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Where The Mind Is Without Fear

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

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Rabindranath Tagore   Follow

Rabindranath Tagore [1861-1941] was considered the greatest writer in modern Indian literature. A Bengali poet, novelist, educator,  Nobel Laureate for Literature [1913]. Tagore was awarded a knighthood in 1915, but he surrendered it in 1919 in protest against the Massacre at Amritsar, where British troops killed around 400 Indian demonstrators. Tagore gained a reputation in the West as a mystic originally and that has perhaps mislead many Western readers to ignore his role as a reformer and critic of colonialism.

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Essay on Where the Mind is Without Fear

Students are often asked to write an essay on Where the Mind is Without Fear in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Where the Mind is Without Fear

Understanding the concept.

“Where the Mind is Without Fear” is a line from a poem by Rabindranath Tagore. The phrase symbolizes a world where there is no fear and everyone lives in freedom.

Significance of Fearlessness

The role of education.

Education plays a key role in creating a world without fear. It empowers us, boosts our confidence, and helps us overcome our fears.

In conclusion, a world where the mind is without fear is a world of freedom, growth, and progress.

250 Words Essay on Where the Mind is Without Fear

Introduction, a fearless mind.

A mind without fear is a mind that is free to explore, to question, and to innovate. It is a mind that isn’t shackled by societal norms, prejudices, or biases. This freedom is not just about the absence of physical constraints but also about the liberation from mental chains that confine our thoughts and creativity.

Education plays a pivotal role in fostering such fearlessness. It equips individuals with the tools to challenge existing norms, question authority, and seek truth. Education should be a process of enlightenment that encourages critical thinking and fosters intellectual freedom.

Society’s Role

Society also has a significant role in creating an environment where the mind is without fear. It should promote a culture of acceptance and respect for diverse opinions. This involves breaking away from traditional norms that foster fear and instead nurturing an environment that encourages questioning, exploration, and intellectual growth.

In conclusion, a society where the mind is without fear is one that values freedom, education, and diversity. It is a society that encourages its members to think freely, question openly, and live without fear. Achieving this vision requires collective effort, from reimagining our education system to transforming societal norms.

500 Words Essay on Where the Mind is Without Fear

“Where the Mind is Without Fear” is a phrase that transcends the boundaries of time and space. Originally penned by Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel laureate and philosopher, this phrase encapsulates the vision of a world devoid of apprehension and filled with knowledge. The concept of a fearless mind is not just a poetic vision but a philosophical idea that can be applied to various facets of life, from education to politics, and personal growth to societal development.

The Realm of Education

Political implications.

In the political sphere, a mind without fear is the bedrock of democracy. Fear can lead to the suppression of dissent, the curtailment of freedom, and the erosion of democratic values. A society where minds are without fear is one where citizens can voice their opinions without intimidation, participate actively in governance, and hold their leaders accountable. This ensures the growth of a healthy, vibrant, and responsive democracy.

Personal Growth and Development

From a personal perspective, a mind without fear is integral to growth and development. Fear often holds us back from exploring our potential and realizing our dreams. It inhibits risk-taking, a vital component of success. A fearless mind, however, embraces challenges, learns from failures, and relentlessly pursues its goals. This leads to personal growth, self-fulfillment, and ultimately, success.

Societal Evolution

On a societal level, a mind without fear contributes to the evolution of society. Fear breeds prejudice, discrimination, and social injustices. A society where minds are without fear is one where individuals are not judged by their race, religion, or gender but by their character and actions. Such a society fosters equality, promotes social justice, and paves the way for harmonious coexistence.

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Where the Mind is Without Fear

By Rabindranath Tagore

The poem ‘Where the Mind is without Fear’ by Tagore is a contemplation of a state of being, a place in time, and a way of living into which he wishes his country, India, would awaken.

Rabindranath Tagore

Nationality: Indian

He is one of the most important Bengali writers in Indian history.

Poem Analyzed by Emma Baldwin

B.A. English (Minor: Creative Writing), B.F.A. Fine Art, B.A. Art Histories

‘ Where the Mind is Without Fear ‘ is one of the most powerful works by Bengali writer, Rabindranath Tagore. This simplified English language translation is 11 lines, without a rhyme scheme . The original Bengali version of the poem is called, Chitto jetha bhoyshunyo, and was published in 1910 before India gained its independence from Great Britain and was in the midst of protests and demonstrations against British rule.

Explore Where the Mind is Without Fear

• 2 Analysis of Where the Mind is Without Fear
• 3 About Rabindranath Tagore

This poem is a contemplation of a state of being, a place in time, and a way of living into which the author, Tagore, wishes his country, India, would awaken. The first nine lines of the poem present a number of statements that begin with the word, “Where…” These statements are each positive attributes that Tagore is hoping India will achieve. The poem resolves by finishing all of these sentences, and Tagore makes a plea to his Father, for his country to wake up into “that heaven of freedom.”

In this poem, Tagore lays out the tenants of what could be called a utopian society.

Analysis of  Where the Mind is Without Fear

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free

The poem begins with these two short lines which are the basis of the hopes that Tagore has for his country. These partial sentences, along with the following six are finished by the last line of the poem in which Tagore explains, these are places into which he wishes India would wake up. That a change will come over the country and it will be able to move to a more culturally and politically free period. Specifically in which, “the mind is without fear.” This being the title line of the poem, its importance cannot be ignored. It is one of the most important tenants of Tagore’s dream of India. One must be able to live without fear of the repercussions of their thoughts, as well as living without fear of physical harm coming to them as they live their lives. The second half of this first line adds to the importance of the first half, not only must one be able to live without fear of physical repercussions of what they believe, but they must also be able to be proud of their beliefs, be able to express them freely in an open society.

The second line of the poem turns to knowledge, in this perfect India, all knowledge must be free. There cannot be barriers, keeping the middle and lower classes from seeking out new information and bettering their lives.

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls

The third statement describing this ideal world refers to home and societal life and the way in which women and men are separated, and how narrow their differences are. This idea of walls can also be expanded to once again include different classes of people, a problem faced by the Indian people for decades. Because of the way in which one class is separated from another in all the facts of life, from where and how they live, to where they work and who they work for, the world has become fragmented into small groups that do not interact or touch in any way.

Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfectio

The next line of the poem references a more philosophical factor in Tagore’s utopian India. The words that were spoken, no matter who by, must come from the very depth of truth. This is a way of living that is very controversial, and which many might say would have an adverse effect.

But in Tagore’s world, absolute truth is a necessity.  The sixth line of the poem presents an idea that many would agree with without much criticism, that if one works hard, or strives tirelessly, one will eventually reach perfection. Perfection, or whatever goal one has in mind. Hard work would always pay off, another addition to Tagore’s goal for India.

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

The next two lines are more complex. In this scenario that Tagore has set up in these lines, he is referring to the trouble that one will run into when they start on a path reasonably and with a goal in mind, but then fall into a habit and are unable to reach what they were striving for. Tagore uses a “clear stream” as a metaphor for reason, it flows easily and cleanly. It is good for everyone. This stream of reason has “not” in Tagore’s world, “lost its way,” by venturing into the habit. To balance this metaphor, he compares a dreary desert to “dead habit.” One must be willing to change, to try new things in his utopian India.

Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

The last three lines of the poem make a clear reference to Tagore’s desire to blend Western and Indian poetry together. He states one final element of his society, one which can be interpreted in multiple ways. The mind of the people must be led forward by “thee.” In this line, he could be referring to God, as he does in the next line, or perhaps he references his previous statements as a whole. He is, in a way, adding on to the previous lines, stating that this stream of reason must be “led forward…” The last two lines conclude all of the partial sentences that make up the bulk of the poem. The mind must be led forward into “ever-widening thought and action.” The mind must not be culled in any sense of the word, it must be allowed to expand without limits and act on the notions it believes to be best. This world that he has crafted he now refers to as “that heaven of freedom.” He asks “my Father” presumably God, to let his country wake into this heaven.

About Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet, born in 1861 in what was then Calcutta, India. He was and is the foremost poet in the Bengali language, and was also versed in short stories , plays, and essay writing, as well as painting and composing music. He started writing poetry early and throughout his life he would publish several books as well as a complete collection of his work.

In 1913 he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. His goal was to blend the best of Indian and Western poetry, an element of his writing clearly present in his poem, Where the Mind is Without Fear . During the time in which this poem was written India was still under the control of the British  Empire. In 1915, only 5 years after this poem was written, Tagore was awarded a knighthood but gave it up in protest only four years later when British troops killed 400 Indian demonstrators. He died in 1941 in Calcutta.

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Sir class kab se Lage gi

Sorry – Google translate couldn’t help me with this one!

Literally this site has helped me..its my test n these two poem let my country awake and invictus are the ones i had absolute difficulty with and it has explained really clearly. So thank u. Even i have a website where we post stories and poems so do visit.

What a lovely message to receive. I’m glad you have found the site helpful and all the best with running your own page.

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Baldwin, Emma. "Where the Mind is Without Fear by Rabindranath Tagore". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/rabindranath-tagore/where-the-mind-is-without-fear/ . Accessed 11 June 2024.

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Where the Mind is without Fear | Questions and Answers

Where the Mind is without Fear Questions and Answers

Q.1. “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high”

(a) Who says this and in which poem? (b) What does the word ‘where refer to? (c) What else does the poet says in this context?

Ans.(a) Poet Rabindranath Tagore has said this in his poem, “ Where the Mind is Without Fear “.

(b) By “where” Rabindranath refers to the “heaven of freedom” where he likes his motherland to be awakened by God. This freedom means not only political freedom but also moral and spiritual freedom.

Q.2. “Into that heaven of freedom, my Father let my country awake.”

(a) Who makes this prayer? Whom does he address as ‘my Father’? (b) In what context does the speaker makes this prayer? (c) How does he conceive that ‘heaven of freedom”?

Ans.(a) Rabindranath Tagore makes this prayer in his poem “Where the Mind is Without Fear”.

(b) The poet wrote this poem in 1901 when India was under British rule.

The poet prayed for the people of India who were fighting at the time for freedom from British rule. The poet wanted his motherland to be free in the truest sense.

(c) In Tagore’s heaven of freedom, the mind is without fear and man does not forsake his dignity for anything. It encourages free pursuit of knowledge, unbiased exercise of reason and frank and truthful utterance. In true freedom, there must not be any narrow division of race or community and the mind should untiringly strive to achieve perfection in different fields of thought and action in life.

Q.3. “Where knowledge is free.”

(a) Who says this and where? (b) What does the word “where refer to? (c) What is meant by ‘knowledge is free’?

Ans.(a) Poet Rabindranath Tagore has said this. He has said this in his poem, “Where the Mind is Without Fear”.

(b) By the word ‘where the poet refers to that ideal state of freedom where he wants his country and countrymen to be awakened by God. This is a state of moral and spiritual freedom and not only political freedom.

(c) ‘Knowledge is free’ means that one can pursue knowledge without any restriction. No man is prevented from entering the temple of learning and acquiring knowledge, there being no restriction or opposition from any authority. In a truly free country men will learn and express themselves, free from all narrow prejudices.

Q.4. “Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls.”

(a) Who says this and in which poem? (b) What is meant by ‘narrow domestic walls? (c) What can prevent the world from being broken up into fragments?

Ans.(a) Rabindranath Tagore says this in his poem, “ Where the Mind is Without Fear “.

(b) Each race or community has some customs and conventions of its own. These customs and conventions prevent free communication between one community and another. These are like the domestic walls which cause narrow divisions among the people of a society.

(c) The poet’s ideal is true freedom. He wants these barriers to be pulled down. The poet wants the fullest exchange between man and man. He wants that all men should regard themselves as members of one human family. Thus only true freedom can prevent the world from being broken up into fragments

Q.5. “Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection.”

(a) Who says this? Whose tireless striving is mentioned here? (b) In what context does the speaker say this? (e) What does the poet suggest by these words?

Ans.(a) Rabindranath Tagore has said this in his poem, “ Where the Mind is Without Fear “.

Tireless striving of the then of a truly free country is mentioned here by the poet.

(b) The poet is speaking here of his ideal of true freedom. In a truly free country man’s knowledge is unrestricted and his outlook is above all narrow prejudices. In such a free country, man enjoys not only political freedom but also moral and spiritual freedom.

(c) The poet says that man must make ceaseless efforts to achieve perfection. He wants men to be active at any task until they achieve perfection. Men should not be half-hearted while working at a thing; instead they should devote themselves whole-heartedly to bring it to its cherished end. Only true freedom can inspire such untiring efforts towards perfection.

Q.6. “Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit”.

(a) What is meant by the ‘clear stream of reason”? (b) What is meant by the “dreary desert sand of dead habit’? (c) Bring out the significance of the quoted lines?

Ans.(a) The ‘clear stream of reason’ means the undisturbed flow of the intellectual faculty of man. Here reason has been compared to a flowing stream. The stream remains clear so long as it flows undisturbed. In the same manner, reason remains clear if no dead custom clouds it.

(b) The “dreary desert sand of dead habit” means dry and dull habit based on meaningless customs and prejudices. A stream flowing into a sandy desert soon dries up. Similarly, the outworn customs and conventions act like a stretch of sandy desert across the path of reason and choke its natural flow.

(c) In a truly free country man’s mind is free from all prejudices and superstitions. There the flow of reason is not obstructed by any blind reverence for old customs and conventions. In other words, in true freedom, men are guided by clear reason and not by dead conventions

Q.7. State briefly the poet’s ideal of true freedom.

 For what kind of freedom does the poet pray to God for his motherland, India?

Ans. The poet prays to God for true freedom for his country and countrymen. This freedom does not mean mere emancipation from foreign rule. It is the moral and spiritual freedom of man. Men of a truly free country are without fear, without narrow prejudices. They are noble. dignified and disciplined. They can acquire knowledge without any hindrance and speak out the truth without any hesitation. In a truly free country men unceasingly try to achieve perfection in the varied fields of thought and action. This is the poet’s idea of true freedom and he invokes the Supreme Father to awaken his motherland into this heaven of freedom.

Q.8. Describe the qualities of the mind of man in a truly free country.

What does the poet say about the mind of men of a truly free country?

Ans. In a truly free country, the mind of men must be fearless and must be free from all prejudices and superstitions. In such a country, the mind seeks knowledge freely. In an ideal state of freedom the mind strictly adheres to reason without paying any heed to old customs and conventions. There the human mind is sincere, outspoken, and it untiringly tries to attain perfection in every field of life. The poet also wants great adventures of the mind into boundless realms of thought and action under the divine guidance of the Supreme Father.

Q.9. How does Rabindranath describe the present state of his country?

Ans. The poet is very much dissatisfied with the present state of his country. He finds that an atmosphere of fear prevails throughout the country. The minds of the people are chained by ignorance. People also suffer under the dead weight of old, outdated customs. A thousand barriers of caste, creed and religion create disunity among the people. Ignorance and superstitions have paralysed our reason and judgement. There are a thousand barriers to knowledge. Thus the people are prevented from seeking knowledge and truth. And, even when they arrive at the truth of something, fear prevents them from openly expressing it. In short, the unfortunate people of our country have forgotten that they are human beings. They live the life of beasts under the dark shadow of fear and ignorance.

Q.10. “Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit.”

Ans. Rabindranath uses this fine comparison in his poem Where the Mind is without Fear. Every comparison has two aspects. In this comparison these two aspects are made up of two metaphors. On the one hand ‘reason has been identified with a ‘clear stream’. On the other hand dead habit’ has been identified with a dreary desert’. Thus here is a comparison between reason being smothered by outdated customs and a stream being lost in the desert sand.

Q.11. How does Rabindranath describe the domestic walls? What do they do to the world ? If the home has walls, what is the world like?

Ans. Rabindranath describes the domestic walls as ‘narrow’.

These narrow walls break up the world into fragments.

Just as the domestic walls separate the homes from one another, differences of social and religious customs keep the nations of the world aloof from one another,

Q.12. Explain in your own words the kind of freedom that Rabindranath wishes his country to achieve.

Ans. In the poem Where the Mind is without Fear , the poet prays to God to wake his country into a world of ideal freedom. The whole poem is an exposition of what the poet means by this freedom.

The poet wishes that knowledge should be free in his country. He further wishes his countrymen to be free from the dead habits of custom. In that world of freedom, truth will reign supreme and everyone will strive towards perfection. In that country of ideal freedom, reason will not be swallowed by dead customs. In that world of freedom, the people, in their thoughts and actions, will be led by God himself. This is the kind of freedom the poet wishes his country to achieve.

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10 thoughts on “Where the Mind is without Fear | Questions and Answers”

Amazing Sir😍

Really very helpful Sir. Thank you Debjani Bhattacharya UAE

Sincerely Welcome you dear Debjani

Thanks a lot, it helped a lot!

it is very helpul for me

S. NITHVIN SHIVA

good evening sir i am s. nithvin shiva student of ssvm world school which is located in singanallur to vellalore road coimbatore tamil nudu. it is very helpful to rad and understand and memorize sir so much of thanks sir

The twice born fiction, the last tea sir can u give summary for this.

where the mind is without fear is explained clearly. thankyou

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Where the Mind is Without Fear Summary & Analysis

Where the mind is without fear: about the poem.

“Where the mind is Without Fear” by Rabindranath Tagore is one of his vastly read and discussed poems.  It was originally composed in Bengali possibly in 1900 under the title “Prarthana”, meaning prayer. It appeared in the volume called ‘Naibedya’ in 1901. Later in 1911 Tagore himself translated the Bengali poem into English and that translation appeared as poem 35 in his Nobel winning anthology “Gitanjali” (Song Offerings) published by the Indian Society, London in 1912.

So when the poem was written, India was under the British Rule and people were eagerly waiting to get their freedom from the British Rule. The poem is written in the form of a prayer to the God, the Almighty for a true freedom for his country. And thus Tagore reveals his own concept of freedom throughout the poem, Where the Mind is Without Fear.

Where the Mind is Without Fear: Line by line Explanation

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

In the very first line, the poet prays to the Almighty that his countrymen should be free from any fear of oppression or forced compulsion. He wishes that everyone in his country has his head held high in dignity. In other words, according to him, in a truly free country every person should be fearless and should have a sense of self dignity.

Where knowledge is free;

In the second line of Where the Mind is Without Fear the poet dreams of a nation where knowledge would be free. Education should not be restricted to the upper class only but everybody should be allowed to acquire knowledge. Not only that, the children should learn freely from the nature and the world around them. They should not be forced memorize some predetermined lessons. And this is Tagore’s typical concept of education.

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls;

In the next two lines, the poet emphasizes the unity of not only of his countrymen but also of the entire world. He thinks there should be no division among people based on their caste, creed, color, religion or other baseless superstitions. In other words, prejudices and superstitions should not divide the people in groups and break their unity.

Where words come out from the depth of truth;

In line 5 of Where the Mind is Without Fear, Tagore wants a nation where people are truthful. They should not be superficial and words should come out from the depth of their hearts.

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

In the sixth line of the poem, the poet wants everyone to work hard to reach their goal, and in the long run to reach perfection. . He thinks they should not be tired by working. People should not be lazy and ignoring their work.

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habits;

Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action;

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

In the final line of the poem, the poet addresses the God as ‘Father’. He asks him to awaken his country into such a ‘heaven of freedom’ where the above conditions meet.

To make it clear, the poet prays to the Almighty (my Father) to raise or lift (awake) his country to such heights where freedom would be realised at its best (a heaven of freedom). In turn, he is actually praying that God awakens his countrymen so that they come out from the darkness of ignorance, prejudices, disunity and all other evils.

Here, a great addition from our reader Ravi Murti suggests that Rabindranath wants to awaken the God within us to free our mind from shackles and bondage. It is not invoking God but using it as metaphor for the higher self within us. This interpretation is beautiful and I can’t resist the urge to add it here.

Poet’s Message

Finally, In the poem the poet’s message is very clear. If all the people of a nation are not wise enough to lead a happy and peaceful life free from all evils, they cannot enjoy their freedom well. So to the poet, only political freedom is not so important unless you are fearless, self dignified, knowledgeable, truthful, hard-working and broad-minded enough to enjoy it fully.

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Analysis of Where The Mind Is Without Fear by Rabindranath Tagore

Where The Mind Is Without Fear Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. – Rabindranath Tagore

Background: Rabindranath Tagore is one of the greatest poets of India. He has composed various poems, stories, essays, novels, dramas and songs. The poem "Where the mind is without fear" was written during the period when India was struggling for freedom from the British rule. It was a part of ‘Gitanjali’, a compilation of all his poems which was published in English in 1912. In this poem, Rabindranath Tagore expresses his love for his country and prays to the Almighty for its well being. In his prayer, the poet says that his countrymen should not live in fear anymore and must do away with the evils of society. They must live with respect, dignity, honesty and perfection. He prays to God for the freedom of his beloved nation.

Structure: The poem has been written in one single sentence. There or no rhymes or a regular rhythm as the poem is written in free verse. The language is simplified; metaphor and personification has been used in various parts of the poem.

Analysis: The first line of the poem, a part of which is the title itself, holds a very significant meaning. " Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high " , ‘fear’ in this line refers to the fear inculcated in the minds of Indians under the British rule. Here the poet is speaking about the miserable life led by people dominated by the British. The poet envisions India as a country where the people’s minds are free from fear and they live a dignified life. He also wants to convey that freedom can be attained only when the mind is fearless and the head is held high with respect and dignity. In this line " Where knowledge is free " the poet says that gaining independence would also give them the freedom to acquire knowledge and be self reliant which was restricted during the British rule.

" Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls " , here the poet speaks about the various evils that crept into the society at that time. The British used the divide and rule policy by creating rivalries among different sections of the society. ‘Narrow domestic walls’ refers to the walls of religion, race, caste and creed created by the people. It may also refer to the various superstitious beliefs that prevailed in the society during that time.

" Where words come out from the depth of truth " , implies that the poet envisioned his countrymen to live their lives with honesty and utmost truth.

" Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection " , here personification has been used for ‘tireless striving’. The poet says that one’s goal should be to attain perfection i.e. to be an ideal country and all those years of struggle would finally reach its goal of attaining freedom and perfection.

" Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit " , the poet uses metaphor for reason and habit. He refers to reason as a ‘clear stream’ that is pure and not contaminated. Here, he is speaking about the thoughts of people which he says should be clear, noble, honest and free from all sorts of corruption. ‘Dreary desert sand of dead habit’ also refers to the evils in the society like the superstitious practices that lack logic and reason.

" Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. " In the last three lines the poet prays to the Almighty for his guidance and support to attain independence. The poet wishes his countrymen to be led forward by their noble thoughts and actions. He refers to freedom as a heavenly place and addresses God as Father, asking him to awaken his people and help them reach that glorious place.

Summary: Rabindranath Tagore was saddened by the miserable lives of his countrymen under the British rule and the state of his country in their struggle for independence. In this poem, he shows his love for his country and prays to God to help them attain freedom. The poet envisions India as a country where the people live without any kind of fear or oppression and hold their head high with pride, dignity and self reliance. He also says that knowledge should be attained without any restriction. There should be no discrimination based on caste, creed, race or religion. India must reach towards its goal of attaining freedom and being an ideal nation. The countrymen must possess noble thoughts and do away with all the superstitious beliefs that defy logic and reason. The poet prays to God, seeking his support and guidance for his countrymen to have noble thoughts and actions. He asks God to awaken them into this heaven like place of an independent nation.

Theme: The poem was composed in the early 1900s when India was struggling for independence from the British rule. It is the poet’s prayer to the Almighty, seeking his guidance and support to help the countrymen attain freedom. The poem is patriotic in nature. The poet expresses his love for his country and speaks about the vision he has for India and its people. Through his poem he gives us an idea about the kind of life people were living during the British rule. The stringent rules, policies, economical and political uncertainty were some of the factors that caused fear in the minds of Indians. They could not live a dignified and respectful life in their own country. Obtaining a proper education was restricted for various classes of the society, causing illiteracy among people and making them believe in superstitions. The British used the ‘divide and rule policy’ against the Indians to make them fight among themselves. There was discrimination based on caste, creed, race and religion.

It was during this struggle for independence, the poet says that he envisions a country where there is no fear in the minds of people and education is attained by all. The people are enlightened and do not create walls of discrimination. He wants his countrymen to be honest and thoughtful. He prays to God, seeking his guidance for attaining independence and awakening his countrymen into that beautiful heaven of freedom.

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