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.  

Rabindranath Tagore and Victoria Ocampo

Victoria Ocampo CBE (April 7, 1890 – January 27, 1979) was an Argentine writer and intellectual, described by Jorge Luis Borges as La mujer más argentina ("the quintessential Argentine woman"). Best known as an advocate for others and as publisher of the legendary literary magazine Sur, she was also a writer and critic in her own right and one of the most prominent South American women of her time
Born Ramona Victoria Epifanía Rufina Ocampo in Buenos Aires into a high-class society family, she was educated at home by a French governess. She would later write, "the alphabet-book in which I learned to read was French, as was the hand that taught me to draw those first letters
 She was not, of course, ever matriculated at either; her very old, traditional and rich family frowned on formal education for females, and so Victoria had none.
In 1912, Ocampo married Bernando de Estrada (aka Monaco Estrada). The marriage was not happy, and in 1920, the couple separated, and Ocampo began a 13-year affair with her husband's cousin Julián Martínez, a diplomat.
Victoria read Gitanjali translated in French by Andre Gide. Later on she read all the works Rabindranath in English and French and Spanish translation and was attracted to its writer too much.Hence when she heard of Rabindranath's coming to Argentina en-route Peru, she waited anxiously to meet him. She herself wrote, " it was learnt that Rabindranath was going to Lima via Buenos Aires, we who are acquainted with his writings in French and English translation, were waiting for his arrival. His appearance was the most interesting that year  for myself this was the greatest event in my life. She wrote, " La Algeria de leer a Rabindranath Tagore ( The joy of reading Rabindranath Tagore) "
Victoria began her writing in the magazine " La Nacion". In that magazine she wrote three essays on Dante, Raskin and Gandhi. This essay for Rabindranath Tagore was published on 9th Nov . She reached with her friend Adelia Acevedo in Plaza hotel where Rabindranath Tagore was boarded. As per physician's opinion who examined Tagore was not favorable for going to Lima through the hilly path of Andes Mountain for his cardiac problem..So it is better to inform the president of Peru that his guest would not be able to reach Peru and he had to take rest before he ascended his ship for his return. " at this Victoria proposed that Tagore with his secretary Elmhirst might stay in the house of San Isidro which belongs to her parents. but as her parents were reluctant to hand over their newly constructed building .  Another house, Miralrio,  near to the house at San Isidro,  belonging to  her relative Ricardo de Lafuente Mechain was arranged for a week.        
Victoria Ocampo, the host of Rabindranath in Argentina,  wrote a book titled Tagore en las barrancas de San Isidro [ 1961] in Spanish language which was translated in Bengali by Shankha Ghosh, titled Ocampo's Rabindranath.
La Nacion , the daily paper, wrote on 8th Nov, a good number of people, both male and female,came to hotel Plaza  to pay respect to Rabindranath but all of them had to retreat unsatisfied. Two doctors, Dr. Castx and Dr. Beretervide examined him and said that Rabindranath became too much week due to the attack of influenza in the ship.They advised him not to meet any visitor . After few days the instruction could be relaxed and he might be allowed to walk a little. Rabindranath hoped that he might deliver a lecture in the local University after taking rest for a week.
Though Elmhirst wrote that the Doctors examined him on 9th Nov. and permitted him to go out. Then they moved by a car through the garden Palermo.  

Rabindranath Tagore to South America (contd-3)

On 8th Nov Rabindranath wrote to Prasanta Chandra ;
"I was not feeling well for a number of days for pain in my chest, and for weakness. That is why I was thinking of death while lying on my bed at night. The poem "Mrityur Ahbhan"  expresses the suffering of death in the lonely cabin.For the first two or three days I was thinking to go home but later I thought country is for the birth of a person and road is for one's death. "
Day after yesterday, they would reach Buenos Ayres. " I shall examine my body by a doctor. I am feeling what a person feel after a long journey.I am  creating what I feel to create"
It was revealed from the manuscript that the poem " Kritanga" was written at the port Rio-de-Generio". The ship reached Buenos Ayres on 6th Nov at 8 PM and Rabindranath was given a grand felicitation there.
The Standard of Argentinawrote on 7th Nov.;

" In the ship by which Rabindranath came, other important passengers such as British Minister Sir Beilby Alston, in charge of ambassador, with his wife and daughter, Sir Ralph Gore and his wife, Madame Martinez  de Hoz etc. But none was given felicitation. This was arranged only for Tagore. Under the leadership of the well known educationist Ricardo Rojas a reception committee was formed and other organisations had also formed separate reception committees;
" The famous Hindu Poet who arrived on the Andes last evening is only enroute to Peru, where he has been invited to attend the celebration of the  Centenary of the Battle of Ayacucho (The Battle of Ayacucho  was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. It was the battle that secured the independence of Peru and ensured independence for the rest of South America. It is considered the end of the Spanish American wars of independence , which takes place at Lima on the 9th of next month.) which takes place at Lima on the 9th of next month...
Last evening a delegation from the Syrian-Libanyan Society in Argentina paid homage to the great poet. Mr. Simon Muse preneting the following ; J.M.Nastif, J.J.Bruse, Dr. George Soana ...etc; Where as japanese association were presented by the Vice-President and the Secretary Messrs G. Yashio Shinya and Y. Amano respectively....."
On 7th Nov Rabindranath wrote to Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis;
" We reached the shore yesterday. Now I could understand that I was attacked with Influenza. I had too much sufferings - otherwise I would not have written so many poems. Even I am feeling weakness now a days. Today morning the Doctor came and said that there is no problem in my system, only it is due to over work. This is also what Nilratan Babu said.Any way, I have been received here much cordially which we did not get any where else. The famous Art club of this place has agreed to arrange art exhibition with our materials...Dhiren is coming over here. ..."

The description of the journey of Rabindranath Tagore in Argentina as recorded by Elmhirst was kept in the museum of Victoria Ocampo.