Newscriticism: "Remembering Debendranath Tagore: Son of a Prince, father of Gurudev & founder of a religion" (The Print, January 19th, 2019)

[From The Print's article.]

SUMMARY

Debendranath Tagore, born on May 15, 1817, was a significant figure in the Bengal Renaissance, known for his religious and philosophical contributions. As the eldest son of Dwarkanath Tagore, he grew up in affluence but turned to spirituality after a profound experience at his grandmother's deathbed. He founded the Tattwabodhini Sabha to promote the purification of Hinduism through the study and dissemination of the Upanishads. This society later merged with the Brahmo Samaj, which Debendranath revitalized, emphasizing monotheism and rationality over idolatry and caste distinctions​.

Debendranath also founded Shantiniketan in the 1860s, which later became an international university under his son, Rabindranath Tagore. He published the "Tattwabodhini Patrika," advocating for social reforms such as female education and the abolition of polygamy. Despite his deep religious involvement, he made time for intellectual and cultural activities at home, influencing his children profoundly. His legacy continued through the achievements of his offspring, notably Rabindranath Tagore, who became a Nobel laureate. Debendranath passed away on January 19, 1905, leaving a lasting impact on Indian society and culture​.

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NEWSCRITICISM

Debendranath Tagore was a fine example of not just being the prominent thinker of the Bengali Renaissance, but also a good example on how great people can revitalize and renew the spirit of the Bengali Civilization, providing itself with a framework to reassert its own identity by means of philosophizing the identity itself and become the basis of a new model for the experience of existence in a Civilization. Debendranath Tagore became, in my opinion, the greatest symbol of Bangladesh and the Bengal people becuase of its capability to interpret Totality (see The Basic Philosophy of Joshua Rovero for more details) in a new light and revitalize Bangladesh. In fact, he provided the basis for the creation of a new Bangladeshi Identity and a new Bangladeshi Civilization using his ideas. Unlike the colonial mentality of other countries (a prime example is the Philippine Nation and its People which is stuck in the colonial mentality of absorbing the West as its framework, making society hedonistic and decadent - a corrupt society, steeped in falsity and dysfunctionality [such as corrupt politicians - inherited from bad Spanish and American political practices], which overall stumped the growth of Philippine Society as a whole), he tried to begin anew - discarding the old while adopting to new conditions efficiently with new ideas, making a new ideal for his concept of a truly New Bangladesh: in spirit, will and thought, to create a New Bangladeshi Civilization and Society that he hoped. Which is a good thing because a civilization, by embracing its unique historical and cultural ethos, can transcend past constraints and forge a renewed path that harmonizes tradition with contemporary challenges, ultimately contributing to a more profound and authentic sense of existence and purpose (read Essays on Civilization). Debendranath Tagore, indeed, was a true thinker of his time, one that propelled the awakening of the Bengali people and its civilization as a whole in its true form.

Debendranath Tagore too, is also responsible for making a new religion in order to provide not just a new lens in interpreting the Immaterial, but also believed in the universality of all human thought and its experiences with the Immaterial, believing it to be the same experience projected by all religions due to its ethical esssence - a Universalist form of Ethical Monotheism - that would become the basis for the secularism of the Modern Bangladeshi Civilization, but also providing the framework for the total unity of Bangladesh against decadence and hedonism, and providing a moral imperative to resist corruption (political and societal) by means of having a duty to challenge the faults of society: that being the Brahmo Samaj and the Brahmoist religion as a whole. In fact, Brahmoism, a truly New religious movement in essence that is in fact, new in essence and Dasein, so much that it became its own religion with a unique worldview for interpretation of the Immaterial World and cannot be associated with any other religion whatsoever – in short unique, and has its own identity in itself. Despite having fewer and fewer numbers in 2024 and projected to shrink further in 2025 towards possible extinction, Brahmoism has influenced the direction and foundation of the Modern Bangladeshi Civilization itself, including the formulation of the Constitution. The belief in the moral imperative of righteousness as its universal precept actually influenced the entire Third Part (Fundamental Rights) of the Constitution itself. Part II, Articles 41 (freedom of religion), 27 (equality before law), and 39 (freedom of thought, conscience and of speech) are all based on the teachings of Brahmoism and has the essence of Debendranath Tagore's spirit, which has the same ideal in his ideal for a New Bangladeshi Civilization in essence.

There can be no denial that he is the most unique of all individuals that partook and contributed to the Bengali Renaissance. His profound impact on Bengali culture and identity, through both philosophical and religious innovations, cannot be overstated. By founding Brahmoism, Debendranath Tagore laid the groundwork for a spiritual and ethical framework that transcended traditional religious boundaries and fostered a sense of universal moral duty. His emphasis on ethical monotheism and secularism influenced the modern Bangladeshi Constitution, particularly in its commitment to fundamental rights and freedoms. Tagore's legacy endures forever in the cultural and intellectual fabric of Bangladesh, marking him as a pivotal figure in its history and development. His ideas of a New Bangladesh, complete with a full reform of all the Six Pillars of Civilization in each aspect, may sadly not come to light, but his spirit and aspirations for the creation of the New Bangladeshi Civilization and Society is still present in the Modern Bangladeshi Civilization.

Joshua Kyle T. Rovero

Estado Rovero

June 29th 2024