Annals of Library and Information Studies Vol. 58, September 2011, pp. 257-269 Quality assessment of copyright free Tagoreana: a study Partha Pratim Ray Librarian, Institute of Education, Visva-Bharati, West Bengal-731 235, India, Email: [email protected] Rabindranath Tagore gave copyright of his intellectual output to Visva-Bharati. The extended period of copyright ended in December 2001. Private publishers have been free to publish the writings of Rabindranath Tagore since then. The paper attempts to study whether complete and accurate Bengali writings of Ranbindranath Tagore are being published by private publishers. It is observed from the study that a small number of Bengali publishers are publishing only commercially viable titles of Rabindranath Tagore. The prices of the books are lower but are of poor quality with number of mistakes that have been identified in the study. The quality of paper used is also poor. Introduction Visva-Bharati Granthan Vibhaga (VBGV) The first book of Rabindranath Tagore, Kavi-Kahini In the year 1923, Rabindranath Tagore established was published in the year 1878 by his friend Prabodh Visva-Bharati Granthan Vibhaga (VBGV), the Chandra Ghosh. Regarding this publication publishing department of the University and in the Rabindranath Tagore wrote, “When I was in same year he published the dance drama Basanta . Ahmedabad with my brother, my friend astonished But regular publication started from the year 1925 1 me by sending this book” . The second one Banaphul with the publication of Puravi. Before that the was published in the year 1880 by the poet’s elder publication right of Tagoreana was given to brother Somendranath. Sailesh Chandra Majumdar of Chintamani Ghosh, owner of Indian Press/Indian Majumdar Library was the first professional publisher Publishing House of Allahabad. In his letter dated 18 th who first published Kavyagrantha (collected works) September 1922 Rabindranath Tagore wrote, “I have of Rabindranath Tagore in the year 1903-04. Before given the right of all my Bengali books to Visva- that, Rabindranath Tagore had to publish his works Bharati in a deed and relieved now” 3. Vichitra using his own funds with the exception of Kadi-o- Prabandha (Miscellaneous Essays) was published Komal (published in 1886 by People’s Library), with the declaration, “the copyright of these works Chithipatra (published in 1887 by Sarat Kumar Lahiri rest with Bolpur Brahmacharyashram” 4. According to and Co.), and Panchabhut (published in 1897 by Sur Tagore’s biographer Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyaya Company). Books published from Adi Brahmasamaj “Chintamoni Kar took the responsibility of publishing Jantra were from the fund given by his father the poet’s publication in 1908. The stock value of 100 Debendranath Tagore. Sometimes Rabindranath books published up to 1923 was Rs.78,000. Tagore had to face serious scarcity of funds for Chintamanibabu gave his entire stock to Visva- publication as well as to meet the expenses of Bharati at the cost of Rs. 26,000 only…” 5. Santiniketan Ashrama. Tagoreana (all the intellectual output of Rabindranath Tagore) was even sold at half Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis served the Granthan price from bookshops like Sri Sri Chaitanya Vibhaga as its first director. He introduced “ Path- Pustakalaya, 9 Cornwallis Street, Kolkata in the year parichaya” on Tagoreana providing details 1897 . Rabindranath Tagore expressed his willingness information about the book and included it at the to give up copyright of his collected works and beginning or end of the books. Later on “ Path- publications up to Kshanika (1900) for only six parichaya ” renamed as “ Granthaparichaya ” and thousand rupees to any person (letter addressed to included at the end of the book. Granthaparichaya Priyanath Sen in 1900) 2. provided details information about a particular book 258 ANN. LIB. INF. STU., SEPTEMBER 2011 in respect of its first publication, later editions, • To compare the cost of private publishers’ books criticism, changes or corrections in manuscripts, and that of Visva-Bharati publications; Rabindranath Tagore’s comment on his own writings. Visva-Bharati Granthan Vibhaga is the pioneering Methodology publisher of the Bengali book world with special The entire collection of Tagoreana by Visva-Bharati research-based information. The institute published and private publishers has been considered for not only collected works on special themes, but also comparing publisher, printer, year of publication, publications of new editions with collection from page, size, price, ISBN (International Standard Book different editions of the same book. As a result the Number), copyright, illustrations, introduction etc. institute was able to establish itself as a centre for Tagoreana culture and research 6. For maintaining To assess the quality of the literary text, comparison spelling and pronouncing standard uniformly for all was made in respect of change or deletion of publications of Tagoreana, Prasanta Chandra took punctuation marks, use of additional punctuation special care in consultation with Rabindranath marks, mistakes in spelling, omission/addition of Tagore. Suniti Kumar Chattopadhyay and Kalidas words/sentence, clubbing of paragraph/lines, etc in Nag also helped him in this respect 7. Thus Visva- Tagoreana published by Visva-Bharati before and Bharati Granthan Vibhaga from its very beginning after expiry of copyright; and post-copyright tried to be one of the best publishing houses as well as publications by private publishers at the first page and centre for Rabindra culture with its printing and at the interval of every ten pages. Last edition of editorial quality, uniform spelling throughout all the Tagoreana published during Tagore’s lifetime is publications as well as house style to fulfill Tagore’s considered as standard publication. Because vision of Samagra Rabindranath and Bisuddha Rabindranath Tagore himself used to correct his Rabindranath. According to 2006 catalogue there are manuscripts. The evidence of such kind of corrections 864 (Tagore’s writings 334, works on Tagore 174, can be observed from the first edition of many titles other titles 356) titles with Visva-Bharati Granthan of Tagoreana like Europe-Pravasir Patra, Sesh Vibhaga. Raksha, Sahaj Path 1, Gitabitan, Chandalika etc., preserved in Rabindra Bhavana, Santiniketan. Research on such kind of corrections had been Copyright of Tagoreana conducted based on comparative textual study of Visva-Bharati enjoyed copyright of Tagoreana (all the different editions of Tagoreana published during intellectual output of Rabindranath Tagore) according Tagore’s lifetime. Examples of such studies are to the then existing law up to December 1991. Later, Pathantar Chayan: Rabindranather Upanyas 8 the Indian Parliament increased the copyright from 50 (selections from different edition: Rabindranath years to 60 years after the expiry of the author, Tagore’s fiction) Sonar Tari: Bishoy Pathantar 9 accordingly Visva-Bharati enjoyed copyright up to (Sonar Tari: Subject: Selection from different 2001. The main argument was to provide Tagore’s editions) etc. complete writings (Samagra Rabindranath), Besides Tagoreana published during Tagore’s accurately (Bisuddha Rabindranath) to the masses at lifetime, the source material also includes collected an affordable cost (Sulabh Rabindranath). With the works of Rabindranath Tagore published in 27 extended period coming to an end in 2001, private volumes by Visva-Bharati. Books in Print from West publishers have also been publishing Tagore’s works. Bengal and Book Fair Directory 2002-2010 was The present study attempts to look at how far the consulted to know the publishers publishing quality has been maintained by the private publishers. Tagoreana after expiry of copyright 10 . Tagoreana published by different publishers after expiry of Objectives of the study copyright also comes under purview of source • To understand the publishing scenario of material for this study. The catalogue of Visva- Tagoreana after the expiry of its copyright; Bharati Granthan Vibhaga and also catalogue of twenty five publishers who published Tagoreana after • To assess the quantity and quality of Tagoreana the expiry of copyright were also considered as source brought out by the private publishers; material for this study as it helped to know the total RAY: QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF COPYRIGHT FREE TAGOREANA: A STUDY 259 number of publications by individual publishers. copyrighted titles available with Visva-Bharati Granthan Vibhaga. After exclusion of English One hunbdred and eighty six titles of 25 publishers language publications, translations into other were consulted for this study. Out of them, four titles languages and textbooks of Visva-Bharati, the ratio is namely Gitanjali, Sanchayita, Gitabitan, found to be 282:39. The number of publications of Galpaguchchha have been published by maximum private publishers excludes selective publications number of nine publishers namely, Kamini from short stories which are part of Galpaguchchha Prakashalaya (45), Juthika Book Stall (18), Patraj (Collection of short stories) published by Visva- Publication (15), Punascha (11), Ashok Book Agency Bharati Granthan Vibhaga. Most of the publishers (10), Sahityam (7), Tuli-Kalam (6), Asia Publishing have published books with the titles of one or two Company (5) and Narayan Pustakalaya (4). short stories like Khoka Babur Partyabartan , The other 16 publishers and their number of Kabuliwala, Postmater , etc., which are selected