Gitanjali

More about the book

Recently, I spoke with a distinguished Bengali doctor about the profound impact of Rabindranath Tagore's poetry. Despite my lack of knowledge of German, I expressed that if a German poet's translation moved me, I would seek out English texts to learn about his life and thoughts. However, I lamented that I could not do the same for Tagore without an Indian guide. The doctor understood my sentiment, sharing that reading Tagore daily allows him to forget the world's troubles. He likened my curiosity to that of an Englishman in the reign of Richard II, who would seek insights from a Florentine banker about Petrarch or Dante. The doctor emphasized Tagore's unparalleled status in India, noting that no other poet matches his greatness, and referred to this era as the "epoch of Rabindranath." Tagore's songs resonate widely, and he achieved fame early, with his first novel written at nineteen. The doctor admired the completeness of Tagore's life, from his early nature poetry to his profound love poetry written during a period of sorrow. He expressed deep gratitude for Tagore's influence on him at seventeen, highlighting the religious and philosophical depth of his later works. Tagore, he said, is a saint who speaks from life itself, which is why he is so beloved. He recalled a recent divine service led by Tagore that drew immense crowds, illustrating his significant impact on society.