Best Books To Read By Rabindranath Tagore: Undoubtedly one of the biggest intellectual figures in Indian history, Rabindranath Tagore possessed an unconquerable intellect and poeticism that spanned into existence countless literary gems. The Bengali polymath wasn’t just a writer– he was also a prolific poet, playwright, composer, and social reformer. He has written some of the best books to read in India, which are currently important. His emphasis on the importance of education and art became a force that revolutionised not only the way Indian society was structured but also changed the perception of Indian literature the world over. While he released his first set of short stories under a pseudonym at the mere age of 16, he received global recognition over time.
To get insight into how Tagore approached difficult issues of the time such as colonialism, nationalism, industrialisation as well as spiritualism, check out the best books to read in India. These books feature a lot of contextual insight into how a humanist perspective applied to the historical Indian context, as well as commentary on Hindu spirituality emerging from the Vedas, Upanishads, the Mahabharata, as well as other important texts.
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Best Books To Read By Rabindranath Tagore: The Essentials
In order to give you an introduction to Tagore’s literary work, we’ve highlighted a set of books that we will explore further. These, we feel, are imperative to understanding how the polymath saw the world, and just how massive the scale of his genius was. Revisit the dynamics that existed in the previous chapter of Indian history through some of the best books to read in India by Rabindranath Tagore.
1. Gora by Rabindranath Tagore – Paperback
Gora is the fifth book coming from the genius of Tagore and is largely considered one of his priceless masterpieces. In the novel, he addresses the intricacies of social, cultural, political, and religious nature, and how these micro-dimensions of reality impacted the urban middle class of the nineteenth century in Bengal.
This novel is also considered a transition in Tagore’s school of thought. While his previous books echoed a sentiment of Hindu revivalism, his new message was in support of universal brotherhood. While his emphasis on Brahmanism and Hinduism didn’t get any less, his advocacy for a mutual religion for man consolidated him as an intellectual titan. Gora Price: Rs 396.
2. The Home And The World By Rabindranath Tagore
This is a bittersweet novel that was more than just a love story. While it focuses on the characters of Bimala, Nikhil, and Sandip, the thematic glue that keeps it together is of a political and religious nature. While Nikhil is an intellectual, well-mannered man who accepted liberal values at a time when they weren’t as common in contemporary society, his friend Sandip is intoxicated with the rhetoric of political revolution and the overthrowing of the Colonialists in Bengal.
In this interplay, Nikhil’s wife, Bimala, finds herself torn between the two extremes. While class differences, the importance of education, personal morals, and more have been covered extensively, the core question the book asks is what a man really believes in when the only choices available are peace and war. The Home And The World Price: Rs 333.
3. Sadhana: The Realisation Of Life
A non-fiction treatise from the former Nobel Laureate for Literature, Sadhana is based on the ideals described in the Upanishads as well as the Bhagavad Gita. It comments on dense and difficult subjects such as the Problems of Evil, the nature of the self, soul consciousness, and Realisation in Love.
The message that Tagore delivers is one of togetherness and unity. A beautiful commentary on the texts of Indian Philosophy, the teachings of Sadhana are timeless, and will always be relevant to those seeking answers to philosophical and spiritual questions that seem relevant even today. Sadhana: The Realisation Of Life Price: Rs 4,184.
4. Creative Unity – Hardcover
Similar to Sadhana, Creative Unity is also a work of non-fiction. Here, Tagore focuses on the way perception of the world has to be geared towards figuring out existential truths. He argues that the way we perceive the world is always an outcome of the temperaments we learn from our surroundings.
We could either believe in the philosophy of universal oneness, choose to see things as two sides of the same coin. At the same time, we could also believe in dualism, that there is a fundamental difference between things that are fully undeniable. He argues in Creative Unity that the ultimate source of joy turns out to be this belief in unity, and its reflections in creative pursuits like art, music, and literature. Creative Unity Price: Rs 612.
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5. Gitanjali, My Boyhood Days, Nationalism, Kabuliwala and Other Stories, Gora
What better way to end this list than by including a bundle of the most fundamental of Tagore’s works? While you might already know the bittersweet story that is Kabuliwala, you might also be aware of his autobiographical work that is My Boyhood Days. Tagore had a way of using the subject to bring out deeper stories and deeper themes.
His collection of short stories also emphasise his philosophies. These books and novels contain different takes on the way contemporary lives were dictated. Tagore has influenced the subsequent generations of artists, writers, and creators, which continues to this day. 5. Gitanjali, My Boyhood Days, Nationalism, Kabuliwala, and Other Stories, Gora Book Price: Rs 497.
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FAQs: Best Books To Read By Rabindranath Tagore
1. What are the three famous books by Rabindranath Tagore?
Gitanjali, Gora, and Ghare-Baire (The Home and The World) are three of Tagore’s most popular books. These are some of the best books to read in India due to their fundamental commentary on the nature of reality, politics and intellectual thought.
2. What is the best work of Rabindranath Tagore?
Having received global recognition, Gitanjali is considered one of the best works by the polymath genius. If you are looking to read one of the best books to read in India, this should be in your reading list.
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