"Where the Mind is Without Fear"

“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)