Rabijibani 1 by Prashanta Kumar Pal [Hardcover]

The first volume of Rabi-jibani was published in April 1982. Upon its release, this biography created a great stir in the Rabindranath Tagore enthusiast community, sparking extensive debates. The reasons for this uproar were mainly twofold. The first reason was that, despite the existence of a well-known and widely-read biography of Rabindranath, people were puzzled about why another biography was written, and what new perspective or necessity it served. The second reason was even more significant. In his Rabi-jibani, Prashant Kumar Pal contradicted many of the autobiographical details provided by Rabindranath himself, especially those related to his childhood and early life. This approach was perceived by many as objectionable, almost as if questioning the authority of Rabindranath’s own accounts.

However, it is precisely within this criticism and controversy that the new biography's uniqueness and necessity lie. Even though Buddhadeb Bose had acknowledged the importance of previous biographies, he also noted: “We can think of an immortal son in his mortal form only when, with the passage of time, unnecessary additions fall away, and all the details can be presented without any hindrance.” Indeed, it was this very expectation that Prashant Kumar Pal fulfilled with his Rabi-jibani. With a sharp, investigative eye, he critically examined every piece of information about Rabindranath’s life, without being swayed by conventional biases.

He employed numerous original materials that no one had previously thought to use, making this biography a fresh and more accurate account of Rabindranath’s life. As a result, a complete and unambiguous picture of his childhood and adolescence was presented, and the roots of the poet’s development were clearly explained.

In this revised edition of the first volume, Prashant Kumar Pal has re-examined all the information in light of various controversies and subsequent research. Through corrections and additions, the book has become more comprehensive and complete.