The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

Goodreads Synopsis.

A reimagining of the world-famous Indian epic, the Mahabharat—told from the point of view of an amazing woman.

Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. Narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahabharat, the novel gives us a new interpretation of this ancient tale.

The novel traces princess Panchaali’s life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war involving all the important kings of India. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her strategic duels with her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands’ most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is a fiery female redefining for us a world of warriors, gods, and the ever-manipulating hands of fate.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel Palace of Illusions is an absolute page-turner. She weaves an imaginative tale around Draupadi, the most reviled and unfortunate female character in the Indian epic Mahabharata to bring out an exceptionally written version of the epic saga from Draupadi’s viewpoint.
TL;DR

My thoughts.

We have heard numerous Mahabharata tales throughout our childhood that depicted the brutal rivalry between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Both fighting for the rightful throne of Hastinapur leading to a dreadful war.

However, we have rarely heard in-depth about the characters such as Draupadi as well as many other female members of the saga and their importance in the events. But, they did play a significant role in the events that occurred throughout the saga.

If you want to understand Mahabharata from the perspective of the woman involved directly in the saga, then this book is definitely for you. The narrator of the story is none other than the one who was the harbinger of the war, Draupadi (also called Panchaali).

Draupadi was the wife of the five Pandava brothers, the rulers of Hastinapur, hence the name Panchaali. From a young age, she was required to defer to greater values, such as maintaining family honour and take actions for the well-being of the kingdom. Yet, she was determined to make an impact on the world and does so by fighting hard against the social hierarchies that surrounded her. In this book, we observe her transformation from a young rebellious girl to a courteous dignified queen.

The book’s title is originated from the palace where the Pandavas stayed during their rule over Hastinapur. Their palace was full of optical illusions which mesmerized everyone even the Pandavas and Panchaali herself. And so, when the Kauravas came to visit they too were bewildered and astonished by the illusions of the house. Their confusion amused Draupadi and she poked fun at them for it, setting in action the events that led to the great war between the two families.

Conclusion.

The Palace of Illusions is a beautifully crafted amalgamation of the original saga and the author’s imagination which gives a fascinating version of Mahabharata. With such a unique perspective, this book explains the significance of the women as well as their role in the events occurring in Mahabharata.

Moreover, there’s no actual romance between Draupadi and Karna in the original Mahabharata, which is portrayed in this book. The author takes the traditional story and wields a new plot around their relationship.

Read this book for a new fictional perspective of the author. But to know about the mythological saga of Mahabharata, I recommend reading the original.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

You can buy it here: The Palace of Illusions

Thank you for reading, Ruminative Fam!