Rabindranath Tagore in the Context of Nationalism/ জাতীয়তাবাদের প্রেক্ষাপটে রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর

Abstract

Rabindranath Tagore is one of the learned scholars of our country who have eloquently expressed his views on nation and nationalism. According to Rabindranath Tagore, nationalism originates from the individual or group's desire for independence. Rabindranath Tagore's transformation of these thoughts can be seen in a long essay titled 'History of India' in 1902 where he expanded his concept of history. According to him, European history is state-centric, and its basis is aggression, whereas Indian civilization stands on harmony, religious unity. The idea of ​​a unified religious civilization in India became a fundamental element of nationalist thought. The first step of Indian nationalism was the Swadeshi movement of 1905 AD against the British which spread widely in India. Through this movement, Indian people were encouraged to boycott British products and use indigenous products. The publication of the book 'Nationalism' in 1917 ushered in a new phase of Rabindranath's thought on civilization. Rabindranath's thought was an understanding of nationalism based on a cosmopolitan Indian philosophy. Rabindranath ultimately optimistically says that the true goal of civilization is to unite all men.