Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930
Myth and Feminine Identity in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’ The Palace of Illusions
Akshaya. J,
M. Phil English,
St. John’s Arts and Science College,
Ammandivilai.
Abstract
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni holds a prominent place in Indian English
Writing. Divakaruni’s novel The Palace of Illusions, the re-telling of Vyasa’s
The Mahabharata has uniqueness of its own. The Palace of Illusions is about
women discrimination, their struggles, identity, male domination, unique
female perspectives and positions of women during the period of The
Mahabharata. Draupadi’s life shows, how women are expected and forced to
accept the concept of tradition and culture without any questions. The views of
Draupadi are totally different from those of ordinary women and the outcomes
are as powerful as she is. Her determination and courage has been explained
all through the novel. It has its own charm to hold on the reader. Whether it is
ancient or the modern period the life of women has not changed, it has had
only challenges to face and act according to the context. This paper deals with
how a woman born as a princess suffered in her life. Draupadi’s life seeks to
break the shackles of stereotypical concept of how women can be women. This
paper attempts to describe myth and modernity clashing with each other to
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give birth to a new face. It offers a new interpretation of the voice of Draupadi
as depicted by the novelist.
Keywords: Myth, Feminine, Religion, Primitive, Tradition.
The study of mythology needs no longer be looked on as an escape from
reality into the fantasies of primitive people, but as a search for the deeper
understanding of the human mind. It explicates the modern world of science
how myth is essential and how it functions in the lives of the people. Chitra
Banerjee Divakaruni explores and creates a new world through her novels
which are based on the platform of myth.
Most myths are instructive, teach human being how to live and act as a
guide to social norms. They are the explanation of facts and events, whether
natural or cultural. Through stories, the mankind can heal and renew their
strength to fight against their problems and lead a peaceful life. Myths give
self - confidence, and they inspire human to attain their goals like supernatural
heroes, who faced many obstacles in their journey.
The reappearance of myth has been presented with a modern perspective
in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Palace of Illusions. Indian history is
inseparable from myth. The narratives of the epic Mahabharata occupy a
major space in Indian popular culture. In the words of B. Black, “Mahabharata
is one of the defining cultural narratives in the construction of masculine and
feminine gender roles in ancient India, and its numerous telling and retellings
have helped shape Indian gender and social norms ever since” (11).
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In the novel, The Palace of Illusions is a magical place built by Maya,
the architect of the Rakshasas on receiving instructions from Maya for
Draupadi and her five husbands soon after their marriage. It plays very
important part in shaping Draupadi’s identity as an individual and provides her
the space to grow. That is the reason why Divakaruni titles her novel, The
Palace of Illusions.
The story begin with Draupadi’s birth from fire and it maturates from
reflecting on the life of Draupadi and ends with her final departure. The
grandmother DhaiMaa used to tell Draupadi the story of her birth. Draupadi
doesn’t like the way her father treats her when she comes out of the fire. Even
King Draupad feels suspicion about the prophecy, that she would change the
course of history. “Behold, we give you this girl, a gift beyond what you asked
for. Take good care of her, for she will change the course of history” (5).
Draupadi, is an offspring of his fire for vengeance against Drona, his
onetime friend-turned-foe. She is born out the sacrificial fire, which he lights
seeking revenge against Drona. He prays for a male progeny who would
achieve this end, and is blessed with a son name Dhristadyumna. Draupadi,
who comes immediately after her brother, is not expected by either the priests
who perform the ceremony of King Draupad. Her birth is accompanied by the
divine prophecy that she was born to change the history.
Draupadi’s first impact was on education, which is not given to her as
her brother was given priority over her. Her tutor told her brother to inform her
that “A Kshatriya woman’s highest purpose in life is to support the warriors in
her life” (26). Her father neglected her education. This shows that nobody
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cared about the education of women and women were required to do, what
men wanted them to do. Education was not given to women as for men
because their duty is to take care of their husbands and to pray that they die
with glory on the battlefield.
The position of women in the Indian society is restricted to the home and
all kinds of adventures like war, hunting, expeditions, and unlimited freedom
are meant only for men. This rigid social structure does not allow her the
opportunity which was given to her bother. The hegemonic patriarchal power
is manifested in the incident of Draupadi’s marriage. She has gained the
privilege of selecting her life partner in Swayamvar. But it became a turning
point in her life.
Arjun, the third Pandava wins the archery contest conducted by Draupad
to marry off his beautiful daughter. His attention in keeping this contest is to
allure Arjun to attend the swayamwara, because he knows that Arjun is the
greatest archer of the time. His wish fulfilled, but it brings him a problem,
when Yudhistra declares that all the five brothers will marry Draupadi,
according to the instructions of his mother Kunti, “All five of you must marry
this woman” (108), which was against the norm.
Polygamy was common among Kshatriya men but polyandry was
unheard of. It makes her astonish. Women were prescribed to be chaste, loyal
and dedicated to a single man in their lives. But here Draupadi for the first
time practiced polyandry. It was actually told by Kunti by mistake, but no one
considers her as a human being, She was shared by five men, as if she were an
object. But still she showed her strength and obedience towards her mother-in-
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law by marrying all five brothers. This shows women are always treated as the
other or secondary being despite of their birth as a mythical being and a
princess.
The same situation took place when she was gambled away by her
husband in Duryodhan’s court. Draupadi has been humiliated by Duryodhan’s
act of tyranny at the court in front of all the elders: “I found myself in court, a
hundred male eyes burning through me. Gathering my disordered saree around
me, I demanded help from my husbands” (191).It always told that the husband
should give his wife protection, shelter, love and care. But here she is a
princess and the wife of the Great Pandava brothers. She has five husbands to
take care of her, but none of the came to rescue her when she was humiliated
by Duryodhan.
In The Palace of Illusions, Draupadi is presented not only a strong
woman but also as a sorrowful person who could not marry Karna, just
because of his birth. Here she is portrayed as the victim of the society. Kunti’s
character is given as the plotting mother-in-law in the novel. Kunti always
think only about her children’s honour, wealth and happiness. But she failed to
understand the sufferings or feelings of her daughters-in-law.
The Palace of Illusions is a revisionist text which retells women’s value
in society and re-examines women’s lives. This revisionist literary text helps
to bring out the modern issues like identity, marginalization and discrimination
of women folk in the patriarchal society. In the original text, they had no
voice, choice or identity of her own but Divakaruni brings out all these and
give a life to these characters.
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The Palace of Illusions highlights the neglected women character in the
Epic. Vyasa’s The Mahabharata shows Draupadi as a character who took birth
to destroy the Kauravas. The Palace of Illusions shows her as a reasonable
person who was not able to stop the destruction of Karuvas. In a review Tariqa
Tandon says that “Divakaruni’s interpretation provides a humanistic touch to
the epic, making it more realistic, more relatable, and more personal” which
gives new insight to the epic. Draupadi is presented as having a very
impressive, brilliant and strong personality and is projected as the primary
cause for the battle of Kurukshetra.
Works Cited
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. The Palace of Illusions. London: Picador, 2008.
Print.
Black, B. “Eavesdropping on the Epic: Listeners in The Mahabharata.” Gender
and Narrative in the Mahabharata. (Eds) S. Brodbeck and B. Black.
London: Routledge, 2007. Print.
Tandon Tariqa. The Palace of Illusions: A Book Review, Alternatives
International Journals, Monday 2 March 2020.
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