Saturday, June 9, 2012

Surul, Mary van Eeghen and Rabindranath

The entire estate was donated in 1925 by Mrs. Mary van Eeghen-Boissevain for the work of the Masters. In the Rules of the Centre is stated that the aims of the Centre are "to promote universal brotherhood and peace, inspired by the highest human values, to serve the world under the perspective of One Life in all living beings".
There was a good number of guest in Santiniketan during winter season in 1921-1922 and Rabindranath was very busy to entertain them. Mrs Mary van Eeghen a Dutch rich lady, who became the host of Rabindranath when he was in Holland, came on 13th Jan, 1922 and stayed there for two months.She began to learn Rabindrasangeet and to teach western music to the students of Ashram with notation.She constructed a house, the top of which was covered by straw, in her own expenses.
Surendranath wanted his son to join the reconstruction of Villages programme in Surul. Jnanadanandini visited Surul with the intention of looking into its feasibilty on 22nd Jan,1922. It is known from the diary of Jyotirindranath that she came back to Ranchi via Asansol on 30th Jan.
Padmaja, the daughter, and Mrinalini Chattopadhyay, the sister,  of Sarojini Naidu came earlier. Mrinalini brought with her 100 pictures of Mughal, Kangra, and Rajput from the collection of queen of Vijiangram. These pictures were exhibited in "Santoshalaya", the then Kalabhavan, on 21st Jan, 1922.  
Elmhirst wrote in his diary on 23rd Jan,1922, that there was a tea party in the evening in front of the house of Pearson. Mr. and Mrs. Levi, Mrs. Eeghen, Rabindranath, Rathindranath, Pratima Devi, Mrinalini, Padmaja, and others were present. After the sunset Nitu, son of Mira Devi, Rabindranath and Mrs. Eeghen entertained with music. On the previous day Pratima Devi offered a family lunch in honour of Jnanadanandini where Elmhirst was also present.