This book presents a range of Rabindranath Tagore’s creative works, including translations of short stories, essays, poems, memoirs, songs and plays from his vast corpus to show his conception of the feminine and gender identity that are relevant even today.

The editor establishes the search for Tagore’s engagement with the feminine as subject and agency, character and voice, philosophy and politics in this book. There is rich cultural interplay as Tagore muses over the contrasting social position of women in the ‘East’ and the ‘West’. He relies on Indian traditions to understand them in the context of domestic ethics, marital institutions, parenting, empowerment, aesthetics and gender politics. The book includes new translations while presenting fresh insights into previously published works.

Introduction Radha Chakravarty Re-writing Tagore: Translation as performance
MEMOIRS
Dipannita Datta Childhood (from Chhelebela) Uma Dasgupta My life in my words (from Jeevansmriti)
LETTERS
Malashri Lal To Mrinalini Debi Ketaki Kushari Dyson To Victoria Ocampo Krishna Dutta and Andrew Robinson To Indira Devi Chaudhurani, Sarojini Naidu, Maria Montessori and Margaret Sanger
FROM GITANJALI
The child who is decked with prince’s robes (No. 8) Where dost thou stand behind (No. 41) I thought I should ask of thee (No. 52) On the slope of the desolate river (No. 64) She who ever had remained in the depth of my being (No. 66) In desperate hope I go and search for her (No. 87)
POEMS
Malashri Lal Bodily union (Deher Milan) Malashri Lal Woman unclothed (Bibashana) Malashri Lal Breasts (Staun) Malashri Lal The kiss (Chumban) Malashri Lal Elder sister (Didi) Ketaki Kushari Dyson Dream (Swapna) Soham Pain When the ocean of creation (Kon kshane srijaner samudramanthane) Sanjukta Dasgupta Freedom (Mukti) Sanjukta Dasgupta Getting lost (Hariye jaoa) Uma Dasgupta Remembering (Mone pora) Charu Chowdhury Last spring (Shesh basanta) Charu Chowdhury The image (Chhabi) Soham Pain The guest (Atithi) Sukanta Chaudhuri Woman empowered (Sabala) Jadu Saha Ordinary woman (Sadharan meye) Malashri Lal Santhal girl (Saontal meye) Joyasree Mukerji The earth (Prithibi)
SONGS
Aruna Chakravarti She sits by the window (O janalar kachhe boshe) Aruna Chakravarti Friend, dear friend (Olo sai) Aruna Chakravarti The sky resounds to our Mother’s call (Amra milechhi aj mayer dake) Sanjukta Dasgupta Whosoever may abandon you (Je tomay chhare chharuk) Sanjukta Dasgupta Mother, will you send your own son (Ma, ki tui porer dware pathabi) Malashri Lal O auspicious bride (Sumangali badhu) Soham Pain Krishnakali (Krishnakali) Reba Som I am Chitrangada (Ami Chitrangada rajendro nondini) Aruna Chakravarti She who dwelt in secret (Ei sharat alo-r kamol bane)
EPICS AND MYTHOLOGY
Rabindranath Tagore A vision of India’s history Charu Chowdhury Urbashi (Urbashi) Ketaki Kushari Dyson Dialogue between Kama and Kunti (Karna–Kunti sambad) Rabindranath Tagore Kacha and Devayani (Bidaay abhisaap) Rabindranath Tagore The mother’s prayer (Gandharir abedan)
PLAY
Rabindranath Tagore Chitra (Chitra)
SHORT STORIES
William Radice Profit and loss (Denapaona) Soham Pain The housewife (Ginni) Malobika Chaudhuri Kabuliwala (Kabuliwallah) Malashri Lal Mahamaya (Mahamaya) Krishna Dutta and Mary Lago The girl between (Madhyabartini) Rabindranath Tagore Giribala (Manbhanjan) Malobika Chaudhuri The visitor (Atithi) William Radice False hope (Durasha) Supriya Chaudhuri The wife’s letter (Streer patra) Joyasree Mukerji Haimanti (Haimanti) Swapan Kumar Banerjee The story of the Muslim woman (Musalmanir galpa)
ESSAYS, LECTURES AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Rabindranath Tagore The Indian ideal of marriage Rabindranath Tagore Woman (from Personality) Rabindranath Tagore Woman and home
TRAVELOGUES
Soham Pain Epistles from Europe (Europe-probashir patra) Soham Pain Travel Diary from Japan (Japan jatrir diary)
EPILOGUE
Supriya Chaudhuri The path of your creation (Tomar srishtir path) Index