By: Dr. Mohammad Aleem ( Chief News Editor-ICN Group)
As a world poet had been firmly established and everybody knew that he was the first recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature from Asia.
NEW DELHI: It is always a pleasurable thing to read and know the interesting and mesmerizing aspects of one’s life. And if that person is a poet and writer and a great visionary like Tagore, it entices you much more than others. Nobel laureate and great poet, Rabindra Nath Tagore gives us an ample amount of things and opportunity to brood over his writings and teachings. In this turbulent time, when our day-to-day talks are always laced with pessimism and violence and uncertainty about the future, we need him more than any other time to soothe our tensed nerves and minds.
For every writer, poet and artist, visiting to some alien land and its people gives a unique opportunity to know not only about their lives and culture, but also helps him or her in broadening his or her vision. Every culture and land, hold some important lessons for everyone and keeps a treasure trove for creative inspirations.
Tagore was not different in that sense. He had achieved his greatest successes in the field of literature and art, but to get something new had always been his lust and a dream to fulfill. So when he received the invite from the king of Persia, His majesty, Ahmad Reza Shah Pahlavi to visit his country and grace with his dignified presence to his people, he did not think twice to accept that offer though he was on his much advanced stage of life and was also not keeping good health for some time and avoided being going distant from his homeland, Bengal which he loved the most.
But his reputation as a world poet had been firmly established and everybody knew that he was the first recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature from Asia. It was no doubt a proud moment for everyone. When we recall that epoch vividly, we find ourselves under the shameful yoke of the British colonial empire. We were living like slaves in our own country. But in that situation when our voices were scuttled badly to reach outside the boundary of our beloved nation, a man recognized as a great poet of the world was worth praising and worth remembering.
In India, a nationalist movement was also on its peak and Rabindra Nath Tagore was very much a part of that movement. He had met Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru and many other great nationalists and all had left a lasting and indelible impact on his mind. He was especially in awe of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The poet had also made him mesmerized by his great literary power and his nationalist feelings.
He says further in the same piece of writing:
“During my last visit to him I requested him to compose a National Anthem for a new India. He partly agreed. At that time I did not have “Jana Gana Mana”, our present National Anthem, in mind. He died soon after. It was a great happiness to me, when, some years later, after the coming of Independence, we adopted “Jana Gana Mana” as our National Anthem. I have a feeling of satisfaction that I partly responsible for this choice, not only because it is a great national song, but also because it is a constant reminder to all our people of Rabindra Nath Tagore.”
Tagore soon started preparing for his journey with a childlike enthusiasm. He was so close to nature and his mind was so supple to every emotional thing, he would not escape the alluring impact of those moments for a long time.
The other most pressing reason also was to use the opportunity to collect some funds from abroad so his brainchild, the international university, Visha Bharti, could be benefited because it was in dire need of funds to carry out its academic and artistic activities.
How the poet felt and experienced during the start of his journey to Iran is another interesting thing to notice. He writes in one of his articles about the experiences of his flight from Calcutta to Tehran that what he felt and observed when he was sitting in the seat of the airplane. He writes:
“Up to this time, we had not felt its motion very much, but suffered from the intolerable din of its propeller, there was no possibility of communication between passengers. My ears stuffed with cotton wool, I could only look about me. In the front row was Dane, employed in a sugar-cane plantation in Manila, now going home. He had been busy following our route on a partly rolled-up map, occasionally helping himself to bread and cheese, or chocolates. He had brought along with him a pile of newspapers which he perused one after another.
There were also three wireless operators who taking turns, sat in their corners with the apparatus strapped to their ears, taking notes or writing their reports between interval of eating and dozing. Together with the pilots, these comprised our little community, snatched off the earth into isolation, perusing a course through infinite solitude.”
Tagore’s around two weeks long visit was quite hectic and packed. He met many people and talked with a diverse background of people.
“This world is a world of images. The clouds, the skies, the mountains and rivers are part of a common being to which we belong. The trees stand silently around giving us the delight of an intimate companionship, we enjoy the pageantry of leaves and flowers and fruits, the colors and forms in which they abound.”
He further says in his same address:
“I had some knowledge of Persia even before my coming. I had read something about your history and geography, and formed some idea of your people and your country. My imagination was aroused through your great poets whose call had come to me even though I had no direct access to them. I used to dream of a Persia, where Bulbuls made love to the roses, where in dreamland gardens poets sat round their wine cups and invoked visions of ineffable meaning.
But Rabindra Nath Tagore reminds us how he loved that country and looked forward always to see her at the forefront of the developing world. He says in the same address which he had delivered on 9 May 1932.
“This, my friends, is all I have to say to you, I, who belong the brotherhood of a useless tribe called poets. You must use your wisdom in mastering mechanical power; there you have a great field of work. But let me remind you of your responsibility in the human world of love. I claim no right to recommend you, to speak from a higher platform, but I claim a corner of your hidden heart where I can talk to you as a friend. If I am fortunate, you will receive me there and recognize me as one who seeks to fulfill God’s own dream of love.”
Tagore was very happy that he was given such a warm welcome only some film stars could imagine these days. He bestowed with love everywhere he went. Daily newspapers wrote lengthy articles on him. His birthday was celebrated as he was the beloved son of their own soil. It was that alluring charm which had stolen the heart of that great poet.
