Manu Sharma's Mahabharata centric autobiographies of various characters have always been my favorites. His 7-Part Krishna story is what I am gathering courage to read, since awhile. Draupadi's story is the shortest book in the series, as it was intended to be a textbook for schools.
The beauty of this book is the neutrality with which he starts to look at Yagnaseni, and very soon you realize how heavily her character has been laced with envy, passion and revenge in popular myth. But in Manu's story, Draupadi is the one who upholds "Dharma" at every moment and in every crisis. In fact she is the one who upholds Dharma even more than Yudhishtir. Yes it is not the conventional good at all cost Dharma, but a more real, more rational, more doable and practical Dharma. We all know Panchali is one of the most complex characters in Mahabharata and this version is another beautiful rendition in Hindi of this beautiful character.
Rating : 4 / 5
For more takes on Draupadi, do take a look at : Palace of Illusions, Yudhishtir & Draupadi and Yajnaseni.
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