Where The Mind is Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought
and action--
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Commentary
If you have been schooled in India, you couldn’t possibly have not read this in some English textbook or the other. I have always been captivated by the simplicity and economy of this poem; how, through exquisite imagery, Tagore expresses such profound thoughts. If you find that it reads more like a prayer chant from a religious book, you won’t be far from the truth: the original Bengali poem which Tagore himself translated as above, was titled “Prayer”. Though this poem was chosen because today is the 52nd anniversary of India’s independence, it is really a plea, not for the political independence that was being sought early this century when it was written, but for freedom from parochialness and dogma, a prayer that is perhaps as relevant today as it was then. Maybe human nature itself is such that it always turns once-refreshing paradigms into stale tradition, forcing a Tagore in every generation to thus complain.
This poem is from Gitanjali, lit. Offering of Songs, published in English in 1910.
Biography
Tagore, Rabindranath (1861-1941), Indian poet, philosopher, and Nobel laureate, was born in Calcutta, into a wealthy family. He began to write poetry as a child; his first book appeared when he was 17 years old. After a brief stay in England (1878) to study law, he returned to India, where he rapidly became the most important and popular author of the colonial era, writing poetry, short stories, novels, and plays. He composed several hundred popular songs and in 1929 also began painting.
Tagore wrote primarily in Bengali, but translated many of his works into English himself. He was awarded the 1913 Nobel Prize in literature, and in 1915 he was knighted by the British king George V. Tagore renounced his knighthood in 1919 following the Amritsar massacre of 400 Indian demonstrators by British troops. Some of his more famous works are ‘Balaka’, ‘Sonar Tari’, ‘Chitali’, and ‘Gitanjali’. His selected poems ‘Sanchaita’, and selected short stories ‘Galpagucha’ were published in India 1966. Two of his songs are national anthem of India and Bangladesh.
In 1901 Rabindranath Tagore founded a school at Santiniketan, West Bengal, India, which later developed into an international institution called Visva Bharati, where he tried to revive the spirit of education of ancient India, the famed “Gurukula” system, when students spent their childhood at their teacher’s house and studied there.
More resources:
1. The poem in Bengali: http://www.itihaas.com/wheremind.gif
2. A more detailed bio: http://www.itihaas.com/modern/tagore-profile.html
http://www.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/96/0712/feat6.html
Show 14 commentsHide comments
From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
mathewsj · 29 July 2000
a really touching poem.
ENAKSHI · 8 May 2002
A poem which has really changed my outlook to life .
Deepali Sachdeva Kanjilal · 10 May 2002
This Poem is my inspiration from childhood
Deepali
a_phatak59 · 15 February 2003
When will the world realise and see the walls put up by ambitious politicians and the false leaders of all the religions.When will Tagore and the likes of him ever be understood.
ANIL KATARIA.
sana · 28 November 2003
tagore’s first poem was written when he was just seven, inspired by an older nephew. And he has come a long way since then……….this poem is a constant reminder to not let the blood of the worlds freedom fighters go to waste.
Tariq Ali Khan · 5 May 2004
Don’t have words, except wondering could we be able to experience what Rabindranath Tagore experienced when he penned this poem and then read it to himself. It leaves me nostalgic.
Ankur Bhandari · 16 July 2005
Each time I read Tagore’s poem, it brings tears of happiness into my eyes to see my country finally coming of age - out of the ‘dreary desert of dead habit’…Also Gandhi’s ‘Sabko sammati de bhagwan’ - resonate - as we charge as leaders into the knowledge economy of the new millenium !! Ankur
Pankaj V · 26 November 2005
a wonderful poem… it provides enlightment to its readers..
susmitbose · 24 July 2006
Can I please get the translation of the entire poem. Thank you Susmit Bose
Postal Address: D3/D DDA Flats Munirka
New Delhi 110 067 India
Tel:
website: www.susmitbose.com
David Santosuosso · 3 August 2006
When I first heard this wonderful poem by Tagore…It took my breath away. I had to commit it to memory because the plea is as relevant today in the world and in my country. Thank you.
Namaste.
Besso
Boston, Massachusetts
USA
Seshadri Kannan · 11 October 2006
I am 78 years old. As a student in the National High School Nagapattinam (then Hegapatam) in 1942-43, this Tagore’s poem “Where the mind is without fear” was one of the poems in the text. I remember that poem and cite it very often when I see people fear to face the truth. In today it is very much important and even the RTI (Right to Information) act cannot match the Tagores’ poem. People are still timid and afraid of speaking truth, because after the hard-earned freedom, we have succumbed to beuracratic governments and ruthless political plunderers, who are worse than the foreign invaders. Dr. Seshadri Kannan
38/1-B, Devi Apts
South Mada St
Thiruvanmiyur
Chennai 600041
Sushil Prasad · 25 July 2007
I had a Kannadiga collegue in Bangalore, who informed me that this poem in kannada translation was taught to him in school (during sixties) in Mangalore.
I have read the poem literally 100s of times, but each time it excites me as before. The poem is not just profound but also timeless.
India may have achieved a modicum of political freedom (from British imperialists) but what about achieving freedom from poverty, discrimination (racial, sexual, religious), deprivation, inequality of opportunity?
Regards
Sushil Prasad
SR Chander · 11 August 2007
I wonder if we shouldn’t broadcast this from all channels as part of the euphoric celebrations of the 60th year of Independence – and leave the question open in everyone’s mind: Is India there yet? Regards
mukesh_prasad · 6 March 2008
wish the world would be like this one day
Swasti S Prasad