ATITHI

-Rabindranath Tagore
Character Sketch of Tarapada
Tarapada, the enigmatic protagonist of Rabindranath Tagore's "Atithi" (The
Guest), embodies the eternal conflict between freedom and attachment, a
theme central to Tagore's philosophical outlook. This wandering soul, whose
very essence resists confinement, serves as both a literal character and a
powerful metaphor for the human spirit's yearning for liberation.

Physical Appearance and First Impression

Tarapada is introduced as a strikingly handsome young boy of fifteen or
sixteen years, with fair skin that immediately draws attention. His physical
beauty is complemented by "large eyes full of grace" and a charming smile
that creates an immediate impression on those he encounters. This external
beauty serves as a window into his pure, untainted soul that has not yet
been corrupted by societal expectations and constraints. When he first
approaches Matilal Babu requesting passage on his boat to Nandigram, his
appearance and demeanor instantly create a positive impression, leading the
wealthy zamindar to welcome him aboard without hesitation.

The Wandering Spirit

The most defining characteristic of Tarapada is his insatiable wanderlust and
resistance to being confined to one place or relationship. Like the
metaphorical kites soaring in the high sky that director Tapan Sinha uses in
the film adaptation, Tarapada represents a spirit that "cannot be tamed
easily" Despite being "the darling of his family," he ran away from home at
the remarkably young age of seven or eight, demonstrating an early
manifestation of his independent nature. This departure wasn't motivated by
mistreatment or necessity but stemmed from an intrinsic desire for freedom.
Tarapada's restlessness manifests in his life choices. He has lived a nomadic
existence, joining and subsequently leaving various groups including "a
theatre troupe, panchali singers and acrobatic troupe". His inability to
remain in one place for long reveals a soul that prizes movement and new
experiences over stability and security. In his village home, he would often
disappear "for days on end," much to the exasperation of his mother and
elder brother.
Skills and Adaptability
Despite his wandering nature, or perhaps because of it, Tarapada possesses
remarkable adaptability and practical skills that enable his independent
lifestyle. On Matilal Babu's boat, he demonstrates exceptional cooking
abilities, "taking over the task from the servant and preparing the meal with
practised skill". This practical knowledge extends to rowing and steering the
boat, making him immediately useful and appreciated by his hosts
Tarapada's artistic talents further endear him to others. He plays the flute
with exceptional skill and can enact folk stories with songs, as demonstrated
when he impresses Matilal and Annapurna by "enacting the story of Kush
and Lav with songs on his flute". His knowledge of music and performance
likely acquired during his travels with various entertainment troupes, reflects
his absorption of diverse cultural experiences during his wanderings.

Relationship with Family and Society

Tarapada's detachment from conventional family bonds is starkly illustrated
in his response when Annapurna inquires about his mother. He replies with
unsettling casualness, "She has four more sons and three daughters,"
suggesting that he doesn't consider himself an essential part of his family
unit. This response pains Annapurna, who cannot comprehend such
detachment from maternal bonds.
Through Tarapada, Tagore explores the tension between societal
expectations and individual freedom. The young wanderer is described as a
"complete original" whose wary nature resembles that of "a young
fawn" This animal imagery underscores both his natural wariness of
entrapment and his inherent connection to the natural world rather than
human social structures.

Encounters with Matilal Babu's Family

The central narrative tension emerges when Tarapada enters the orbit of
Matilal Babu's family. Despite his natural wariness, he forms connections
with them, particularly with Matilal and Annapurna who are charmed by his
unusual personality and skills. Their daughter Charushashi, however,
develops jealousy toward Tarapada, seeing him as a rival for her parents'
affection. She expresses this jealousy by destroying his flute, yet
remarkably, Tarapada remains "unperturbed by her tantrums" further
demonstrating his detachment from material possessions and emotional
manipulation.
When Matilal and Annapurna conceive the plan to marry Tarapada to
Charushashi, they unwittingly set up the ultimate test of his freedom-loving
nature. As preparations for the wedding begin, Tarapada even starts
studying English using Matilal's books, temporarily appearing to accept this
new path. Yet, true to his essential nature, he disappears on the wedding
day itself, reaffirming that he "remains a free spirit and cannot be caged"

Symbolic Significance
In Tagore's narrative, Tarapada transcends his role as a character to become
a powerful symbol. He "signifies life" itself – exuberant, joyful, and resistant
to stagnation. His comparison to "an ever flowing river carrying life along
with it, flowing continuously" underscores this symbolic dimension7. Like
water, Tarapada cannot be contained; he follows his natural course
regardless of human attempts to direct or dam his flow.

Conclusion
Tarapada stands as one of Tagore's most memorable characters precisely
because he embodies tensions that resonate universally: between freedom
and attachment, convention and authenticity, stability and adventure. He is
portrayed as "an ideal child of Nature" who fundamentally "cannot be tied
down by human bonds of love". His character challenges readers to question
the societal structures and expectations that constrain individual freedom,
while also acknowledging the natural human yearning for connection.
In creating Tarapada, Tagore gives us not just a character but a philosophical
proposition about the nature of freedom and attachment in human
existence. The wandering boy with his flute becomes an emblem of the spirit
that cannot be possessed or contained, reminding us that perhaps some
souls are meant to remain, eternally, atithi – guests rather than permanent
residents in our lives.

Character Sketch/Analysis of Charushashi

Charushashi, the nine-year-old daughter of Matilal Babu and Annapurna in
Rabindranath Tagore’s Atithi, emerges as a multifaceted character whose
emotional complexity drives the narrative’s exploration of familial bonds,
jealousy, and societal expectations. Her interactions with the wandering
protagonist Tarapada reveal a child grappling with the destabilizing forces of
change, offering a poignant counterpoint to the story’s themes of freedom
and detachment.

Temperament and Emotional Volatility

Charushashi’s defining trait is her willful and capricious nature, marked
by frequent tantrums and emotional outbursts. Described as "whimsical and
moody"5, she reacts violently to disruptions in her domestic world,
particularly Tarapada’s intrusion into her parents’ affections. When Tarapada
impresses Matilal and Annapurna with his flute-playing and storytelling,
Charushashi’s jealousy manifests in her destruction of his flute, a symbolic
act of reclaiming attention15. This volatility underscores her inability to
articulate her insecurities maturely, reflecting the raw, unfiltered emotions of
childhood.
Her temperament is further illustrated through her "love-hate relationship"
with Tarapada5. While she resents his presence, she simultaneously seeks
his approval, oscillating between hostility and reluctant fascination. This
duality mirrors the conflicted emotions of a child navigating unfamiliar social
dynamics, where admiration and rivalry coexist.

Jealousy and the Crisis of Identity

As the only child of doting parents, Charushashi’s identity is inextricably tied
to being the sole recipient of their affection. Tarapada’s arrival shatters this
exclusivity, triggering an existential crisis. Her jealousy is not merely petty
resentment but a profound fear of displacement. When she learns her friend
Sonamoni already knows Tarapada, her anger escalates, revealing her
desperation to maintain social primacy5. This reaction highlights her struggle
to reconcile her self-perception as the "center" of her family with the reality
of sharing attention.
Tagore uses Charushashi’s jealousy to critique societal norms that equate
love with possession. Her parents’ decision to marry her to Tarapada—a bid
to "temper her wild nature"5—exposes the transactional view of
relationships in patriarchal structures. Charushashi’s resistance to this
arrangement, seen in her disruptions of Tarapada’s studies, symbolizes a
subconscious rebellion against being commodified.

Symbolic Role in the Narrative

Charushashi serves as a foil to Tarapada’s nomadic spirit. Where
Tarapada embodies freedom and detachment, she represents the confines of
domesticity and emotional attachment. Their contrasting personalities—her
"vibrant" but turbulent energy versus his calm, introspective demeanor6—
mirror the tension between societal expectations and individual autonomy.
Her destruction of Tarapada’s flute, an instrument synonymous with his
artistic freedom, becomes a metaphor for society’s attempts to stifle
unconventional lives. Yet, Tarapada’s indifference to her tantrums
("remaining unperturbed"5) underscores the futility of such efforts,
reinforcing the story’s theme of irrepressible liberty.
Psychological Depth and Developmental
Struggles
Charushashi’s character is a study in childhood psychology. Her tantrums
and mood swings are not mere plot devices but reflections of her
developmental stage. Tagore portrays her as a child caught between the
safety of parental adoration and the terrifying allure of independence. Her
interactions with Tarapada—alternately mimicking adulthood (through the
arranged marriage plot) and regressing into childishness—reveal the
confusion of burgeoning self-awareness.
The arranged marriage subplot exacerbates this tension. While her parents
view the union as a stabilizing force, Charushashi instinctively resists it,
sensing the loss of autonomy it entails. Her acts of sabotage—destroying the
flute, interrupting Tarapada’s studies—are desperate attempts to assert
control in a world where adults dictate her fate.

Thematic Significance
Through Charushashi, Tagore critiques the oppressive nature of societal
norms, particularly those imposed on young girls. Her parents’ eagerness to
marry her off contrasts sharply with Tarapada’s rejection of marital bonds,
highlighting the gendered expectations of responsibility and settlement.
Charushashi’s volatility becomes a silent protest against these constraints,
even as she lacks the language to articulate her dissent.
Her character also embodies the paradox of attachment: the human need
for love and the suffocation it can entail. While Tarapada flees emotional
bonds to preserve his freedom, Charushashi’s identity collapses without
them, illustrating the double-edged sword of familial ties.

Conclusion
Charushashi is far more than a petulant child; she is Tagore’s lens into the
turbulence of adolescence, the fragility of identity, and the societal
machinery that seeks to mold individuals into conventional roles. Her
jealousy, tantrums, and resistance to change reflect universal struggles with
belonging and self-definition. In juxtaposing her with Tarapada, Tagore crafts
a nuanced exploration of freedom versus attachment, suggesting that true
liberation lies not in rejecting relationships but in navigating them without
losing oneself. Charushashi’s unresolved arc—a child on the precipice of
adulthood—leaves readers contemplating the enduring conflict between
societal expectations and the untamed human spirit.
 REASONING QUESTIONS
1. Why did Tarapada approach Motilal Babu’s boat for a lift to Nandigram?
2. What motivated Tarapada to leave his family and wander from place to
place?
3. How did Tarapada respond when Annapurna asked him about his family?
What does this reveal about his character?
4. Why did Tarapada begin helping Motilal Babu’s family with cooking on the
boat?
5. What was the significance of Tarapada playing the flute for Motilal’s family?
6. Why did Charushashi feel jealous and resentful towards Tarapada?
7. How did Charushashi express her jealousy towards Tarapada?
8. Why did Tarapada stay longer than usual at Kanthalia, Motilal’s village?
9. What was the reason behind Motilal and Annapurna’s decision to marry
Charushashi to Tarapada?
10. How did Tarapada react to the prospect of marriage with Charushashi?
11. Why did Tarapada disappear suddenly on the day of the wedding?
12. What does Tarapada’s wanderlust symbolize in the story?
13. How does Charushashi’s possessiveness contrast with Tarapada’s free
spirit?
14. Why did Tarapada not notice when the boat passed Nandigram?
15. How did Tarapada’s family react to the marriage proposal from
Motilal’s family?
16. Why did Motilal send people to fetch Tarapada’s mother?
17. What does Tarapada’s attitude towards his family reveal about his
personality?
18. How does Tagore use Tarapada’s character to explore the theme of
freedom versus attachment?
19. Why is the title Atithi (Guest) appropriate for the story?
20. How do the interactions between Charushashi and Tarapada highlight
the conflict between childhood innocence and emerging maturity?

10-Mark Questions
1. Describe the character of Tarapada and explain how Tagore uses him to
symbolize freedom in the story Atithi.
2. Discuss the role of Charushashi in the story. How does her behavior affect
the narrative and what does she represent?
3. Examine the theme of attachment versus freedom as portrayed in Atithi.
Support your answer with examples from the text.
4. How do Motilal Babu and Annapurna respond to Tarapada’s presence? What
does their attitude reveal about their characters and social values?
5. Analyze the significance of the title Atithi (The Guest) in the context of the
story. How does it reflect the central conflict?
6. Describe the relationship between Tarapada and Charushashi. How does this
relationship highlight the contrasting nature of the two characters?
7. Explain how Tagore uses symbolism in Atithi to enhance the story’s
message. Give examples from the text.
8. What is the importance of Tarapada’s flute in the story? How does it
contribute to the development of the plot and characters?
9. Discuss the ending of Atithi. What message does Tagore convey through
Tarapada’s disappearance on the wedding day?
10. How does Atithi reflect Rabindranath Tagore’s views on societal norms
and individual freedom?

5-Mark Questions
1. Why does Tarapada leave his home at a young age?
2. How does Charushashi react to Tarapada’s presence in her house?
3. What skills does Tarapada display while staying with Motilal Babu’s
family?
4. Why do Motilal and Annapurna decide to marry Charushashi to
Tarapada?
5. What is the significance of Tarapada’s disappearance on the wedding
day?
6. How does Tarapada’s attitude towards his family differ from
Charushashi’s attitude towards her parents?
7. Describe the mood of the story when Tarapada first arrives at Motilal’s
boat.
8. What does the flute symbolize in the story?
9. How does Tagore portray childhood through the character of
Charushashi?
10. Why is Tarapada described as a ‘free spirit’?

Key Elements in Flowchart:

1. Tarapada’s Wanderlust: Central motif driving the plot.
2. Boat Encounter: Catalyst for the story’s events.
3. Domestic Bonding vs. Jealousy: Charushashi’s tantrums vs. Tarapada’s
calm.
4. Marriage as Social Constraint: Represents societal expectations.
5. Disappearance: Rejection of attachment; return to freedom.
6. Symbols: Flute (artistic liberty), river (impermanence), monsoon (change).