Rabindranath and Sylvain Levi

Sylvain Lévi was an orientalist and indologist. Born in Paris on March 28, 1863, his book Théâtre Indien is an important work on the subject. Lévi also conducted some of the earliest analysis of Tokharian fragments discovered in Western China.
Born: March 28, 1863, Paris
Died: October 30, 1935, Paris

Rabindranath was informed that Sylvain Levi had started for India from France with his wife on 14th Oct 1921.He became anxious to see that the dream of "union of east and west",  he was keeping in his mind since long,  was going to be fulfilled. When he was in Prague he enquired  Prof Vincenc Lesney whether it would be possible for Prof. Dr. Bernard Geiger, the famous orientalist of Vienna University to become a visiting Professor in Viswa Bharati. He also asked Prof. Lesney to come to Viswa Bharati .Lesney informed on 27th Oct that both of them were eager to join work from next session.Rabindranath became pleased to learn all these things. At the same time he was sad to think that the political situation of his country was not in favour of all these ideals. He wrote all these to Brajendranath Seal in a letter on 31st Oct; " I got hurt at the news of the recently developed sense of differences in the field of education in our country. I am feeling lonely. I have to do things alone when I wanted to do it. Though it gives an opportunity to maintain its purity but without any human cooperation, ones mind becomes sad and tiredsome. And thus the poet inside takes me to task."   The same thing he wrote to Thomas Sturge Moore;  The Strenuous feeling of oppression struggling within me against the political fanaticism which has been blinding our vision, blurring our perspective of humanity was wearing me out, because it was alien to my own realm of truth. I know, as a poet, my work is not for achieving immediate results in urgent human affairs . Even my idea of the International University, growing into an obsession, is hampering mein my life's work...The spreading of the desert of heartless efficiency in the human world cannot be checked by institutions, but by all that have the sap and rythm of life in them however small they may be."       

Rabindranath and Gandhiji (contd - 1)

Rabindranath wrote a letter to Amiya Chakraborty against the letter he wrote to H.G.Wells, on 4th Sept, 1921,
"I wanted to invite him (H.G.Wells) one day. But  the people of our country is so disinclined to the people of foreign countries that it would not yield good result, at present, if he would come to India. Gandhi says, that the people of the universe are committing sins in the name of science. But many sins have been committed in the name of religion. He (Gandhi) fought in our country against  untouchability for some days, that too was in the name of religion. Peoples are doing thousands of sinful activities in the name of religion. The practice of widows burning themselves on their husband's pyres was also done in the name of religion. But none, even Gandhi, does advice us to uproot the religion from its existence."
He remembered this  incident as because of Gandhi's indecent statement towards Rammohan Roy which Gandhi  uttered in a public meeting at Cuttak in respect of  learning of English ;
" Tilak and Rammohan   would have been far greater men if they had  not had the contagion of English learning ....Rammohan and Tilak (leave aside my case) were so many pygmies who had no hold upon the people compared with Chaitanya, Sankar, Kabir,and Nanak.Rammohan ,Tilak were pygmies before these saints.   What Sankar alone was able to do, the whole army of English-knowing men can't do... I highly  revere Tilak and Rammohan. It is my conviction that if Rammohan and Tilak had not received this education but had  their natural training they would have done greater things like Chaitanya. "
Probably, Gandhi did not know that both Rammohan and Tilak had deep knowledge about the ancient scriptures. Though Andrews had deep regards on Gandhiji, he could not support Gandhi's statement about Rammohan and Tilak and an article titled " Raja Ram Mohan Roy and English Education" where he protested against the statement of Gandhi;
" I strongly protest against Mahatma Gandhi's trying to cry down such great personalities of modern India as Ram Mohan Roy in his blind zeal for declaiming against our modern education....."
The letter of Rabindranath written from Hamburg also contained this context. Where he termed Ram Mohan Roy as the pioneer  modern age " Bharat Pathik". 

Rabindranath and Gandhiji - 1921

A portion of a letter from Rabindranath to Gandhiji which relates Rabindranath's attitude towards the non-cooperation movement launched by Congress under the leadership of Gandhiji.
April 12, 1919


Shanti Niketan,

April 12, 1919

Dear Mahatmaji,

Power in all it's forms is irrational, - it is like the horse that drags the carriage blindfolded. The moral element in it is only represented in the man who drives the horse. Passive resistance is a force which is not necessarily moral in itself; it can be used against truth as well as for it. The danger inherent in all force grows stronger when it is likely to gain success, for then it becomes temptation.

I know your teaching is to fight against evil by the help of good. But such a fight is for heroes and not for men led by impulses of the moment. Evil on one side naturally begets evil on the other, injustice leading to violence and insult to vengefulness. Unfortunately such a force has already been started, and either through panic or through wrath our authorities have shown us the claws whose sure effect is to drive some of us into the secret path of resentment and others into utter demoralization. In this crisis you, as a great leader of men, have stood among us to proclaim your faith in the ideal which you know to be that of India, the ideal which is both against the cowardliness of hidden revenge and the cowed submissiveness of the terror-stricken. You have said, as Lord Buddha, has done in his time and for all the time to come,-

Akkodhena jine kodham, asadhum sadhuna jine,- "Conquer anger by the power of non-anger and evil by power of good".

This power of good must prove its truth and strength by its fearlessness, by its refusal to accept any imposition which depends for its success upon its power to produce frightfulness and is not ashamed to use its machines of destruction to terrorize a population completely disarmed. We must know that moral conquest does not consist in success, that failure does not deprive it of its dignity and worth. Those who believe in spiritual life know that to stand against wrong which has overwhelming material power behind it is victory itself,- it is the victory of the active faith in the ideal in the teeth of evident defeat.

I have always felt and said accordingly, that the great gift of freedom can never come to a people through charity. We must win it before we can own it. And India's opportunity for winning it will come to her when she can prove she is morally superior to the people who rule her by their right of conquest. She must willingly accept her penance of suffering- the suffering which is the crown of the great. Armed with her utter faith in the goodness she must stand unabashed before the arrogance that scoffs at the power of spirit.

And you have come to your motherland in the time of her need to remind her of her mission, to lead her into the true path of conquest, to purge her present day politics of its feebleness which imagines that it has gained its purpose when it struts in the borrowed feathers of diplomatic dishonesty.

This is why I pray most fervently that nothing tends to weaken our spiritual freedom may intrude into your marching line, that martyrdom for the cause of truth may never degenerate into fanaticism for mere verbal forms, descending into the self-deception that hides itself behind sacred names ....................

Rabindranath in Bengal (India) - 1921

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis wrote in his diary on 14 Dec 1922, " One day Rathi Babu proposed me that let us try to form an organisation namely, " Viswa Bharati Bandhu Sabha". I agreed. We arranged "Barsha Mangal" ( First Year) and a " Satyer Ahban " in the last year from this organisation. But we did not arrange officially for publicly announcing the name of this organisation in any news paper or it was not seen in any book like the memoirs of Sita Devi.  Before its formal inauguration in Jorasanko on 8th April ( 25th Chaitra), 1922, Rathindranath and Sita Devi introduced this organisation as " Viswa Bharati Sangha" ( vide " Punya Smriti",  p-236-37). Though there was an active organisation in Santiniketan with the same name, the organisation of Calcutta became known with same name.

Haraprasad Shastri (Bengali: হরপ্রসাদ শাস্ত্রী) (6 December 1853 – 17 November 1931), also known as Haraprasad Bhattacharya, was an Indian academic, Sanskrit scholar, archivist and historian of Bengali literature. He is most known for discovering the Charyapada, the earliest known examples of Bengali literature .

Rabindranath was felicitated by " Rabindra Mangal", an organisation developed for the purpose,  at Bangiya  Sahitya Parishad. The meeting was presided by Maharaja Jagadindranath Roy of Natore. (Maharaja JAGADINDRA NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Rajshahi, a great Patron of Cricket, making the first ever all Bengali Cricket Team in the British Raj, he was indispute with Rani Hemanta Kumari Devi of Puthia regarding territories in Pukhuria ; Member of Rangapur Sahitya Parisad; he was granted the title of Maharaja as a personal distinction on 1st Janaury 1877)

The programme started with an inaugural song written by the poet Satyendranath Dutta. The president of the Parishad HaraprasadShastriwas not present on the occasion.  

He sent his blessings which was read by Khagendranath Chattopadhyay;

Sreeman Rabindranath,

When you were a mere boy, the Bengalees were moved by your poetry. As you grew older, your genius began to blosom in your poems. Your genius gradually spread from your country to abroad encircling all the avenues literature. At first it was expressed only in poetry, then it gradually spread in Prose, Novel, Drama, short stories, long stories, criticisms, politics in all the avenues of human life. The branches of literature where you put your hand, you made it lively and flourishing. Because you possessed a life by yourselves in which there was softness as well as vigour, as it had hypnotic power so it had intoxicating power - as it had insight so it had farsight. Your genius were  in all direction, in all embracing and in all fascinating. You had mixed up music with your literature and icreased glory of both of them which put you at the top of your fame. 

Since the British empire was established, your ancestors occuppied greatest position in wealth and prestige, in knowledge and intelligence, and in courage of good qualities made r family to ascend a highest position is country. Your genius made it further enrichd and bright. Bengal is always moved with your qualities - India is glorified. Your genius and long life had thrown light to the  east and the West. You had come back again to your country after visiting the world several times .Let you live for hundred years, thousand years in your life........."

Sree Haraprasad Shastri

President, Bengal Sahitya Parishad.

Two daughters Lila and Ila Devi of Jatindranath Bagchi, garlanded him  satyendranath Dutta, Manilal Gangopadhyay, Kalidas Nag, Kumudranjan Mallik, Jatindramohan Bagchi, Karunanidhan Bandyopadhyay, and Mankumari Basu read poems before him. Hirendranath Dutta referred his his long service to the Parishad and said high of him.; He gifted cpies of books published by Parishad to him.

Rabidranath in reply to his felicitation said that he had come back to his country again though he was given highest order of honour in different countries. He also mentioned the felicitation he was given by Ramendra Sundar Trivedi for completing  50 years of his living on earth in this Parished.

          

(video) Rabindranath and Barsha Utsab in Calcutta

Rabindranath became inspired at the success of the Barsha Utsab at Santiniketan this year. He wanted to arrange a programme  similar to that of Santiniketan.He constructed five barsha sangeet on this occasion.

26 Aug - Badala meghe Badala Baje

27 Aug - O Go Aamar Shrabana Megher Kheyatarir Majhi

29 Aug - Timira Abagunthane Badana Taba dhaki

31 Aug - Ei Shrabaner buker bhitar Aagun Ache

2 sept - Megher Kole Kole jay re chale (video)
All the songs of Barsha were published in Bharati in Ashwin issue titled "Barsha-Mangal". Sita Devi wrote;
" Rehearsal  of Barsha Utsab to be held in Calcutta was started in full swing. Oneday I went to look at the rehearsal - I found, "In one room the girls are taking their lesson in songs from Nalini Devi and Arundhati Sarkar and in another room  Rabindranath  is teaching songs to boys. I took my seat in the girls room. After some time the Poet came to this room with the boys. The rehearsal took a different phase. A competitive mind was also developed. After a few days I again went there and saw a huge arrangement . the music team of Santiniketan has appeared, Maharaja of Natore has arrived with his family. There wee also other spectators. Amongst them there were some European and Japanese also. Songs started in the sitting room of Rabindranath. then for want of space, the rehearsal was shifted to the hall of Vichitra. There were many instruments to take part in the rehearsal such as, Piano, Sarengi, Esraj, etc. Once Jagadish Chandra came stayed there for some time.On that day the rehearsal took a final shape.perhaps better than the final show."

A stage was prepared on  the land situated at the back of the house of Vichitra where the programme was held. Dr. Panchanan wrote; " Nandalal Basu and other artists took the direction of the dress and stage management. The stage was prepared by placing four legged wooden cot under the nut tree on which blue cloth sheet was spread."
A 20-page booklet was prepared on this occasion ; Barsha Mangal/6, Dwarakanath Thakurer gali/ Kalikata/ Bhadra 1328/ price 4 annas. At the back of the booklet press-line was given. Kantick Press / 22, Sukia Street, Calcutta / printed and published by Sri Kalachand Dalal.. Seventeen songs were printed in this booklet.
Sita Devi wrote; " On the first day the programme was not appreciable excepting 1/2 songs. The poet's recitation along with Mridanga (one kind of percussion) was very nice though his voice was choked to some extent. The oercormance was better on the second day."
The programme was not liked by the people of non-cooperation movement.    

Rabindranath and Jagattarini Medal

Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, CIE (Bengali: আশুতোষ মুখোপাধ্যায়) (1864–1924) was a prolific Bengali educator and the first Indian Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta from 1906 to 1924. Perhaps the most emphatic figure of Indian education, he was a man of great personality, high self-respect, courage and towering administrative ability. He became the first student to be awarded a dual degree (MA in Mathematics and Physics) from Calcutta University and received the prestigious Premchand-Roychand scholarship.
Sir Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay wanted to donate Govt. debenture papers amounting to Rs. 3000/- on 19th April, 1921 to Calcutta University for awarding  a medal in his mother's name titled " Jagattarini Medal. since 1921. The syndicate of Calcutta University took decision in the affirmative.According to this proposal a committee was formed with the persons Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay, Chunilal Basu, Amulya Charan Vidyabhushan, Dinesh Chandra Sen, and B.C.Majumdar to fix the name to whom the award was given for the year 1921. The meeting of the award committee decided unanimously ;

" We  recommend that the Jagattarini madal for 1921, be awarded to Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, D.lit.,as most eminent fo r original contribution to letters written in Bengali Language. Among his chief contributions  may mentioned Gitanjali, Balaka, Kathika, and Galpaguchcha." It is to be noted that Rabindranath did not publish any book in the name Kathika.The poems were published in Lipka
    The genius of Nazrul Islam since his first appearance in the field of Bengali literature has never been in doubt. The different aspects of his contribution - as a poet of the people, as a writer of songs, as a fearless fighter for our national freedom - have been gratefully acknowledged by his countrymen. In 1945, the University of Calcutta had honoured him with the Jagattarini Medal - the highest honour of that period for original contribution to the literature of Bengal. After Independence.

Rabindranath and Music

Prativa Devi (Daughter of Hemendra Nath) established a Music School, named Sangeet Sangha. Its 8th annual conference was held on 21 Aug at University Institute Hall. Rabindranath was felicitated on the occasion. Tickets for entry were sold at the rate of Rs. 5/-,3/-, 2/-, 1/- and .50 p. Rs. 1500/- was collected by selling tickets which was donated to the Famine Relief fund of Khulna.

Rabindranath sung many songs, orchestra party played instrumental music, and Prativa Devi  read an address of honour which she  handed over  to Rabindranah. Rabinranath  was garlanded and a Rakhi was fastened in his hand with song of "Bandemataram".

In reply to the felicitation, Rabindranath narrated from his memoirs about his music training in his childhood  which was published in "Sabuj Patra" [ Sangeet Chinta 28/741-44]. He said;

" He did not practice music in his childhood, but his house was full of musical environment. A  frame work of classical music had spontaneously been developed in his mind. He knew the finer tunings of different Ragas and Ragini, but his mind did not entangle within it. When he began to construct music, it took the tune of villages of Bengal." He added, " The melody that was accumulated in my mind, it came hand in hand with words. My intimate love for music since my boyhood wanted to express itself, it did not come out in pure musical note. It mixed up with its lyric, and it became  difficult to find out which one is greater and which one is smaller.This is the speciality of Bengali folk song. The lyric in Bengali music does not follow its melody, it goes hand in hand, with its lyric. The feelings within one's heart are expressed in its literature. That is why we worship maxim more than anything else. But the maxim cannot expose itself completely . That is why melody has its seat by the side of lyric. The true example of this is found in Kirtan and this is the reason of drawback of instrumental music.But it is difficult to maintain its sanctity if it mixes up  with lyrics.But if one can master both simultaneously, he dominates music as a whole." At the end of his lecture he described the merits of the organisation.
The programme ended with the song " Desha desha nandita kari".   .        

Rabindranath [1861 -1941] and Sarat Chandra [1876 -1938] (contd-2)

The slogan, "Swaraj in a year", invented by M.K.Gandhi,  created a magic influence over the minds of Indians so that even the intellectuals like Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay whom Rabindranath once called a " great living artiste of Bengal " was waiting in trembling heart for the supernatural date and was reluctant to discuss on this subject because he would get hurt with any word against it.
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was then a strong supporter of Non-Cooperation Movement. He became the president of Howrah Congress Committee by the proposal of Chittaranjan Das. One  day [ 23rd July, 1921]  he came to Rabindranath Tagore and proposed him to support the Non-Cooperation and Charka Movement. But the poet did not agree with the proposal. At this Sarat Chandra left the place with displeasure.Since then Sarat Chandra was acting as anti-Rabindranath for some time. Romain Rolland mentioned about the grievances of Rabindranath, " Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay whom Rabindranath called "a greatest living artiste of Bengal and a man of highest conscience".
In the mean time the news papers supporting the non-cooperation and Boycott movement became vocal against the "essay" . The mentionable protest was made by the president of Howrah Zilla Congress Committee, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. He wrote an essay " Shikshar Birodh" which  he read in " Gouriya Sarbavidyayatan and was published in the the paer " Narayan" in Agrahayan issue, edited by  one of the leader of non-cooperation  Chittaranjan Das.
But after some time, out of repentance, Sarat Chandra wrote a letter to Rabindranath on 9th May, 1921,
"  I got information from from different sources that you are very much displeased with me. I might have said something in a heated moment which is not applicable to you . ..... I have surely said something which I should not have said...
I had come from your place in an offensive way. Probably from that time  I said some irrelavant words . I might have thought that let the people misunderstand me. I have done much wrong to you, and taking this as my first mistake please forgive me.I am one amongst your large number of followers who do not say anything ill of you . I do not know how I have done a mistake at that time ."              

Rabindranath [1861 -1941] and Sarat Chandra [1876 -1938](contd-1)

( contd. from post March 29 2012)

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Amal Mome in a letter on 16 Aug 1919, " Once C.R.Das [Chittaranjan Das] said to me that when Rabibabu accepted the Knighthood, he sheded tears." Dr. Rashbehari Ghosh was also honoured by the same title on the same year. Amrita Bazar Patrika  wrote on this occasion ; " We  must, however, confess that the old familiar names Dr. Rash Behari and Rabi Babu sound sweeter in our ears than Sir Rashbehari and Sir Rabindranath."

On 14th Nov 1917, Rabindranath read the essay " Choto O Baro" in Vichitra. among the audience Novel writer sarat Chandra was present wearing simple dress.Probably this was the first time he saw Rabindranath personally.

On 28th March 1918, Sarat Chandra read a short story, " Bilasi', in Vichitra. Rabindranath wrote to Rathindranatyh The story read by Sarat Chandra in Vichitra was not bad. I think it was liked by all. "

 On 8th May 1918, the birth day of Rabindranath was celebrated gorgeously with friends and relatives. Many songs were sung , specially from "Mayar Khela". Saratchandra was also present. But suddenly he left the place hurriedly.  

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (Bengali: শরত্চন্দ্র চট্টোপাধ্যায়) (15 September 1876 – 16 January 1938) is one of the most popular Bengali novelists and short story writers of early 20th century.

Ghosh, Rashbehari (1845-1921) lawyer, social worker, philanthropist. Born in the village of Khandaghosh in Burdwan district, Rashbehari Ghosh had an outstanding educational career, achieving top positions in all his public examinations from FA to MA. Ghosh was a legendary figure in the legal profession during the early twentieth century. He made a fabulous fortune through his legal practice, but donated much of it by way of charity and endowments. In 1913, he established an endowment for scientific studies at Calcutta University with an initial capital of ten lakh rupees. He also donated thirteen lakh rupees to establish an educational institution at Jadavpur, which was later upgraded into the Jadavpur University.

Rashbehari Ghosh was a Congress activist of the moderate wing. He had deep faith in progress but was opposed to radicalism in any form. His ability and contributions earned him a series of honours, such as the Tagore Law Professorship (1875-76) at Calcutta University, an honorary DL degree from Calcutta University (1884), a seat on the Bengal Legislative Council (1891-94, 1906-09), and knighthood (1915). Rashbehari Ghosh died 28 February 1921

Barsha-Utsab, 12 Aug-1921, Santiniketan

After a few days Santiniketan observed Barsha Sangeet on 12 Aug 1921. This was to be held on 19th July, but due to tiredness and illness of Rabindranath it was shifted to this date.
Rabindranath became enthusiastic at the success of this programme.
On 14th Aug, rabindranath came to Calcutta. The booklet titled " Shikshar Milan" was published on this date.
SHIKSHAR MILAN - [ Coordination of Culture]  A plea for devising  system of education co-ordinating all that was good  in Eastern and Western Culture.
Jatiya Shiksha Parishad arranged a felicitation ceremony of Rabindranath to be presided by Ashutosh Choudhury on 15th Aug,1921,  at University Institute Hall. Rabindranath read the essay Shikshar Milan on that day.
Though invitation cards were issued to different persons for this occasion , the huge number of people, inspite of bad weather, came to attend the programme since at 12 o'clock though it was to be started at 4 pm and at about 5.30 pm it became impossible to manage the situation due to heavy rush. at about 5.45 pm Rabindranath and Andrews came to the hall when the mob became out of control and they rushed into the hall.
When Rabindranath wanted to read his essay, the mob was putting slogans, Bandemataram, Gandhijiki Joy etc., but Rabindranath calmly and patiently read his essay.
Jatindranath Choudhury requested the audience not to clapp their hands at the middle of the lecture.Because he knew that most of the Indians had given up clapping as it was not an syatem. Jatindranath Choudhury raised the proposal of vote of thanks which was supported by Bipin Chandra Pal.
The essay "Shikshar Milan" was published in Sabuj Patra, Pravasi and Bharati.
Romain Rolland wrote in his diary about the lecture on 27th June 1926 that he had heard the news from Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis,' After returning from Europe when Rabindranath first addressed the people in Calcutta, a large number of people had occuppied the hall before the scheduled time for beginning. This was a general practice to greet Rabindranath when he used to enter the hall. But today there was no such sign, only a frozen-silence prevailed from beginning to end. If his influence as a great poet, his global reckonition was absent he might have been killed or would tear him  off.

On 18th Aug in the afternoon at the Alfred Theatre Hall Rabindranath delivered a lecture "On Education" in a meeting presided by Acharya Prafulla Chjandra Roy. The Indian daily News reported, " we are asked to state that the lecture of Dr. Rabindranath Tagore on "The Problem of Education" announced to bedelivered at the Alfredtheatre this evening will not be a repetition of the University Institute Lecture. The poet's song  will be given by a choir. Admission will be by tickets priced re. 1, annas 8 and 4 eachto be had at the Indian publishing House.

Sita devi was present in this meeting also.She wrote, " Inspite of heavy rain, the assembly was good and there were good number of females.The president entered the hall after the speaker's entry and rushed to Rabindranath to embrace him. Before the beginning of the meeting an opening song was sung, " Desha desha nandita kari , mandrita taba bheri" .In introducing Rabindranath, the president said, " I have devoted myself in  studying science through out my life, I can defifinitely say that it may be possible for India to give up everything of Europe its development of science and humanities. Then we have to face disaster." 

At the beginning of his lecture Rabindranath said, " i am not representing any political party".

Sita Devi wrote, " This time he did not read from his writings. He delivered his lecture orally and became emotional  at the end of his speech as if burning lava is coming out from his mouth.".the meeting ended by sining the song, "Jana gana mana adhinayaka" Rs.660.25 p were collected by selling tickets which was handed to the famine-relief fund of Khulna.

The Bengalee  commented  on 21 Aug about the lecture, " His last lecture at the Alfred Theatre on Thursday was a surprise to many of his non-cooperating friends, amongst whom the speech has caused siderable flutter."

The verbal lecture note was published in New India  of Madras.    

There were many supporters  of Non-cooperation Movement in Santiniketan but their reactions towards this essay was not available.       

Rabindranath in India - 1921

The ship Morea carrying Rabindranath with his party and Sbhas chandra Basu on 16th July,1921 at Bombay port. The daughter of Surendranath and  Arabindo Mohan Basu, the nephew of Jagadish Chandra, arrived met them on 2nd July at the ship. Rabindranath took the train immediately the train Bombay-Howrah mail via Allahabad. Sita Devi wrote in her "Punyasmriti", " Prasanta Chandra [Mahalanabis] met them at the Burdwan station and informed us in the morning of 18th July that the poet is alright". Prasanta Chandra himself wrote on this issue;

" The poet started for India and will not stay for a single day in Bombay. He will to Santiniketan via Burdwan  inthe overnight corresponding train. I went to Burdwan station in night just before the scheduled date and passed the night in the station.The train reached the platform early in the morning when daylight was yet visible.I got in the train and bowed down my head before him and saw that the face of the Poet was serious. The first word he uttered to me, " Prasanata, I came to the country where Rammohan was called a Pigmy." After so many days, this was his first introduction. He then opened his mind, I was  getting letters from Andrews, Suren and others staying abroad and was thinking myself -  I shall surely take the responsibility to do what I'm to do and trying to get myself ready for this during my journey and when the ship reached shore I got a news paper just before I got down from the ship and saw  astonished that Rammohan Roy was termed "a pigmy" because he learnt English - this was the head line news of our news paper. I can't forget this any more."
But this news he first received on 10 May 1921 when he was in Switzerland. He protested in the letter written  to Andrews about the comment of Gandhiji.
The fifth session of the conference of Viswa Bharati was held in Kalabhavan of Santiniketan on 18th July. Gurudev reached Santiniketan inthe morning but could not attend the session due to his ill health. Rathindranath narrated in a nutshell their journey in the meeting.
On the next day, 19th July, " Purnima Sammilani" - the scheduled printed programme which was distributed stated twelve songs would be sung. But since Rabindranath was not able to participate due to his tiredness it was held on  15th Aug ( 27th Shraban).
On 20th July, Rabindranath came to Calcutta. The Statesman   wrote, " Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, the great poet, has reached Calcutta after a prolonged tour of Europe and America. It will be interesting to watch the attitude of the poet towards the present situation in India."
                

Rabindranath and Subhas Chandra Basu

Subhas Chandra Basu [1897 - ? ] Obtained Tripos degree from the University of Cambridge in Mental and Moral Science in 1920  and stood fourth in order of merit in the ICS Examination but he did not join the service of the British Authority and joined the freedom movement of India. Incidentally,  he was moving to Bombay in the same ship in which  Rabindranath Tagore was also going to India and they met each other.
Subhas Chandra wrote in his autobiography; "describing in detail when  he came to Sriniketan, Calcutta, to inaugurate Shilpa Bhavan on 8th Dec 1938" ;
" Today I remember an incident 24 years back when I was student.  One day we, 15/20 students, came to Rabindranath for seeking his advice . I think all of you remember the state  of Bengal and that of India,  24 years back. The youths of India were  attracted by different forces created from different directions.  The ideals of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda were attracting them in one direction and the freedom struggle led by the revolutionaries of India was acting in another direction. At that time, we did not have any  idea about the topics he might  mention to us."  He said, on that day, about his ideas of reconstruction of villages and its necessity in our country. He took long time but there was no excitement in his speech. At first we could not follow his advice why he was talking about a dull programme of reconstruction  of villages. To speak frankly, we did not get any inspiration from him on that day.... After 1921 when Mahatma Gandhi took the leadership of freedom movement of India, the term "reconstruction of village was heard in the mouths of males and females of India and some works had also been started in that direction as per the instruction of Mahatma Gandhi.  But the thing is that  we have heard these words from our Poet in 1914 and he is the pioneer of such ideas in India."
 In 1916 when Subhas chandra was a student of Presidency College the " Oten-incident made Rabindranath acquainted with the name of Subhas Chandra. He wrote an essay " Indian students and Western Teachers" to rouse the sympathy of the general people against the punishment given to Subhas chandra and the other students  by Lord Carmichael and the then  English teachers. The copies of the translation in English of the essay written by Rabindranath ,  published in Modern Review, were sent to several persons.Though he could not save the students from their punishment but it had expressed his own sympathetic feeling to Subhas Chandra and other students.
When Rabindranath was in Cambridge in his tour programme, Subhas Chandra was reading Tripos in Cambridge, After resigning from the civil service he wrote to Charu Chandra Gangopadhyay, " I could not fix up my mind , what I should do now. Either to go to Ramkrishna Mission, or to Bolpur, Santiniketan."
In the mean time he met Rabindranath in the same ship in which he was going to India.Here, also,
 Rabindranath said to him about the constructive work of reconstruction of villages of India. Subhas Chandra wrote, " we had also the opportunity of discussing  about the policy of non-cooperation movement accepted by the Congress . He was not, in principle, against this policy.His earnest desire is to do more and more constructive work so that we can for an independent state within another state. What he said at that time has  got similarity with that Sinn Fein movemen (Sinn Féin- English pronunciation: /ˌʃɪnˈfɛɪn/, shin-FAYN, Irish: [ʃɪnʲ fʲeːnʲ]) is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970 after a split within the party. Sinn Féin is led by Gerry Adams. Sinn Féin is the only party in Ireland which has elected representatives in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.^[6] The party has historically been associated with the Provisional IRAt of Ireland. ) " Subhas Chandra said that he too possessed the same opinion.
On 21 June 1920, hen Rabindranath was in Cambridge, Subhas Chandra was a student and on 22April 1921, after resigning from ICS , he wrote to Charuchandra Gangopadhyay , ' Still I cannot decide what to do, either to go to Ramkrishna Mission or to Bolpore " . Probably he was remembering the idea of  reconstrution of villages of Rabindranath.
While moving in the ship he met again with Rabindranath who also spoke him
about the reconstruction of villages.
But after coming to India Subhas Chandra joined the non-cooperation movement under the leadership of Chittaranjan Das and the difference of opinion with Rabindranath was gradually enlarged.
                

Rabindranath in Europe (contd-20) - !921

Just before leaving Berlin Rabindranath wrote to Andrews on 4th June, 1921;
" I saw "Post Office" acted in Berlin Theatre. The girl who took the part of Amal was delightful in her acting and altogether the whole thing was a success. But it was a different interpretation from that of ours in our own acting in Vichitra. I had been trying to define the difference in my mind, when Dr. Otto of Margburg University, who was among the audience, hit upon it. He said that the German interpretation was suggestive of a fairy story, full of elusive beauty, whereas the inner significance of this play is spiritual."

Rabindranath, Rathindranath, and Bomanji left Berlin by train to Munich on 4th June.  The compartment, boarded by them, was joined  to another train. The train reached Munich one hour late of the scheduled time.The publisher Kurt Wolff greeted them and took them to  the Hotel Continental.
On 7 June Rabindranath, at 8 pm  in the Auditorium Hall of Munich University, read the essay "The message of the East" and recited some his poems in Bengali and  English and some slokas in Sanskrit.
He distributed the portion of the profit accrued by selling his books in German Translation to the poor students of Munich.
They left Munich and started for Frank Furt on 8th June.
They were greeted by Grand Duke of Hesse when they arrived in Frankfurt in the morning, who took them to the new palace Neues Palis of Darmstatt .
Keyserling  wrote on  27th April, " The Grand duke of Hesse .... desires me to tell you that he hopes you will accept to be his guest, with members of your family that accompanying at his palace here,'
The same thing was repeated in the letter dated 7th May.
In the evening Prof Hermann Jacobi met Rabindranath they had discussions on Indian prosody.The third son of Keyserling  Prince Augustus Wilhelm, Sister of Keyserling and his nephews met in a lunch with Rabindranath. They stayed in  Darmstatt for few days.
It was declared officially to observe "Tagore Week" from this day. Keyserling was the main co-ordinator of this programme. He also acted  as an interpretor. 
On everyday at 10.30 am in the morning and at 3 pm he had to come to the top of the stairs in the garden outside the palace and people were to assemble there in front of him. No formal lecture was arranged here. Different persons from audience would ask him  different questions as they liked and he had to reply them in English.Keyserling would translate those in German.In the evening he recited some of the translation from his writings in English and then read the Bengali version of those poems  in the  City Hall before a huge gathering.Keyserling at first introduced him before the audience  and  then transated the verses in German.Lastly Rabindranath read some  hymns from the  Vedas.The papers expressed mixed reactions about this programme.
In the dinner the famous music director Ballin was present.and they had attractive discussions on music.
On 11 th June, the morning assembly was held as usual and in the evening he discussed orally the subject of  the essay, "East and West". At the dinner many persons came to be introduced vwith Rabindranath.
On 12th June in the morning the gathering was large, in comparison with other days,On 13th after lunch Rabindranath went to see the Frakfurt University.
On 14th June, he went to the Club of the workers of Darmstart.
He then came to Vienna and stayed there for two days After that  he came to Paris via Prague.
He started fror India from Paris on 1st July and boarded the ship "Morea" on 2nd June
Incidenatally, Subhas Chandra Basu after completing his Tripos and Civil Service examination securing 4th position in order of merit was coming back to India in the same ship..  

Rabindranath in Europe (Contd-19) - 1921

In 1920 the "Lautarchiv" was founded by Doegen; the archive became annexed to the sound department of the Prussian State Library. Africanist and phonetician Diedrich Westermann became director of this department. Dr. Wilhelm Doegen (While he was a teacher he developed a series of books and records produced by the record company Odeon with the title: "Doegens Unterrichtshefte für die selbständige Erlernung fremder Sprachen mit Hilfe der Lautschrift und der Sprechmaschine" (= Doegen's teaching booklets for the self-instruction in foreign languages by means of phonetic transcription and the speaking machine (= vulgo: record player) recorded the voice of Rabindranath on 4th June,1921, at Berlin. This was the first time , probably, that the voice of Rabindranath being recorded. Two records were taken, one-the lecture on "The Message of the Forest", second- a song sung by Rabindranath " Mor bina othe kon sure baji". Santosh Kumar De wrote on these two records

" 4.6.1921 the lecture of the poet was recorded. which took 2 min 30 seconds and the song took 3 min 15 sec secs time to play.

The Servant reported on 11 Aug  "... the University of Berlin took records of the poet's voice ( both speech and song) in copperplates for preservation in underground cellars for thousand of years along with his portrait and autograph."

Probably these records are still present in underground undamaged. But  the copies kept in the library were damaged in the WWII. The German scientist re-discovered it and the Prime Minister of German was pleased

to send copies to the Chancellor Acharya Jawaharlal  Nehru of Viswa Bharati in 1959.

Santosh De wrote that the German Consulate in Calcutta informed that there was another record of the voice of Tagore containing recitation of a sanskrit slokas. That was also taken by Prof Wilhelm Doegen and probably that was with him.. All the records were taken by Dr. Wilhelm Doegen.  

Rabindranath in Europe (contd-18) - 1921

The rector of Berlin University wrote a letter to Rabindranath on 30th May, requesting  him to deliver a lecture in the University. The queen of Baroda invited him in a lunch.

On 1st June, Jun Hugo Stinnes arranged a dinner in honour of Rabindranath Tagore.

On 2nd June he read " The message of  the Forest" in Berlin University at 12 O'clock.The arrangement of selling tickets was made. All the tickets were sold. The persons willing to attend the lecture but could not get tickets,  assembled there two hours  before the scheduled time and managed  to take their seats on the road and the staircase of the hall.The rush was so huge that it took more than an hour for Rabindranath to reach the stage.  Some  papers of England reported the news ironically under the capsion " Girl Students Trampled on in rush to Hear Rabinhdranath" and said;

" Scenes of frenzied hero worship marked a public lecture given by Sir Rabindranathy Tagore to-day at Berlin University. In the rush for seats many girl students fainted and were trampled on by the crowd.  

So great was the enthusiasm which greeted Tagore that the famous theologian Harnack, who presided, had difficulty in obtaining order. A promise that the lecture will be repeated tomorrowfailed to satisfy hundred of students who were  unable to obtain admittance to the lecture room, and eventually the police had to be summoned to eject them from the University."   

The other view was also focussed.  

The ex-professor of Arby language and at present  Education Minister Dr. Becker Deutsche Gessels Shaft arranged a dinner in honour of Tagore. Many important persons including , Ex-Foreign Minister Simons, director of National library Prof. Adolf von   Harnock [1851-1930], rector of Berlin University,Dr. Sekel, prof. of philosophy Dr. Troeltsch, the prof. of scripture of Marburg University Dr. Otto, write of opera Von Scilling  were present.

On 3rd June, he met the British Ambassador Viscount D'Abernon in British consulate of Germay.. His wife could not attend Tagore's lecture due to heavy rush. The ambassador wrote in his diary describing Rabindranath as " more impressive in appearence than most of the conceptions of Christ."

Mr. Nobel Junior offered him a lunch on this date.

In the evening, Rabindranath read " The Message of the Forest" in Berlin University as he proposed to do it. Thye Indian students of Germany entertained him in a tea party.

In the evening the re-established Minister Mr. Rathenau entertained him in a dinner at the house of Mrs. Edith Andreae..  

Rabindranath in Europe (contd -17)-1921

Rabindranath and his party started for Berlin from Stock Holm by train on 28th May in the evening. Huge number of people arrived at the station to bid him farewell. They reached Berlin on 29th May.Arabinda Mohan Basu was present at the station. The famous industrialist Hugo Stinnes

( Hugo Stinnes (12 February 1870 – 10 April 1924) was a German industrialist and
 politician ) came from south German to Berlin just to meet Rabindranath. Rabindranath and his party got in the Esplanade Hotel as his guest.
Rathindranath wrote in his diary that his father passed the whole day (30th May) in his room as he was feeling unwell.

Helmuth von Glasenapp, expert in Sanskrit and Indian affairs interviewed Rabindranath  in his room on behalf of Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung. Rabindranath said ;
" I do not consider Germany as simply the country of Goethe and Kant but a country which has shown much interest in Indian religion and language from ancient times. It is only the Germany who did not want to capture India for its worldly resources but tried to acquire the knowledge it had once arrived. " Rabindranath hoped that India and German by their mutual exchanges of philosophical ideas will be able to bridge the culture between East and West.

(Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (often abbreviated to DAZ) was a German newspaper that appeared between 1861 and 1945.
Until 1918 the title of the paper was Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung. Although Wilhelm Liebknecht, one of the founders of SPD and close associate of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, was member of the founding editorial board in 1861, the paper became soon a conservative flagship of the German press ("Bismarcks Hauspostille"). At the end of the First World War, the name was changed to "Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung", under the intention to form a conservative yet democratic equivalent to the London "Times" in Germany and give the Reich a more democratic image. Various liberal and conservative writers worked for DAZ at that time, Otto Flake was head of the Cultural Section ( called "Feuilleton" in German newspapers ), people like the historian Egmont Zechlin and the German-Turkish journalist Dr. Friedrich Schrader worked for the paper)

Rabindranath in America (contd-16) - 1921

At the invitation of the Arch Bishop Rabindranath went to a Upsala city 40 miles off from Stock Holm  on 28th May with by the car of Counts. Arch Bishop of St5ock Holm took him cordially to the famous Cathedral and the University. They had their dinner in the house of the Arch Bishop with 30/40 important persons. The Arch Bishop  under his own leadership took Rabindranath  in a procession with the students of the Cathedral to the Upsala University and accorded him a grand  welcome. They visited a school on  the way to Stock Holm .Having reached the capital they started for Berlin by train. In Sweden Rabindranath was greeted unprecedented.The number of days he was staying there the people was eager to see him once and waited standing his room.The news  papers regularly published news with photographs  and paintings of him. A paper "Svenska Tageblant"  proposed to donate a large amount of money to his school if he would  agree to allow publishing his one letter with his signature. He disagreed with the proposal politely and wrote a letter to them on the day he was leaving Sweden on 28th May. The original letter,its Swedish translated form and photograph was published in the first page of the paper on the next day. 

" Bewildered at heart by the demonstration made in my honour i8nh the Western countries  I have often tried to find  their real cause and I have been told because I loved humanity.I hope that it is true and that all through my writings my love of man has found its utterance and touched human hearts across all barriers. If that be true then let that truest note in my writings guide my own life. The other  day when I was rested alone in my room in the hotel at Humburg there entered two shy German girls with a bu7nch of roses for their offering for me. One of them who spoke  a broken English said to me."I love India" .I asked her, " Why do you love India ?" She answered ," because you love God." The praise was too great for me to accept it with any degree of complacences.. But I hope its meaning was in the expectation fromj me which it carried and therefore it was a  blessing .Or  possibly  she meant that my country loved God and therefore she loved my country. That5 also  was an expectation whose meaning we  should understand. The nations love their  own countries and that has only given rise to mutual hatred and suspicion.The world is waiting for a country that loves her God and not herself, and only that land will have the claims to be loved by men of all countries. Love of selof, national or indi8vidual, can have no other destination thyan clash of  conflicting interests, lo9ve of God is our only fulfillment it had i8n it the ultimate solutioin of alol problems."     

Rabindranath in Europe (contd-15)-1921

At 4.30 pm on 26th May Raqbindranath delivered  his desired lecture for winning Nobel Prize. As per ru7les of the Nobel Committee of Swedish Academy the winner of the Nobel Prize had to deliver a lecture.The then British Consul received the Nobel prize and medal on behalf of Rabindranath in 1913 which was hyanded over to Rabindranathy in a ceremony held at Calcutta Govt. house. The proposal of Rabindranath to go  to Sweden did not materialised due to international situation.He came to Sweden cutting short of his programme  this year, in 1921.Rathinderanath wrote in his diary; "Father speaks impromptu.

He is tired, does not5 sp0eak as well. Atmosphere rather stiff."
New India, wrote on 11Aug; "The announcement that the poet was to deliver this lecture at the Swedish Academy gave rise to the rumour in this country that he was going to be awarded the Nobel Peace prize also this year but as a matter of fact  there was no basis for it ."  The 13 page lecture note taken by Akad Nobel Bibliotek of Stock Holm was kept in Rabindra Bhavan.The introductory p0ortion of the lecture comprised of memoirs of Tagore  winning the Nobel Prize ;
" ..when the night came I sat upon the terrace alone, and I asked myself the question what t5he reason could be of my poems being accept5ed and honoured by the West in spite of my belonging to a different race ,...And I can assure you that it was not with a feeling of exaltation but with a searching of heart that I questioned myself and I felt humble at that moment.... I can assure you that the prize which y6ou have awarded to me was not wasted upon myself, I as an  individual had no right to accept it, and therefore I have made use of it for others. I have dedicated it to our Eastern children and students . But then it is like a seed which is put into the earth and comes up again to those who have sown it, and for their benefit is producing fruits. I have used this money which I got from you fror4 3establishing and maintaining the University which I started lately, and it seemed me, that this University should be a place where western students might come and meet their Eastern brethren and where they might work together in the pursuit of truth and try to find the treasures that have lain hidden in the East for centuries and work out the spiritual resources of the East, which are necessary all Humanity....."        
In the dinner Sven Hedin became pleased to be introduced with Rabindranath.

Rabindranath in Europe (contd-14)-1921

On  23rd May, Rabindranath, Rathindranath, and Bomanji left Copenhagan and reached Stock Holm o9n 24th May, Capital of Sweden. secretary of Swedish Academy Dr. Erik Axel Karlfeldt [1864-1931], Miss Ohman, Co9untess Wilwomitz, a few litterateurs,  editors , rector of the University and a large nu7mber of residents were present at the station to welcome them. They were taken to the Grand Hotel Ro9yal. In the afternoon they went to visit the city by motor and in the evening they went to see the museum of folk-culture  and  enjoyed a  folk-festival.. They took their dinner in an oldest Hotel where all the participants stood up and greeted them with songs. 25th May was earmarked as the felicitation  date of Rabindranath Tagore. He received a good number of letters welcoming him on 25th May which were kept in thye Rabindra Bhavan.

Rabindranath was very busy on that day. The Secretary of Swedish Academy greeted him in the lunch. offered in his honour.

The famous Swedish writer Selma Lagerlof [1858- 1940] Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf (Swedish pronunciation: ; 20 November 1858 – 16 March 1940) was a Swedish author. She was the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and most widely known for her children's book Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils))

came personally to be inttroduced with Rabindranath.The Morning Post of London on 26th May reported " A stockholm telegtram of Reuter's Agency states that Rabinderanath Tagore was received by the King of Sweden in private audience yesterday" 

In the evening at 8 pm  Rabindranat5h was invited to deliver a lecture in the biggest Hall of Sweden by the news-papers. Within a hour of the announcement all the tickets were sold and that was only 25% of the willing people. Rabindranath promised to deliver another lecture for those who had been deprived of getting tickets.He did it on 27th and read the essay, "East and West".

In the evening Rabindranath witnessed the " Post office" (Dakighar), the Swedish translated form in nthe Volkshingen Theatre and enjoyed their acting. The news paper "The Servant" reported on 1st5 Aug " as because Rabindranath could not keep himself present in time , the drama was delayed for half an hour to start.

On 26th May, Rabindranath met in a lunch with the socialist leader  and ex-president of League of Nations Dr. Karl Hjalmu Branting [1860-1925]. They had attractive discussion on the "League of Nti8ons."  Miss Ohman introduced the brother of Karl Hammergrain with Rabindranath. Rabindranath possessed deep regard for Hammergrain.