The Palace of Illusions – Draupadi’s Story

What’s Palace of Illusions about?

In the Palace of Illusions, Banerjee takes on Indian epic Mahabharata, and weaves an imaginative novel around it’s most maligned & suffering female character, Draupadi.

A story so powerful that it has transcended thousands of years, the Mahabharata is a timeless epic. Relevant and revered, every Indian is as familiar with its broad construct as the western world is with the Bible. It takes courage to mess around with something this sacred and Chitra Banerjee has done a pretty good job.

She doesn’t change the story nor provides an alternative ending, but instead offers a fresh new perspective. Imagine seeing it through Draupadi’s eyes – the woman who started it all.

For those unfamiliar with the epic, Draupadi was the wife of the five Pandava brothers, the rulers of Hastinapur (believed to be erstwhile Delhi). She joins the central cast of characters in Mahabharata, when Arjun, the dashing Pandava prince, wins her as his bride in a Swayamvara, a modern-day The Bachelorette if you will.

Marrying into a royal family already in exile, and then being asked to bed Arjun’s four brothers is not exactly the marriages most princess dream of. Banerjee’s attempts to tell us hidden stories of behind these events and give voices to the women of Mahabharata.

The Plot

The narrative starts from her birth in King Draupad’s home and moves between flashbacks and present, digging out stories of the past and building out characters. Banerjee’s princess is a young rebel, a tomboy craving for her father, Draupadi’s attention. She is determined to leave a mark on this world. Always in conflict with her elders on her expected role as a princess and a woman, she finds comfort and solace with her confidante and friend Krishna, King of Dwarka.

Draupadi’s tries hard to fight the social structures around her. But from very early on in her life, she has to bow down to higher values like protecting one’s family honor and choosing for the greater good of the kingdom.

It starts with her Swayamvara, where she compromises on her heart’s desire and picks Arjun over Karna. Next, when her mother-in-law, Queen Kunti, asks her to wed all her five sons, she acquiesces. We see her evolution from a young, rebellious girl to a queen of the times.

Banerjee provides interesting glimpses of the dynamics of certain relationships. By forcing Draupadi to wed all her sons, Kunti does not endear herself to her new daughter-in-law. What’s interesting is how Draupadi creates a position for herself in the household and gains importance in the eyes of her husband.

Banerjee also explores the relationship between Draupadi and Arjun, often rumored to be her favorite husband. Arjun fits the bill as the perfect prince charming but their relationship collapses soon after her marriage to his brothers. In the end, Draupadi is left pining for her secret love for Karna, the half-brother of the Pandavas.

It’s interesting to note that there is no real romance between Draupadi and Karna in the actual Mahabharata. In fact, Karna’s identity as the sixth Pandava is revealed very late in the story. Banerjee builds on popular folklore and explores Draupadi’s secret love as a critical plot point in the novel.

Banerjee expertly weaves the original stories from Mahabharata while adding her own spin to events. The name of the novel comes from the architectural marvel that housed the Pandavas when they ruled Hastinapur. The Palace of Illusions was full of optical tricks. When their cousins, the Kauravas came to visit, they found themselves befuddled and lost. Draupadi, in her arrogance, mocked their confusion and set forth the events that led to the great war between the two families.

When I started reading the book, I thought it would give me some insight into one of the most powerful and enigmatic heroines of all time. Which it did. I also thought that maybe she will redeem herself for causing as much trouble as she did. About that, I am not entirely convinced.

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