Reviews

• I am also a woman, I may have been born of fire but am as soft as the pliable mud, I can crack like the fragile clay.•

I love reading mythology stories and about their characters. When it comes to Draupadi, there are so many things that come to my mind. The fearless, courageous, brave princess. But what was her journey?

Ever thought about how she felt when she was asked to marry the 5 brothers, what if she said no? How was her relationship with her brother and her father? How was her relationship with her Sakha? Her Krishna?

Beautifully narrated by @wordsmith_catharsis it’s a journey of Panchaali, Draupadi, yajnaseni. I finished this book in one sitting and trust me it’s a mind-blowing book.

As the story proceeds, the book unfolds the layers of emotions that she goes through. From considering Krishna her Sakha to people talking about her and Krishna’s relationship.

What was their bond? How was their bond? Draupadi’s firm decisions, and her fearless approach everything felt real.

Also Read: One Fine Day by Sameer Bhide – Book Review

From her life in Panchaal to how she felt when she was born, how she wanted to understand the emotions, the unconditional love. With an intriguing writing style, the author weaves an amazing tale of friendship and love, of a fearless princess.

What I enjoyed most is the conversations between Krishna and Draupadi. The way Krishna explained Draupadi, the way he expressed was just wow.

From the story of Damyanti to what love is for Draupadi, chapters like Krishna and Panchaali, Pandavaas, Mahabharata, are amazing.

As the story proceeds, the story of Karna, Arjun’s reaction when they said, Draupadi has to marry all 5 brothers, there are so many things that comes to our mind. Take your own time to process!

The way it ended, the last poem, everything was perfect. It’s a book that I will read and reread!

A beautiful book that you must read if you love reading mythology. An engaging read.

Summary

“My voice sounded strange to me, as my decision would sound strange to the others. “Oh esteemed ones assembled together, I Princess Draupadi with all respect obey not to marry the five illustrious brothers! I agree to marry Prince Arjuna who won my Swayamwara or I will marry no one! There will be a war but Princess Panchaali will have no part in it!” Born as a woman but with no experience of being either a human or a female, the protagonist of the book finds herself in constant struggle, a quest to understand and be understood. The story witnesses the emergence of the naïve Draupadi into a complex world, complex due to her sudden commingling with the new earthly element, a puzzle because of the newness of her matrix, the suddenness of her birth and as she tries to understand the sense of her birth and life she finds a friend, an erudite guide and a sagacious panacea to all her woes and questions, her SAKHA, KRISHNA. As she travels in this new element with her Sakha she tries to adapt herself as a daughter, a princess, a sister, a friend, a lover and a wife but not as a wife to five husbands! She challenges and questions and sees through the deception and denies to her being a common wife to five husbands, five brothers! Why did Draupadi refuse such a glorious, powerful and seemingly propitious marriage with the Pandavas? Wasn’t her birth a fulfillment of a wounded heart for revenge? Was she aware of her purpose in life, if yes why did she take such a bold decision of not marrying the Pandavas? Was she against marrying the five princes as they were brothers, was it her love for Arjuna, were there conspiracies by people unknown to her or was she being guided by a force beyond human understanding? The story traces the journey of Draupadi, a woman so fiercely aware of the sanctity of a woman, her womanhood that she refuses the most powerful, the most loved, the most revered to carve her own niche in society. Draupadi in the story refuses war and embraces peace. 

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