Friday, May 07, 2010

Remembering Tagore

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.

-- Rabindranath Tagore, Chitto jetha bhayashunyo (Where the mind is without fear), Gitanjali, 1910

The grand doyen of Indian literature, music and poetry, educationist, spiritualist, philosopher and Nobel Laureate, respected world over as a man whose creations have no equals, was born on this day in 1861.

Today, as Redefining Oblivion pays respectful homage to this unequivocal polymath, I have chosen to post some of his most celebrated words that have hence become iconic, timeless and supremely meaningful.

Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come

Age considers; youth ventures

Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance

Emancipation from the bondage of the soil is no freedom for the tree

Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man.

Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it

Facts are many, but the truth is one

In Art, man reveals himself and not his objects

Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them

Nirvana is not the blowing out of the candle. It is the extinguishing of the flame because day is come

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough

The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence

28 comments:

  1. Brilliant post Rakesh.

    I have been reading the quotes again and again. Though the content is Tagore's I appreciate your endeavour to select some of his best quotes.

    Where the mind is withiut fear, is something that is so close to my heart.

    Cheers!
    Vasu
    http://vasusworld.wordpress.com/

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  2. Brilliant post Rakesh.

    I have been reading the quotes again and again. Though the content is Tagore's I appreciate your endeavour to select some of his best quotes.

    Where the mind is withiut fear, is something that is so close to my heart.

    Cheers!
    Vasu
    http://vasusworld.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. A real supreme post.. Deep messages hidden within those single lines. Awesome.

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  4. Beautiful tribute to such a wonderful person. He is the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize.

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  5. gems of wisdom!
    thank you so much for sharing this excellent collection

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  6. Thanks Rakesh for sharing the quotes. Loved the last one totally !!

    Off topic, I had a dream this morning of you visiting my home in Palakkad and having a great time with my parents. Weird no?, considering the fact that both of us had seen each other only in pics ! :D :D

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  7. a nice collection of quotes..
    what a way to remember such a great man

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  9. So wonderful quotes :))))
    All fantastic .......
    GREAT CHOICE :))))))

    (but I have never heard from That important person ....
    I think he was a great man ;)
    ;)

    Enjoy your weekend
    (@^.^@)

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  10. Thanks Rakesh for sharing such immortal words...
    Loved this the most :
    Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them

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  11. We all love Tagore! Long live his memory and works..
    Great post.

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  12. Vasu

    Thanks very much!

    Tagore's philosophy, words and wisdom are indeed very appealing, deep and timelessly relevant!

    And yes, where the mind is without fear is one creation that is very close to my meart too! I draw a great deal of inspiration from it, many times!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  13. Vibu

    Thanks so much! Indeed, those lines are very deep with some very good messages etched within them!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  14. Rajesh

    Thanks very much! He was also the first non-European to have received the Nobel prize!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  15. Magiceye

    Indeed Sir, gems of wisdom as you have rightly said!
    Thanks very much!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  16. Vimmuuu

    Thanks very much Vimmuuu!

    About the dream - WOW! There seems to be a very deep connect! The fact that you saw me in the presence of your parents tells me how much you hold me in esteem! I'm truly humbled and very happy! And most importantly, I do hope we meet up soon! I've been long wanting to meet the icon behind V-Lokam, the person who has so many appreciable facets, all in one self!

    Cheers mate!

    Rakesh

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  17. Anya

    Thanks very much! Am glad you liked them!

    Tagore was to India, what Nicolaas Govert de Bruijn, Luitzen Egbertus Jan Brouwer, Willem Frederik Hermans, Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft and Tjalling Charles Koopmans were to the Netherlands

    He was indeed a great man, a very great one!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  18. Issam

    Thanks very much Sir!

    Oh yeah - that quote is my favorite too!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  19. Lydia

    Thanks very much! Appreciate your visit and kind words of encouragement!

    Also, many thanks for the tip! I'll be sure to work on it!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  20. Aria

    Indeed, we all love Tagore for being the wonderful person he was and the great emancipator too!

    Thanks very much!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  21. no adjectives exist which can describe the way Tagore used to write. The very first story I read of Tagore was "the postmaster" and ever since reading the last para of that story I am in love with the way he describes human emotions.

    He is the glass, the sea and the water of literature.

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  22. Ajay

    Indeed, nothing can really fulfill in describing the influence and contribution of Tagore to the world at large!

    He remains a very influential icon who is much respected and loved for what he was and for what he gave to all of us!

    Thanks for your visit and comments!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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