Our Rabindranath Tagore

Sri Rabindranath Tagore was one of the great sons of the mother, India. He gave a new distinctiveness to the Indians. He modernized the existing Indian society. His creativeness was incomparable. He was a prominent dramatist, novelist, short story writers, philosopher, educationist, spiritualist, painter, humanists and national builder. He was one of the greatest lyric poets of the world. In the words of Count Key Sirling, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore was the most universal, the most encompassing and the most complete human being. Gandhiji called him “The Great Sentinel”.

The word ‘Thakur’ means the holy lord. The local Brahmins used to address the Tagore family as Thakur. But, the Europeans, unable to pronunciate the word ‘Thakur’, started to call them ‘Tagor’. That is why Rabindranath Thakur was mispronunciated as Rabindranath Tagore. He was born on May 7, 1861 in Jorasanko mansion (Tagore House), Calcutta. His father, Sri Devendranath Tagore (1817-1905) influenced him significantly. As Rabindranath was the fourteenth child of his parents, his mother Sarda Devi could not pay the proper attention to him. He grew in the lack of love and affection. He was looked after by servants. But, he had to tolerate a lot. He expressed his pungent experiences of his childhood in his autobiography in the book titled ‘My Reminiscences’. He also composed a string of poems expressing similar experiences in ‘The Poems of Childhood’. Tagore wrote poems at the age of eight. It is an attention-grabbing fact to point out here that he always felt uncomfortable in school. Due to that he received all his education at home. Later, he read law at University College London. He was married at the age of 25. He established an ashram, the Brahamacharya asharma on December 27, 1901 in Shantiniketen. Presently, it is an international university known as Vishva Bharti. Its objective is to provide quality education to all. He wrote mainly in Bengali. The Gitanjali, the offering of songs, composed in Bengali and was published in 1910. It was translated into English which brought to him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. He was the first Indian and Asian recipient to win the Noble prize. He supported the Swedishi Movement. He returned the Knighthood title during Jalianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. He opposed imperialism and supported Indian nationalists. He was sincerely concerned with the matters of politics, economic, society and religious. Tagore was famed throughout much of Europe, North America, and East Asia. Indian national anthem was composed by him. Besides it, Tagore penned the anthems of Bangladesh, Amar Shonar Bangla. ‘The Crescent Moon’, ‘The Gardener’, ‘ Gora’, ‘The Wreck’, ‘The Post Officer’, ‘Sadhana’, ‘The Home and The World’ etc are his most popular works. UNESCO is going to celebrate the 150th Birth Anniversary in year 2010 on the International level. Indian government has accepted the above proposal. The international institution has also decided to launch the new prizes and medals on his name. This action is taken in order to create mass awareness regarding the Literature. We lost him on 7 August 1941. No one is able to say everything about his personality. Really, he was a living incarnation of ‘plain living and high thinking’.

Students And Politics

Students symbolize the expectations of the country at its best. They are the future leaders, directors, proprietors and administrators. On the other hand, politics is an arena where the knowledge and experiences are exercised by the leaders and visionaries in order to maintain peace as well as to acquire the welfare of the citizens. Politics directs central administrations and keeps the bridles of the country in its hands. There has been a great hullabaloo over the issue of students taking part in politics. Many of us advocate keeping the students aloof from the political life. It is true to some extent. Schools and colleges are the centers of learning. Whatever they learn here, is put to apply in latter life. The acquired knowledge helps them to handle the responsibilities of life. The relationship between students and politics has become deep rooted in modern world. However, both seem to be quite different. In opinion of some people, students should concentrate only on the studies and they should avoid participating in politics. They think politics can do more harm than to do good to the students. But, one should not ignore the fact that a good politician for a healthy politics finds its roots in educational institutions. History, itself, is its witness. The glorious role of students in the struggle for independence cannot be forgotten. Students fought against the British imperialism in India while they were still in schools and colleges. The sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and Bismal will be remembered forever. If students do not participate in politics, there will be the crisis of leadership.

The word politics has today become one and the same with deceitfulness. It has worsened into a tainted line of work. It has been foully commercialized. No doubt, everything is fair in politics. Changing the party, politicizing the national problems and calamities, supporting one party today and pulling them down tomorrow etc have become usual manias in political life today. The consequence is that honest and noble people make an effort to keep away from politics. But, it would be equally wrong to overlook this problem of cataclysm of the politics. Many honest, righteous, altruistic, principled and persons who really are dedicated to the service of the motherland are required these days to purify the political polluted environment. This can only be achieved through the participation of students in politics. There are many other advantages of it. If the students participate in politics, they will be more acquainting with its working and nature. It will also give them an opportunity to be popular. This will encourage them for agitations against injustice. The local politicians will also be more alert for the welfare of society as students may raise such issues which may affect their influence.

Each democratic country derives its power, future and source of inspiration from its citizens. Generally, the government has granted the right to vote to all those who have completed 18 years and above. It will help many students to exercise their vote in electing the representative of the people. Clearly, this system of democratic administration allows students to take part in politics. If students learn basic politics during their student life, they will groom well for national as well as global politics. It provides the opportunity to represent and lead the masses. This also paves the way of their betterment. This enables them to raise the genuine demands and utilize their political rights. If students take part in politics with positive views and peaceful manner, it is really fruitful. Such politicians will prove an asset for the country of tomorrow. It will not be an amplification to say that no one can be an ideal citizen without having political consciousness and understanding.

The people of India have suffered centuries of enslavement, exploitation, political tyranny, backwardness and ignorance. Students face an uncertain future these days because of the problem of unemployment, poverty and the deficiency of opportunities. The achievement of independence heralded for them the beginning of a new future full of radiant hopes and happiness and prosperity. Why should students not involve in the politics, then? Every student is not able to pursue a professional degree. Moreover, the education being imparted to them is defective and costly. It is a strange fact that even today, the average students come of a family of meager resources. All this stimulates them to join the politics. They know the potential of the politics as they have experienced the influences of the political domains. This has also revealed the better truth that students with complete indifference and ignorance to political consciousness will not help themselves in their adult life and their culture. Such one sided development of young men and women is not a good sign for the health of the nation and its people. But, students should not forget their main aim and mission. Studies and learning must occupy the most important act of their missions. Indulging in strikes, violence and disruptive activities for fun or in order to avoid study pressure should be completely given up. They should develop their political consciousness rather than making themselves tools of other politicians

We know that the masses in democracy are to be led by some party. Parties are led by individuals. In this way, individuals guide the nation. As far as India is concerned, she has a large number of young individuals. Perhaps, each individual has experienced the bitter truth that the Government and law enforcing authorities seem vulnerable in modern day Politics. Today MPs and MLAs are either have close associations with criminals or are men with criminal records. Criminals have gained access to socio-political survival and the expectations on democracy appear to be panic. Gangsters move about freely in order to eliminate their political opponents and creating terror. Unfortunately, nobody has the motivation to put down such immoral actions with and iron hand. If one has a sharp look to the working of democratic governments and the present situation as well as the future perspective of India, education and students are the need of the hours. Education is invariably needed in exercising one’s choice in elections and life. It makes us capable to determine, what is good or bad. It also helps in studying the problems of the states.

Democracy desires command and an enthusiasm to stick to a set of laws of self-control. We need the rule of law and a suitable agency to enforce it. For the perfect democratic administrations, wisdom and culture on the part of citizens, the participation of students is needed. The young and the students are always the persons who have proper understanding of behaviors of the countrymen. In India all weakness such as poverty, social backwardness, crime etc are rampant. Actually, Indian democracy has been abused since its very inception. Hence, these can be treated with a good touch by the students. If students are active in this direction, the features of the true democracy can be observed here. Such a democratic organization is bound to flourish and will assume a proportion which will be perfect and desirable. We, all, are witnessing growing lawlessness in our social life which inspires students to participate in politics so that they can uproot it. There is a need for a new beginning to make India corruption-free. Everyone should adopt zero tolerance towards corruption. Only patriotic feelings coupled with efforts in reduction of poverty, illiteracy, regional imbalances and inequality among people can successfully face and fight the menace of corruption. All these qualities are acquired by students during their student life. We cannot ignore the close association between students and politics.

Our Lal Bahadur Shastri

Lal Bahadur Shastri was a noteworthy figure in the freedom struggle. He was humble and broadminded. He was filled with inner strength. Steadfastness was his personality. He had faced the mountain of sorrow. He had neither an elegance body nor wealth to meet his basic needs even in his adolescence.He had remained without food for a month because he had no money to purchase food. As he could not afford the fare of a boat, he had to swim across the Ganga River to attend school. He had to lose one of his sons due to lack of money. But, he was bahadur (brave) as his name suggested. He not only tackled all his obstacles but also became the Prime Minister of India.

He was born on 2nd October 1904 at Mugalsarai. He came from a pauper family. His father was Shri Sharada Prasad and mother was Smt. Ram Dularee Devi. His father departed when Lal Bahadur was a child. It resulted into the worst economical condition of the family.

He studied at Varanasi. Mahatma Gandhi went Varanasi in 1911 during Non cooperation movement. Gandhi jee convinced the young to play a part in the freedom struggle of India. At just sixteen, Lal Bahadur also gets motivated and joined the movement. He was sentence to the rigorous imprisonment for 2 years. Later, at Kashi Vidyapith he was awarded a bachelor’s degree or shastri which became part of his name. When India got her independence, shastriji held several Union Cabinet port folios. He added a new dimension to the Railway ministry, Commerce and Home Ministry. He resigned as a railway minister after he felt responsible for a major rail accident in Tamilnadu. This extraordinary wave was greatly appreciated by the country. He became Prime Minister on 9th June 1964 after the demise of Jawajar Lal Nehru. Though he remained only 18 months in this post, the country developed in every aspect under his prime ministerial tenure. He did much praiseworthy work. Problems such as Indo-Nepal relationship, language dispute of Assam and the theft of holy hair of Hazarat in Kashmir etc were solved by him diplomatically. He showed consummate guts in taking a speedy resolution to attack Pakistan in self-defense in 1965.

He is well-known for the saying “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”. He wanted the safety and the prosperity of the country. Hence, he chose the soldier and the farmer as the national builder masses.

Pakistan’s aggression into Kashmir was ended in Pakistan’s defeat and the ceasefire in Tashkent signed by Shastrijee and Ayub Khan on 1966. Shastri died in Tashkent soon after signing the treaty. He was the first person to be posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1966. The country lost her great son. All his life time he was known for his honesty, simplicity and humility. We have several lessons to learn from his life history.

Our Swami Vivekanand

“Arise! And Awake! Stop not till the goal is achieved.”
                                                                -- Vivekananda

It was Swami Vivekananda who revived the greatness of Hinduism and the Motherland. He was an infinite dynamic reformer, a great orator and a natural spiritual leader. He worshipped energy and vitality. In the words of Nehru,” Rooted in the past and full of pride in India’s heritage, Vivekananda was yet modern in his approach to the problems and was a kind of bridge between the past of India and her present.”

Swami Vivekananda was Narendra Nath Dutta in his early days. He was born in the famous and affluent Dutta family in Calcutta on Monday, 12th January 1863. His father, Vishwanath Dutta was a well-known lawyer and took delight in the study of the Bible and the poems of the Persian poet, Hafiz. Narendra’s mother, Bhuvanaswari Devi was a very intelligent and pious lady with exceptionally intelligence and possessing royal dignity. The influence of the mother in the formation of the character and development of personality is always very great. Narendra learnt the Epics and Purans from his mother.

Whenever a sadhu came to his door; he would be delighted and would give him anything he found. He was the soul of social circles, a brilliant conversationalist, a sweet singer, a man with philosophical insights and leader in all creative activities. Purity of character was always with him. He had a monastic instinct underneath the surface of the gay life he seemed to live. So whenever his father urged him to marry, he rebelled and the idea was abandoned. He was restless in search of the ultimate Reality or God. For that he met a good number of spiritual thinkers and scholars and wanted to know if they had seen God and found the ultimate Reality. At last, the principal of the General Assembly’s Institution (now Scottish Church College), Hastie suggested him to meet with Sri Ramakrishna. Naren visited Ramakrishna and asked straightway if he had seen God. He replied in affirmative and said that he could even show God to him. This naturally took Naren by surprise. Later he started to receive spiritual guidance from him. When Ramakrishna passed away in 16th August 1886 because of cancer, he began to live together with other disciples of Ramakrishna. He founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897. This mission has probably alleviated human sufferings and spread education to a great extent. He traveled extensively throughout India. He was appalled to see the conditions of the rural people- superstitious, half-starved and victims of caste-tyranny. He attended the Parliament of Religions at Chicago in September 1893 to represent Hinduism. He made a tremendous impression. The press paid him the highest tributes as an exponent of India‘s age old value. It was the highest pride and the climax of international acclaim that he brought for his country. All the national leaders became aware of the strong and weak aspects of India. Rabindranath Tagore once told Romain Rolland ‘If you want to know India, study Vivekananda.’

The message that he preached was remarkable and scientific. He believed in a root and branch reform. He wanted the masses educated. What made him great was that he sought man before seeking God. He had great affection for Indian women. He stated that an Indian woman was living embodiment of universal motherhood. He gave a human interpretation to Vedanta. In short, he was a remarkable humble man. He left this world on July 4, 1902 but his ideals will ever lead the world to reach the Ultimate Reality.