Reading Notes: Tiny Tales for Mahabharata Part B

Draupadi carrying beverages Keechaka's court. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Draupadi is the central female character in the Mahabharata. I think her marrying five husbands is really brave but also tragic. It seems that she only lives for her husbands - a current pattern for women in the Indian epics. 

While doing some research on Draupadi, I learned an interesting fact. There is a ritual at the end of December at Reunion Island until the beginning of January, where believers walked into the fire. Firewalking consists of the believer crossing three times without getting burned, a pit filled with burning coals. Its goal is to obtain spiritual or material benefits for the walker or his family. It is done mainly in honor of the goddess Draupadi. It's interesting to see that I can learn about my culture here, in the US!

Something that I imagined writing about Draupadi is a therapy session with her struggles being married to five husbands. I think it will be funny! Make up five personalities for the husbands - with some real fact from the Mahabharata - will also be fun and amusing! For example, give each husband one main virtue but also one main flaw. 

I think through those therapy sessions, Draupadi could wholeheartedly express herself and be heard without anyone influencing her. Additionally, the sessions will be led by Parvati, someone that I think fits the role of a therapist. She is empathic and goddess of love, marriage, etc. 

Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Mahabharata by Laura Gibbs