Friday, March 2, 2012

rabindranath in America - Iowa (contd-21)


Chicago Examiner wrote on 25th Oct;
" He left last night to complete a tour of the world, lecturing on his creed of individuality."Prof.(Dr.) Sudhingra Basu of University of Iowa met with  Rabindranath  in West Liberty Station to welcome Rabindranath.
Having reached the train in Iowa city, the head of the dept. Political Science and Prof. Benjamin F. Shambaugh and Prof. of Philosophy Edwin D. Starback received him with honour and brought him to a  main hotel in the city.
Before the arrival of Rabindranath a publicity machinery was working for few days. The President of Senate Board on University Lectures Dr. Shambaugh informed in a press release;
" The coming of Sir Rabindranath Tagore to Iowa city will be one of the notabl events in the history of the State University....He comes from the Orient, but his message unity and harmony in the life of humanity is for the whole world . The privilege of seeing and learning this really great man comes to our students as an opportunity of a life time."
The President of the University Dr. W.A. Jessups also summoned likewise. The students  of the University of Iowa became gradually anxious to know about Rabimndranath and the Professors ,to meet their demands, tried to introduce him before them. The subject on which Dr. Sudhindra Basu spoke  was  the "Personality of Rabindranath". The authority of the University was willing to arrange a dinner to felicitate Rabindranath but due to the dissent of Rabindranath, he was entertained
separately in a dinner in a hotel.
Rabindranath Read the essay " The Cult of Nationalism" and recited three stanzas from the poem ' The sunset of the century" in the evening of 26th Oct.
Dr, Basu wrote;
" Tagore's address at Iowa was one of the radiant intelligence , it will easily be remembered as one of the very highest intellectual feats of the University year... A lady who had been to the passion Play of Obermmergau told me that in his noble gentle dignity, in his generous out burst of righteous indignation, and in his consuming fire of religious ardor, Rabindranath Tagore came nearer resembling the spirit of christ than did Anton Lang who thrice portrayed the role of Christus." Dr. Basu also mentioned the opinion of a student; "I thought that the Hindus were a bunch of people who needed to be taught ; but now comes a Hindu who can really teach us Americans."
            Rabindranath started for Chicago on that  night.