Palace of Illusions - A humble review
Finished reading another book, not a big deal being an avid reader. But, this recommended book was a lot different to the ones I had ever read before. And hence ended up writing few paragraphs about it. “Palace of Illusions”, is a wonderful commentary on the life-cycle, events and times of the enigmatic queen “Draupadi” from the annals of the epic Mahabharata. Her birth, upbringing, marriage, travesty of fate, married life, sufferings and demise. It represents the ethos, life and all human emotions that one can plausibly think-off. Articulating parallelly the life & times of the Kuru clan and others in the sub-continent. Author has been able to do justice while giving a voice to Draupadi aka Panchaali.
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This book invokes women rights, morality, rules, biases, human emotions in subtle ways during ancient times while also questioning the vulnerabilities of the key protagonist, Panchaali. Human weaknesses combined with strengths that led to a “18-day war at the pinnacle of justice and mayhem”. Author has coalesced myth, events, realism, laws of attraction with approbation. Not all the time one comes across a book from ancient era where “She” gets more prominence than a “He”. Further, the tendencies to see divine as “male” only in ancient times have been subtly questioned too.
Most of the Indians in sub-continent and globally as well would have some memories of BR Chopra’s epic portrayal of characters in the television serial “Mahabharata” in the 1990’s. What enriches the book is that apart from the main character “Draupadi”; it also brings into being the rigid vows and injustices meted out to some characters as well as their moral indecisiveness in the face of extreme excesses.
Mahabharata: Amar Chitra Katha Hardcover – 2010 by Anant Pai
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A plethora of characters were involved in the epic that have been enunciated in the book. The grand-old scion of the Hastinapur dynasty “Bheeshma Pitamha”; who ended up supporting the wrong side due to his vows for the safety and upkeep of the “Hastinapur” kingdom. Foisted and multi-talented king “Karna”; who could not get his exalted place in the Kingdom because of his birth and upbringing circumstances. A diligent student “Eklavya” living in penury, had to sacrifice his archery skills by “Chopping away his thumb” for a bigger cause as sought by this virtual guru “Dronacharya”.
Queen “Gandhari” sacrifices her life by living as a blind, covering her eyes in respect for her blind husband, the King of Hastinapur, “Dhritrashtra”. Dhritrashtra, a King who becomes helpless in front of his eldest son’, Duryodhana’s idiosyncrasies every time, which leads towards the 18-day war for justice and long-term peace (euphemism though!). The magnificent and charming “Lord Krishna”, who exhorts, extols and acts as a moderator, well-wisher for “Pandu sons” throughout. Soothsayer and saint, “Rishi Vyas”, whose forecasts and utterings come true with time. Not to be forgotten, 5 Pandu sons, their Mother and families along with plethora of kings who participated in the massive war.
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Queen Draupadi gets a more than comfortable upbringing, but her childhood is mired in loneliness too. Where her only trust-worthy companions are her brother, nurse and Lord Krishna. She seemed lost in her world while weaving visions for the future. She is inquisitive, challenges status-quo as well as carries the weight of forecasts that Rishi Vyas foretells her.
Her “Swayamvar contest” and subsequent command by her mother-in-law change the course of history and events. Emotions, utterances, desires, family, new palaces, other wives and queen’ confrontations have been described powerfully. The ignominy she suffers in the Royal court and the way she lives through it; while treading subsequently through war to get some semblance of justice.
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I will highly recommend a reading of the book, to get a better glimpse of Indian civilization, and further explore places like “Hastinapur”, “Kurukshetra” and areas nearby which are associated with Mahabharata. It will help create an understanding and evolution of Indian sub-continent as well as reflect on the separation between “myth” and “reality” of those times. Brushing and calling epics as “complete myths” would not be right without seeing and understanding the context of history in its true colors.
Disclaimer: No words or context in my post have been written even inadvertently to cause grief, contempt or hurt sentiments of any person living or dead.
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