Desh Subarnajayanti Kabita Sangkalan Edited by Sagarmay Ghosh [Hardcover]

At its inception, "Desh" magazine found itself amidst the grandeur of Rabindranath Tagore's reign over Bengali poetry. Tagore was unparalleled, and many poets followed his footsteps. "Desh" began by featuring poems from Rabindranath and his followers. Concurrently, Kazi Nazrul Islam had also established his unique style, attracting a significant following. The magazine honored these poets too, including those imprisoned and those writing from distant lands.

With the passing of Tagore and the silencing of Nazrul's pen, modern poets emerged, leading to a diverse era in Bengali poetry. "Desh" magazine kept its doors open to all. Poets like Jibanananda Das, Buddhadeb Basu, and Bishnu Dey regularly contributed. Later, poets such as Subhash Mukhopadhyay, Nirendranath Chakraborty, and their contemporaries, as well as their juniors, also offered their best works to "Desh."

Fifty years is not a short period in the history of poetry, during which the form and style constantly evolve. "Desh" has always been contemporary with this brilliant branch of Bengali literature. On its golden jubilee, the magazine published a selected anthology of poems. Over these fifty years, countless poems have been published by numerous poets, many of whom first gained recognition through "Desh."

Selecting a limited number of poets from such a vast pool is challenging, as each poet's work is unique in its own way. Therefore, the anthology features works from a hundred poets, beginning with Rabindranath Tagore and concluding with contemporary young poets, representing both East and West Bengal.

This anthology holds dual value: historically, it documents the transformation of Bengali poetry over the past fifty years, and in terms of poetic essence, it offers timeless enjoyment. It proves that Bengali poetry stands comparable to poetry in any language of the world.