Viswa Bharati Constitution Registered (contd-1)

The school is fully recognized by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission which funds exceptional foreign students, particularly for graduate studies at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels.
(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."         

Viswa Bharati Constitution Registered

Rabindranath was anxious about the constitution and printing of the said constitution for long time. The constitution was registered on 16th May, 1922, as per act of 1861 under the rule no.21. The registration no. of his certificate is 751. After a few days the printed constitution  a booklet of 36 pages , price-4 annas was printed   under the title, ' VISWA_BHARATI / (THE SANTINIKETAN UNIVERSITY)/ MEMORANDOM OF ASSOCIATION/ STATUTES & REGULATIONS' . It was announced in this book-let that 8th Paus 1325 [23rd Dec 1918] as its date of foundation.  Though the role taken by Nepal Chandra Roy, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, Surendranath Thakur, Hirendranath Dutta  in the constitution of its rules and regulations were noteworthy, the portion of its aims and objects was constructed  either by Rabindranath or by a person under his direction so that the ideals of inter nationality be present.;
" 1.To study the mind of Man in its realization of different aspects of truth from diverse points of view.
   2. To bring into more intimate relation with one another, though patient study and research, the different cultures of the East on the basis of their underlying unity.
   3. To approach the west from the standpoint of such a unity of life and thought of Asia. 
   4. To seek to realise in a common fellowship of study the meeting of East and West, and this ultimately to strengthen the fundamental conditions of world peace through the establishment of free communication of ideas between two hemispheres.
  5. And with such ideal in view to provide at Santi-niketan aforesaid a centre of Culture where research into and study of the religion, literature, history, science, and art of Hindu, Bidhist, Jain, Islamic, Sikh, Christian and other civilisations may be pursued along with the culture of the West, with that simplicity in externals which is necessary for true spiritual realisation, in amity, good-fellowship and co-operation  between the thinkers and scholars of both Eastern and Western countries, free from all antagonisms of race, nationality, creed or caste, and in the name of the One Supreme Being who is Shatyam, Shivam, Adaitam.         

Rabindranath and Ranu- 1922

Ashar-issue of Santiniketan  informed ;
" Prof Phani Bhushan Adhikari of Banaras Hindu University came with his family to Santiniketan during summer vacation.
Rabindranath wrote to Ranu Adhikari on 1st July;
"   I hope you have reached Banaras by this time. Perhaps, you have not faced rush in the train. Write to me,  how are you ? The school has started  functioning regularly just after your departure. I have to attend  committee meeting , taking classes everyday.The students are making the vacant rooms filled with noise as the rain pours down every day in Ashar. My amount of work is too much now."
The school reopened after summer vacation on 28th June.Ranu came here after her Matriculation examination. She enjoyed the heavenly company at her leisure. She had no presure of her studies then.
This year there was severely  hot in Santiniketan. Rabindranath wrote Pearson on 15th May,
" We have had some days that were frightfully hot...In all my past experience I never came across such a summer in Santiniketan." He wrote on the same day to Pramatha Choudhury; " It is unbearable hot in Santinikeran .All the thoughts in my mind are being dried up like the grasses in the field and leaves of the trees. " So, they could not pass their time in happy mood. But Rabindranath wrote many songs and there was no shortage of happiness in sining tose songs.
Of course, there were other guests since he was in Santiniketan other than the Adhikary family..       

Rabindranath and Patrick Geddes

Sir Patrick Geddes FRSE (2 October 1854 – 17 April 1932) was a Scottish biologist, sociologist, geographer, philanthropist and pioneering town planner (see List of urban theorists). He is known for his innovative thinking in the fields of urban planning and sociology.
On 9th May Rabindranth wrote another important letter.to Geddes. He was staying at that moment at the Guest house of Maharaja of Patiayala.. Geddes asked Rabindranath, probably, in Montpellier of France about his opinion about the education policy of his proposed College Des Indiens [Indian College]. In reply Rabindranath wrote, " it is a bit difficult to answer because from the very beginning the education in Santiniketan was nothing but a gradual evolution. Like his stories - he started writing a story imagining a thought without thinking its final step. Then it went in the flow of its own sequences of unexpected alarm. "When I first started school at Santiniketan, I was thinking that education should move in resonance with the life of human being  without going above or below the development of natural life. I had no experience of teaching."  He only gave his company to the five students. He taught them how to sing, he played with them, in the evening he used to tell stories from great epics and he took them to the nearby villages. He himself was being trained, the concept of a school,too, would develop as one's mind and living. When the the school began to grow, the number of students began to increase, the different problems began to grow. But still his enthusiasm didn't subside.Because we have not yet come to a conclusion and therefore our task is not a perpetual repitition of plan perfected once for all. His primary object was to make free the minds of the children from  the bondage of mechanical and narrow methods of training.  "This idea has gone on developing itself, gradually comprehending all different branches of life's activities from Arts to Agriculture. Now it has come to a period when we are fully made aware of the absolute necessity of widening across all barriers the human sympathy of our students, thus leading them to the fulfilment of their education... Lately it has come to us almost like a sudden discovery that our institution represents that creative force which is acting in the bosom of the present age passing through repeated conflicts and reconciliations, failures and readjustments making for the realization of the spiritual unity of human races." He always expected support from persons like Geddes - " it was with a bewilderment of admiration that I have so often followed the architectural immensity of your vision." But simultaneously he admits that it is out of his reach to utilize actively the knowledge of Geddes in this respect. His all activities are like his poems, it contains some amount of fun only in different forms.                    

Rabindranah Tagore and Indira Devi

Chowdhurani, Indira Devi (1873-1960) singer, writer, translator, daughter of satyendranath tagore and niece of rabindranath tagore, was born on 29 December 1873 at Bijapur in South India, her father's working place. Her mother, Jnanadanandini, was also very learned. Indira Devi was inspired by the ideas and ideals of Rabindranath. She was popularly known as 'Bibidi'
Rabindranath was greeted by Indira Devi in his 62nd birth day. In reply to her greetings Rabindranath wrote a long letter to her on 10. May,1922. ;
This time when I went to Selaidah, I saw that Padma had receded far away. Similarly, I find that my birth day has gone far away from your way of life.Frequently, I remember this.My connection with my family members has turned into a shadow. One reason is that those persons to whom I was connected in my childhood has been transferred - either to life beyond death or t o some other places. Now the building at Jorasanko is like the shore where there is no wave of the river. Moreover, I have some difference by nature from you . After all  my attachment to my family is not too much. If any one belongs to my so  called family, that doesn't mean, he is favorable to me.Those whom I love too much may not belong to my family. Many think him significant if he belongs to his family and he thinks him an important person in his family. But I don't think at all about Rathi in that manner.I am spending whatever money I had for Santiniketan , perhaps more than that. But when I see Rathi doesn't oppose rather he joins enthusiastically - I became very much glad. Though my attachment with family is not so strong still I don't want to love to spend my time in the company of the ordinary people - I can't say that my soul get its final attainment only in human being......."      

Rabindranath Tagore 61+

25th Baisakh (8th May,1922), Rabindranath completed his age of 61 and stepped into the age 62.The students of the ashram celebrated his birth day in a homely atmosphere. This was published in Jaishtha-issue of Santiniketan which wrote;
" On this occasion the girl students of the Ashram decorated very nicely all the verandas with Alpana (free hand  painting with white ink), flowers, and sacred flower bass. In the morning all of them sung a chorus " Sabar majhare tomare pranam kariba he", came to Rabindranath, garlanded him and bowed their heads to take the dust from his feet. Rabindranath narrated his hopes and ambitions, in short, before them. Pratima Devi, Rathi Babu, and Mira Devi offered them high tea upto their satisfaction. The women of the Ashram invited Rabindranath in a lunch. In the evening Rabindranath became the host and offered them dinner.After the dinner Rabindranath read the poems Barshasesh, Jhulan, Puratan Bhritya, Sadhana, before them.

 After many days Rabindranath wrote the "Panchishe Baishakh"[Purabi-14, p-9-12]. Some lines of this poem he composed in song and gave its composition." He Nutan dekha dik arba janmera prathama suvakshan"
Pramatha Choudhury wanted an article for 'Sabuj Patra'  Rabindranath wrote him, " there is no stock of article at prsent. Still when you have asked me I shall hand over the poem, I didn't think of giving it for publication ."  

Viswa Bharati and Constitution

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was given the responsibility of preparing and printing the Constitution of Viswa Bharati. He came to Santiniketan to discuss about it. Having come back from Santiniketan he wrote to Thomson on 27th April;
" I have gone to Bolpur for a few days and came back only yesterday. Rabindranath is very much worried about V.B. - there is no money, a deficit of Rs.6000/-in current expenses and about Rs.30,000/- in Capital        expenditure. We are keeping to have the Constitution registered next week."

Rabindranth wrote three letters regarding this constitution, 1. to Jagadish Chandra Bose, 2. Muhammad Shahidulla of Dacca university, 3. Dr. Jadunath Siecar.
He wrote to Jagadish Chandra ; "Now the time has come to hand over Viswa Bharati to the public. I want that you take the chair of Vice-President and send a  letter of consent. No serious responsibility is to be taken. Of course, there is scope of work if you like to do."
He wrote to Shahidullah, prof of Sanskrit and Bengali in Dacca University, " Procedures to hand over Viswar bharati to the public is almost done . We are going to make the constitution  registered. You are welcome to become a member of Managing Committee. I hope that you will not have any objection. Please send your consent letter as early as possible."    But for reasons unknown, he did not agree.
Rabimdranath sent a letter to Dr. Jadunath Sarkar in his place of work a registered letter asking his consent on 21st May, 1922.
Dr. Jadunath Sarkar rejected the proposal showing two reasons in a letter dated 31 May;
Firstly, He stays at a far distance from Santiniketan and it is not physically possible for him to look after the work of the University. Specially, when there will be a problem.and
 Secondly, in his opinion santiniketan is goos as a School. The students can develop their health and mind in a nice environment. After passing the school they could have developed their efficiency fit for the universe learning from a college. Moreover, in university their should be specially trained  teachers with special aptitudes in different subjects  which is not possible here. The students of Bolpur is not accustomed with "exact knowledge" and "intellectual discipline" which is necessary in higher education."

Having received the letter Rabindranath got much shock.