Tagore

Christine, the British film fellow next door, invited me to join her and her colleague to attend the Rabindrath Tagore (father of Indian lit and artist after the age of 70) festival at the Indian International Center. First we headed to the National Gallery to see the original Tagores. There was an art class happening right in one of the rooms with Tagore's pals hanging on the walls. The kids were so focused and paint marked the floors--a wonderful creative space! Then we headed to the IIC for lunch—in the lovely 3-sided windowed lounge with huge fountains in the garden just outside, where the intellectuals of Delhi come to see one another. Apparently there is a long waiting list to become a member—and a sizeable fee. The room was full of beautiful saris and kurtas—everyone knew everyone it seemed. Many joined us to see a Tagore film and then outside near the fountains for Bengali singing and dancing to celebrate the Bengali New Year and the beginning of summer.