Rabindranath Tagore in China (Sanghai) - contd-2

Rabindranath returned to Sanghai on 17th April. Some  Japanese residing  in Sanghai gave a reception to Rabindranath at a Japanese school in North Szechwan Road. The reply made by Rabindranath was taken down by Elmhistand printed with the title " Talks in China [1924]. He quoted from memory the incident of his visit to Japan in 1916;
" I had some glimpses of also of political Japan that was intent upon profit making and augmenting political power -- rigid, exclusive, suspicious, lacking in humanity." For this Japan was not solely responsible. --" Power is rampant in the human world to-day, the power of money, of machine guns and of bomb-dropping aeroplanes , and the primitive in us stands once more, in awe of that which is neither spiritual nor moral."  
Many in the audience could not appreciate the censor of the mechanical strength of the West.The Peking Leader criticized the statement of Rabindranath Tagore.
Biographer of Rabindranath wrote;
" Rabindranath was greeted on another day by a Jewish-Sangha in the house of Mr. Kdoorie. This incident was reported in Viswabharati Bulletin  of Viswabharati Quarterly, Oct 1924 titled "Address to Rabindranath on behalf of the Jewish Community in China". Kadoorie himself was a poet. In welcoming Rabindramnath he said, "A few years back, he wrote a Kabya-Grantha titled  The Wedding of Death, the critics after reading the book said that Rabindranath's ideas had been reflected in the book. 'This immediately aroused my great interest. Thanks to Dr. Tagore, an inspired vision of a new world was put before my eyes.'. " He contributed Rs. 12,000/- only to Viswabharati for fighting out scarcity of water.      

Rabindranath Tagore in China - Hangchow -1924

 Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China.

Rabindranath got an invitation from Hangchow. Rabindranath started for this city by train at a distance of 110 miles accompanied by his interpreter Xu Zhimo and his accompaniment. Kalidas Nag wrote ;
" In Bengali new years day every one bowed down before Rabindranath and started in the train at 8 AM. for Hangchow and reaches at 12 o'clock. "
The beauty of the lake view here was wellknown to everybody and they were accomodated in a hotel on the bank of a lake. On the next day, the associates of Rabindranath went to a near by hill to see a Budhist Temple.It is said that an Indian  monk named Bodhignan or Huily.In a meeting on 16th April in the evening in the hall arranged by Provincial Educational Society being pact up with thousand students, Rabindranath said about that Budhist Monk;
" He also came here as a representative to convey the message of my predecessor. That monk came here, saw a hill and commented that the Grhdhakut hill has came here by flying
- this scenery reminds him.He also have the same feeling to see the hills and trees here. Our difference is only of language. This difference can be removed by sincere attempt. He knows that thge students here cannot follow him but still they have come master strong. "
"It is not because you expect any message from me, but, as I believe, because of some memory of that glorious time when India did send her messengers of love to this land, - not her merchants nor her soldiers , but the best of her children,  -- and they came bearing her gifts across deserts and seas."
I have come here not for trade, not for power, we wang to reach the heart of our friends to remote country. Due to science distance has become  narrower and in that case we form a crowd, but not a community.  ..."
Spephen Hey informed;
" Inspite of heavy rain the students came in numbers to make the hall completely filled up and they cheered up Tagore several times on hearing the translation of Xu Zhimo. After this programme Rabindranath and his party attend a tea party with the local intellectuals. The senior most  poet of this locality, Ch'en San-li,  became moved at the introduction with Rabindranath.
      

Rabindranath Tagore in China-Sanghai(contd-1) - 1924

The first day, on 14.4.1924, Rabindranath was in Shanghai. There was a proposal between China and Viswabharati to exchange professors and students between China and Viswabharati in which Rabindranath was much encouraged. he wrote that to Rathindranath;
" We are getting warm reception here. I think we can establish a good relation with them.it is required that Mr. Sashtri should be sent here. They have become much pleased to know our proposal. they also agreed to send visiting professor to Viswabharati. It will help our students to learn Chinese.The Sanskrit books that were lost in China will now be translated in our language.You should discuss with Birla brothers about this from now on. It is only Sashtri who can help in this matter. In Peking there is a Russian Pandit knowing Sanskrit. So any ordinary person will not have any access here."
Raja Baldeo das Birla contributed Rs 20,000/- to Viswabharati for construction of a Guest house for Foreign students.Mentioning that decision Rabindranath wrote to Rathindranath;
" we had to do another work, there should not be any delay in constructing the Birla Guest Hiouse. If the students going from this place face difficulties after going there, our reputation will be damaged."
But this Guest House had never been constructed. 

Rabindranath Tagore in China - Sanghai - 1924

The ship started for Sanghai  in the night leaving Hong Kong.on 8th April.( Shanghai is the largest city by population in the People's Republic of China(PRC) and the largest city proper by population in the world. It is one of the fourprovince-level municipalities of the PRC, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010. It is a global city, with influence in commerce, culture, finance, media, fashion, technology, and transport. It is a major financial center and the busiest container port in the world.)
Kalidas Nag had a contact  with "Bangabani" to supply details about this journey titled "Puber Chithi". He wrote in his diary on 10th April;
"  Today I wrote for "Bangabani" the whole day  from beginning   to Rangoon". He wrote on next day, 
"  In the afternoon I went to Gurudev for offering him some fruits and discussed in details about his sketch and Rhymes and Rythms. Here the term "sketch" is more important because after writing a poem he used to pen through some lines and such cutting of lines would make somepictures. This was described in his manuscript of Kabyagrantha, "Purabi" in which he had drawn peculiar looking some animals..
The ship reached Shanghai port on 12th April,1924. The jetty was completely filled up with the people of different community and their representatives. The poet Tsemon Hsu and Dean of the National Institute of Self- Government S.Y. Ch'u and many important persons came to the ship to welcome Rabindranath.Kalidas Nag wrote about Ch'u, " The man is contempletive quiet in nature - he has leanings towards philosophy - read Upanishad, and translator of Vhitra, Raja, and Phalguni. He became pleased ." Tsemon Hsu acted as interpreter of Rabindranath through out China.Rabindranath commented about him ;
" He is my friend , and translated my lecture from English to Chnese. He is tall and of serene appearence, which is rare in China.. I was moved by loking his serene appearence.The people greeted  him  with the slogan "Bandrmataram" .In the afternoon they were taken for sight seeing outside the city.On 13th april in the morning a wealthy jew Mr. Hardoon invited them to his garden house. He became a life-member of Viswabharati Sammilani.
During day time Rabindranath was greeted by the local Sikh  and Hindu community.
They went to see the co-researcher of Rudolf Eucken , Dr. Cursun Chung.       

Rabindranath Tagore in China- Hong Kong

Rabindranath and his party reached Hong Kong on 7th April. Though Hog Kong is within China but it was a colony and trade centre of British. He was greeted by the Vice-Principal W.W.Hornell of the newly established Hong Kong University at the seaport. The regitrar of the University N.k.Mackintosh, father ans song, senior and junior J,H,Rustomjee, Mr. Nemazi, Bishen Singh etc were present as a representative of Indian Community. The former D.P.I. of Bengal Hornel was known to Rabindranath. He proposed Rabindranath to become his guest. But the proposal of Indians was accepted and he was sent to  Repulse Bay Hotel in a solitary place outside the city and the Persian Business man Nimajee became host of the others.
As soon as Rabindranath landed in Hong Kong, requests from nearby places were coming to him to visit there places. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Amoy Dr, Lim Bong Keng invited to come to the University and deliver a lecture. He also proposed to open a post of a Professor and start a department of Indian History and Culture in that University. 
The most important invitation came from the President of Republic of China, Sun Yat-Sen [1866-1925];
" Dear Mr.Tagore / I should greatly wish to have the privillege of personally welcoming you on your arrival in China. It is an ancient way of ours to show honor to the scholar. But in you I shall greet not only a writer who has added lusture to Indian letters but a rare worker in those field of endeavour where in lie the seeds of man's future welfare and spiritual trium and spiritual triumps.
May I then have the pleasure of inviting you to Canton ?"
But Rabindranath could not attain the invitation.
Rabindranath got many invitations from different institutions and Hong Kong University. But he didnot participate in any of the programme.
Before leaving Hong Kong the Sikh community arranged a music Sandhya of Bhajan for Rabindranath and his associates  

Rabindranath Tagore to China - Singapore(contd-12)

The ship "Ethiopia" was to reach Singapore in the morning of 2nd April, 1924 but reached one hour late at

 9 PM. But the citizens and the members of reception committee had reached the Jetty prior to the arrival of the ship. The secretary, Mr. L.G. Cranna.greeted Rabindranath and said,  " the citizens of Singapore was feeling sorry for missing your company for a longer period due to your busy schedule." A painter, Low Kway Song , offered Rabindranath an oil painted  portrait drawn by him. .
Granville Roberts offered him a copy of the book, " One hundred years of the Chinese in Singapore" written by Song Oug Siang.
Kalidas Nag wrote, " the Indian friends of different sects took us to a resting place. They arranged a fine                                      (Thai Temple by Low Kway Song. Year: 1923. Medium: Oil on canvas  ) house of a rich man Mr. Dawood of Bombay, for taking rest by Rabindranath Tagore.  " They also arranged  their lunch in this house.
From Singapore Rabindranath took another ship "Atsuta Maru" to go to Japan leaving "Ethiopia".
On 7th April Rabindranath wrote to Pratima Devi,
" Today we have reached near to Hong Kong. but weather is very rough.The journey was good otherwise.The ocean was calm and quiet....."
The sea waves had caused some trouble to Kshiti Babu, Nandalal and Kalidas Nag.
The ship reached Hong Kong at 10 PM in the night.

.

Rabindranath Tagore to China ( Kual lumpur)- contd-11

Sweetenham
Arrangements had been made to welcome Rabindranath Tagore at Kulalumpur .
On 31st March the ship reached the sea port and some members of the reception committee helped Rabindranath and his associates to get down from the ship and took them to the house of Mr. Ramaswami at a distance of about 30 miles.  Arrangemnts were made to welcome by Dr. Paresh nath Sen , Mr. Kumarswami, Mr. H.N.ferrars etc to welcom Rabindranath and in the ceremony a promise to contribute fund for Viswabharati was made.They took their dinner at the house of Mr. Pareshnath  and returned to the ship to start for Singapore at 7 PM.WhenRabindranath left for China from Bengal there was drought but became pleased to see heavy rain here. He wrote the incident to Ranu.Elmhirst wrote to Rabindranath,
" the people of Malaya became anxious about Viswabharati and had already began collecting fund for Viswabharati.The people here are rich for the business in Rubber and Tin and there are scope to earn more. He requested Rathindranath to send rules and regulations of Viswabharati, ordinary and life membership forms and forms for quarterly subscriber of the magazine of Viswabharati.
Rabindranath became busy in writing lecture notes for China. He was bout to complete three and he had to complete another three lecture notes.El mhirst wrote;
" Gurudev has advanced well with his third lecture, in I believe he is sketching his ideal of Dharna. I have just finished typing the second one ... Inspite of lack of convenient writing place Gurudev works hard
nearly all day sitting proppefd at on his bank, & is full of fun at meal times."
Elmhirst sent a tentative programme on 12th April to Rathindranath which was published in Viswabharati.
Our programme works out something like this;
Peking - April 1922, May16 then to Shansi, Hankow
Shanghai - May 28 , Leave for Japan
Hongkong - June 21, Canton, Saigon
Bangkok - July 8
Singapore- July 22
Java - July 26 - Aug 10
Rangoon - Aug 15
Calcutta - Aug 18
Ofcourse this is all provisional but we must not risk the typhoon season of July and I think in this way we shall escape easily and fit everything  in.
This programme was not materialised.