Remembering Jajabore of many-hued excellence

Last week has been witnessing summer at its peak, which accentuates the typical strife and challenges of work and life. By evening, the impact of all this is palpably felt. Good quantities of juices, Panna, Jaljeera and Chaas sure help soothe and relax the body.

Simultaneously, to rejuvenate our heart, mind and soul, what could be better than a work of Rabindranath Tagore! This could be a story, poem, song or a painting created by him, all of which are now just a click away. We could apply the perfume of Tagore permanently to our lives, today, on his 157 th birthday.

My tryst with Tagore started at a time when I had barely learnt to spell small words. Still, in standard one, my grandfather, a great savant, made me learn pieces from Gitanjali by heart. Over the years, in school, one developed greater familiarity with the works of Tagore. One story I still cherish is ‘The Homecoming’. As one read the lines describing the awkwardness of a young teenager, in the context of the protagonist, Phatik, it felt so real. Tagore could completely carry them to the world of the story, where one can seemingly touch and smell the places and things described. “I have come to thee..” is a favourite prayer song of tagore, that often escapes my lips, even today.

Tagore’s sensitivity and curiosity made him create works with great authenticity, as he got under the skin of his characters, be it Giribala or Raicharan, in My Lord, The Baby. Over the years, whether it is our son acting in a play about Tagore, or our daughter dance for a very popular song composed by Tagore, ‘Momo Chitte Niti Nritte’, Tagore has always been around, enveloping us, nudging us to think and reflect, educating and elevating us. I recently reread some of these stories, including Totakahani, or the Parrots Tale, and verses from Gitanjali.

What can be our take-away from this brilliant human being, who was a many-hued Jajabor of simplicity and excellence, all his life? Jajabor is Assamese for a traveller, one who creates new roads and destinations. Tagore, a perfect Jajabor, had soared to great new heights of creativity, travelled across 34 countries, was the first non-European Nobel Laureate way back in 1913. The organization that awards the Nobel Prize did so, "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West". He was, above all, a sensitive world citizen who empathized and believed in universal brotherhood and love.

Human life and interaction result in various emotions evoked in us. By end of the day, this terrible, potent emotional cocktail can powerfully push one towards cynicism and pessimism. But the same emotions, if handled with understanding and alacrity can become a powerful springboard that draws forth our creativity, makes us accomplish little and big works of art and human development, radiating goodness. Tagore, the great Jajabor, harnessed his emotions, good and others towards creating beauty with poignant sensitivity and simplicity in his works of art, music and literature as also building institutions like Shanti Niketan and Vishwa Bharati. On his birthday, let us treat us to some beautiful works of Tagore and continue to taste these around the year. Here is my all-time favourite from Gitanjali:

‘Life of my life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs. I shall ever try to keep all untruths out from my thoughts, knowing that thou art that truth which has kindled the light of reason in my mind. I shall ever try to drive all evils away from my heart and keep my love in flower, knowing that thou hast thy seat in the inmost shrine of my heart. And it shall be my endeavour to reveal thee in my actions, knowing it is thy power gives me the strength to act.’

The author is a Harvard-educated civil servant & writer, and has worked in the education sector
jayanti.ravi.dna@gmail.com