A lot has been written about the protagonists of the great epics. We have lived these stories through the eyes of hero and the vanquished. Ram, Krishna, Sita, Ravana and Draupadi,each with their own journeys.
So much has been said that now amongst all these writings, one stands to question what one believes in and what is one's own perspective?
However, there are certain existences none of us seem and chose to question.
The story that Laxman’s wife, Urmila chose to sleep for 14 years while her husband was on exile doesn’t seem plausible. Did the story of Eklavya have nothing more to offer after he sacrificed his thumb and hence the tellers of this story decided his part was over? This makes me question, how much of a story do we really know?
Draupadi is one such interesting character.
From a tragic heroine who was humiliated in the court of Hastinapur, to an aggressive, revenge seeking character that was a reason for the war of Kurukshetra, we know her through many lenses. In some tales she is biased towards Arjuna, in some she in love with Karna while in some her heart has always been for Krishna. Authors have been successful in portraying Draupadi in full light.
Yet; no one seems to question the incredulousness that Draupadi was born out of fire as a full grown woman, blossoming in her youth, a ravishing treat to the eyes, ready to cause destruction and written for vengeance and revenge.
Convenient isn’t it?
Why should the story of young Draupadi be told if it is irrelevant to the happenings of Mahabharata. Did the authors choose to dismiss young Draupadi because she had no role to play?
Draupadi has become Draupadi from the various lives around her that give her a character, what would it be to look at Draupadi as an individual rather than a consequence of what happened to her.
“How much of a story do we really know?”
This project oscillates between fiction and mythology.
It explores the journey and tells the tale of young Draupadi by
reinterpreting the great Indian texts.
A story not known, a prelude, a missing piece of
a significant character of the Mahabharata.
It aims to explore the narrative of young Draupadi by taking a
few leaps of fiction to trace and create stories that justifies
what lead to the kind of person we know her to be/never knew.
Book Cover. 7"9 inches.
A FEW ILLUSTRATED PAGES FROM THE BOOK
A 130 pg book filled with more 30 pages of vivid illustrations.
The images below are not in any order or sequence; just a random selection.
MAKING OF THE BOOK
Draupadi Character Explorations
Exploring Composition and Framing
Storyboarding and Dummy Books
Draupadi Skin Colour Exploration
THANKYOU
The aim of this project was to explore rich, alternative and newer ways of telling stories from the epics – to question the ‘single story’ and how we create and engage with fiction and the visual image. Panchaali’s Portrait explores the narrative of young Draupadi, a missing piece to a very significant character in the story of Mahabharata.
‘Panchaali’s Portrait’. Original text, design and illustration by Antara Bhargava.
Copyright © Antara Bhargava 2017
All Rights Reserved.
The entire book is not available on display. To know more feel free to email me at antarabhargava@gmail.com
