My, my, my...what has this book done to me? What is it that it makes me feel since the past 3 days that I've started this book? So full, so eager, so curious, so consumed, so spirited, so agitated, so loved, so pining for love, so, so so much and finally so empty as soon as I finished my read.
Chitra Banerjee is such a story-teller, and above all the theme of The Palace of Illusions is one of my all-time favourites and amongst this true to life humongous epic, the character of Draupadi is my absolute favourite.
Krishna's response on Panchaali's asking about Sikhandi and her belief in her past life, "He believes it to be so. Isn't that what truth is? The force of a person's believing seeps into those around him - into the very earth and air and water - until there's nothing else."..."...we all have past lives, highly evolved beings remember them, while lesser souls forget..."
I'm sure Draupadi's, or you may call her Panchaali's story isn't the one that one wouldn't have come across, known, or read. She is the main female protagonist of the Maha Epic of Mahabharata written by the best story-teller Ved Vyasji. However, if those who haven't read about or known Draupadi; then The Palace of Illusions is for you. But if you have read about her, known her; then it is all the more for you.
Chitra Banerjee has stupendously projected this great lady by entering into her shoes, or do I say by entering her soul. In this altogether male dominating ancient society, a lady with such intellect, such audacity, such daring, such determination and grit and such fearless heroism is worth hailing. It is the congratulatory style of writing practiced by Chitra Banerjee that brings about the elegant portrayal of Draupadi. Her challenges in the outer world, her inner wars, her secret love for those ancient eyes and her love for her five husbands, her yearning for the fulfilment of the single-most purpose of her life and her shattering spirit during the heinous act of disrobement in a court full of all men, her love for her children and her jealousy for the other wives of her husbands, her dillydallying as a young girl and her pragmatic advices to her husbands on political matters...all of this is penned in such an outstanding technique that whether you like it or not you start identifying with Krishnaa (as was she called by her friend Krishna), if not entirely then at least with random scattered events of her life.
As, the story is quite well known, I would keep from mentioning it here, but one episode that needs a mention is of the Mahaprasthan and the conversation that she has with Krishna; that part is written with a pure transcendental touch and I would bow my head to Chitra Banerjee for that ethereal piece of text!
To all my great readers, if you haven't yet read this piece of literature, hurry...
Happy Reading until we meet again:)))
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