Mahabharatee
Five women who held court before the war
by Shruti Hajirnis Gupte
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.Could the discussion between the five women change the course of Mahabharata?Mahabharatee : a story of five women who held the could before war."It makes a deeply engaging and interesting read, beyond doubt." — Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
