Biography of Rabindranath Tagore, Famous for Gitanjali

Jul 16, 2010
Tel Asiado

Rabindranth Tagore, Indian Poet and Novelist - Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

First Nobel laureate in literature, Tagore was an Indian polymath - poet, playwright, novelist, musician, painter, philosopher and social theorist.

Rabindranath Tagore, Indian author, poet, social theorist and philosopher, was one of India's greatest literary figures. He was the first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize for literature and founder of Visva-Bharati University.

Early Life of Rabindranath Tagore

Tagore was born on May 7, 1861, in Calcutta, India, into a wealthy Hindu family and was educated partly in England. A Pirali Brahmin, he started writing poems at the age of eight. He published his poetry along with his first short stories while still a teenager. His first book, A Poet’s Tale, is a collection of poems, published when he was 17.

At the age of 30, Rabindranath Tagore went to manage two of his family’s estates in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). There he collected local legends and folklore that he was later to use in his writings.

Tagore as Social Reformer and Educator

Tagore abandoned the ancient form of the Indian language Sanskrit traditionally used for literature; instead, he wrote in the common language of the people. This made him enemies among some Indian scholars. On the other hand, it meant he was able to introduce many aspects of Indian culture to the West while, at the same time, introducing Western culture to India.

For a time, Tagore became a cult figure in America and Britain. In 1901, he set up a school dedicated to merging Western and Indian philosophy and education. This developed into Visva-Bharati University. Tagore believed in what he called “unity consciousness” with a vision of all creation as “one.” He was an eloquent advocate of independence for India when the country was ruled by the British. He eventually denounced the British Raj to support his country’s independence.

Tagore Contributions and Legacy

An Indian Bengali polymath, Tagore was a novelist, playwright, musician and painter. He wrote poems, plays novels and philosophical works. The book that earned him the Nobel Prize in 1913 reflects his myriad interests ranging from romantic lyrics to powerful religious hymns called Gitanjali or “Song Offerings” published when he was 49. He was also popular with his poems on love, life and nature.

As a musician, Tagore wrote the music of numerous songs, many of which are still popular in Bangladesh. He also took up painting at the age of 70 and produced excellent work. He died at the age of 80, August 7, 1941, in Calcutta.

He traveled extensively around the world and met up with prominent people from other fields of discipline like Albert Einstein. His work became known in the West through the efforts of W.B. Yeats and Ezra Pound.