Chitra by Rabindranath Tagore │ Summary and Question-Answers

Chitra [ One-Act Play] by Rabindranath Tagore │ Grade 11 Major English

Summary-

'Chitra', one of the most delightful plays  of Tagore deals with  the  theme of true love. Tagore’s conception of human love finds a beautiful expression in Chitra. It tells beautifully the story of the love between Arjuna and Chitragadha.

The play opens with Chitra beginning a conversation with Madana, the god of love, and Vasanta, the god of springtime and eternal youth. Chitra is a daughter of Chitravahana, the king of Manipur. She is undergoing hard penance to please Madana and Vasanta. She narrates them the story of her first meeting with Arjuna. 

Once in pursuing the hunting, she comes across a hermit who was lying in her way. She asks him to get away from her way but he remains silent and does not move. Chitra arrogantly pricks the man with her arrow. The man gets up. Chitra asks him about who he is. The man replies that he is Arjuna, one of the five Pandava brothers. After listening to it, Chitra remains dumbfounded. She remains speechless. She had long-cherished dream to fight with Arjuna and prove her superiority over him in archery. She forgets to pay compliments to him. Meanwhile, Arjuna leaves the place with smile on his face for Chitra’s boyish arrogance. The incident arouses her womanhood. The next day, Chitra wears woman’s clothes and meets Arjuna. She expresses her love for him and wants him to marry her. But Arjuna does not get impressed with her common look. He tells her that he has been observing celibacy and is not fit to be her husband. Chitra becomes sad. The words prick her ears like hot needles. She implores Madana and Vasanta to shower voluptuous beauty upon her for one day only. On her request, Madana and Vasanta make Chitra extremely beautiful not for one day but for the whole year.

Arjuna falls in love with the beautiful Chitra. But now Chitra gets disillusioned with the name and fame of Arjuna who easily gets infatuated with the false borrowed beauty. He even gets ready to break his celibacy for Chitra. Yet, she could not control herself from giving her beautiful body in the arms of Arjuna. They spend a night together and enjoy physical pleasure. On getting up in the morning, she regrets over her act with Arjuna. She feels shame of her act. She attempts to cry but in vain. She requests Madana and Vasanta to take her beauty away from her. But the Gods tell her to keep patience and enjoy her days with Arjuna.

After spending a few days with Chitra, Arjuna seems to get fed up with her. He craves for his past life. He yearns for his past glory. He recalls his past adventures. He narrates Chitra how he, along with his four brothers, used to go for hunting and how they used to swim in the stormy rivers in rainy season. He hears about Chitra from the villagers and wonders about Chitra. He thinks about her and wants to see her. Chitra wants to attract his attention towards her. She wants to share the last glorious night with Arjuna. As the year has come to end, her beauty will decline and her original form will be restored. Hence, she wants to enjoy the last night with Arjuna. Madana and Vasanta advise her not to worry about the loss of her beauty. It will be found in nature. Chitra tells Arjuna that she is carrying his child and if it happens to be a son, she will bring him up as a second Arjuna. Finally, Arjuna accepts Chitra in her original form and says, “Beloved, my heart is full.”