Kolkata: The ongoing Kolkata International Book Fair 2024 has several USPs to its credit but what stands out is the presence of the first edition of the English version of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel-winning offering 'Gitanjali', the collection of poems which earned the Bard, the coveted Nobel Prize in 1913.
Stall No. 529 has displayed the rare gem. Yes, that's Tagore magic and the credit goes to Sabujpatra Publications for putting this up for literature aficionados of the city. The book is not for sale. "I don't want to lose this book, it is unique," said owner Subhashish Bhattacharya.
Gitanjali was first translated in 1912 but was unveiled in 1913. "We have brought the 1913 version to the book fair this year as part of our endeavour to focus on uniqueness," Bhattacharya added.
Undoubtedly, people are thronging in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the book. As it is not for sale, people are spending hours inside the stall looking at the rare book. "No way can I afford to lose this book. It is so rare. I don't have any monetary interest. It is a precious gem," Bhattacharya added.
Bhattacharya, a vereran in the field of publishing has been participating at the book fair for the last 27 years. Every year, he comes up with a surprise and 2024 is no exception.
This time it is more special because he has in his collection, something close to every Bengali's heart. Infact why just Bengalis, Tagore transcends barriers, doesn't he?
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