Remembering 'Gurudev' Rabindranath Tagore with 9 famous works by him

A prolific writer whose works ranged from poetry and songs to short stories and plays, Rabindranath Tagore passed away on August 7, 1941. His love for humanity was depicted in his works as he believed in universal humanity.

A multifaceted personality, Tagore began writing poetry when he was only eight years old and he was only 16 when he released his first collection of poems under the pseudonym 'Bhanusimha'.

Also, Rabindranath Tagore is the only known person who has written the national anthems for three different countries. He wrote 'Jana Gana Mana', the national anthem for India, 'Amar SonarBangla', the national anthem for Bangladesh and 'Nama Nama Sri Lanka Mata', in Bengali, for Sri Lanka.

He also stressed on the concept of compassion and living in the way for the benefit of others. He also created an educational setup called Shanti Niketan based on practical activities. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913.

Following is a short description of the famous works of Rabindranath Tagore:

1. Gitanjali

Subject: Devotion to God

Genre: Poem

Also known as 'Song Offerings', Rabindranath's Gitanjali is a collection of poems, originally written in Bengali and later translated into English. It made him win him the Nobel Prize in Literature. His unfathomable pain and unshaken devotion to God are captured in the moving prose verses of Gitanjali.

' Where the mind is without fear and the head held high; Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls'

2. Chokher bali

Subject: Extra-marital affair

Genre: Novel

A Bengali novel written by Tagore, 'Chokher Bali' or 'A grain of sand' is a story which revolves around an extra-marital affair. It is a story about passion, desires, relationships, unfulfilled dreams as well as honesty. The complexity of relationships and of human character are very well portrayed in this novel.

3. The Postmaster

Subject: Loneliness and the search for meaning in the world

This is a touching story of a city-bred young man working as a postmaster in a remote village to earn his bread and butter.

4. Gora

Genre: Novel

It is the largest and the most complex of the 12 novels written by Rabindranath Tagore. It raises a number of issues/ concerns, which seem very contemporary and are easily applicable to current scenario of our country.

This book is a reflection and analysis of the multifarious social life in colonial India.

5. Kabuliwallah (The Fruitseller from Kabul), 1961

The Kabuliwala is a moving tale of an Afghan vendor trying to earn a living in faraway Calcutta and the emotional bond he develops with the narrator's five-year-old daughter.

6. Sadhana: The realization of life

It relates a theory of a few points of the teaching of Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha. This narrative touches many bases dealing with the virtue of man, greed, love and compassion.

7. Shesher Kabita

Genre: Novel

The novel was serialised in 1928, from Bhadro to Choitro in the magazine Probashi, and was published in book form the following year. It has been translated into English as The Last Poem and Farewell song.

The book is about a platonic love of a matured couple. It is a saga, an epic love story.

8. Ghare Baire (The Home and the World)

Genre: Autobiographical novel

It is a psychological novel and reflects upon the deeper meaning of life through a portrayal of the struggles of three distinct individuals. The backdrop of this novel is Swadeshi Movement, which played an important role in the independence of India.

9. Nastanirh (The Broken Nest)

Genre: Novel

It narrates stories of those times when men were the main breadwinners of their families which allowed them to move out of the house, for work, for education, while their women tended to families.

Read: Tagore beyond books: About the social reforms of Rabindranath Tagore

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