Chitra, a Play in One Act

by Rabindranath Tagore

CHITRA

A PLAY IN ONE ACT

BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE

New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1926
All rights reserved
Copyright 1914
by THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
Set up and electrotyped Published February, 1914
Reprinted March, twice, June, 1914; October, 1914;
February, June, 1915; March, October, 1916; March, 1917;
December, 1926.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY
THE BERWICK & SMITH CO.
TO
MRS. WILLIAM VAUGHN MOODY

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PREFACE

THIS lyrical drama was written about twenty-five years ago. It is based on the following story from the Mahabharata.

In the course of his wanderings, in fulfilment of a vow of penance, Arjuna came to Manipur. There he saw Chitrangada, the beautiful daughter of Chitravahana, the king of the country. Smitten with her charms, he asked the king for the hand of his daughter in marriage. Chitravahana asked him who he was, and learning that he was Arjuna the Pandara, told him that Prabhanjana, one of his ancestors in the kingly line of Manipur, had long been childless. In order to obtain an heir, he performed severe penances. Pleased with these austerities, the god Shiva gave him this boon, that he and his successors should each have one child. It so happened that the promised child had invariably been a son. He, Chitravahana, was the first to have only a daughter Chitrangada to perpetuate the race. He had, therefore, always treated her as a son and had made her his heir.