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Chokher Bali

Rabindranath Tagore,

Radha Chakravarty (Translator)

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Aug 20, 2025 Faraaz rated it really liked it

At the dawn of the 20th Century, Rabindranath Tagore was attemping to take Bengali Literature where Tolstoy and Dosoevsky had taken Russina Literature in the 18th Century.

While writing Chokher Bali, he said "Modern Literature is not merely about describing the sequence of events, but also about analysing them and drawing out their inner meaning".

Like Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, Tagore places his female protagonsit Binodini at the centre of his novel, and gives her an inner life, a mind filled wit At the dawn of the 20th Century, Rabindranath Tagore was attemping to take Bengali Literature where Tolstoy and Dosoevsky had taken Russina Literature in the 18th Century.

While writing Chokher Bali, he said "Modern Literature is not merely about describing the sequence of events, but also about analysing them and drawing out their inner meaning".

Like Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, Tagore places his female protagonsit Binodini at the centre of his novel, and gives her an inner life, a mind filled with ideas, desires, aspirations, sometimes pious, sometimes perverse. Just like Anna is filled with contradictions, so is Binodini, her impulsive actions never fail to prevent us from rooting for her.

And that's ultimately what Tagore had realized Literature had the ability to do - look beyond simplistic moral judgements and place ourselves into the emotional headspace of a character.

Colonial India was often challenged and founding wanting in front of European Renaissance and the progress of Enlightenment. Old age customs, beliefs and orthodoxy was often used as a shield against Colonialism. Tagore, being from an aristocratic Upper Caste family, found himself in the middle of both worlds - educated in European enlightenment values and deeply entrenched in the rigid, Patriarchal structure of the Indian family.

Long before teminology such as "Patriarchy", "Feminism" or "Mamma's boy" were in use in Indian discourse, Tagore observed them in Indian society and encapsulated them beautifully through his characters and their world. As with Noshtoneer (The Broken Nest), it becomes clear that by 1900, Tagore was right at the centre of the intersection of Western thought and Indian tradition and his work was directly engaging with this phase of cultural transition and rapid change. A new India, a product of Western education was emerging and Tagore's work reflected that.

Mahindra, the male protagonist is the epitome of what today's Instagram reels would refer to as a "red flag". He is thoroughly spoiled by his mother and grows up to be an entitled, privileged brat with very little self awareness. Though Rajalakshmi, his mother is on his case to get married, when he rejects Binodini as a potential bride, Rajalakshmi can't help feel proud and happy that she still has a hold over her son.

When Mahindra ends up marrying Asha, a woman who had been earmarked for his friend Bihari, he is immediately besotted with his young wife. Rajalakshmi reacts to this with indignation and jealousy, as if she has lost something and attempts to create hurdles between the young couple. These unique machinations of an Indian family are eloquently set up by Tagore, demonstrating his skill and mastery as a writer.

Tagore also very subtly explores sexuality, both repressed and freed between the four principal characters - Mahindra, Binodini, Asha and Bihari. This is done experty in the form of bloodless battles of the mind between the four characters which plays on power, privilege and gender equations of Indian society. Tagore's most radical act as a writer is to express Binodini's sexuality and her needs, granting her space, agency and power sans judgement. Binodini represents transgression, Asha subservience but both are still victims in the end because Patriarchy is unwilling to grant space, agency or power irrespective of whether you abide by the rules or not.

Chokher Bali referred to as India's first modern novel engages critically with space, power and agency of women at a time when such ideas weren't fully formed in academia. Tagore was exploring and expressing themes before they had found their way into academic theory or a construct. ...more

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