Palace of Illusions

I think the most difficult part of writing a novel using a character of Mahabharata as a protagonist is to avoid the temptation of being Vyaasa. Chitra’s novel was supposed to be the story of Mahabharata from the point of view of Draupadi told in first person. The novel started on a very interesting note where for the first time Draupadi is not portrayed as the beloved daughter of her father. Rather she is a confused princess who is not sure what part she will play in this world. She is neglected by every one except Dai Ma and Dri (Dristhadrumya) for 2 reasons:
1. Her reluctance to confine to the male dominant world where woman are not suppose to be anything but daughter, sister, wife or mother.
2. Because of the weird prophecy at the time of her birth.
But fortunately for her, her brother is really compassionate to her existence and extremely supportive.
The novel started at such interesting note that when I left it yesterday evening I almost ached to read more.
It opened an entire new gate for me to look into Mahabharata; especially when Kunti rags her daughter-in-law and makes her sleep at the feet of her sons.
But quite unfortunately the novel didn’t keep up with expectation in last almost 200 pages. It went so away from it’s starting that when it got some novelty close to it’s climax reader already have lost interest.
Since the time of narration of Palace of Illusion, the novel became more and more narrative. Draupadi as we saw her in the first pages suddenly became Vyaasa, the all knowing. Her initial confusions and lack of knowledge disappeared completely. Whenever she needs to know something she got the information either through a dream or through a messenger.
But worst of all; the entire novel became so horribly repetitive that there was no salvation.
Draupadi’s attraction for Karna almost seemed absurd after the dice game. She seemed like this extremely annoying woman who has no purpose in life but to poke her husbands and for what! The men whom she alleges of dishonoring her, she wants to be with one of them.
These are some other things which I missed terribly in the novel.
1. Drapadi was a woman who was hot with passion; you can deprive her of any other characteristic but passion, it’s like depriving Ram of his virtues. But in Palace of Illusion she has no passion. She understands the world as well if not better then Krishana and Vyaasa.
2. There is no depiction of her special bounding or relationship of hers with her husbands. Nakul and Sahadev the most ignored characters of Mahabharata should have gained some space in a novel supposedly written from Draupadi’s point of view.
3. There was no distinction between Kunti’s conflicts and that of Draupadi’s. It almost seemed that both are same woman. Extremely monotonous portrayal of woman.
4. Hello! Was Draupadi’s not supposed to wash her hair with Dushashan’s blood! Unless and until she is shown consciously aware of her forgiveness, this part should not be missed. Or was she too occupied with Karna to remember why her hair were open for these many years!
5. Draupadi’s and Arjun’s relationship’s portrayal is so flat. Not a moment of drama.
I think that was one of the main problems with the entire novel. Were the drama was? I think Mahabharata works so well for Indian psyche for its high paced drama. I have no problem if you telling it from Draupadi’s point of view, but why on earth you missing the drama. Draupadi could be accused of anything but a boring life for God’s sake! In short a real disappointment. The novel was so boring that I had to drag myself to read last 200 or something pages.