Rabindranath Tagore- the Poet Laueate of India Courtesy:www.wikispace.com 1

Tagore Family 2

EARLY YEARS Tagore received his education at home. He was taught in Bengali, with English lessons in the afternoon. He read the Bengali poets since his early age and himself began writing poetry himself by the age of eight.

YOUNG TAGORE Born at JORASANKO to the illustrious Tagore Family on 7th May, 1861 Mother : Sarada Debi Father : Maharshi Debendranath Tagore Grandfather : Prince Dwarakanath Tagore 14th Child of his parents First school : Oriental Seminary Second school : Normal school Third school : Bengal Academy Fourth School : St Xavier’s school Formal schooling was not liked by him at all—this dislike was the factor behind the foundation of his own system of schooling at Viswa- Bharati, Shantiniketan in his later years Had informal but constructive training from his private tutors and elder siblings Displayed his literary skills from a very young age Wrote his first poem in 1877 under the pseudonym BHANUSINGHA Was sent off for higher studies to England in 1878. Returned in1880 degreeless 4

In 1879, he enrolled at University College, At age sixteen, he published his first substantial poetry under the pseudonym Bhanushingho ("Sun Lion") and wrote his first short stories and dramas His father wanted him to become a barrister and he was sent to England for this reason. In 1879, he enrolled at University College, at London, but was called back by his father to return to India in 1880. W.B. Yeats wrote the introduction to Gitanjali which was internationally recognised as a great literary work With Einstein who he met through a common friend, Dr. Mendel W.B.Yeats

He read law at, but left school to explore Shakespeare and more He read law at, but left school to explore Shakespeare and more.He returned degreeless to Bengal in 1880. On 9 December 1883 he married Mrinalini Devi; they had five children, two of whom died before reaching adulthood. In 1890, Tagore began managing his family's vast estates in Shilaidaha, a region now in Bangladesh;

AFTER RETURN FROM ENGLAND Most of his remarkable pieces of literature and songs were written here on the boat Padma, while travelling between the different parts of his Zamindari between Shilaidaha and Patisar In addition to his natural skills as a man of letters, he also displayed remarkable ability as a benevolent administrator of his subjects In 1901 he moved on to Shantiniketan where he founded the Brahmacharyashram for young boys and girls- the first open air school of its kind in India KUTHIBARI AT SHILAIDAHA 7

SHANTINIKETAN the connecting thread between India and the world and the study of humanity beyond the limits of nation and geography resurrected his people by the introduction of schools As one of the earliest educators to think in terms of the global village, Rabindranath Tagore felt that a curriculum should  revolve organically around nature with classes  held in the open air under the trees to provide for a spontaneous appreciation of the fluidity of the plant and animal kingdoms, and seasonal changes

As author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", and as the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Tagore was perhaps the most widely regarded Indian literary figure of all time. In 1915 he was knighted by the British King George V. Tagore was perhaps the only litterateur who penned anthems of two countries: India and Bangladesh: Jana Gana Mana and Amar Shonar Bangla. The Indian national anthem has been recognised as the best in the world

On 14 July 1927, Tagore and two companions began a four-month tour of Southeast Asia, visiting Bali, Java, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, Siam, and Singapore. Tagore's travelogues from the tour were collected into the work “Jatri ’’ TAGORE – HOME & THE WORLD Such extensive travels allowed Tagore to interact with many notable contemporaries, including Henri Bergson, Albert Einstein, Robert Frost, Thomas Mann, George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells and Romain Rolland.

At age sixty ,Tagore took up drawing and painting; successful exhibitions of his many works— which made a debut appearance in Paris upon encouragement by artists he met in the south of France—were held throughout Europe. Tagore also had an artist's eye for his own handwriting .His paintings were mostly done by embellishing the scribbles, cross-outs and his manuscripts had word layout with simple artistic form, including simple rhythmic designs.

Shesher Kobita, Char Odhay, Noukadubi. Ghare Baire Jogajog Tagore wrote eight novels Chaturanga, Shesher Kobita, Char Odhay, Noukadubi. Ghare Baire Jogajog chokher bali gora Though his novels remain among the least-appreciated of his works, they have been given renewed attention via film adaptations by Satyajit Ray and others: Chokher Bali and Ghare Baire are exemplary. Their soundtracks often feature rabindrasŋgit.

He actively supported Mahatma Gandhi, He believed that India must earn her freedom He actively supported Mahatma Gandhi, Tagore wrote songs lionizing the Indian independence movement and renounced his knighthood in protest against the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Gandhi and the other founding leaders of modern India were deeply influenced by Rabindranath. He wanted his country to be a place Where the mind is without fear    and the head is held high,

TAGORE-twilight years Tagore suffered from multiple medical problems in the last four years of his life. Following a surgery for his prostatic problems,he developed infections which ultimately led to his death on 7th August ,1941. In his lifetime, in addition to his poems,he composed more than 2000 songs,8 novels,short stories, dance drama, musical drama, theatrical compositions, social and political essays.He also directed his Dance Drama Natir Puja as a film under New Theatres. 14

Convincingly, he was the Prophet of Peace Rabindranath Tagore died on August 7, 1941 in the same house in which he was born at Thakurbari in Jorasanko Convincingly, he was the Prophet of Peace

Tagore's artistic corrections 16