I vividly remember reading this poem for the first time in my 8th standard. Ever since then I felt deeply connected, in some mysterious way, to this beautiful piece of creation from Gitanjali, a masterpiece written by Rabindranath Tagore.
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
P.S: My “Where” series poems are inspired from this poem!
HearT SpeaK 
I only recently discovered Tagore, what an inspirational poet his is 🙂
You have introduced me to a new poet…one that I can wait to read more of…I truly appreciate this introduction..thanks ever so much for this post.
Oh!! He s a legend!! I bought his Geetanjali and I read and re-read it again n again 🙂
Thanks for sharing this!
All this days I was under the impression that Gitanjali was translated in English by someone else but only today I found, while searching for this poem, that Tagore himself did it!
Now reading it is highest in my wishlist
BTW, Thanx for passing by 🙂
Keep coming and commenting
Can where have a whole? By that, I mean, can there be a unified principle in reaching a particular end? This poem is about reaching a goal for a country, if everyone wants the same end, but wants to reach it in different “vehicles”, can they arrive at the same point?
And if they don’t want the same “where”, what determines which one is better?
“Can where have a whole?” I feel the “unified principle” could be based on love, co-operation and mutual co-existence
As long as the goal is common, we humans have the ability to find (or invent or discover) the most effective and efficient “vehicle” to reach the destination. But reaching the common goal is a Herculean task for we humans, the Great. 🙂
I feel the poet is referring to the World as his country.
“And if they don’t want the same “where””… Don’t u think the world is here now: everyone having their own “wheres”. A small example is that people couldn’t come to a consensus even in a matter like Global Warming which is going to affect everyone with no exception 😦
I agree that everyone has their own “wheres”.
Global Warming and the falsified data. In our wheres, there must be truth.
Amen. This poem brings back childhood memories- It was recited after prayers in one of my schools.
I just loved this poem then when i was a teenager- now when i am far more matured.
so this is where from you find your title “where”- your poem has another dimension, depth. you are a very deep soul, who can put his depth in words.
ha ha will i call it a funny coincidence? i too was studying in class eighth of that school in delhi.
i almost had this poem memorized by the time i returned to kolkata an year later 🙂 🙂
This poem, in some unknown way, is sacred to me. I feel that this poem is not written by Tagore, but written through Tagore.
if you were a bengali you would have felt it again and again- that God spoke through him.
he himself has said it too again and again that he is her flute, her instrument, her medium to express herself.
i adore tagore so i cant pin point even a dozen of his works i worship.
i somehow hope for a poem from you every day 🙂
I just wonder if the poem is so profound in English how it would be in Bangla!
As far as writing poem(s) a day is… quite an ambitious job for me… nevertheless i’ll try as much as i can…:)
i really feel extremely happy that i am a bengali when i read works of writers like tagore, bankimchandra, saratchandra, nazrul etc.
i am addicted to reading so i know that they are gems, and are no way inferior than any other world renown legendary writer. may not be that famous.
U r right…
Bengal has given real gems not only to India but to the world. Sometimes I wonder at the cultural depth Bengal possess!
I could have learnt Bangla quite easily in my childhood (as my village boarders Bengal and almost everyone in my family and village can comfortably talk in Bangla) but I was never keen on learning a new language. For that matter any language; be it English or Hindi. But it is never too late. Someday I’ll read Gitanjali in Bangla (Hum honge kamyab) 🙂
Good read..
This is truly a beautiful poem. I must see if I can get hold of more of his work. Thank you Satyakam for sharing this.
You are most welcome Adeeyoyo 🙂