Where the Mind is Without Fear
a relook at the iconic prayer for the nation
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 towards 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–
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
~ Gitanjali, Poem, 35
“Where The Mind is without Fear” forms the opening line of Poem 35 of Tagore’s Gitanjali. More than a poem, it a sincere prayer from a true patriot; yes, a patriot - to the Almighty God to bless his nation not with wealth or fame; nor with superiority over others but with a pride whose origin is emancipation - from fear, from ignorance, from divisions, from falsehood, from dogma and from stagnation.
In times like these, when uncertainty fills the air, when our political discourse turns more hateful with each passing day and when truth seems to be on the losing side, it is pertinent, rather essential for us to understand this prayer.
Tagore envisions a country where its people are free from fear. What does it mean in contemporary times ? Well, for one it means the ability and the non-negotiable right to speak out one’s mind without fearing its consequences. To speak the unpopular opinion, to question and challenge the State’s violence and insidious machinations. It means to live according to one’s own terms - not dictated by either the ruling class’s ideology or the directions of the dominant societal group. It includes the right to marry a person of your choice, the right to protest without being branded terrorists, the right to have one’s own definition of patriotism, the right to stay silent when supposed to chant. And yet, Tagore is not finished. He goes further to say “head held high” signalling, in no uncertain terms, that one’s opinions, lifestyle or choices - one’s freedom must be accompanied with pride and not shame. He envisions a citizen and in turn a nation who is the charter of her own destiny.
“Where knowledge is free” holds yet another promise - a desire to learn and participate as equals, without restrictions, without limitations. For a Dalit and an Adivasi to step in the same school as a Brahmin, for a Delhiite to study and explore History as she wants and not as dictated by the whims of ideologues.
Empowered by this fearlessness and knowledge, living in a country which is not broken up into ghettos, into narrow cells of gender, caste and religion. Living in an India for all - for men, women, transgenders, Thakurs, Shudras, Adivasis, Hindus, Muslims and non-believers. An India for Indians - united together in a beautiful diversity yet emancipated in mutual respect.
Fearless, proud, educated and united; he now calls for a nation based on truth. To follow the “clear stream” of reason and rationality, unblemished by prejudices and fundamentalism. This is a call for us, the citizens of 21st century India, to shun fake news and propaganda alike, to confront clear facts and form our own opinions, to repose our trust in leaders who do not distort reality to create a fictional paradise. While a pond stagnates and gets covered with moss, a river flows freely and provides life. Similarly, this prayer is a call for us to not get confined in information silos - to move and listen, to discuss and debate - not like monsters ready to tear each other apart but like civilized people trying to understand one another.
Lastly, Tagore prays for a nation that is tireless and devoted to open up new avenues, to break yet another barrier, to widen our horizons forever and ever and to strive for perfection. If I were to step outside this seemingly philosophical thread of thought, it is a call to empower our students, academics, professionals and thinkers to take us forward - take everyone forward - with their sheer hard work. And for that to happen, it is necessary for us to build more schools, colleges and universities and not shrines for farcical worship.
Rabindranath prays, at last, for a Heaven - an India that is not built upon fear, anarchy, divisions and inequality but an India based upon courage, unity, wisdom and a pursuit for that ever-evading FREEDOM.
To borrow from Arundhati Roy, “This Pandemic is a Portal.” Let’s not seek to return back to normalcy, to status quo ante as it were but let us envision a new and a better place, a country of Tagore’s dreams. A country of the dreams of 1.3 billion people.
“Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.”
ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥
Let me know your thoughts …
beautifully written
it was toooo good!!