Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Rabindranath in Ceylon (3rd time)- 1934

Rabindranath delivered a lecture on the "Theories of Literature" in the Calcutta University and another lecture in Presidency college at the "Rabindra Parishad"
He also visited the " Bharati pen facotry" of Lahas "  and presided over the silver jubilee of Hindusthan Cooperative Airlines.
The poet expressed his concern about the spread of Hindu-Muslim riot in literature.
   He delivered a lecture in the Senate Hall in a meeting organised by International Relations Club on 7th April 1934.
Rabindranath went to Ceylon  by Ichanga Ship to stage some dramas. A team of students and teachers went there in advance by train. They were greeted in Colombo by Sir Baron Jayatilaka also by the citizens of Ceylon in Y.M.C.A. hall which was broadcasted in Radio Ceylon. Rabindranath recited a poem.They were invited by the Business Magnets of  domiciled Indians.
(Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka (13 February 1868 - 29 May 1944) (known as D.B. Jayatilaka) was a Sri Lankan educationalist, statesmen and diplomat. He was Vice President of the Legislative Council of Ceylon; the Minister for Home Affairs and Leader of the House of the State Council of Ceylon; and Representative of Government of Ceylon in New Delhi)
The students of Santiniketan staged "Sapmochan" and also art exhibition of Rabindranath took place.
This was the third time that Rabindranath came to Ceylon. He came here in 1922 and 1928. But no team of students came at that time. The ceylonese did not witnessed Indian Dances earlier.They enjoyed by witnessing the Indian dances. This cultuyral expedition by Rabindranath took place since the victory of Ceylon by Bijoy Singh of Bengal.
Some students from Ceylon came to Santiniketan fro study but after this occasion a good number of students used to come to Santiniketan.
Despite Colombo they went to Gaulle, Horana, Mataru  and other places there.They staged Sapmochan for consecutive three days in Colombo.They observed Candy dance there.Rabi dranath completed his "Char Adhyay.
They also went to Jaffna where people of Tamil lived in large number.
They returned back on 15th June, 1934.