Buroshiva Dasgupta, Director, NSHM Institute of Media and Design, Kolkata, said here on Tuesday that both Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi accepted the idea of “nationess” with unity. But they also accepted the diverse culture of the country, he said. He was delivering a special lecture on “Tagore, Gandhi and Nationalism” organised by the Centre of Gandhian and Peace Studies, a constituent of Manipal University.
Prof. Dasgupta said that both Tagore and Gandhi were nationalists but not in the sense of nationalism that people understood today. Their idea of nationalism or rather “nationess”, was too broad-minded and inclusive. They did not believe in the kind of nationalism that was prevalent then (during the freedom movement) or now.
Tagore and Gandhi were good friends, yet they had their differences. Tagore and Gandhi met for the first time in 1914 at Shantiniketan. Their friendship continued till Tagore’s death. There were times when Gandhi sought Tagore’s “spiritual help”. Tagore also sought financial help from Gandhi for his Shantiniketan.
But they had their differences in their ideas on several issues, including Satyagraha, education, caste-system and science. Tagore was critical of Gandhi’s idea of the Charaka. But they debated each other’s ideas.
Both wrote in journals produced by each other and thus had a frank exchange of views and ideas. They did not move away from each other.
While Gandhi wanted “Purna Swarajya”, Tagore wanted the country to be free from the yoke of British imperialism.
Gandhi’s call to boycott foreign goods and embrace the Charaka did not find much resonance with Tagore, who was a modernist. He questioned how long the country could be kept away from world trade.
Tagore was critical of Industrial Revolution and called it a “demon”. Gandhi too was critical about machines and the industrial world. But Tagore said that it was not possible to go against progress.
While Gandhi believed in the “republic of panchayats”, Tagore too believed in autonomy at the ground level. But their means were different.
Gandhi believed in true morality to get Independence for the country. Tagore believed that Gandhi would give a new turn to the Independence movement, Prof. Dasgupta said.
Unni Krishnan K., Associate Professor, Centre for Cultural and Creative Studies, welcomed the gathering. Varadesh Hiregange, Director of the Centre, delivered the introductory remarks. Anupa Lewis, Assistant Professor, School of Communication, was present.
