Truth beyond Orthodoxy: Identity and Universalism in Rabindranath Tagore's 'Gora'

This paper examines Rabindranath Tagore's magnum opus, Gora, as a profound critique of rigid religious and social orthodoxy in colonial Bengal. It argues that through the narrative, particularly the protagonist Gora's ideological journey, Tagore dismantles identities built primarily on birth right, dogma, and exclusionary practices. Through the interplay of characters representing staunch Hindu revivalism, dogmatic Brahmanism, liberal spirituality, and unconditional love, the novel champions an experiential, inclusive, and universal understanding of truth. The climactic revelation of Gora's parentage serves as a catalyst, forcing a confrontation with the limitations of doctrinaire systems and culminating in his liberation into a broader identity rooted in shared humanity and service to India, which transcends caste and creed. Tagore's work ultimately posits that true identity and spiritual realization lie not in adherence to external doctrines but in embracing universal human values informed by lived experience.