Chitra – R.N.Tagore

Chitra is a drama written by Rabindranath Tagore that focuses on the idea of genuine love. This play is an absolute masterpiece of the theatre. Chitra provides a stunning illustration of how Tagore envisioned human love and how it should be expressed. The narrative of the love that blossomed between Arjuna, a famous warrior, and Chitragadha, the lovely daughter of Chitravahana, King of Manipur, is told in a way that is both captivating and moving.

Character of Chitra: 

Chitrangada, the play’s protagonist, is the king of Manipur’s daughter. Her father, Chitravahana, is the protagonist of the play. Her ancestors have a blessing from Mahadeva that there will be at least one male heir in their family to look after their empire of Manipur. This blessing was passed down from generation to generation. Chitravahana, however, gives birth to a daughter rather than a son, proving that even the words of God have no effect on their might. Because of this, he raises Chitra to think of himself as a son rather than a daughter. He treats her in a manner more appropriate for a boy. 

In point of fact, Tagore, in this passage, takes the opportunity to adapt the original story to some extent in order to imply that women in Vedic India were free and that there was equality between men and women during that time period. Because of this, he portrays Chitra as a lady who is highly audacious, adventurous, and courageous just like a contemporary woman living in the twenty-first century. The fact that Chitra possesses these characteristics demonstrates that she is indeed such. 

The character of Chitra in the play is a contemporary woman. It is portrayed accurately by depicting her in clothing more typical of men. The author does a fantastic job of employing the method of showing her in clothing more typical of men. Therefore, Chitra, when dressed in male garb, is a representation of the current era. She likes having the freedom of a man when it comes to dressing herself. 

Critical analysis: 

Chitra provides a stunning illustration of how Tagore conceptualised human affection. Tagore is a figure who straddles the line between idealism and realism. It is likewise true that if love is centred on the Body and cannot impinge (affect) it, which he accepts as true despite the fact that he acknowledges the existence of a physical attraction between a man and a woman. It deteriorates into a state of lust.

The spiritual connection that exists between a man and a woman is the love’s foundation, while the physical connection that exists between them is its composition. Without the spiritual connection, the framework of love would be insufficient to support its full expression. When the mind and heart of the lover are in synchrony with the mind and heart of the beloved, love can be said to have been achieved. Arjuna, Chitra, and the average woman are represented by the characters Chitra and Chitra, respectively. There is a physical component to the love that exists between a man and a woman. This realisation of love in Chitra occurs in the final scene of the play, when Arjuna finally sees Chitra in her true form, complete with all of her physical flaws, and he cries out in ecstasy, proclaiming that his life has now been fulfilled.

The message that sexual wantonness (desire) is an act of worship is not intended to be conveyed by the play in any way, shape, or form.

Chitra does not deny the thrill of the physical union, which might be described as blinding and maddening, but she does acknowledge that it is only temporary. This is made abundantly evident right from the start, when Arjuna declares his love for Chitra and indicates that he is prepared to breach his vow of celibacy in order to do so. But the truth is that both of them just adore the lies that the other one tells.

Chitra’s beauty is nothing more than achieved physical beauty, while Arjuna’s beauty is an imperfect gallant who has flourished as a result of this assault on untruth. Chitra is not at all thrilled or happy because she knows Arjuna does not really love her, and Arjuna is also not happy because he senses that somewhere something is wrong. Neither one of them is happy on the inside. Chitra is not thrilled or happy. 

Now love is the product of a profound understanding and shared experience, and this, in the end, leads to the vision of being faithful to their former selves. When the time comes for them to part ways, there is a sense of having reached adulthood, having experienced satisfaction, and having gained understanding. The audience members who read the play come away with the understanding that beauty is more than skin deep, and that love transcends all boundaries and does not recognise “tight home barriers.” And with the help of this play.

Tagore gets onto something quite profound when he says that beauty is the initial step that one takes on the road to love. The pursuit of physical beauty is the first step toward achieving ethereal beauty…. 

Conclusion: 

The figure of Chitrangada, a female warrior who competes for Arjuna’s love and is inspired by a portion of the story found in the Mahabharata, takes the stage in this stage adaptation. Chitrais often performed in a variety of countries. An excellent illustration of the Tagorean philosophy of truth and illusion, this work is. It sheds light on the ways in which human love can progress from the material to the spiritual, from transience to permanence, and from idealism to reality.