Mahatma Gandhi used to call Rabindranath Tagore 'Gurudev'. To Tagore Gandhiji was
'Bapu'. They were great friends and they respected each other. Once their conversation got
heated and it disturbed the peaceful atmosphere of Visvabharati, an institution that
Tagore had nourished. Some were on Tagore's side, some were on the side of Bapu.
At that time one of the devotees of Gandhiji tried to provoke the painter Nandalal
Bose. When he was repeatedly asked, 'On whose side are you?' Nandalal Bose replied I am an
artist; if you ask me which color I like most, what can I say? I like all the colors. I
like both Gandhiji and Tagore. They are like the two eyes of our country. There is no
question of choosing between them."
Nandalal Bose who grew up in the lap of Nature loved all the 0olours. The dawn and the
evening, river and mountain, bird and animal all filled him with wonder. Growing up as a
member of a big family he learnt to love all the notes of the music of life. He developed
a human approach so that he could share in the joys and sorrows of others.