Quartet (Chaturanga) by Rabindranath Tagore

‘If there is God, then my intellect is his gift; That intellect tells me, there is no God; So, God tells me, there is no God'

A fierce statement that Jagmohan, an hard core atheist and a polar opposite of his brother Hari Mohan, makes in this book. Caught in the tussle between the believer and the non believer is Hari Mohan's own son Sachis who takes a liking to his uncle Jagmohan, breathes his principles and turns a staunch atheist until the outbreak of plague consumes Jagmohan's life.

‘That there is no obligation is my greatest obligation.’ Since we do not believe in anything, we must believe in ourselves all the more.’ - Jagmohan's motto to ensure greater good for a larger number of people challenging insurmountable societal norms causes immense misery to him and his likes.

Sachis loses direction after Jagmohan's death and like a homeless bird flitting from one tree to another, unsure and aimless, he seeks refuge under Swami Leelananda, surrendering himself unconditionally at his feet.

Sribilas, Sachis' loyal friend, is a witness to Sachis's dramatic transformation and out of love and loyalty for his friend also his meek follower. Then enters Damini, a young widow, who catalyzes the transformation of these men. But Tagore does not render Damini as a coveted object of desire, one causing friends to turn foes. Both Sribilas and Sachis definitely want Damini's attention but in different ways which is revealed by the line below - 

Perhaps Sachis did not realise that while he envied me for the easy informality of my relationship with Damini, I envied him for the mystery between his and Damini’s relationship. (Says Sribilas, the novella itself is constructed from Sribilas's diary entries)

Damini, like a smoldering volcano capable of erupting without warning, is unsure of the path she herself should adopt in life - be a believer, serve Swamiji and sing kirtans in praise of the Lord or be a non believer and adopt philanthropism working outside the bars of caste, creed and religion.  

The author minces no words when he takes a dig at the supremacy asserted by upper caste Hindus, the way they treat Muslims and chamars as untouchables. His fight for just treatment of women is evident from the lines below  - In Hindu shastra, the sacrifice of a female animal is prohibited, but in the case of humans, this was practiced with a lot of glee.

From one defying everything written in the tenets of religion to accepting everything without any question, Sachis oscillates between these two extremes unable to find a sense of purpose and Tagore in this work shows us that adherence to both pathways is actually of no avail.

Quartet (Chaturanga) is set in the 19th century Bengal, a novella in four parts with four central characters that delves deep into philosophical questions, the conflict between conforming and not conforming with one's religion and scriptures, the conflict between natural longings of a man and renunciation of material desires. 

The renowned poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, painter, the supreme symbol of Indian renaissance that Rabindranath Tagore is, this little work in about 100 pages shows him largely as a 'reformer'. 

Chaturanga (Quartet) was first published in a book-form in 1916. Its first English translation was published in The Modern Review in four consecutive issues (Feb-May, 1922). Unlike other works of Tagore, this was never presented on stage or dramatized; only a radio play was aired on All India Radio a couple of times.

The translator, Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee, expresses he had difficulties maintaining the non-sentimental and tongue in cheek style of writing the author adopted in here but the above said qualities are definitely palpable in the translation which makes his translation effort praiseworthy.