Why Rabindranath Tagore Rejected Traditional Education: His Educational Philosophy

abindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate and prominent poet, was born on May 7, 1861, in Calcutta, British India. His childhood was marked by a unique blend of privilege and intellectual stimulation.

Early Years and Family: Tagore was born into a distinguished and wealthy Bengali family. His father, Debendranath Tagore, was a revered philosopher and leader of the Brahmo Samaj, a socio-religious reform movement. His mother, Sarada Devi, came from a culturally rich and influential family.

This family background exposed young Rabindranath to an atmosphere of culture, education, and spirituality from an early age.

Early Education: Tagore's early education was unconventional and holistic, influenced by the progressive ideas of his family. Private tutors taught him lessons at home, including subjects like literature, history, mathematics, and classical music.

Rabindranath Tagore's brother, Hemendranath, served as his early tutor in a diverse range of subjects, including anatomy, geography, history, literature, mathematics, Sanskrit, and English. Remarkably, at the tender age of 11, Tagore embarked on a remarkable journey across India with his father.

This extensive tour took him to various destinations, from his father's Santiniketan estate to the sacred city of Amritsar, and eventually to the picturesque Himalayan hill station of Dalhousie. During his travels, Tagore delved into biographies, explored history, studied astronomy, modern science, Sanskrit, and immersed himself in the classical poetry of 'Kalidasa'.

Notably, his encounter with the profound teachings of Gurbani and Nanak Bani at the Golden Temple in Amritsar left an indelible mark on him.

Influence of Nature: Tagore's love for nature was nurtured during his early years. He was greatly inspired by the scenic beauty of the family estates in Calcutta and later in rural Santiniketan (now in West Bengal), which played a significant role in shaping his worldview.

Formal Education: In his teenage years, Tagore briefly attended the University of Calcutta but was disenchanted mainly with the legal education system. His pursuit of knowledge was far more extensive and transcendent than what the traditional classroom could offer.

Introduction to Literature: As a child, Tagore's exposure to literature, mainly classical Bengali poetry and Sanskrit literature, fueled his passion for writing.

He composed his first poem at age eight and published his first collection at 16. These early literary efforts were the precursors of his later poetic masterpieces.

Tagore's Vision of Self-Education:

“Education has its only meaning and object in freedom- freedom from ignorance about the laws of universe and freedom from passion and prejudice in our communication with the human world”.

From his early years, Tagore intensely disliked the traditional school system, which he often found dull and restrictive. He even likened it to a prison, devoid of life and vibrancy.

Instead, he championed the concepts of imagination, curiosity, and the joy of creativity as the driving forces behind a child's learning and growth. According to Tagore, children should acquire knowledge naturally, without the constraints of a rigid curriculum.

He believed in the value of self-education, founded on the principles of self-realization, which encourages children to become self-disciplined learners. In this approach, students can think freely and develop unwavering faith in their abilities, fostering a sense of patience, empathy, and respect essential for their personal and educational growth.

There are four fundamental principles in Tagore’s educational philosophy; naturalism, humanism, internationalism and idealism. Shantiniketan and Visva Bharathi are both based on these very principles.

According to him, “Education means enabling the mind to find out that ultimate truth which emancipates us from the bondage of dust and gives us wealth not of things but of inner light, not of power but of love. The aim of education is to bring about perfection of man by dispelling ignorance and ushering in the light of knowledge. It should enable us to lead a complete life – economic, intellectual, aesthetic, social and spiritual.

Tagore's Innovative Approach to Family-Centric Education

Rabindranath Tagore embarked on a radical educational experiment, providing an unconventional upbringing for his three children: Bela (thirteen), Rathindranath (eleven), and Renuka (nine).

Faced with a schooling system that clashed with his visionary educational ideals, Tagore, fully aware of the detrimental effects of traditional teaching, decided to homeschool his children. He sought to shield them from

He provided his daughters with home-based education, carefully selecting and mentoring their tutors. This approach mirrored the educational upbringing of his elder sister, Swarnakumari Devi (1855-1932), who, following the conventions of her era, was also home-schooled.

However, both Tagore and his sister broke away from the norm, pursuing their intellectual and creative endeavors. Tagore's daughters, similarly, were not destined for public schools, benefiting from a personalized and enriched educational experience.

the stifling influences he believed traditional education imposed. English was taught by a live-in British tutor, while Tagore himself instructed them in Bengali. Mathematics and Sanskrit were also included in their curriculum.

Notably, Tagore disregarded any gender distinctions when imparting fundamental education, ensuring that both his daughters and son received equal opportunities to learn and grow.

He penned educational texts for his children, fostering a unique learning environment that omitted the rigidity of grammar instruction. Moreover, Tagore encouraged his children to explore the profound narratives of Indian epics, including The Ramayana and The Mahabharata.

Not content with existing printed editions of these epics, Tagore took the extraordinary step of entrusting his wife with translating an abridged version of The Ramayana from Sanskrit. Unfortunately, this project remained unfinished due to Mrinalini's untimely passing.

Tagore's nephew, Surendranath Tagore, took on the task of translating The Mahabharata. In Rabindranath's educational venture, every member of his family played a vital role, reflecting his commitment to holistic and inclusive learning.

Tagore's Vision of Open-Air Education:

Tagore firmly believed that educational institutions should not confine young minds in cages where they are force-fed artificial knowledge. Instead, he saw nature as an essential element for fostering children's healthy mental and physical growth.

Rabindranath Tagore eloquently stated, “Children have their active subconscious mind which like a tree has the power to gather its food from the surrounding atmosphere.” He also emphasized that an educational institution should not be “a dead cage in which living minds are fed with food that’s artificially prepared. Hand work and arts are the spontaneous overflow of our deeper nature and spiritual significance.”

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Building Shantiniketan 

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The Founding of Santiniketan: In the middle of the 19th century, Maharshi Devendranath Tagore found solace and serenity in this barren land. He purchased the ground and started the construction of a house right away.

This house, named Santiniketan, was built in the early 1860s; the name later came to denote the entire area. A beautiful garden was laid out on all sides of the house. "I selected a beautiful place, far away from the contamination of town life, for I, in my young days, was brought up in that town in the heart of India, Calcutta, and all the time, I had a sort of homesickness for some distant lane somewhere, where my heart, my soul, could have its true emancipation... I knew that the mind had its hunger for the ministrations of nature, mother nature, so I selected this spot where the sky is unobstructed to the verge of the horizon. There, the mind could have its fearless freedom to create its dreams, and the seasons could come with all their colours, movements, and beauty into the heart of the human dwelling."

2Celebration of Seasons: The celebration of seasons was always a feature in the asrama.

These festivals came to be associated with the unique culture of this institution and the introduction of traditional Indian forms and rituals in organizing these festivals, including the decoration of the site, use of flowers, alpana, chanting of Vedic hymns, and blowing of conch shells gave them a new dimension, aesthetically attractive, intrinsically Indian yet secular.

Rabindranath felt it was necessary to build an affinity between the students' minds and the flora and fauna of the asrama.

3.Learning in Harmony with Nature: Santiniketan's objective was always that learning would be a part of life's natural growth. The first step towards this objective was to establish a sense of oneness with nature in the child.

A child has to be aware of his surroundings - the trees, birds, and animals around him. From the outset, Tagore aimed for his students to remain deeply connected to their environment, fostering a continuous dialogue, conducting experiments, and gathering data and specimens.

To facilitate this holistic approach, he sought educators who could transcend the confines of conventional textbooks, individuals who were not just instructors but fellow seekers in the quest for knowledge, deriving true joy from the learning process.

‘In education, the most inspiring atmosphere of creative activity is important. Primary function of the institution must be constructive; scope must be for all kinds of intellectual exploration. Teaching must be one with culture, spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic, economic and social. True education is to realize at every step how our training and knowledge have an organic connection with our surroundings”.

Visva Bharati

Tagore vehemently rejected the notion of rote learning and success-driven education. Instead, he championed learning that fosters the "illumination of the heart," nurturing students' creativity, imagination, and moral consciousness.

He firmly believed that the confines of traditional classrooms limited proper education and advocated for open-air learning experiences.

• "The highest education is that which does not merely give us information, but that makes our life in harmony with all existence."

The name "Visva Bharati" itself signifies a profound message— the convergence of the world with India. Tagore aimed to give his students a perspective informed by internationalism, humanism, and universal brotherhood. Visitors from all corners of the globe come to Santiniketan to explore Tagore's profound philosophy of life and education through the unique lens of Visva Bharati.

At Visva Bharati, the educational approach diverged from the conventional classroom setup, with students being educated beneath the open sky. Tagore aimed to establish a profound harmony between students and their natural environment.

His main objective was to instil a deep love for nature in students while providing knowledge in their native language, fostering a liberated state of mind. Tagore celebrated the changing seasons at Shantiniketan, valuing them above religious festivals.

His appreciation of nature was vividly expressed through his poetry, plays, and music, all of which were seamlessly integrated into daily campus life.

The serenity of this location is bound to captivate every visitor. Within the main campus, you'll discover antiquated structures constructed with mud walls and thatched roofs.

In this idyllic setting, Tagore introduced a curriculum that was a distinctive fusion of art, human values, and cultural exchange, with nature walks and outings seamlessly integrated.

Commencing with just five students, including his eldest son and an equal number of teachers, Tagore aspired to unite education with a profound sense of responsibility to the broader civic community.

He expanded the school's engagement with the nearby Santhal tribal community in the surrounding villages. Through his tireless efforts, Santiniketan has become the preeminent educational centre for the enlightened Santhal community in West Bengal today.

“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.” ― Rabindranath Tagore

Tagore's Emphasis on Physical Development:

Tagore strongly criticized the notion that educational institutions should focus solely on intellectual development, asserting that the physical well-being of students was equally important.

He believed proper physical education went beyond mere play and exercise and was rooted in systematically applying the body to practical tasks. Tagore ardently promoted physical activity among students through various sports, recognizing that it offered them the strength to absorb new knowledge.

He also underscored the significance of a balanced diet.

Tagore's Vision of the Guru:

Tagore drew inspiration from the concept of Tapovans, ancient Indian forest communities where students led simple lives in close connection with nature and a revered Guru. In these communities, Gurus were not mere disseminators of bookish knowledge but also imparted spiritual wisdom, dedicating their entire beings to students' holistic development, transcending the boundaries of formal curricula.

In conclusion, Rabindranath Tagore's profound educational philosophy centered around the idea that education should transcend mere notions of 'success' and 'progress.' Instead, he believed it should illuminate the heart, nurturing qualities of sympathy, service, and self-sacrifice.

His vision aimed to propel individuals beyond the confines of egocentrism and ethnocentrism, ultimately fostering a state of global consciousness or worldcentrism.

This philosophy continues to be a beacon of wisdom, guiding us toward a holistic approach to education, one that not only imparts knowledge but also cultivates humane and compassionate individuals ready to contribute positively to our interconnected world.