Mahabharata

The Mahabharata and the Ramayana can be rather unidimensional in the popular imagination — a triumphalist account of good over evil almost verging on a “happily-ever-after”-style fairytale ending. I have always found the epics’ amenability to interpretation fascinating, even if it means that people use them to jump to all sorts of conclusions. When I was 10, a classmate told me that the key message of both texts is that women are the root of all evil and wars. However, it is to this offering up of multiple meanings that…

The latest Christopher Nolan-directed historical film, `Oppenheimer,` debuted alongside `Barbie` this past Friday. It is based on the life of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who designed the atomic bomb responsible for the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Amidst ethical dilemmas, the film has also found itself in the center of controversy for a scene in which a line from the Bhagavad Gita is spoken during a sex scene between characters. This has prompted a significant outcry from the Hindu…

In The Kailash Temple at Ellora, you mention that your first encounter with the Ellora caves in Aurangabad was thanks to filmmaker-author Satyajit Ray. Tell us more. PREMIUM Author Tilottama Shome (Courtesy Speaking Tiger) I grew up reading Satyajit Ray’s Feluda stories, which revolve around the adventures of this fictional detective who goes after criminals and solves mysteries. My favourite among these stories is Koilashey Kelenkari. It is about smugglers who come in the night and cut off little bits of…

There is an iconic moment in Cervantes’ Don Quixote when the aristocrat Quixote, drunk on the romance of a feudal, medieval past long gone, goes charging at a set of windmills, calling them demons in disguise. His humble, down-to-earth squire Sancho Panza insists that they are not demons but just ordinary windmills. Unconvinced, Quixote launches his attacks, only to fall flat on his face before the wooden structures. This moment is often hailed as that of the birth of the novel in the West – a genre of banal, capitalist…

Kamala Subramaniam’s English translation of Valmiki’s Ramayana came out in 1981, published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. It is an abridged edition of the 24,000 verses that constitute the original but is a hefty 695 pages for all that. We need commitment to read it in today’s world, especially the longer descriptions and dialogues. But reading it can be a rewarding journey into the natural beauty of old India and into the emotional landscape of the heart, including its dark corners. Interestingly, Subramaniam chose to…

Is it possible to find a precise date for what was perhaps the most important battle in our early history, the Kurukshetra war? I believe this is entirely possible using clues from a specific episode of the war.The fourteenth day of the Mahabharata war was a crucial one for both sides. On the evening of the thirteenth day, Arjuna, devastated by the death of his young son, Abhimanyu, had vowed that he would kill Jayadratha – the man he held responsible – by the sunset of the next day. If he could not, he would give up his…

Disney+ Hotstar is bringing three new Indian titles to its streaming platform — Showtime, Mahabharata, and Koffee with Karan Season 8. The announcement was made by the Head of Content at Disney+ Hotstar Gaurav Banerjee on Saturday at the D23 Expo. This event is being held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, United States. These three new shows strengthen the platform's collaboration with Bollywood producer Karan Johar as well as form a new association with Madhu Mantena, Mythoversestudios, and Allu…

No other text has survived the many historical vicissitudes of Indian civilization as the Mahabharata has done. The epic story has overshadowed all other forms of human expression, and remained a product of extraordinary cultural significance. In a nutshell, it is an unending story of five generations culminating in a war fought over 18 days. With dramatic twists and mythical turns in the narrative, the epic has never ceased to excite its audiences and viewers. And yet, it is considered inauspicious to keep the text at…

Illustrious theatre and film director Peter Brook, whose works include Lord of the Flies and a stage adaptation of the Mahabharat, has died at the age of 97. The director, who was British by birth, had been living in France for several years. His death has seen tributes pour in from the world of art, cinema, and even from world leaders. Also read: Mahabharat: When Nitish Bharadwaj, Roopa Ganguly consoled a weeping Arjun on last day of shootIn a statement released on Sunday, Peter Brook's publisher, Nick Hern Books, said…

Editor’s Note: Was Shakuni a villain or victim? In Shakuni: Master of the Game, author Ashutosh Nadkar poses this burning question to the readers. This re-telling of Mahabharata from the perspective of Shakuni delves into how the heir of Gandhara used the Padavas and the Kauravas as pawns in an intricate and clever power play that culminated in an epic battle of 18 days. The following is an excerpt from Ashutosh Nadkar’s book which has been published by Juggernaut. The next day I woke up late in the afternoon.…