Rabindranath Tagore & His Contribution Towards Society

How Did Rabindranath Tagore Contribute In The Progress of India

Rabindranath Tagore or Robindronath Thakur was a Bengali polymath – poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter. He reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born on 7 May 1861 and died on 7 August 1941. Tagore modernized Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal.

Contribution of Rabindranath Tagore

"What is needed is the eagerness of heart for fruitful communication between different cultures. Anything that prevents this is barbarism." This was Rabindranath Tagore's view about nationalism. 'Viswa Kavi' was a visionary who revolutionized education and literature in India. He invested his Nobel Prize money in building the campus and a town in Bolpur, West Bengal. He named the place Shantiniketan. In 1901 Tagore founded an experimental school in rural West Bengal at Shantiniketan (“Abode of Peace”), where he sought to blend the best in the Indian and Western traditions. He settled permanently at the school, which became Visva-Bharati University in 1921.

The contributions of Tagore to Indian society:

1. Realization of self-respect for the common man through his literature.
2. Our National Anthem: ‘Jana Gana mana adhinayaka jaya he.’ written by Tagore.
3. His worldwide tour represented India as a country of learned persons.
4. His works united Indians and made all think of India as a nation.
5. Instillation of patriotic feelings within the common folk.
6. The first Asian and only Indian who won a Nobel prize in literature.
7. Rabindranath Tagore, famously known as Gurudev, was a poet, author, painter, and polymath.

The Opaque Social Reforms of Tagore: A Renaissance Personality

Many names have been attributed to Tagore over the years such as Gurudev, Kobiguru, and Biswokobi, since his birth 1861 in today’s Kolkata. Gurudev was a visionary who advocated for freedom in education. "Great Poet" is the literal meaning of the name Kobiguru. And Biswokobi, as a world's poet.

Tagore was a multi-talented artist who excelled in many fields: poetry, philosophy, social change, composition, and painting, and so forth. There is no single description that is sufficient for the bard. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1931.

After that, he went on a trip that took him through East Asia, the Americas, and Europe for the next twenty years, spreading the ideals of internationalism, world peace, and humanism as the cornerstones of his philosophy. He died in 1941. The famous portraits of Tagore were drawn by artist and writer William Rothenstein on their first meeting in 1910 at Calcutta. He noted down that he wanted to portray the subject's "inherent charm" and "excellent physical beauty" in his sketch.

Tagore's works have left an indelible impression on contemporary art, artists, and even politics, which explains why they are a living canon.

Rabindranath Tagore contribution to societal changes are listed below:

1. Bengal Partition and Rabindranath:

Rabindranath Tagore contribution holds a high regard in India’s Nationalism. The newly appointed viceroy, Lord Curzon, said on July 22, 1904, that the Presidency of Bengal would be divided into two halves. The British rule tried to sow confusion and division among various groups of Bengal mainly, as they seemed to worry about the unity of the society in that area.

 The partition of Bengal took place in October 1905, which caused a wave of protests to spread across the country. Indians turned to using Indian-made goods and products after the Indian National Congress started the Swadeshi Movement, which proved to be a turning point for them.

 To unite the Bengali people, Rabindranath Tagore wrote the song Banglar Mati Banglar Jol, meaning "Soil of Bengal and the Water of Bengal," and also initiated the Rakhi Utsav, which is a festival where members of different religious groups like Hindus and Muslims come together and wrap colourful thread around each other’s wrists. The regions of Bengal were unified and added to the province of Bengal in 1911.

 2.Disregarding old Western pedagogies

 Shunning the traditional way of lecturing, Tagore was not in favour of the educational system. He believed that learning occurs through experience in the natural world, when the student is fully immersed in the learning processs.

 Among the most salient moments during the inception of Visva Bharati University, that of Tagore placing the foundation stone on December 29, 1918, stands out to be of unparalleled significance.

Among other things, teachers played an important role in providing psychological support and mentorship, helping students realise and achieve their utmost potential in all academic, spiritual, and emotional areas of their education.

Rabindranath Tagore contribution to Indian education system cannot be ignored. Tagore developed a synthesis curriculum at Visva-Bharati that blended contemporary Western concepts with traditional Indian knowledge. His ideal education system was one of absolute freedom of self-expression, creativity, and a deep love for the arts and the environment.

Tagore’s innovative pedagogical approaches have had an influence on global educational philosophies, stressing, in particular, experiential learning and the integration of academic studies with various extracurricular activities.

The school amalgamated Indian and Western philosophy to teach a synthesis approach to learning. It was the seed for the emergence of an active dance, music, literary, and art economy. Tagore’s demand to form a unique and open world was accepted by numerous students who became famous artists, musicians, and philosophers.

 3.The Black Knighthood

 Tagore's bravery helped the Indians defeat the British. Before World War I, some of his works were made into translations. The royal household invited Tagore to take the knighthood after the war.

 Nevertheless, April 13, 1919, was the date when the Jallianwala Bagh massacre happened in Amritsar. As a sign of protest against the heinous crimes committed by the British armed forces, Tagore renounced the title.

“It is time for me to stand alongside my fellow countrymen, who, for the sake of their unimportance, are liable to suffer inconceivable humiliation, tag my honour shoulder facelessly”.

  The Congress party and local authorities praised his contribution.

 4.Modifying India's Worldview

 Tagore's global philosophy is the reason he got the title of Viswa Kavi, the poet of the world. The author, Tagore, emphasised the concept of global integrity and the idea that a door opens to the world when India discovers the right words for the freedom struggle. 

His songs, for instance, “Akash bhora surjo tara, biswa bhora praan” and “Tahre mahj khane ami peyechi mor sthaan” (The sun and stars fill the sky, the world full of life), are hymns to man in the universe.

  Natives experienced a profound change in the way they understood the world due to this belief system. Tagore’s explanation of the universality of man changed the course of the liberation movement from demonstrations to development. After becoming independent, India’s identity was significantly shaped by Tagore’s concept of global peace and brotherhood.

Rabindranath Tagore contribution to the World’s Philosophy is conceptualised by many philosophers who cam after him.

 5.Politics and Tagore

The radical speakers and agitators called him out for being a writer from the upper class who was disconnected from the lower classes. This was due to ignorance in low educational standards.

 A lot of critics of Tagore were not aware that revolution is a positive, constant process that burns through knowledge and not by a sudden happening.

 In the "Swadeshi Samaj" speech, he argued that British governance in India is the "political symptom of our social disease"—that disease being self-governing.  

Education, along with patience and consistent learning, was what he told Indians to do as part of the revolt process.

 Contribution of Rabindranath Tagore in Indian Politics cannot be missed. Tagore also denounced narrow-minded nationalism. He exclaimed that "when the organisation of politics and economy, whose other name is the 'Nation', abuses the other countries at the cost of the harmony of the higher social life, then it is bad news for humanity."

6.Literary Path and Accomplishments

 In 1878, the publication of his first poetry book, “Kabi Kahini” (The Tale of the Poet), marked the beginning of Tagore’s literary career. His poetic genius was confirmed by some of his later works, like “Kalpana” and “Sonar Tari." Tagore, in his poetry, experimented with human emotions, had a big love of nature, and expressed a spiritual yearning.

 He was an ardent advocate of educational reform and believed that true learning had to occur beyond books and classrooms.

Through his endeavor to "make Santiniketan a connecting thread between India and the world, and a world centre for the study of the humanity that is beyond the boundaries of the nations or geographies,", he set up an experimental school at Santiniketan.

He designated Shantiniketan as the location of the abode of peace. Often, his teaching strategies are the subject of curricula around the world. He founded Visva-Bharati in 1901, and this school was really new and revolutionary. It promoted the development of both the mind and spirit and used a comprehensive approach to education.

 Tagore’s most significant book, "Gitanjali,” was published in 1910. It was a translation of his poems done by him. His extraordinariness in the poem “Gitanjali” made him famous among readers in the whole world.

His magnum opus was a significant part of the literary geography of the West besides his fame as a master of verse, a great modernist, and a poet.

 7.The Nobel Prize and Global Impact

 The first non-European laureate of the Nobel Prize for Literature was Rabindranath Tagore in 1913. The Swedish Academy gave him this literary honor for his wonderful, avant-garde, and extraordinarily moving poetry collection, "Gitanjali." The title was given to him, and he did become a global star and a de facto carrier of Indian culture.

"Viswa Kavi" made a significant contribution to Indian literature and education through his visionary ideas.

Rabindranath, besides his literary upliftment role as the first Indian winner of the Nobel Prize, also played a vital role in the independence movement of India before independence.

However, Tagore, as a Nobel Prize winner, could visit almost all the countries and deliver lectures on different topics. In addition, he travelled to other countries like the United States, Japan, and China, addressed important people, and carried his intercultural dialogue and global history message. Tagore’s art and philosophical expression left a lasting impact on the hearts of numerous people, and Indian literature and philosophy were venerated by many. 

8. Concepts and Precepts

The ideas and values of Rabindranath Tagore were truth- and beauty-oriented, universalist, and humanist. He thought that the process of education was able to change individuals and the whole society at large.

Tagore’s educational philosophy was comprehensive in nature and consisted of three folds: intellectual, creative, and spiritual development. His internal dialogue suggested that education should foster creativity, intellectual freedom, and a sense of oneness with the rest of the world.

  Apart from his philosophical insights, the social beliefs of Tagore had a great impact too. That man was outrageously antagonistic to anything that restricted freedom, particularly racial supremacy, colonialism, and imperialism.

He also showed that the people's issues were connected to the unjust and exploitative nature of industrialism. He enjoined society and underscored individual rights, especially women gaining more power.

  In summary

 Inherently, Tagore’s journey, accomplishments, lessons, and actions will become universal truths. Being a poet, philosopher, teacher, and social activist, he spent immense effort pushing forward these ideals of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and harmony between people of different creeds. Tagore’s works are eternal; they are not limited by time, nation, or language, and until today, many people have found joy and inspiration in his works.

 He first taught regarding the quality of education, culture, and the environment in which a person lives, which are all as relevant today as they were then.

The contribution of Rabindranath Tagore in all spheres of life- philosophy, education, nationalism, social reforms are held at high regard by all. Tagore is like an integral part of the lessons that motivate us to cherish the unity of all our lives and the bond that does not allow us to exist separately.

By: Anirudha Sharma
Government Senior Secondary School, Bopara