The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-17
Rahindrana$h Taaore,

Until the recent announcement OF
the award Of the Nobel prize for lit
erature comparatively only a small
number of people were familiar with
the writings of Rabindranath 'Tagore.
it was "a still smaller number
that knew the man himself. Since
this honor has come to him-the
greatest honor, that can be given a liv-
ing author-there has been expressed
a tremendous interest in the creator
of those remarkable books which nave
proved the sensation Of the year. 1t is
only now that this interest Is being
satisfied for there were not many
writer's in this country qualified to
speak adequately of the personality.
of the great scholar and literary ar
fist.
Rabindranath Tagore comes, we are
told by those conversant with Indian
culture, of an illustrious family.
among the Tagores" says Basanta
Koomar Roy IN The Open Court, ARE.
counted men like Prosonno Koomar
Tagore, d land owner, a lawyer of
great reputation, an editor, a writer
on legal and educational subjects,
founder and president Of the. British
Indian association Raja Sir Sourin-
dra Mohun Tagore, undoubtedly one
OI LIC n1SI1SSL. IIlAClGdl duIAlOA ~ ~
India, the founder Of the Bengal Ac-
ademy of Music, and author Of many
volumes On Hindu music and musical
Instruments; Abanindranath Tagore,
a distinguished painter, n an undis~
puted leader in the Hindu art revival;
Maharaja Ramanath' Tagore, brother
| Of the poets grandfather, a political
leader and writer; Dwarakanath Ia
gore. the grandfather of the poet, a
landlord, a founder of The Landhold-
ers' society a philanthropist and a So
cial reformer."
1t was into such a family that in
1860 Rabindranath Tagore was born.
Il but family remember the DAYS of
my early childhood he tells us in one
Of his letters. which is reproduced in
Mr.. Roy's article, But 1 dc remem-
Der thai in the mornings. every now
and then, a kind of unspeakable joy,
without any cause, used to overflow
my heart. The whole world seemed to
me full of mysteries. Every day / used
to dig the earth with a little bamboo
stick thinking that I might discover
ness, and scent of this world. all the
movements of the people. the noises in
the streets. the. cry of the kites. the
c]ocOanut trees in the family garden.
the banyan tree by the pond. the
shadow on the water. the morning
perfume of the ,blossoms-all these
used to make me feel, the. presence OF
a dimly recognizedrbeiing assuming sc
many forms just to keep me company
An interesting impression of Tagore
in his later youth; is that by Ruston
Rustomjee. "a former editor OF the
Oriental Review and published in The
Independent. eat the age of II Mr.
Tagore was taken to Europe to com
plete his education. and to this train
ing in England I venture to attribute
, the difference in the conception OF
, God, man and nature he has formed
from that of other eastern myStlcs,
says Mr.. Rustomjee.
! After his return&from Europe MI
Tagore devoted most of his time tt
writing for magazines, particularly n
! family magazine entitled The Bharfl
Journalism has had2sa great fascina
ton for him, and no Indian has don
more or worked harder to raise it
tone and heighten it's influence in Thu
country than this now world-renown
, ed poet. His versatility is marvellous
! his act~ivity~varied and all embracing
! He is a poet and educator, a ph1loso
I pher. a religious teacher and preach
, er. For a time In, .hise<youth he fel
) into the meshes of epfcureanism. H
Jared surnptuously and dressed gor
= geously. The r~omanticism Of Byro
and Shelley marred, in a way, his ear
ly poems. Such was Athe ~sensualisr
of some of them thai they shocke
{ the modern pu~ritanicaf@ Bengal con
servatives, and a sort of bar siniste
e was placed upon some of his youth
v full output, A. struggle seems to hav
ensued between his higher innate spir
e itualism and acquired romanaticisl
and sensualism. The former ultimate
ly t~riunphed. tn ;,
- Since then a marked change is see
In his poetry, and he has grown ]
grace and in the knowledge Of tt
good and the great. His poems al
= now chanted in chapels and SUNG
spiritual gatherings
- A little different glimpse n II
g character Of 5TagOre and OF the wa
!. in which he is regarded in his oW
70 country is found in ar. article by "
T. seph Culshaw, the editor of The II
dian Witness Of Calcutta. This artlc
lie appeared in a recent number or II
g Christian Advocate.
q TN Bengal" writes MT. Culsha'
it the name of Rabindranatn Tagore--
ly as he is Familiarity and affectionate
le Observation-Disclosures Babu, is a hous
~ hold possession. Every Benga
~ whether Hindu. Moslem or Christia
IN feels that he has a. proprietary rig
ce in him. No narne shines with a lust
t. equal to his. His lyrics, his songs, b
hymns have been the possession
Bengal for many years. Though not
christian, some DC his songs are sui
doubtless every sabbath in christi;
churches in Bengal. sNoTpreacher q
draw the crowds as does he. On
every year in the small town OF Be
n, pur, where Mr.. Tagore has his scho
there is special preaching seryIs
=. ihelaved teacher pfsach. Ard aiWaNs
Hs