সতের বছর বয়সে রবীন্দ্রনাথ প্রথম ইউরোপ যাত্রা করেছিলেন। ইউরোপ যাত্রার প্রায় এক বছর পর এটি ‘ভারতী’ পত্রিকায় ‘য়ুরোপ-প্রবাসী কোনো বঙ্গীয় যুবকের পত্র’ শিরোনামে ধারাবাহিকভাবে ছাপা হয়।
রবীন্দ্রনাথের অপরিণত বয়সের রচনা 'য়ুরোপ প্রবাসীর পত্র’। চিঠিগুলি সম্পর্কে পরবর্তীতে তিনি বলেছিলেন, "এই চিঠিগুলির অধিকাংশই বাল্যবয়সের বাহাদুরী, অশ্রদ্ধা প্রকাশ করিয়া, অসম্মত করিয়া, তর্ক করিয়া রচনার আত্মশক্তি করিবার এই প্রয়াস। শ্রদ্ধা করিবার, গ্রহণ করিবার প্রবেশ লাভ করিবার শক্তিই যে সকলের চেয়ে মহৎশক্তি এবং বিনয়ের দ্বারাই যে সকলের চেয়ে বড়ো করিয়া অধিকার বিস্তার করা যায়- কাঁচা বয়সে একথা মন বুঝিতে চায় না।"
পরবর্তীকালে চিঠিগুলি পরিমার্জন করে প্রকাশ করা হয়েছিল।
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West."
Tagore modernised Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla.
This was my first foray into reading Rabindranath Tagore, and I was pleasantly surprised. This is a strong translation by A. Datta of Tagore’s letters while traveling in Europe, and I am quite glad that there is an opportunity to read this in English, since it isn’t one of Tagore’s better known publications. Before reading this, I had little idea of Tagore, not even realizing that he’s the composer of India’s national anthem (not to mention Bangladesh, and inspiring Sri Lanka as well). He was a true polymath of his time, not only composing and writing, but painting, winning Nobel Prizes, being a political activist, and meeting with a lot of the greats of his day, including Einstein. It is worth reading more about him and his life if you are unfamiliar, and certainly helps in approaching these letters.
Framed as letters to his brother while traveling in Europe, Tagore brings the reader along on his travels and includes observations on European culture and life. He also includes observations on the Anglo-Bengalis he meets while abroad. A lot of these comments I found quite relatable to my own experience with meeting expatriates both at home and abroad, and in that respect, though controversial perhaps to the prideful, I have to largely agree with Tagore’s observations. His writing style is certainly poetic and can be a bit purple at times, but it was still enjoyable to read. His descriptions can be outright hilarious, even. To give an example:
“When I attempted to feel my hair with my fingers I realized that my scalp had been blessed with a layer of topsoil suitable for cultivating rice. We arrived in Alexandria like hermits bathed in dry mud.” “I suppose you can by now understand under the influence of what spices a substance known as 'The Bengali' is gradually transformed into a khichri which may be called 'The Anglo-Bengali'.”
Credit is certainly owed to the translator for transporting these remarks into English so as to be equally enjoyable; I can only imagine how much more interesting they must be in Bengali.
It is hard to comprehend that he was just about 17 or 18 at the time of writing these letters, which just seems so young to me now; though the text makes it clear he is writing after the fact, it is not quite certain on exactly when he was writing. Nevertheless, the year is 1878, well in the heart of the Victorian era—Tagore even has the chance to visit the Paris world’s fair of 1878, though unfortunately for the reader he remembers little of the specifics of what he had seen. Nevertheless, his remarks on the English people he meets and culture he encounters are quite interesting to read—especially for someone who is not English nor living in the 1800s. Tagore’s disgust at the upper-class English ladies only bathing once or twice a month was amusing to read, for instance—and so too were the many instances of English ignorance, like those who were surprised that Tagore knew what a lightbulb or clock was. Tagore spares no niceties to show us how stupid some of these fine English nobles are:
“Some people here may be able to map the celest but their knowledge of India is extremely limited. They also find it hard to imagine that other countries may be different from England. Even if you leave out Indology, the common people here are ignorant of many common things.” “I met a person who is very devoted to Shelly's poetry and being a lover of Shelly's poetry myself I was invited to visit their home. This person had studied English literature and politics in depth but did not know much about India. Once when we mentioned India he asked, "Under which king?" I answered a little surprised, "The British government" the reply to which was, "Yes I know that but directly under which king?" That's the limit of their knowledge about Calcutta.”
In that respect, though we’ve become even more of a global community since Tagore’s day (I wonder what he would think of us, an era which is marked by the most globalization the world has ever seen but also some of the strongest rifts caused by ever-growing nationalism, especially in India), there still remains a lot of ignorance about the ‘developing world’ in so-called first-world countries. We may have gone to the moon and can shout at each other on Twitter, but a lot of Americans still don’t know that many Indians speak English fluently as it is the official language, nor that they are the world’s biggest democracy (by population, and, considering the current state of affairs, perhaps nominally).
It was easy to sympathize with Tagore, who was known to travel quite a lot in his lifetime (having visited dozens of countries throughout the world), and of course, who was fond of books. With the current lockdown it has been easy to forget that I’m an expatriate myself at the moment; this book has reinvigorated my desire, or rather, my need to engage more with the culture and people here than I have been. I need to see more, meet more people, and of course, learn more language. But following Tagore, it also can’t hurt to read more when you find a comfy spot:
“The wind moans, small sailboats sail away, it's bright and sunny and we lie on the rocks, umbrellas over our heads. Where else would I find such leisure? Some days I go to the hills and seek out a rocky and secluded place surrounded by bushes to read a book.”
The wind is blowing strongly outside and there have been flurries all afternoon, so I was glad to be able to stay indoors and watch the falling snow while drinking tea and reading this book.
There were a few minor irritating points in the typesetting of the text—for some reason this book refused to format the chapters correctly on my e-reader, and there were a few grammatical and textual issues I noticed. There was also a slight nagging of the incorrect use of quotation marks, with the use of straight or ASCII quotation marks ("…") throughout instead of the typographic of curly style (“…”). This is truly pedantic but this is an honest review, so… once I noticed, I couldn’t help but be annoyed by it. Thus the e-book edition I received was fine to read, but I did want to polish it up a bit to look nicer on the e-reader. Nevertheless, major kudos to the translator, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Tagore in the future.
Disclaimer: Thank you to A. Datta and Goodreads for the book giveaway and providing a free copy of the book. This review contains my honest thoughts and reflects only my reading experience.
কবির সতের বছর বয়েসে লেখা ভ্রমণকাহিনী হিসেবে অনেক পরিপক্ব। ভাষা প্রাঞ্জল, যথারীতি কাব্যময় কিন্তু কিছুক্ষেত্রে অতি সংস্কৃত ব্যবহারে জরাজীর্ণ। স্থানীয় ইংরেজ এবং ইঙ্গবঙ্গদের আচরণ, বিলেত আর ভারতবর্ষীয় রীতিনীতি ইত্যাদি বিষয়ে তার অন্তর্দৃষ্টি অনেকখানিক আধুনিক এবং নিরপেক্ষ। সরাসরি নাম ব্যবহার না করে সাংকেতিক নাম ব্যবহার করায় মনে হয় রচনা যেন স্বতঃস্ফূর্ত নয়, উদগীরিত। সর্বোপরি কবির একান্ত নিজস্ব ভাবনাকে টাইমলাইন ধরে বোঝার জন্য চমৎকার বই।
তরুন রবীন্দ্রনাথের দৃষ্টিভংগি নিয়ে, ধারনা দেয় বইটি। উঠে এসেছে তৎকালীন ইউরোপীয় সমাজ এর আচার রীতি। সময় কাঠামোতে কিছু প্রথা, ধ্রুব থাকে- যেমন ঃ নারীদের অবস্থান, আধিপত্য এর প্রবনতা, সেই সময়েও ব্যপারগুলো আজকের মতই ছিল। রবীন্দ্রনাথের রস বোধ বইটাকে করেছে আরো আকর্ষণীয়। স্বল্প পরিসর আলোচলিত হয়েছে ভারত ও ইংল্যান্ডের এর সমাজ পার্থক্য ও।
It's always interesting for me to read someone's comparison of their home culture to a new one--especially when the new one thinks they're the best in the world. The description of English dances--oh man that would be me today, I don't know why this is the fashion, but apparently I have to dress this way and act this way although at any other time I would do the opposite. Enjoyable.
রবীন্দ্রনাথের অন্য লেখাগুলোর মতো নয় নিশ্চয়ই। ভাবতে অবাক লাগে ১৮৭০-এ লেখা৷ ভাষা তো আধুনিক বটেই (বাংলা চলিত ভাষায় লেখা প্রথম প্রকাশিত রচনা নাকি এটি), চিন্তা-চেতনাও কত আধুনিক। নব্য-যুবক রবীন্দ্রনাথের রসবোধ এত বেশি হবে আশা করিনি। তৎকালীন ইউরোপীয় সমাজের চাল-চলন আচার-রীতির এত সুন্দর বর্ণনা করেছেন পড়লেই চোখের সামনে সব স্পষ্ট ফুটে উঠে। দারুণ।
Amal ismindeki küçük ve hasta bir çocuğun evlatlık verildiği bir ailedeki yaşamını sembolik bir şekilde tüm insanlığa çevrilerek anlatıldığı klasik hint dünyası örgüsüne sahip, normalde çocuk tiyatrosu hüviviyetinde ama çocuklardan daha çok büyüklerin hissesine payların düştüğü bir eser.
Eserin türkçe ön sözünde ise şöyle bahsedilmekte: "Tagore bize Amal'i hasta olarak gösteriyor. Fakat bu hastalık uzvi olmaktan fazla ruhidir. Amal arzuların, heyecanların hastasıdır; isteklerin, iştiyaklarin cefasını çekiyor... Çelimsiz ve kanatsız vücudunun içinde hürriyetinin genişliğine ve imkanlarına doğru uçmak isteyen bir kuş ihtirası var. İstediği şey kendisinden çıkmak, kendinin sınırlarını aşmaktır. Realite, benliğini pıhtılaşmış bir madde duvarı ile çevirmektedir. Amal bu duvardan atlamak, aczinin katı mukavemetinden kurtulmak istiyor."
Son olarak gene bir alıntıyla eserin tüm mahiyetini açık etsek de :"içinden arzuların ileri sürüklediği, dışardan realitenin geri ittiği esir insanı duvarların ötesinde ve hürriyetlerin tam ortasında yaşayan remzi tiplerle karşılaştırırken, bir muammanın düğümünü de çözmüş oluyor: Hürriyete varamayanlar cefa çekiyorsa da, ona erişmiş olanlar da pek müsait sayılmaz..." Tagore bütün meseleyi özetlemektedir.
Bol sembolik anlatım üzerinden iyi-kötü mücadelesinin dışında insanlığa seslenmek isteyen ve haykırışlarla dolu bir eser olarak gördüm bu küçük kitabı. Küçük Amal'in tutku ve heyecanlarına yer yer ortak olacak kadar eseri hissedebildiğim anlarda olmadı değil. Sanırsam bu büyük yazarların en büyük silahlarından olsa gerek diye de düşünüyorum.
Tagore'de dünyamız için bir şeyler yapabilmenin kendi yolundan tutturarak giden arkasından izler bırakıp gitmiş bir öncü olarak görülebilir.
Rabindranath Tagore's "Letters from a Sojourner in Europe" offers a unique perspective on the continent through the eyes of a renowned Bengali writer and philosopher. Published as a series of letters, it captures Tagore's observations, reflections, and critiques of European society during his travels in the early 20th century.
Tagore, a product of Eastern thought, presents a fascinating outsider's perspective. He marvels at Europe's scientific advancements and artistic achievements but also critiques its materialism, its emphasis on competition, and its perceived disconnect from the spiritual.
The book goes beyond a simple travelogue. Tagore delves into profound philosophical questions, comparing Eastern and Western values. He ponders the meaning of progress, the role of individuality versus community, and the importance of spiritual connection in a rapidly modernizing world.
Tagore's masterful prose brings his experiences to life. He paints vivid pictures of European landscapes, cultural encounters, and societal nuances. The book encourages introspection and challenges readers to consider their own values. Tagore's observations about Europe remain relevant today, prompting us to examine the strengths and weaknesses of Western civilization. While the book is rooted in a specific historical context, the themes of cultural exchange, the search for meaning, and the balance between material and spiritual pursuits resonate across time.
Readers with an interest in European history and culture will gain valuable insights from Tagore's unique perspective. Those seeking philosophical discussions on societal issues will find "Letters from a Sojourner in Europe" thought-provoking. Anyone fascinated by Tagore's work and the intersection of Eastern and Western thought will appreciate this insightful collection of letters.
"Letters from a Sojourner in Europe" remains a valuable contribution to cross-cultural understanding. It offers a captivating glimpse into early 20th-century Europe, while prompting readers to reflect on timeless questions about societal progress and the human condition.
মাত্র ১৮ বছর বয়সে কবিগুরুর লেখা এই বইটি আমার অনেক পছন্দের একটি বই। বইটিতে মোট ১০ টি পত্র রয়েছে যেখানে তার পুরো ইউরোপে ভ্রমণের সকল অভিজ্ঞতার গল্প রয়েছে। তাছাড়া বইটি পড়ে তৎকালীন ইংল্যান্ড এর মানুষদের জীবনযাত্রা সম্পর্কেও জানা যায়। জাহাজে উঠে লেখক এর সমুদ্র পীড়া, কিভাবে ইংল্যান্ডের মেয়েরা রাউন্ড ড্যান্স করে, বাংলা থেকে বিলেত যাওয়ার পর বাঙ্গালীদের স্বভাব পরিবর্তন হওয়া, নিজেকে বাঙালি পরিচয় না দিতে চাওয়া, ইউরোপীয় মেয়েদের সাথে বাঙালি মেয়েদের তুলনা, লেখকের হাউস অফ কমন ভ্রমণ প্রতিটি জিনিসের বৃত্তান্ত ই আমার অনেক ভালো লেগেছে। সবচেয়ে বেশি ভালো লেগেছে দশম পত্র টির ডাক্তার ও তার পরিবারের জীবনযাত্রার বর্ণনা।
While there are a handful of observations and a few wonderfully written phrases, the book was overall just jabbering about a few observations of no consequence. If there is satire, it isn’t clear; if there is irony, I guess I’m not smart enough to see it.
রবীন্দ্রনাথের জন্ম ১৮৬১ সালে আর য়ুরোপ-প্রবাসীর পত্র লিখেছিলেন ১৮৭৮ - ৮০ সালে - মাত্র ১৮-১৯ বছর বয়সে. Teenageএ এমন matured এবং insightful লেখা কেবল তাঁর পক্ষেই সম্ভব.
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