Banalata Sen () is a poetry volume containing 31 poems by the Bengali poet Jibanananda Das (1899–1954). The volume reflects the contextual struggles experienced by the poet in terms of love (his partner, admiration of nature), liberty (World War I, patriotism in the form of admiring the land) and loss (death of loved ones and sense of direction after traumatic contortions) during the Post-Tagor period. This book has been named "Banalata Sen" after Das's most popular poem, which explored human fulfillment through the personification of a vaidya caste woman. This pattern of progressively exploring human fulfillment through hyperbolising a character is common within this volume.
During Das's lifetime Banalata Sen was published during Poush 1349 of the Bengali calendar (1942 AD) and in Srabon 1359 Bengali calendar (1952 AD). There is a variation in the poems within the volume as the later version contains poems that were written from 1942 to 1946.
Composition and publication
Composition
Jibananda Das’s composition of Banalata Sen has been influenced by the quintessential poets Rabindranath Tagore and Nazrul Islam as Das intertwines love and nature to explore the critical and complex aspects of life. Although these poets have had a significant influence on Banalata Sen, there is a unique modern style of poetry throughout the 31 poems as Das develops images by turning and molding the images. It is further explored how the elements of nature that are seen as rotten or revolting are incorporated when Das writes Banalata Sen as he can see the beauty that underlines every aspect of nature. As a result, context is understood as having a significant influence in Das’ poetry.
The poems contained in the later version of Banalata Sen (book) have been tied to Das' return to his alma mater throughout 1932 to 1946 after being let go from the Calcutta City College. During that period Das isolated himself as the controversy he dealt with after publishing Camp'e (At the Camp) in Sudhindranath Dutta's Porichoy magazine influenced him to turn to secrecy.
Publication
Banalata Sen was the third of seven published poetry volumes during Das’ lifetime. This volume is named “” after Das’s most popular poem, which explored human fulfillment through the personification of a vaidya caste woman. This poem is also included in all versions of this poetry volume. Prior to the publication of this volume it is thought that Das' younger sister Sucharita had access to the poems as Das would let her read the poems when taking them out of his personal trunk to have them printed.
The volume has been formally published twice during Das’ lifetime. The first publication was during Poush, 1942 AD(1349 in the Bengali calendar), in the same year as his father’s passing. This publication contained 12 poems and the cover was illustrated by Sambhu Shaha. The second publication was during Srabon, 1952 AD (1359 in the Bengali calendar) by Signet Press. This version was an enlarged version containing 31 poems and the cover was illustrated by Satyajit Ray. This is the latest version of the volume.
Contents of the volume
The latest version of Banalata Sen includes the following poems and their translated name are:
Banalata Sen (a female name) Kuri Bochor Pore (After 20 years) Hawar rat (Windy Night) Ami Jodhi Hotham (If I were to be) Ghas (Grass) Hai Chill (Oh Kite) Buno hans (Wild Duck) Shonkomala Nogno Nirjon Haat Shikhar (The Hunt) Horninera (Deer) Beral (Cat) Shudorshona (Goodlooking) Ondhokar (Darkness) Kamalalebu (An Orange) Shyamoli (a female name) Du-john (Two people) Abosheshe (Finally) Shopner Dhwonira (Musical Dream) Amake Tumi (You for me) Tumi (You) Dhan kata hoi geche (The Harvest is Over) Sheerisher Dalpala (branches of Shirish tree) Hajar Bochor Sudhu Khela Kore (playing for a 1000 years) Suranjana (a female name) Mithvarshon (Sweet rhythm) Sabita (a female name) Shor Chethona Aghran Pranthorey (End of the month of Aghrahayan) Poth Hatha (Walking on the road) Tomake (To you)