Rabindranath and Rochestor and Boston, USA (contd-4)

The personal collection of Rabindranath reveals that he received a gift from Edwin Herbert Lewis inscribed on the book :
" To/Rabi Babu/ --Mr. Rabindranath Tagore--/with the affectionate homage of /Edwin Herbert Lewis/Chicago, 19 january, 1913" which shows that Rabindranath was in Chicago on 19th Jan.
In Chicago Rabindranath delivered two lectures,
1. Ideals of the Ancient civilisation on 23rd Jan,
2,The problem of evil from the Hindu stand point.
On 29th Jan Rabindranath reached Rochestor at the invitation of the secretary of National federation of Religious Liberals, Chas W.Wendte
 dated 10.12. 1912. here he read the essay, 'Race Conflict' .
On 31 Jan  he went to Boston. Rabindranath delivered a lecture here on 'Man's relation to the universe" on 17th Feb and on 19th Feb he spoke about 'Realisation of Brahma" in Emerson hall which were published in , Boston Evening Transcript on 18 and 19 Feb.
The professor of Cambridge Dickinson in England wrote a letter of introduction to President of Harvard University A.Lawrence- Lowell introducing  Rabindranath who send him a copy of Gitanjali and the letter of introduction. 
Rabindranath returned back to Urbana on 3rd March.
On 9th April, Rabindranath read his last essay at Harvard University and came back from America on 12 April in Olympic ship.
Rathindranath started research work both in England and America but could not come to an end. During summer when Rabindranath and Pratima were having  tour in villages of England, Rathindranath had started work  with Prof. Betson in his laboratory who had done great researches in the breeding of plants and mendelism. But Rabindranath changed the plan and thought that Rathi should undergo a course at Harvard University. But on 10th Oct Rathindranath came with his wife and instead of going to Harvard and he came to Urbana. He took admission in Illionos University. He got an accomodation in a rented house with the expectation that they would stay at least for a month. But since this plan might take three years Rabindranath persuaded Rathi to wind up his affairs here and accompany him to England by the end of March or beginning of April.     

Rabindranath in Chicago, USA (contd-3)

The Director of Lewis Institute Dr. Edwin Herber Lewish (1866-1938) invited Rabindranath also.He accepted both the invitation. At first he was hesitant.He wrote to Hemlata Devi on 16th Dec ;
" we are thinking of going to Chicago on next Saturday. We hope to have a journey to different places, may be to some distant places. "
He accepted the invitation of Rochestor and informed them. . On 20th Dec ( 7th Paush) Wendt acknowledged the receipt of his acceptance. Rathindranath and Pratima went to Chicago in advance on 22nd Dec. Before that in the morning of 7th Paush (22nd Dec) Rabindranath and his four accompaniment performed the pryer for the auspicious day &th Paysh. and wrote to Ajit Kumar;
" When I was sitting in my bed room in the evening and lighted the candle, I was  feeling a pain at the middle of my heart, which I cannot express. I remembred that this was your morning time and you were going for morning prayer of 7th paush since we had a difference of 12 hrs time. Perhaps your festival was pulling me with a great force. At 5 am in the morning, we are at our festival time. We five sat on a rag in my bed  room. You are having evening programme at that time. The auspicious day of 7th Paush cannot leave me alone. The festival day of 7h Paush is sitting in my heart. I have picked up this auspicious day from the ashram."
Discarding the invitation of Chicago, Rabindranath wrote to Rothenstein on 30th Dec. ;
" I had several invitations to go to Chicago but I have succeeded in warding them off. I have not come to discover America or to be discovered by Americans.". But Rothenstein told on 2nd Dec to Rabindranath ;
" I am too good humoured to say "no' to any body, if persistently pressed."
Rabindranath wrote Jagadananda Roy on 4th Jan;
" Rathis were in Chicago for some days. I too got some invitations -- but I couldnot settle my mind to go there amidst crowd. Recently I am suffering from felicitation-fobia. The only poem he constructed in America was, ' Ke nibi go kine amay, ke nibi go kine'. In that poem he expressed his refusal to all of powers, money and even the beauties of women and surrendered himself to a simple child. But here he could not . He bowed down himself to the call of affectionn and respect of the people of this place."
 Rabindranath started for Chicago on 19th Jan., 1913.          

Rabindranath and Urbana,USA (contd-2)

Rabindranath came Urbana with an aim to pass a peaceful life leaving the busy days in England. First few days he had no problem. On 8th Nov he wrote to Ajit kumar ;
"The place where we are at present is like our Bengal. The sky is almost same as that of Bengal. The sky is bright, clear and blue. The people here does not speak in a loud voice, less congested and pin of silence all around. There is little contradiction between the nature and human beings. I am passing here a peaceful life  which I long for.I have come again to myself after passing many busy days."
 But this was only for two or three days. He again entangled in the crowd of human beings. Arrangements had been done previously.    In the local paper, Courier Herald, this was announced on 9th Nov which he wrote with detail description to Ajit Kumar;
" Mr. (Albert R.) Vail, a Unitarian missionary, lives here. he is a member of a club here known as Unity Club. On every Sunday lectures, discussions are arranged on different religions and on different religion guides.He asked me to deliver a talk on Upanishad.I did not give my consent at first. But I came to learn  that some Bengalee titled Shaw  was preparing himself to deliver the lecture who had no knowledge and was not even eligible to say on Upanishad. So I had to agree at the last moment to do my duty in the name of the saints of Upanished. I had one advantage . Satish Babu (Satish Chandra Roy I.E.S., 1880-1960) had translated my essay, "World Realisation" in English which I had edited and and kept after typing. Adding an introduction in that essay I read that in the evening in gthe church room. Almost all the Professors of the University were present. It was my luck that  all of them liked it. As a result, they invited me to deliver a talk on Sunday. This time I wrote an essay on the subject, 'Self Realisation'".
The essay Rabindranath read in Unity Club was titled, "World Realisation" which after many changes took the shape, "The relation of the Imdividual to the Universe". This essay was published in Sadhana : in the name-" The realisation of Life (1913)."
The subject  of the next lecture delivered by Rabindranath  in the Unity Club was "Self Realisation" which was published in Sadhna, titled "Soul Consciousness".
He wrote Ajit Kumar on 23rd Nov;
"I have also entangled here. In London I was involved in the flood of verse but here I am absorbed in the flood of  prose. In the latter case I had to construct all my lectures. After all it yielded a good result. His subject was "Self Realisation". There were some Germans in the auditorium who encouraged me much. There is a Professor of Physics here who is also a German, named Dr. Jacob Kunz. He is famous in his wonderful research work. I had long discussion with him after my lecture. I do not know when and where this will end. I think, I am encircled in a new wave of storm."  

Rabindranath In Urbna, USA (contd-1)

By this tine things were going very fast. Yeats wanted Rabindranath to be elected as a member of newly formed Academic Council of Royal Society of Literature. To expedite the matter he was willing to send a copy to each of  Henry New Bolt, Edmund Paus, Bernard Shaw to influence the members of the Society. But he had only one copy for him and he was not in a position to purchase copies for them. In a private discussion with Ezra Pound  he expressed with grief but Pound with his usual sharp nature wrote Rothenstein which he sent to Yeats who replied among other things;

"The phrase about your having 'persuaded' me to do  'the introduction for nothing' is most exasperating. No one persuaded me. I was very proud of the opportunity of praising so great a poet. " Any way the aim of Yeats did not fulfil.

Yeats, in his letter, wrote to Rothenstein   ;

" He is a headlong ragged nature, is always hurting people's feelings, but he has I think some genius and great good will."

Under the influence of this pious will Pound engaged himself in propagating the genius of Rabindranath.

Pound was the London representative of the paper Poetry   Edited by Harriet Monroe and published from Chicago. While Rabindranath was in London, he, with the permission of the poet, wrote an essay titled "Tagore's Poems"containing 6 poems from Gitanjali which was published on Dec 1912 in that paper. Being credited with this rare qualities he wrote to Harriet in excitement;

" This is the sop. Reserve space in the next number for Tagore.".   

Rabindranath in Urbana, USA-1912

Rabindranath wrote to Jagadananda on 8th Nov about his new establishment ;

" The house we have taken on rent is small , neat and clean, and solitary. To get servants or maid here is difficult. Those who serve for domestic help are called "helper", they are not servants, they have come from good families. They meet up their expenses by doing such help. But we are not able to get any such 'help'. She has to do all the works of cooking, dusting, cleaning the floor, preparing the beds etc. Rathi is also helping her.Bankim and Somendra are with us. Bankim was doing so far the domestic work of Mrs. Seymour, now he helps us and get his foo ding and lodging."
In the mean time, Gitanjali was published on 1st Nov by India Society. After publication of the book, Rothenstein wrote to Rabindranath'
"The book is out, and looks very pure ; virginal in its covering  white and gold.  I shall go to see Macmillan.
" As quick as possible, The Times Literary Supplement, published its critical review with the title, Mr. Tagore's Poems on 7th Nov and Rothenstein wrote on that day,
"need I tell you with what joy I read the first review -- perhaps the most important that could appear -- .. thsi will show the way to the other reviewers & make my talk with Macmillan, I hope, a fairly esasy one  . It is a great delight to us to feel that what we felt at once is shared by others & that you once and for all gained the ear of the West for your literature. I wonder whether Bengal will realise what your simple visit has done for its history.Within a few days Rothenstein sent the book and the translation of poems, dramas, essays and short stories that he had with him to George Macmillan and wrote to Rabindranath on 14th Nov;
"I am corresponding with the house of Macmillan in relation to your poems and have sent down the book  & the ms."
Within no time, all the papers and documents were handed over to the Charles Whibley (1859-1930), reader of Macmillan Company, he too sent his opinion quickly about Gitanjali with impassioned applause and wrote about other writings;
"The unpublished manuscript of the same author, which you sent me yesterday, vary greatly in kind and value. In the first place there is a mass of poems, resembling in character those already printed. these are of great worth. Then there is a collection of essays and short stories, badly translated, which I think may for the present be neglected. Then there are certain number of plays or dramatic dialogues.. which are of undoubted interest.
Obviously you cannot publish all these at once. A large volume of poems, delicate as these, would be an artistic mistake. Here, indeed, the half is greater than the whole. What I would suggest to you this: would take the already printed volume and piblish it with Yeats's preference. Then if that were a success, you might publish another volume of verse, carefully edited by the author and possibly also a volume of dramatic dialogues."
On getting the opinion of George Macmillan Rothenstein suggeted Rabindranath to publish a volume of Gitanjali in a more popular form and with a cheaper rate.       

Rabindranath in Ellionos University, Urbana, USA

The hotel life at New York was not appealing to Rabindranath.He started for Urbana in Illionos on 31st Oct. but before doing that he wrote a letter to Rothenstein;

" Off we go to the west -- to Illionos. I hope I shall get rest there for which I long. Though it is too early for me  to pronounce any opinion on this country I must say  I do not like it. America, like an unripe fruit, has not got its proper flavour yet. It has a sharp and acid taste . I haven't tried to see the people to whom you have given me introduction for fear of being drawn into engagement ." 

On 1st Nov, during day, flashed with rain, Rabindranath reached Urbana. His arrival was circulated in The Daily Illini, the news bulletin of University of Illionos in 1st Oct, just one month earlier. 

" POET TO VISIT UNIVERSITY: FAMOUS INDIAN WRITER COMING SOON"  

Rabindranath Tagore, who is recognised as the foremost poet of India, is soon to pay the University a visit. The date for his visit not yet been definitely learned but at present Mr. Tagore, his son, R.N.Tagore , and his wife, are in England where they are being entertained by English writer and Artists. 

Rathindranath has given the news of the arrival of Rabindranath Tagore. Having learnt this news, his ex-Prof. Dr. Arthur Seymour (1875-1955) arranged some lectures for him. Rathindranath wrote to Mrs. Seymour;

" It is very kind of Prof. Seymour to think of arranging for my father to lecture at University. but father is very adverse to any sort of public life and  am sure would not like to give any lecture while he is there, moreover he is not used to speaking in English."

One 2nd Nov-issue  it was circulated "India's First Poet arrives. Son, a former student, will resume studies."

Rathindranath and Pratima Devi had already come and and staying there as a guest in the family of Seymour. Rabindranath's accommodation was arranged in the house of Prof Morgan Brooks (1861-1955), an Electrical Engineer of the University of Illionos. He and his wife were already acquainted when they had gone to Calcutta. After some days they rented a house and shifted to their new address, 508 W. High Street.      

(video) Gitanjali Song #59: "Ei je tomar prem"

Rathindranath and Pratima went to America on 10th Oct, 1912. it was decided that Dr. Dwijendranath Moitra will accompany Rabindranath. On 17th Oct, Rabindranath wrote to Mira Devi;
" Dr. Moitra will go along with us this time.The person is very enthusiastic. He keeps everybody in joy. The wife of Satyaranjan Das and her daughter may also go. The ship will filled up with Indians."
rabindranath started for New York on 19th Oct. The ocean was rough and the first few days of our journey did not pass happily. In the night , at about 4am suddenly I woke up due to the swing of the ship.Looking on the opposite side of the cabin I saw Rabindranath sitting in meditation and singing, "Ei je tomar prem.." After the song being over, he kept quiet and silent for some time. After some time he again started murmuring a song. I could not lie down on bed."
They reached New York on 27th Oct. Rabindranth wrote to Rothenstein on the same day;
" The first half of our voyage was frightfully rough. I promised a sonnet to the sea god if he behaved decently but I suppose he had no faith in human nature and knew I would forget all about it directly  I reached land safely.However he made amends at last and we had some very beautiful days...
We have landed in New York this morning and passed through the ordeals of the custom house . My turban attracted the notice of a news paper interviewer and he attacked me with questions but I was almost as silent as my turban. This was my first taste of America - the custom house and the interviewer."
Rabindranath wrote to Mira Devi the troublesome experience of standing for two hours in the check room. When he going to enter America from Canada in 1929, he was world famous poet but he gave up of going to America remembering this incident. He had in his mind to get his treatment of files in America and this was one of the reasons of his coming here. He brought a letter of introduction from Rothenstein  to lawyer and writer John Jay Chapman (1862-1933), Dr. Simon Flexner (1863- 1946) and to Homeopathy physicist Dr. Carol Dunham (1858-1922).. On reaching New York Rabindranath enquired about their where abouts. But Chapman was not in the city and Dr. Flexer was on the way to Europe. So he had some treatment from the Homeopathy physicist and hoped that he might get some relief. But he had no good result. Ultimately he had operate it at London on his return journey.