916.[159]

On25March2004,Tagore'sNobelPrizewasstolenfromthesafetyvaultoftheVisvaBharati
University,alongwithseveralotherofhisbelongings.[173]On7December2004,theSwedish

AcademydecidedtopresenttworeplicasofTagore'sNobelPrize,onemadeofgoldandtheother
madeofbronze,totheVisvaBharatiUniversity.[174]

Impactandlegacy
Everyyear,manyeventspaytributetoTagore:Kabipranam,hisbirthanniversary,
iscelebratedbygroupsscatteredacrosstheglobetheannualTagoreFestival
heldinUrbana,Illinois(USA)RabindraPathParikramawalkingpilgrimagesfrom
KolkatatoSantiniketanandrecitalsofhispoetry,whichareheldonimportant
anniversaries.[74][175][176]Bengalicultureisfraughtwiththislegacy:fromlanguage
andartstohistoryandpolitics.AmartyaSendeemedTagorea"toweringfigure",a
"deeplyrelevantandmanysidedcontemporarythinker".[176]Tagore'sBengali
originalsthe1939RabndraRachanvaliscanonisedasoneofhisnation's
greatestculturaltreasures,andhewasropedintoareasonablyhumblerole:"the
greatestpoetIndiahasproduced".[177]

Who
are
you,
reader,
reading
my
poems
a
hundred
years
hence?
I
cannot
send
you
one
single
flower
from
this

TagorewasrenownedthroughoutmuchofEurope,NorthAmerica,
andEastAsia.HecofoundedDartingtonHallSchool,a

Thkurovaulice,Prague.

progressivecoeducationalinstitution[179]inJapan,heinfluenced
suchfiguresasNobellaureateYasunariKawabata.[180]Tagore's
workswerewidelytranslatedintoEnglish,Dutch,German,Spanish,
andotherEuropeanlanguagesbyCzechindologistVincenc
Lesn,[181]FrenchNobellaureateAndrGide,RussianpoetAnna
Akhmatova,[182]formerTurkishPrimeMinisterBlent
Ecevit,[183]andothers.IntheUnitedStates,Tagore'slecturing
circuits,particularlythoseof19161917,werewidelyattendedand
wildlyacclaimed.Somecontroversies[h]involvingTagore,possibly
fictive,trashedhispopularityandsalesinJapanandNorthAmerica
afterthelate1920s,concludingwithhis"neartotaleclipse"outside

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wealth
Bengal.[6]YetalatentreverenceofTagorewasdiscoveredbyan
of
astonishedSalmanRushdieduringatriptoNicaragua.[189]
the
spring,
one
Bywayoftranslations,TagoreinfluencedChileansPablo
single
NerudaandGabrielaMistralMexicanwriterOctavioPazand
streak
of
SpaniardsJosOrtegayGasset,ZenobiaCamprub,andJuan
gold
RamnJimnez.Intheperiod19141922,theJimnezCamprub
from
yonder
pairproducedtwentytwoSpanishtranslationsofTagore'sEnglish
clouds.
corpustheyheavilyrevisedTheCrescentMoonandotherkey
Open
your
titles.Intheseyears,Jimnezdeveloped"naked
doors
and
poetry".[190]OrtegayGassetwrotethat"Tagore'swideappeal
look
abroad. [owestohow]hespeaksoflongingsforperfectionthatweall
From
have[...]Tagoreawakensadormantsenseofchildishwonder,and
your
blossominghesaturatestheairwithallkindsofenchantingpromisesforthe
garden
TagoreRoom,Sardar
reader,who[...]payslittleattentiontothedeeperimportofOriental
gather
PatelMemorial,Ahmedabad.
fragrant mysticism".Tagore'sworkscirculatedinfreeeditionsaround1920
memories
alongsidethoseofPlato,Dante,Cervantes,Goethe,andTolstoy.
of
the
Tagorewasdeemedoverratedbysome.Graham
vanished
flowers
Greenedoubtedthat"anyonebutMr.Yeatscanstilltakehis
of
poemsveryseriously."SeveralprominentWesternadmirers
an
hundred includingPoundand,toalesserextent,evenYeats
years
criticisedTagore'swork.Yeats,unimpressedwithhisEnglish
before.
In
translations,railedagainstthat"DamnTagore[...]Wegot
the
outthreegoodbooks,SturgeMooreandI,andthen,
joy
of
becausehethoughtitmoreimportanttoknowEnglishthan
your
heart
tobeagreatpoet,hebroughtoutsentimentalrubbishand
may
wreckedhisreputation.TagoredoesnotknowEnglish,no
you
feel
IndianknowsEnglish."[6][191]WilliamRadice,who
the
"English[ed]"hispoems,asked:"Whatistheirplaceinworld
living
joy
literature?"[192]Hesawhimas"kindofcountercultur[al]",
that
bearing"anewkindofclassicism"thatwouldhealthe
sang
one
"collapsedromanticconfusionandchaosofthe20th
spring
morning, [c]entury."[191][193]ThetranslatedTagorewas"almost
RabindranathTagore'sbustatSt
sending
nonsensical",[194]andsubparEnglishofferingsreducedhis
its
StephenGreenPark,Dublin,Ireland
glad
transnationalappeal:
voice
across
an
AnyonewhoknowsTagore'spoemsintheiroriginalBengalicannotfeelsatisfiedwith
hundred

anyofthetranslations(madewithorwithoutYeats'shelp).Eventhetranslationsofhis
years.
The
Gardener,
1915.[178]

proseworkssuffer,tosomeextent,fromdistortion.E.M.Forsternoted[of]TheHome
andtheWorld[that]'[t]hethemeissobeautiful,'butthecharmshave'vanishedin
translation,'orperhaps'inanexperimentthathasnotquitecomeoff.'
AmartyaSen,"TagoreandHisIndia".[6]

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