Rabindranath

Tagore and
Indian
Aesthetics
MR. ABU SALEH

About the chapter :

 This module will introduce you to the widely acclaimed literary
personality, Rabindranath Tagore and his contribution to Indian
aesthetics. At the beginning we will discuss the life and works of
Rabindranath Tagore. Later we will move on to the discussion of arts and
aesthetics. After this we will discuss some of his writings specifically
non-fiction like “What is Art?” and “The Realization of Beauty” and see
how intricately he explicates his phenomenology of art and aesthetics. At
the end we will try to find out how Tagore has been one of the major
contributors of Indian poetics. So, after going through this module you
will have an idea of aesthetics in general and more specifically of Tagore’s
ideas about art and aesthetics.

Life and Works of Rabindranath Tagore:

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore is a polymath, social and religious

reformer, poet, novelist, dramatist, musician, essayist, short story writer
and painter. He is credited to have written travel diaries, autobiographies,
operas, and also did drawings. He wrote the lyrics and composed the
music of our National Anthem “Jana-Gana- Mana” (Thou Art the Ruler of
All Minds) and Bangladesh also chose one of the Tagore’s songs “Amar
Sonar Bangla” (My Golden Bengal) as their national anthem. Tagore is
widely read and his music composition and songs known as Rabindra
Sangeet is very popular among Bengalisi. Tagore explored all the literary
genres but he is primarily known as poet.
 Sir Rabindranath Tagore, Kabi Rabindranath Thakur, Biswa Kabi, Nobel
Laureate in literature 1913, also known as Gurudev was born on 7th May,
1861 in the Tagore family. He was the fourteenth child of Debendranath
Tagore (1817-1905) and Sarada Devi (d.1875)ii. Tagores were wealthy
landlords. Dwarkanath Tagore, Tagore’s grandfather was a social reformer.
The family has produced many successful writers, musicians, civil servants
etc. Tagore’s father, Debendranath Tagore was a social reformer who
advocated Brahmo Samaj, a social and religious movement. Later Tagore
also upheld the vision.

Rabindranath Tagore spent his early life within the boundaries of his
family estate. He could not adjust to the formal education system. He was
tutored at home where he learnt Science, Mathematics, History, Arts etc.
Tagore began to write poetry at a very early age under the pseudonym of
“Bhanusingha” (Sun Lion) and some he wrote anonymously. Later he
regularly began to write for magazines like Balaka and Bharati. His first
collection of poetry Kabi Kahini (Tale of a Poet) was published in 1878. By
this time he also wrote his first short story “Bhikharini” (The Beggar
Woman), 1877.

Tagore travelled extensively to various parts of the world. He first went

on an Indian tour with his father. Later at the age of seventeen he went to
England, University College in London (1878-1880) to become a barrister
but returned without completing it. During his stay in London he wrote
the poem “Nirjharer Swapnabhanga” (The Fountain Awakened from its
Dream), (1882). Manasi (The Ideal One) (1890), and Sonar Tari (The Golden
Boat), poetry in 1894, Chitra: A Play in One Act (1896), Katha O Kahini
(Tales and Stories), 1900, Naivedya (1901).

In 1901, Tagore laid the foundation of the School Shantiniketan following

the tradition of Ashrama wherein emphasis is to impart education in a
peaceful, harmonious and natural environment. Today it is widely known
as Visva-Bharati University. A year after the foundation of Shantiniketan,
that is, in 1902 Tagore’s wife, Mrinalini Devi, passed away. In her memory
he wrote a collection of poems called Smaran (In Memoriam).

Tagore wrote prolifically like Kheya (poetry, 1906), Raja, play in 1910,
translated as The King of the Dark Chamber, Gitanjali(Song Offerings)
(1910), Dak-ghar (The Post Office) (1912), Achalayatan (The Immoveable)
(1912), The Gardener (1913), The Crescent Moon (1913), Gitimalya (Wreath of
Songs), 1914, Songs of Kabîr (1915), Stray Birds (1916), Sadhana: The
Realisation of Life (1916), and Balaka (1916) (The Flight of Cranes) 1916, and
the poems Fruit-Gathering (1916), The Gardener (1915) and The Fugitive
(1921) . Tagore wrote novels like Gora in 1910, Ghare-Baire, (The Home and
the World) in 1915 and Yogayog, (Crosscurrents) in 1929. Glimpses of Bengal:
Selected from the Letters of Sir Rabindranath Tagore (1885-1895) was
published in 1920. Later he wrote Muktadhara (The Waterfall), (1922), and
Raktakaravi (Red Oleanders) in 1926.
 Tagore passed away on 7th August 1941 at his birth place, Jorasanko.
Tagore was a prolific writer of par excellence who immensely enriched the
Bengali literature as he majorly used to write in Bengali. Today most of his
writings both fiction and non-fiction are available in English translation.
Tagore had his phenomenology of art and aesthetics that he discussed in
two of his essays “What is Art?” and “The Realization of Beauty”. Before
discussing the Tagore’s contribution to Indian aesthetics and art we will
first briefly discuss about aesthetics and art in general.

Aesthetics:

The word aesthetics derives its meaning from the Greek word
“aisthetikos” meaning “of sense perception”. The term was introduced.
“…..into the philosophical lexicon during the Eighteenth Century, the term
‘aesthetic’ has come to be used to designate, among other things, a kind of
object, a kind of judgment, a kind of attitude, a kind of experience, and a
kind of value.”

Aesthetics as a branch of philosophical study of art came much later. It

was art that came first and later people began to appreciate, interpret, and
evaluate it. “…Plato’s Phaedrus and Republic were written long after the
artists of the Aurignacian age executed their cave paintings. Bharat Muni’s
Natyashastra came long after art creations of different variety.
 Whatever a man creates any piece of art- painting, sculpture, a creative
writing or poem, and if that leaves lasting effects and gives a sense of
value and joy then this work is known as beautiful. Beauty lives and moves
in an individual. In other words beauty is perception. Everything that is
created causes feelings of pleasure sensual or spiritual but it is all
perception.

It is the perception of an individual that creates emotions in him. In

other words emotions play a significant role in aesthetics, that is, in
appreciating beauty. For example beauty is expressed through an object
and this object could be either a human being or an idea or season or
anything that pleases an individual. The moment one looks at it or feels it
in an abstract sense then emotion awakens. It also comes to mean that
aesthetic emotions can be satisfied only in the imagination.

In common terminology aesthetics is the study of senses which later

began to critically raise serious philosophical question and thoughts about
art, culture and nature. Aesthetics is the study that not only appreciates
beauty but also gives new interpretation to it. Nevertheless, aesthetics is
an integral part of our daily life. It is difficult to say whether one
understands and appreciates art fully or learn to do so. However, we
encounter artistic creation and perceive them as it pleases us.

Art and Aesthetics:

 Art and aesthetics are two different terminologies. Art is a creation.
Aesthetics, as a branch of philosophy of art, investigates, evaluates and
interprets art. Art is an object whereas aesthetics is subjective. As per the
dictionary meaning, art is a “skill acquired by experience, study, or
observation”, “a branch of learning”, “archaic”, “an occupation requiring
knowledge or skill”, “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination
especially in the production of aesthetic objects”, “archaic: a skillful plan”,
“the quality or state of being artful”, “decorative or illustrative elements in
printed matter”vi. The concept of art is very wide and its usage can also
vary. However, art has always been a creative work either it is learnt as a
skill or studied or as an occupation. It is significant to know that both, art
and aesthetics have an inseparable connection.

Tagore’s Writings on Arts and Aesthetics:

Apart from exploring different genres of fiction, Tagore also wrote

various essays on the subject of arts and aesthetics. Further, during his
travel to various places in the world he has delivered many talks on the
subject of art and its appreciation. His Bichitra Prabandha (1907) contains
important essays like “Sounderjer Sombondho” and “Kabber Tatparja” and
“Sondorjo Sombondhe Sontosh”. Many of the English essays are lectures
he delivered at UK and USA during his visits there. One such is Personality:
Lectures Delivered in America (1917) which contains the important essay
“What is Art” along with his other lectures on various subjects. Further, his
Bengali essay collections like Sahitya, Sahityer Pothe, Sahityer Swarup and
many others are very much important as he discusses various aspects of
poetry, literature, art, music, value, creativity, ethics, importance, beauty,
critics and criticism so on and so forth. It is almost impossible to discuss
all of these works in a single module but we will try to discuss few of his
ideas and concepts about aesthetics and poetics.

Rabindranath Tagore and Aesthetics:

In order to understand Tagore’s concept of aesthetics it is necessary to

know what art is for Rabindranath Tagore. In one of his essays from
Personality: Lectures Delivered in America (1917) is “What is Art?” He
explains the meaning of art through man’s personality especially through
his relationship with the world. He says man’s relationship with the world
is manifold like based on his needs of both physical and as well as the
needs of the mind. Both body and mind needs food. Body is survived on
food and mind on logic, reason, calculations, facts, laws etc. According to
Tagore, this is Physical man. He is busy in fulfilling his physical needs like
hunger, and thirst. Within this physical man resides another man called
‘personal man’ who “has its likes and dislikes, and wants to find something
to fulfil its need of love” “ It is the highest in man-this personal man”.

He says, the personal man “is found in the region where we are free
from all necessity, – above the needs, both of body and mind, – above the
expedient and useful. It is the highest in man, – this personal man”. The
personal man belongs to the real world where we see it, feel it “we deal
with it with all our emotions. Its mystery is endless because we cannot
analyse it or measure it. We can but say, ‘Here you are.’” This is the world
from wherein science leaves us and Arts takes hold of it. Tagore says if we
know what art is then we can say what this world is “with which art has
such intimate relationship” In other words man has very close
relationship of love with this world. If we find the relationship between
world and art then will we be able to understand man? It means art is for
humanity and love for the world.

Where can we find this world of art which is the real world, according
to Tagore. He says “We see it, feel it; we deal with it with all our emotions.
Its mystery is endless because we cannot analyze it or measure it. We can
but say, “Here you are”. Here lies the world of art. He draws an analogy
between life and art and says “For Art, like life itself, has grown by its own
impulse, and man has taken his pleasure in it without definitely knowing
what it is”

Tagore reasons out the existence of art before defining it and makes an
attempt to know to whom the art owes its existence. He enquires whether
origin of art lies in some societal cause or it exist just art for its own sake,
or it is an expression of some impulse. He then spells the reasons of art
being in our lives comparing the life of man and animal. He says animal is
bound within the limits of its needs but man, Tagore says “he earns a great
deal more than he is absolutely compelled to spend”. Here he is referring
to the man’s emotional and physical energy. It is this energy from where
this science, philosophy and art come. Tagore avers, “Man has a fund of
emotional energy which is not all occupied with his self-preservation. This
surplus seeks its outlet in the creation of Art, for man’s civilization is built
upon his surplus.” The surplus energy that man has and gains seeks a
passage to exit. If man withholds this surplus energy it is harmful to him.
Thus, man finds an outlet for its release. It is through art the surplus
energy is released. Thus, art is not just an object but one finds emotions
and expressions in it. In other words man reveals himself through his art.
As Tagore says “man reveals himself and not his objects” He says mere
gathering of information does not make a man fully himself. This
information does not reveal his true and organic self. ‘Who has the
inherent power to select things from his surroundings in order to make
them his own…he not merely piles up things outside him but creates
himself”

Tagore discussing the contents of this personal man says a man

becomes personal man only when he attaches his emotions with this
world. This world he says is our own world that has taken shape, features,
colour and movement from the peculiar range and qualities of our
perceptions” It will remain partial world till the man attaches his emotion
with it. “It becomes completely our own when it comes within the range
of our emotions”.

Further, Tagore reflecting on the idea of poem says “a poem is a

sentence or sentences containing juices, which stimulate the juices of
emotion. It brings to us ideas, life-stuff of our nature.” Art is not an art if it
is devoid of emotions. If it lacks feelings then it becomes an object. Thus,
feelings and emotions is indispensable to art. To put it, feelings completes
art or any form of art is born out of emotions. On this Tagore says “When
our heart is fully awakened in love; in other great emotions, our
personality is in its flood tide. Then it feels the longing to express itself for
the very sake of expression. Then comes Art,…”

Thus, art remains incomplete without feelings and every part of an

artistic creation should be in wholeness.

Tagore has also discussed about the function of art. He says man’s true
world is the living world of truth and beauty. For him beauty is
everywhere. He says if someone sees something ugly then it is their
perception that makes them to see it as ugly. He puts it “in the distorted
expression of beauty in our life and in our art which comes from our
imperfect realization of truth.”

He further says “when we experience anything aesthetically we do not

see only that object. A sweet song confers dignity on land, sea and sky, on
the whole of existence. Great poets have taken upon themselves the task
of proclaiming the glory of all that exists”. Hence for Tagore “the function
of art is to remove the shadows which obscure the reality of the objective
world as well as of the personality of man, and thereby to bring them
together in intimate union”. Further, emotions occupy a very important
place in Tagore’s philosophy of art for they are the principal instruments
of man’s unification and harmonization with the world.

Tagore on Beauty:

Tagore begins his essay, “The Realization of Beauty”, by explaining the

usage of anything that belongs to us. Or anything that belongs to us or is
ours it is only because it gives us happiness. He says, “A Thing is only
completely our own when it is a thing of joy to us” (“The Realization of
Beauty”, 01) The entire world, Tagore says, is given to us, and all of our
powers have their final meaning in the faith that by their help we are to
take possession of our patrimony” (“The Realization of Beauty”, 01) He
raises questions and asks in this whole scenario what is the function of
beauty? Is it there to create a distinction between beauty and ugliness
then it is going to create a hindrance of communication across the world.

He further says it cannot be true because as long as realization is

incomplete, world does not belong to us, the division persists. However,
man does not limit his knowledge of anything he keeps on adding to it.
Similarly the sense of beauty acts. “Every day his science is penetrating
into the region formerly marked in his map as unexplored or inexplorable.
Our sense of beauty is similarly engaged in ever pushing on its conquests.
Truth is everywhere; therefore everything is the object of our knowledge.
Beauty is omnipresent; therefore everything is capable of giving us joy”
 (“The Realization of Beauty, 01)

Initially man thought about everything that was around him as a

phenomenon of life. With the beginning of science he began to make a
distinction between life and non-life. Gradually with the knowledge the
difference between animate and in-animate is fading away. Tagore
beautifully explains how the concept of beauty and its realization dawns
upon man,

To realise this principle of creation we have to start with a division, the

division into the beautiful and the non-beautiful. Then the apprehension
of beauty has to come to us with a vigorous blow to awaken our
consciousness from its primitive lethargy, and it attains its object by the
urgency of the contrast. Therefore our first acquaintance with beauty is in
her dress of motley colours, that affects us with its stripes and feathers,
nay, with its disfigurements. But as our acquaintance ripens, the apparent
discords are resolved into modulations of rhythm. At first we detach beauty
from its surroundings, we hold it apart from the rest, but at the end we
realise its harmony with all. Then the music of beauty has no more need of
exciting us with loud noise; it renounces violence, and appeals to our heart
with the truth that it is meekness inherits the earth. (01-02, emphasis is
mine)

To understand what beauty is we need to begin with the division of beauty

and non- beautiful. Then the beauty comes to us and awakens our
consciousness. Hence it comes in a colourful manner to please us.
Gradually when our consciousness to understand beauty increases then
there is no discordant remains. Similar is the case of aesthetics when we
begin to recognize beauty easily in everything that is great and small, then
we find “it more in the unassuming harmony of common objects than in
things startling in their singularity”

(“The Realization of Beauty”, 02)

Tagore beautifully put it that beauty lies in our perception. It is we who

have this ugliness inside of us otherwise everything that universe has is
beautiful and pleasing.

When we say that beauty is everywhere we do not mean that the word
ugliness should be abolished from our language, just as it would be absurd
to say that there is no such thing as untruth. Untruth there certainly is,
not in the system of the universe, but in our power of comprehension, as
its negative element. In the same manner there is ugliness in the distorted
expression of beauty in our life and in our art which comes from our
imperfect realization of Truth. To a certain extent we can set our life
against the law of truth which is in us and which is in all, and likewise we
can give rise to ugliness by going counter to the eternal law of harmony
which is everywhere.
 Tagore further adds “Through our sense of truth we realise law in
creation, and through our sense of beauty we realise harmony in the
universe. When we recognize the law in nature we extend our mastery
over physical forces and become powerful; when we recognize the law in
our moral nature we attain mastery over self and become free.”

Conclusions:

According to Tagore beauty, perception, emotion, imagination and

wholeness are the basic concepts of art and aesthetics. They not only
define art but also connect art and aesthetics. Art is an expression of
human emotion and emotion is indispensable to art. Further, beauty lies in
man’s perception. However, to see beauty man needs to be in harmony
with his surroundings or universe. Tagore’s concept and ideas related to
art and aesthetics are very much influential. He has been an instrument of
shift from the traditional Indian poetics to a new outlook. His concepts
have contributed and shaped Indian poetics in a larger way. His essays and
speeches are very much essential to understand his other literary writings
as well as other writings of the period. Thus, Tagore has not only played
the role of a famous literary personality but also a great critique of art of
the time.

Summary :
 In this module you are introduced to the subject of aesthetics more
specifically of Rabindranath Tagore and his contribution to Indian
aesthetics. In this module we have presented life and writings of Tagore,
further definitions and meaning of art and aesthetics and so on. Further,
we have discussed Tagore’s concept of Art and Aesthetics and how he has
written on these matters. For more on this module, please find the e-text,
learn more and self-assessment tabs.