Rabindranath Tagore, "Raja and Rani" (Translated 1918) (Short Story)
Tags: Performance (Theater), Maharajahs, Dysfunctional Marriages, Jealousy
RAJA AND RANI
Bipin Kisore was born 'with a golden spoon in his mouth'; hence he
knew how to squander money twice as well as how to earn it. The natural
result was that he could not live long in the house where he was born.
He was a delicate young man of comely appearance, an adept in music, a
fool in business, and unfit for life's handicap. He rolled along life's
road like the wheel of Jagannath's car. He could not long command
his wonted style of magnificent living.
Luckily, however, Raja Chittaranjan, having got back his property
from the Court of Wards, was intent upon organising an Amateur Theatre
Party. Captivated by the prepossessing looks of Bipin Kisore and his
musical endowments, the Raja gladly 'admitted him of his crew.'
Chittaranjan was a B.A. He was not given to any excesses. Though the
son of a rich man, he used to dine and sleep at appointed hours
and even at appointed places. And he suddenly became enamoured of
Bipin like one unto drink. Often did meals cool and nights grow old
while he listened to Bipin and discussed with him the merits of
operatic compositions. The Dewan remarked that the only blemish in
the otherwise perfect character of his master was his inordinate
fondness for Bipin Kisore.
Rani Basanta Kumari raved at her husband, and said that he was wasting
himself on a luckless baboon. The sooner she could do away with him,
the easier she would feel.
The Raja was much pleased in his heart at this seeming jealousy of
his youthful wife. He smiled, and thought that women-folk know only one
man upon the earth--him whom they love; and never think of other
men's deserts. That there may be many whose merits deserve regard,
is not recorded in the scriptures of women. The only good man and
the only object of a woman's favours is he who has blabbered into her
ears the matrimonial incantations. A little moment behind the usual
hour of her husband's meals is a world of anxiety to her, but she
never cares a brass button if her husband's dependents have a mouthful
or not. This inconsiderate partiality of the softer sex might be
cavilled at, but to Chittaranjan it did not seem unpleasant. Thus, he
would often indulge in hyperbolic laudations of Bipin in his wife's
presence, just to provoke a display of her delightful fulminations.
But what was sport to the 'royal' couple, was death to poor Bipin.
The servants of the house, as is their wont, took their cue from the
Rani's apathetic and wilful neglect of the wretched hanger-on, and
grew more apathetic and wilful still. They contrived to forget to look
after his comforts, to Bipin's infinite chagrin and untold sufferings.
Once the Rani rebuked the servant Puté, and said: 'You are always
shirking work; what do you do all through the day?' 'Pray, madam,
the whole day is taken up in serving Bipin Babu under the Maharaja's
orders,' stammered the poor valet.
The Rani retorted: 'Your Bipin Babu is a great Nawab, eh?' This was
enough for Puté. He took the hint. From the very next day he left
Bipin Babu's orts as they were, and at times forgot to cover the food
for him. With unpractised hands Bipin often scoured his own dishes
and not unfrequently went without meals. But it was not in him to whine
and report to the Raja. It was not in him to lower himself by petty
squabblings with menials. He did not mind it; he took everything in
good part. And thus while the Raja's favours grew, the Rani's disfavour
intensified, and at last knew no bounds.
Now the opera of _Subhadraharan_ was ready after due rehearsal. The
stage was fitted up in the palace court-yard. The Raja acted the part
of 'Krishna,' and Bipin that of 'Arjuna.' Oh, how sweetly he sang!
how beautiful he looked! The audience applauded in transports of joy.
The play over, the Raja came to the Rani and asked her how she liked
it. The Rani replied: 'Indeed, Bipin acted the part of "Arjuna"
gloriously! He does look like the scion of a noble family. His voice is
rare!' The Raja said jocosely: 'And how do I look? Am I not fair?
Have I not a sweet voice?' 'Oh, yours is different case!' added
the Rani, and again fell to dilating on the histrionic abilities of
Bipin Kisore.
The tables were now turned. He who used to praise, now began to
deprecate. The Raja, who was never weary of indulging in high-sounding
panegyrics of Bipin before his consort, now suddenly fell reflecting
that, after all, unthinking people made too much of Bipin's actual
merits. What was extraordinary about his appearance or voice? A
short while before he himself was one of those unthinking men, but in
a sudden and mysterious way he developed symptoms of thoughtfulness!
From the day following, every good arrangement was made for Bipin's
meals. The Rani told the Raja: 'It is undoubtedly wrong to lodge Bipin
Babu with the petty officers of the Raj in the Kachari[12]; for all he
now is, he was once a man of means.' The Raja ejaculated curtly:
'Ha!' and turned the subject. The Rani proposed that there might
be another performance on the occasion of the first-rice ceremony
of the 'royal' weanling. The Raja heard and heard her not.
[12] _Kachari_, generally anglicised as _cuteberry_: offices and
courts.
Once on being reprimanded by the Raja for not properly laying his
cloth, the servant Puté replied: 'What can I do? According to the
Rani's behests I have to look after Bipin Babu and wait on him the
livelong day.' This angered the Raja, and he exclaimed, highly
nettled: 'Pshaw! Bipin Babu is a veritable Nawab, I see! Can't he
cleanse his own dishes himself?' The servant, as before, took his
cue, and Bipin lapsed back into his former wretchedness.
The Rani liked Bipin's songs--they were sweet--there was no gainsaying
it. When her husband sat with Bipin to the wonted discourses of sweet
music of an evening, she would listen from behind the screen in an
adjoining room. Not long afterwards, the Raja began again his old habit
of dining and sleeping at regular hours. The music came to an end.
Bipin's evening services were no more needed.
Raja Chittaranjan used to look after his _zemindari_ affairs at noon.
One day he came earlier to the zenana, and found his consort reading
something. On his asking her what she read, the Rani was a little
taken aback, but promptly replied: 'I am conning over a few songs
from Bipin Babu's song-book. We have not had any music since you
tired abruptly of your musical hobby.' Poor woman! it was she who
had herself made no end of efforts to eradicate the hobby from her
husband's mind.
On the morrow the Raja dismissed Bipin--without a thought as to how
and where the poor fellow would get a morsel henceforth!
Nor was this the only matter of regret to Bipin. He had been bound to
the Raja by the dearest and most sincere tie of attachment. He served
him more for affection than for pay. He was fonder of his friend than
of the wages he received. Even after deep cogitation, Bipin could not
ascertain the cause of the Raja's sudden estrangement. ''Tis Fate! all
is Fate!' Bipin said to himself. And then, silently and bravely,
he heaved a deep sigh, picked up his old guitar, put it up in the
case, paid the last two coins in his pocket as a farewell _bakshish_
to Puté, and walked out into the wide wide world where he had not a
soul to call his friend.
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- Short Stories by Rabindranath Tagore Amardeep Singh