"From the mixed cultivation of foreign and native melody was born Valmiki Pratibha. The tunes in this musical drama are mostly Indian, but they have been dragged out of their classic dignity, that which soared in the sky was taught to run on the earth. Those who have seen and heard it performed will, I trust, bear witness that harnessing of Indian melodic modes to the service of drama has proved neither derogatory nor futile. This conjunction is the only special feature of Valmiki Pratibha. The pleasing task of loosening the chains of melodic forms and making them adaptable to a variety of treatment completely engrossed me." These are the words said by Rabindranath in his Reminiscences. The influence of Biharilal Chakraborty on this drama is evident. Biharilal Chakraborty was the favourite poet of Rabindranath at that time. Jyotirindranath helped him in music composition.Valmiki Pratibha was first staged in Thakur bari on the occasion of Biddwatjana Sabha.. Later this drama was staged many times in Thakur Bari on different occasions. It is a popular drama of Rabindranath. Even today it is staged on different occasions. In Thakur Bari Rabindranath himself took the role of Valmiki and Prativa, the daughter of Hemendranath, acted in the role of Saraswati. Amongst the important persons present on the occasion were Bankimchandra (43), Gurudas Bandyopadhyaya (37), Haraprasad Shastri (28) etc. Gurudas babu became so inspired that he wrote a poem mentioning the genius of the young poet Rabindranath. Haraprasad took the help of this drama while writing his book "Valmikir Joy." In this year Rabindranath finished two other Natya Kabyas - Rudrachandra and Bhagnahridaya. Rudrachandra and Bhagnahridaya were dedicated to Jyotirindranath and Kadambari.
