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Tagore and His India (From The Argumentative Indian) - Amartya Sen

Summary

In Tagore and His India' Amartya Sen has said Rabindranath Tagore "been born in the West he would now be [as] revered as Shakespeare and Goethe." This is a strong claim, and it calls attention to some greatness in this quintessentially Bengali writer-identified by a fellow Bengali-that might not be readily echoed in the wider world today, especially in the West. For the Bengali public, Tagore has been, and remains, an altogether exceptional literary figure, towering over all others. His poems, songs, novels, short stories, critical essays, and other writings have vastly enriched the cultural environment in which hundreds of millions of people live in the Bengali- speaking world, whether in Bangladesh or in India.

The enthusiasm and excitement that Tagore's writings created in Europe and America in the early years of the twentieth century were quite remarkable. Gitanjali, a selection of his poems for which Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, was published in English translation in London in March 1913 and was reprinted ten times by the time the award was announced in November. For many years Tagore was the rage in many European countries. His public appearances were always packed with people wanting to hear him. But then the Tagore tide ebbed, and by the 1930s the huge excitement was all over. Indeed, by 1937, Graham Greene was able to remark, "As for Rabindranath Tagore, I cannot believe that anyone but Mr. Yeats can still take his poems very seriously.

Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore admired Mahatma Gandhi immensely but differed with him sharply when he departed from adequate reasoning, well-known Indian economist Amartya Sen has said.

Delivering a lecture at the British Museum on 'What difference does Tagore make', Prof Sen said Tagore, who gave Gandhi the title of Mahatma, admired the apostle of nonviolence immensely.

"Tagore admired Mahatma Gandhi immensely and expressed his admiration for his leadership time and again, but sharply differed with him when Gandhi was departing from adequate reasoning," Sen underlined

He cited an earthquake in Bihar in 1934, which killed many people. He quoted Gandhi as saying that this was "a divine chastisement sent by God for our sins, the sin of untouchability."

Tagore was as much concerned about the fight against untouchability, Sen said, but reacting to Gandhi's remark, asserted: "It is all the more unfortunate because this kind of an unscientific view of phenomena are accepted by a large segment of our countrymen."

Amartya sen said "Tagore's impact on Bengali prose was, perhaps, less than the Bengali poetry.

Perhaps, the central issues that moved Tagore most are the importance of open minded reasoning and celebration of human freedom.

In Tagore's vision of the future of his country, and of the world, there was in fact much emphasis on reason and much celebration of freedom- precisely the subjects on which more discussion can have an enormously constructive role today. In a rousing poem, he outlined his vision of what he so strongly desired for his own country and for the whole world:

This places Tagore in somewhat distinct category from his compatriots, said Sen, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1999.

हिन्दी सारांश

Tagore and His India' में अमर्त्य सेन ने कहा है कि रवीन्द्रनाथ टैगोर पश्चिम में पैदा हुए थे. अब उन्हें शेक्सपियर और गोएथे के रूप में सम्मानित किया जाना चाहिए। पक्का दावा है, और यह इस सर्वोत्कृष्ट बंगाली लेखक में कुछ महानता की ओर आकर्षित करता है - जिसे एक साथी बंगाली व्यक्ति द्वारा पहचाना जाता है - जिसे आज व्यापक दुनिया में, विशेष रूप से पश्चिम में आसानी से प्रतिध्वनित नहीं किया जा सकता है। बंगाली जनता के लिए, टैगोर एक पूरी तरह से असाधारण साहित्यिक व्यक्ति रहे है. और अन्य सभी से ऊपर है। उनकी कविताओं, गीतो. उपन्यासों, लघु कथाओं आलोचनात्मक निबन्धों और अन्य लेखो ने उस सांस्कृतिक वातावरण को व्यापक रूप से समृद्ध किया है जिसमें लाखों लोग बंगाली भाषी दुनिया में सोये रहते हैं. चाहे वह बांग्लादेश में हो या भारत में।

बीसवी शताब्दी के शुरूआती वर्षों में टैगोर के लेखन ने यूरोप और अमेरिका में जो उमंग और उत्साह पैदा किया, वह काफी उल्लेखनीय था। गीतांजलि उनकी कविताओं का एक चयन जिसके लिए टैगोर को 1913 में साहित्य में नोबेल पुरस्कार से सम्मानित किया गया था. मार्च 1913 में लंदन में अंग्रेजी अनुवाद में प्रकाशित हुआ था और नवम्बर में पुरुस्कार की घोषणा के समय तक दस बार पुर्नमुद्रित किया गया था। कई वर्षों तक कई यूरोपीय देशों में टैगोर के लिए उत्साह था। उनकी सार्वजनिक उपस्थिति हमेशा उन लोगों से भरी रहती थी, जो उन्हें सुनने की इच्छा रखते थे। लेकिन फिर टैगोर का प्रवाह कम हो गया, और 1930 के दशक तक लोगों में उनका उत्साह खत्म हो गया था। दरअसल, 1937 तक, ग्राहम ग्रीन यह टिप्पणी करने में सक्षम था, "रवीन्द्रनाथ टैगोर के लिए. मैं विश्वास नहीं कर सकता कि मिस्टर येट्स के अलावा कोई भी उनकी कविताओं को बहुत गम्भीरता से ले सकता है।

जाने-माने भारतीय अर्थशास्त्री अमर्त्य सेन ने कहा है कि नोबेल पुरुस्कार विजेता रवीन्द्रनाथ टैगोर ने महात्मा गाँधी की बहुत प्रशंसा की. लेकिन जब वे पर्याप्त तर्क से विगत हुए तो उनके साथ उनका मतभेद रहा।

ब्रिटिश संग्रहालय में टैगोर को क्या फर्क पडता है, विषय पर एक व्याख्यान देते हुए प्रोफेसर सेन ने कहा कि गाँधी को महात्मा गाँधी की उपाधि देने वाले टैगोर ने अहिंसा के दूत की अत्यधिक प्रशंसा की।

सेन ने रेखांकित किया, "टैगोर ने महात्मा गाँधी की अत्यधिक प्रशंसा की और उनके नेतृत्व के लिए उनकी प्रशंसा बार-बार व्यक्त की, लेकिन जब गाँधी पर्याप्त तर्क से विगत होते हैं तो उनके (महात्मा गाँधी) के साथ टैगोर के मतभेद भी होते है। जैसे गाँधी जी ने 1934 में बिहार में आए भूकम्प का हवाला दिया, जिसमें कई लोग मारे गए थे। उन्होंने गाँधी को यह कहते हुए उद्धत किया कि यह हमारे पापों के लिए भगवान द्वारा भेजी गई एक दिव्य संज्ञा थी, अस्पृश्यता का पाप।

सेन ने कहा, टैगोर अस्पृश्यता के खिलाफ लड़ाई के बारे में उतना ही चिन्तत थे, लेकिन गाँधी की टिप्पणी पर प्रतिक्रिया व्यक्त करते हुए कहा "यह और भी दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है क्योंकि इस तरह के अवैज्ञानिक दृष्टिकोण को हमारे देशवासियों के एक बड़े अनुभाग द्वारा स्वीकार किया जाता है ।'

अमर्त्य सेन ने कहा, "बंगाली गद्य पर टैगोर का प्रभाव, शायद बगाली कविता से कम था। शायद, जिन केन्द्रीय मुद्दों ने टैगोर की सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित किया, वे खुले दिमागी तर्क और मानव स्वतन्त्रता के उत्सव का महत्त्व है।

अपने देश और दुनिया के भविष्य के बारे में टैगोर नकी दृष्टि में स्वतन्त्रता के थ्य पर बहुत जोर दिया गया था - ठीक ऐसे विषय जिन पर आज अधिक चर्चा की अत्यधिक रचनात्मक भूमिका हो सकती है। एक उत्तेजक कविता में, उन्होंने अपने देश के लिए और पूरी दुनिया के लिए जो इतनी दृढ़ता से चाहते थे, उसके बारे मे अपनी दृष्टि को रेखांकित किया था।

Explanations

Text 1. In contrast, in the rest of the world especially in Europe and America, the excitement that Tagore's writings created in the early years of the twentieth century has largely vanished. The enthusiam with his work was once greeted was quite remarkable. 'Gitanjali', a selection of his poetry for which he was awarded the Noble Prize in literature in 1913, was published in English translation in London in March of that year and had be reprinted ten times by November. When the award was announced.
Reference - These lines have been taken from the essay Tagore and His India' which is written by Amartya Sen in his famous book "The Argumentative India'. This book is a collection of essays that discuss. India's history and identity, focusing on the traditions of public debate and intellectual pluralism. Amartya Sen is an Indian economist and philosopher, and was awarded by Nobel Prize.
Context - In this essay, Amartya Sen seeks to restore the reputation of Rabindranath Tagore. In these lines, he tells about Tagore's writing, excitement and enthusiasm.
Explanation - Amartya Sen wants to say that Tagore's poetry, novels, short stories and essays are wildely read around the eastern part of India and throughout Bangladesh. But in Europe and America, Tagore's writing which is created in the early year of Twentieth century, has gone. Tagore's enthusiasm with his work was once greeted by everyman. When a selection of his poetry named 'Gitanjali' was published and he got Nobel Prize in literature in 1913. It was published in English translation in London in March of that year and had been reprinted ten times by November when this award was announced for him.
Text 2. Since Rabindranath Tagore and Mohandas Gandhi were two leading Indian thinkers in the twentieth century, many commentators have tried to compare their ideas. On learning of Rabindranath's death Jawaharlal Nehru, then inconcerated in a British jail in India, wrote in his prison diary for 7 August, 1941.
Reference - As above.
Context - In these lines, Amartya Sen introduces Rabindranath Tagore and Gandhiji. They are two Indian thinkers but they think differently. So Sen compares both in their ideas..
Explanation - Here Rabindranath Tagore and Mohandas Gandhi were two types of Indian thinkers in the twentieth century. They were entirely from eachother. Their ideas are compared by many commentators but they are typical Indian, both in the long line of India's great men. It is felt that among the world's great men today Gandhi and Tagore were supreme as human beings. Sen remembers of Rabindranath Tagore death, Jawaharlal Nehru then incarcerated in a British Jail in India, they wrote in his prison diary for 7 August, 1941.

Question- What is an early life and education of Amartya Sen?

Ans-

Amartya Sen : Early Life and Education : Amartya Sen was born in a Hindu Baidya family in Bengal, British India. Rabindranath Tagore gave Amartya Sen his name. Sen's family was from Wari and Manikganj, Dhaka, both in present day Bangladesh. His father Ashutosh Sen was Professor of Chemistry at Dhaka University, Development Commissioner in Delhi and then Chairman of the West Bengal Public Service Commission. He moved

with his family to West Bengal in 1945. Sen's mother Amita Sen was the daughter of Kshiti Mohan Sen, the eminent Sanskritist and scholar of ancient and medieval India, who was a close associate of Rabindranath Tagore. K. M. Sen served as the Second Vice Chancellor of Visva Bharati University from 1953 to 1954.

Sen began his school education at St. Gregory's School in Dhaka in 1940. In the fall of 1941, Sen was admitted to Patha Bhavana, Shantiniketan, where he completed his school education. The school had many progressive features, such as distaste for examinations or competitive testing. In addition, the school stressed cultural diversity and embraced cultural influences from the rest of the world. In 1951, he went to Presidency College, Calcutta, where he earned a B.A. in Economics with first in the first class, with a minor in Mathematics, as a graduating student of the University of Calcutta. While at Presidency, Sen was diagnosed with oral cancer and given a 15% chance of living five years. With radiation treatment, he survived and in 1953 he moved to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he earned a second B.A. in Economics in 1955 with a first class, topping the list as well. At this time, he was elected President of the Cambridge Majlis. While Sen was officially, a Ph.D. student at Cambridge [though he had finished his research in 1955-56], he was offered the position of First Professor and First Head of the Economics Department of the newly created Jadavpur University in Calcutta. He is still the youngest chairman to have headed the Department of Economics. He served in that position, starting the new Economics Department, from 1956 to 1958.

Meanwhile, Sen was elected to a Prize Fellowship at Trinity College which gave him four years of freedom to do anything he liked; he made the radical decision to study philosophy. One of the books he was the most interested in Kenneth Arrow's "Social Choice and Individual Values."

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