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DRAUPADI is one of the most well known characters in Indian Mythology. Many writers have interpreted her life. In fact her simply complex life, right from her birth, Swamyvar, Divisions for sharing by 5 Pandavs, Cheer Haran in the Kaurav Mahasabha and her revenge with Dushasana blood are something most Hindus’ and Indians know about. Add to that her love and affection for Krishna, her rules and her vows, her own episodes and administrative skills and you have before you a life that will remain interesting for more authors to interpret.
DRAUPADI by Mahendra Mittal (Hindi), DRAUPADI by Kajal Oza Vaidhya (Gujarati), DRAUPADI by Y L Prasad (Telgu), DRAUPADI KI ATMAKATHA ( autobiography of Draupadi) by Manu Sharma and YUDHISTER AND DRAUPADI by Pavan Verma – which remained within the boundaries of Mahabharata. IT also has inspired books like DRAUPADI IN HIGH HEELS by Anita Kotwal. Seems like there is still enough to interpret and speak about her life, so here I have the English Translation of the Original Oriya YAJNASENI (the story of DRAUPADI) by star writer Pratibha Ray.
Draupadi is a role model in more ways than one. She is learned and she is homily. She controls the house and she manages her whimsical husbands who are of different nature. Women have been at cross roads and crossfire of evolving social and culture chaos that has a default mode of repressing them, In that context the life of Draupadi, though the Panchal Princess and a Queen has been full of incidents where she been left to fend for herself.
If there is polarity in her being misunderstood, nothing represent it better than the fact that on one side she is one of the Panch Kanya – or the most virtuous woman- including Ahalya, Tara, Mandodari and Satyavati on the other side her name is often used to refer to a woman of easy virtue. She is powerful and strong to demand her revenge. She is one who is included in discussions. She is the favourite to Krishna and yet their love is platonic. She is the pivot around whom the whole wheel of Mahabharata unveils. Choices define future and that was more or less what happened in the life of Draupadi. How come the wife of five Pandava has no help while Dushashan tries to disrobe her?
This book YAJNASENI by PRATIBHA RAY brings alive the epic Mahanharat and the build up to it from her point of view. Her feelings. Her problems. Her dependence ad her rebellious nature. Her discipline and her mot taking anything for granted. Pratibha seems totally aligned to presenting the best face forward for Draupadi. Her actions are completely justified and that is natural from her point of view. But there is a dissonance between her soft attitude and her hard liner revenge seeking. Though at one stage, she does decide to show her weakness and even love and respect for Karna.
It is story of a woman who in her mind could not adapt to the existing norms. Though she lived in the same contextual world and abided by the expectation others had of her, she kept on questioning the right and wrong of what was happening to her. It seems she was too early for her time. But this rebellious frame only exists within her self.
There is a session where Draupadi advice Krishna’s wife on how to manage and make the husband happy. Oh my, I would request all to just leave that space. It is silly interpretation. A snippet ‘I do not mention any woman as more fortunate than myself. I do not feel it necessary to display my innumerable desires before my husbands. I do not spend time in private with another man. I avoid women who are of a cunning nature. In front of my husbands I try to appear fresh, beautiful, ever youthful.’ But it was the social expectation at that time.
It is the author’s world of Mahabharat, so finding few things that do not go well with your understanding and you image of the epic is bound to happen. There are jumps, which I would believe is more because of translation than anything else. Just cushion yourself for that and go ahead to enjoy a well written and book. The Bharatiya Jnanpith’s ninth Moortidevi Award (1993) winner. And you will enjoy the book if you do have a base understanding and knowledge of Mahabharata, as a stand alone book- maybe to one ignorant of the epic- it may not make absolute sense as it is a log drawn debate of injustice to Draupadi
Also in these lines are some other interesting books, KARNA’s WIFE – the outcast queen and SITA’s SISTER by Kavita Kane, MAHASAMAR series by Narendra Kohli , THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni , THE FOREST OF STORIES and DEVYANI, SHARMISTA AND YAYATI by Ashok Bankar, JAYA by Devdutt Pattanaik, THE QUEENS OF MAHABHARAT by Kavita Sharma, and MRUTYUANJAYA by Shivaji Sawant
YAJNASENI – The story of Draupadi by Pratibha Ray. A translation by Pradip Bhattacharya. (Buy at 300 here and 270 here eBook version available at just 49 )402 Pages. MRP RS 395. RUPA
