Rhyme-accurate, line-accurate English translations of all 53 nonsense-verse poems from Indian Bengali author Sukumar Ray's Abol Tabol, with groundbreaking analyses of hidden satire against British rule in colonial India. Suitable for enthusiasts of humorous poetry, as well as students and academicians engaged in South Asian literature studies.

Close on the heels of the original Rhymes of Whimsy - The Complete Abol Tabol, follows, by popular demand, this dual-language edition with side by side Bengali originals and their English translations. Formatted to enable effortless at-a-glance comparison of each original line with its English translation, this edition offers twice the enjoyment, twice the fun, and is a fabulous learning tool for children. Abol Tabol is a collection of fifty-three children's poems by late author Sukumar Ray, whose nonsense verse has been compared by scholars to the likes of Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll. For the first time in more than one hundred years since the publication of the earliest poems in 1915, comes an English translation of the complete collection. Preserving every single rollicking rhyme, and maintaining the exact same cadences as in the originals, Niladri Roy's translation is a superbly line-accurate rendering of every poem in Abol Tabol, that amazingly manages to read as if the poems had originally been penned in the English language to begin with. Each translated poem evokes immediate nostalgia of the original in both rhyme and rhythm. A must-read for enthusiasts of humorous nonsense verse, as well as for academicians and students engaged in comparative literature, South Asian literature and translation studies. Praise for Rhymes of Whimsy from verified purchasers of the original all-English edition: "Wonderful translation. Preserves the original flavor of Abol Tabol. "A+ job in translating the original rhymes to English while retaining the excitement, feelings and fun." "The translator has done a fantastic job by keeping the rhyme exactly the way as it is in the Bengali verse. A brilliant piece of work." "Maintains meter and flavor with ease, without compromising meaning." "The poems read very well and do not appear forced, as some translations do." "The essence, the fun, the magic, the rhymes - have all been carefully cultivated."

‘If you hear this, you will find your heads are getting muddled. Some of you will fathom fully, some will stay befuddled’ The Bengali language has never been quite such a living, breathing creature of whimsy as in Sukumar Ray’s hands. His creations—wild and wicked, dreamy and delirious—have thrilled children and adults alike. This selection offers you the best of his world—pun-riddled, fun-fiddled poetry from Abol Tabol and Khai-Khai, stories of schoolboy pranks from Pagla Dashu, of madcap explorers from Heshoram Hushiyarer Diary and the unforgettable harum-scarum classic Haw-Jaw-Baw-Raw-Law—for the first time in its entirety. All the stories and poems are accompanied by Sukumar Ray’s inimitable illustrations. Sampurna Chattarji’s vibrant translation captures the freewheeling play of sound and sense we associate with Ray’s writings, and promises to win him a whole new generation of admirers.

Sukumar Roy is undoubtedly the finest writer of nonsense tales and verse in Bengali. This book presents his chief works--Rhymes without Reason and A Topsy-Turvy Tale--in English. The skillful translations convey the genial intimacy of Ray's creations and his original illustrations accompany the text throughout.

Welcome to the carnival of nonsense where hankies turn into mischievous cats, a messiah is born with her feet in her mouth, you can fave hun by socking on the ree-raw and your favourite corn cakes are made of . . . are you sure you want to know? For the last eighteen hundred years Indian arts have been seen in terms of strictly classified emotional effects known as the nine rasas. The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense celebrates, for the very first time, what Sukumar Ray called the spirit of whimsy, or the tenth rasa, through the topsy-turvy, irreverent, melodic genre of nonsense literature. This fabulous selection of poetry and prose, brilliantly translated from seventeen Indian languages across India, includes works by Rabindranath Tagore, Sukumar Ray, Vinda Karandikar, Gulzar, Dash Benhur, Manoj Das, Navakanta Barua, Mangesh Padgavkar, Sri Sri, Vaikom Mohammad Basheer, Kunjunni and other known, lesser-known and previously unpublished authors. In forms as varied as stories and songs for children and adults, lullabies, folk tales, Bollywood song lyrics and medieval court verse, the writers open doors to wildly imaginative worlds populated by peculiar characters and fantastical creatures, where only nonsense makes perfect sense. Crackling with wit, wordplay and riotous rhymes, and frequently revelling in pure gibberish, this immensely entertaining collection will delight you from start to finish.

The Bengali language has never been quite so much a living, breathing creature of whimsy as in Sukumar Ray s hands, and his creations wild and wicked, dreamy and delirious have thrilled children and adults alike. This selection offers you the best of his world pun-riddled, fun-fiddled poetry from Abol Tabol and Khai-Khai, stories of schoolboy pranks (Pagla Dashu) and madcap explorers (Heshoram Hushiyarer Diary), and the unforgettable harum-scarum classic of Haw-Jaw-Baw-Raw-Law, presented here for the first time in its entirety. All the stories and poems are accompanied by Sukumar Ray s inimitable illustrations.

Welcome to the extraordinary world of Sukumar Ray – King of Humour and Wizard of Wordplay! A gifted poet, writer, playwright and illustrator, Ray wrote stories of various shapes, colours and flavours, transforming words into things of wonder and whimsy for generations of readers. Featuring broken stars and enchanted forests, cures for anger and greed, lazy pigs and sly parrots, wicked sorcerers and talking dolls, many of the tales in this unusual medley have been translated into English for the first time. The collection highlights not only Ray’s crazy imagination but also his ability to breathe life into fables from faraway lands. Brimming with wit and magic, this dazzling display of Sukumar Ray’s storytelling genius is sure to leave you utterly spellbound.