Chitra: a Play in One Act

This is Tagore's interpretation of an episode from the Mahabharata. Chitra, daughter and only child of the King of Manipur, has been brought up like a boy. She is proud of her prowess and manliness till she falls in love with Arjuna, who spurns her. Broken-hearted, Chitra realizes the vain pride of her manlike strength and prays to the gods for a brief day of perfect beauty to ensnare Arjuna. Tagore has handled this delicate story with great charm and at times the play is sheer poetry. Sir Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was an Indian author and guru who drew on the classical literature of India, especially the ancient Sanskrit scriptures and the writings of Kalidasa. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.