I just finished reading The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. It is the story of the Mahabharat from the point of view of Draupadi. I did not like it as much as I had hoped, but it did make me think about the story.
- It reinforced my pity for Karna. He got the rawest deal of everyone. And Arjun got the best. It is like the world conspired to keep Karna away from glory and passed it on to Arjun. Initially Karna never really comes across as a bad person, like Duryodhan does, but slowly his gratitude to Duryodhan takes over his sense of right and wrong.
- It made me think about how we never get to hear/understand what the women did/thought. Mahabharat is so story-heavy and there are so many strong male characters that women are often reduced to the background. Looking pretty when in the palace, or crying/sobbing when in the forest. Thats it. This book on the other hand, explores what Draupadi thought of herself, her family, and most of the women she interacts with. And that makes this book worth a read. But somewhere in the middle the book almost degenerated into a saas-bahu power struggle. How Draupadi wants to one up Kunti and how she thinks Kunti has this iron-grip over her sons is a little painful to read. Thankfully the great war rescued it from being so!
- Draupadi is told time and again that women should behave in a certain way and much ill will befall the world if that does not happen. And we are reminded again that it was her speaking/laughing/avenging out of turn was what caused the great war. Somewhere in the end, after the war ends Draupadi is crying over the fact that she was the cause of all the destruction, and Dhritarashtra is almost about to give a shraap(yeah these were so easy and effective) to the Pandavas and her, until Krishna comes and yells at him for having caused much destruction, and how it was Dhritarashtra’s folly, his literally blind love for his son caused the war. Krishna was the only male character who impressed me. Granted he was God, but he treated both men and women equally. At one point there is a discussion between Draupadi and Krishna, where he asks her how does it matter to God if you are man or woman? Both are after all God’s creation.
- People(Kunti, Yudhisthir, Bheeshm) conveniently remember and forget their promises to others as it suits them. They also go into these what is right and what is wrong thought processes that prevent them from doing what their heart really wants them to. While on his death-bed(rather on the bed of arrows) Bheeshm tells Draupadi that he did not stop Duryodhan when he was insulting her after Yudhishthir lost her in the game because he was debating whether Draupadi already ‘belonged’ to Duryodhan or not! SImilarly, Kunti wants to tell everyone that Karna is her son. That would have lead to the brothers not fighting one another, and Karna possibly goading Duryodhan into giving Pandavas the 5 villages. The great war would have been prevented. But she did not, for fear of being hated by her sons.
- Draupadi’s known and unknown relationships with her husbands and Karan flabbergasted me. Did you know that Draupadi and Karan had an unspoken thing for each other? Did you? Well I didn’t and was surprised that there are so many such masaledar storylines in the Mahabharat that are not explored. The TV serial barely touched on the Vyasa being grandfather to Dhritarashtra-Pandu-Vidur thing.
- The book also never really describes the nature of the relationship between Krishna and Draupadi. I remember distinctly that she called her brother in the TV series. There is a whole page in the book where Draupadi is thinking about what her relationship with Krishna is, and she never says brother!
PS: I could swear the guy who sings “Yada yada hi dharmasya” in the title song of the good old Mahabharat is the same guy who plays Duryodhan. (Apparently not, the singer is Mahendra Kapoor)
PPS: How many of you remember reading the name ‘Bhring Tupkari’ in the TV serial credits and suppressing a giggle?
i ordered this book, tried to read it, but somehow i am not interested.
Is it because you did not like it?
I havent read this book… but I am hearing so much I m tempted to read it !!!
You should read it. Skip the saas bahu part if you want!
You should try reading ‘Yagyaseni-the story of Draupadi’ by Pratibha Ray. Originally written in Oriya and translated into English. Its really good. The whole story from Draupadi’s point of view – its like a flashback. The Pandavas on their ascent to heaven. Draupadi is the first to fall and she tells her story. I read it a long time ago. But some parts I remember. There are these sexual undertones between her and Karna. In fact, she actually wanted to marry Krishna. But he convinced her to marry Arjun – else the course of ‘dharma’ would be altered. And she refers to Krishna as her ‘sakha’ (friend). Of her disrobing and humilitation, she says ‘I have 5 husbands and not one comes to my aid. It is ultimately my friend who helps me.’ Somehow, the relationship of Draupadi and Krishna was on an equal footing even though, as you say, Krishna is God. Good book. Try it.
I will. PoI also mentions how Draupadi is the first to fall, and she can hear the others talking about how they should rescue her, but Yudhisthir says no one should coz that is destiny or something like that.
I was intrigued at her relationship with Krishna. It is no surprising that she values his friendship, given that he was there for her when her loser husbands weren’t!
I’ll add this book to my read queue. Sounds interesting.
Draupadi seems to be quite the dame huh?!
Hehe I was also thinking about that. She comes across as a strong woman who was denied a healthy relationship with ONE husband, thanks to the stupidity of Kunti saying share whatever you have brought!
Hey, I will get to reading this book soon. Great Synopsis and analysis of the book needless to say.
Thanks P. will be looking for your review.
I actually loved this book. Thought it was a lovely read and turned an epic like Mahabarath into a very current day read while maintaining the little snippets of smaller stories that occurred in the epic. Been meaning to borrow it and re read it soon 🙂
I felt she beat herself up too hard all through, and especially towards the end. And I absolutely HATED the male characters. I felt like Draupadi could have been given a little more character….she seemed very one dimensional to me, although it does not start off like that.
Wow !! Based on your analysis, the books sounds really interesting.
Phew… if only I had some time to read anything !!
These days I only have time to read preschool grade books 🙂
But will keep the book’s name on my “future to do list” though 🙂
Ohh! Do keep it in your to-read list then!
good review
just want to say Mahabharat is written by male.
True.
I can soo connect with Draupadi now.. she wants all the men, like me!! 🙂
I think I like your analysis more. Keep reading and give us the synopsis. 🙂
She was a total chupa rustum 😉
I loved it. I really did. I was sad when it ended.
I didnt watch the tv serials or really know what the whole story was. And so I was so captivated by all the sub plots. I loved the Karna bit, when she and her gang were on the balcony and she laughed at something… I dont really recall it.
The saas-bahu part, I could deal with …
The contrast of the TV serial vs this book is stark. The TV serial glorifies the Pandavas and everyone else is bad, whereas in the book Draupadi gives shades of grey to every character, and that makes it much more real.
Hey Shilpa, good review! I too felt the same when I read the book, it was at a point too dramatic and lost out on what it had set to tell- Draupadi’s feelings. Also some parts which should have been detailed were merely touched upon, leaving the feeling of incompleteness. I would suggest you to read Bhimsen too, bheem’s perspective on the whole thing…a very good read!
I need to get my hands on that one.
u know thats why mahabharata is much more interesting than ramanayana… each thing u obeserved is true and there is much more beyond it
did u read this readers guide to the book
http://www.randomhouse.com/doubleday/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385515993&view=rg
try answering the questions and suddenly u might see some of the things in the book from a new perspective
personally i think Karan got too carried away by the fact that he owes something to dhuryodhan infact I think the whole reason behind the war was that every character was too involved of himself in his so called beliefs
That was spot on. Most characters really got carried away by what they thought was their one belief they could not compromise on. Yudhisthir on truth, Karan on his debt to Duryodhan. Duryodhan on being the king, his father on his being the king, Bheeshm on his word etc!
And sometimes I think if Draupadi wasn’t told her fate(that she could change the course of history), would things have been different?
that is a question that has been running on my mind too since I read that book… its like the standard problem I have with astrology it tells u something and u start believing in it big time…
like i have an uncle who was told when he is was 9th that he will never pass 10th by a pandit and he never ever studied and made the prediction come true… increase it 100 folds for draupadi sure like hell was effected
It is almost like you are being told something bad will happen and your mind somehow convinces you to ensure that that happens!
i will surely read this book
Mahabharat is more realistic when seen with present times. so much politics, sibling rivalry, polygamy, unwed mother,corruption , and it stresses the point ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR
I know Mahabharat from BR Chopras Mahabharat. and it proved that to win a war you can try any means. the focus should be on the goal
Yes definitely Mahabharat is closer to reality than the Ramayana, where the characters were all white or all black.
I have heard so many good things about this book that I have to read it now. I never never knew Draupadi and karan had a thing for each other and I have read the mahabharat atleast 5 times !!!!!!!!!!!!! I used to love the Mahabharat and ramayan !!!
Congrats on the blog adda Spicy Saturday Pick !!!!!!! 😀 😀 😀
Party !!!!!
Thanks Hitchy! Party!
Congrats on the Blogadda pick…
Thanks Sraboney!
I read and loved the book. I think Draupadi and Karan’s relationship is C B Divakaruni’s invention. I like Karan the best too… I think Karan is the universal favorite… the generous, loyal, brave, unfairly treated, sad and so much more deserving than Yudhishthir. Arjuna’s treatment and jealousy of Eklavya also made me think he was favoured more than he deserved…
Krishna is another universal favourite, but then he is God.
Oh you think Draupadi-Karan relationship is fictional? I will have to look into that. I absolutely hated the way Arjuna behaves like he is entitled to every glory on earth.
and congrats on the spicy saturday pick
Thanku!
Interesting post.
Mahabharat is a story in story itself where one can learn a lot of things.
It is indeed. The wide array of personalities of people is so much more real than in Ramayan.
I have read this book …. and find it a better read than one of those dumb IIT fiction books
Haha. From a quality standpoint, CBD definitely writes better than you know who!
Try out … The Difficulty of Being Good by Gurucharan Das….. It has a better take on characters of Mahabharata
I shall check it out.
I havent read any of the books mentioned above apart from reading some part of mahabharata
which was lying at my grannies place.
My take on Draupadi is that, she was the only with nerves of steel. She did not have unwavering commitment
to any single thought or practice (like truth for dharma or promise for bheesma or helplessness like kunti).
She was a perfect example of an independent woman who had her own identity.
Here’s an intresting blog I found:
http://saralamahabharat.blogspot.com/
Totally different take on the Mahabharata
I love that link. Thanks.
I’m gonna read this. I’m very curious about the Mahabharat and this has been recommended by one and all. And yeah, the Karn and Draupadi thing is a surprise for me too! Really?
Oh, and don’t remember Bhring Tupkari (!) but I always suppressed a giggle after Goofy (was that the spelling?) Paintal 😀
Hehe Paintal, I think he was Gufi! The names there were a laugh riot!
I haven’t read this but recently read a series of essays on the Mahabharat, Yuganta by Irawati Karve. Very interesting since she was actually a well known scholar and had researched many early versions of the Maharbharat. The book is out of print but I found it in a local library.
Looks like I need to read this. Will be interesting….
Hey Shilpadesh…after 2 yrs i read your blog on Mahabharat… u mentioned abt suppressing a giggle wen u read the name ‘Bhring Tupkari’ in credits…but for me wen i see that name in Mahabharat’s credits my heart fills with pride…bcoz he is my grand father who left abode 14years back…may his soul Rest In Peace
I just read this book. Its a good book on Draupadi’s thoughts but a few things still could have been explored
1) Did Draupadi not have a mother(no mention of her in book) as she was a boon from God?
2) Draupadi and her brother’s relation is beautifully described initially but later on it loses track. We have no clue what his thoughts are on many grave matters related to draupadi’s situatin after marriage
3) No relationship description of draupadi with her 5 kids rather 7 kids if you take abhimanyu and gatodktacha. We understand they stayed with Krishna and her brother’s palace always but did they not miss their mother
4) What are kunti’s thoughts about draupadi being humiliated in court? Kunti was possessive about her 5 sons and disliked draupadi but how did she treat subhadra and hidimba?
5) After the war after a few weeks suddenly gandhari becomes very close to pandu’s daughter in laws and kunti. Was that real or was she acting?
6) What did Arjun feel about killing his brother Karna illegally in war? Only Yudishtra’s point of view is given
7) Karna loved draupadi although he thought an younger brother’s wife is like a daughter. Still why did he not stop her disgrace in the court by dushasan and instead supported him? Just because draupadi disgraced him during swayamwar asking his father’s name did he keep quiet at her disgrace? Or was it because he disliked pandavas
8) What is Arjun’s view about his wife marrying his other 4 brothers? He was sad and upset initially but i would prefer to know his thoughts may be him speaking to draupadi his thoughts. There is hardly any exploring of relationship of draupadi with each husband except bheem who is smitten by draupadi and seems to help her the most whether cooking, house work or carrying her when she is tired walking in forest
9) What is relationship between each brother? Who was more close to whom? Who interacted more with whom? Nakul and Sahadev seem to be close while Arjun is withdrawn from everyone except Krishna. It could have been explored more
10) Finally what are kunti’s thoughts on destroying Karan’s life by abondoning him at birth
thank you 🙂
haha
The book is fiction!
As far as the mahabharat goes, karn & draupadi’s had no relation whtso ever & honestly, stating a relation between them is highly disgusting. Karna was happily married to vrushali, he loved her a lot & draupadi loved Arjun the most. This is what the mahabharat states. Also draupadi dint have a bad relationship with Kunti.