Remembering Rabindranath Tagore on his birthday: Hailed as ‘Gurudev’ across world, Rabindranath Tagore was a remarkable genius and worlds foremost cultural icons. Born on May 7, 1861 as Robindronath Thakur, he was brought up in a family which was at the forefront of Bengali Renaissance.

A multifaceted personality, Tagore was polymath who modernised Bengali art by spinning novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays that covered a wide range of topics, from politics to religion and spirituality.

Marking the 159th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, here is a list of most memorable works and skills of Tagore which made him a legend of his era -

Tagore had early success as a writer in his native Bengal. With his translations of some of his poems, he then rapidly became a known face in the West.

He wrote 'Gora', the most complex of the 12 novels which raises a number of issues pertaining to current scenario of our country. The book is a reflection and analysis of the multifarious social life in colonial India.

A prolific songwriter, Tagore made a collection of poems called 'Geetanjali' which made him earn a Nobel prise. Tagore in 1913 became the first Asian Nobel laureate and the first non-European to win the prize for literature.

While Gitanjali is Tagore’s tour de force, proficient songwriter Tagore composed 2,230 songs categorised as Rabindra Sangeet.

Rabindranath Tagore is the only known person to have written the national anthems for two different countries. His two songs, Jana Gana Mana and Amar Sonar Bangla were adopted as the national anthem for India and the national anthem for Bangladesh.

At the age of 60, Tagore took up drawing and painting, and held successful exhibitions of his works first in Paris and later on in different parts of Europe.

Famous quotes by Rabindranath Tagore

"If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars."

"Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time."

"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark."

“Love’s gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted.”

“The small wisdom is like water in a glass:
clear, transparent, pure.
The great wisdom is like the water in the sea:
dark, mysterious, impenetrable.”