The bard from Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore's poetry has furnished poetic answers to many a human dilemma and questioning. The poet had wondered if his poetry would be read a hundred years after him. Now after his 150th year, we realise that they appeal to us in today's world as much as they ever did. Literary critics outside of Bengal have not paid much attention to his best works despite his distinction of being the first Asian Nobel Laureate in Literature. Judged by a slim volume of a 103 songs in prose translation that hardly do justice to his profound poetry, the prolific writer of more than 2000 poems and songs has been unfairly short-changed by the literary world. Rabindranath Tagore is, unfortunately, yet to receive his due. From a vantage point of firsthand knowledge of his original Complete Works, and from being immersed in Rabindrik culture, Bandana Ghosh, author of Images of Women in the Cowardian Universe, illuminates upon some aspects which have been missed by those who have accused Tagore of soppy piety --- his biting satire, sparkling parry and thrust, and hard core sense gift-wrapped in amazing poetry. The Bard by the Bay serves as recompense for the void that exists in the appreciation of Rabindranath Tagore's oeuvre.
About the Author: Born and educated in post-independence Bengal, in Kolkata, India, Bandana Ghosh graduated with Honours in English from Presidency College, Kolkata, and received an M.A. in English from the University of Calcutta. She has an M.Phil. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Pune, India. She was awarded a British Council grant to study English literature at St. Catherine's College, University of Cambridge, U.K. She has several publications to her credit. Over a teaching career spanning more than thirty years at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels, her professional appointments include Reader and Head of the Department of English, Symbiosis College of Arts & Commerce, Pune and visiting Faculty in the Post-graduate Department of English, University of Pune. She is an approved Ph.D. research guide at the University of Pune, and Symbiosis International University, Pune. She is a Founder Faculty at the Symbiosis Centre for Liberal Arts. Dr. Ghosh has appeared in various print and electronic media, including the Times of India, Indian Express, BBC World TV, All India Radio, and Doordarshan TV.