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 (me) awake
I have always been extremely influenced by this poem since I was in school. I chanced upon it when I was preparing myself for a debate on " 50 years of Indian independence- a boon or a bane". I had researched extensively to name Indian independence a boon. However, I mentioned in my debate about the Robert Frost lines that each one has to strive for thier country to make it a better place" I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep" . I summed up my debate with lines written in Tagore's Gitanjali. I was given the first prize in this debate. It was another feather in my list of accomplishments and I was proud of my achievement. Its just a sweet memory of my childhood that I savour once in a while as I think of Tagore's poem. Although, I am currently on a holiday, I woke up this morning with an urge to read this poem. So, I logged in and started writing.
A decade and a half ago I was thinking of it in the lines of what Tagore had written it for..ie for my country. Today I read the poem and attained a different perspective on it. Yes, My country has acheived independence in many ways..I pondered, have I achieved freedom...maybe not...like so many others who haven't. I thought of the poem in terms of myself rather than my country. I don't know if I am wrong in doing so but I felt those few lines provide the same encouragement to someone who is going through internal turmoil and is confused about his or her own existence. I hope and strive to clear my thoughts about life someday and as of now the beginning has begun...
My fellow ilanders must be extremely confused as to what I mean, more about the gory details in my future blogs, for now this poem has certainly awakened me...not only from my sleep but has given a jarring knock on my existence. I hope the mist of clouds over my mind disappear soon and I awaken even more than I am right now. Some might feel I am sounding extremely mysterious. Different people might interpret this differently....but for now this is all I can write.....and thank Tagore...for writing such a beautiful poem and helping me look towards future with an anticipation...
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Gitanjali