The relationship between major authors Rabindranath Tagore and Victoria Ocampo is one of monumental secrecy and enigma. Be the plethora of speculations and gossip about the extent to which their connection was intellectual, romantically emotional, or in between, certain that both left a profound and lasting impression on the other’s life. Tagore, already a renowned personality all over the globe, came to his visit with the philosophical and spiritual richness of Indian philosophy and literature. Ocampo, an Argentine intellectual and writer, and founder of literary magazine Sur, was not only impressed with his work but also with his person and presence. Their own love, marked by deep respect and passion, is relevant to readers and historians today as it exceeded the cultural, geographical, and linguistic limits of the period.
Tagore and Ocampo first met in San Isidro, Argentina, in 1924 when Tagore came to South America. Tagore was already ill and was in need of a place of rest away from the pressures of his worldwide endeavors. Ocampo, deeply moved by the French translation of his collection of poems Gitanjali, invited him to come and live in her villa. A gesture which started in the form of affectionate friendship. The two were like two peas in a pod during his stay, talking incessantly for hours on end, walking in the gardens, and discussing literature, philosophy, art, and human feelings. They found shared language in verse and shared interest in each other’s culture. Their relationship did not cease once Tagore returned to India after resigning from Argentina. Rather, it turned into a rewarding epistolary relationship, full of love, intellectual debates, and longing. They remained in touch with one another for nearly two decades before Tagore passed away in 1941. Although they never met again in life, the vigor of their short meeting made deep imprints on both and provided lasting impressions within their future work.