Every year on May 7, as the morning sun filters through the gulmohar trees in our neighborhood, I find myself drawn to the quiet wisdom of Rabindranath Tagore. Born in 1861, Tagore was not just a poet or philosopher—he was a soul who sang of freedom, empathy, and the boundless beauty of the human spirit. This year, as we mark his 164th birth anniversary, I pause to reflect on what his legacy means to a parent, a writer, and a citizen of this ever-evolving nation.
🕊️ A Poet Who Gave Us Wings
Tagore’s words have a way of entering our hearts like a breeze—gentle, persistent, and transformative. His Gitanjali won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, but it’s his everyday verses, his Rabindra Sangeet, and his vision for Visva-Bharati University that continue to shape generations. He didn’t just write poems; he wrote pathways to inner freedom.
“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them.”
This line, etched in my memory, often finds its way into bedtime stories I tell my daughters. It’s not just poetry—it’s parenting philosophy.
🌱 Tagore in Our Daily Lives
In our joint family, where stories are passed down like heirlooms, Tagore’s ideals resonate deeply. His belief in child-centered education, in nurturing curiosity over compliance, mirrors the kind of learning I wish for Siri and Sindhu. His songs, often played during quiet evenings, become lullabies of hope.
Even in my work—repairing coaches in the Indian Railways—I sometimes think of Tagore’s emphasis on dignity in labor. He saw beauty in simplicity, and purpose in every role, no matter how humble.
🎭 Celebrating Tagore Jayanti
Across India, especially in Bengal, Tagore Jayanti is celebrated with music, dance, and drama. Schools host recitals of Jana Gana Mana and Amar Shonar Bangla, both penned by him. Children dress in white, sing his songs, and recite his verses with pride. It’s not just a cultural event—it’s a reminder of what it means to be truly free.
This year, I helped Siri rehearse a poem inspired by Tagore’s vision. Her voice, clear and confident, carried the spirit of a child whose mind is indeed without fear. And in that moment, I felt the poet smiling somewhere.
🌼 Closing Thoughts
Tagore once said:
“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.”
As we celebrate his birth anniversary, may we carry forward his dream—not just in song and ceremony, but in how we raise our children, how we treat one another, and how we dare to imagine a more compassionate world.
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