Rabindranath Tagore

Chitra Rabindranath Tagore

Chitrangada (Chitra) is the daughter of Chitravahaana, not so very beautiful, brought up as prince would have been (very manly). To quote "I know no feminine wiles for winning hearts. My hands are strong to bend the bow" . One day in the forest she meets Arjuna (in man's attire) and falls in love in with him. She wants to serve him as a man but Arjuna does not comply. Then with the help of Madana (Cupid), lord of Love and Vasantha, the Lord of Spring and Beauty, she gains transient beauty for one year to woo Arjuna. She succeeds and Arjuna and Chitrangada stay together enjoying all their youth and beauty (beauty of surroundings as well). The beauty of Chitra is portrayed beautifully in lines like For e. g., "She bound up her tresses, drew her veil over her arms, and sighing slowly, walked away like a beauteous evening fading into the night. To me the supreme fulfillment of desire seemed to have been revealed in a flash and then to have vanished. . . . (Scene II). Nothing is ever permanent in this world - the year is complete - and Arjuna comes to know the truth during a crisis where Chitra, the princess has to save the villagers from robbers.