Reviews of Clinton Seely's Barisal and Beyond, by Sumita Chakraborty

c c@mv (kH)

@Ac

w\/TFOS/Sv@

SF

c^/BfcSf/mpA/AF gK/~AgoS/qA..

Arr/A@r

Books_in_English

Parabaas Moviestore

Parabaas Moviestore

cArU jce  

AT Oncf

Barisal and Beyond—Essays on Bangla Literature, Chronicle Books (An Imprint of DC Publishers), New Delhi, 2008; | ISBN: 8180280365

cqAv ST cArU ~F Ac jB ~S ceU AUvO (Barisal and Beyond Essays on Bangla Literature);UZ@ ST ASvS Ac. fAU (Clinton B. Seely) | ceU AF AcAg^ AcK R AcAg^ A@ AS ASB pAgA, AcrKH ~ UANo cF @aS ~TA@-cf cgK R ceU AF ~Swf jq wcK@ ~oF@ |

~w ~T TSKAv@ j@v AOS Sc O @A | q O  B @ AaS AAS ASBq | c^-e@USAv AcAocXo AUZSAU AcSFm @c ~w kAOg @aS j@Av cr@ -OS, s ST Uw - ~LAO | Ai@ jgcq AUZSAv AUA@p 'Atmaparicay' | ceU rN@ jgcq TI TI ASB qeAB-c@fA ATAU ASaS AAS | j@Av ~UOS cc sA jTS  s,  TkU gKAv qeAB (~c ~SF @S qf gK), A@  AcKcm ceU AF - U gKF-@S q gK rN- ATU-ATr sc - jq AAmA AS^q mgAc@ | cm, gK-Acr BUTAv PcArFvq jTS s, ZS ~AcATr gK cU A@a Sq | @SASq AaU S | q AAS ~Sq j@Av c^ ST@H @ S AA AF (Serious Sahitya) | ASB AcFOO cFA R AcAOn -AnT knq jq ~LAcr AAS ~BS @aS |

ASvS fAU- ~LAO @ BS A, m@ m ~oFS@U BfcAcF c cUAB AaU J j@Av AcK | AAS ZSq r cq ~SF @R OU s OqAaUS AcFOO kn | s AAS OqAaUS S -R m AaU J @a - "The Vietnam War was in full swing at the time. Going to war to save the World for democracy and from Ho Chi Minh was the one postgraduate option I knew I did not wish to exercise." fAU- c@F-ASTH gA @q J TS OAnAv ~Sgc @ A ~T | ~TA@ SfA sZS cAr  @S O pA @ ZS swf  TS   S J | fAU BSfA TSK SS, AcF-rpU@ ~S @ SR j@ Sf - @cU jq AXo^q jQn s c S | J TS R TSS fT-cAgk TSAc@ TZR ~T sS OA@ Z ASUT jq c@F H | jq TS S @U wcKH F ew BSF AS  AS g R kcceU ( ceUr) -Wv, wT-TU AS  AS @v S S AAS | ~TA@ BSoH BfcS-sS s mha^F ~-B^ ~gFm -  @ ~S@vq  j gf Tr BfcS-sn R empA@ cI ASAaUS ASvS c fAU ST jq cFA | ~TA@ rA^ SU mhac@ (Peace Corps Volunteer)  1963- b@- j MJaUS F sc@ fAU | WUS A^A ~U | Aw^-f TWS  , OJ mr @ wUS SHw |   @fSZU Sf f cArU | jq cArU - BfcSS^ f ceU ASAc J ToF @ cA ~c ceU AF j@ ^ wcK@ -  ZSR J BS AaU S | A@ WvS jvq | cArU sTS BfcSS^, TSq fAUR | q AF-wcK@ ASvS Ac. fAU- T @B @Ac BfcSS^@ AS | ceU AF  jq H esw J BfcS ~ AcAha^ U S | anBfcS iF AcK AaU Bfc-AcF; kc ceU j T AaUS cArU BU mU AcS-ArQ@ - ZS @ d @ @TBfcS rK @US Ar@w AcrAcFU AQH jrf i-rpU (South Asian Studies) Acgw ~oF@  | JAnr ca ZS s @ cTS AAS ~c- | ceU AF ~S@ Acgwq AcOH @aS AAS | ToFsw TH ~Sf OS @pAc T JOAU ~ TU@cF ; r cAU ~ Tq@U TokS  TWS co @cF ; cf^S ~ Tf Tr S-j UZ ; BfcSS^ @Ac @ ceUr SFA@ AAB TS-j A@ SF | A@ jq c OS e@US sZS AcSFm U j@Av w^ q TUv ToF ZS UZ@ -cq ST@H @US cArU ~F Ac - cArU aA |

~T A sq fAU-  cArU T AO ASAU - q 1963 ZfN | cZw BU @^-r cArU | cArU BU mU Agq j@Av -U cA ~cFcY j@Av rAH@Q AAS @S | q Wq j@ @H @AS mvg-j cU J ^ @ A sS AZ-oTcUcf cpXo BS cFA | ZSR cArU cB KU ~S j@ v@ ~ O  j@ ~S Ac cO@S OU | q W AcF ~U AaU S | ^F ^  UxiS ~U ; ^F fAU UZ- @S ~ j@Av UxiS ~U | cArU q AcFlfS AnAU UxiS ~U c @B @c T J@ A@ Tr @T S ? Tr  ~^@ T Bw @ BfcS  gUc ! A@ Tr @ UZ Sq jq ~LAO |

~a cCAU ~ \UZ | ~ (adda) rNAvq cFc @aS fAU, s Ai@ qeAB ArN Sq ~- | qSqv mvv qSTrS Ag- j mSf @sU ~Ao@ AaUS wUT A@cA | ZS ~S cBTS @UB @@BS lf ~oF@ | A@cA cq AaUS ToFTAH ; rSS TB TB w\, ~ cf^S @Ac |

fAU ~S@ Tq W cS cArU  - c m jce wAU | ZS AAS BfcSS^ STR rSSAS | ~LAO-j ~T A - "... I came to realize only several years later - I was actually walking past Jibananda Das's old house, the house where he was born and lived most of his life, until leaving for good for Kolkata in 1946, the year prior to Independence and partition. Oddly, I knew nothing of Jibanananda during my year and nine months in Barisal."

Ar@w- A j sZS AQH jrf gK R gF Acgw A. jqO. A. @c @B ~LASw @US fAU, ZSq AAS BfcSS^@ BSUS | ~: jq ~LAO ~ ASB BfcS F-AO S A@ ~w AS | AcUfS  wa BfcSS^ @Ac wb cTS | fAU f ceU- \UZ @aS ; BfcSS^ @Ac  AcAg^ A @c J@ J@ A j R ~Xg ~Jo j@ @Ac Av m@p ~Sc Xop R cFZF @ rK @aS OSAv | BfcSS^ @ J ~Sgc J gKq rS s@ — "The world of war made no sense to him; his poetry to that period reflected senselessness. He did not live to see the Vietnam War, a war that, as I noted, made little sense to me." BfcSS^ A ; g, kc A@mS, ceUr A fAU- Y ~AgTZ jgcq ~T cI AS A |

cf @U ASvS fAU J ~oFS Qn AcS @US | BfcAcF a OU jUS ceU AF iS-iS | AAS @U@ j A. jqO. A.- wcKH-^g m @US BfcSS^ @Ac AS | sc AcrAcFU USTkU@ AF Acgw ~oF@ . Sr - LLcoS ASy^ J ^gAv kH ST - "Doe in Heat : A Critical Biography of the Bengali Poet Jibanananda Das (1899 - 1954) with Relevant Literary History from the Mid -1920s to the Mid 1950s". - jq @BAv @c T @U@ R kcceUq AaU J cc | J@ Z s @U@ AcAg^ w^w ; J@ R s AcrKgc r @Ac A^oF | r^-@xi, ATgKf jq sc@  ZS fA-ZF cJo AaUS AEOTc ~S@q | jZSR q @ @S @S Qn ~vv ~a | TI TI g ~S AAS |

jq wcKH-^g @Ar a Ar@w AcrAcFU @ 1976-j | fAU Ar@w AcrAcFU AQH-jrf gK-empA Acgw ceU ~oF@  cp US | jZS J cA @Tf R ArQ@  iUS jR A. AT@ | AT@-R ceU gK R AF ~@pAnT ~Swf, cf^S A ASAc rXorfU ~oF@, ~TA@ ceU gK-OO Qn ~SFT A@pl, ceU AF ~Sc@ | jq e@US w^Av J@q lw @aS fAU - lw-AUA AUZaS -"In memory of / Edword C. Dimock, Jr. / teacher, friend, and colleague, / pioneer American Scholar of Bangla, / and inspiration incarnate"

A Poet Apart
BfcSS^@ ~cUcS @ AUAZ ~R j@Av ~TSF wcKH-w^ ~a fAU- - "A Poet Apart : A Literary Biography of the Bengali Poet Jibanananda Das (1899 - 1954)" (University of Delaware Press; London and Toronto, 1990) ZSR ceU gK BfcSS^ BfcSf AcK@ @S kH THF w^ @Ar AS | j@Av BfcSf-w^ @ hO    jq cqAv ZU cI sc | BfcSS^ s-c Bw c @S, s-c AS @B @aS, @ @ AaU J wAAcAo - jcq Sgc ~SH @c O @aS AAS | U jSaS c F | wcKH @B @S Fq ha S, jq F ATk ~Sgk  J cqAv @ | q  BfcSS^ ~Acgc T Tw r-@U ^S AaS AAS ~T | Acr r@ To ~Acg ceU BPSA@, TAB@ R empA@ ATU @TS AaU ; mofS R rAcgw ~AgW @fgc Ac^ @AaU TSK@ jce AcrK gc BfcSS^ T mr@ TS ~^TZ @Ac@ -    U oaS fAU jq w^ |  ~T Aa fAU @ BfcSS^ @Ac cr A@a ~Sc |

ASvS fAU j@Av AcrAcFU ~^w j@Av Acgw ~oFS AL AaUS fWAS | AcAr an ceUgK AcAg^ s AF @ i R  ZS | c BSF BSf ^ cq qeAB gK AaU ~U | an BS Tvc BSF q qeAB cf AF@pA AcAg^ A@ cFZF @ c AL AS AaU ~oF@q q kn fAUR AUZAaUS j@Ao@ c^ s AcK ceU AF | qc c^ @q j@Av AScAO e@US cTS w^Av - cArU ~F Ac |

It rained all night
jZSq cU Z s , fAU ~Sc @aS Tw TWSco @cF | ~Sc-w^Av ST F mAe ~c TWS : ~ TH T @UASU cU | ~Sc BSF jq cqAv AQH jrf-AcFOO-AK  j. @. TSBS m a | kc ~ v ~v ... w^AvR 1993 AZN a ~r@@T @ ~S^ m | AURS SS-j  sgc T r ewf ~Sc @aS fAU ; q rAr ~Sc @aS cXoc c AcA@ SF  g cpA - S  F Sqv ; cAS ~TA ~cm @  cqAv A qS @ qv qS ~U Sqv ST @Ar a |

~T jZS ~T ~UOF c^ e@USAv AcKcm jce OS-pA@H UQF @c | sTS, c^AU@ T UZ@ ~LAOTkU@ j@Av kc@ AcSFm @aS, TSq AU@ rK es @aS TokS @ d @ A@ @U s^ q ceU AF jce AcrAF AQw eU AS j@Av TA-c^ | ST - jAUw @ATe ~F wAe : T TokS v F  ~c v | ToF ~a Av OS | AU AcKcm snT - gO^ ~^TU@cF, cf^OS R TU@cF ToF j@Av US, OF R EOF T@AcF@ T  , ATUvS jce TokS OS T^U, TokS  cH jce T ASTH, TWSco @cF H, TWSco @cF sw-AcS QF, cSU S @Ac j@Av ASAc i, BfcSS^ AcogTkU@ ~Ue@, ceU AF i pA@H, Tf Tr S j OS, cf^OS jce FABl  SASTH ToFT Ag^, B AF OAn jce ceU r UAZ@ AAB TS-j SF  AA AF A@ ~UOS |

AAv c^ cAU A@ ~UOS @ c S, jce  BSR Sq | ~T Zc O @c ceU AF ~cU@S ASvS fAU- pAgA PcArF |

gO^ ~^TU @cF@ @^ @ s c^Av AUAZ a ZS TU@cF wiS jce @s@A AcK -fW ~UOS ~a | A\UAZ a T@^ OfTU @cF jce ~R @S @S ~-oS TU@cF AcKcm R wiS-fA | AcrKgc fAU AZaS gO^ ~^TU @cF oTASQ OAnAv | jq @cF ~AgTAZS cf A S, B @pGO^ A ; jq @cF c  aA oS  ia TAUT r@ ~Ao@p ceU A^B @pGO^ ~cmSkO@ cmc |

cf c^ -  qv q mv@O vw ~F TU@cF ~F^ @MkU f@ j@Av OS | cf^S  r Sv@  TU@cF j@Av T^U US Am @aS fAU | ~T AT@ Acm @Av J  Ac@ cp  A | A@ fAU- AcrKH ~T  r @ SS j@Av BSU ZU c | ~T J gKq J T^cF Z AS A -

"Land of the Cards is every bit as transparently didactic as the medieval narratives. Moreover, by using what is essentially a mangal kavya plot structure, Tagore has added emphasis to his message. That structural feature, because of its association with mangal kavya literature, carries its own meaning : Whatever is being illustrated is important to your welfare - audience take heed !" (p. 45)

The Slaying of Meghanada
TWSco @cF @ s c^AU AUZaS fAU, AU j@Av \UZswF AcK U @Ac @pAc TH ~Sf @cFAv sswF dL mf@pA | ~T sZS TWSco @cF  T R cH OAn ~UOS @A ZS ~T mpA-em Bw @ c\TfA@ TH jce TokS OS | A@ ~T ToFcf m cCAU j@^ ASBm @pAcf TJOAU @cFAv@ TS AZS | ~O TokS Q jq OS Zcq mgAc@ AaU | Orf @AccAU ToFsw ceU AF cAco \UZ ~T TS  | @fAc @pAc @Ac@ TokS rXoR BASaS | fAU AZaS s, TokS T R cH OAn A@\S @Ac @pAc @cF gkAT@ @T AaUS | jZSR oH cCAU i@ j@v S O cS | @H c\TfA@ TH oA OAn R TWSco @cF-j TSS - BU ~AgBF TIZS wTceU TJOAU s sB@  ~a jq FAv ~T oH TS @S |

j Av c^ ~cUcS a BfcSS^ @Ac | "ArAve f-B ~F cSU S" | jZS J ~UOS AcK a TU T | jq TU @S TU ? TUAr ~c g TUc @kU, sZS @ TUAU gK-gAK TSK | fAU TS @aS BfcSS^ AUAZ TU rNAv TU rN @ ASy^ AcrKH | oH ~T cSU S @AcAv cFcY TU jce AeU-@ rfU jce TUAr gc ~gFm | A@ fAU cU OaS - BfcSS^ gf fH (ASSU- ceU - @Ac rNAv cFc @aS of^S ) aA s OSAS jq @Ac | AeU ~B  Ac m^ A@ UXf j@ T gq ~ AaU | ~SFA@ TU w - TUc @kUcf T-~er | jq cU ToFq AAS ^S @aS J cSU S@ | rFTcH, @pG@^U ~SS cSU S@ AAS ^S @AaUS jq g BU TAv | j BSFq fAU cSU S @Ac s SS ~Sc @aS  Xop @aS c^Av jce T^cF @aS s jq ~ScAvq U ABRwA@AU @@v | -

"For thousands of years I've been roaming the paths of this earth, / From waters round Sri Lanka, in dead of night, to seas up the / Malabar Coast." (p. 130)

ASvS fAU S kc-A@mS jce cTS ceUr waS ~S@c | J iS-cp kcceU AAF@R ~aS | m^gc Av c^ AAS ASr r@ jce ASr R Acr r@ A^QH AcAr UZ@ Tf Tr S-j AF jce Acr r@ rK c UZ@ AAB TS j SF AS ~UOS @aS | ~ j@Av c^ (AgAe ceU AUvO) AAS rT TS, rf @f, BfcSS^ R Tr cf@ ~UOS A AS jaS | jq c^Av EOF AO^Ac OZ OF ~l RAxvAUBT-j ASTH  jR q-j AcZF w^Av  ja |

cArU ~F Ac - jq c^ e@USAv s AccH ~T r @UT, ZS @ ASvS fAU- ceU AF AcK ~w, ASAc iS, m^ ASBm pAgA AO R wU | A@ s AOAv R wUS,  U J ~^Am cFAL Y R TSS AAU m | fAU- @a AFi J TSccoq H | c^AU AcAg^ ~er jq TS AO ~T c | ~TA@ SwA@ ASvS fAU AcrgF q ^@ ZaS | AcU O  AU Acf ~a AcF ~U ~ A BU MJaS - jTS ~S@ ~S@ ~U | aA ~a ~A@, gf Tr jAr c R AEOT ^ | fAU jq ASU@ pAcf@ ~S @ OaS | ceU AF sFq AAS w ASaS q  | j BSFq BfcSS^ r J H @Ac | BfcSS^ ~Xg ~Jo j@ @AcAv m-@p ~Sc AAS J T ~LAO AUZSAvq AaS | jq @AcAv@ AAS \UZ @aS, -"... most prophetic, most intelligible, and, to my mind, most sensible" OS cU | jq OSAv rK OAv an Xop @ ~T rK @c ASvS Ac fAU- jq c^-e@US A@ ~UOS - "Jibanananda's words would ??? tree, unfortunatley, for more than a decade to come : the world did indeed not dare make a move without the deluded guiding advice of those with no vision at all." (p. 6)

(c-46, vc, 2010)

jq UZ ~S @TS UwU ?