Description
About the book :
- Author : Shruti Hajirnis Gupte
Could the discussion between the five women change the course of Mahabharata?
Mahabharatee : a story of five women who held the court before war.
Mahabharatee:
The Sanskrit word ‘bharati’ means an Indian knowledgeable woman. The five women of Mahabharata – Satyavati, Draupadi, Kunti, Gandhari and Rukmini depict the true power of an Indian woman. Thoughts and actions of these women encompass this change of social context and leave us greatly astonished with their modernity.
Satyavati:
A fisher-girl raised as a commoner, enters into the prestigious Kuru dynasty as a queen and becomes a matriarch of the dynasty. Satyavati makes such a powerful impact on the story of Kuru dynasty, that she makes each reader of Mahabharata take a note of her character. Her actions are so effective and forceful that they directed the course of Mahabharata. This journey of Satyavati exhibits the exceptional management capabilities which make her an extraordinary character.
Draupadi:
Draupadi, a fire born girl, is an epitome of womanhood. The identity of Draupadi is not limited to being a daughter of a king or being a wife of heroes. With the remarkable strength of her character, Draupadi can be considered as the female ‘Hero’ of Mahabharata. In fact, her actions are so forceful that she has directed the course of Mahabharata; and therefore has been commonly regarded as ‘a cause’ of the Kurukshetra war. She sets before us an excellent example of an empowered woman who dares to walk on the path of progress trespassing all the existing boundaries and sets a new horizon of womanhood.
Kunti:
The life journey of Kunti is full of accomplishments, with no stone of opportunity and responsibility remaining unturned in the path. She has paved a path of many important events, making her actions the cornerstones of the course of Mahabharata. The vast range of positive attributes of Kunti leave us astonished. It shows that she is a woman made up of an unconventional mold. An unconventionality of thoughts and actions gives Kunti the status of being a sacred woman in Indian mythology.
Gandhari:
Gandhari – a wife of Dhrutarashtra and a mother of Kaurava – is one of the tragic characters of Mahabharata. For years together, she has been looked upon as a mother of villains and has been accused by the society for this role. However, though being on the side of the villains, she differentiates herself with her character. She stands out for her righteousness and purity of character. She resembles a statue of justice with blindfolded eyes that possesses acumen to differentiate between right and wrong and weighs the justice without a conflict of interest.
Rukmini:
Rukmini epitomizes independence and individualism. Her expressions and opinions show that she has a high level of thinking ability, she can judge the situation well and she can express her thoughts in a clear manner in order to make others understand the same. She always has an impressive impact on others. She has a high level of mutual understanding in her relationship with Krishna and she understands his relationship with other women like Radha and Draupadi.
For the last time Draupadi throws a glance at her untied tresses; for the last time she looks into the eyes that have become bright with unshed tears. These eyes have been chasing vengeance like a hunter follows a spoor. She raises her index finger and points it towards her mirror image. She shouts – “I will ensure that a war must happen.”
While the stars are growing dim in the pre-dawn sky, the matriarch of Kuru dynasty – Satyavati — arrives on the battlefield of Kurukshetra to hold a discussion with Kunti, Gandhari, Draupadi and Rukmini. She is determined to bring a peaceful settlement to prevent the war in her dynasty. Draupadi, burning in the fire of revenge for last thirteen years desperately wants this war to happen. While the court is divided in two amongst the women of Kuru dynasty, Rukmini joins the discussion. Along with her, she brings a new perspective.
“It makes a deeply engaging and interesting read, beyond doubt.” — Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
About the author :
A chartered accountant by profession and currently pursuing a career in the corporate world, Shruti Hajirnis Gupte is a writer by passion. She rediscovers female characters of Mahabharata through the lens of a contemporary professional woman.
She also frequently writes blogs on various feminist media platforms. A dancer, lover of literature, and connoisseur of French and Sanskrit, Shruti is a disciple of renowned Bharatnatyam exponent Dr. Sucheta Chapekar.
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