RABINDRANATHTAGORE

 RABINDRANATHTAGORE (1861-1941)

    Tagore was born on May 6, 1861 at Calcutta. He was the youngest son of (Maharishi) Devendranath and grandson of Dwarkanath Tagore. His father was a prominent leader of the Brahmosamaj. He studied Sanskrit, Astronomy and the Upanishads from his father. After private education in India, he was sent to England in 1877 to study law for becoming a barrister but he soon returned to India. In 1901, he established his school with 5 students at Bolpur, about 150km from Calcutta. This school, later on developed into the famous- “Shantiniketan”-a world University called “Visbabharathi”.  Tagore becomes a world figure when his book “Githanjali” won him the Nobel Prize in 1913. On December 22, 1921, Tagore founded the Visbabharati an international university to being about understanding between eastern and western educationist, a Patriot, a Philosopher and Social reformer.

TAGORE’S PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE

Tagore’s Humanism:

          Tagore’s observed, He (God) is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the path maker is breaking stone.

Tagore’s Naturalism:

          He Said, “He lives in a prison house whose walls are alien to him”. Tagore loved nature immensely.

Tagore’s Spiritualism:

          Tagore said, “I believe in the spiritual unity of man and therefore I ask you to accept this task from me”

Tagore’s Individualism:

        Tagore believed that every being has the right to shape his life in his own way.

Tagore’s Internationalism:

        Tagore advocated synthesis between the east and west. The Visvabharathi at Shantiniketan is an embodiment of his international outlook.

TAGORE’S VIEWS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF EDUCATION

      I.            Aims of Education

Following were the aims of education according to Tagore.

                               i.            Education should be developing a creative mind.

                             ii.            Education should aim at developing aesthetic sense.

                          iii.            Education should develop values of simple living.

                          iv.            Education should prepare an individual for a vacation.

                             v.            Education should develop international understanding.

                          vi.            Education should develop freedom of mind.

   II.            Curriculum

Tagore recommended a curriculum for the full man satisfying the Spiritual, the creative, the aesthetic and the vocational aims of education. Now a day’s educationists talk so much about the educational values of crafts, Projects, Music, dancing, finearts etc.

III.            Method of teaching

Tagore strongly criticized the bookish and examination oriented teaching. He stressed movement of the whole body in various learning activities. He followed the principle, and advocated constructive and creative activities.

IV.            Children as children

It is a mistake to judge children by the standards of grown-ups. Adults ignore the natural gifts of children and insist that children must learn through the same process as themselves. This is man’s most cruel and most wasteful mistake. Children’s have their subconscious mind which is more active than their conscious intelligence

  V.            Discipline and  Freedom

Living ideals cannot be set into clockwork arrangement. Tagore wrote, “I never said to them. Don’t do this, or don’t do that…I never punished them”.

VI.            An Ideal School

An Ideal school is an Ashram where men gather for the highest and of life. Tagore attempted to make his school at Bolpur as an Ideal institution. According to him an ideal school should have the following characteristics.

v The school should cultivate love of nature among the students.

v It should provide spiritual training to students.

v It should educate children by providing an environment of freedom.

v It should impart education in the mother tongue of the students.

v  It should have a well-equipped library.

v It should provide for manual labour.

v It should include drawing, art, and music as an integral part of the curriculum.

VISVABHARATI (World University)

          The Word Visvabharati consists of two Sanskrit words. “Visva” means world and “Bharati” means culture. Thus Visvabharati would mean world culture. The motto of this university is” Yatra visvambharatai ekamidam” i.e.where the world meets at one place.

Main features of Visvabharati:

1.    It wants to hold before the world the ideal of the universality of man

2.    The greatest distinction is the direct and immediate emotional contact of pupils with their teachers and with external nature.

3.    A specialty of our institution is that it wants to bring up our pupils in inseparable association with nature.

4.    It is intended not only to be the intellectual centre of the intellectual life of India but also the centre of her economic life.

In 1863, Rabindranath Tagore’s father founded the Ashram at Bholpur. It was called Shantiniketan (Abode of peace). It was meant for the seekers of truth. In 1901, Tagore started the experimental school. In 1921, It became the Visvabharati

               

CONTRIBUTION OF TAGORE TO EDUCATION

·       Tagore established a number of educational institutions at Shantiniketan.

·       Tagore founded the Visvabharati.

·       Tagore was a great practitioner. He worked out his ideas and ideals in a constructive way.

·       He drew attention to the listless environment of the traditional school.

·       He tried to synthesize the ancient Indian Ideals of education and the western arts and science.

·       Tagore pointed out the significance of providing an environment of freedom in the school.

REFERENCE

·      Theoretical Base of Education-Prof.Dr.A. Antony

(Published by Herbert Publishing Company)

·      Philosophical and sociological perspectives on Education (Published by Shira Publication. Delhi)