Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Tagore, Rabindranath, 1861-1941.
Title:	Rabindranath Tagore Collection
Inclusive Dates:	1916-1940
Quantity:	5 items (SC)
Abstract:	Papers of the Bengali author, playwright, poet. 4 items of outgoing correspondence to Miss Andrews, James B. Pond, Henry Woodd Nevinson, and Jinadasa Vijaya-Tunga; and a single holograph poem, "An Unnamed Child," translated from the Bengali of Debendra Sen.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was an Indian writer, philosopher, and social reformer who is remembered for introducing Indian culture to the Western world and bringing elements of the West to India. He became Asia's first Nobel Laureate when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.

	1861	Born in Calcutta, Bengal, British India on May 7th
	1879-1880	Attended University College, London
	1882	Co-founded Sarasvat Samaj, a literary organization
	1883	Married Mrinalini Devi Raichaudhuri on December 9th
	1884	Worked as Secretary of Adi Brahmo Samaj, a religious society
	1891	Started Sadhana, a literary journal
	1894	Became Vice-president of Academy of Bengali Letters
	1901	Founded school at Santiniketan (became Visva-Bharati University in 1918)
	1905	Founded weaving school at Kushtia
		Founded agricultural cooperative bank at Patisar
	1910	Wrote Gora (novel)
	1913	Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for Gitangali: Song Offerings
	1916	Wrote Ghare-Baire (novel)
	1919	Started Santiniketan Patra, a literary journal
	1922	Brought exhibition of German Expressionist art to Calcutta
	1930	Exhibited paintings at the Gallery Pigalle in Paris, France
	1931	Exhibited drawings and paintings in India for the first time
	1941	Died in Calcutta, West Bengal, India on August 7th

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Rabindranath Tagore Collection consists of five items, including four outgoing letters and one manuscript poem, all of which were written between 1916 and 1940 by the Bengali playwright and poet.

The correspondence is of both a personal and business nature, and includes an appreciative letter to Henry Woodd Nevinson for his Nation article about Tagore's proposal for a University; a condolence letter to Miss Andrews following the death of C. F. Andrews; and an item to Jinadasa Vijaya-Tunga in which Tagore expresses regret for his inability (due to ill health) to write an article about the Indo-Ceylonese question. Also included is an undated letter to lecture agent James B. Pond in which Tagore anticipates his American lecture tour:

There is one point which I think is worth while referring to now, and that is the question of the hotels I should stay at. I am anxious that wherever I go I should get as much quiet and freedom from interruption as possible, and therefore I should like to stay at hotels which are quiet. As you have your correspondents in all the places I shall be visiting you might keep this point in mind and suggest the names of the hotels at which you would advise me to stay.

Writings consist of a single autographed, dated poem, "The Unnamed Child," translated from the Bengali of Debendra Sen.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection contains two series: Correspondence and Writings. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by recipient.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Rabindranath Tagore Collection
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: KM
Date: Apr 1989
Revision history: 12 Mar 2009 - converted to EAD (LDC)

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Inventory

	Correspondence
SC 99		Nevinson, Henry Woodd 14 Apr 1921
SC 99		Vijaya-Tunga, Jinadasa 31 Mar 1940
SC 99		Andrews, Miss 17 Apr 1940
SC 99		Pond, James Burton undated

	Writings
SC 99		"The Unnamed Child" 25 Mar 1916 - autographed holograph poem

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