Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Rabindranath and Andree Karpeles

In the year 1923, Andree Karpeles stayed fora few months in Santiniketan and organised some programme of craftsman in Kalabhavan.She promised her programme which was published in Ananda Bazar She would come again in Santiniketan in coming winter. But she could not come, only a good news of her marriage arrived.She married a young Scandinivian of gigantic figure for which Rabindranath sometimes said sarcastically to Andree "your big Scandinivian". He wrote her on 26th Jan 1924,
"...I forgive your husband of wrenching you away from us with from us with such a sudden jerk - and I hope you understand what a degree of generosity that forgiveness of mine represents....
Your own cottage here still remains vacant, I have come to its neighbouhood occupying the bunglow which for sometimes belonged to Pearson . You know we all mourn his loss though it is true that death for a man like him is merely a physical fact, his living spirit will always dwell in the heart of the Ashram.
I have been travelling a great deal from province to province pursuing the elusive lure of money. This is a hateful task which attacks one's bloom of life and it has at least brought upon me the wintry touch of a premature old age when I am barely 63. I try to use the torn remnants of my leisure in composing songs which occasionally makes me forget that I have nearly squandered away my gift of youth."                   '