Visva-Bharati: Tagore's Vision of Universal Brotherhood

Visva–Bharati in Shantiniketan was formally inaugurated on 21st December 1921. Proposing the name of his dream project, Rabindranath Tagore said, “Visva- Bharati represents India where she has her wealth of mind which is for all. Visva-Bharati acknowledges India’s obligation to offer to others the hospitality of her best culture and India’s right to accept from others their best “

After over 102 years , UNESCO recognizes Visva –Bharati, Shantiniketan as World Heritage Site on 17th September 2023, underscoring the importance of universal brother in our strife torn world. The motto of the university reads ‘Yatra Visam Bhavatyekanidam’—‘where the world makes home in a single nest’

History takes us back to 1863, when Maharshi Dabendranath Tagore took a permanent lease of an area in Bolpur with two Chhatim trees as he found serene atmosphere of the place ideal for meditation purpose and built a house, naming it Shantiniketan. The area later came to be known by this name, where the world university is situated.

Tagore shifted to Shantiniketan in 1895- and with a vision and mission of starting a school on the principles of ancient Indian Vedic gurukul system. He started the school in 1901 with five boys including his elder son, named Brambhasram where classes were held under the canopy of trees, which was renamed as Patha Bhavana in 1901.

As a child he found school atmosphere claustrophobic and restrictive. His mission was to take education beyond the confines of classrooms and direct it more towards personal and intellectual development rather than exam oriented bookish knowledge. To him nature was the most fertile ground to provide free and fearless climate for growth and encourage creative pursuits. In Shantiniketan he found the spot “where the sky is unobstructed to the verge of the horizon. There the mind could have its fearless freedom create its own dreams and seasons could come with colours and movements and beauty into the very heart of the human dwelling.’ In nature, he found a sakha, a guiding spirit.

Tagore believed that without giving due recognition to its cultural heritage such as music, dance, finer arts and folk arts, a nation lacked self expression. Teachers, scholars and artists from diverse cultural background were invited from India and abroad to share their learning and exchange ideas.

As the number of students and faculty increased Tagore faced grave financial challenges. He sold his personal properties, his wife Mrinalini Devi gave up her jewelleries . His first reaction to the news of getting the Novel Prize was … now there will be money to complete the canal work which got stopped due to shortage of money.

Tagore visited a number of countries the world over to raise fund not only for his dream project but also to talk about universal brother hood. On his trip to Japan he said “ I struggle along my path. I try to assert in my words and works that education has its only meaning and object in freedom—freedom from ignorance about the law of nature, and freedom from passion and prejudice in our communication with human world. In my institution I have attempted to create an atmosphere of naturalness in our relationship with strangers and the spirit of hospitality which is the first virtue in men that made civilisation possible. I invited thinkers and scholars from foreign lands to let our boys know how easy it is to realize our common fellowship.”

UNESCO recognizes this vision of human unity in Visva Bharati, the world university which was given the status of Central University , by an Act of Parliament in 1951. According to UNNESCO “ Shantiniketan represents the distillation of the ideas and continuing legacy of a unique model of education recalling ancient Indian ideas as well as internationalism through a living institution, embodied in the buildings, landscape, artworks and continuing festivals and traditions. And while many of Tagore’s art and literary works bears a unique assositation with Shantiniketan, his experimentation through education with an international humanist ideology finds its manifest reflection in Shantiniketan.”

Tagore dreamt of unity of humanity to overcome religious, regional and cultural bondage, barrier and boundaries “It is India’s mission to realize the truth of the human soul in Supreme Soul through its union with the soul of the world".