(Amra Kunja)
The situation in which Rabindranath enunciated the aims and objects of Viswa Bharati was described ina letter written to Romain Rolland on 30th May, 1922;
" There has been a great political upheaval, as you know, in our country. It has, no doubt, roused the minds of the people, but has led it through a narrow channel, and by incessantly harping upon wrongs done to us and belittling cultures foreign tpo India has allowed their aim to get mixed up with passions that are evil. Whta hurts me deeply is the fact that this movement fails to draw its inspiration from a large vision of humanity but on the contrary deliberately obscures it in the minds of its followers in order tobintensify to a glowing red heat consciousness of national individy".
Rabindranath was in need of enthusiastic and laborious persons to build up Viswa Bharati. He wrote to Manoranjan Bandyopadhyay, ex-teacher of Brahmacharyasram, on 12th May, 1922;
" Santiniketan has expanded in different branches and has taken a huge shape and our activities have also increased many times. For that we are to do hard labour and think about it a lot. We have no leisure now. If we would get a few enthusiastic and efficient persons, our labour would have been minimised. You have gone a long distance by another wave and it is not possible to bring you back again - or I wouldn't have allowed to leave us."
In the field of education Rabindranath wouldn't understand only management, he would include song, art and craft and other things also. He called for the famous lyricist and singer Atul prasad Sen on 21st May, to come to Santiniketan with bucket-full of mangoes ;
" I haven't seen you for long time and heard your song. I didn't make you listen my song too. If you don't meet up all the demands of a Brahmmin like myself, you have to be born again and have to come to my door several times.Moreover, my mind will find some solace if I am able to discuss with you for some time." Atul Prasad , though not immediately, did respond the call.
Elmhirst wrote in his diary on 25th June;
" Sir Charles (the poet's present nickname for Charlie Andrews ) called in on us and hauled me off to talk to a Mr.Sen just arrived from Lucknow. He'd brought with him a basket of Lucknow mangoes of special quality . 'Mangoes don't really agree with Sir Charles' said the Poet, 'so you and I will have to do justice to them. You should have a farmer's appetite."
