Rabindranath Tagore (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath, poet, writer, and painter. A Bengali Brahmo religious leader,Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. He is best known as a pioneer of Indian literature in English and as the author of Gitanjali (Song Offerings), his most famous work that has been translated into more than 100 languages. His contributions to music are significant: he composed songs or songs-spousal for several noted women poets of Bengal such as Sarala Devi and Chandidas who were renowned for their own troubadour skills.
Early Life
Rabindranath Tagore was born on 7 May 1861 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), British India. His father, Jyotirindra Nath Tagore, was a well-known poet who had been awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913. Rabindranath’s mother, Bimba Devi (née Ghosh), died when he was 11 years old.
He was educated at home by his elder brother Debendranath and later studied at University College London where he matriculated with honours in 1875 before going to Santiniketan school where he became interested in English literature and other subjects like philosophy or religion which were not taught at home as part of their curriculum!
Education
Tagore was educated at home until the age of eight, when he was sent to the local school. The family did not have enough money to hire tutors, so Tagore studied English, history and geography on his own. It was at this time that he began composing poems; some of these were later published in the newspapers or magazines of Calcutta (now Kolkata), where he lived after returning from England in 1878.
In 1877-78 Tagore studied law at Utkal University but dropped out due to financial difficulties during his parents’ illnesses and subsequent death within one year of each other in 1880s
Writing Career
Tagore’s writing career began with the publication of his first collection of poems, Gitanjali, in 1913. This was followed by his first novel, Durga (1915), and then a play titled Char Adhyay (1916). In 1917 he published another novel, Ghare-Baire.
In 1920 he wrote two more plays: Gitanjali II: The Home and Other Stories (1920) and Mahishasurmardini or The Great Gauri-Lila or The Birthday Party (1920). These were published together under the title Gandhi-Gita: A Play at Two Acts with Responses from a Host of Audiences.
In 1921 Tagore published another play titled Chitragupta or Chitra’s Triumph Over Death Through Her Love For Him; It had been written earlier but never acted on account of lacklustre production values so it was now ready for performance at home as well as abroad – making it one among few works that could be performed outside India since 1929 when this policy was implemented by British Government!
Political Activism
Tagore’s political activism began in 1905 with his participation in the Swadeshi movement. He opposed British rule and demanded self-rule for India, which he thought would be achieved through independence from British rule. In this view he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent means of protest against British rule.
He also supported other social causes such as women’s rights and banning child labour at an early stage of his career (see under “Health”).
Tagore was not averse to violence when necessary; during World War II he encouraged Indians to resist both fascism abroad and fascism at home; see below under “Violence”.
Also Read:- Biography of Bhim Rao Ambedkar
Museums
You can visit the Tagore Museum in Kolkata, which is housed in a beautiful building that was once the residence of Rabindranath Tagore. The museum contains many personal items from his life and also has works by other great artists like Picasso and Matisse.
There are several museums around Shantiniketan (the place where he spent most of his time), including:
- Rangamati Museum – A small museum dedicated to showcasing local history and culture through exhibits on different aspects such as art & craft work, architecture etc., located near Shanti Niketan.
- Santiniketan Art Gallery – Contains paintings done by students & faculty members at Santiniketan College since its inception in 1882.
- Kalibari Bazaar (or Kalibari Street) [now known as Dhamapara Road] is home to one of Bengal’s oldest markets where you can find anything from clothes to spices! A must-visit destination when visiting Dhaka or Chittagong.
Family Life
Rabindranath Tagore was married three times, and had four children. His first wife died during childbirth; his second wife died in 1928; and his third wife, Mrinalini Devi, committed suicide by throwing herself into the Hooghly River in 1945.
His eldest son Sarat Chandra was born in 1905 to his first wife Kabita Devi; he also had two younger daughters: Sukumari (born 1904) and Sudhiramani (1908). The couple later adopted another daughter named Lalita Devi who became a writer of Bengali poetry under her married name Lakshmi Balan.
Death and Legacy
Tagore was born to Keshab Chandra Sen and Swarnakumari Devi on 7 August 1861 in Calcutta, India. He died on 7 August 1941 at his home in New York City, United States. His ashes are interred in the Visva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India.
Tagore’s birth anniversary is celebrated as Rabindra Jayanti (the day of birth), whereas his death anniversary has been observed by Bangladeshis as Pohela Boishakh (the first day of spring). In Bengal it is also known as Dhanteras which means “the tenth day”.
Top 5 Rabindranath Tagore Quotes
“If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
“It is very simple to be happy, but it is very difficult to be simple.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
List of Works by Rabindranath Tagore
Original Poetry in Bengali
| Bengali Title | Transliterated Title | Translated Title | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| মানসী | Manasi | The Ideal One | 1890 |
| বলাকা | Balaka | The Flight of Cranes | 1916 |
| গীতাঞ্জলি | Gitanjali | Song Offerings | 1910 |
| গীতিমাল্য | Gitimalya | Wreath of Songs | 1914 |
| সোনার তরী | Sonar Tari | The Golden Boat | 1894 |
| ভানুসিংহ ঠাকুরের পদাবলী | Bhānusiṃha Ṭhākurer Paḍāvalī | Songs of Bhānusiṃha Ṭhākur | 1884 |
Original Dramas in Bengali
| Bengali Title | Transliterated Title | Translated Title | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| বাল্মিকী প্রতিভা | Valmiki-Pratibha | The Genius of Valmiki | 1881 |
| কালমৃগয়া | Kal-Mrigaya | The Fatal Hunt | 1882 |
| মায়ার খেলা | Mayar Khela | The Play of Illusions | 1888 |
| বিসর্জন | Visarjan | The Sacrifice | 1890 |
| চিত্রাঙ্গদা | Chitrangada | Chitrangada | 1892 |
| রাজা | Raja | The King of the Dark Chamber | 1910 |
| ডাকঘর | Dak Ghar | The Post Office | 1912 |
| অচলায়তন | Achalayatan | The Immovable | 1912 |
| মুক্তধারা | Muktadhara | The Waterfall | 1922 |
| রক্তকরবী | Raktakarabi | Red Oleanders | 1926 |
| চণ্ডালিকা | Chandalika | The Untouchable Girl | 1933 |
Original Nonfiction in Bengali
| Bengali Title | Transliterated Title | Translated Title | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| জীবনস্মৃতি | Jivansmriti | My Reminiscences | 1912 |
| ছেলেবেলা | Chhelebela | My Boyhood Days | 1940 |
Works in English
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Thought Relics | 1921 |
Original Fiction in Bengali
| Bengali Title | Transliterated Title | Translated Title | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| নষ্টনীড় | Nastanirh | The Broken Nest | 1901 |
| গোরা | Gora | Fair-Faced | 1910 |
| ঘরে বাইরে | Ghare Baire | The Home and the World | 1916 |
| যোগাযোগ | Yogayog | Crosscurrents | 1929 |
Adaptations of Short Stories and Novels in Cinema
Bengali
- Natir Puja – 1932 – The only film directed by Rabindranath Tagore
- Gora – 1938 Gora (novel) – Naresh Mitra
- Noukadubi – Nitin Bose
- Bou Thakuranir Haat – 1953 (Bou Thakuranir Haat) – Naresh Mitra
- Kabuliwala – 1957 (Kabuliwala) – Tapan Sinha
- Kshudhita Pashan – 1960 (Kshudhita Pashan) – Tapan Sinha
- Teen Kanya – 1961 (Teen Kanya) – Satyajit Ray
- Charulata – 1964 (Nastanirh) – Satyajit Ray
- Megh o Roudra – 1969 (Megh o Roudra) – Arundhati Devi
- Ghare Baire – 1985 (Ghare Baire) – Satyajit Ray
- Chokher Bali – 2003 (Chokher Bali) – Rituparno Ghosh
- Shasti – 2004 (Shasti) – Chashi Nazrul Islam
- Shuva – 2006 (Shuvashini) – Chashi Nazrul Islam
- Chaturanga – 2008 (Chaturanga) – Suman Mukhopadhyay
- Noukadubi – 2011 (Noukadubi) – Rituparno Ghosh
- Elar Char Adhyay – 2012 (Char Adhyay) – Bappaditya Bandyopadhyay
Hindi
- Sacrifice – 1927 (Balidan) – Nanand Bhojai and Naval Gandhi
- Milan – 1946 (Nauka Dubi) – Nitin Bose
- Dak Ghar – 1965 (Dak Ghar) – Zul Vellani
- Kabuliwala – 1961 (Kabuliwala) – Bimal Roy
- Uphaar – 1971 (Samapti) – Sudhendu Roy
- Lekin… – 1991 (Kshudhit Pashaan) – Gulzar
- Char Adhyay – 1997 (Char Adhyay) – Kumar Shahani
- Kashmakash – 2011 (Nauka Dubi) – Rituparno Ghosh
- Stories by Rabindranath Tagore (Anthology TV Series) – 2015 – Anurag Basu
- Bioscopewala – 2017 (Kabuliwala) – Deb Medhekar
- Bhikharin
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