“I know but one freedom
and that is the freedom of the mind.”
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 toward 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.
In to that heaven of freedom, my father,
LET MY COUNTRY AWAKE!
The poem, Where the Mind is Without Fear by Rabindranath
Tagore, was written before India’s independence and shared his vision
of a new, independent and awakened nation. The message of the poem is also
applicable to our individual struggles for personal freedom and growth.
Rabindranath Tagore taught the world the beauty of his mother tongue – Bengali, but the message he conveyed was universal. His
open-mindedness towards other cultures and nations, ardent fight against
prejudice and injustice, and his progressive ideas made him an iconic figure in
the Indian sub-continent with his legacy held in high esteem far beyond Indian
boundaries. He was truly versatile with his contribution to the world not
limited to poetry. He was a statesman, educationist, painter, composer and
philosopher.
This poem is one of our all time favourite poems.
Despite the passage
of time, in fact nearly a 100 years, each and every word still echoes our
sentiments, what is in our hearts, in these trying times! Tagore's words weave
their magic immaculately to finally take the form of this glorious poem. Free
yourself right now, as the poem suggests. Accept and appreciate that this
moment is as it is. Freedom arises the moment we truly accept and appreciate
this present moment: without complaints, without dissatisfaction, without wishing
that it was any way different than it is. So be kind to everyone you come into
contact with, no matter what they do. Let go emotionally and mentally and have
as much fun with life as you can. Whatever happens to you- use it as a lesson
to practice accepting life and letting things go. Inner freedom is what you
need. So give it to yourself right now and accept that your life is as it is.
We are all part of a larger tapestry of life, so just relax and enjoy watching
it unfold. Remember, the more you can relax and accept life the way it is, the
more effortlessly life falls into place for you. It is only our resistance to
the present moment that slows us down, so give yourself permission to relax and
enjoy, watching this miracle we call life unfurl! Our purpose of writing this
post is to remind you all about those philosophies, which can really transform your
life.
Thank you!
Ms.
Kausiki Das (Co-curricular Teacher) & Ms.Joanna (Science Teacher)
