Bust: Rabindranath Tagore bust
Erection date: 7/7/2011
{On the front face of the plinth:}
Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) Indian poet, philosopher and first Nobel Laureate from Asia.
Unveiled by HRH The Prince of Wales, 7 July 2011.
Sculpted by Shenda Amery. Installed by the Tagore Centre UK.
{On a plaque on the right face of the plinth, as if a facsimile of Tagore's handwritten original text, right down to the inserted word "very":}
Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again, and fillest it ever with fresher life.
This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new. At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in a great joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable. Thy infinite gifts come to me only on these very small hands of mine. Ages pass and still thou pourist and still there is room to fill.
Rabindranath Tagore
{Inscribed on the right of the neck:}
Shenda Amery, 2011
{On the left of the plinth is another plaque which we think is the Bengali version of this verse.}
The poem is from 'Song Offerings' by Tagore. Written in Bengali, he created the English version himself so we guess the plaque is indeed a visual copy of his hand-written work. He was awarded the 1913 Nobel prize for literature for this poem.
At the unveiling Charles referred to the date and commented "the inscriptions on this bust will shine out as a beacon of tolerance, understanding and of unity in diversity".
Site: Rabindranath Tagore bust (1 memorial)
WC1, Gordon Square, Garden
