The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore
Tagore: A Short Biography
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The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore (Ashgate World Philosophies Series) (Ashgate World Philosophies Series) by Kalyan Sen Gupta (z-lib.org)
Tagore: A Short Biography
We learn many things about Tagore’s life from his autobiographies, Jivansmriti and My Boyhood Days, in which he tells us about his childhood, his private tutor, his experience at school, the death of his mother, his deep friendship with his sister-in-law Kadambari Devi, his grief when she committed suicide, and much else. Another important book, Atmaparichaya, a narrative of the gradual development of his poetic life, is described by Tagore as telling of a voyage of progressive self-discovery. Further details of his life are provided in the several biographies of Tagore now available. These include Life and Works of Rabindranath (4 volumes) by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay and Life of Rabindranath (9 volumes so far) by Prasanta Kumar Pal, both in Bengali, and a short biography of Tagore in English by Krishna Kripalani. Rabindranath was born on 7 May, 1861. His grandfather Dwarakanath was a business magnate, as well as the owner of huge landed estates. A close associate of Rammohun Roy, the architect of Bengal renaissance, he was well known for his generosity and public charities. He visited Europe twice, met with Max Müller and Queen Victoria, and died in London. Rabindranath 1 never saw him, in fact, and in his writings we find practically no reference to his grandfather. Tagore’s father Debendranath (1817–1905), who was a close disciple of Rammohun Roy, revived the reformist Hindu sect Brahmo Samaj, founded by Rammohun. His life exemplified a type of Indian spiritualism with its roots in the teachings of the Upanishads. 1 Being the son of the wealthy Dwarakanath, he was brought up in some luxury; however, he remained indifferent to his wealth, leading a life that was austere, controlled, and governed by a stern sense of duty. In many places, Rabindranath speaks of the great role that the model of his father played in his own life. Tagore belonged to a family which was one of the most gifted in Bengal, making significant contributions in the realms of religious thought, philo- sophy, literature, music and painting. Dwijendranath, his eldest brother, was a brilliant young man whose interests included poetry, philosophy, mathematics and music. Another brother, Satyendranath, who was to become the first Indian member of the Indian Civil Service, translated many works into Bengali, including a book on the Buddha. A third brother, Jyotirindranath, was a gifted musician and playwright, while his wife, Kadambari Devi, was an authority on contemporary Bengali writing. Tagore’s nephew, Abanindranath, was to become famous for his contributions to painting and literature. As Rabindranath himself puts it: Most of the members of my family had some gift … some were artists, some poets, some musicians, and the whole atmosphere was permeated with the spirit of creation. 2 Tagore was not educated in a school (except for a brief period), college or university. In fact, he had a horror of having to learn under pressure, in classes which, he felt, would offer him no real instruction and inspiration. Nonetheless, he was a man of profound learning: well-versed in the Sanskrit classics, in Bengali and English literature, and in continental European literature, mainly through English translations. However, he knew French, as well as enough German to read Heine and Goethe in the original. He also had a great interest in the different branches of science. Here, his father played a significant role, when he was a young boy, his father acquainted him with the stars and planets, and with various aspects of physics and the earth-sciences. Tagore was to write a monograph on astronomy, a discipline that provided him with many metaphors for his poetry. For example: I look at the world In its true, full essence, At the millions of stars in the sky Carrying their huge, harmonious beauty Never breaking their rhythm Or losing their truth, 2 Download 467.3 Kb. Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
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