3 Review(s)

The Rabindranath Tagore Omnibus is a collection of six of Tagore’s major works.  Two Sister (Dui Bon), translated by Krishna Kripalani, was first published in 1943. One of Tagore’s last novels, it explores the conflict that arises when a man does not find a mother-figure and sweetheart in the same woman; the poignancy and disturbing truth of the novel, makes it one of Tagore’s finest. Sadhana, first published in 1913, is a collection of eight essays written during Tagore’s six month visit to the United States and stemming from his endeavour to provide the West with a glimpse of the ancient spirit of India as manifested in its sacred texts as well as daily life. Letters to a Friend (1928) is a collection of letters written by Tagore to his lifelong friend and follower C.F. Andrews between the years 1913 and 1922, providing an intimate glimpse into the mind of the great man, as well as the cultural and political milieu of his day. The Parrot’s Training and Other Stories is a delightful collection of short stories, including translations by Surendranath Tagore, Amiya Chakravarty and Rabindranath Tagore himself. The King of the Dark Chamber (Raja) was first published in 1914. Translated by Kshitish Chandra Sen and revised by Tagore, it is a thought-provoking allegory of the eternal spiritual adventure of man. Translated by Tagore, and first published in 1913, Poems of Kabir is a collection of poems by the great Indian poet Kabir (1440-1518), demonstrating his mysticism and devotion to the spirit of universal brotherhood. About the Author One of India’s most cherished figures, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1914) was a novelist, short-story writer, poet, essayist, painter, educationist and thinker, the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913. He modernised Bengali literature, moving it away from its rigid classical form and strict linguistic structure. Known for works such as Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced) and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World,) his novels, short stories and verse are considered part of the greatest of world literature, famous for their exploration of the political and the personal. He also wrote the national anthem of India, Jana Gana Mana, and of Bangladesh, Amar Shonar Bangla.