Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/409

366 Vidyasagar was always averse to dramatic performances. He had only once seen theatricals performed in the premises of the Paikpara Raj family at their urgent solicitations. Some time after, Babu Giris Chandra Ghosh, the great Bengali drama-writer and actor of the present day, compiled a play with the title Sitar Banabas, and dedicated it to Vidyasagar. At the first performance of this play, Giris Chandra requested Vidyasagar to be present, but he did not like to go there. But he was present at the threatricals of the Bidhava-Bibaha Nataka more than once. It would be better to quote what P. C. Mazoomdar, the author of "The Life and Teachings of Keshub Chunder Sen," says on this point:—

"In the splendid structure at Chitpore Road, to which the Brahmo School was removed in 1859, Keshub found a somewhat unexpected occupation. He was entrusted with the management of an institution very different from the Brahmo School. It was a dramatic club to put on the stage Bidhava-Bibaha Natak (widow marriage drama), written with the object of reforming the cruel custom of the forced celibacy of young Hindu Widows. * * * Since the inauguration of the widow marriage reform in 1856, Keshub, though then a very young man, wished well to the cause, and did what he could to contribute to its success. He therefore cheerfully accepted the management of the Widow Marriage Drama. * * * The plot of the drama was the miserable life