Rabindranath Tagore to China (Penang-1) contd-10

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the eighth most populous. It is composed of two parts – Penang Island, where the seat of government is, and Seberang Perai (formerly, and occasionally Province Wellesley) on the Malay Peninsula.
Rabindranath reached Penang City in the morning of 30th Mar.The paper Straits Echoe informed on 31st March;
" Handbill informing the arrival of Rabindranath was distributed among the public yesterday  evening. As a result the port became packed up with the people to see Rabindranath. Before the ship touched the port Advocate and Member of Legislative Council, P.K.Nambyar, went by a steamer with some imported persons to welcome Rabindranath..
The Straits Echoe informed on 31 March ;
" A party of Indian Musicians played weird airs on their sharp-pitched instruments......After the great poet had stepped on to the gangway there was a rush to offer the usual floral tribute...with great difficulty that he was got into a car and home away... The distinguished guest was driven to the residence of the Hon. Mr. P.K.Nambyar in Farquhar street, where large crowds beseiged him throughout the day.'
Rabindranath took rest for the whole day and his associates went to see a Chinese Budhist temple on the top of a hill. Rabindranath wrote a letter to Pratima ; " I often think of Puppe (adopted child of Pratima). But I don't think that she has become anxious in my absence.Many a person will be available  to make her listen the song " Mane na mana".
In the lecture of University Institute Rabindranath expressed his experience about Malaya;
" I have traveled many countries but in Malaya I witnessed a wonderful thing which has given  me pleasure. That is -- this is just a ferry where people from different places such as China, Japan, Java, Sumatra, Australia etc  assemble to move from this place to that. Here people from different nation assembled, still no one felt any enmity ..Many working class people from China came to Malaya and occupied most of the places of Malaya. The local people was reluctant to labour.The people came from India are mostly from Madras and some of them are Shikhs.Those who have come from China are from South China.they have gradually gathered wealth, purchased land and secured big rubber plantation......"
It was decided that the ship would start at 6 PM from Penang , and they would have reached the port at 5.30 AM next day but the ship would start at 10 PM. So, Rabindranath was taken by a car to see different places of Penang.They took their dinner in the house of Mr. Nambyar and started for the next port Sweetenham.