MEETING SOEKARNO

From the Dwipamay Bharat, p. 366 :

“[Tuesday, September 27, 1927] At half past ten, three Sundanese young men came to see the poet. [The island of Java is inhabited by the Sundanese in the west, and the Javanese proper in the centre and the east. They have the same life and culture, only their languages are slightly distinct—say, like Bengali and Bihari]. One of them is named Soekarno. He knows English well, he is come back from Holland. These gentlemen were leaders of the party striving for Swaraj (for Java). It was clear from our conversation that they kept good deal of information about what was happening in the domain of politics in our country—they were well-acquainted with the writings and activities of Gandhiji, Chittaranjan and Motilal Nehru, and they mentioned also the name of Mrs. Sarojini Naidu. They had come just to see the Poet. We had gone to Java specially to see its antiquities—and opportunities to come in touch with those who were carrying on political movements and fighting for freedom were not quite feasible for us. One of the reasons for this was perhaps the presence of Dutch official people among us althrough. That is why our wanderings in Java have remained incomplete in this direction. Mr. Soekarno is a highly intelligent young man with a charming presence : The Poet and the rest of us all liked these gentlemen immensely.’’

I am not positive about it, but I believe it was Dr. Soekarno, the present President of the Republic of Indonesia, who had come to interview Rabindranath Tagore on September 27, 1927, at Mr. Demont’s place in Bandoeng. It was not an interview arranged officially : the interviewers came to know that the Poet was free at the time, and they took the chance to come and see him. We did not talk much politics. Mr Soekarno as far as I remember was a little skeptical about the utility of the courts of the feudatory princes in Eastern Java, with their brilliant court ceremonial and their classic Javanese dances. He explained to the Poet how Dutch Government Patronage of these things, the finest fruits of ancient Javanese culture no doubt, ill accorded with the denial of elementary democratic rights and of higher education to the people. We were at that time full of our wondering appreciation of the Serimpi and Bedoyo dances, coming down from Hindu-Javanese times, in the courts of soeral-atra and Djogjakarta, and we confessed that we had no opportunity of studying the political problems of Java, but from our own situation in India we could guess very largely what it would be like. The Poet as well as ourselves were much shocked and distressed to hear that bombing from the air was resorted to in Java to punish nationalists who were proving obnoxious to the Dutch Government. But of course we were helpless in the matter. Our visit to Java was then drawing to a close. But the impression created by Mr. Soekarna and his party during this half-hour interview made us feel that here we had as fine and intelligent and as serious and ardent a body of young patriots as any country would be proud of ……

I can only conclude by translating a poem of Rabindranath composed four years after our visit to Indonesia and Into-China :

Lord God, time and often of different periods You have sent
Your messengers to this merciless world of ours.
They have passed away, telling us to pardon all offenders, to love,
and
to destroy the poison of hatred that is within us.
They are to be honoured, they are to be remembered : yet on this
evil day I have turned away their useless salutation
from the outer door.
For I have seen hidden Hatred stalking in the treacherous
shadow of the night and striking at those that are helpless;
I have seen the voice of Justice weeping silently and alone
at the guilt of the Strong which cannot be opposed;
And I have seen the unspeakable agony with which young
boys madly rushed out and died, uselessly
dashing their head against stones.
My voice is throttled today, my flute has lost
its music; for the prison of the moonless
night has covered up my world within the
abyss of a horrible nightmare.
And that is why I ask you in tears—
Those that are poisoning your air, and putting out Your light,
Have you pardoned them, have you loved them?