Introduction
Rabindranath Tagore has gone down in history as someone who influenced Bengali literature and music to a great extent in the late 19th and 20th centuries. One of his most renowned works for poetry that is still celebrated is Gitanjali. This piece of work rendered him as the first non-European and the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Often referred to as ‘’the Bard of Bengal’’ Tagore was also known by other names such as Gurudev, Kobiguru and Biswakobi.
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He started young
The youngest of thirteen surviving children, Tagore started poetry at the age of 8 yrs. At the age of sixteen, he released his first edition of substantial poems under the pseudonym Bhanusimha. In 1977, he published his first set of short stories and dramas under his real name. His legacy remains in his vast collection of painting, sketches, doodles, songs and continues in his founding of Visva- Bharati University.
His work
Rabindranath Tagore’s work was largely acclaimed for its perception, its lyricism and amazing insight. His compositions were selected as national anthems by two nations. “Jana Gana Mana’’ and Bangladesh’s ‘Amar Shonar Bangla’’. Even the Sri Lankan National anthem was inspired by his work. In 1915 he was awarded a knighthood by King George V, but it was given up by Tagore after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919.
He used his work to highlight social issues like untouchability, abnormal caste consciousness. He wrote about Dalit heroes in his dramas and poetry. Of all his work, his short stories are highly regarded. He often used the imagery of his surroundings in his poetry as is evident by the repeated mention of the ‘Padma River’ in some of his works that reflect Bengali countryside. The largest anthology of Tagore’s work was published in English in 2011, a collaboration between Harvard University Press and Visva-Bharati University.
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Teachings
From 1912, Tagore spent a large part of his life out of India lecturing from his work. From this experience, he evolved into a proficient, eloquent speaker.
Other hobbies
Sometime in his sixties, Tagore started to pursue painting as a hobby. He was quite proficient in these areas as well and seemed to have an aptitude for it. Soon, his work began to get recognized by some of India’s accomplished contemporary artists.
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Role in education
His love for the arts and his in-depth understanding of its impact on learning led him to the development of an experimental school in rural West Bengal at Shanti Niketan in 1901. He was a permanent resident of this school, actively contributing to its growth and development. The school later evolved to Visva-Bharati University in 1921.
Conclusion
We at Learner Circle would like to encourage all children to be like Rabindranath Tagore. For children who love writing, we have a young authors workshop. All our courses are curated to foster creativity and imagination in children. Our vision is to encourage children on a journey of infinite learning by constantly innovating new learning methods for children. We understand that children are different and different children learn differently. That is why we are constantly adding to our list of online courses to give children more opportunities to explore and grow. We believe that helping children to pursue their passion can help become better leaders for tomorrow. If you are curious about our online courses or outdoor programs, kindly visit our website for a free demo.
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