Reba Som with governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Visva-Bharati vice-chancellor Rajat Kanta Ray and former vice-chancellor of the university, Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, at the launch; (below) Tagore with Victoria Ocampo (Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya)

Som has broken a number of conventions. It is only because Visva-Bharati’s copyright over Tagore is over that the ICCR director has been able to write so candidly about Tagore’s intense longing for Kadambari Devi or later, in the twilight of life, for his admirer Victoria Ocampo. Som has presented the poet’s life through anecdotes, taking the reader through the trials, tribulations, successes and failures of his life. “I am always interested in the human side of people’s lives. Tagore’s songs mirror his emotions. Every time someone close to him died, Tagore sought to put his feelings in his songs. So a chronological survey of his music actually reflects the bard’s innermost thoughts.”

What prompted Som, who has travelled across the globe “accompanying my diplomat husband” to take up this project? “No such book on his music existed,” she says. It was while she was presenting Rabindrasangeet abroad, and more specifically in Rome, where she prefaced her performances with translations of the songs, that she decided to write this book. “Rabindrasangeet for Calcuttans is so much a part of life that one doesn’t really dwell on the lyrics too much. I had started learning Rabindrasangeet from the age of five and continued till I was married. But it was only when I was in a foreign land and distant shores that all the nuances of his lyrics really hit me,” said the singer-cum-academic, who, like every other Tagorephile, relates to his songs on a personal level. “I have always turned to Rabindrasangeet and found solace in every mood and thought.”

For the benefit of the uninitiated, Som transliterates 60 Rabindrasangeet complete with phonetic diacritical marks. In limited editions of the book, a CD with songs chosen by her, some sung by herself and others by Kanika Bandyopadhyay, Suchitra Mitra, Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and other stalwarts, has been included.

Unknown objects

Souvik Bandyopadhyay knows the economics of a book launch. A full house on a wet weekday evening with a galaxy of guests including poet Joy Goswami, film director Gautam Ghose and actor Barun Chanda is no mean feat for an unknown poet on his first book launch.

Introducing Aamra Anek Kichhu Bhool Jaani, the first book from the economist-turned-poet Souvik, Joy Goswami observed: “When people from other professions turn to writing poetry it only serves to enrich poetry.” Souvik’s poems startle readers with their directness and simplicity as he seeks to communicate in an urbane manner with his readers, almost chatting with them about current politics, economics, society as he comments on the mundane realities of daily life.

Filmmaker Ghose, who is known to the poet, remarked how the daily interaction of friends yielded the poetry of Aamra Anek Kichhu.

Reading out his own verse, D-School graduate Souvik said it was always his dream to be a poet. He mailed his poetry to friends and relatives who egged him on to write more. His dream came true.