Where the Mind is without Fear-Rabindra Nath Tagore-Questions-Answers

Questions-Answers on‘Where the Mind is without Fear’

Q1. What does Tagore mean by narrow domestic walls?

“Narrow domestic walls” means boundaries that people create because of differences in religion, language, caste, or community. These walls stop people from coming together and living peacefully as one nation.

Q2. How can people achieve perfection?

People can reach perfection by being open-minded, avoiding fights over differences, and always trying to learn new things. Working together and thinking wisely helps every person and the whole country improve.

Q3. What importance does Tagore ascribe to knowledge, truth, and reason?

Tagore says knowledge, truth, and reason are very important. He wants everyone to learn freely, always speak truth, and use their common sense to make good decisions and help the country progress.

Q4. Why does the poet repudiate the idea of narrow domestic walls?

The poet does not like “narrow domestic walls” because they cause people to fight and hate each other. These walls divide society and stop people from growing and living happily together.

Q5. What type of strength does the poet pray for in ‘Where the Mind Is without Fear’?

The poet asks for strength to do what is right, to be brave, and to use our minds wisely. He wants everyone to have the courage to face problems and always look for the truth.

Q6. What is the central idea of the poem ‘Where the Mind Is without Fear’?

The main idea is Tagore’s hope for a free, brave, and united India. He dreams of a country where everyone helps each other, learns, and lives without fear or fighting.

Q7. Write a summary of the poem.

Tagore prays that India becomes a country where people are not afraid, live together without divisions, follow the truth, and are guided by wisdom. He wants India to be a land of freedom and learning.

Q8. What is the meaning of the line: “where knowledge is free”?

“Where knowledge is free” means everyone should be able to learn and get an education easily, without any barriers like money, caste, or religion.

Q9. How is the world broken by narrow domestic walls? What can we do about it?

People build walls between each other because of religion, caste, or language, leading to fights and misunderstandings. To solve this, we should respect all, learn together, and remove these divisions.

Q10. What does Tagore desire for his country?

Tagore wants India to be a place where people are fearless, wise, united, and free to learn and think. He hopes for a country that moves forward with truth and respect for all.

Q11. Describe the India of Tagore's dreams.

Tagore dreams of an India where people live together without fear or division, get good education, follow truth, and respect each other. It is a land of peace and unity.

Q12. Explain the line: “where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habits.”

This line means our good sense (reason) should not be wasted or lost in old, useless customs and habits. People should think clearly and avoid following traditions blindly.

Long answer type questions (100-150 words)

 

Q.1. What kind of freedom does Tagore visualise for his country?

Ans.  Rabindranath Tagore dreams that his country should be a heaven on earth.  Tagore gives very much importance to mental freedom.  Our mind should not be a slave to any dogmas, narrow-mindedness, and social or moral evil. He thinks of a country where people are fearless, courageous, and brave. 

There should not be any barrier that divides his countrymen on the basis of colour, caste, and creed.  His countrymen should be free to increase their knowledge. Education in his country should be free for all. The people of his country should be broad-minded, honest, and generous in nature.  They should be true to their word actions and thoughts.

Tagore also cherishes (takes pleasure in) the dream in which he wishes his country to become a place like heaven. So we may say that it is only possible when everything becomes ideal and human beings also behave as gods and goddesses do. For that, Tagore prays to God that his countrymen should adopt certain qualities that make them ideal beings.  If all these qualities are imbibed into the personality of the people, then, his country would really become a heaven of freedom on the earth.

Q2. Write a note on Tagore’s concept of the ‘Heaven of freedom’.

Ans. According to common perception (view/opinion), heaven is a place where everything is in ideal condition. No evil is found there. It is a place where gods and goddesses are found.  Tagore also cherishes (takes pleasure in) the dream in which he wishes his country to become a place like heaven. 

So we may say that it is only possible when everything becomes ideal and human beings also behave as gods and goddesses do. For that, Tagore prays to God that his countrymen should adopt certain qualities that make them ideal beings.

He thinks that political and economic freedoms are useless if the people are not mentally free.Our mind should not be a slave to any dogmas, narrow-mindedness, and social or moral evil. He thinks of a country where people are fearless, courageous, and brave. There should not be any barrier that divides his countrymen on the basis of colour, caste, and creed.  

His countrymen should be free to increase their knowledge. Education in his country should be free for all. The people of his country should be broad-minded, honest, and generous in nature.  They should be true to their word, actions and thoughts.  If all these qualities are imbibed into the personality of the people, then, his country would really become a heaven of freedom on the earth.

 Q3. Comment on the wide gap between the reality of contemporary India and Tagore's concept of India.

Ans. In the poem, ‘Where the Mind is without Fear’ the poet Rabindranath Tagore cherishes ideal conditions for his country. He thinks that political and economic freedoms are useless if the people are not mentally free. Our mind should not be a slave to any dogmas, narrow-mindedness, and social or moral evil. He thinks of a country where people are fearless, courageous, and brave. 

There should not be any barrier that divides his countrymen on the basis of colour, caste, and creed.  His countrymen should be free to increase their knowledge. Education in his country should be free for all. The people of his country should be broad-minded, honest, and generous in nature.  They should be true to their words, actions and thoughts.  If all these qualities are imbibed (absorbed/taken into) into the personality of the people, then, his country would really become a heaven of freedom on the earth.

But in reality, we find quite an opposite picture. The people of our country are still slaves to so many evils. They are not mentally strong. Fear still prevails in the minds of people. Dogmas, narrow-mindedness, and social or moral evil is still present. Discrimination on the basis of colour, caste, and religion is present in the minds of many people.

So there is a wide gap between the reality of contemporary India and Tagore's concept of India.