Sheet-er Anatomy: Adhunik Bangla Kabita, Bu. Ba.-- An essay by Yashodhara Raychaudhuri (Parabaas

rf ~FSvAT : ~oAS@ ceU @Ac, c.c.

sro OMof

gAUc S j c mAo r
BfcS @ S QT | q ATF ~f@ @ |

cXoc c @Ac c^ T s @ mf@ @ SR gU,  U, J @Ac@, wF rAr Z ZU, ~T jq B^ rNTf,  gUq AwAa | J wF ~T UZ qr@U, @Ac gUc S, o l@F AcK |  TIToF ATSOOR AcK | A@ wUAT l S, BS cm S |

@S jq AcmH ?  j Ac@ j@ AcmHR ~er, s, J wF o R fA i@ @a,  s TSFeZF@ @aq @ S @S, jZS ~S UR, @ @ cUcS s jTSA@ cq @SR cXoc wFcq cU @AS TS T g Ri -Ac-of j@ cXoc @q |

~T @a, cXoc @Ac UZ irU T, ~TW R A@ ASr@ | jTSA@ AAS J T@UfS, sA mhaU jZS Ok^ cFAnTf, jce ~Smf@sgcq @TAUvFS | A@ ~T @a sJ @Ac @S Tk TS cwf cU TS  S | T U ~cHv@ ZA S AAS J @Ac K ? ~AA mq A@ c T ~^U OS A^f  J J Qn ? c ~Sc@ cXoc, J AcU @Tg ToF BUBU @S, @SS, AAS ~As, ~AScs, ~AScs  RiS ~T TWk c cU i Qn |

jq Tk rNAr\f, c @AcAr\f @a cXoc c TkUFS @fgc BdA  i , gc d @ AZ, ~U s ceU ~oAS@ @Ac cTS, o ~T Ri c cJO,  T A@pl ToF j@BS AAS,  c oS dK | jv BS @ s cXoc c - BfcSS^ r cA cf^ cf ceU @Ac cFAv@ j@v swcS cU s, sZS ~oAS@ ceU @Ac   kccf @Ac j@v Acha AO U AO |

wF cXoc c LLS ~T ArJ BAw ja, TS, J UZUAZ cf ~or@ o jq LLOO qJv  qJv cA BU @a ~oAS@ @Ac AgA R  Mo | ~SFA@, J @Ac qF@Av@ cH J @Ac@ @a j@ j@Av c^ TUF | ~l, @Ac Ac S, LL Acq cXoc c @Ac ~T @a ~Ao@ dLkH  ia | BSFq, gK ASAZ BfcSS^f Acc S WAvR, cXoc ~T SAAcAUAv PA @ A aS, aS, i@@ ArAQ R fAQ @ U |

d A@ cf^gKAcrq ~erf cXoc ~T OT@ SS, ToFn T Tcf @Ac gAc ~T @ j@c -g ~@r U, / @A ~T ST j@c ASrf c @S - ~T @R gA AS s O sAR, A j@ Acmp ~ cf^-AUA@ ~erfgk @S AAS sS | ~c ~T 15-16 ca c cU A j@ @Ac AO\@ @U-j @f gU ~T UwU ~B jq @UcU / @TS @ cAU ? ZSR sS ~T q a^ @H ASZJ R ^ kBA j@ cXoc@q |

~B SS @ sZS  cA cXoc c @Ac, ZS ~T r, TTA@ OZ o ZJB O q AO, s J@ @a J T AASAoL j@ o, wA R @Ac-An@, q ~m ~S OUS cUfU | ~ nTrq Z q, ~B@ TR cXoc AcmpA, T AcK, cf ASBm @H-OSR |

J @AcLL R J @Ac@ j@q Z c, q, J @Ac g A@ ZJB AS A@ cf^-H AO jce SS @Ac j@ Bv c @\ OS Q | s j@q j@Av USTkU@ AF AcK | @H, jq @\  ~U Acr AF  c^S j@v OS  | sgc @U@ r@ cAUS c AS q@  TUUS AAS TUUS, TAS J ~LPBcAS@ wF c c ZJB q ~^BA@ j@  nTm@ | w\ V@ AvS R O wA^ O Sr rMAZS cXoc J b@ ASAU @q s an @TSdT ecC UAS OUS , AAg ~ AAgB @ ~ @ g^ ceU TA@ An@ ~cwS @aS,  F AcmpcF S | @U@ j Am c , AS T@v rfU R wA^ ~gF^ c Rqv R UU ~TA UW J@ TS vS, gU rMAZS @wB R @UT Tq, AAS mf@ @S | jce J LL ASAT  AcAr AF @H, SS A@a ZJB cASe, qScS R AFUqv wf A wgf TSAScr A ancm @v,  cr Wv qv R jAUv | SS @AcLL @Aw R Rw, qq  i  cXoc@, q , T Ac TS |

j@   SS ceU wFR @ | @SS AAS AST R AcS-H | jZS@ gK Tg ~F r@ | @U@ c^ AAS AUZAaUS : j@ ~A cpl R T AcrAcFU | gK, jq ceUgK, AvR j@Av AcrK ~ ~T@ ArZ ha, @SS ~T ~A TpgK R AF gK j@ S | jq g @AcOS TF S, wF ~S@ TF Z  | @U@ j SS BU cAU SAa ~AT, @A Aha SS TMAZ@ rN, SSS B ceU cq  , ~S@ cBS R mf@H ToF A, ~AT w UAa q gK, ~^  @iT - ~B fW@U o ~AT s @ cUAa, cq AUZAa |

w UAa rNc^Av jZS ~F^ UQFHf |

|| 2 ||

Ac i@ R c.c. : AcAST

....OAS@ | cU nS KU-AB ~@, qAS  q@ ~Q a; UZ@, rf cf^S i@ .... q cq  c  ~AT A UUT T ScfS TokS@, j ~w s cmiF ceU @Ac ~AT AaUT,  ~Ao@er ~T TS @ I  wU | ~T Prrc jq @ UZS cXoc |

j rAr, cf T, cm cXoc s ~A rAH gK cf^S@ TUOS @AaUS,  AcK ~T ~ S | 1928 U cf^S rASc AOAi A Qf cp F, Tn @A ca sc@ cXoc@ cU Sc, wA, ~oS cCU AF j@Av T Acm@ R ~AgSc TgTxv d a, j @ ~T Acr @A | cf^S ST@ ks sZS ToFwwS, ZS j@ sc@ jq T^cF cAI  J @AUB B |

c c cXoc cf^rAm q BA AaS AST TUOS : j cAr S AUZU j c AAS S S, ~eZFc S-cUU @SR @q J cU  S : J ATHq J TL AT | ~ q q cXoc cf^S @ cUS, AAS ~n^ SAS ~oAS@ SwBfcS @S OAnUQH, ... ~oAS@ AcQNo Sw J OS ~^g AS |

  sTS BfcSS^ r@ B cq J @A ZAaUS, c SfU woF cf^ OScUf TAv U W @ TSc cF @AaUS J @Ac, @pAcf jq wgf R AcZF q@SAmv@ cH kcB ~SAq mgAc@ j@ AAn, jv cI cFAkBS^f ~T T Uwa A@a | cXoc PrrcmpA ~S@vq B s cf^fA, c cU gU cf^ ~Aowpf c @AAS, jce FS  TZ rAm, cf Ac cfB co RZSq A | j j@cq q AcZF TSmAL@ cFZF T TS  ~T : A  AsAwco, ~ A  j@Lco, j@q T j Ai R Ai @ wa AO@U, cr |

cf^S  j@Av ~A ~crF@ cI OR ~T (wA- Tq) T @AaUT | cI - TS, jTS @S cFcm, A@ec cU s@ ~T A@ @ j@Av mA s cf^S AcrU BU ~T ~v@ S A@ AO@U, J@ ~T Q Sf R cFcs @ U A | U@ j ST AAaU cf^Ac, A@ rK @Ac T  ASAv Aha  ~T TS AaU cf^S ~T TS @ ~JO @aS |

  KrcK n@ T@Q gc rZ WSR ~c ~T empA, e ~SB @a gk c S cec gw @aS ~wB | cf^S A jq T-DK-HA AhaUF On cec @ ZaS cXoc | s sw cf^S@ pA @a, cAS ~wq  ~An^ a | ... 1938 j j@ g ~oAS@ ceU : ~oAS@ UZ@ ~cm cp cXoc jq T^cF@ qeAAB @wB BT @ , the age of Rabindranath is over. :Z @ cf^S UZS, Zc jU, T ~T wa (T) | ~B ~T @a, cXoc mWAK ~^US jq AwrS ASgU R sw^@f | sZS AAS cUS, : jq @Hq cf^AF j@Av AS:er Acr R s, s vgkAT@ ~oAS@ SAm@ ~B jTS w  va | ....  q AAS sw @S, ~oAS@ ceU gK cf^Sq pA @US |

@Ac cXoc cfA^@ gKcU @ ASB@ T @ @S  ZUS S co j @Hq | cfA^@ gKcU, gK-~gF, AUA@ Tos- s @cFgK HS @US cXoc  A@ oH @U cf^gcS j@ AAn@q, AcK SSL | @H, mq cf^cf @Ac ~^US SpL c A@\Sq  J @a d @q m |

cXoc AUZAaUS, s Acrco wFv ~ @AaUS OS R Ogc,  AaU cf^S mk (cf^S : Acr@Ac R cCAU) | cUS, sS AAS q mf R ^ @\ s ToF cCAU r ~@AU wpf U |

~AcSr-Sr U@Av@-j Aci@ sA R Q, U cXoc ~crFq j Q | Sr Q RU @ Aw J@  q @q c c^f c^S, q c rg | ~T cAU cHm sMcSq gU OU-    o sMcS ~T ~Agr ... ~QT, cU ~AT, AS:cU SfUc-U g Y TT AcBA   j LLR AAS AUZ gUS S, Ac wgf m, ArAr rfU H y rZ U v @ | ~v  ~v @ AS rK, e nAvfS M^s S, PSA^S A cpA ~AchaF @w AO^S c^f ~@A, M^s A@ oAc c Oq cU o | TA o TfAO@, jce cS cQTI @J T QAo sMcS |

TBwA@ TFAxv@-j  @ ceU @Ac@ Xo @ mv-TFAxv@ TSwA@ @TAUvFS-j @a@Aa AS sc jq sn | ~-cS- ~AT q ASUB @T@ : 1928-j UZ jq rNO, cU B @T oAS@q AoAS @a, ~Q, ~Q o ! T ZF j BfcS .... j A@, TS ^, T^ s ~w jZAS ...

Ac i@ cK ~ c^ vxv AS ASAaUS, sA BfcSS^ T^ qB ASaS | jce rf, ~crFq  ZU ASaS cXoc c, @SS, cl mT AS m\ ksU@ ~ @AS T i AS -c j@ TSK @  ceU @Ac AAS AA @US | (TpF  : B^ ~w)| BfcSS^ US s ~ cAr r R ^ cU TS  | rf S Z T | "vAcU i @i,  i@ i ~^@" ... jq j@q wgf WT @ S Ric o, ~^@ l @  BfcSS^R, s ~^@, s rf w\ @A BfcSS^ wF @ASf : TUFcSR  q cAr , cAr ~^@, cAr rf j@q rf, r R A ~^@ |

~jc Aci@ s ~U,   AcTk TpgkAT @ A F Bfc ~FBq TFAxv@ U | ~ cXoc-BfcSS^ ~^@ cr, @H ~rg ~ ~cQ T@UfS@q  Acop @cS @\UU @Ac, @S Bf S | BALL@ ~AnT @ Ok^ ~AScs j@ @TAUvFS, j@ AcTk TSwA@co A AF SR e@\ | sZS TA ~U T ASvU qvA TH  wa | BfcS scf ~Ag@ rf ~^@ AcTkb ToF A AAS OAU @ ha | @SS, vq ASA |

Bfcf TA ~r j SS ks R UUO c ~@r ~r ^A c, T^U j@ o BPSA@ TA @Ac mS @ Sc, A@ TkU  ~oAS@ @Ac rf R ~^@ A-~r, TAa, S R @wf A-~r cU @c cAS | Dr@ aJ U mo R rS A j@AS cB @c | @U@ oS e ~F\v ok, oS rN vA@ Ofl@, jZS wA fc, eWK ~S@, OUF ~AcT ... @U@ ~T gAcKFl, B  ~T@ vS ASha ASB ToF | jq TSwA@ j@TAn@ S, AXTZf j@ vS B@ | @xv TFAxv@ A FUqv qScS-j AmvS @ TS c, T@AT, TpF@AT, FTA@mv cH @Ac, WT R ~Agr AS @Ac UZ @Ac qScS, nrAcXo sf@ j@ l@ SFl @ @Ac UZ @Ac : AmvS A UZS, "carved lips that make my lips a cup / to drink, Faustine / wine and rank poison, milk and blood / being mixed therein"

qScS "naked new born soul"-j @ cUS | ~ cXoc cUS, @U@ c^, jZS ~AT ~Ar Sq, AS Sq | @Tkn A@a ~A esw ha ~T, ~T@ okU TZ ha w, ~S@ fS rT  ha |

And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;
There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of a toast and tea.

(Love song of J Alfred Prufock, T. S. Eliot)

rf cFcha

cXoc rf, BfcSS^ TUFcS rf Tq, ~As R @^f | ~AmL  s, jce jq ~AmL o ~oFAL@ S, TAB@, cMAXo@ jce ~T ~c cUc, @TAUvFS | cf^S Sq Sq @R s @Av rfAcK@ @Ac AUZaS,  FArgcq ATi  R @ U AkH g, AOnoTf, ~c ~Lw R rAS@ | j@ ~ As R A^@ | R  O Ti / @pKH oS @v, ~c TQ cA / T bU  c@ / M  Z / @J A TA ... jTSq @pA@ AOnT Ac i@ rfcHS | ~SFA@, AH c cS ~q-j c rf ST@ @Ac AAS cUS, @S , I U, qF@ AO@U A@ FS : U A@ AS  ? ...TS s cU, S @ZSq S /  S , c jq gH | ~l jZSR Acr R @ cf^OS ~Am |

j rAr Zc, TUFcS ~EOs UwAaU | @SASR s Bw i c S ~, rf, s cO gU, jq AcrpU ~o:A T TB  AcaS, s cO r, q rf  @SAS rK c S ~, lU c Tq TUFcS T WJK @ sc ~AS:rK rf  g | wgf wgf jq rf  |

T TZn  Ri Aw s sc@ TkU OAU@rA, J Q jq ~^@-@, rf@ cH @R j@Av ASBm T  i  | b@ @ AsAS @U@ ~S, @U@ F TSF  Ri OAU ceU@ AS cJA@ OA SS fQ @ AsAS ~B UZUAZ @S @cUTn BfcSoH BSF, J@ cU SAa :

~S@kU AaU S Tv - @ Qq S, F s BS O  Q fAT Pcf | Bwl B cFc T^ OUa, ... b@ OvwJ ^c  ceU aA U | ~ ~crF AccoTS c@cAAS, c@A ~ArU aJvq - cCAU AcUcA @A @TR @A U TA^@ cS ... ~T R- (@UB O@A) @S ~r Sq, @SS ~T AAw b@, jce ~T UZ ~rfU, ~^: U@ -q cU @ | ... @ZS ~r, @ZS ~c, @ZS j@v T-~v@S ~SgkA, @ZS ~c QAS@ BSF mAmco - jq c AS ~ s ~T ASAU ewT g - s ewT R ~ASEO ~AT  BfcS @Av i UT S |

jq ToF @U@ a O@A AS ~SFn sc mc, AAS cUS, A@ @Svq UNo @U S ~T@, vSvAS ToFR j-q ~T Tm Z ~AT @U@ ~Aa - @U@ oU w^R T@ |

cXoc ASBq cUS, jq ~ASEO J@ a sAS BfcS | ~ BfcSq q AAS AUZcS J r @TAUvFS Bv S, rf R ~^@ -j @Ac,  a a |

s rf R ~^@ vA@U ceU ASBm gMwAU@ S S, @ @Ac @TAUvS hOH Xo @ c | rf, s qv  jAUv AA gBS Acw@T TvAUvFS TS RmvUF f@ | ScF ~oAS@ l, -AScAr@ @U@ ToFT US-cAUS-ASq@ ST@ ~PSA@, BPSA@, empA@ Acr@^AU  j@ kn s c j@ OS An |

~O Y B i ~S —  gUc c rf Sq,
~O Y I ~^@ — -gUc c rK Sq |
jq  jZS,
jZSq ~T TS i W, ~^@ AS g j@ c-c
sS ATr s R F | jq  jZSq ~AT
A s Oq sS Tf T wg,  ~B ~L
    ASAEO^ AScH
s-c gCq sc, @ sS ASB  gC A Oq,
Y ASBq Iq I R F | TS ,
    ~Bq TS ,
jq sS q rf, s-rf ~T
c@ ~ c S @Ac , ~  ~ Ac S
     @Ac  ;
i W, ~^@,   W, j@ c-c,
@Ac gUc cUc S ~, gUcA,
~^fS RfS ~^@,
~^fS @AiS i |
q  A A, -ZR @@ T @J@ U@q
U  U :
sQH AcaS wT , TS  WT sS BfH @S
    B wS , av  ~^@ Za iA@
~ c ~^@ jZS — jZS |
~ WT sZS wT @, TS  WT sS T TT,
    Tf-T ASBS @dH sAS, ...

TZ-b@ c@-O ~^@, U wS, wT 
    An @l; ~ An B WT l m rK ;
    c Ri, ~ Ri @, v AS, ~ j@ AS !

(TpF  : B^ ~w)

s-@S AcS BSF m s @Ac, TkU g IJA  BSF F, ASB@ iU A S ~ASEO ^, AAS BSS, kH SS j@ @cFgK PA  i  SS AO^ B ZU A :

cq c An | qAS-R @S@S Oc@
wU Te AaJ S, OJv@ @wB T v@ @
AaAv  @r ToF,  ~S ~@r, Ae@
 aA  AT ; r, ST, SO T ~Q
pAcf TpF aAc jJ@ s |

rfAn S, jq @Ac, Avcw c @Ac UZS 1953  | @Ac g c c @@S OU ~c q Acr @ co q, sS j@ vw ~ R OU, of of @Ac jw s AHA A@, Bw ~a fW fW An | o Bw ~a q S / @B @ sha wS wS / pA @ sha TpF c@ SS B^ / ... ~ q, jq TpF T fQ - T@  swF  c ...

rK ha jq H j, s T rkSF ~ w @ ScB^ BSF S @, fQ @, m R | (rf An S)

jq rf R ~^@  TkU ZJB c EOF @Ac : cU @ ~wq  cU  wa, cXoc ~Sc kn | cCAU i@ A kn, Bq mpAos q c UqSAUR ~ j@c \UZ @q s, jAUv "the winter's evening settles down / with smells of steaks in passageways."

TS c RmvUF-j cAU ~ F , "winter kept us warm, covering / Earth in forgetful snow, feeding / a little life with dried tubers."

cAU jqO ~S UZ qS TTA ~ qv-j gR rf ~cF AOn@\ cU , EOF jq ~crS @fgc ~T g OA s @c cXoc  o | He disappeared in the dead of winter : The books were frozen, the airports almost deserted, the snow disfigured the public statues; the mercury sank in the mouth of the daying day. What instruments we have agree the day of his death was a dark cold day.

 BfcS B cXoc @Ac @ sc rfAn R ~^@ ~c, ~SK, ~ ~T @aR AAS SAcyp cS jgcq :

An, f ~T, ^ R, AS A S | ... AT ~T@ AAaU T OJ, ~S@ OJ, / ~ ~S@ , -g ~@r, BU^, / ~S ASr-U ~^@ | (An)

j@AS : AOAS-j ~T Zc jq OS WS AcmH@q : ...An T@ b@ / cS S T OT,   @ WA / UT T ~T Y

e aU jqv@q cU Sc jZS, cXoc @Ac, jce wFR, ~T @a Ai@ q, ~T rNAv jq ~UOS ~B@ @Ac OO AU @d@ cIc jZS : ~S@v Ai@ sTS AaU J @a cf^S UZ : ceUAF ~Aw^ cF  ~aS AAS, ceU gK  Te ATr ~aS, J @a Hf c BSF jTSA@ J@ ~oFSR ~ BS Sq TS, q H m:AXo cUq o s  | (cf^S R o@, 1952)

cXoc cUAaUS : cf^S ceU gK T f AF UZS | (cf^S R fOf, 1960) | ~oAS@ ceU SF, R ~crFq @Ac Qn, ~T j @  cXoc AcKR w @ A | sAR, j @ mf@ @q c, @Ac Qn jq S ~S@vq gw @ AS waS BfcSS^ | A@ cf @Ac  @Jo @Jo ATAU j@ BfAc @Ac MbL AaUS AAS, s BfcSS^ Q c AaU S J ~@UH U |

PSr Sw Sha ;
BFB IS, oR vS ;
 H T@ g Ri ;
jc d U c wU |

S BSU TW Pcgc ;
~Jo Uqv f^B...

1965- ~wF AZ (TO  @ wS w^ ~^g) @Ac  mq cXoc A jaS wUo, A jaS pAcf ~^ | jZS J gK sS Acm @ ~a cf B^ @Ac gK@R, sS aJ ~a dHT @Ac @UT | Amo BSha @pAcf ~^US mo@R, Ai@ sgc BSS AO ~wB |

j@ Tk : jq c  TpF —
OMA, f @U@ | ...
jq Tk : jq c J cJO  —
vT  BU-ASc-sR UA@ |

jgcq ~ASAEOA cU ~ cp ~ kH  S sS @Ac |

Illustration: "Bloomington, Indiana", by Jai Malhar. Jai Malhar is based in Pune.

c 45; jAU, 2010

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