Character Analysis Of Charandas Chor

Charandas Chor has a universal appeal. It is a miniature of the world whose very existence depends on the three unavoidable human institutions—society, religion and the state. Habib Tanvir chooses and adopts the important leading persons from each of them as his main characters in the drama to criticize the world order and system, particularly in Indian context through a medium of ‘Touchstone’-like Charandas whom, whoever comes into contact with, unconsciously exposes his own vices and faults. The playwright lampoons the thoughts and activities of such persons associated with these institutions, and highlights hypocrisy and roguery, dishonesty and untruthfulness, gradual moral degradation and loss of social values. The word ‘guru’ evokes a conventional sense of self-restraint and selflessness, benevolence and dedication, miraculous power and deep religious knowledge. The guru who is a religious leader and who ‘leads by example’ has some good qualities along with some bad ones. The guru in the drama is paradoxically somewhat rogue and liar. He does not follow what he preaches. Guru teaches his devotees:

“That Truth is so precious
Only a handful can
Uphold the Truth….”

And surely he is not among the ‘handful’: he lies to the havaldar—though to save Charandas no doubt—that “ Just as ditch water gets purified when it mingles with the Ganga, in a sadhu’s akhara, thieves, loafers, drunkards, gamblers, rogues, ruffians all get purified” - to its greater falsity Charandas has