Rabisarani

The secretary of National Federation of Religious Liberals, Boston - Chas. W. Wendte invites Rabindranath to speak at their big conference to be held in Rochester on 28th-30th January, 1913. Rabindranath writes to them stating his inability to go. Chas. W. Wendte writes back to Rabindranath imploring him to reconsider his decision and renew the invitation.

The poet is through with the translation of his play Sarodotsav.

In a letter written to Dineshchandra Sen, he explains his technique of translation--"…when it is not possible to transfer to English the music of the language and cadence of Bengali, its inner beauty comes through if only the sentiment, the feeling is translated into very simple English. This job is easily done by me..." He had already started translating his poems, songs and plays into English on a large scale while staying in England and continues translating more of his writings in the USA. Quite few of the poems later printed in various anthologies were translated in England. More of these are now translated in Urbana and later in Chicago. These translated prose-poems will later appear in anthologies such as The Gardener, The Crescent Moon, Fruit-Gathering, Lover's Gift and Crossing.

Writes Ke nibi go kiney amai – the only poem/song he will write during the American sojourn.

Agrees to publish an inexpensive edition of the Gitanjali and Fox Strangways sends the agreement to Rabindranath in the USA for his signature. Later in the year, the book will make publishing history and pave the way for the poet's worldwide reputation following the award of the Nobel prize for literature.

Leaves Urbana for Chicago. In Chicago he stays at the palatial residence of Harriet Moody, widow of the American poet W. V. Moody, who is a gracious and wonderful hostess. Later he'll write Ajit k. Chakrabarty, "…There is a natural large-heartedness in her hospitality. An abundant motherly sentiment issues from her heart and flows along in diverse currents…As I've found a friend in London, so have I found a mother here – this highest expression of a woman is very gladdening to me. It is precisely this expression which I have tried to articulate in Anandamoyee in Gora."

The poet reads the play Post Office before an audience at the painter Henderson's residence.

Delivers an address on Ideals of the Ancient Civilization of India at Chicago University.

Reads a few poems/songs at Harriet Monroe's place.

Poet speaks at the Abraham Lincoln Centre on The Problem of Evil.

Writes to Swarnakumari Devi expressing his inability to assist her in publishing English translations of her writings in the west.

Goes to Rochester.

Reads the lecture Race Conflict at the Congress meeting of the Religious Liberals.

Makes the acquaintance of the German philosopher and Nobel laureate Rudolph Christopher Eucken, with whom he has already entered into correspondence.

Mrs. Harriet Moody, the widow of American poet W.V.Moody, Rabindranath stayed at whose residence after coming to Chicago, expresses a similar sentiment when she writes to the poet -- "I cannot tell you what you have done for me."

Arrives in Boston.

In Boston, meets his old acquaintance Count Okakura who is now Curator, Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Meets Ajit k.Chakrabarty's friend and his admirer -- R.F. Rattray in Boston, America.

In Boston, the poet persuades R.F.Rattray to improve the English of his essays and lectures.

When Rabindranath is at Boston in America, he persuades R.F.Rattray to improve the English of his essays and lectures. Moved by his simplicity and humility Rattray writes -- "…I had the curious experience of going over the work of a great writer of English and correcting it as if it were a schoolboy's exercise." James Houghton Woods, Professor of Indian Philosophy at Harvard University, organises these lectures.

The poet lectures on The Problem of Evil in the Emerson hall, Harvard before an enthusiastic audience. It will be printed in the July issue of The Hibbert Journal.

Delivers the second lecture on Man's Relation to the Universe.

Speaks at the Philosophical Club.

Reads the third lecture on Realization of Brahma.

Also speaks at the Andover Divinity Club. Rattray will later write – "When Tagore was at Harvard, Professor and Mrs. Woods invited a number of guests to their house to meet him; one was T.S.Eliot, who was a fellow-student of mine."

A number of Bengali students, formerly of the Jatiya Siksha Parishad, Calcutta, who are now studying at Harvard, avidly meet him. Rabindranath has a high opinion of them and says so in a letter written to Jagadananda Ray.

Poet is back in Chicago with his family.

After returning to Chicago, Rabindranath stays at Mrs. Harriet Moody's house.

Harriet Monroe now gets to know the poet better. Monroe will later recall these evenings spent at Mrs. Moody's house in the poet's company -- "We used to spend evenings around Mrs. Moody's fire listening to the chanting of poems in Bengali, or the recitation of their English equivalents and feeling as if we were seated at the feet of some ancient wise man of the East..."

Busies himself with typing his father's translations.

Mrs. Moody gets her secretary to type more copies of the translations. The poet will again enjoy her magnificent hospitality during his second visit to the USA in 1916.

Rabindranath now longs for Santiniketan and his school. He says so in a letter written to Rothenstein.

Rabindranath and his family members are back in Urbana.

Poet writes to Ajitkumar – "After my arrival in Urbana I'm spending my days by writing prose lectures in the morning and translating my poems the rest of the day. The subject of my prose essay is The Problem of Self. "In translating his poems/songs, far from doing so randomly, the poet deliberately chooses a wide variety of poems which show the ample range of his themes. The same approach is evident in the selection of the plays and essays translated.

Meets the English poet Alfred Noyes at a dinner party.

Rabindranath gives a reading of Chritangada; The poet Alfred Noyes present at the reading.

Count Okakura writes to the poet – "I am leaving Boston tomorrow and go straight through Seattle and Japan." His death occurs in September 13, in Japan.

Reads an essay at the local Cosmopolitan Club before his departure.

The poet is back in Chicago.

Delivers lecture on The Relation of the Universe and the Individual at Wisconsin University in the evening.

The poet and his travelling companions go to see an exhibition of Post-Impressionist paintings in Madison after the lecture.

In Chicago the poet gives readings of his plays Post Office, Chitra, The King of the Dark Chamber, and Malini.

Rabindranath and his travelling companions leave Chicago for Boston.

Rabindranath and his travelling companions arrive in New York in the last lap of their USA tour.

Rabindranath reads the essay The Problem of Self at Harvard University.

Reads the essay The Realisation of Beauty at Harvard University.

From New York, Rabindranath and his companions sail for England on the Olympic.

Rabindranath with his travelling companions arrive in London.

Yeats writes him a letter saying they are anxious to perform the Post Office in Dublin in the middle of May.

Rabindranath and his companions again take up residence at the familiar boarding house at Alfred Place in London.

Poetry reading session at the poet Ernest Rhys's residence. Rabindranath reads a few of the Gitanjali pieces at Mrs. Rhys's request. Also sings "Se je ashe, ashe, ashe". Later the poet will dedicate the Sadhana to Ernest Rhys.

Kalimohan Ghosh, who is now in London will later write, "May 7 -- (The poet) reads The King of the Dark Chamber at 8.30 in the evening at Lady Flower's house on Gilbert Street. It's a private drawing room. Not many have been invited. It's a small group among whom I know Mr. and Mrs.Rhys, Mr. and Mrs.Mead and Lady Law."

The poet is 53 years old now, writes to Ajitkumar – "…perhaps I've started treading the path of a new development, perhaps yet another veil will disappear …" He'll prove right before the year is out. Over long years he's been slowly, steadily transcending the boundaries of family, sectarian religion, race and country – he will become a world citizen with the award of the Nobel Prize.

Reads the yet unpublished Chitra at Northbrook Society Hall before a distinguished audience. The reading is organised by The Indian Art, Dramatic and Friendly Society.

The poet visits the celebrated mathematician Mrs. Boole, accompanied by Swami Vivekananda's disciple Miss J. Macleod.

Rabindranath's famous play The Post Office which the poet Yeats thinks is a masterpiece, is performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and the production attracts media attention.

During Rabindranath's visit to England, Dwijendralal Roy dies. Tagore later sends a letter to Roy's son, Dilipkumar Roy mentioning that he respects Dwijendralal till the end.

When Rabindranath is in England, an association of Indian students studying at Cambridge named as Indian Mejlis brings him over to Cambridge and the poet reads a lecture at a gathering of the Mejlis. The lecture is organised at the initiative of Mejlis members like Prasantachandra Mahalanabis, Aurobindamohan Basu, etc.

As the association of Indian students named as Indian Mejlis brings Rabindranath over to Cambridge to deliver a lecture at a gathering of the Indian Mejlis, Rabindranath taking advantage of this opportunity, meets Prof.J.D. Anderson.

Poet is back in town.

Rabindranath speaks on The Relation of the Universe and the Individual before a considerable audience at Caxton Hall in the evening – the first of a series of lectures organised by Quest Society.

The audience for Rabindranath's speech on The Relation of the Universe and the Individual organised by Quest Society includes May Sinclair, Sturge Moore, Ernest Rhys.

While Rabindranath meets Prof.J.D. Anderson at the gathering of Indian Mejlis, Anderson writes him a grateful letter thanking him for calling on him.

Invited by Dr. Carpenter, Rabindranath goes to Oxford and gives an address on Realisation of Love at Manchester College before a "brilliant and awe-inspired crowd of professors, dons and undergraduates."

Robert Bridges with his son and Herbert Fisher are in the audience for Rabindrnath's speech on Realisation of Love at Manchester College.

Shahid Suhrawardy of the Oxford Majliss of Indian students writes that the poet is given a "large reception" by the Majliss the same day in the evening the poet delivers the speech on Realisation of Love at Manchester College.

Rabindranath meets Georgina Maxmuller over lunch the next day after he delivers the speech on Realisation of Love at Manchester College.

Rabindranath returns to London.

Delivers the second lecture of the series organised by Quest Society – Soul Consciousness at Caxton hall.

Delivers the third lecture of the series organised by Quest Society on The Problem of Evil.

Invited by Sturge Moore, Rabindranath arrives at his place, reads Chitra and discusses the translations with him.

Delivers the fourth lecture of the series organised by the Quest Society, on The Problem of Self.

Mother of William – a devotee of the poet, meets the poet.

Reads The King of the Dark Chamber before a distinguished and large audience at Rothenstein's house.

The poet is felicitated at a fine reception, given by Indians residing in Britain at Criterian Restaurant.

At the reception for the poet's felicitation ceremony organized at Criterian Restaurant by Indians residing in Britain, more than 300 people gather at the restaurant and the crowd includes Gokhale, Sir Sankaran Nayar, M.A. Jinnah, Sarojini Naidu, etc.

Rabindranath is garlanded by Mrs. Naidu at the reception for his felicitation ceremony organized at Criterian Restaurant by Indians residing in Britain.

Poet regales the audience with a song at the reception for his felicitation ceremony organized at Criterian Restaurant by Indians residing in Britain.

The poet is again felicitated at the Lyceum Club in London.

Delivers the fifth lecture on Realisation in Love at Caxton Hall in London.

Speaks at a meeting of the Indian Women's Education Association held at Sir Krishnagovinda Gupta's residence in London.

Apart from Rabindranath, Sarojini Naidu also speaks at the meeting of the Indian Women's Education Association held at Sir Krishnagovinda Gupta's residence in London.

Delivers the sixth and last lecture of the Quest series on The Realisation of Brahma at Kensington Town hall.

Delivers another lecture on Realisation in Action at Brahmasamaj, Nottinghill Gate.

From Norway Andrea Butenschon writes to the poet offering to translate the Gitanjali into Swedish. The translation will be out before the announcement of the Nobel award in 1913.

In London, Rabindranath is admitted to Dutches Nursing Home. Undergoes surgery for removal of piles. Released towards the end of July.

In London, even when confined to the nursing home due to the surgery for removal of his piles, Rabindranath writes quite a few short poems.

• Eka ek sunyamatra4th July,1913

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• Bechhe laba sab4th July,1913

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• Sab-cheye bhakti jar4th July,1913

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• Darpane jahare dekhi4th July,1913

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• Apani apna cheye6th July,1913

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• Agun jwalita jabey7th July,1913

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• Hey priya, dukkher beshe7th July,1913

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At the behest of Yeats and Lady Gregory, Abbey Theatre Company stages poet's Post Office and Synge's The well of the Saints at Court Theatre, London.

Lilian Jagoe is brilliant as Amal in Rabindranath's play Post Office staged by Abbey Theatre Company at Court Theatre in London.

Poet's English friends go to watch the play Post Office staged at Court Theatre in London, Sturge Moore among them.

The poet's friend Sturge Moore watched the play Post Office and writes to the poet -- "I watched your lovely little play towards the end through tears." London press favourably reviews the performance.

After the surgery for removal of his piles and released from the nursing home the poet is naturally eager to speed up the publication of his forthcoming books and begins to rely more on Sturge Moore as Yeats seems to have lost something of his early exuberant enthusiasm.

In London, the translations of Chitra, The Gardener, The Crescent Moon are brushed up with Sturge Moore's assistance.

The noted Dutch poet Dr. Frederik Van Eeden writes to Rabindranath two ardent letters praising his poetry and seeking his permission to translate Gitanjali into Dutch.

In reply to the Dutch poet Dr. Frederik Van Eeden's letter, Rabindranath writes him a very moving letter where he says inter alia -- "Very often I think and feel that I am like a flute -- the flute that cannot talk but when the breath is upon it, can sing…" Soon a life-long friendship grows between them. They will meet in Holland during poet's continental tour. His Dutch translation of the Gitanjali will appear on the same day that the Nobel award is announced -- 13th November, 1913. Andre Gide's French translation of the Gitanjali with its famous introduction will appear in early 1914.

Rabindranath is now thoroughly tired of the whole business of "literary craftsmanship, this weighing of words and expressions" as he puts it in a letter written to Rothenstein and longs for his school in Bolpur in India.

He writes three songs in a day.

• Tomari naam bolbo 24th August, 1913

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• Asim dhan to achhey tomar 24th August, 1913

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• E manihar amai nahi sajey 24th August, 1913

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Writes two more songs the next day.

• Bhorer bela kakhan eshey 25th August, 1913

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• Praney kshusir toofan 25th August, 1913

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At a farewell dinner given to Rabindranath by his English friends prior to his departure for India Yeats speaks very movingly, Rothenstein presides.

Writes yet another song -- the last one penned in England --Jeeban jakhan chhilo phuler moto.

Sturge Moore is now convinced of Rabindranath's supremacy as a world poet, sends his – as it turns out – decisive recommendation to the Nobel Committee – "As a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature of the United Kingdom, I have the honour to propose the name of Rabindra Nath Tagore as a person qualified in my opinion, to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature."

Rothenstein and Yeats arrange a small dinner in his honour on the night before he sails for India.

Rothenstein recalls amusingly that after dinner each guest is asked to sing his national anthem. No one manages to sing their anthem from beginning to end--not even Rabindranath, nor Yeats.

A touching scene unfolds on a platform of Euston Station where poet arrives to take a train to Liverpool with numerous Indian students turning up to bid farewell and offer pranaam. His English friends also bid him farewell.

Boards the City of Lahore and sails for India. He is accompanied by Kalimohan Ghosh. Sukumar Ray comes on board at Naples.

A few couplets apart, writes three songs aboard.

• Bhelar moto bukey tani 15th September, 1913

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• Jani go din jabey 18th September, 1913

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• Noi e madhur khela 19th September, 1913

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Lands in Bombay (now Mumbai), is greeted by admirers.

At Howrah railway station he's received and garlanded by a huge "Bande mataram" chanting crowd which includes leading city intellectuals also.

Leaves for Santiniketan the same day.

The students of the Brahmacharyasram welcome him back home with a performance of the Valmiki Pratibha.

Who has also arrived meets the poet for the first time.

Savouring again the bracing solitude of Santiniketan he writes to Somendrachandra Devbarma in USA -- "I have received a great deal of honour and felicitations both at home and abroad, but nothing is comparable to the baptism that takes pace here every day in this clear light of the open sky."

Writes five songs in October in Santiniketan.

• Jadi prem diley na praney 14th October, 1913

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• Nitya tomar je phool photey 15th October, 1913

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• Amar je asey kachhey 18th October, 1913

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• Amar mukher katha tomar 19th October, 1913

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• Kebol thakis sarey sarey 22th October, 1913

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The Gardener, his second English book of translated poems is published by Macmillan, & Co., London.

The Gardener is dedicated to Yeats and though the range and variety of themes here is more varied than that of Gitanjali, it is received less enthusiastically in the west. Rabindranath takes it in his stride (as evident in letter to Rothenstein written 7th November).

Led by its illustrious VC Ashutosh Mukherjee, the syndicate of the Calcutta University at a special session recommends the conferment of D. Lit. honoris causa on Rabindranath barely a fortnight before the announcement of the Nobel award.

Rabindranath is awarded the Nobel Prize for literature (1913). The evening newspaper The Empire, Calcutta, breaks the news as GREAT HONOUR FOR/TAGORE./NOBEL PRIZE CONFERRED./” LARGEST CONTRIBUTION TO/THE COMMON GOOD.”/ (REUTER'S SERVICE.)/LONDON, THURSDAY.

After Rabindranath wins the Nobel Prize for literature, there is great jubilation in Calcutta and Santiniketan. The poet is snowed under with telegrams and felicitations.

As Rabindranath is awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, the senate of the Calcutta University accepts the syndicate recommendation to confer honorary D. Lit on the poet.

When Rabindranath wins the Nobel Prize for literature, more than five hundred admirers and devotees of the poet go down to Santiniketan in a special train to felicitate and honour him. Jagadishchandra Bose presides, Hirendanath Dutta reads the message. Rabindranath says in reply --"I lack the ability to fully accept the honour which you have come to offer me today in the name of the entire country..."The guests leave in anger and dismay declining the ample refreshments arranged for them.

The Crescent Moon and Sadhana: The Realisation of Life published by Macmillan & Co., London. The latter is dedicated to Ernest Rhys.

Writes three songs during his brief stay in Santiniketan.

• Lukiye asho andhar ratey 30th November, 1913

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• Amar kantha tanre dakey 1st December, 1913

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• Amar sakal kanta dhanya korey 1st December, 1913

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Sail for South Africa to take part in the Satyagraha movement being led by M.K. Gandhi there against racist discrimination. Rabindranath goes down to the steamer to see them off. Poet leaves Calcutta for Shilaidaha.

Member of the Royal Commission on the Public Services in India (and later prime minister of Britain) -- J.R. Mackdonald -- visits the Santiniketan vidyalaya.

The British ambassador to Sweden, Mr. Clive receives the Prize on behalf of the poet and sends it to Lord Carmichael, Governor of Bengal for presentation to Rabindranath.

Surendranath translates the first four chapters of Chokher Bali (printed in Modern Review -- Jan, 1914).

The poet returns to Calcutta to be present at the wedding of Sukumar Ray and Suprabha Devi.

Goes to Santiniketan for three days.

Writes the song – Gabo tomar soorey dao se beenayantra.

7th Poush is celebrated at the ashram with more than usual fervour because the poet is attending after a year's interval.

The poet will receive the degree at a special convocation held at Governor's House, Calcutta from the chancellor and viceroy Lord Hardinge who will say -- "…I can only hope that the retiring disposition of our Bengal poet will forgive us for thus dragging him into publicity once more and recognise with due resignation that he must endure the penalties of greatness."

Writes three songs in two days.

• Prabhu tomar beena jemni bajey 29th December, 1913

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• Tomai amai milan hobe boley 30th December, 1913

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• Jeevan shrotey ddheuer parey 30th December, 1913

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