Sant Chokhamela (1969) :: rare First Edition

For those interested in the saint-poets of Maharashtra, we are pleased to offer an extremely rare First Edition biography of the fourteenth-century saint-poet Chokhamela who wrote some of the most enduring devotional poetry of Marathi literature. His renowned abhang — जोहार मायबाप जोहार — has been and continues to be performed by some of the greatest legends of Indian classical music.

First published in July 1969, this was a pioneering book that charted the life and times of Chokhamela, who belonged to the oppressed Mahar caste. The final section of this book contains an exhaustive collection of Chokhamela's abhangs along with those of his wife Soyarabai, his son Karmamela, his sister Nirmalabai and his brother-in-law Banka Mahar (who was Soyarabai's brother). The last few pages contain a complete index of the first line of each  abhang for ease of reference.

Several images of this extremely rare First Edition, are attached herewith for the perusal of those interested.

SHRISANT CHOKHAMELA MAHARAJ YANCHE CHARITRA VA ABHANG GATHA

Edited by: S. B. Kadam

Introduction by: Shankar Vaman Dandekar (aka Sonopant Dandekar)

Published by: Mandakini S. Kadam, Mumbai, July 1969 * — Extremely Rare First Edition

Printed by: Chintamani R. Desai at New Bharat Printing Press, Mumbai

Language: Marathi

Format: Hardcover. Professionally bound in black Rexine with the titles debossed in golden lettering on the front cover and on the spine.

Size: 21.5 cm x 15.1 cm

Pages: xvi + 245 pages + 4 illustrative plates on glossy paper.

Condition: Pre-Owned. Excellent — Near Pristine. Pages clean and unmarked. Binding tight and firm. Slight, natural yellowing/foxing of a few pages owing to age.

* Remarks: Please note that the year of publication in this First Edition was mentioned at the end of the editor's and the publisher's preface; images attached. This book has been through numerous reprint editions ever since it was first published in July 1969. Please note that later reprint editions would be available for a much lesser price. The value of this particular book that we are offering lies in its extreme rarity for being the very First Edition published in July 1969 in exemplary condition.

Please email us on kumarclassicbookpoint@gmail.com for cost and availability, or for any further queries in order to serve you better. Delivery in Mumbai is free.

'Deshbandhu' Chittaranjan Das by Jayantkumar Bhatt :: extremely rare biography (1925)

Born in 1870 in Calcutta, the great freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das was lovingly known as Deshbandhu. Das studied law in England but renounced his legal career during the non-cooperation movement against the British colonial government. When the Calcutta Municipal Corporation was formed, he became its first mayor. Chittaranjan Das was also a notable poet who wrote extensively in Bengali.

We are now pleased to offer one of the rarest biographies of Chittaranjan Das in Gujarati that was published a few months after his death. First published in November 1925, this biography was authored by Jayantkumar Manishankar Bhatt on the request of the great journalist and freedom fighter Amritlal D. Sheth, who was known as the 'Lion of Saurashtra'. The author Jayantkumar Bhatt was the son of the legendary Gujarati poet Kavi Kant.

The final section of this rare book includes the Gujarati translation of Deshbandhu's speeches followed by the Gujarati translation of his renowned poem in 39 verses — Sagar Sangeet — by the great legend Jhaverchand Meghani.

Several images of this precious rarity are attached herewith for the perusal of those interested.

DESHBANDHU

Author: Jayantkumar Manishankar Bhatt

Foreword by: Amritlal Dalpatbhai Sheth

Published by: Amritlal Dalpatbhai Sheth, November 1925 — Extremely Rare & Out-of-Print Antiquarian First Edition

Printed at: Saurashtra Mudranalaya, Ranpur

Language: Gujarati

Format: Hardcover. Professionally bound in black Rexine with the titles debossed in golden lettering on the front cover and on the spine.

Size: 21.9 cm x 15 cm

Pages: x + 200 pages + 7 plates of photographs

Condition: Pre-owned. Good+. Pages clean and unmarked. Binding tight and firm. Minor, natural yellowing/foxing/spotting of the pages owing to age. A select few pages have been neatly restored for future protection. Not more than 5 tiny wormholes, primarily in the first 55 pages. Sparse proofing marks in the last photographic plate; please refer to the last image attached herewith.

Remarks: Painstakingly sourced, this antiquarian First Edition is unimaginably rare and hard to find. First published in 1925, this great biography has faded into obscurity during the course of the last 100 years.

Please email us on kumarclassicbookpoint@gmail.com for cost and availability, or for any further queries in order to serve you better. Delivery in Mumbai is free.