Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore - an illustrious son of India

The following is the text of the speech made by National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara at the 150th birth anniversary celebration of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore

I feel humbled and honoured at one and the same time to be the guest on this 150th birth anniversary celebration of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore an illustrious son of India and an inspiration for entire Asia and who left his mark in the world of literature.

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore	Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara

I have nothing of my own to offer in speaking a few words about this great human being except quote Gurudev himself and other eminent persons.

When he wrote that “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awakened and saw that life was service. I acted and behold service was joy.

Gurudev summarized the purpose of life. Like in this instance he did not cease to find beauty and joy in the great depths of human nature.

These reflections transfigured in the form of poetry and art that he said came forth from his creative soul.

Freedom the perennial spirit of life in all its colourful manifestations was a guide to the thoughts of Gurudeva.

He was exposed to knowledge, virtue and all great human ideals with no distinction made of the new or the old worlds.

But he certainly called on his people not to carry the baggage of muck though found in the midst of tradition.

For him political liberty, national freedom and individual choice were all part of the same string of freedom.

He hastened to emphasise that virtue, wisdom or freedom is no monopoly of any race.

He moved swiftly to respond against even the slightest stifling of freedom. He rejected domination as a necessary condition of freedom.

He renounced the knighthood given in his honour by the King of Britain after the cowardly massacre of Jaliyanwala Bag and associated himself increasingly with the Indian freedom movement.

But he denounced narrow divisions of nationalism which prevented the brotherhood of humanity.

As for the lyricist and composer he was, let our local artistes gathered here give their offering in music and song to this great artist and poet.

Finally, I take the liberty to recite my favourite poem of Gurudev.

These words had been masterly translated into Sinhala and this melody and lyrics were sung by our Maestro Pandit Amaradeva who was himself a disciple of Gurudev Tagore.

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 walls

Where words come out from the depth of truth

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way

Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Where the minds is led forward by thee

Into ever widening thought and action

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, Let my country awake