Monday, April 30, 2012

Rabindranath in Holland (contd-2) - 1920

On 21st Sept. Pearson reached Amsterdom with Sultan Singh of Delhi. Rathindranath went to visit with his party in Amsterdam to see the Gallery of pictures, accurium etc keeping his father to take rest.
On and from 23rd Sept Rabindranath started delivering his lecture in Holland.On this morning he went to Colonial Institute of Amsterdam and was introduced with the director and Prof Van Eerde,who showed him the ruins of the temple of Java, and life style of the public, sample of art-sculpture and works of light and shed and said that he would send the publications of Java and Bali to Viswa Bharati. In the evening he read the essay on
 " Some Village Mystics of Bengal"  in the "Church Of the Christians". About 1500 Theosophists and religious persons attentively listened his lecture. Rathindranath thought that though all of them knew English still they might not follow some of the fine twists of Rabindranath .Moreover Rabindranath read it very fast. After the lecture Rabindranath was introduced with some important persons of the locality. They returned  their home at about mid-night.
On 24th Sept Rabindranath was introduced with Mr. Moojen who was given the charge of discovering the ruins of the temples of Java and Bali. 
Rabindranath read the essay " The meeting of the East and West" in the evening in the University of Amsterdam.
On that day he read the essay "Village Mystics of Bengal' in Theosophical Society.
University of Leiden is one of the important university where there is a dept. of oriental studies. Rabindranath was greeted by  Prof of Arbi, J S Hurgronje and prof of the Dept of Sanskrit Dr.J.Ph. Vogel. On seeing all these persons Rabindranath said to Bidhushekhar Sashtri, ' "the work of Viswa Bharati is going on  both sides of the ocean.