The Director of Lewis Institute Dr. Edwin Herber Lewish (1866-1938) invited Rabindranath also.He accepted both the invitation. At first he was hesitant.He wrote to Hemlata Devi on 16th Dec ;" we are thinking of going to Chicago on next Saturday. We hope to have a journey to different places, may be to some distant places. "
He accepted the invitation of Rochestor and informed them. . On 20th Dec ( 7th Paush) Wendt acknowledged the receipt of his acceptance. Rathindranath and Pratima went to Chicago in advance on 22nd Dec. Before that in the morning of 7th Paush (22nd Dec) Rabindranath and his four accompaniment performed the pryer for the auspicious day &th Paysh. and wrote to Ajit Kumar;
" When I was sitting in my bed room in the evening and lighted the candle, I was feeling a pain at the middle of my heart, which I cannot express. I remembred that this was your morning time and you were going for morning prayer of 7th paush since we had a difference of 12 hrs time. Perhaps your festival was pulling me with a great force. At 5 am in the morning, we are at our festival time. We five sat on a rag in my bed room. You are having evening programme at that time. The auspicious day of 7th Paush cannot leave me alone. The festival day of 7h Paush is sitting in my heart. I have picked up this auspicious day from the ashram."
Discarding the invitation of Chicago, Rabindranath wrote to Rothenstein on 30th Dec. ;
" I had several invitations to go to Chicago but I have succeeded in warding them off. I have not come to discover America or to be discovered by Americans.". But Rothenstein told on 2nd Dec to Rabindranath ;
" I am too good humoured to say "no' to any body, if persistently pressed."
Rabindranath wrote Jagadananda Roy on 4th Jan;
" Rathis were in Chicago for some days. I too got some invitations -- but I couldnot settle my mind to go there amidst crowd. Recently I am suffering from felicitation-fobia. The only poem he constructed in America was, ' Ke nibi go kine amay, ke nibi go kine'. In that poem he expressed his refusal to all of powers, money and even the beauties of women and surrendered himself to a simple child. But here he could not . He bowed down himself to the call of affectionn and respect of the people of this place."
Rabindranath started for Chicago on 19th Jan., 1913.
