Much has been written about Tagore’s play, Chandalika which is based on a
Buddhist legend Tagore came across while studying Ranjendra Lal Mitra’s The
Sanskrit Buddhist Literature. According to the story Ananda, the famous
disciple of the Buddha, approaches towards a well to ask for water from a
Chandalini, a young untouchable girl. Prakriti, the Chandalini, serves him
water from her pitcher and falls in love with him at the first sight. Her
passion to possess Ananda compels her mother to cast a magic spell on Ananda
and to drag him to her house. The spell proves stronger and Ananda is
dragged to the couch spread for him by the Chandalini. Ananda prays to the
Buddha to save himself from this shame and remorse. Consequently, Buddha
breaks the magic spell and frees Ananda, who walks away from the Chandalini,
as pure as he came. The play, for many, has been either a play of spiritual
conflict or a psychological drama. Such readings of us however obliterate
the most social concerns of the play like casteism and sexuality which make
the play more as a social document than a mere stage show of entertainment
and aesthetics. Though Subaltern Studies as a critical theory was unheard of
in Tagore’s time, it is interesting to revisit and reintrospect Tagore’s
Chandalika from the Postcolonial perspective .My paper will try to look at
Tagore from the Subaltern standpoint, especially with reference to Gramsci’s
notion of the ‘subaltern’ and the postcolonial issues of subjectivity and
identity-formation .
Tagore’s Chandalika is a powerful critique of Indian society that ignores
and deprives a large community of its fundamental rights and dignity,
labelling them as subhuman untouchables. The dominant social groups of the
high caste Hindus are much to be blamed for the dastardly acts of inhumanity
and cruelty. The narrative of Chandalika is an evidence of the subaltern
protest against Brahmanical hegemony and it explores possible ways of
redemption. The story parallels powerfully the anti-caste movements
associated with Phule, Periyar and Ambedkar. But Tagore does not lose sight
of the fact that the Subaltern is held in subjection through its internal
weakness and through its acceptance, as evident in the slavish mentality of
Prakiti’s mother, Maya, of the moral, social and political ideologies of the
ruling class. Maya internalizes and consents to her subordination as
ordained. This subjectivity is not just externally imposed but is ingrained
in the subaltern culture and consciousness. The mother considers Prakiti’s
new birth following the awakening of her consciousness as madness. She
chastises Prakiti’s newly gained enthusiasm after her.
The play Chandalika by
Rabindranath Tagore is based on a Buddhist legend. Ananda, a disciple of
the Buddha, once asked a girl of the lowest caste, a chandalika, for
water. This simple act changed the girl, Prakriti. For the first time, she
felt respected as a human being. She called it her “new birth.”
Prakriti wanted to dedicate herself to Ananda, but he remained detached.
Hurt and humiliated, she forced her mother, who knew magic, to cast a
spell on him. The spell was stronger than Ananda’s will, and he was drawn
to her house, suffering in shame and torment. When Prakriti saw him
degraded, she realised her mistake. He was no longer the noble monk who
had given her self-respect. Filled with remorse, she begged forgiveness.
Her mother then revoked the spell but lost her life in doing so. Prakriti
was left wiser but deeply saddened.
The play is not about lust but about dignity, pride, and self-realisation.
It shows that true love means freedom, not possession. It also teaches
that self-consciousness is good in moderation, but when mixed with pride
it becomes destructive. Through suffering, Prakriti learns this hard
truth, though at the cost of her mother’s life.
Read and Find Out Q&A Chandalika by Rabindranath Tagore
1. How does Prakriti’s mother react when she hears of Prakriti’s encounter
with the monk?
Answer (30–40 words):
Prakriti’s mother is shocked. She fears punishment for breaking caste
rules. She cannot understand her daughter’s new feelings. She warns her
not to trust monks’ words. She worries that spells may change Prakriti’s
soul itself.
2. Will Prakriti resign herself to her lot?
Answer (30–40 words):
No, she will not resign herself. She refuses to accept her life of
humiliation. She insists that her mother must use spells to bring Ananda
back. She believes her desire is stronger than religious mantras.
3. Will the spell work? What will happen when Ananda is made to come?
Answer (30–40 words):
Yes, the spell works but with terrible results. Ananda suffers great
torment as he struggles against it. At last, he comes weakened and broken.
Horrified, Prakriti repents. The mother revokes the spell and dies in the
process.
Thinking about the Play
1. Why does something so ordinary and commonplace as giving water to a
wayfarer become so significant to Prakriti?
Answer (50–60 words):
For Prakriti, giving water is a new birth. No one had ever accepted water
from her before. Ananda treats her with dignity, saying all water is holy.
This makes her realise her own worth as a human being. The simple act
frees her from the lifelong shame of being untouchable.
2. Why is the girl named Prakriti in the play? What are the images in the
play that relate to this theme?
Answer (50–60 words):
The name “Prakriti” means nature. Like nature, she is both nurturing and
destructive. Images of clouds, storms, rivers, and flowers reflect her
emotions. The spell is called the “spell of the earth.” Her feelings rise
and fall like seasons. Her name shows her link with elemental forces of
creation and destruction.
3. How does the churning of emotions bring about self-realisation in
Prakriti even if at the cost of her mother’s life?
Answer (50–60 words):
Prakriti’s passion turns into selfish desire. She forces her mother to use
magic. When Ananda arrives, broken and humiliated, she realises her
mistake. She sees that true love means giving freedom, not possession.
This painful learning costs her mother’s life. Yet, it redeems Prakriti,
making her wiser and aware of her humanity.
4. How does the mirror reflect the turmoil experienced by the monk as a
result of the working of the spell?
Answer (50–60 words):
The mirror shows Ananda’s agony under the spell. His body appears
surrounded by flames. His face shows torment, anger, and deep suffering.
At times, he seems to curse himself. Prakriti sees her pain and his
merging in the mirror. It symbolises how her desire drags him down from
peace to turmoil.
5. What is the role of the mother in Prakriti’s self-realisation? What are
her hopes and fears for her daughter?
Answer (50–60 words):
The mother warns Prakriti against desire. Yet, she finally yields and
casts the spell. She loves her daughter and hopes she may find happiness.
At the same time, she fears disgrace and punishment. In the end, she
sacrifices her own life to save Ananda. Her actions indirectly lead
Prakriti to self-realisation.
6. ‘Acceptance of one’s fate is easy. Questioning the imbalance of the
human social order is tumultuous.’ Discuss with reference to the play.
Answer (160–180 words):
The play shows the conflict between accepting fate and questioning
injustice. Prakriti is born an untouchable. Society expects her to accept
humiliation quietly. Her mother also advises her to remain within limits.
But when Ananda accepts water from her, she realises she is also a human
being. This new awareness awakens pride and self-worth in her. She refuses
to accept a life of shame and dares to challenge both caste rules and
religion itself.
Her questioning, however, brings turmoil. She becomes restless and demands
possession of Ananda. She forces her mother to use magic against the monk.
This act disturbs the order of nature and results in suffering for all.
Ananda faces torment, the mother loses her life, and Prakriti herself
feels guilt and pain.
Through this, Tagore shows that questioning unjust systems is painful but
necessary. Prakriti does not gain happiness, but she gains
self-realisation. The play suggests that real change comes only when
individuals resist oppression, even if it brings conflict and tragedy.
Appreciation Q&A Chandalika by Rabindranath Tagore
1. How does the dramatic technique suit the theme of the play?
Answer (160–180 words):
The dramatic technique of Chandalika matches its theme of
spiritual conflict. The play is written as a psychological drama, not a
simple tale. It uses dialogue, song, and symbolic images to reveal
Prakriti’s inner struggle. The well, the mirror, and the spells act as
dramatic devices. They externalise her emotions and make the audience see
her transformation.
The absence of divisions in acts makes the flow continuous, showing that
the conflict is unbroken within her. The songs and chants express moods
that cannot be spoken directly. The mother’s spells, the storm, and the
mirror add intensity and suspense.
This technique suits the theme because the play is not about outward
events but about the awakening of self-consciousness. The drama takes
place mainly in Prakriti’s mind and heart. The use of contrast—light and
darkness, storm and calm—brings her turmoil alive on stage. Thus, the
dramatic form becomes a fitting vessel for Tagore’s exploration of love,
pride, sin, and redemption.
2. By focusing attention on the consciousness of an outcast girl, the play
sensitises the viewer/reader to the injustice of distinctions based on the
accidents of human birth. Discuss how individual conflict is highlighted
against the backdrop of social reality.
Answer (160–180 words):
The play makes the reader feel the pain of caste discrimination through
Prakriti’s experience. As an untouchable, she grows up with shame. When
Ananda accepts water from her, she feels recognised for the first time.
This small act challenges the social order that had denied her dignity.
Her individual conflict begins when she wants to hold on to that
recognition. Society says she is impure, but her heart says she is human.
She feels torn between the old belief of slavery and the new awakening of
self-worth. Her desire for Ananda symbolises her longing for acceptance
and equality.
The backdrop of social reality makes her struggle sharper. Religion and
caste rules are against her. Her mother warns her not to cross boundaries.
Yet Prakriti dares to rebel, and in doing so, she disturbs not only
society but her own peace.
Through her conflict, Tagore exposes the cruelty of judging people by
birth. The play shows how one individual’s awakening can question the
entire social system.
3. ‘I will enthrone you on the summit of all my dishonour, and build your
royal seat of my shame, my fear and my joy’. Pick out more such examples
of the interplay of opposites from the text. What does this device succeed
in conveying?
Answer (160–180 words):
The play often uses opposites to express intense emotions. Prakriti speaks
of being cursed all her life, yet she calls her meeting with Ananda a “new
birth.” She compares little water in his hands to a “boundless sea.” She
describes poison killing poison, curse fighting curse. The spell itself is
shown as both creative and destructive.
Another striking example is when Prakriti says, “Without the churning, how
can the well be cleansed?” Here, turmoil becomes a way to reach purity.
The images of storm and fire against calm and light also reflect this
duality.
This interplay of opposites conveys the complexity of her feelings. She is
both uplifted and destroyed by her desire. Love is shown as both divine
and selfish. The use of contrasts deepens the tragedy. It shows that human
emotions are never simple—they are mixtures of joy and pain, purity and
shame. Tagore’s language thus mirrors the contradictions of the human
soul.
4. ‘Shadow, mist, storm’ on the one hand, ‘flames, fire,’ on the other.
Comment on the effect of these and similar images of contrast on the
viewer/reader.
Answer (160–180 words):
The play uses vivid natural images to symbolise inner states. Shadow,
mist, and storm suggest confusion, fear, and helplessness. They reflect
Ananda’s turmoil under the spell and Prakriti’s restless desire. Flames
and fire, in contrast, suggest passion, destruction, and also
purification.
The clash between these images creates a powerful effect. The reader can
feel the struggle as if nature itself were shaken. The storm mirrors
Prakriti’s desire pulling Ananda down. The flames show both her burning
passion and the destructive power of the spell. At the same time, fire
also suggests cleansing, as when Prakriti realises her mistake.
These contrasts heighten the drama. They make inner conflict visible to
the senses. The stage imagery keeps shifting from light to darkness, from
calm to violence, which reflects the unstable emotions of the characters.
For the viewer or reader, this creates both fear and pity, leading to a
deeper understanding of Prakriti’s tragic journey.
