Art Of Teaching

Geetanjali by Rabindranath Tagore is a collection of 103 poems and if you read them profoundly you will notice that each one of them have diverse connotations and denotations. According to Bengali language ‘Git’ means Song and ‘Anjali’ means offering. It was published in the year 1910. In English, the translated version was published in 1912 and has a unique introduction by William Butler Yeats. It is full of Indian devotional melodies of the Middle Ages. Some poems speak of love, others of the skirmish of mystical desires and earthly wants. The imagery in the poem is basically nature and the mood of the poems are unspectacular and noiseless.

The Introduction: It is a small summary of the book with three supplements by W.B Yeats, who is acclaimed as a famous poet of Irish origin and a Noble Laureate. It also has photos from the original verses, significant dates and events. The long introduction speaks of Tagore’s efforts to translate the original Gitanjali into English by taking assistance from diverse English poets.

You can summarize the introduction as a form of literary collaboration between two great poets belonging to diverse parts of the world. The idea was to introduce Tagore’s work to the western world of literature. Here we see Yeats praising the poetic and mystical potentials, the worldwide themes and emotive profundity. Yeats is of the view that Tagore and his literary work has the potential to inspire western poets who will then view a plethora of new forms of terminologies and devoutness and incorporate them in their own writings. The most important thing mentioned by Yeats is Tagore’s ability to build a personal connection with his readers and the skill to apprehend the true essence of natural life and the human soul.

What is the Theme of Gitanjali

The main theme is based on mysticism and other ideas based on Indian philosophical aspect where spirituality is the most revered stage of the human spirit coming in direct contact with the Almighty.

 A mystical world is one where what we see physically is not the real world but the true real world can be experienced only through spirituality and not through the senses. The mystical world is totally in opposition to the real world where mystical world is not based on logic but on renunciation whereas the real world is based on logic and rationalism. Here we can see the influence of mystical writers like Khalil Gibran, Sri Aurobindo and Walt Whitman on Tagore’s personality. Though we can see Tagore keeping his mysticism in check through his humanism.

The essence of Gitanjali: If you go through the book, you will find that it is divided into two parts though the majority of his poetic songs are composed as spoken dialogues between the Almighty and the poet though God’s messages are not in verbatim it is expressed through the sentiments.  Some are very personal prayers whereas some are spoken to God of India, Bharatvidhata. Poems number 196 and 108 are directed towards the countrymen urging them to unite and fight the internal as well as the external divisive forces of catastrophe.

[ Poem number 106- ‘He Mor Chitto Punyatirthe Jagore Dheere’ and Poem number 108- ‘He Mor Durbhaga Desh’]

Rabindranath prays for an improved life and not for quantifiable possessions. Rabindranath’s Deity is signified by attractiveness, intellect and precision, not any spiritual or outdated entity. Rabindranath has not represented his Deity through any symbols, but only through a concept of a mystical power. The opening song of this brilliant collection is a prayer of the poet to his God depicting his humbleness and lowering of pride in bowing before the Almighty. [ ‘Amar Matha Noto Kore Dao He Tomar Charanodhular Pore’] For Tagore his deity is the mystical force of the Upanishads. In the poem ‘ Bipode More Rakkha Kore’ he is seen asking God for a larger message of strength and valor to face the problems of life and ultimately Death as the tranquil ocean where he may relax after the trials and tribulations of his earthly life has come to an end.

We also see the poems of Gitanjali having a strong link to nature, i.e., Monsoon, Autumn and Spring. The Autumn festival is depicted in the poems numbered 11 and 13- [ ‘Amra Bedhechi Kasher Guccho’] and [ ‘Amar Nayono Bhulano Ele’] whereas poems numbered 12, 16 and 20 are seen to highlight the different characteristics of the rainy season.

The Various Themes in Gitanjali:

It is a collection of poetic songs which are about God and in praise of the Almighty and seem to be having its bearings in the Vaishnava traditional poetry based on spiritual, everlasting and awe-inspiring qualities representing various moods.

Gitanjali represents nature and stands out to show the connection between the Almighty and Nature. This is beautifully represented through the imagery originating from natural themes and Indian mythology.  

The theme of Gitanjali is also based on humanity and is representative of man, his soul in relation to other men with emphasis on the basic rights of the poor and downtrodden who are neglected and oppressed by the society.

In Gitanjali, we can view the multitude of different forms of love ranging from love for the fair gender, for the people, for the downtrodden, for Nature, for beauty and its different forms, for Truth and its manifestations, for the country and for the Almighty.  

Ultimately, we have at the end, in Gitanjali, the theme of Death, which is not direct but written in quite an artistic and varied manner. Death is not to be feared but welcomed when it comes as it is the ultimate moksha and the only way to be one with the Almighty.

Gitanjali is therefore, a tribute to the Almighty and an ode to the human soul urging for its purity in thoughts and deeds. It is an appropriate popular literature for today’s society, striven by bigotry, prejudice and mediocrity.

 ‘Where The Mind Is Without Fear’ [A masterpiece of its own kind]

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.

‘Pluck this little flower and take it, delay not! I fear lest it droop and drop into the dust’.

 This fragrant emotion of love is fresh and expectant, full with love, that I have cherished in my heart for thee. All my words, actions and thoughts, just like all the progressions of the plant, have been consumed in promotion of this bloom in my heart for thee. Accept it, before its purity is wedged by doubt and despair.

‘It may not find a place in thy garland, but honor it with the touch of pain from thy hand and pluck it. I fear lest the day end before I am aware, and the time of offering go by’.

‘Though its color be not deep and its smell be faint, use this flower in thy service and pluck it while there is still time’.

 Here we experience the doubt of being unworthy and of weariness of every lover. The lover expresses thy self-saying that the offerings of sweetest and selfless emotions, maybe not be of thy worth. Yet, honor it with thy acceptance.

Oh! what beautiful emotions expressed in a supreme manner………

I conclude by saying that you cannot imprison the thoughts of Tagore by generalizing in a certain category. This is a classic entity and every person who is interested in the Tagore philosophy must read this masterpiece.

 It is really very difficult to categorize Tagore as belonging to a certain category of poets. Though he has expressed his ideas in parts, they unify as a whole. This work is a Classic in itself and therefore a must- read for everyone interested in Tagore and the Bengali Renaissance and of course, Philosophy. We can see in it, Nationality and Internationality at the same time. It has clearly transcended the boundaries of nation and time in its expression of universal ideas. We can find a Kipling, an Aurobindo, as well as a Longfellow in its different layers of meanings.

Happy Reading Guys …….