Rabindranath in Shntiniketan-1925 (contd-1)

Rabindranah in Shantiniketan ( 14th April 1925)

At the end of Chaitra in 1331 (Apri 1925) having returned from Europe Rabindranath took rest at the quarter of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanabis of Alipore observatory under the sweet hospitality of  Nirmal Kumari, wife of Mahalanabis. Though he had been there in Aswin 1330. This is his second visit in Alipore.. His lecture after the meditation in Upasana Griha in Shantiniketan on 14th April 1925 was full of his me moires of the days in Alipore which says;
" I have got some leisure in my ill-health to look at ownself and the universe standing on the western side of death and with light of faded life away from habituated daily living. We were in a place at Calcutta where there is no dry cemented footpath, it was filled with greenaries all around with trees.I could have seen the spring in the nature afte many days...."
Arrangements of tiffin were made on the first day of the year fo all invited guests including the residents of the Ashram in the Mango groves.
On 4th Mrch, Jyotirindranath Tagoe breathed his last.
He wrote on 1st  Baishakh to Mira Devi,
" My grand daughters are my planets.But they have crossed the rule of the modern Astrologers. They were making Rabi (the sun) to move round them i.e., they possess more gravity than I (Rabi) do......"
Rabindranath was passing his days almost leisurely. He wrote this to Kadambini Datta:
" the leave I as  enjoying due to my illness, was fruitful.. after many days my mind could secure his seat in green room of the Universe."
Congratulating Rabindranath in his 65th birth day, Gandhiji wrote to him on 7th May;
" Suneeti Devi tells me she is going to Bolpur to take part in the celebration of your 65th birth day . may I add my wish and prayer to the many that will be sent up tomorrow for your health and long life ?'
On 8th May, " Panchabati" was founded and  birth day of Rabindranath was celebrated.
Amita Thakur (chakraborty) wrote in an unpublished memoires;
" In the year 1925....on the top courtyard of Konark birth day of Rabindranath Tagore wass celebrated" In the morning songs ,recitations were asrrangedand in the night " Lakshmir pariksha" wass staged. Many VIPs arrived Shantiniketan from Calcutta on that occasion.. The presence of Sisir Bhaduri was noted. Two days back she wass asked to get into heart the poem, " Panchishe baishakh". I took the role in Lakshmir Pariksha of Kshiri. "
      

Rabindranath in Europe- 1925

On 18th Jan, in the ship, Giulio Cesare, of Spain , Rabindranath reached Barcelona city of Spain. Rabindranath and Elmhirst got down from the ship. Elmhirst wrote to Ocampo on this date, " ....By chance in Barcelona we met a Madam Chauvet- she is Italian.Chauvet her maiden name -  her maiden name -& she translated a number of Gurudev;s books into her native language - she married the manager of the Lycee (Barcelona) and took us round the city.". he also informed that they were warmly greeted in Italy. They reached Jenoa on 2st Jan, 1925.They spent 18days in the ship..
They reached Jenoa on 19th Jan. Rathndranath wrote in his diary that  they met their father on that day.The book written by Professor of Sanskrit, Carlo Formichi of the University of Rome ,  "India e Indiani" in Italian language. The visit of Rabindranath was described in two books. Rathindranath wrote,
" 19th Jan 1925 father arrived from Buenos Aires this morning at 11 am by the Italian boat Guoilo Cesere. we had arrived at Genoa, the previous night . Prof. Formichi  from Romeand Mr. and Mrs. Hogman ((Andree) from Paris had also come at the same time and we all met next morning and went down to the wharf. With great difficulty permission was obtained to go on board and then we all rushed to meet Father. The boat was one of the largest on this sdervice and very luxuriously fitted up. Father looked just a little tired - otherwise he seemed to have recovered from his last illness and was very glad to see us all again. Poupee delighted his heart . She began to prattle as soon as she sasw him.
Being anxious about the health of his father, Rathinranath inormed Dr. Formichi not to finalise the tour programme of his father. But Rabindranath wanted to start his programme earlier.The Duke of Milan, gallaratti Scotti sent his representative Dr. Zanussi and Rabindranath, Famichi, Elmhirst, and Rathindranath etc finalised the programme . famichi wrote , " Dr. Alberto Poggi, a strong willed young physician and a passionate student of Indology,did his best to help me accord a worthy reception to the Poet, and make his short atsy in Genoa agreeable. Rathindranath wrote, " Prof. Formichi suggested that a message of a few words for father on his arrival in Italy would be much appreciated so father rote a few words and handed it over to him. He was very pleased and said the message should be published in English without being translated - as that would spoil it."
The full team started in the morning at 8.30 am on 21st Jan,1925 and reached there at 2 pm.Rabindranath mentioned in many occasions that due to the heartiest invitation from the Italians he accepted this invitation.A huge gathering was waiting at the Milan Station to welxome Rabindranath. In reply to his welcome address Rabindranath said , " I have come to your door seeking the voice of humanity
Rabindranath was greeted in Peoples Theatre in presence of four thousand boys and girls. They sung a opening song.
Rabindranath was to go to Turin but he had to cancel it on his health ground.
Learning that Rabindranath was leaving Genoa and going to Venice large number of people in groups came to Rabindranath to have a look, to take a snap, to take an autograph.
after coming to Venice Rabindranath felt well.
Rabindranath started for Calcutta on 12th March,1925. 

Rabindranath's visit in argentina

Rabindranath learnt drawing in his childhood and was attracted to the sketches drawn by his elder brother Jyotirindranath.

In 1924, while writing Purabi he started doodling on the pages of his manuscript.

The main outcome of the visit of Rabindranath in Argentina was his beginning of paintings. The doodling in the poetries in his manuscript was seen long ago. At the beginning of the journey of Rabindranath to the South America, specially in Andes ship, The exaggerations of the ornamental decoration by doodlings in  the poems written by  Rabindranath in the ship was visible at that moment. Rabidranth liked to read journey story book. And when he decided to visit a new country he tried to gather sufficient informations as far possible. 

"The reference  of a book in this respect was worth mentioning", said Sushovan Adhikari. This book was preserved in the Museum, Kalabhavan. " The Art of old Peru " , edited by Walter Lehmann, Director of the Ethnological Institute of the Berlin Ethnological Museum, assisted by Heinrich Doering, London.

The government of Peru promised to donate a good amount of money to Shantiniketan but this was not maintained as he decided to stay in Argentina.

Rabindranth was given a farewell by the important pesons of the University of Argentina on 2nd jan 1925.He started for Europe on 3rd Jan, 1925, with Elmhirst in an Italian Ship As per the claim of Victoria Ocampo, an used sofa was allowed to enter the cabin by breaking the door of the cabin where rabindranath would take his rest.

Many news paper published his visit to Argentina.         

Rabindranath Tagore and victoria Ocampo (contd-3) and his adopted grand daughter

Rabindranath Tagore wrote to Victoria Ocampo in his first letter that he needed love from female side to remove loneliness in his solitary  life.. But  that was not like  other male members mixed up with sexual urge and not with a dull meaning. This love was inspiring and infused with gracefulness. If any female thought of eclipsing him completely with his love, his unbounded self at once wanted to get rid of her. The love of Ranu from very childhood upto her adolescent period wanted to eclipse him  inspite of his attempt to make her free which had  many signs in their correspondence . The love of Victoria with Rabindranath Tasgore should be judged in that light.
Rabindranath wrote a poem "Tritiya" on Dec, 1924, addressing his granddaughter (adopted) aged about 3, named Nandini and wrote a letter on the same date to his daughter-in-law Pratima  .in this context;
" I got the letter of Pupe. I could follow its inner meaning as because you have explained it. But the inner meaning is  not its real meaning, that is not correct. Her writings donot indicate any meaning as her dance does.You know that I am also intetested in such scratches. For that reason I am going to write the reply of her letter in a right manner.The  host with whom they are remaining as guest have seen the letter by chance and became astonished. Lest the letter becomes spoilt by folding, he  has gone to bring an envelope.I shall send the letter when the envelope comes. But it requires some explanation. At first I wrote all her pet names on the paper, Pupe, Pupu, Pupsi, Madam Pavlova, the second, Rupasi, Urbashi,Rambha, Menaka, Tilottama etc etc. Then I began to camouflage  the incorrect portion of it as I do in my poems by scratches. The meaning of this is that the pet names are all wrong. I am trying to remove all such things . i have discussed something more in my poetry which I shall  send it to you."  
On the next day, he copied the whole poetry and send it to Mira.You shall come to understand how much intimate relation I have developed with Pupe, may be known from the poetry written below. The whole story cannot be told in prose."
      

Rabindranath and Victoria Ocampa (contd-2)

A letter written by Rabindranath Tagore to Victoria Ocampa from the ship to India on 13th Jan 1925.

Rabindranath Tagore and Victoria Ocampo (contd-1)

According to the note written on 9th of Nov 1924, by the Physician of Rabindtanath Tagore, he was declared comparatively fit to resume work.Rabindranath and his party went   to Palermo Garden house by car.
The main characters of Argentina Episode of Rabindranath Tagore were three, Rabi ndranath himself, secondly, Elmhirst, and thirdly, Victoria Ocampo, [1890-1979], daughter of a rich conservative Catholic family.Like Rabindranath Tasgore she did never go to formal Schools for her education. She took her education from two home ( govrnesses) tutors, one of French and other of English. She was not fluent in her mother tongue Spanish in her early life. She was married to Lewish Bernardo De Estrada, a respected youmg man of Argentina in 1912. But she came to learn about his orthodox mentality during their honey moon in Europe after marriage.and their relation became strained. She had a secret relation with his cousin brother Julian Martinez. But since 'legal separation' was not approved in Argentina at that time, they had to wait for a legal separation till 1922 when she lived in her flat .She met with Rabindranath when she was 34 and Rabindranath 63.    
(1924

The author Rabindranath Tagore arrives in Buenos Aires. Victoria offers to lodge him at Miralrío, a weekend property a stone’s throw from the Villa Ocampo. She herself moves to the Villa and takes care of Tagore tirelessly.

In the winter, Ernest Ansermet visits Buenos Aires to conduct a Debussy concert. Victoria, interested by his work, manages to arrange for the conductor to remain three additional seasons in the city.

1925

Tagore leaves Buenos Aires. Victoria participates as a récitant in Arthur Honegger’s King David.)
Victoria read French Translation of Gitanjali by Andre Gide (André Paul Guillaume Gide (French pronunciation: ​[ɑ̃dʁe pɔl ɡijom ʒid]; 22 November 1869 – 19 February 1951) was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1947. Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism between the two World Wars.) Sankha Ghosh translatd the book  " La algeia de leer a Rabindranath Tagore" Elmhirst had to work very catiously so that no misunderstandings were developed for Rabindranath being unable to go to Peru. Elmhirst wrote, ' Letters from Rpmain Rolland and Andrews reached  him and warned him to beware of all kinds of possible dangers and political complications in Peru." Rabindrannath wrote a letter to Victoria from from the ship on 23rd Sept 1925.