LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 21:8 August 2021
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Draupadi’s Secret Love: A Feminist Study of
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Palace of Illusions

V. Gunasundari, Research Scholar and Dr. N. S. Vishnu Priya

Abstract

Retelling the great Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata is carried out over many generations. The contextual study of these great myths interprets distinct ideologies according to the creed of generation after generation. In the lineage of retelling the myths Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni attempts to portray the saga of Mahabharata from Draupadi’s perspective in the genre of novel. The Palace of Illusions titled by Divakaruni which is meant to be her dramatic recreation is the central element for discussion in this article.

Keywords: Divakaruni, The Palace of Illusions, Feminism, culture, history, system.

Introduction

Mahabharata has been retold by many personalities and it has different version which highlights the affiliated theme. Every retelling differs by its narrating style and even by the plot which add aesthetic value to the text. The sub plots of Mahabharata began to receive greater attention and reputation after in Post-Independent India. Some of the famous retelling includes Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of Mahabharata by Devadutt Pattanaik, Ajaya: Roll of the Dice by Anand Neelakantan, The Rise of Hastinapura by Sharath Komarraju, Karna’s Wife: The Outcast Queen by Kavita Kane and Yajnaseni by Pratibha Ray. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an original retelling of Mahabharata from Draupadi’s Perspective. The Palace of Illusions is known for its first person narration of Draupadi’s life from her birth from fire to her death. Divakaruni consistently puts forth women characters as the lead in all of her works and in The Palace of Illusion Draupadi is celebrated as exquisite feminist icon. Divakaruni manifests her characterization of Draupadi as “It is her life, her voice, her questions, and her vision that I invite you into in The Palace of Illusions (The Palace of Illusions, Author’s Note xv).

One of the remarkable differences seen in Divakaruni’s version from the Vyasa’s version is the confession of Draupadi’s love towards Karna. In the novel The Palace of Illusions published in 2008, Draupadi questions the injustices meted out to her instead of silently suffering like a conventional woman. “Divakaruni transforms Panchaali from being an Object to a Subject. This is at once connects the readers to not only a mythological but also a contemporary understanding of feminine identity (Beena G). Nevertheless, casting the celestial characters and incarnations of gods and goddesses in the entire drama, Draupadi is portrayed as a skeptical personality of ancient myths and rituals in The Palace of Illusions. Divakaruni’s Draupadi is robust, rebellious and more realistic in nature and refuses to accept the unfortunate future of getting married to five husbands foretold by the great foreseer Vyasa. One can see the perpetual bitter thought of Draupadi towards her father Drupad’s intial denial when she is born from the fire which he raised and chanted for the sake of his son Dhristadyumna. “In his own harsh and obsessive way, he was generous, maybe even indulgent. But I couldn’t forgive him that initial rejection. Perhaps that was why, as I grew from a girl to a young woman, I didn’t trust him completely (6)”.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

V. Gunasundari
Research Scholar
VIT, Vellore
guna0992@gmail.com

Dr. N. S. Vishnu Priya
Assistant Professor (Senior)
VIT, Vellore
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