Friday, September 7, 2012

Rabindranath Tagore in China- Hong Kong

Rabindranath and his party reached Hong Kong on 7th April. Though Hog Kong is within China but it was a colony and trade centre of British. He was greeted by the Vice-Principal W.W.Hornell of the newly established Hong Kong University at the seaport. The regitrar of the University N.k.Mackintosh, father ans song, senior and junior J,H,Rustomjee, Mr. Nemazi, Bishen Singh etc were present as a representative of Indian Community. The former D.P.I. of Bengal Hornel was known to Rabindranath. He proposed Rabindranath to become his guest. But the proposal of Indians was accepted and he was sent to  Repulse Bay Hotel in a solitary place outside the city and the Persian Business man Nimajee became host of the others.
As soon as Rabindranath landed in Hong Kong, requests from nearby places were coming to him to visit there places. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Amoy Dr, Lim Bong Keng invited to come to the University and deliver a lecture. He also proposed to open a post of a Professor and start a department of Indian History and Culture in that University. 
The most important invitation came from the President of Republic of China, Sun Yat-Sen [1866-1925];
" Dear Mr.Tagore / I should greatly wish to have the privillege of personally welcoming you on your arrival in China. It is an ancient way of ours to show honor to the scholar. But in you I shall greet not only a writer who has added lusture to Indian letters but a rare worker in those field of endeavour where in lie the seeds of man's future welfare and spiritual trium and spiritual triumps.
May I then have the pleasure of inviting you to Canton ?"
But Rabindranath could not attain the invitation.
Rabindranath got many invitations from different institutions and Hong Kong University. But he didnot participate in any of the programme.
Before leaving Hong Kong the Sikh community arranged a music Sandhya of Bhajan for Rabindranath and his associates