Tagore's Gora: A Reformist's Protest Against Religious And Social Fundamentalism

Dr Neelam,Dr Devender Singh

doi:10.24113/ijellh.v9i12.11224

Abstract

In the 19th century, Bengal Hindu orthodoxy and fundamentalism were at their height as seen in the strict observances of the caste distinctions. Women were subjected to inhuman practices like Sati, Purdah, Child marriage, etc. A reform movement was initiated by Raja Ram Mohan Roy through his institution of BrahmoSamaj. Rabindranath Tagore along with his father and grandfather was also an adherent of BrahmoSamaj. His keen desire for an end to bigotry and awakening of reason finds expression in his novel Gora. In fact, Tagore seems to be using the novel to make a fervent appeal against discrimination, orthodoxy and intolerance. He wishes for a country which would be free from injustice and cruelty towards the poor and weak.

Highlights

The Bengal of the nineteenth and early twentieth century was a region undergoing turmoil and turbulences which was political and religious and social
The cult of Bhakti, too, which was propagated by Chaitanya and was very popular in Bengal exhorted the people to surrender themselves to faith and to look inward through meditation to achieve purification and salvation
The Hindus were free of the fear of Muslim intolerance and repression. They took to study of western sciences and literature and soon the Indian Renaissance took birth. It was the personage of Ram Mohan Roy who started this intellectual revolution by founding the BrahmoSamaj in 1828

Summary

Introduction

The Bengal of the nineteenth and early twentieth century was a region undergoing turmoil and turbulences which was political and religious and social. Rabindranath Tagore was brought up in such an environment and atmosphere of social change, religious reform, and recreating of Hindu values and philosophy whereas the Renaissance in Europe consisted of a reawakening of reason or an intellectual focus on the Greek and the Latin cultures and learning in India, this is generally in the context of the awakening of the conscience or social morality of the people.

Results

Conclusion