A story of vengeance and valor — Mahabharatha retold in Draupadi’s view
The age-old story of the Mahabharata was retold in a fresh perspective of Draupadi. A book by Dr. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.
Hello everyone, I am Prathyusha, a final year Engineering student. And before telling you about the book, I would like to share a little about myself. I am from a conservative family. And growing up, I had the boon of living with my grandparents. So, it was usual that the tales from Bhagavatam put me to sleep, and we were tagalongs for my grandmother wherever she went to bhajans and satsangams. Later I had to read the Ramayana for boards, not to forget I religiously saw the Mahabharata serial on tv. It was the whole reason I grew interested in mythology and now am obsessed with mythological fiction.
Coming to the book in question, The palace of illusions is an engaging tale. In which we can see the author, Dr.Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni depicting the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s point of view. We can see Draupadi or Panchali in a whole new light of a modern feminist questioning the societal norms and breaking all the barriers society imposed on her.
The book begins with curious Draupadi eagerly asking Dhaai maa, her caretaker to recite the events on the day of her birth. After all, it was not usual at all. Panchali was born from a fire along with her brother Dhrishtadyumna, their father Drupad the king of Panchal had taken the route of vengeance on his childhood friend Drona and done this yagna which gifted him with these children who are going to fulfill their grave prophecies.
Throughout the book we see Draupadi feeling lost and unwelcomed. Right from her childhood, she lacked maternal care and The only constant in her life were Krishna and her brother Dhrishtadyumna. While Krishna helped her understand the world better. Dhrishtadyumna had been her confidante and she missed him dearly after she was married off as expected by any sister to miss her brother.
I don’t want to give spoilers of the book but I really can’t resist telling you how lively the scenes were pictured it was as though we were bystanders in the Dwapara Yuga seeing the events unfurl before our eyes. My favorite parts about the book are when Krishna subtly advises Draupadi on the things which are beyond her understanding but being a normal lady and not understanding the magnanimity of Krishna she doesn’t pay heed to his advice.
A few of the striking quotes that left an immeasurable impact on me are listed here, do check them out:
“Aren’t we all pawns in the hands of time, the greatest player of them all?”
Krishna quotes this when an enraged Draupadi questions him if all her worth and purpose of being is just to lure Arjuna as an ally for her father King Drupad.
“I am buoyant and expansive and uncontainable — but I always was so, only I never knew it!”.
Says Draupadi when she was about to die. The last conversation she had with Krishna while she ends her journey of life in the mahaprasthanam was enlightening.
“Above us, our palace waits, the only one I’ve ever needed. Its walls are space, its floor is the sky, its center everywhere.
This is the final closing note of the book. We see Draupadi realizing that all her aspirations and yearning for a palace to belong and to call it home was foolish and all these things that we are so adamant to call us our own are just temporary possessions that we acquire only to lose them on the final fateful day of death. It also shows how fickle and uncertain this life is.
My love for this book knows no bounds, truth to be said this book was my introduction to mythological fiction and I have been hooked. It quenched my thirst for seeking the stories of the past. I am thankful to our ELTC library at our college for the book courtesy. Below is a picture of me giving a little book talk on the very book in discussion to the members of our Book lover’s club at our college.
I feel blessed to be having this opportunity to share my ideas and thoughts on the book I love with my whole heart. Let me know if you like this post and do try to read this wonderful rendition and get lost in the glory of the Mahabharatha and the ageless heroes of Dwapara yuga. thank you for taking the time and reading till the very end.
Peace and power,
P ❤.
