My Reminiscence
"My Reminiscence" is a book written by Rabindranath Tagore. In this chapter,
he had explained his river-side memories when he returned
to Chandernagore from his second trip to England. He was reminded of the
beauty of the Ganges, those ineffable days, the plaintive babbling of the river,
and the leisure time that he enjoyed lazily. He felt it was his home and also
the ministrations of a Mother. However, the place had changed due
to technological advancements - the little river-side nests have been converted
into huge mills, which belched out smoke and made continuous hissing noises.
This disturbed the mental siesta and had invaded all parts of life. He recollected
the afternoons he spent in that village, singing and floating by in boats, along
with his brother Jyotirindra. They returned to their villa late on such nights after
the place had calmed down. The villa had a flight of stone-flagged steps that
started from the river bed and led to various rooms on different floors. The villa
had a big sitting room with stained glass windows and colourful pictures. The
topmost room of the villa had windows on all sides and permitted views to only
open skies and treetops. He wrote a small poem about the room and had
mentioned that he had built the house only for the sake of writing poetry.
Introduction
"My Reminiscences" by Rabindranath Tagore is a collection of
autobiographical reflections written during the early 20th century. In this work,
Tagore shares glimpses of his childhood and formative years, highlighting the
intricate relationship between his personal memories and his burgeoning literary
creativity. Through a lyrical lens, the opening sets the stage for a deep
exploration of his inner life, emphasizing the art of memory while diminishing
the expectations of historical accuracy. The opening of "My Reminiscences"
introduces readers to Tagore's contemplative thoughts on the nature of memory,
presenting it as an artistic canvas where experiences are reimagined rather than
just recorded.
He reflects on specific childhood episodes such as his first schooling
experiences and his observations of family interactions. Tagore paints a picture
of a young boy navigating a world of keen perceptions and imaginative play,
hinting at the profound emotional depth that characterizes his future works.
Through vivid anecdotes, the text promises an engaging exploration of the
formative influences on one of India's greatest literary figures.
About the Poet
A man of prodigious literary and artistic accomplishments, Tagore played a
leading role in Indian cultural renaissance and came to be recognized, along
with Mohandas Gandhi, as one of the architects of modern India. Tagore's
career, extending over a period of more than sixty years, not only chronicled his
personal growth and versatility but also reflected the artistic, cultural, and
political vicissitudes of India in the late nineteenth and the first half of the
twentieth century. His work depicts all the human emotions in depth and as a
psychiatrist it was an interesting to view his childhood and his literary work
from this point of view.
The 25th of Baisakh in 2011 was the 150 birth anniversary of the revolutionary
poet Sri Rabindranath Tagore. Words were to him what a lump of marble is to a
sculptor. He would caress them, adore their fullness and in his mind's eye
visualize how he could shape them into a beautiful piece that delivers an
emotion, touches a chord and evokes passion in his readers. He was a creator, a
creator of a new pattern of thoughts for people to dwell on.
Tagore in his Youth
In My Reminiscences (Jivan-Smriti), Tagore has recorded the inner history of
his early poetry. It is the history of his emergence from the unreal and self-
centered world of adolescence into the adult and super-personal world of man
and nature. The emergence found expression in many early works: In the poem
“Awakening of the Fountain” where the poet's soul was likened to a fountain
imprisoned in a dark cave until 1-day the morning sun pierced the cave with its
rays and set the fountain free.
Right from his childhood, Rabindranath used to be struck by the beauty of
nature in all her glory. Even within the four walls of the compound of his home,
he used to enjoy the sight of the mirror-like water of the pond, the reflection of
the banyan tree in the water along with the blue of endless summer sky. As he
has said himself – “I used to run away and hide on the terrace, would steal a
golden holiday from the sky and would soak my tensed eyes in the clam blue of
the sky.”
For such an independent spirit, being confined to the school building used to be
too much of a torture. He felt that school is a box where the children are
boarded, and all their feelings about likes and dislikes are suctioned out of their
spirits. Therefore, he did not have any other option than to run away from
school, which he used to do very regularly.
Rabindranath felt that forgiving an erring child is the duty of a teacher. Teachers
and adults always judge children on the basis of their own perception and
judgment. They forget that children are like cascading waterfalls. If the water
touches evil, there is nothing much to fear because, by its speed the fountain has
the innate capacity to put to right all the wrongs that has been done. Only when
the rapid has calmed down to clear slow stream, we need to worry.
The way he was educated informally was highly irregular even in those days.
And if we consider current times when the children are highly distracted by the
advent of multiple versions of the electronic media, it wouldn’t be fair to
consider his method as a model. In today's world of immediate gratification,
teachers and adults need to be nonjudgmental but supportive, so that children
know that we are there to be the wind beneath their wings.
Characterization of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore (his father)
The earliest influences on Tagore's poetic sensibility were the artistic
environment of his home, the beauty of nature, and the saintly character of
his father. “Most members of my family,” he recalled in “My
Reminiscences,” “had some gift – some were artists, some poets, some
musicians – and the whole atmosphere of our home was permeated with
the spirit of creation.” His early education was administered at home under
private tutors, but, he did not like “the mills of learning” that “went on
grinding from morn till night.” Nature was his favorite school, as he
recorded in “My Reminiscences:” “I had a deep sense, almost from
infancy, of the beauty of nature, an intimate feeling of companionship with
the trees and the clouds, and felt in tune with the musical touch of the
seasons in the air. All these craved expression, and naturally I wanted to
give them my own expression.”
Rabindranath was brought up as a free independent child at home. His
father, Debendranath, popularly called Maharshi (great sage), was a writer,
scholar, who for many years had been a distinguished leader of the
Brahmo Samaj (theistic church) movement founded by Raja Rammohan
Roy. His father never interfered with his activities. Many a times in spite
of going against his father, he was never punished. Maharshi believed that
a child needs to learn the truth about right and wrong from his own heart.
He knew that if a child doesn’t love the truth, he will never really accept it
in his mind. Even if one goes far away from the truth, he can come back to
it. But by punishments if the truth becomes unpalatable to the child, he
will never be able to return to it.
When Tagore was 12-year-old, his father took him on a 4-month journey to
the Punjab and the Himalayas. “The chains of the rigorous regime which
had bound me snapped for good when I set out from home,” he wrote in
his Reminiscences. Their first stop was at Bolpur, then an obscure rural
village, now internationally known as Santiniketan, the seat of Visva-
Bharati University founded by Tagore on December 22, 1918. This visit
was Tagore's first contact with rural Bengal, which he later celebrated in
his songs. The Tagores’ final destination was Dalhousie, a beautiful resort
in the Himalayas. Overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of the
mountains, young Tagore wandered freely from one peak to another.
During the sojourn, Debendranath took charge of his son's education and
read with him selections from Sanskrit, Bengali, and English literatures.
Debendranath also sang his favorite hymns and recited to Tagore verses
from the metaphysical Hindu treatises, the Upanishads. The special
attention Debendranath had paid to his youngest son during this trip and
the sense of liberation experienced by Tagore miraculously transformed
him “from ugly duckling into much-admired swan.”
Like his father, even with his elder brother Jyotidada, Tagore was very free
and could discuss philosophical thoughts without hesitation. Here he was
not treated as a child but as an equal friend with full freedom of thought.
Like the respite of rain in summer, this freedom in his childhood, gave him
the power to think and feel on his own.
Critical Analysis of My Reminiscence
In My Reminiscences (Jivan Smriti), Tagore has recorded the inner history of his
early poetry it is the history of his emergence from the unreal and self-centered world
of adolescence into the adult and super-personal world of man and nature. The
emergence found expression in many early works. In the poem "Awakening of the
Fountain where the poet's soul was likened to a fountain Imprisoned in a dark cave
until 1 day the morning sun pierced the cave with its rays and set the fountain free
Right from his childhood, Rabindranath used to be struck by the beauty of nature in
all her glory. Even within the four walls of the compound of his home, he used to
enjoy the sight of the mirror-like water of the pond, the reflection of the banyan tree
in the water along with the blue of endless summer sky. As he has said himself 1 used
to run away and hide on the terrace, would steal a golden holiday from the sky and
would soak my tensed eyes in the clam blue of the sky For such an independent spirit,
being confined to the school building used to be too much of a torture Ho fell that
school is a box where the children are boarded, and all their feelings about likes and
dislikes are suctioned out of their spirits. Therefore, he did not have any other option
than to run away from school, which he used to do very regularity Rabindranath felt
that forgiving an erring child is the duty of a teacher. Teachers and adults always
judge children on the basis of their own perception and judgment. They forget that
children are like cascading waterfalls, if the water touches evil, there is nothing much
to fear because, by its speed the fountain has the innate capacity to put to right all the
wrongs that has been done. Only When the rapid has calmed down to clear slow
stream, we need to worry. The way he was educated informally was highly irregular
even in those days. And if we consider current times when the children are highly
distracted by the advent of multiple versions of the electronic media, it wquldn't be
fair to consider his method as a model in today's world of immediate gratification
teachers and adults need to be nonjudgmental but supportive, so that children know
that we are there to be the wind beneath their wings
The earliest influences on Tagore's poetic sensibility were the art environment of his
home, the beauty of nature, and the saintly character of his father "Most members of
my family," he recalled in "My Reminiscences had some gift se were artists, some
poets, some musicians and the whole atmosphere of our home was permeated with
the spirit of creation His early education was mistered at home under private tutors,
but he did not like the mills of laming" that "went in growing from mom till night
Nature was his favorite school as he munded in My Reminiscences I had a deep
serse, almust from anfancy, of the beauty of nature intimate feeling of companionship
with the trees and the clouds, and felt in Sinn wi the musical touch of the seasons in
the air. All these craved expression, and naturely 1 wanted to give them my own
expressan Rabindranath was brought up in a rod independent child at home.
Conclusion
In "My Reminiscences," Rabindranath Tagore reflects on his childhood
experiences characterized by simplicity and freedom, contrasting sharply with
the complexity and material excess of contemporary life. During his infancy,
luxury was scarce, and children were not overly doted upon, which Tagore
views as a blessing rather than a burden. He recalls a formative environment
where constraints imposed by servants kept the children's freedom in check, yet
this lack of attention allowed their imaginations to thrive. The trade-off between
a straightforward existence and the lack of modern comforts shaped a unique
camaraderie among children, emphasizing that wealth, in terms of physical
possessions, did not determine their happiness.
As Tagore delves deeper into his memories, he vividly describes the simple
pleasures of his daily life, particularly the routines and quirks of the
neighborhood bathing scene. The freedom and joy derived from these small
observations were profound, fostering a sense of wonder that transcended
material possessions. This joyful contemplation is interspersed with moments of
solitude and fascination with nature, particularly a banyan tree that served as
both a sanctuary and a source of childhood musings. His reflections highlight a
stark contrast between then and now, articulating a time when the anticipation
of acquiring something was often more fulfilling than the possession itself.
Tagore’s narrative also brings to light his discovery of spaces within his home
that inspired deep curiosity and wonder, such as the “golabari,” an empty plot
of land that captured his imagination. He recalls the thrill of exploring these
hidden corners and the mysteries they represented. Through these experiences,
he illustrates a child’s relentless pursuit of understanding and connection with
the world around them. He fondly reminisces about planting seeds and using his
imagination to create a miniature mountain, underscoring the desire to discover
life's mysteries. His adulation for nature and the ordinary is palpable, painting a
picture of a childhood where innocence and imagination flourished in the
absence of societal pressures.
Overall, Tagore’s nostalgia weaves together themes of innocence, imagination,
and the bittersweet realization of growing up. The enchantment of childhood,
filled with mysteries yet to be unraveled, stands in stark contrast to the
burgeoning awareness of the limitations imposed by adulthood. This
exploratory spirit, marked by simplicity and appreciation for the unseen world,
serves as a poignant reminder of the richness found in the unadulterated
experiences of youth.
Bibliography
• Rabindranath Tagore. My Reminiscences. [New edition] [vii], 232 pp. London
and Basingstoke: Papermac, 1991.
• Rabindranath Tagore: Glimpses of Bengal: Selected letters. Translated by
Krishna Dutta and Andrew Robinson. [New edition.] [viii] 152 pp. London
and Basingstoke: Papermac, 1991.
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