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The Hindu
09-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
On Tagore's birthday, Kolkata's oldest bookshop says his books sell every single day
On the occasion of Rabindranath Tagore's birthday today (May 9, 2025), celebrated according to the Bengali calendar, Kolkata's oldest existing bookshop, Dasgupta & Co., took the opportunity to pay homage to the poet, saying his works continue to be a cornerstone of daily life. This year, however, the city's focus has been somewhat diverted by the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, yet the significance of Tagore's legacy remains undiminished. 'Tagore's relevance has never been more pronounced than it is today,' said Arabinda Dasgupta, Managing Director of Dasgupta & Co., the iconic bookshop on College Street, established in 1886. 'For him, humanity took precedence over nationalism, over religion. His love for people, for nature, and his belief in education beyond the walls of the classroom resonate more than ever in today's world. We need his wisdom now, more than before.' Tagore, born on the 25th day of Baisakh in 1861, has always been a central figure in Kolkata's cultural consciousness. This year, his birthday, falling on April 9, is particularly poignant. Mr. Dasgupta, reflecting on the poet's unwavering presence in the city, recounted a powerful memory from 1984 that underscored Tagore's importance even during times of hardship. 'A girl came to our shop in waist-deep floodwaters, looking for a copy of Tagore's Sesher Kobita. I asked her why she had braved such dire conditions for just one book, and all she said was, 'Today is my boyfriend's birthday. I had to,'' he shared. 'Even in the face of calamity, the city did not stop reading Rabindranath Tagore. His works were a constant, enduring presence, even in times of great hardship.' For Mr. Dasgupta, the deep connection between the people of Kolkata and Tagore is evident in the daily sales at his bookshop. 'Never does a day go by without us selling a Tagore book — even if it's just one. His works are the only books we sell every single day,' he added. As a child, Mr. Dasgupta was immersed in the fervour surrounding Tagore, remembering long queues outside the Visva-Bharati bookshop on College Street when the 18-volume Rabindra Rachanabali was published during the poet's centenary year. 'I was only 10 at the time, but the memory of those crowds is etched in my mind,' he remarked. However, he expressed concern over the lack of recent editions of Tagore's works by Visva-Bharati, the institution founded by the poet. 'Visva-Bharati has not published many of Tagore's works in a long time, and in their absence, local publishers often bring out cheaper versions, filled with errors,' he noted. He also lamented that some of Visva-Bharati's editions were priced exorbitantly, driving readers to alternative, often flawed versions. Yet, Mr. Dasgupta acknowledged a shift in the way people engage with Tagore today. 'I've noticed that English translations of Tagore are outselling the original Bengali versions. Even many Bengalis seem to prefer translations, even for iconic works like Gitanjali,' he said. 'While this trend may not be ideal, it is not necessarily a bad thing, for translation helps introduce Tagore to new audiences.' As Kolkata marks Tagore's birthday, it is clear that while the city's priorities may shift, the poet's words continue to echo across generations, transcending borders and languages, remaining a vital part of the city's soul.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Tagore's own institution neglects printing his books; many popular titles out of circulation
Many of Rabindranath Tagore's books appear neglected by the publishing arm of his own institution, Visva-Bharati, with numerous titles under his authorship, including the flagship 18-volume Rabindra Rachanabali, being out of print for over a year now. With the aesthetically printed university-published titles missing from the market, private players are profiting from the neglect by selling their own versions. 'A book like Gora is not available. A book like Sanchayita is not available. This is unbelievable, totally unbelievable!' eminent educationist-writer Chinmoy Guha, professor emeritus of University of Calcutta and former Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati told The Hindu. 'It looks like Visva-Bharati officials are not even aware of their books not being in the market. Nobody is talking about it. Even books like Chokher Bali, Chhelebela, Char Adhyay, Jogajog are not to be found. These are all part of our heritage — such beautifully printed books. Nobody seems to be noticing they are missing,' Prof. Guha said. Visva-Bharati set up its publishing arm, Granthan Vibhaga, in 1923, mainly to print Tagore's major works and circulate his ideas and literature across the globe. The department is currently based in Kolkata and until recently had two outlets in the city: one on College Street and another on Bidhan Sarani, which closed down in 2022. 'Major works out of print include Sanchayita and Sishu. Important textbooks like the full set of Sahaj Path have not been published regularly, resulting in huge loss of revenue over the last one year. The full set of his biography Rabindra Jibani is out of print as are several volumes of Swara Bitan, something so essential for Rabindra Sangeet practitioners,' said a source in Visva-Bharati. 'All this has led to private publishers gradually taking over the profitable space that Granthan Vibhaga once occupied. There is also a clear lack of sales strategy. A few years earlier there had been an attempt to promote online sales but at present there seems to be not much effort in this matter. Of the two shops in Kolkata, the one that is still open seems to be in a state of decline,' the source said. Visva-Bharati has not responded so far as to why such iconic books have remained out of print for over a year. But insiders blame it mainly on lack of planning as far as sales is concerned. Another major issue, according to them, has been the absence of a permanent director and the apathy of the production section. 'Even a year after the previous Vice-Chancellor left, there has not been a single new publication by the Granthan Vibhaga. A proposal was mooted earlier to transfer the production section from Kolkata to Santiniketan so that concerned departments interact better to plan new volumes on Tagore, but this has not been followed up,' an employee said.
