1) This book presents a comprehensive account of the eminent Bengali writer and activist, the Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Mahasweta Devi's oeuvre in its full range and versatility. 2) It draws attention to Devi's role as a woman writer with a difference and her image outside Bengal. 3) This book will be of interest to departments of South Asian Literature and Cultural studies across UK.

This book attempts to deal with the problem of literary subjectivity in theory and practice. The works of six contemporary women writers - Doris Lessing, Anita Desai, Mahasweta Devi, Buchi Emecheta, Margaret Atwood and Toni Morrison - are discussed as potential ways of testing and expanding the theoretical debate. A brief history of subjectivity and subject formation is reviewed in the light of the works of thinkers such as Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Raymond Williams and Stephen Greenblatt, and the work of leading feminists is also seen contributing to the debate substantially.

Rabindranath Tagore is widely regarded as a poet-philosopher and educationist, but his novels remain a relatively underexplored aspect of his oeuvre. Focusing on gender and modernity as key features of his fiction, this book charts Tagore's evolution as a novelist from self-conscious psychologizing in Chokher Bali to an engagement with nationalism in Gora and Ghare Baire (The Home and the World); a portrayal of asceticism and desire in Chaturanga (Quartet); an analysis of marriage, sexuality and change in Bengali society in Yogayog (Relationships); an effervescent fusion of social satire and literary experimentation in Shesher Kabita (Farewell Song); and an intense, dramatic study of love, politics and terrorism in Char Adhyay (Four Chapters). This study demonstrates that Tagore's writings cannot be readily assimilated within current theoretical frameworks, and urges us to rethink the conventional oppositions between tradition and modernity, masculinity and femininity, East and West, and local and global. Addressing a major gap in the field, the book reconstructs Tagore as a novelist of eminent stature, demonstrates the range and complexity of his creative genius, his contribution to literary history and the relevance of his reflections to our times. Enriched by insights into the biographical and socio-historical contexts of his novels, this book will be of special interest to researchers, teachers and students of comparative and world literature, history, postcolonial studies and gender studies, as also to Tagore enthusiasts.

This book attempts to deal with the problem of literary subjectivity in theory and practice. The works of six contemporary women writers a " Doris Lessing, Anita Desai, Mahasweta Devi, Buchi Emecheta, Margaret Atwood and Toni Morrison a " are discussed as potential ways of testing and expanding the theoretical debate. A brief history of subjectivity and subject formation is reviewed in the light of the works of thinkers such as Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Raymond Williams and Stephen Greenblatt, and the work of leading feminists is also seen contributing to the debate substantially.

Rabindranath Tagore is widely regarded as a poet-philosopher and educationist, but his novels remain a relatively underexplored aspect of his oeuvre. Focusing on gender and modernity as key features of his fiction, this book charts Tagore's evolution as a novelist from self-conscious psychologizing in Chokher Bali to an engagement with nationalism in Gora and Ghare Baire (The Home and the World); a portrayal of asceticism and desire in Chaturanga (Quartet); an analysis of marriage, sexuality and change in Bengali society in Yogayog (Relationships); an effervescent fusion of social satire and literary experimentation in Shesher Kabita (Farewell Song); and an intense, dramatic study of love, politics and terrorism in Char Adhyay (Four Chapters). This study demonstrates that Tagore's writings cannot be readily assimilated within current theoretical frameworks, and urges us to rethink the conventional oppositions between tradition and modernity, masculinity and femininity, East and West, and local and global. Addressing a major gap in the field, the book reconstructs Tagore as a novelist of eminent stature, demonstrates the range and complexity of his creative genius, his contribution to literary history and the relevance of his reflections to our times. Enriched by insights into the biographical and socio-historical contexts of his novels, this book will be of special interest to researchers, teachers and students of comparative and world literature, history, postcolonial studies and gender studies, as also to Tagore enthusiasts.

A brief, evocative memoir from one of India's greatest writers. "Like a dazzling feather that has fluttered down from some unknown place. . . . How long will the feather keep its colours, waiting? The 'feather' stands for memories of childhood. Memories don't wait." In Our Sanitikentan, the late Mahasweta Devi, one of India's most celebrated writers, vividly narrates her days as a schoolgirl in the 1930s. As the aging author struggles to recapture vignettes of her childhood, these reminiscences bring to the written page not only her individual sensibility but an entire ethos. Santiniketan is home to the school and university founded by the foremost literary and cultural icon of India, Rabindranath Tagore. In these pages, a forgotten Santiniketan, seen through the innocent eyes of a young girl, comes to life-the place, its people, flora and fauna, along with its educational environment, culture of free creative expression, vision of harmonious coexistence between natural and human worlds, and the towering presence of Tagore himself. Alongside, we get a glimpse of the private Mahasweta-her inner life, family and associates, and the early experiences that shaped her personality. A nostalgic journey to a bygone era, harking back to its simple yet profound values-so distant today and so urgent yet again-Our Santiniketan is an invaluable addition to Devi's rich oeuvre available in English translation.

"The Essential Tagore "showcases the genius of India s Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian Nobel Laureate and possibly the most prolific and diverse serious writer the world has ever known.

Marking the 150th anniversary of Tagore s birth, this ambitious collection the largest single volume of his work available in English attempts to represent his extraordinary achievements in ten genres: poetry, songs, autobiographical works, letters, travel writings, prose, novels, short stories, humorous pieces, and plays. In addition to the newest translations in the modern idiom, it includes a sampling of works originally composed in English, his translations of his own works, three poems omitted from the published version of the English "Gitanjali," and examples of his artwork.

Tagore s writings are notable for their variety and innovation. His "Sonar Tari" signaled a distinctive turn toward the symbolic in Bengali poetry. The Lord of Life, from his collection "Chitra," created controversy around his very personal concept of religion. "Chokher Bali" marked a decisive moment in the history of the Bengali novel because of the way it delved into the minds of men and women. The skits in "Vyangakautuk" mocked upper-class pretensions. Prose pieces such as The Problem and the Cure were lauded by nationalists, who also sang Tagore s patriotic songs.

Translations for this volume were contributed by Tagore specialists and writers of international stature, including Amitav Ghosh, Amit Chaudhuri, and Sunetra Gupta.

Passion and politics intertwine in Char Adhyay (1934), Rabindranath Tagore's last and perhaps most controversial novel, set in the context of the freedom struggle in pre-Independent India. Ela, a young working woman, comes under the spell of Indranath, a charismatic political activist who advocates the path of terror. She joins his band of underground rebels, vowing never to marry, and to devote her life to the nation's cause. But through her relationship with Atindra, a poet and romantic who grows disenchanted after joining the group, Ela realizes the hollowness of Indranath's machinations. The lovers now face a terrible choice. This new translation of Char Adhyay brings Tagore's text to life in contemporary idiom, while evoking the charged atmosphere of the story's historical setting.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a towering figure in India's intellectual and cultural landscape. He was not only a writer, artist, music composer and a philosopher but also a world traveller. He travelled to more than 34 countries in his lifetime and these travels left a deep impact on him. According to Humayun Kabir, travel not only broadened his selfhood, it also contributed to his philosophy of internationalism and the development of his institution, Visva-Bharati. He believed that inclusivism and synergic interaction between cultures would propel the world towards harmony and global fellowship. Tagore was a curious and keen observer of socio-political life in the numerous countries that he visited. He made an immense contribution to the making of modern India and left a deep imprint on leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sarojini Naidu. This book explores Tagore's travels, and assesses the extent to which he was influenced by his visits and the deep impression he left on the countries he visited. Here, experts from India and several countries to which Tagore had travelled offer an array of perspectives on Tagore's thoughts and vision. They examine how his journeys contributed to his philosophy of internationalism, universalism, humanism, spiritual unity and the religion of man. The volume also illuminates the influence of Tagore's ideas upon the evolution and continuing ethos of Indian foreign policy.