THIS IS A FICTION, THE VERY FIRST NOVEL SCRIPTED IN 1883 BY RAVINDRANATH TAGORE, AT THE AGE OF 22. THIS NOVEL HAS THE BACKGROUND OF ROYAL FAMILIES AND THE RITES AND RITUALS FOLLOWED BY THEM. THIS IS A STORY OF THE ROYAL FAMILY OF KING PRATAPADITYA AND HIS SON UDAYADITYA. THE FORMER IS A SHREWD KING READY TO TAKE ANY ACTION SO AS TO MAINTAIN THE DECORUM OF BEING A KING; WHEREAS THE LATER BELIEVES IN BEING A JUST AND KIND HUMAN BEING, COMPASSIONATE AS WELL. THE KING TAKES ALL THE ACTIONS THAT HE CAN TO PREVENT UDAY FROM BEING A NORMAL HUMAN BEING. HE WANTS HIS SON TO LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING RUDE AND CRUEL IF NEEDED. UDAY’S SISTER VIBHA IS MARRIED TO RAMCHANDRARAI, ANOTHER KING. BUT HE IS INSULTED MANY TIMES AT THE HANDS OF KING PRATAP. HE GOES BACK TO HIS KINGDOM WITHOUT VIBHA, HIS NEWLYWED WIFE. HE SENDS MESSAGES FOR HER TO COME AND JOIN HIM BUT SHE REFUSES TO JOIN HIM AS HER BROTHER IS UNDER IMPRISONMENT. THIS IS A STORY OF THE TRUE LOVE OF A BROTHER AND A SISTER AND THEIR UNCLE. THEY ALL ARE BRUTALLY TREATED AT THE HANDS OF THE KING WHO BELIEVES ONLY IN KNIGHTHOOD AND NOT KINDNESS.
प्रत्येक दीर्घ नि:श्वासावर विस्तृत टीका आणि स्पष्टीकरणे दिली जात होती. विभेला हे सगळे आणखी सहन होईना, म्हणून ती निसटून बागेत आली होती. सूर्य आज ढगांआडूनच उगवला होता, ढगांआडच अस्तास गेला होता. दिवस कधी मावळला आणि संध्याकाळ कधी झाली, ते समजले नाही. संध्याकाळच्या वेळी पश्चिम दिशेला सोनेरी रेषा उमटली होती, पण दिवस मावळताना ती विरून गेली. अंधार घनदाट होऊ लागला होता. दशदिशा झाकोळून गेल्या होत्या. ओळीने असलेल्या सुरूच्या दाट बनांतून फांद्यांच्या वर इतका अंधार दाटला की, फांद्या एकमेकींत मिसळून गेल्या अन् सहस्र लांबलचक पायांवर भार देऊन प्रचंड विस्तृत नि:स्तब्ध अंधार त्यावर रेलला आहे, असे वाटत होते. हळूहळू रात्र होऊ लागली. राजवाड्यातले दिवे एकेक करून मालवले गेले.