An Essay on Chandalika
Chandalika by Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a poet, novelist, shortstory writer and dramatist. He is mostly known for his poetry. Some of his famous works include: The Genius of Valmiki (1881, drama), The Sacrifice (1890, drama), Gitanjali (1910, poetry), Ghare Baire ( The Home and the World, 1916). He was the writer of India and Bangladesh's National anthem. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1913. This prize was conferred to him especially for his Gitanjali: Song Offerings. George v gave him the title of Knighthood, but he returned it in 1919 after the Jaliyanwala Baagh Massacre.
Tagore's Chandalika (1938) was modelled on an ancient Buddhist legend. The central interest on this play is the unfolding of character; of opening up the soul to enlightenment of some sort.
K.R. Kriplani calls it a "tragedy of self-consciousness over reaching it limit".
The title of the play Chandalika, itself shows that the heroine of the play belongs to the lowest class of society. The protagonist, Prakriti is a girl who belongs to the untouchable. She falls in love with Buddhist monk, Ananda, who makes aware of herself. The journey of an untouchable girl from self-ignorance to self-awareness is shown in Chandalika. B.R. Agarwal states: "Tagore presents a psychological study of young woman who suffers on account of her vanity and self-consciousness. Tagore highlights the enigmatic character of a woman... her excessive materialistic approach that ultimately fails".
Chandalika is a story that touches on the sensitive subject of the caste system. It gives a message that all human beings are equal regardless of their social status. Prakriti suffers terrible discrimination and injustice because she was a Chandalini. One day a Buddhist monk Ananda approaches her and says "give me water". At first she refuses because she believes that water from a low caste person's hand is polluted. But Ananda teaches her that all human beings are equal.
"Don't humiliate yourself, he said;
Self-humiliation is a sin, worse than self-murder".
Prakriti feels thrilled and delighted by his words. His words have made a powerful impression on her mind. He has given her a new awareness of herself. At the same time she has fallen in love with Ananda. She rejoices the occasion as "I may truly call it my new birth...my heart has been dancing ever since... I hear those solemn tones...".
Prakriti's voice questions the entire caste set up. "Plenty slaves are born of royal blood, but I am no slave;
Plenty of Chandals are born of Brahmin families,
but I am no Chandal".
Of hearing this account if Prakriti's experience her mother warns her and calls her mad. Prakriti ignores her mother and says:
"Once did he cup his hands,
to take the water from mine.
...the little water grew to fathomless, boundless sea.
...and my caste was drowned, and my birth washed clean".
As she has fallen in love with Ananda, she expects him to came again and ask water to quench his thirst, but he pays no attention when he has gone through the way. It seems to Prakriti that, he has forgotten her completely. She asked her mother to use her magic powers to bring Ananda back to her house. She says to her mother:
"No matter where he goes, you must bring him back.
He showed no pity to me, I shall show none to him.
Chant your spells, your cruellest spells..."
The mother begins to chant her magic spell aimed at forcing Ananda to experience a sexual desire and liking for Prakriti. Here, the play depicts the states of mind of all the three characters. It is the unfolding of those states of mind which constitutes the real interest and real significant of the play.
When under the influence of the magic, Ananda is coming to Prakriti's house, her heart filles with a sense of guilt. She doesn't want the spiritual downfall and moral degradation of the pure Buddhist monk. This conflict shows that Prakriti is not merely a creature of lust. At the last minute she asks her mother to withdraw the magic. She says:
"Mother, mother stop! Undo the spell now --at once-- undo it!
What have you done? What have you done?
O wicked, Wicked deed! Better have died".
Ananda is saved not as is the legend, by intervention of lord Budhha himself, but by the change of heart in Prakriti. She asserts her own will power to crush the lust within her. Prakriti apologizes to him for having pulled him down by force of black magic. Prakriti realises that after all this what she had desired to give him is nothing but her 'wretched self'.
The play ends with three different givings:
Prakriti gives Ananda his freedom; Ananda gives her deliverance, a spiritual rebirth which is superior to the ego-birth that he had given her earlier. Prakriti's mother gives her life itself. Her sacrifice helps to bring the spiritual union of Prakriti and Ananda.
Thus, Chandalika is a wonderful and studious portrayal of female psychology. It is based on social discrimination and women's identity. It is not only a play on caste system but also a conflict in the mind of each characters. Tagore’s introduction of the psychological revolt, against the age-old
caste suppression overreaching its limits lends it a new
meaning. S.R. Sharma writes:
Against the abomination of untouchability he, of course, wrote
his moving play Chandalika. Since that abomination continues
with us, in fact assuming formidable proportions not so
infrequently, the play acquires new relevance.
Post written by: Vikram Beniwal
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