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Sesher Kobita, The Last Poem
by
Translation of a major work by Rabindranath Tagore
Paperback, 220 pages
Published
January 31st 2007
by Rupa & Co
(first published August 1928)
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Tagore’s ‘The Last Poem’ is a real treat to read. He wrote this novel at the later stage of his life but the rhythm is as usual and which is always reflected from his writings. It’s a love story between Amit and Lavanya. The plot had been sketched in the beautiful hill station of Shillong. The protagonists met because of a small motor accident and soon they found an intense chemistry between them. They discovered philosophy through their poetry. ‘The last Poem’ is a very modern story. The way he
...more
Aug 15, 2011
Ansarul Karim Jamee
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
bengali-literature
When first time I read Shesher Kobita probably 15 to 16 years back, it seemed to me that it was nothing more but an average rated book. However, I didn't know why I felt interested to read it again. Then I started again to read and I read it 4 times at a stretch. The more I read the book, the more I felt that there was something more in the depth. Still, today whenever I get a chance I open the book at any page and read and get the same feeling again and again.
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An amazing and exceptional book is the one that you feel to re read once again from the 1st page after you have completed it. It is a very rare feeling which occurs to any reader after reading a book and Tagore's "The Last Poem" is one such gem. It is a saga, an epic love story. Tagore has brilliantly weaved poetry with prose and made every page of the book beautiful. The novel is deep, witty and extremely romantic. It is the type of book that will linger in the minds of the readers for long. Th
...more
Jun 19, 2017
Gorab Jain
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Gorab by:
Akanksha Chattopadhyay
Wanted to read the Hindi translation, but couldn't get it anywhere and had to settle for English. Enjoyed the transcreations from this blog which did an excellent job. Rich prose, having a filmy love story, albeit unconventional with a different level of emotions and understanding. Wish I could comprehend the poetry parts in Bengali, as translations strip them off their magical wordplay.
Some noteworthy quotes....
On culture and education:
"The crude stone from whence the glittering diamond is cu ...more
Some noteworthy quotes....
On culture and education:
"The crude stone from whence the glittering diamond is cu ...more
Okay, I finally read Shesher Kobita. It took me a long time to pick up the book for I was daunted by the difficulty of the language. And that's exactly why it took me over a month to complete reading this fantastic book.
Now, what a book! It's more than just a love story. The dialogues between the lovers were culturally and ideologically rich alongside being romantic (which, by the way, may seem a little corny at this point in time). Some of the concepts discussed are way ahead of its time. The ...more
Now, what a book! It's more than just a love story. The dialogues between the lovers were culturally and ideologically rich alongside being romantic (which, by the way, may seem a little corny at this point in time). Some of the concepts discussed are way ahead of its time. The ...more
'Shesher Kobita' translated as the 'The last poem' is an unique amalgamation of poetry with prose. A quietly thought provoking love story, through which Tagore brings forth his philosophy on what defines love, its bindings and ultimately what it takes to find true liberation in that all encompassing emotion of the heart. The exchanges between Amit and Lavanya, through poetry, is magical, though I am sure to have missed out on what was lost in translation. At times like this, I feel truly sorry f
...more
Reading this book for the second time reminds me of revisiting "Srikanto" of Sharat Babu at different ages. Amit-Labonno, or dearly called Mita- Bonna, characterised our dwindling priorities and preference over one another. This phlegmatic book will indulge you to judge their decision and how their characters evolves over time to be settled with their choice, their believes to be suited. An epic depiction of Mr. Tagore's excavation of our secret side of minds that eventually transpires its delus
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This has remained one of my favourite novels written by any Indian author ever since I read it during my school days. Themes of love, trust, passion, lust, self-deprecation, epiphany and most importantly, the realization of what companionship truly means, run amok in this book. As the book draws to an end, one reflects on all these and finally understands the true meaning of The Last Poem. Written at a ripe old age of 67, Kobiguru aka Teacher of all poets as he was affectionately called, shows a
...more
An outstanding read, I am so glad that I came across this book and what a read. I am out of words!!!!
This novel, written by Tagore during the last few years of his life, is the story of Amit, a lawyer in Calcutta, and Labonya, a librarian and teacher in Shillong. They meet while he is on vacation, and fall in love. What adds beauty and sizzle to this story is Tagore's use of his skill with words to sparkle the conversations between these two lovers. At the end of the story, these lovers break o ...more
This novel, written by Tagore during the last few years of his life, is the story of Amit, a lawyer in Calcutta, and Labonya, a librarian and teacher in Shillong. They meet while he is on vacation, and fall in love. What adds beauty and sizzle to this story is Tagore's use of his skill with words to sparkle the conversations between these two lovers. At the end of the story, these lovers break o ...more
Book: The Last Poem
Author: Rabindranath Tagore translated by Dilip Basu
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Poetry is 'life's commentary in verse'.
This book stands testimonial to these words. Life and love are best explained in poetry. Mathew Arnold has called poetry the "criticism of life". I feel poetry is appreciation of life, even sadness, ugly and tragedies in poetry become beautiful.
Rabindranath Tagore is known for his various feats as an artist and philosopher - but it was poetry that reflected in all his ...more
Sadly, even with an updated translation, the poetry --so essential to the novel's plot--remains stilted and awkward in English. The premise of the book, and it's relation to Tagore's own literary status in Bengal at the time, make this a treasure of world literature and definitely marks him as an experimentalist and high modernist of the first order.
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A beautiful lyrical narrative from Tagore ,the eminent writer...the characters Amit and Labanya remains eternally etched in our hearts... A must read , a book to be read and re-read ... to be forever treasured!
Jan 17, 2018
Sampurna Ray
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
my-forever-books
A poetic, thought-provoking and way-ahead-of-its-time story! The story set in Shillong painted a pretty picture, promising self-discovery, healing and the warmth of love. It's difficult to root for the central characters though, one of whom seems convinced that she cannot have a conventional happy ending, and the other doesn't seem convinced about anything. (view spoiler) Some would
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All that I gave you was really your gift to me;
For all that you received, you hold me in debt
Rabindranath Tagore is the most beloved of Indian poets. There is a reason to why he read in modern Europe. His poetry and philosophy are not imprisoned by time or space.
Farewell Song is a novel but it is as much poetical as a novel gets.There are verses spread like decorations all over the short book. you don't dare pick the book, if you can't stomach some poetry but if you problem was you don't underst ...more
For all that you received, you hold me in debt
Rabindranath Tagore is the most beloved of Indian poets. There is a reason to why he read in modern Europe. His poetry and philosophy are not imprisoned by time or space.
Farewell Song is a novel but it is as much poetical as a novel gets.There are verses spread like decorations all over the short book. you don't dare pick the book, if you can't stomach some poetry but if you problem was you don't underst ...more
May 08, 2015
Mahmuda Shongskrity
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
romance
The book is about a platonic love of a matured couple. The protagonist Amit, a confident, self-occupied, unyielding being who loves to attack people around him by his witty talks, but doesn't consider them capable of getting him, finally finds his worth a million listener, a girl named Labanya. Labanya, on the other hand, had always devoted herself to the study and was never interested to rise her eyes from the books until she met Amit through a car accident which bound them together. The Shillo
...more
I was fifteen. Love was around the corner. In fact, everywhere around me. Just then, I discovered that love exists within me and the object of love is nearly immaterial for the intensity of feelings. Nibaran is Amit but Amit can't be Nibaran. One is about understanding life and the other about experiencing it. Lavanya and Ketaki are but two forms of devotion. One that possesses and the other that reveres. And I remain to this day torn between love that inspires life and life that makes it seem w
...more
'It has repeatedly occurred to me, when I've read about love in literature, that love becomes a tragedy when human beings, even while recognizing each other's need for independence, have refused to be content with this realisation. They have tried to remould, recreate each other in the way they desire, they have forcibly wanted to graft their own desires to someone else.'
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This book was picked up because of its name – ‘shesher kobita’. I’m a huge of Rabindranath Tagore. This book portrays a great amalgamation of prose and poetry. The love that blossoms between Amit and Lavanya amidst the hills of Shillong and exchange of poetry between them is exceptional. With this, I’ve another book of Thakur Da added to my shelf.
one of the best books i have ever read...ofcourse i have read it twice at a same time becoz i have read its every line twice... my eyes went to the first eord of every line n automaticaly my eyes read the lines twice . Gurudev has written the large dimension of love in ink which a few people can get experienced...but those few people never can write down it in words..
Probably the best romantic novel I have ever read ... the way Tagore defined the depth of love through the sweet love story of Amit & Labonno is Incredible .. there are so many lines that touched my heart .. really a nice Novel by R.Tagore
Rabindranath was 63 years old when he wrote this beautiful novel,it brings a new philosophy of Love when the novel described the pletonic love between Amit & Labonya
Rather audacious and far ahead of its time.
I probably would have enjoyed this work a lot more if I had a better grasp of the Bangla language. I think I might read it again sometime in the future.
It is the most beautiful book I've ever read. I am bound to do unjust If I dare review it.
...more
1. Stylistically I loved how Tagore played with time in this novel. The main line of the story is linear but the chapters from different perspectives overlap, precede. Time is also a major theme of the novel.
2. The obsession with mimicking western culture in the urban Indian society in that time is discussed internally rather than criticised from a distance. The country cat and the pet dog are used as metaphors, noted.
3. By using himself as a character in the novel, Tagore tries to talk to the ...more
2. The obsession with mimicking western culture in the urban Indian society in that time is discussed internally rather than criticised from a distance. The country cat and the pet dog are used as metaphors, noted.
3. By using himself as a character in the novel, Tagore tries to talk to the ...more
Well I'm coming to this after Wuthering Heights. Naturally the contrast in the proposition of "what is love?" is amazing! The novel is very unlike Tagore I have ever read. It is worth multiple reads. But I think the protagonist missed a tricked in his wooing and Labanya is too modest for her own good. I guess this is why sometimes it feels real, somewhere people feel the connection. Anyway, read for yourself (also only read the Bengali version, the charm can't be recreated). As for me I'll keep
...more
Read this in the original Bangla, only entering this for tracking purpose. What a wonderfully bittersweet story about the different kinds of love, the ones that can be domesticated and the ones that cannot. I also so appreciate Tagore's gentle humour, and the ease at which he can poke fun at himself.
...more
Okay.
This was a tad bit weird. I honestly don't know how to feel about this. It felt a bit sexist at points or maybe that's just me. It would probably take me a while to wrap my head around what was being tried to meant here. The character perspectives and personalities felt a tad bit overdrawn and stretched out,beaconing them into beings who are sacrificial for the mode of survival.
Honestly, I didn't get it. ...more
This was a tad bit weird. I honestly don't know how to feel about this. It felt a bit sexist at points or maybe that's just me. It would probably take me a while to wrap my head around what was being tried to meant here. The character perspectives and personalities felt a tad bit overdrawn and stretched out,beaconing them into beings who are sacrificial for the mode of survival.
Honestly, I didn't get it. ...more
Jun 01, 2017
Kru
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Kru by:
Akanksha Chattopadhyay
Powerful love story. Loved Amit, but my heart goes out to Labanya. Couldn't resist completing it at this hour. I loved the ending, it was fitting.
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Readers: Shesher Kobita by Rabindranath Tagore - Aka, Kru, Inny, Gorab | 46 | 122 | May 06, 2020 09:57AM | |
| Goodreads Librari...: Please add Page count for ISBN13 9788184951646 | 3 | 181 | May 31, 2017 12:00AM |
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