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The Tagores’ were considered to be one of the most important and culturally inclined families of Bengal. His early life was deeply influenced by Art, Literature and Culture. He begun reading boigraphies, poems and sanskrit by the age of 12. Tagore largely contributed to the Bengali Literature in the Late 19 th and 20 th century and created his masterpieces like Yogayog, Gitanjali and Gitimalya. Rabindranath Tagore was a great philosopher, poet, music composer, artist and a leader of Brahm Samaj who took the Indian culture and tradition to the whole world and became the voice of Indian heritage.

Inclination towards nature The beauty of the earth moved him profoundly. He would run to the garden as soon as he woke in the morning. The fragrance of grass wet with the dew rose up around him as the first rays of light caressed the heads of the coconut palms. To Tagore the garden was a heavenly place. He loved singing his self composed songs that express the ideas, “The eye cannot see you, although you are inside the eye. The heart cannot know you, although you are inside the heart.” The First photograph of our Tagore ( ) Rabindranath Tagore was popularly known as Rabi in his childhood.

Rabi’s reputation as a poet finally reached the school when the headmaster composed two lines one day: “When the sun was scorching everybody Hope of rain dispelled their face.” He asked Rabi to complete the words by adding two lines to it. Rabi wrote: “ The fish which cowered in the bottom of the pond Rose to the surface and splashed about happily.” Tagore’s public debut as a poet came on the February 11, 1875 at the meeting of a Hindu Mela His talent bloomed and eventually Tagore became India’s greatest poet.*

A towering figure in the field of Art and Literature in the sub-continent of India was awarded the Noble Prize in 1913 and became the Asia’s First Noble Laureate * The poet’s own words came true : Thou hast made me known To friends whom I knew not Thou hast given me seats In homes not my own. Thou hast brought the distant near And made a brother of the stranger.

Tagore's travelogues from the tour were collected into the work “Jatri” Tagore Visited 35Countries in five Continents like U.K., Japan, Russia, Germany etc.. His last travels abroad, include visits to Persia and Iraq in 1932 and Ceylon in He was friendly with many notable 20 th century personalities W.B. Yeats, H.G. Wells, Ezra Pound, Albert Einstien. His travel sharpened his opinions regarding human divisions and nationalism. W.B. YeatsH.G. WellsAlbert Einstein

Selected work on Paintings Chitralipi Vol. I and Chitralipi Vol II. Tagore discovered his early talent as a painter in his early 60s when his exhibition was held in Paris.

The Paris Exhibition catapulted him amongst the top painters of modern times, the artist in Rabindranath Tagore was awakened.

“I have it in mind to make Shantiniketan the connecting thread between India and the world. I want to make this place somewhat beyond the limits of nations and geography.” --- Rabindranath Tagore

“….With a will power to translate a dream into reality.” * Tagore was against the conventional style of education. * He wanted students to grow up in nature, with this objective the ShantiNiketan study center was founded. * In 1901, he started an experimental school at Shantiniketan where he tried his ideals of education based on Upanishad. * He started Patha Bhawan, an experimental open air school with just five students. * Gradually the no. of students increased. * Classes were held in outdoors, as he felt that students should be close to nature. * Today the sprawling campus amidst lush green meadows has several beautiful buildings.

It proved a success and widened scope of studies gradually formed the nucleus of a University. The greatest legacy of the poet to his country remains the world renowned institution founded by him known as Vishwa Bharti University. Kala Bhavan, the art college of Shanti Niketan one of the best Art colleges of the World. It is proud of its alumni – Indira Gandhi, Amartya Sen, Satyajit Ray Lt. Smt. Indira Gandhi Sh. Amartya Sen Renowned Economist Sh. Satyajit Ray, Bengali Producer & Writer

Tagore and Mrinalini Devi, 1883 Inspite of the great loss of his wife and children in 1902 he continued with his herculean job as an educationist and prove the world where there is a will there is a way.

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, But to add color to my sunset sky.

Tagore is famous for writing short stories as an art, specially in Bengali. The Fruit seller from Kabul popularly known as Kabuliwalla is one of the best stories among 84 stories written by him. Kabuliwala portraying the theme of longing through the character of Mini and Afghani seller. It is the wonderful narration in first person. His other famous stories are Chhuti, Aparichita, Letter, The Editor etc. His stories are based upon his early experiences with villagers, showcasing the life of Bengal sympathy for the poor and uphold universal human values.

He was Poet first of all. His poems are inseparable part of every Bengali family. His popular collections include Shonar Tori, Gitali etc. and above all Gitanjali. It is said that there isn’t any emotions Rabindranath Tagore has not captured in his Poems

Gitanjali or ‘Song offerings’ in English translation is a volume of 103 poems. Gitanjali poems that took the Western World by storm and brought him worldwide recognition. Rabindranath Tagore ( ) put us on the literary map of the world when his Gitanjali was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in A poet’s poet, he is a maker of not only modern Indian Literature but also the modern Indian mind. Myriad-minded, he was a poet, short story writer, novelist, dramatist, painter and composer of songs. W.B. Yeats wrote: “…his poems have stirred my blood as nothing for years…”. GITANJALI

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. Where The Mind Is Without Fear