ABSTRACT
For Tagore to express the limitations of nationalism a century ago when nationalism was on the ascendant, turning into an irreversible force in world politics, manifesting itself through repressive British colonialism and the outbreak of the First World War, was nothing short of inspirational. He was truly a renaissance figure and a versatile genius and it is this versatility that informed his creative vision. He saw the world so comprehensively that he had no peers; most failed to see what he could or make that original connection. This chapter explores Tagore’s holistic vision of the world and the individual self by investigating his ideas of nationalism and his quest for civilisational dialogue as best expressed in his poetry.
