Rabindranath Tagore's idea of rural reconstruction

Rabindranath Tagore was not only a great poet rather he had got deep feeling for rural reconstruction in India. He always tried to make people happy not only economically rather by his songs Dave's and dharma also.                                            

After successfully starting of Shatiniketan at Bolepur in West Bengal he thought about another separate Centre for rural all round development. It was Sriniketan. It visualized for self-supporting steps of rural people.

Starting with neighboring villages, the institute has conducted it's activities in many villages. These villages are graped under sub-centers for the convenience of administration the area has been divided into two zones

1. Intensive area,

2. Extensive area.

The first comprises 26 villages which are under the direct guidance and supervision of Sriniketan.

The activities of the institution may be broadly divided into nine spheres

1.Agriculture

2.Industry,

3.Village-welfare,

4.Co-oparation,

5.Health and sanitation,

6.Education,

7.Social organisation,

8.Economic research,

9.Soil erosion

Sriniketan is separately administered. The activities of the institution are organized by in full-fledged departments. The agriculture section consists of an experimental farm branches for a dairy, fishery and poultry. An attempt in made to produce improved varieties of crop and raise quality of livestock at the centre and to distribute them among the neighboring villages. There is a slip a Bhran for the industries department. It impacts training in tannery, carpentry, poultry, book - binding, tailoring etc.

Sriniketan provides subsidiary occupation to the cultivators of the area by offering them indoor employment in the institution.

In this way, it is very interesting to know that Rabindranath Tagore has given a very for sighted guidelines for rural reconstruction. If contemporary India follow his views it can be said that a new vision can be got. Tagore's emphasis an all-round development physical, mental, spiritual can give a form of total personality. By his songs and music, a simple villager can be free from tension.

By Swami Amritlokananda