Abstract
The Tagore–Gandhi debate was the second of the trilogy of the Gandhian debates with Savarkar, Tagore and Ambedkar. This chapter argues that engagement with criticism was fairly central to Gandhi’s life and thought. The chapter offers a detailed account of the major issues raised across the four phases of the exchange between Gandhi and Tagore. During this period (1915–1941), Tagore raised arguments against satyagraha, the non-cooperation movement, boycott of government schools, the burning of foreign cloth and Gandhi’s connection between spinning and swaraj.
There are times in life when the question of knowing one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all…. (Foucault 1985, p. 8).
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- 1.
For a detailed discussion, see Puri (2001).
- 2.
The postmark on the envelope says 22 May 1922. This letter is unpublished and in the private collection of Mrs Nandita Roy, grand daughter of Shri Bagchi. It has been printed with an English translation for the first time in this volume.
- 3.
Bidhu shekhar Shastry (1878–1957): Sanskrit scholar and Indologist, was born at Harishchandrapur, Malda in West Bengal. He studied at a Tol, obtaining the degree of Kavyatirtha when he was 17-years old. He was fluent in Sanskrit and wrote both prose and poetry in the language. He spent several years in Benares studying the scriptures and was awarded the title of Shastri. Bidhu shekhar joined Brahmacharya Vidyalaya at Shantiniketan as a professor of Sanskrit. After this he joined the department of Sanskrit at Calcutta University. The Government of India honoured him with the title of Mahamahopadhyaya in 1936. He was awarded a D.Litt. and the title of Deshikottama (1957) by the universities of Calcutta and Visva-Bharati respectively.
- 4.
Between the Collected works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG) (100 Volumes, 1955) and the electronic edition (eCWMG) are disputed differences of content and different volumes and page numbers. This refers to the electronic edition.
- 5.
Abhay Ashram was originally a social welfare organization named Savita Mission. This organization was founded by Dr. Prafulla Ghosh, Dr. Suresh Bandyopadhyay and Dr. Nripen Basu in 1910 in Comilla (then in East Bengal and Assam, now in Bangladesh). Initially named Savita Mission it was rechristened as Abhay Ashram by Gandhi in 1921.
Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda and founded during the Swadeshi Movement, the Savita Mission's primary objective was to empower the rural population though self-sufficiency, entrepreneurship and employment. It also aimed to make women self-sufficient through weaving and other cottage industries.
- 6.
The Poona Pact refers to an agreement between Dr. B.R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi signed on 24 September 1932 at Yeravda Central Jail in Pune. To draft a new Constitution involving self-rule for the native Indians, the British had invited leaders of different parties in the Round Table Conferences held between 1930–1932. Mahatma Gandhi did not attend the first and last but attended the second of the Conferences. Dr. Ambedkar raised a demand for separate electorates for the Untouchables. The British government agreed with Dr. Ambedkar's demand, and the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald’s Communal Award to the depressed classes was to be incorporated into the constitution in the governance of British India. Gandhi strongly opposed this Communal Award on the grounds that it would disintegrate Hindu society. He began an indefinite hunger strike at Yeravda Central Jail from 20 September 1932. A compromise was reached on 24 September 1932.
- 7.
The Guruvayyur Temple was in the Ponnani Taluk of Malabar which is now in Kerala. In order to secure the entry of Untouchables into this temple there was a 10-month-long protest, and fasting by K. Kelappan, popularly known as ‘Kerala Gandhi’ (Following Gandhiji’s advice Kelappan teminated the fast on 2 October 1932). Gandhi’s support drew national attention to the temple entry movement and on 12 November 1936, the Maharajah of Travancore signed the historic Temple Entry Proclamation.
- 8.
Early in September 1933, Mr. E.J. Burge, District Magistrate was shot dead at the police parade ground in Midnapore. The Midnapore Collegiate School was ransacked. The British government embarked on a policy of repression in the district.
- 9.
During July–August 1937 political prisoners in the Andamans were on an indefinite hunger strike in protest at the inhuman torture by the police. Three of them died during the strike. On 2 August 1937 a meeting was held at the town Hall in Calcutta demanding release of the prisoners. Tagore played a leading role in the movement for the release. On 16 August 1937 Gandhi sent him a telegram assuring him that he was doing his utmost to end the hunger strike and save the lives of the patriots who were in prison.
- 10.
This was one of the worst earthquakes in India’s history. This 8.1 magnitude earthquake occurred on 15 January 1934 at around 2:13 PM (I.S.T.) (08:43 UTC) and caused widespread damage in northern Bihar and in Nepal. Munger and Muzaffarpur were completely destroyed.
- 11.
Tirunelveli also known as Nellai was historically known (during British rule) as Tinnevelly. It is a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
References
Bhattacharya, S. (Comp. & Ed.). 2008. The Mahatma and the poet. Letters and debates between Gandhi and Tagore, 1915–1941 (New Delhi: National Book Trust).
Foucault, M. 1985. The history of sexuality, Vol. 2, translated from the French by R. Hurley (New York: Penguin Books).
Gandhi, M. K. 1947. Collected works of Mahatma Gandhi (electronic edition) (eCWMG), 95 vols, accessible online at http://gandhiserve.org/cwmg/cwmg.html.
Narayan, S. (Ed.). 1995. The selected works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. VI (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Trust).
Puri, B. 2001. “Savarkar and Gandhi.” In B. Puri (Ed.), Mahatma Gandhi and his contemporaries (pp. 153–176) (Shimla, IIAS).
Sen, P. C., Bisi, P., Bhattacharyaya, H. D., & Sen, A.K. (et al.). 1961. Rabindra rachanabali (The collected works of Tagore), in 15 volumes (Calcutta: Government of West Bengal).
Tagore, R. 2011. “The kingdom of cards.” In F. Alam & R. Chakravarty (Eds.), The essential Tagore (pp. 429–462) (Santiniketan: Visva-Bharati).
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Essays by Gandhi and Tagore cited from Bhattacharya (2008)
Essays by Gandhi and Tagore cited from Bhattacharya (2008)
1.1.1 M. K. Gandhi
“English learning” (June 1921); “The Poet’s anxiety” (June 1921); “The great Sentinel” (13 October 1921, Young India); “The Poet and the charkha” (5 November 1925, Young India); “The Poet and the wheel” (March 1926, Young India).
1.1.2 Rabindranath Tagore
“The Call of Truth” (1921, Prabasi, Modern Review); “The Cult of the Charkha” (September 1925, Modern Review); “Striving for Swaraj” (September 1925, Modern Review); “The shudra habit” (1927, Modern Review); “The Congress” (July 1939, Modern Review).
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Puri, B. (2015). The Tagore–Gandhi Debate: An Account of the Central Issues. In: The Tagore-Gandhi Debate on Matters of Truth and Untruth. Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures, vol 9. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2116-6_1
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