Monday, March 5, 2012

Rabindranath in America - South Hadley, MA (contd-37)


On 4th Dec, Rabindranath read the essay " What is Art?" in Mount Holyoke College in south Hadley, MA. before a large, enthusiastic audience. Members of the Faculty, students, and many people from out of Town were present. After finishing the essay, he read several of his child-poems which were very much appreciated by the audience.
As in other places there were enough enthusiasm in Boston to attain lectures of Rabindranath, On 5th Dec. at 8.15 pm he had to deliver a lecture in Tremont Temple . Herald  reported on 6th Dec;
" The temple was stormed nearly an hour before opening time, and scores of people failed to get seats. An audience numbering 3000 gave the famous Bengali poet one of the warmest welcomes ever accorded to a lecturer in Boston  and he spoke for about 80 minutes in this main address, finally reciting by request three of his best compositions."
In 1913 he came to boston and stayed there for sometime. He read some essays at that time. He had many new friends and fans here. One of the previously known person, Ellery Sedgewick, editor  of  atlantic monthly wrote him on 6th DEec;
" Would it not possible for the atlantic, after your departure from America, tomprint the deeply interesting address which you gave at Tremont Temple last eveniong."
Rabindranath fulfilled his prayer. the essay was p0ublished in that paper on Mar 1917-issue [pp 289-300] under the title " Nationalism in the West".
Next day Rabindranath reached New haven of Connecticut State.