Jibonannondo Das

Jibanananda Das  (17 February 1899 –

22 October 1954) was a Bengali poet, writer, novelist and essayist. Dimly recognised all through his lifetime, today Das is known as “the premier poet of the post-Tagore era in India  and Bangladesh. One of his translators. Seely, is among those who consider Jibananda Das as "Bengal's greatest modern poet and its "best loved poet" too. Author and literary critic Amit Chaudhuri concurs, describing Das's writing with admiration: "The poems are now part of the Bengali notice, on both sides of the border separating India from what was Pakistan and is now Bangladesh; it's safe to claim that Das is the pre-eminent and best loved Bengali poet after Tagore." For the poets in the latter half of the twentieth century Das "has practically come to take place of Tagore". Das's opus is eclectic and resists categorization under any single title or school.

Das wrote ad infinitum, but as he was an introvert and the “most alone of [Bengali] poets”, he felt "compelled to suppress some of his most important writings or to locate them in a secret life". During his lifetime, only seven volumes of his poems were published. After his death, it was discovered that apart from poems Das wrote several novels and a large number of short stories. His unpublished works are still being published.
Das died on 22 October 1954; eight days after he was hit by a tramcar. The witnesses said that though the tramcar whistled, he did not stop and got struck. Some deem the mishap as an effort at suicide.

During the last 50 years. His victory as a modern Bengali poet may be attributed to the facts that Jibanananda Das in his poetry not only exposed the tract of the slowly evolving 20th-century modern mind, sensitive and reactive, full of anxiety and tension, bu that he invented his own diction, rhythm and vocabulary, with an unmistakably indigenous rooting, and that he maintained a self-styled lyricism and imagism mixed with an odd existentialist sensuousness, perfectly suited to the modern temperament in the Indian context, whereby he also averted fatal dehumanisation that could have not speaking him from the people. He was at once a classicist and a romantic and created an appealing world up till then unknown:

Banalata Sen's Cover by Satyajit Ray.

For thousands of years I roamed the paths of this earth,
From waters round Ceylon in dead of night
        to Malayan seas.
Much have I wandered. I was there
in the grey world of Asoka
And Bimbisara, pressed on through darkness
        to the city of Vidarbha.
I am a weary heart surrounded by life's frothy ocean.
To me she gave a moment's peace –
        Banalata Sen from Natore.
(Banalata Sen)

At the same time as reading Jibanananda Das, one often encounters references to olden times and places, events and personalities. A sense of time and history is an instantly recognizable element that has shaped Jibanananda Das's graceful world to a great extent. though, he lost sight of nothing close him. Unlike many of his peers who blindly imitated the renowned western poets in a bid to create a new poetic domain and generated spurious poetry, Jibanananda Das remained anchored in his own soil and time, productively assimilating experiences real and virtual and produce hundreds of remarkable lines. His intellectual vision was thoroughly fixed in Bengal's nature and beauty:

Amidst a vast paddock the last time when I met her
I said: 'Come again a time like this
if one day you so wish
twenty-five years later.'
This been said, I came back home.
After that, many a time, the moon and the stars
from field to field have died, the owls and the rats
searching grains in paddy fields on a moonlit night
fluttered and crept! – shut eyed
many times left and right
        have slept
several souls! – awake kept I
all alone – the stars on the sky
        travel fast
faster still, time speeds by.
        Yet it seems
Twenty-five years will forever last.
(After Twenty-five Years, translated by Luna Rushdi)

আকাশলীনা
– জীবনানন্দ দাশ
সুরঞ্জনা, অইখানে যেয়োনাকো তুমি,
বোলোনাকো কথা অই যুবকের সাথে;
ফিরে এসো সুরঞ্জনা :

নক্ষত্রের রুপালি আগুন ভরা রাতে;
ফিরে এসো এই মাঠে, ঢেউয়ে;
ফিরে এসো হৃদয়ে আমার;
দূর থেকে দূরে – আরও দূরে
যুবকের সাথে তুমি যেয়োনাকো আর।

কী কথা তাহার সাথে? – তার সাথে!
আকাশের আড়ালে আকাশে
মৃত্তিকার মতো তুমি আজ :
তার প্রেম ঘাস হয়ে আসে।

সুরঞ্জনা,
তোমার হৃদয় আজ ঘাস :
বাতাসের ওপারে বাতাস –
আকাশের ওপারে আকাশ।            
                                             

Thematically, Jibanananda Das is amazed by the continued existence of humankind in the backdrop of eternal flux of time, wherein individual presence is insignificant and meteoric albeit inescapable. He feels that we are closed in, fouled by the numbness of this concentration cell (Meditations). To him, the world is weird and olden, and as a race, mankind has been a persistent "wanderer of this world" (Banalata Sen) that, according to him, has existed too long to know anything more (Before death, Walking alone) or experience anything fresh. The justification of further mechanical life like Mahin's horses (The Horses) is apparently absent: "So (he) had slept by the Dhanshiri river on a cold December night, and had by no means thought of waking again" (Darkness).

As an individual, tired of life and yearning for sleep (One day eight years ago), Jibanananda Das is certain that peace can be found nowhere and that it is useless to move to a distant land, since there is no way of freedom from sorrows fixed by life (Land, Time and Offspring). But, he suggests: "O sailor, you press on, keep pace with the sun!" (Sailor)

Why did Jibanananda task himself to forge a new poetic speech, while others in his time preferred to tread the common path? The answer is simple. In his endeavours to shape a world of his own, he was gradual and steady. He was an narrow human being and was not in a run.

I do not want to go anywhere so fast.
Whatever my life wants I have time to reach
        there walking

Poetry

• Jhôra Palok (Fallen Feathers), 1927.
• Dhushor Pandulipi (Grey Manuscript), 1936.
• Banalata Sen, 1942
• Môhaprithibi (Great Universe), 1944 :
• Shaat-ti Tarar Timir, (Darkness of Seven Stars), 1948.
• Shreshtho Kobita, (Best Poems),1954 : Navana, Calcutta, .
• Rupasi Bangla (Bengal, the Beautiful), written in 1934, published posthumously in 1957.
• Bela Obela Kalbela (Times, Bad Times, End Times), 1961, published posthumously but the manuscript was prepared during lifetime.
• Sudorshona(The beautiful), in print posthumously in 1973: Sahitya Sadan, Calcutta.
• Alo Prithibi (The World of Light), available posthumously in 1981 :Granthalaya Private Ltd., Calcutta.
• Manobihangam (The Bird that is my Heart), published posthumously in 1979 : Bengal Publishers Private Ltd. Calcutta.
• Oprkashitô Ekanno (Unpublished Fifty-one), Published posthumously in 1999, Mawla Brothers, Dhaka.

Novels

• Malyabaan (novel), New Script, Calcutta, 1973 (posthumuously published).
• Purnima
• Kalyani
• Chaarjon
• Bibhav
• Mrinal
• Nirupam Yatra
• Karu-Bashona
• Jiban-Pronali
• Biraaj
• Pretinir
• Sutirtha
• Bashmatir Upakhyan

Short stories

• Akankha-Kamonar Bilas
• Sango, Nisongo
• Raktomangsohin
• Nirupam Jatra
• Jamrultola
• Paliye Jete
• Meyemnus
• Hiseb-nikes
• Kotha sudhu Kotha, Kotha, Kotha
• Purnima
• Kuashar Vitor Mrityur Somoy
• Meyemanuser Ghrane
• Mangser Kanti
• Bibahito Jibon
• Nakoler Khelae
• Ma hoyar kono Saadh
• Premik Swami
• Mohisher Shingh
• Basor Sojyar pase
• Taajer Chobi
• Sari
• Hater Tas
• Chakri Nei
• Aekgheye Jibon
• Kinnorlok
• Sheetrater Andhokare
• Prithibita Sishuder Noy
• Jadur Desh
• Chayanot
• Somnath o Shrimoti
• Bilas
• Upekkhar Sheet
• Boi
• Sadharon Manus
• Britter moto

Non-fiction

• Kobitaar Kôtha (tr. On Poetry), Signet Press, Calcutta, 1362 (Bengali year).
• Rabindranath o Adhunik Bangla Kobita
• Matrachetona
• Uttoroibik Banglakabbyo
• Kobita Prosonge
• Kobitar Atma o Sorir
• Ki hisebe Saswato
• Kobitapath
• Desh kal o kobita
• Sottyo Biswas o Kobita
• Ruchi, Bichar o Onnanyo kotha
• Kobitar Alochona
• Adhunik Kobita
• Bangla Kobitar Bhobishyot
• Asomapto Alochona
• Lekhar Kotha
• Kobita o Konkaboti
• Sikkha, Dikkha Sikkhokota
• Sikkhar Kotha
• Sikkha-Dikkha
• Sikkha o Ingrezi
• Ektukhani
• Amar Baba
• Amar Ma
• Rasoranjan Sen
• Prithibi o Somoy
• Sottendranath Dutt
• Nazrul Islam
• "Aat Bachor Ager Din" prosonge
• "Dhusor Pandulipi" prosonge
• Ekti Aprokashito Kobita
• Jukti Jiggasha o Bangali
• Bangla Bhasa o Sahittyer Bhobshiyot
• Swapno kamona'r bhumika
• Keno Likhi
• Sworgiyo Kalimohon Daser sradhobasore
• Saratchandra
• "Camp"-e

English essays

• The Bengali novel today
• The Bengali Poetry today
• Konkaboti: Buddhadeb Basu
• Aongikar: Krishna Dhar
• Sheete Upekkhita: Ranjan
• Journal
• Gioconda Smile
• Three Voices of Poetry

• Doctor Faustus                                                                                                                    

• Bandopdhaya, Deviprasad : Kabya Songroho − Jibanananda Das (tr. Collection of Poetry of Jibanananda Das), 1993, Bharbi, 13/1 Bankim Chatterjje Street, Kolkata-73.
• Bandopdhaya, Deviprasad : Kabya Songroho − Jibanananda Das (tr. Collection of Poetry of Jibanananda Das), 1999, Gatidhara, 38/2-KA Bangla Bazaar, Dhaka-1100, Bangladesh.
• Bandopdhaya, Deviprasad : Jibanananda Das Uttorparba (1954–1965), 2000, Pustak Bipani, Calcutta.
• Chowdhury, Faizul Latif (editor) (1990), Jibanananda Das'er Prôbôndha Sômôgrô, (tr: Complete non-fictional prose works of Jibanananda Das), First copy : Desh Prokashon, Dhaka.
• Chowdhury, Faizul Latif (editor) (1995), Jibanananda Das'er Prôbôndha Sômôgrô, (tr: Complete non-fictional prose works of Jibanananda Das), Second publication : Mawla Brothers, Dhaka.
• Chowdhury, F. L. (ed) : Oprokashito 51 (tr. Unpublished fifty one poems of Jibanananda Das), 1999, Mawla Brothers, Dhaka.
• Shahriar, Abu Hasan : Jibanananda Das-er Gronthito-Ogronthito Kabita Samagra, 2004, Agaami Prokashoni, Dhaka.

Books on Jibanananda

• (1965)'Ekti Nakkhatro Ase', Ambuj Basu, Mousumi.
• (1970)'Kobi Jibanananda Das', Sanjay Bhattacharya, Varbi.
• (1971)'Jibanananda(ek khando)',Gopal Chandra Roy, Sahittya Sadan;'Mauns Jibanananda', Labanya Das, Bengal Publishers; 'Jibanananda Sriti', Debkumar Basu edited, Karuna Prokasani.
• (1972) 'Suddhatamo Kobi', Abdul Mannan Saiyad, Knowledge Home, Dhaka; 'Rupasi Banglar Kobi Jibanananda', Bijan Kanti Sarkar, Bijoy Sahitya Mandir; 'Rupasi Banglar Kobi Jibanananda', Shaymapada Sarkar, Kamini Prokasan.
• (1973)'Jibanananda das', edited by Birendra Bhattacharya, Onnisto.
• (1975)'Kobi Jibanananda',Suddhaswatto Basu, Sankha Prokasan.
• (1976)'Jibanishilpi Jibanananda Das',Asadujjan, Bnagladesh Book Corporation, Dhaka.
• (1979)'Rupasi Banglar Kobi Jibanananda', Bijan Kanti Sarkar, Bijoy Sahitya Mandir; 'Rupasi Banglar Kobi Jibanananda',Shyamapada Sarkar, Kamini Prokashan
• (1980)'Rupasi Banglar Dui Kobi', Purnendu Patri, Ananda Publishers Ltd.
• (1983)'Kacher Manus Jibanananda',Ajit Ghose, Bijoy Krishna Girls’ College Cheap Store;'Rabindranath Najrul Jibanananda ebong aekjon Probasi Bangali', Kalyan Kumar Basu, Biswagaen;'Adhunikata, Jibanananda o Porabastob', Tapodhir Bhattacharya and Swapna Bhattacharya, Nobark;'Jibananander Chetona Jagot', Pradumno Mitra, Sahityshri;'Jibanananda Das:Jiboniponji o Granthoponji',Provat Kumar Das, Hardo;'Prosongo:Jibanananda',Shibaji Bandopadhaya, Ayon.
• (1984)'Jibanananda',Amalendu Basu, Banishilpo,;'Uttor Probesh',Susnato Jana;'Jibanananda',edited by Abdul Manna Sayad, Charitra, Dhaka;'Jibanananda Prasongiki',Sandip Datta, Hardo,
• (1985)'Ami sei Purohit',Sucheta Mitra, A.Mukherji and Co;'Probondhokar Jibananada',Subrata Rudro, Nath Publishing;'Jibanananda Jiggasa',edited by Tarun Mukhopadhaya, pustok Biponi.
• (2003) 'Jibananda : Kabitar Mukhamukhi', Narayan Haldar
• (2005) 'Amar Jibanananda',Dr. Himabanta Bondopadhyay, Bangiya Sahitya Samsad
• (2009) 'Etodin Kothay Chilen'