Thursday, March 1, 2012

Rabindranath in America- Saltlake city,Utah (contd-19)


Rabindranth came to the Salt Lake City of Utah state after finishing his lectures in the West of America on 14th Oct. starting from Los Angeles on 13th Oct and got in Utah Hotel. At 8 pm on that day a lecture was arranged in the Assembly Hall of Tabernacle Ground organised jointly by Bureau of Lectures and University of Utah. Rabindranath read the essay on "The cult of Nationalism". The local news paper "Telegram" reported on 15th Oct ;
" Salt Lakers in large number had the opportunity to judge for themselves last night in the assembly hall on the temple grounds when tagore delivered his lecture burning with ardor and fraughtwith profound thought. That the audience was drinking in every word of the renowned man of the East was evident, for scarcelt a shuffle of a foot disturbed the quiet of the lecture site. Tagore simply demonstrated his right to the title of being one of the keenest intellects of the age, and at the conclusion of his lecture he again demonstrated his right to the  Nobel prize for poetry in three admirable excerpts from his works , works which are almost entirely prophetic in nature, which score the civilization of the West as it probably never has been scored before and which at the same time extends the deep sympathy of the east toward the West as it looks on the almost paternal pity at the " younger West"   struggling with its uncontrollable elements."
It seemed that Rabindranath read three stanza of the poem "The sunset of the Century"
As in other places Rabindranath was approached by several journalists for his interview but he was unwilling to appear before them. Two clever journalists met Rabindranth in disguise. He said them;
"Since I have entered America I have learned something of the peculiarly aggressive reporter this nation has produced. I can barely keep them back. I do not mind telling you gentlemen, who, I perceive, are about to intercede for the two reporters who have been awaiting and annoying me downstairs, that they shall not come up here." The was reported in the local " Telegram"   with some news keeping hidden which was made open by Dr. Sudhindra Basu;