Journeying through inner and outer worlds: the significance of travel across the works of Rabindranath Tagore

Abstract

ABSTRACT Travelling is a common subject and motif throughout the works of Indian poet, philosopher and artist Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941). Tagore travelled across India and the world throughout his life, especially after winning the Nobel Prize for Literature. He often wrote of his journeys and their lessons in letters, memoirs, and essays and frequently used travelling and related themes as metaphors or allusions in written and visual works. Travelling between inner and outer realms, home and world, was especially illuminating, offering him inspiration and new perspectives. This discussion traces the theme of travel across Tagore’s career, examining references to travelling in four different genres in Tagore’s oeuvre – early travel letters, a mid-life memoir, his prize-winning poetry and paintings made later in life. These and related works are used to show how the act and idea of travel profoundly influenced Tagore’s life and works, shaping his political, educational and creative philosophies.