Educational Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda, and how it Relates to the Present Day

Abstract

Both Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda are often regarded as two of the most influential educational thinkers in the history of the globe. The educational ideals that they advocated for have a tremendous deal of significance for the entirety of humankind. They were fully aware of the significance of education in the contemporary Indian society. Due to the exceptional nature of their personalities, they not only enlightened India but also the rest of the globe. Rabindranath Tagore was a significant figure in Indian culture during his life. He was talented in the arts of poetry, philosophy, music, writing, and education. He was persuaded that the four walls of the classroom restricted the independence of young children based on his own experiences as a student since he felt that this was the right thing to do. For him, the conventional educational system was analogous to a jail. According to him, "the highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence," and this is what he considers to be "the highest education." The current educational system does not provide the opportunity for us to develop our imaginative capabilities. The way we educate our children is depressing. The weight of several books might be difficult for young children to bear. Tagore is credited as having written, "From childhood to adolescence and again from adolescence to manhood, we are coolies of the goddess of leaning, carrying loads of words in our folded backs." The book that we read does not contain any vivid descriptions of our communities or houses, thus it has no bearing on our everyday lives. Swami Vivekananda came to the conclusion that putting an excessive amount of stress on a scientific and mechanical style of life was rapidly lowering man to the position of a machine. The erosion of moral and religious ideals, as well as the disregard for the foundational tenets of civilization, are both occurring simultaneously. Swami Vivekananda believes that education is the key to eradicating all of these societal and global problems. Swami Vivekananda's educational plan methodically incorporates all of the subjects that must be studied in order to facilitate the full growth of an individual on all levels, including the physical body, the intellect, and the spirit. According to him, teaching students about the cultural norms and traditions of the nation should be an essential component of the educational system.