Ravindra Nath Tagore and His Nationalism : An analysis 

09 May Ravindra Nath Tagore and His Nationalism : An analysis 

Ravindra Nath Tagore and His Nationalism – Today Current Affairs

Context : The Country is celebrating the 161th  birth anniversary of Ravindra Nath Tagore . He was a great poet and the preserver of Indian culture . His views on nationalism is relevant in modern context also 

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Introduction
Ravindra Nath Tagore , a great Bengali legend who had played an important role in the national and cultural movement of India . He had been a great poet .He won the nobel prize for his famous book Gitanjali. He wrote the National Anthem for two popular songs.  These songs are the national anthem of two countries . His Jan gan man is the national anthem of the India while Amar Sonar bangla is the national anthem of the Bangladesh

His Views on nationalism and patriotism are still relevant in the modern context .  He used to say that nationalism should never rise beyond humanism . He was a true nationalist , patriot and humanist also. There are some rumors popular in History like he wrote the national anthem in praise of the British prince George V when he came to India in the year 1911, during the time of Lord Hardinge II. A Delhi durbar was organized. 

Myths and Reality about Tagore : The Hindu Analysis

• Many people think that Tagore was very much influenced by British culture therefore He believed in the justice of British rule . Therefore he criticized the Non cooperation Movement of Gandhi ji. It is rumored that He wrote the National Anthem in praise of the British crown and this national anthem describes that our fortunate lie in the feet/ mercy of the British crown . Some people raise the question on his patriotism and the nationalism 
• But the reality is that he was an extreme patriot and loved the ancestral Indian culture and philosophy. He loved Bengalis. However, he went British for higher education but returned without completing the course. In the National anthem, he wanted to describe that the extreme sovereignty of the Nations lay in the people of (Jan Gana Man) of India who must be the supreme authority to run the governance. But since British journalists of that time period interpreted that Tagore praised the British authoritative state and still such types of rumors are flying everywhere on social media without analyzing the fact. The Hindu Analysis
  
• However , on many occasions he criticizes Gandhi Ji but he was the person who called Gandhiji Mahatma . At the time of the Jallianwala incident, he immediately returned the prestigious title of knighthood. He loved Indian soil, particularly Bengal . But simultaneously he loved Indian people and never propagated patriotism on the cost of humanism . Nationalism is a psychological concept . All the humans who are guided through some commonness , are the elements of the Nation . Therefore Nationalism must be in equilibrium with Humanism . 
• Like other Utilitarian scholars he also criticized the international war . After the first world war he was unhappy and openly criticized such patriotism and nationalism which hamper humanism . For acquiring more land , more colors , war could never be justified , killing of the innocent people can never be justified . 

Nationalism of Tagore : The Hindu Analysis

• Tagore was a great patriot and in the 20th century when , the policy of divide and rule compelled the British for the partition of Bengal to curtail the emerging nationalism of Bengal. Tagore was the person who criticized it . And he knew that the basic objective of the partition of the Bengal is to promote communal violence / communalism therefore Tagore worked for the Hindu Muslim unity during the 1905. His songs of patriotism such as Banglar Maati Banglar Jol (Earth of Bengal, Water of Bengal) bolstered the movements and also epitomized Hindu-Muslim unity.  The Hindu Analysis
  
• He worked for the reforms in every dimension of the society . When communal violence erupted after the Barisal incident (During Swadeshi Movement) , He became very sad and criticized communism . Hw emphasizes that patriotism and nationalism should be promoted through the promotion of art, music and culture. 
• In a letter to his friend A. M Bose Tagore wrote that patriotism could never be our final destination and spiritual shelter . I would never buy the glass for the price of diamonds. I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live.”
• Gandhi and Tagore met in 1921 in Calcutta where Tagore warned Gandhi that there remained a thin line that divided nationalism and xenophobia. 
• Gandhi had famously commented, on being criticized by Tagore, that “the poet lives in a magnificent world of his own creation — his world of ideas”.

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Conclusion 

However, Tagore was one of the great poets, nationalism and Nobel laureate and he explained his spiritual ideas through his writing and his artwork. He criticizes the worship of a nation like a god and he also criticizes the idol form of any country. He used to say that , if we worship our country we must worship the elements that are all the people residing in the boundary of the country, and must be respected  . Therefore in this way he emphasizes humanism . However Gandhi ji criticizes Tagore through his writing that poets; writing are just imaginations of spiritualism . Any way we must pray our tribute to the Great poet of the world and the Pride of India Rabindra Nath Tagore Guruji 

In this article we mention all information about Ravindra Nath Tagore and His Nationalism  Today Current Affairs.

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SOURCE : The Indian Express 

plutus ias daily current affairs 09 May 2022 Hindi

Dr. Anshul Bajpai

Plutus IAS Current Affairs Team Member