Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Rabimndranath in America - New haven, Connecticut (contd-38)

Rabindranath reached New Haven of Connecticut State on 6th Dec in the after noon. The news of his arrival was circulated well ahead by the the media.arrangements were being made to welco e him gorgeously. Montgomery Advertiser  wrote on #rd dec;
" The coming of Sir Rabindranath Tagore, at Yale next Wednesday evening under the auspices of the Yale dramatic Aassociation is awaited with keenest interest by persons not only here, but through out the State ...The Indian students of Yale are going to give a formal welcome according to the customs of the Indians by hanging about his neck a festal garland of Flowers and addressing him in Sanskrit previous to his introduction by Dr. Arthur T. Hadley, President of the University.
Rabindranath was greeted at the Railway Station at 4.25 pm  by Prof. Edward Washburn Hopkins, dept. of Sanskrit of the University and the manager O.B. Cunningham of the Yale Dramatic Association
New Haven Register wrote on 4th Dec.;
" After luncheon he will be shown the principal points of interest at Yale. He will also be driven by automobile about the city and in other ways his visit here will be made interesting to him." But the plan was changed a little. Courier wrote on 6th Dec;
" The party will go directly to [Hotel] Taft and after remaining there a few moments will visit the several Yale buildings of interest, Sir Rabindranath will have an early dinner, alone, according to the custom of his native country. Later in the day President Arthur T. Hadley will go to the Taft where he will formally greet Tagore, and about 7 o'clock will leave with him for Woolsey Hall.
The Auditorium Hall was decorated decently. " The simplicity of the stage setting at Woolsey hall...was a fitting background for Sir Rabindranath Tagore, when he gave a reading of his poems last evening ....A background of organ pipes in gold and white, high up with a formal row of palms below, a soft green rug and a reader's table with two chairs, put the audience nto a mood to receive this sage of the east."