BOOK REVIEW : THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni .
Publisher picador
Half History , Half Myth and wholly magical that is how the intro of the book the palace of illusions describes it . As you race from one page to another , taking a pause in between only to reflect , the images that had had remained frozen in your since childhood of the great Indian Epic the Mahabharta come alive before your eyes , you are no outsider you seem to be co travellers in their journey of life in and out of that era with an ease that the two time zones seem to unite , the contemporary and ancient. The mythical tapestry of the great battle between the good and the evil is woven by a woman , Panchhaali or Draupadi a prominent of character of the epic who became one of the provocation for the great battle at Kurukeshtra narrates the story as it unfolds in front of her eyes . The character in the epic Panchaali and the musings of panchaalli the narrator mingle like ice in water , they become one.
It is from the women’s point of view that you see each of the situation of Mahabharta and its characters . The different shades of each of them be it Arjuna , Karan , Bheem or Gandhari , Duroydhana or the enigmatic Krishna come to the fore as they move from one situation to another like the colours of naked mountains change from one hue to another as the rays of the Sun fall on them from east to west .
As the story advances right from the birth of Panchalli and her brother Dhrishtadyumma from Agni ,till her very last journey out of this world Panchaali’s inner most thoughts scripted by the contemporary author highlight both the weaknesses of and strengths of women as well as , how they sometimes become puppets in hands of both men and destiny . What goes in her mind when Kunti declares “all five of you must marry this woman .I quote
I stared at her trying to take in what she had said Was she joking when when she said they must all marry me , No her face made that clear. I wanted to shout , five husbands are you mad? unquote
" I recognized too the thinly veiled insult in Kunti’s words This woman , as if as I was a nameless servant .It angered me and it also hurt"
The hurt and anger the scar left on Panchaali's psyche of the incident of the attempt to disrobe her is brought out powerfully by the author.
“She’s dead . half of her died the day when every one she had loved and counted on to save her sat without protest and watched her being shamed .The other half perished with her beloved home .But never fear . The women who has taken her place will gouge a deeper mark into history than the naïve girl ever imagined”
All through the book the authors words flow like verses of poetry soothing the mind and soul . No wonder the san Fransico Chronicle describes the book as “Magical in lyrical poetic prose.”
At one point it reads …..The land scape changed , the trees grew stunted, under our feet the earth turned yellow … and look at the metaphors and similies for example the ways she describes the garland for the Swamyambra that ultimately led Draupadi being married to five brothers .
“ Coiled on the silver tray like a white snake .”
To end I again go to the introduction of the Book “ Panchaali is a fiery female redefing for us a world of warriors , Gods and the ever manipulating hands of destiny .”
The book is both engrossing and thought provoking , a must read for all women and yes for men too.