Appreciation comes and goes
In Tagore’s case, only one Irishman championed his cause and Tagore did get the Nobel Prize.Sri Aurobindo and Tagore were very, very close. When Sri Aurobindo was in the vortex of politics, Tagore said, “He is the soul of India. All of India will listen to him.” He wrote two pages of most prophetic utterances.
After some time, Tagore came to see Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry. They spent half an hour or more together. Then again Tagore said such nice things about Sri Aurobindo. He said that Sri Aurobindo had won his soul. Later, alas, their followers could not appreciate each other.
In the beginning, Tagore used to write to Gandhi. Tagore was the first one to declare Gandhi a great soul. Tagore was the one who called him “Mahatma.” And Mahatma called Tagore “Gurudev.” Tagore became Gandhi’s Gurudev and then everybody started calling him Gurudev, Gurudev. They became so close.
In the evening of Tagore’s life, his Shantiniketan was in need of money. When he was seventy-eight years old, Tagore wanted to dance in order to make money. Gandhi said, “No, you do not have to do that.” Gandhi had so many rich supporters. He gave money to Tagore. Like that, so many times Gandhi helped Tagore financially. Again, when Gandhi said that he would fast unto death if Jawaharlal Nehru did not listen to him, Tagore begged him to stop fasting. Gandhi did listen to him.
In the very evening of their lives, Gandhi and Tagore could not see eye to eye. I read six or seven of their letters. Previously, so sweetly, so highly they were appreciating each other. But in the very evening of their lives, there was no reconciliation.
Tagore and Swami Vivekananda were very close friends. Swami Vivekananda used to go to Tagore’s place. But when Swami Vivekananda became world-famous, their friendship ended. Then the songs that Swami Vivekananda learnt at Tagore’s place he could no longer appreciate.
An Irish lady, Sister Nivedita, had to beg Tagore and beg her Guru, Swami Vivekananda, in the evening of his life for reconciliation. They did listen to her and then both of them said such nice things about each other. Swami Vivekananda said, “If you want to know about India, then Tagore is the answer.” But, alas, Gandhi and Tagore were not reconciled and Sri Aurobindo and Tagore were not reconciled.
