Do you know what is Gandhi Punnaho?
Gandhi Punnaho: Commemorating the day when Gandhi Ji visited Santiniketan.
India’s greatest sons Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi both made significant enrichment to their respective fields – Tagore to literature, Gandhi to politics. They lived during the same, chaotic period of Indian history. Both were against colonialism and unchecked capitalism. Strangely enough, it was an Englishman, Charles Freer Andrews, who connected a link between these two men. Tagore was the first notable synchronous to refer to Gandhi as Mahatma. Gandhiji also called him ‘Gurudev’, a term by which many others invoke the poet. Tagore and Gandhi met for the first time on 6 March 1915 at Shantiniketan.
Gandhi Ji stayed back for a week but the impression he left behind was everlasting. This meeting was one of the many upcoming meetups. They stayed in touch through more meetings, letters, and telegrams. Their letters on debate like truth, freedom, democracy, courage, education, and the future of humanity are displayed for the public to read. One can get a sneak peek into the extraordinary minds of the two legends. Their bond was one of the rare jewels which the past and upcoming centuries will witness.
Some words by Rabindranath Tagore for Gandhi Ji.
“মহাত্মাজির জীবনের এই তেজ আজ সমগ্র দেশে সঞ্চারিত হয়েছে, আমাদের ম্লানতা মার্জনা করে দিচ্ছে। তাঁর এই তেজোদীপ্ত সাধকের মূর্তিই মহাকালের আসনকে অধিকার করে আছেন। বাধা-বিপত্তিকে তিনি মানেন নি, নিজের ভ্রমে তাঁকে খর্ব করেন নি, সাময়িক উত্তেজনার ভিতরে থেকেও তার ঊর্ধ্বে তাঁর মন অপ্রমত্ত। এই বিপুল চরিত্রশক্তির আধার যিনি তাঁকেই আজ তাঁর জন্মদিনে আমরা নমস্কার করি।”
Wishing everyone a Happy Gandhi Jayanti.