Q: Explain the Guilt in Chandan’s mind; or Show the Traditional Indian Culture; or Characteristics of Chandan. With Pured References.
Mahesh Dattani is one of the most leading and serious contemporary English playwrights. He always deals with the complicated dynamics of the modern unban family. He writes “Tara” in 1990 that was originally published in 1995. This play highlights the complex relationships within a family facing severe crisis and insecurity. It reminds us of Tennessee Williams’ play “The Glass Menagerie”, in which the deep attachment between siblings is overshadowed by a woeful absence of communication and easy understanding. Additionally, “Tara” is set in Mumbai and London. The drama was awarded with Sahitya Kala Award in 2000.
At the beginning of the play, Tara and Chandan, who are born with a shared leg. The decision to prioritize Chandan, the male twin in the separation surgery that leads to Tara being left physically disabled. This decision becomes the source of immense guilt, especially to Chandan, where he has no sin. As Chandan’s is like the life of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, field of filth. Bharti gave birth to conjoined twins, a twins whose lower body was attached with each other and had only three legs instead of four. But Bharti’s husband and father decided to give two legs to Chandan as he was a boy.
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The legs are set up to Chandan or Dan's body. On the other hand, Tara was dependent on another for some little things. At the result, Tara dies later. This climatic situation shows the most lamentable time of Chandan. He laments, “I killed her. She never had a chance, did she? … I killed her… Now, I am going to finish telling the story… not of me, but of Tara… my sister… and me. Tara! Tara! Tara!” Tara would have led a normal life if the surgeon would not have amputated her leg and transplanted it to Chandan to enable the male child to lead a normal life at the cost of his sister.
My life and story As an actress
In Dattani’s another writing “Final Solution”, Aruna also experiences guilt, though in a different context like Chandan (Dan). In Chandan’s lamentation, he writes “Twinkling Tara”, “Maybe fear, or shame. Yes, shame. Because somewhere, deep down, I knew that the story of Tara needed to be told, but I was afraid of what it would reveal about me.” In the story, Chandan shows that Tara is an intelligent girl, she easily defeats his brother Chandan in a card game. After losing the game to Tara, Chandan starts teasing her sister in a friendly way.
Rebati (Same theme like the story)
In a section, Chandan had no interest in office when his father orders. On the other hand, he agreed to bring Tara to his office as Chandan wasn’t ready to go office without his sister, Tara. Additionally, author and critic Angelie Multani Shows, “Chandan’s love for Tara is evident throughout the play, and it is this love, mixed with guilt and responsibility, that drives his narrative.” Moreover, Bharati and Patel represent the old generation having old values, whereas Tara and Chandan represent the new generation having radical values.
At the heart of Chandan’s guilt is his involvement in the medical decisions that ultimately affect Tara’s life. From the beginning of the play, Chandan is portrayed as a character who, while well-meaning and is deeply flawed. The critical choice he faces is whether to prioritize Tara’s well-being or to act out of self-interest. Additionally, Chandan shows, “I don’t know why I am here. I don’t know what to say. The words are all meaningless now. But the fact is, that I am alive, and she is dead.”
Throughout the play, Chandan’s sense of responsibility and remorse is palpable as he grapples with the consequences of his decisions. Chandan’s guilt is not an isolated feeling; it reverberates through his relationships and his self-perception. A.K. Ramanujan expresses, “Chandan’s guilt emerges from the fracture in the family dynamics caused by his survival. His internal struggle is a poignant reflection on the price of familial decisions and personal choices.” R.S. Sharma delves, “Chandan’s sense of guilt is palpable, manifesting as a constant reminder of the cost of his own existence over Tara’s. His suffering is not just physical but deeply emotional, intertwined with the moral burden of his survival.”
In conclusion, Dattani’s play, “Tara” experiences underscores the play’s exploration of familial obligations and personal sacrifices. Chandan’s internal conflict about his sister’s fate and his own survival becomes a central theme in the narrative. R.K.Dhawan says, “Very recently Indian English Drama has shot into prominence. Younger writers like Mahesh Dattani and Manjula Padmanabhan, have infused new life into this branch of writing.”
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