Rabindranath Tagore Birth Anniversary: Timeless Legacy Continues To Resonate As We Reflect On The Relevance Of The First Asian Nobel Laureate In Literature

On a humid April evening, a group of young theatre enthusiasts gathers in a small studio in Kolkata, rehearsing a play that was written over a century ago. The story is Tagore’s The Postmaster, and the room is filled with emotions as the character of Ratan, a young orphaned girl, silently waits for a return that never comes. Despite being penned in 1891, the story strikes a chord with a host of emotions — loneliness, abandonment, and the silent strength of women — which continue to resonate with our society.

It’s this emotional clarity and human insight that makes Rabindranath Tagore’s work as relevant today as it was in the early 19th and 20th centuries. A polymath, poet, philosopher, and the first Asian Nobel laureate in literature (1913), Tagore wrote not only with literary brilliance but with a clear sociopolitical conscience. At a time when Indian society was trapped in social hierarchies, patriarchy, and colonial rule, his work extended radical empathy, profound introspection, and most importantly, social change.

Literary mirror to society

Tagore began writing short stories in the 1880s, and his early works were heavily inspired by rural Bengal. Kabuliwala, perhaps one of his most well-known stories, delves into themes of migration, fatherhood, and cultural misunderstanding. The tale of an Afghan street vendor in Kolkata and his affectionate bond with a young Bengali girl continues to resonate in today’s world of increasing displacement and xenophobia.

“In Kabuliwala, Tagore reminds us that humanity doesn't see borders, appearances, and language. This is especially relevant in our current global climate of suspicion and division,” says Dr. Ranjit Kumar, Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication in Delhi University. “He was writing about these themes over a hundred years ago, and yet, they feel urgent even today.”

Similarly, stories like Ghare Baire (The Home and the World) challenge the boundaries between the personal and political, between freedom and fanaticism. Set during the Swadeshi movement, it explores nationalism through the eyes of Bimala, a woman torn between her traditional role and new ideas. With rising debates around nationalism and gender roles today, the novel remains a hauntingly modern reflection.

Feminism before its time

Perhaps one of Tagore’s most revolutionary contributions was his portrayal of women—not as idealised figures or background characters, but as central, thinking, feeling individuals. In Streer Patra (The Wife’s Letter), Mrinal writes to her husband after leaving him, asserting her autonomy. Written in 1914, it predates many global feminist narratives.

“In my years of performing Tagore’s women characters, I am still struck by how contemporary they feel,” says Priyanka Mitra, theatre director and actress who recently staged Streer Patra in a minimalist black-box setting. “He gave women not just a voice, but agency. And he did it in a time when women weren’t even allowed to speak in public forums.”

Tagore’s poetry, too, finds a place in modern lives. From Gitanjali to Shesher Kobita, his verses often read like meditations for the soul. Lines such as “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark” offer solace in today’s chaotic, digitally saturated existence.

Staging Tagore

Across India and Bangladesh, Tagore’s stories continue to be adapted into plays, films, and performances. His dance dramas, such as Chitrangada and Shyama, are staged not only in traditional formats but also in experimental theatres. Contemporary practitioners reinterpret his work to highlight present-day issues—be it caste, class, gender, or identity.

In one of the adaptations of Chandalika, the director in Bengaluru used Tagore’s text to speak about Dalit rights and internalised oppression. "His writing allows for that. It's both rooted and open-ended,” says Siraj Ahmed Bhati, a playwright and director, who has adapted Tagore's multiple stories including Chhutti, showcasing the dilemma of a teenage boy.

"Tagore, through art in education, imparts to individuals a sense of beauty, creative expression and enjoyment. Also his stories like Tasher Desh, is a political satire, opposing imposing undefined rules. He talks about a few to educate others to understand the system. Chhuti is about guidance, parenting, and education. His message is about the role of society and family in shaping the lives of the younger ones, which makes his work relevant even today's parents,” says Bhati.

In classrooms, too, Tagore is not just studied as a historical figure but engaged with as a living voice. His ideas on education — learning through nature, freedom of thought, emotional development — are still discussed in pedagogical circles, particularly as Indian education slowly moves toward more holistic models.

Legacy still unfolding

More than a hundred years ago, Tagore was already speaking of unity in diversity, questioning blind nationalism, advocating for women's emancipation, and expressing concern for nature and humanity’s inner life. These aren't just literary themes; they are the very dilemmas of our current world.

“Tagore doesn’t give you answers. He gives you the courage to question and feel,” says Dr Krishna Mahwar, a painter and professor at University of Rajasthan. “And that is what makes him timeless. He was an aware man who did everything. He left a mark in all kinds of art forms, be it painting, literature, music, or poetry.”

Published on: Sunday, May 04, 2025, 07:40 AM IST