Quartet: Chaturanga (F.B)

Tagore’s Chaturanga (Quartet) is a short novella set in 19th-century Bengal. The philosophical questions which are raised in the course of the story make this one of his most complex and metaphorical works. A social novel centred on four characters, it raises pointed questions about religion and atheism, exploring the complex nuances of the man-woman relationship. Published in 1916, this novel is regarded as a landmark in Bengali literature. The story revolves around four pivotal characters, with just one woman among them, surrounded by three males. And the protagonist, Sachis — the most tormented soul — is torn between natural human longings and a forced imposition of spiritual emancipation. It is a struggle between the form and the formless. Subtle psychological interpretations of the characters’ minds lead relationships from the physical to the mystical, drawing the reader to look beyond the apparent and delve deeper into the workings of the human mind. Quartet, the present translation of Chaturanga, lends a contemporary flavour to the novel. It successfully conveys Tagore’s profound understanding of the human subconscious, without sacrificing the underlying playfulness in the language and the unique style of the original work.