tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post7713968203902891361..comments2024-03-27T13:58:06.458+05:30Comments on Suvro Chatterjee bemused: Draupadi... and Krishna!Suvro Chatterjeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027202980259279420noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-37882657614615225002014-02-23T04:09:31.675+05:302014-02-23T04:09:31.675+05:30Dear Sir,
Rereading the blog made me feel very ha...Dear Sir,<br /><br />Rereading the blog made me feel very happy: happy that I have read the book and that I own a copy which I can read again and lend to others who might be interested. The lines you quoted and the last scene you mentioned towards the end of the post do really highlight the relationship between Draupadi and Krishna. <br /><br />The author wrote the story so well and made sure she covered a lot of the important scenes from the great epic that Draupadi wasn't witness to. I hadn't known that Bheem loved her so dearly and that there was anything between Karna and Draupadi. You'd told us once in class that Karna and Bheeshma are the only characters in the Mahabharatha for whom you feel sorry for they were subject to injustices throughout their lives. What I came to know about Karna from the book has surely put Mrityunjay on my list. The version of Maharbharatha by Bhyrappa is called Parva. It's been translated from Kannada to many Indian languages and English. Though I haven't read it yet, I would highly recommend it. I have asked Ankan to bring me a copy from India (couldn't find it here anywhere).<br /><br />I'd like to thank both you and Pupu for writing about the book.<br /><br />Sincerely<br />Nishant.Nishanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04476670168055492486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-17266461897288903292013-09-17T18:37:23.151+05:302013-09-17T18:37:23.151+05:30Dear Sir,
The Palace Of Illusions which retells th...Dear Sir,<br />The Palace Of Illusions which retells the Mahabharat from Panchaali's point of view is indeed a splendid book because it made me realize that it is very diffcult to draw a line between good and bad or right and wrong and that there are no clear cut villains in this world and most of the time it is due to some unfavorable circumstances or because of their own weaknesses people are coerced to commit grave follies. Initially I simply despised Yudhistir for being so blind to others' feelings and emotions, for always giving the first priority to his duties and conducts but then we must also pause to consider that Yudhistir led a very lonely life and as Panchaali said that righteousness was his nature and therefore h couldn't help it. Similarly it is true that Kunti abandoned Karna when he was an infant which was certainly a cruel act but then it is also undeniable that she suffered and endured a lot and sacrificed her personal aspirations for the sake of greater good.And throughout the story it was for Karna who despite being endowed with extraordinary abilities was denied every opportunity that my heart really reached out and I completely agree with you that no Greek hero can match even remotely up to Karna. And I have mixed feelings for Draupadi who was born in a man's world to change history and hence had to lead an intense life right from her birth- she was despised by most people in the palace because she was devoid of the so called feminine interests and womanly virtues,denied every opportunity because she was a victim of the patriarchal society and had a desire to go beyond the known boundaries and explore the world, desired yet rebuked by men throughout her life and what not. However her realization at the end of her journey to heaven proved the transience of the earthly things and also reiterated the truth that only God is eternal and that we have to return to him ultimately.<br />Finally this book also made me realize that so little has changed since the time of the Mahabharat and also took me to a fascinating world of romance and adventure where many things could actually take place under the influence of a strange boon or curse. Thak you for this post Sir.I will definitely go through Pupu's post and read the books mentioned here as soon as possible.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01481121112487783073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-28987586274288822272013-09-09T23:03:42.302+05:302013-09-09T23:03:42.302+05:30Dear Sir,
Thanks for this blogpost. As usual, i...Dear Sir,<br /><br /> Thanks for this blogpost. As usual, it gave me lots to think about, and in my current condition, that's almost vital to keep functioning.<br /><br /> I agree entirely that Divakaruni's book is one of the best re-tellings of the Mahabharata (though, between this and 'Cuckold', which I am glad you mentioned here, I would rate Nagarkar's novel higher, both in terms of the quality of the prose and the art of storytelling). As for Krishna, well, I am afraid my knowledge of Him is meagre (at least compared to yours); I know very little beyond the basics. So, I would restrict myself, in this comment, to only a few observations.<br /><br />- I realized, as I was recalling the life of Krishna, that it has startling similarities with that of Moses. The following blogpost does a good job of pointing them out, so I shall simply post the link to it rather than say it all myself. <br /><br />http://sualehabhatti.blogspot.in/2011/10/moses-krishna-different-religions.html<br /><br />What do you think accounts for this? What could be the reasons behind such strong similarities between two prophets from religions that, apparently, don't have much in common?<br /><br />- If you write a part two of this post--which I am hoping you would--could you please speak a little on the friendship between Krishna and Arjun? I think they comprise one of the most dynamic duos in world mythology, and I would be interested in what you have to say about this sublime saga of male bonding.<br /><br />- What do you think of the destruction of the 'Yaduvansh', Krishna's clan, owing to Gandhari's curse? If Krishna waged the battle of Kurukshetra to establish the victory of the good over evil--and that the Kauravas represent evil is not in doubt--then why should He pay for it so dearly? Or does the fate of the Yaduvansh convey the message that no matter what the reason might be behind a bloodshed, He who perpetrates it must suffer the consequences?<br /><br />- Most Hindu gods have 'vahanas' that are creatures of this earth. Krishna/Vishnu is the only one, as far as I remember, who has a mythical beast (Garuda) as his vahana. Is there any particular reason behind this?<br /><br />I hope I have been able to keep my observations and questions relevant to this blogpost. Thanks again for writing this.<br /><br />With regards,<br />Abhirup Mascharak.Abhiruphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036710365229814106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-36376594443949383392013-09-06T11:52:42.237+05:302013-09-06T11:52:42.237+05:30Respected Sir,
Warm regards. This blog post is so...Respected Sir,<br /><br />Warm regards. This blog post is so beautiful and soothing! Lord Krishna is truly the most enigmatic character in world mythology/history. I could just say this- He represented the man for all seasons. He brought together the composure of a true monk, the venerable wisdom of a sage, the mirth and glee we all felt as children- and maybe all his life was an attempt to live by his heart, in an authentic fashion. I honestly believe only an Indian epic could have such amazing depth of character, and such beauty of stories! I thank both you and Urbi for your wonderful posts. She has such amazing thought and caliber- I can only feel amazed and pray to God that she keeps on thinking and writing.<br /><br />With best wishes,<br />Debarshi.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08298381630660578135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-81421720462136029962013-09-05T14:22:00.824+05:302013-09-05T14:22:00.824+05:30Beautiful post, I must say. I will definitely read...Beautiful post, I must say. I will definitely read this book, but that is not the only thing I am taking away with myself from this post. This is just too beautiful. I loved it. I read the Mahabharata in College and did a seminar on it. My seminar was on the characters of Yudhishthira and Krishna. I also did Meera and Antal when I was doing my Masters, and I loved every bit of their poetry dediacted to the human Gopal and the god Krishna. By all standards, this is a beautiful post on the daunting Yajnaseni and Krishna--a breath of fresh air in life.Dipanwita Shomehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306003446550535611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-32802358948090332382013-09-04T12:53:31.606+05:302013-09-04T12:53:31.606+05:30Dear Sir,
I shall quickly go to Pupu's blogpo...Dear Sir,<br /><br />I shall quickly go to Pupu's blogpost and read her essay on The Palace of Illusions, but first let me vent my elation on finding out how much you have enjoyed Divakaruni's book. I remember having read the book three years back and not finding a soul to share the tumult of emotions I felt after reading! It wasn't a new feeling, of course; it has often so happened that I have finished a brilliant book and felt like a fish out of water unable to make people understand what roller-coaster ride I have been on.<br /><br />Your post brought back memories of the beautiful prose and the craftily structured narrative. The three people (I had typed characters in the place of people at first but I feel the term 'character' does not do justice) who stood out the brightest for me, were, of course Paanchali, Karna and Krishna. I agree wholeheartedly that Karna's tragic stature transcends that of any Greek hero. Krishna, on the other hand, is ever fascinating and attributed with greater intrigue than I thought possible. It was lovely reading your assessment of the book and great to be back reading your blog (I am doing it sneakily from the library and I am remorseless).<br /><br />Love and best wishes,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-59522520215035579082013-09-04T04:07:17.186+05:302013-09-04T04:07:17.186+05:30Dear Pupu and Suvroda
I have requested a copy of ...Dear Pupu and Suvroda<br /><br />I have requested a copy of the book in our local library. Surprisingly, they have quite a few copies. <br /><br />I have always been fascinated by Mahabharata and as Pupu, you have correctly pointed out; our epics (including Ramayana) tell us that life is not really “black and white”. None of the characters have consistently taken the morally correct actions and perhaps that is why these are regarded as epics. Despite telling us about characters that are one in a billion, the epics border around reality as much as they can.<br /><br />I have always been fascinated by Krishna’s character and have struggled to fathom what exactly his motivations were. On one hand, his actions are godly, one who wishes for greater good, but then to achieve that goal, he takes means which are not necessarily associated with gods. Then again, it is us who expect “morally righteous” decisions from our “gods”. Our mythologies describe none of the gods as perfect. Actions by gods are not known to please everyone. Just like in life. <br /><br />To me Krishna was a supremely powerful being, who appealed to one and sundry. The Pandavas and Karuavas treated him as an adviser but I don’t think till the time he decided to side with the Pandavas, even the Pandavas completely trusted him. <br /><br />Draupadi on the other hand, looked up to Krishna.<br /><br />I shall try and read the book and come back with more comments.<br /><br />Pupu, your post was brilliant. <br /><br />Kind regards<br />TanmoyTanmoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10472125805572571597noreply@blogger.com