Gitanjali

Gitanjali* is a collection of songs (lyrical poems) originally composed in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore. The word ‘Gitanjali’ is formed by combining ‘Geet’ (song) and ‘Anjali’ (offering), signifying an offering of songs. While Rabindranath was influenced by Sufi mysticism and Vaishnava poetry, he does not appear to be a mere imitator of these poets in his portrayal of emotions; for instance, love for a human being often transforms—almost imperceptibly—into love for the Divine. He does not view God as a primordial seed; for him, love is the beginning, and the Divine is the ultimate end. It is insufficient to claim that the voice of *Gitanjali* is defined solely by mysticism; it also engages with medieval poets, sharply challenging their value systems—though this is not the work's dominant tone. The central theme is a spirit of surrender. *Gitanjali* is a work oriented towards mysticism, born of Rabindranath’s profound sense of inquiry.