Elemental Experience of Loss

Grief and mourning are some of the hardest emotions to write about. The ongoing experience of the pandemic has returned us to these elemental experiences of loss and reminded us that words still carry the anguish of sorrow and the power of cathartic healing. Rabindranath Tagore’s poignant lyrics in Smaran and Palataka are both personal as well as timeless; they speak to all those who have lost beloved family members and those who fear such losses. Translated with sensitive acumen by Sanjukta Dasgupta, and introduced through her insightful essay, this volume reopens certain aspects of Tagoriana and holds a strong contemporary appeal.