Tales of Transformation: ‘Chitrangada’ and ‘Chandalika’ (English Translation)

Publisher : Blue Pencil (Kindle ebook) (13 June 2018)
Publisher : Virasat Art Publications (Hardcover) (January 2019)
Language: : English
Pages : 56 pages
ISBN : 9788193734155

Introduction

‘Chitrangada’ and ‘Chandalika’, two dance dramas written by Rabindranath Tagore, were composed during the end of nineteenth century and early twentieth century respectively, and the rich melodies of Tagore’s poetry are abundantly present in both these dance dramas. ‘Chitrangada’, based on the love life of Arjun, the third Pandava of Mahabharata and the princess of Manipur, was composed by Tagore in 1892. ‘Chandalika’, on the other hand, based on a Buddhist legend, was published in 1938 and staged in Kolkata as a Tagore dance drama for the first time during the same year. During the British colonial regime, this genre of dance drama, fusing the elements of story, plot, characterization, Tagore’s lyrical poetry, songs and abhinaya (acting) was a very unique concept and Tagore makes the best use of this genre.

Both the dance dramas are subtly woven tales of transformation of the female protagonists, Chandalika and Chitrangada. The spirit of feminism and the spirit of inquiry shines through both of these female protagonists originally created by Tagore. The author’s quest in this translation is to exemplify how Tagore was way ahead of his times in demonstrating the spirit of womanhood and defying the societal perceptions of gender and caste by creating these characters and tales.
Reputed authors say about this book:

This sleek book is a very sensitively executed effort at bringing Nobel Laureate Gurudeb Tagore’s two dance dramas, Chitrangada, and Chandalika to a global audience, by Lopamudra Banerjee, a poet, the lyrical intensity of whose writings, has always left me spellbound. These enchanting tales of transformation, embodying the essence of womanhood, not only captivate, but carry within themselves the heady aroma of flowers, which engulfs you completely by the time you finish reading them. Like two splinters of golden sun rays they are sure to illumine and scintillate the literary world.

~ Dr. Santosh Bakaya [Author of ‘Ballad of Bapu’, ‘Where are the lilacs?’, ‘Under the Apple Boughs’, ‘Flights from my Terrace’ and ‘A Skyful of Balloons’]

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Lopamudra Banerjee’s translations of two of Rabindranath Tagore’s classic dance dramas — Chitrangada and Chandaalika — point to her deep engagement as much with feminist narratives as they do with translating Tagore. In rendering these two important musical plays with strong female protagonists into English, Banerjee uses her poetic sensibilities to charming effect. Her translations of these two works also reflect her keen understanding of Tagore’s text and its power to transform.

~ Bhaswati Ghosh [Poet, award-winning translator of ‘My Days With Ramkinkar Baij’, Editor-at-large, Café Dissensus journal]

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