Visarjan by Tagore: A masterpiece relevant even today.
Through the lens of Tagore’s timeless drama Visarjan, this article reflects on the ongoing clash between modernity and religious dogma, highlighting the need for reason and humanity in a society increasingly gripped by fanaticism.
As I cast my eyes around my dear India, it’s hard to miss the ever-growing presence of fanatics—yes, those hooligans who use religion as a battering ram against the walls of rationality. They thump their chests, cry out slogans, and take to violent measures, as we witnessed with the horrific murder of Gauri Lankesh a few years back. And here we are, still in the same miserable stew. It’s enough to make a chap wonder if we’ve learnt anything at all. So, as the Durga idols are carried to the water this Dashami, I took another gander at Rabindranath Tagore’s Visarjan and found myself struck by how unnervingly relevant it remains to today’s society.
Visarjan, penned in 1890, may seem like an ancient relic to some, but I assure you, it’s as fresh as a slap in the face. It’s a timely reminder that religious orthodoxy, if left unchecked, can and will consume human lives. The drama, an adaptation of Tagore’s earlier novel Rajarshi, delves deep into themes of religious devotion, but more strikingly, it exposes how fanaticism—and its ugly cousin, orthodoxy—are like a runaway train that flattens everything in its path. Sound familiar? Because it ought to.
Let’s face it, contemporary India is locked in a grim battle between the forces of orthodoxy and the progressive voices that dare to speak out. It’s a right bally mess. The state, which ought to be the guiding force of modernity, is either cowering in a corner or, worse, being infiltrated by those who cling to their ancient dogmas like a drowning man to a life raft. You don’t need me to tell you about the growing clout of religious fanaticism—open a newspaper, scroll through social media, and you’ll find stories of rationalists being murdered, people lynched over their food habits, and communal tensions simmering like a badly timed pressure cooker.
Now, it takes some real guts to speak out against these injustices. But here’s the kicker: Tagore had the foresight to capture this very struggle over a century ago. If a drama written in the 19th century can still shine a spotlight on the mess we find ourselves in today, then perhaps the failure isn’t just in the past—it’s right here, right now, staring us in the face.
Visarjan revolves around King Govinda of Tripura, who, with a spark of modern enlightenment, bans animal sacrifices in temples. Naturally, this doesn’t sit well with the orthodox priest Raghupati, a man as cunning as a fox in a chicken coop. What follows is a clash between the forces of reason and the old guard of blind religious fervour. King Govinda, caught in the crossfire, represents that ever-present struggle between the demands of religion and the claims of humanity—an inner conflict that resonates all too well in today’s climate of polarisation.
One of the most telling moments in the play is the discussion between the beggar girl Aparna and the king, in which the stakes of sacrifice—whether of animals or human dignity—are laid bare. And it’s not just about animal sacrifices; Tagore uses that as a symbol for the wider sacrifices society demands in the name of religion—sacrifices of logic, tolerance, and, most tragically, human lives.
Tagore dedicated Visarjan to “those heroes who bravely stood for peace when human sacrifice was claimed for the goddess of war.” If that doesn’t hit you square in the gut, I don’t know what will. The heroism in Visarjan isn’t of the sword-wielding kind, but of those who quietly defy orthodoxy, those who choose reason over fanaticism, and compassion over cruelty. Sound familiar again? It should. Because we’re still grappling with these issues, only now it’s rationalists, journalists, and intellectuals being sacrificed on the altar of blind faith.
The binary opposition between the enlightened King Govinda and the priest Raghupati is as relevant today as ever. The King’s attempt to steer society away from superstition mirrors the struggles faced by progressive voices today—constantly undermined, harassed, and silenced by a rising tide of fanaticism.
So, as we watch the idols of Durga sink into the water this Dashami, perhaps we should take a moment to reflect on what else is being submerged in this endless cycle of orthodoxy. How many more voices, lives, and dreams will we sacrifice in the name of old traditions? Tagore had the foresight to ask these questions over a century ago. Maybe it’s time we start answering them.
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