The Mahabharata Re-imagined

by Trisha Das

Do you ask that my body, worshipped by my father's subjects and untouched by any man, now succumb to five men? Draupadi waved her hands wildly as she inched closer to Kunti, her shrill voice resounding off the walls, 'I would rather jump into the river and drown myself. At least I would die a princess, not a prostitute.' Was Princess Draupadi in love even as her marriage to another man was being orchestrated? Did the great statesman Bhishma make a shameful admission as he lay dying on the battlefield of Kurukshetra? Did Queen Gandhari cause the death of her husband Dhritarashtra and sister-in-law Kunti? It's possible.

Genres: Fiction

115 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2009

About the author

Trisha Das is the author of the very popular romcom Never Meant To Stay, Ms Draupadi Kuru: After the Pandavas and its sequel The Misters Kuru: A Return to Mahabharata, which feature characters from the Mahabharata dropping down from heaven into modern day Delhi, Kama’s Last Sutra, a historical time-travel romance, The Mahabharata Re-imagined, The Art of the Television Interview and the internationally acclaimed How to write a Documentary Script. Ms Draupadi Kuru was nominated for the MAMI Book to Screen award.

Trisha has written columns and short stories for Magical Women, a feminist fantasy anthology, and publications like Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Grazia India, Hindustan Times and Scroll. She also sits on the jury for the Orange Flower Festival.

In her film-making career, Trisha has directed over 40 documentaries. She's won an Indian National Film Award and was the University of Georgia’s International Artist of the year as well as a visiting artist at University of Michigan, New York University, INSEAD and Emory College. Her films have been widely screened at international film festivals, telecast on the Discovery Channel, the Star Network, NDTV and Doordarshan and have helped propel funding for grassroots social change across India.

You can follow Trisha on Instagram @trishadas, Facebook @trishadasauthor, Twitter @thetrishadas or contact her via email at trishadasauthor@gmail.com.

Reviews

[Gorab · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not exactly a reimagination, except the last couple of chapters. But not far off as well, since the descriptions in every scene are quite detailed. Capturing the background noices, birds chirping, facial expressions, dressings and ornaments... that kind of reimagined.

Why I picked this?
It was an impulsive buy because of the title, and further drawn in by the cover.

Recommended for folks who like to suck up anything related to Mahabharata. Mind you, not much analysis or takeaways plot wise.
Also recommended for writers looking for some ideas, on detailed writing techniques.

Overall a decent fast paced read, written in a good langauge.

[Udit Nair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mahabharat has been a subject to multiple adaptations and reimaginations. It is one of those popular epics which is very ingrained in Indian cultural quotient. This book tries to assess the epic through the eyes of the consequential woman characters. There has been some liberty but then these epics indeed are different interpretations by various viewpoints and locus standi. It was a refreshing view point.

[Avanthika · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only the part involving Bhishma and Amba was reimagined. No new perspective in all other chapters. Could've been better.

[Ram M Srinivas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started and skipped this book several years and took the guts to finish it this year. From the moment i started the book i was waiting for the book to be over so that i can make the tick mark. The book contains 8 incidents (kind of single scenes) which are filled for 115 pages. The Reimagined are not the scenes to a ceratin extent and pages were filled explaining the ambience mandatorily including some gold or gems. I personally hated the 7th chapter shaming Bhishma and the 8th chapter dragged a lot. Kudos only for the English where author used this book as a platform just to showoff her English.

[Anil Swarup · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different, yet interesting, take on the events relating to Mahabharat. So much has already been written on and about Mahbharat that it is difficult to cull out anything different. Yet the author succeeds in picking up some episodes from the epic and provides them a different hue.

[Jignesh Ahir · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have given two stars for writing and story telling but content is not fresh enough.

I didn’t understand the whole point of this book

There nothing fresh in this except Bhishma’s few moments weakness which was out of context and does not help the plot..

Gandhari Chapter was completely irrelevant

Author has lot of potential and her writing is very good but as per my opinion she wasted it in this book…

[Tanmay Meher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but good read

Another flair, mostly know but in parts new lights and angles. It can be given a try. Bhisma's chapter was the most interesting.

[Juhi Bansal · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was nothing new in this.

[Anamika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title says Mahabharat Reimagined. But the "reimagination" is not very impressive. As a passionate lover of the epic, I was not very impressed.

[Shantanu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up while on a Flipkart mythology binge fooled by the Re-imagined bit in the title. The book's title redefines the word 'Re-imagined' as 'A dull retelling of stuff that's already known'. The 50-page Mahashweta devi translation that I read before this was way better than this book. Avoid.

[Surya · Rating 4 out of 5]

These reimaginings are all within the probability and therefore that much more interesting. Esp. the one with Bheeshma and Karna.
It's a one sitting read..
Go for it.

[Anil · Rating 1 out of 5]

There was no reimagined part except the story involving bhishma and amba
The prologue given for the book is nowhere near the things written inside
Highly disappointed

[Jyoti Kerkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant , i loved the book, i liked Trisha's version of each episodes in the lives of the great epic , Draupadi , Bhishma , it is plausible, and makes them humans like us without any extraordinary virtues.

Kudos to #Trisha Das , i had gone to buy the book " Ms Draupadi Kuru as was recommended by a friend and happened to see this one .

Anyone interested in the old epic Mahabharat should definitely read.