Gora (novel)

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Gora
Rabindranath Tagore.jpg
AuthorRabindranath Tagore
Original titleগোরা (White)
CountryBritish India
LanguageBengali
GenreNovel
Publication date
1910
Pages624

Gora (Bengali: গোরা) is a novel by Rabindranath Tagore, set in Calcutta (now Kolkata), in the 1880s during the British Raj. It is the fifth in order of writing and the longest of Tagore’s twelve novels. It is rich in philosophical debate on politics and religion.[1] Other themes include liberation, universalism, brotherhood, gender, feminism, caste, class, tradition versus modernity, urban elite versus rural peasants, colonial rule, nationalism and the Brahmo Samaj.[2][3]

Contents[edit]

Gora consists of two parallel love stories of two pairs of lovers: Gora and Sucharita, Binoy and Lolita. Their emotional development is shown in the background of the social and political problems prevalent in India towards the end of the 19th-century.[4]

Characters[edit]

  • Gora is a staunch Hindu and fearless nationalist who is not afraid to shed blood for the cause of nation and religion. Gora's complexion is very fair, and he is of very good stature, so he is the head of his circle. Gora has an inclination towards his mother Anandmayi, and his closest friend is Binoy. When Binoy has a lot to do with Paresh Babu's Brahm family, Gora forbids Binoy to meet Paresh Babu's family, and Gora and Binoy have a fight over this. But, when Gora meets Sucharita, Paresh Babu's adopted daughter, he is attracted to her. However, Gora has taken a vow that he will not marry, so he is ashamed and goes on a journey to make atonement. While on the journey he reaches a Muslim village, he learns of the atrocities committed by the Inspector and the Magistrate. The hardworking Gora vows to bring justice to the village and for this he has to go to jail for a month. After a series of romantic encounters, patriotism and religious fanaticism, Gora discovers that he is a Christian himself. His father Krishnadayal tells him that there was a mutiny once when he lived in Etawah. In this, Gora's military father was killed, who was an Irishman. Gora's mother took shelter at Krishnadayal's house and died giving birth to Gora there. Since then Krishnadayal brought up Gora. Gora's whole life is destroyed in a moment. The religion for which he fought throughout his life rejected him by calling him an untouchable. Eventually Gora has reverence for Paresh Babu, and accepts him as his guru. At the same time, he also drinks water from the hands of Lachmiya, the Christian maid of his mother Anandmayi, which he previously considered disgusting.
  • Binoy
  • Sucharita
  • Lalita
  • Paresh Babu

Translations[edit]

Malayalam translation of Gora with the same title was done by Dr. K. C. Ajayakumar. For this, in 2015, Ajayakumar has won the Sahitya Akademi Award for translation.[5]

Adaptations[edit]

Film adaptations exist from 1938, when director Naresh Mitra made a Bengali film in the same name based on the novel.[6] and from 2015, directed by Shukla Mitra. In 2012 Hindi channel Doordarshan broadcast a 26-episode television series by producer Gargi Sen and director Somnath Sen.[2][3]

Further reading[edit]

  • Bhattacharya, Nandini (2015). Rabindranath Tagore Gora: A Critical Companion. Primus Books. ISBN 978-93-84082-42-0.
  • Hogan, Patrick Colm; Pandit, Lalita (2003). Rabindranath Tagore: Universality and Tradition. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. pp. 141–212. ISBN 978-0-8386-3980-1.
  • Singh, Kh. Kunjo (2002). Humanism and Nationalism in Tagore's Novels. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. pp. 99–112. ISBN 978-81-269-0184-5.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Indian Ruminations (5 January 2012). Tagore’s Idea of Nation and Nationalism in Gora – Nakul Kundra, Amritsar
  2. 2.0 2.1 Times of India (Tagore’s Gora to come alive on television
  3. 3.0 3.1 Magic Lantern Movie (5 November 2012). Tagore's 'Gora' set for telecast on Doordarshan's national channel.
  4. George, K. M., ed. (1993). Modern Indian Literature: an Anthology: Fiction. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. pp. 89–90. ISBN 81-7201-506-2.
  5. "..:: SAHITYA : Akademi Awards ::." sahitya-akademi.gov.in.
  6. Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Routledge. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-135-94318-9.

External links[edit]