Rabindranath Tagore and Impacts of His Teachings Upon Social Life in India and Bangladesh

The month of Boishakh 1432 has just touched upon the social life in India and Bangladesh. There is a popular saying among Bengalis that whenever Pohela Boishakh beings then a feeling generates upon our mind that from now onwards we begin the preparations for the life blood of Bengali culture and literature Biswa Kabi Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary falls on May 9, which as per Bengali calendar is Panchise Boishakh.

As our societal setup has become as such, people around us have become more prone towards Western culture. But truly speaking citizens cannot ignore teachings and life philosophy. Gurudev was not a life blood of the Bengalis but also among all other citizens of India plus other parts of the globe.
If we probe more deeply about Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore then it can be easily interpreted that he is the life pulse of citizens of India and Bangladesh. During the lifetime of Gurudev social, cultural and political situations remained same. As long as Gurudev was alive in this earth, pride and prestige of cultural loving Bengalis remained same. Bengalis of both erstwhile East Bengal and West Bengal reside under the banner of communal amity and integrity. But the partition of the nation on August 14, 1947 was the biggest blunder to the Bengalis. Now Bengalis being divided into two parts, but they celebrate birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore every year. Professor Anisuzzaman and singer cum scholar plus the founder of Chayanut, Sanjida Khatun both played prolific roles as regards the celebration of the birth anniversary is concerned in Bangladesh . The above two are very close to the hearts of Bengalis of India plus other parts of the globe.

Though Rabindranath Tagore is deceased since the year 1941, but still we feel his legacy and memory is vivid within us. I don’t find any area of excellence where Tagore has not touched upon. That means he is till date just like a guardian to us. Through most of his works, humanity along with Bengalis of both Bangladesh and India find somehow new ideas and innovations.  In this Bengalis are also inclusive of other parts of the globe.

The noble philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore is already well impregnated in the hearts of Bengalis across the globe. Still as so many decades have elapsed since Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore became mixed up with the stars. Still, I feel his life philosophy is vivid within us. Social and political situations have drastically changed. Some people have developed them drastically whereas there are quite many of them who have turned themselves utterly obnoxious. Hence the noble philosophies of Rabindranath Tagore sounds of as utmost importance.

Thus, the noble philosophies of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore are stated as follow:

Love towards entire humanity of the globe.

Affectation upon humanity.

It is just humanity appearing in this earth, after a certain time span when they become mixed up with the stars, they are reminisced with a deep heart.
The ideal exposition of humanity is truly an eternal one. But it has to be nurtured through the gospel of spiritualism. There is a popular proverb in our life philosophy (As you sow so you reap) which Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore advised the humanity to get acclimatised in his life philosophy.

Apart from the above philosophical thoughts of Rabindranath Tagore, he also preached to the human beings not be so much of religious bigot and jingoistic. Rather with a transparent and cleansed mind we should not discriminate humanity on the basis of religions, caste and creed. Rather we should envelope our mind with a transparent and ethical demeanour so that we should think about positives in life and pray for our fellow human beings. In this regard all Tagore lovers of India and Bangladesh deeply reminisce the songs composed by this savant along with his purse strings of literary creations within us. The well-known songs which Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore composed for the welfare of the humanity are stated as follow:

‘Aamar Sonar Bangla Ami Tomay Bhalobasi-----‘
‘Janoganomono Odhinayaka------‘
‘Jodi Tor Dak Sune Aye Ekla Cholo Re----‘.
‘Banglar Mati Banglar Jol---------‘
‘Tomare Koriacho Jiboner Dhrubo Tara----‘
‘Bone Jodi Futlo Kusum’
‘Tumi Kemon Kore Gan Kore He Guni----‘
‘Alo Aamar Alo Ogo Aloi Bhuban Bhora—‘
‘Elem Nutan Deshe ---‘
‘Amar Mukti Aloye------‘
‘Edin Aji Kon Ghore Go Khule Dilo Dar---‘

Apart from the songs composed by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, some of his major and popular literary works are stated as follow:

Ghare Bahire
Shesher Kabita
Gora
Chokher Bali
Nashtanir
Chaturanga
Jogajog
Noukadubi
Gitabitan

Apart being a music composure of the highest order, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore always composed communal amity and integrity among the humanity across the globe. It was way back during the tumultuous of World War 1 (1914-1919), when the entire world was in a state of utter catastrophe. There was gross annihilation of innocent human beings across the globe. He was shocked at those ghastly and barbaric killings of innocent humanity across the world. In order to emphasise upon his feelings Gurudev wished to imbibe the entire humanity under one banner. On account of this feelings, Gurudev unfortunately received widespread jittery remarks and sarcasm from all across the globe. Later on, as time passed off like a string of current people started realising the credibility of Rabindranath Tagore. Not only as a poet, as Nobel Laureate, thinker, philosopher, novelist, essayist and music composure of repute across the globe.

It is a pity for the Bengalis that we could not have Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in the midst of euphoric moment of India’s independence. On the aftermath of Independence of undivided India, we find that Bengalis have been bifurcated into two parts, India and Pakistan. In reality, especially when we find that Bengalis from India and Bangladesh gather at a particular place in India, or else in major overseas nations like UK, US, United Germany etc. Then do we find difference in our relationships between Bengalis of India and Bangladesh. From the core of our heart the answer is absolutely false and malicious.

It was pretty long time back there was a discussion in Kolkata (erstwhile Calcutta) on Rabindranath Tagore on the occasion of Gurudev’s birth anniversary. On that seminar there was the prominent attendants by scholars like Shamshur Rahman, Syed Shamshul Haque, Professor Anisuzzaman, Poet Nirendra Nath Chakravarty, Poet Sunil Gangopadhyay, Poet Rafiq Azad, Dr Fakrul Alam etc all with a bold voice that Rabindranath Tagore cannot be erased off the storehouse of our memories. His teachings have an indelible impact upon the social and cultural life of the people in India and Bangladesh. Along with the works of Tagore different songs composed by him do possess deep impact upon the mind of Bengalis in India and Bangladesh. It was Tagore who possessed the utmost humanitarian flavour in life. In most of his creativities he stated, that essence of humanity is best noticeable when the behavioural pattern to other humanity of the globe exposes a profound impact on our societal setup in India and Bangladesh.

In this regard the current political turmoil in Bangladesh speaks broadly about the gross deterioration of human values after the massive political coup of August 5, 2024, when the erstwhile Prime Minister of Bangladesh was forced to flee away from the country. The situations was so warranted that the bust of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib along with Nobel Laureate in literature Rabindranath Tagore was mercilessly dismantled from a prominent location in the capital city Dhaka by the name of Shahbagh. Even it so happened that there was a call given by the student’s conglomerate under the influence of vicious forces to ban Rabindranath Tagore to ban Rabindra Sangeet from the life pulse of Bengali mind and culture. Now the time has arrived at such a moment of time when we must shun violence and conflict among us thereby paving the way towards restoration of peace around us.

With the passing away of time and space, revolt from the common citizens as well as from the intelligentsias of different academic disciplines of Dhaka Universities along with other Universities of the nation. That it is why it is deeply felt that by the Tagore lovers of both sides of the fence we should not erase the sanctity of Tagore’s works and music composed by him, rather the veterans in the field should inculcate the philosophy of Tagore in the mind of modern generations of the nation.

That is why it is always advisable that we should motivate the younger generations of India and Bangladesh to more cordial and intimate with Gurudev’s works. It is through Tagore Bengalis and other citizens of the globe should be closer towards the glorious works of Rabindranath Tagore so that our societies (in mean in India and Bangladesh) should revamp completely in such a manner so that humanity of two nations should lunge forward so as to match up to global standard. Rabindranath Tagore was a global icon. Hence his works are still within the hearts of citizens of India, Bangladesh plus rest of the globe. This we cannot ignore till the last breath of us in life.


Sujayendra Das is a columnist
based in Kolkata, India.