Born to the distinguished Jorasanko Tagore family on May 7, 1861 (25 Baishakh 1268 B.S.), Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, the first Nobel laureate from Asia, grew up in the enlightened culture of nineteenth-century ‘renaissance’ Bengal. The versatile genius of Rabindranath has few parallels in human history and it is quite impossible to subsume his creative genius under a singular rubric. He was, at a time, a littérateur par excellence—equally adept at poetry, novels, short stories and plays—a musician-composer of rare talent, a painter, and, of course, a philosopher of his times. Further, he was a visionary institution-builder. He actively put his philosophy of life to test through his innovative experimentation in rural reconstruction. He may have eschewed active participation in party politics, but he captivated the soul of this country with the clarion mantraof Atmashakti—he taught the people the invaluable lesson of self-reliance. The result was his extensive reformist experiments in zamindari work in colonial East Bengal and the establishment of ‘Sriniketan’ at Visva-Bharati in 1922.

 

Rabindranath’s distinctive individuality was evident in every area of his life and work. Brahmoism emerged within the context of the Bengal ‘renaissance’, and it was his father, Maharshi Debendranath, who transformed the Brahmo Samaj, initiated by Raja Rammohan Roy, into ‘Brahmo dharma’. But even here, Rabindranath charted out his own trajectory and arrived at the unique ‘Religion of Man’ as the ultimate destination of mankind. He adapted the concept of ‘Personal God’ (Jivandebota) to the ‘God of collective consciousness’ (Visvadebota) in his life.

 

The ‘myriad-minded’ philosopher-poet lived a life that was at a time meditatively private and engagingly public. Above all, he believed that there was a harmony inherent in the world. This ‘Harmony’ formed the core of his philosophy and literary theory. Fundamental values, such as Truth, Beauty, Peace, Bliss, etc., were rooted in his philosophy of worldly rhythm; probably influenced by the Upanishads. He even considered death to be in harmony with life. Connectedly, he spent his life spreading the great message of peace that he had garnered from ancient India. In time, he became the cultural ambassador of Indian heritage in spreading this eternal message to the world.

 

Advocating ‘eternal novelty’ in all things, Rabindranath also brought about a revolutionary change in the field of education. Adapting the essence of the ancient Indian ‘Tapovana’ to suit the modern era, he established ‘Brahmacharyashrama’ at Santiniketan in 1901. Again, in the post-World War I era, at a time of great human defeat, he presented ‘Visva-Bharati’ to the people of the world; the motto of this university was the mantra embodying ancient Indian wisdom: yatravisvam bhabatyeknidam (where the world makes home in a single nest). In this sense, Visva-Bharati is like the ‘offshoot of [Rabindranath’s] soul’; and he is present here still in every speck of dust.

 

Rabindranath Tagore may have relinquished his mortal form on August 7, 1941 (22 Shravana 1348 B.S.); but he will remain forever the lambent light in our souls that tirelessly watches over us and keeps intellectual parochiality and moral tenebrity at bay.