I don’t know whether Ekta Kapoor is going to do justice to Mahabharata in her version of the greatest epic of all times, but it sure has instigated a deep curiosity in me. I happened to see one episode of Kahani hamare Mahabharat ki. Frankly, it looked like our friends from saas-bahu serials doing role plays in some Roman drama. You feel that suddenly these characters would wake up and get back to their daily groove of rona-dhona. Let us just leave this new serial at this and move on at the real story – the Mahabharata.
I have always been intrigued by the characters of Mahabharata. Although no-doubt B.R.Chopra’s version is the most we understood about this epic, but it really is about interpretation. I never really believed that Bhishma had to lie on the pointed heads of the arrows, so dramatically put up, during his last days. I never really could come to terms with Draupadi having five husbands. I mean, kings having hundreds of queens is casually accepted and expected by now, but a queen having five husbands is unheard of before or after Draupadi. I never could understand why she was led to this, and why she allowed others and herself to go through this.
I have ordered a book called Yajnaseni by Pratibha Ray, which is about Draupadi. Originally written in Oriya, this book throws some light on the persona of this complicated queen in a very complicated relationship.
Yesterday I read an Article on whether Draupadi was actually disrobed in the Dice hall of Hastinapur. I must say, it was disturbing to read, but comforting that the Article concludes that she was not intentionally disrobed but it was the result of being dragged. The most harrowing fact is that despite having endured the blot of being called a woman of five husbands, alas, none of the husbands stood up to her when she needed them.
There are a couple of more books which are worth reading on similar subjects: Yuganta by Irawati Karve and Mahabharata by C. Rajagopalachari.
I have always been intrigued by the characters of Mahabharata. Although no-doubt B.R.Chopra’s version is the most we understood about this epic, but it really is about interpretation. I never really believed that Bhishma had to lie on the pointed heads of the arrows, so dramatically put up, during his last days. I never really could come to terms with Draupadi having five husbands. I mean, kings having hundreds of queens is casually accepted and expected by now, but a queen having five husbands is unheard of before or after Draupadi. I never could understand why she was led to this, and why she allowed others and herself to go through this.
I have ordered a book called Yajnaseni by Pratibha Ray, which is about Draupadi. Originally written in Oriya, this book throws some light on the persona of this complicated queen in a very complicated relationship.
Yesterday I read an Article on whether Draupadi was actually disrobed in the Dice hall of Hastinapur. I must say, it was disturbing to read, but comforting that the Article concludes that she was not intentionally disrobed but it was the result of being dragged. The most harrowing fact is that despite having endured the blot of being called a woman of five husbands, alas, none of the husbands stood up to her when she needed them.
There are a couple of more books which are worth reading on similar subjects: Yuganta by Irawati Karve and Mahabharata by C. Rajagopalachari.
It is said that Rishi Ved Vyasa wrote the Mahabharat. He narrated it and Lord Ganesha is said to have written it. I therefore often wonder whether it was a very well written piece of fiction? Written for us humans to read it and be good. Recognize good from evil and so on… I mean if it all really did happen, those guys would have had to be a race of super humans or were they from another planet maybe?
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