The present lockdown has allowed me to read books that were on my “To be read” list for a long time. Before the lockdown, I was busy in everyday’s hustle-bustle with only thoughts of reading books with a mug of coffee on a chill afternoon.
My wish for having this time has come true, ironically. Like me, most of us must have read Mahabharata. I read it during my schooling, but decades later what I remembered were superficial details with just a few names and events. I have always been fascinated by the characters of Mahabharata and reading The Palace of Illusions, written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, gave me a wonderful opportunity to re-look. Now, I have a different perspective and interpretation of this ancient epic.
This book is written from the perspective of Draupadi, also known as Panchali. The novel traces Draupadi’s birth in fire along with her brother Dhrishtadyuna; moves along to her Swayamvara (her marriage with the Pandavas); her balancing act as a woman with five husbands; humiliation in the court of the Kauravas when Pandavas lost their entire kingdom in the game of dice; years of exile; the legendary war which involved all the major kingdoms of India of that time; and at the end, ascent to Swarga (heaven).
The novel looks at the relationship between Draupadi and Kunti. Here, we see Kunti in a new light as the mother-in-law of Draupadi, not just as the mother of Pandavas. It also narrates her complicated friendship with Krishna and her secret admiration for Karna, who is her husbands’ rival and a dangerous enemy. The novel has various sub-plots which when you read through Draupadi’s eyes, including her narration about her relationship with all her husbands and the time she spends in rotation, you are able to empathize with her.
Growing up as a girl in India, one can resonate and identify with Draupadi—especially her advancements as a fiery-spirited girl who fought and attained her right to study just like her brother and her willingness to learn statesmanship. She was a rebel, and was never satisfied with societal confinement. We see her transition from a rebel to a woman and a wife who strategically chooses her battles to occasionally manipulate her mother-in-law, husbands and their other wives to keep them in control.
In the novel, Draupadi begins to reflect on the sufferings of people in the name of honour as she grows. The realisation of the burden of dragging numerous people in the battle of revenge and honour, which always has heavy sorrows and loss of life, made her anxious. While these events happened about five thousand years ago, the situation and dilemma of today’s time are quite similar.
For me, Draupadi was the first feminist of ancient India; she was confident and had faith in her strength. She never hesitated to remind her husbands of their shortcomings; she even chose to go on an exile with her husbands to ensure that her presence kept alive the thirst for revenge in their hearts. In my opinion, she was a true saviour who not only stood up for herself but also set a vision that women in the future could look up to.
(This article is written by Priya Shukla who is providing online counselling support under our Mental Health Internship Program.)
Are you also a fighter like Draupadi? Do you know that even fighters go through ups and downs of life? It is completely normal to feel that way. Reach out to Yo Zindagi if you have such stories to share or just talk about how you feel.
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