VB to publish facsimile edition of Gitanjali's first copy

The facsimile edition of the first print copy of Rabindra Tagore's 'Gitanjali' in English, which remained with the poet till his death in 1941, will be published by Visva-Bharati University on his 77th death anniversary on August 7.

Officiating vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati, Sabuj Koli Sen, told PTI today, "The Visva-Bharati publication division will bring out this edition of the first print of 'Gitanjali' (Song Offerings), having pencil jottings by the poet in between the lines, on 'Baishe Srabon' (August 7).

The Visva-Bharati had been in possesion of the original first print copy with Tagore's jottings after Tagore's death and had kept it at the archive at Rabindra Bhavan at Santiniketan, she said.

"We had recently gifted one of the five facsimile print editions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the university as its 'acharya' (chancellor) on May 25 and he looked very very happy.

"We then decided to bring out a facsimile edition of the first copy on a bigger scale for the public and chose 'Baishe Srabon' as the date for launching the first edition," Sen said.

It will be a collector's item, to be available from Visva- Bharati outlets and Tagore lovers would feel proud to be in possession of such an an edition, she said.

The first print copy of 'Gitanjali' was issued in limited edition in 1912 by the Indian Society. Tagore scribbled some changes in pencil which were then incorporated in the second print copy in 1913 and this was sent to the Swedish Academy for its consideration.

In 1913, Tagore won the Nobel prize for literature and the first print copy remained one of the most-loved possessions of the poet.

Sen said a facsimile edition of the first copy is also with the Swedish Nobel Museum.