Two tiny terriers chase very large bear out of California home. This paper is going to shed light on her non-linear narrative style in her novel The Palace of Illusions. It takes us through her journey from her childhood years to her marriage to the five Pandava brothers to her witnessing the horrifying Kurukshetra War (and losing many of her loved ones) and … Her interpretation of everything around her gives the epic altogether a different shape where one gets to see how she chooses Arjun over Karna despite being more inclined towards the latter. One of the bestsellers in this genre is “The Palace of Illusions” by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. The name of the novel comes from the architectural marvel that housed the Pandavas when they ruled Hastinapur. A novel written by Chitra Divakaruni, The Palace of Illusions is an alternate version of Mahabharat from the perspective of Draupadi. The Palace of Illusions was written by the award winning author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and published in 2008. From a very early age, her central struggle is the strict gender conventions of her community—men are warriors and statesmen while women are beautiful objects who must remain at home and practice the domestic arts. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni retells the great epic from the point of view of Draupadi, who is the central character in Mahabharata. The wife of the Pandavas was a warrior behind the Kurukshetra’s battlefield. What's unusual is the ending, Draupadi 's interpretation of herself, the plot questioning Kunti's intentions behind moving Draupadi into the Polyandry in a subtle nudging manner making us wonder the existence of marital rape in mythology as well as the happily ever after ending in the afterlife with the union of Karna and Draupadi. It was released by Doubleday . Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni in her retelling of the Mahabharata, 'The Palace of Illusions' portrays the story through Draupadi's eyes, making her the central character. Indian epics like the Ramayna and the Mahabharata have influenced the Indian cultural tradition immensely. INDIAN WRITING IN ENGLISH-A LITERARY UPRISING She is the daughter of the king Drupad, also known as Draupadi; wife of five Pandavas, and mistress of the breathtaking and stupendous palace. It was due to the former's lineage and position in social hierarchy whereas both possessed equal capabilities or probably the latter possessed more. ), the resources below will generally offer The Palace of Illusions chapter summaries, quotes, and analysis of themes, characters, and symbols. Honolulu mayor seeks $1M to dismantle Hawaii's infamous ‘Stairway to Heaven’. Banerjee expertly weaves the original stories from Mahabharata while adding her own spin to events. You can read the review by English Literature Education platform. Recent renditions of these stories from a female perspective have lent them a voice. It was a decision she took at spur to protect the pride and life of the person most dear to her-her elder brother Dhri, born from the same fire as her. Critical Analysis and Conclusion: The Palace of Illusions narrates a wonderful, age old epic with a completely new and fresh perspective. View The Palace of Illusions Research Papers on Academia.edu for free. She and her brother, Dhri, are born from fire into the kingdom of King Drupad, their father. Despite her instinctive calling she went for Arjun and had to throw Karna out of her Swayamvar (a function where the princess chooses her husband either by a competition or choice. critical analysis of chitra banerjee's The Palace of Illusions; critical analysis of chitra banerjee's The Palace of Illusions. It attempts to do a thing that has never been done before. Krishna was Draupadi's childhood acquaintance with whom she held a lot of similarities. What's interesting is the way it happens in the plot. The plot takes its conventional structure of the epic. The novel is flawed on many fronts and fails to strike any impact upon the readers’ psyche. Depending on the study guide provider (SparkNotes, Shmoop, etc. They don’t actually kiss, this being against Indian culture, but as an enthusiastic Panchaali puts it, “Karna is no longer the forbidden one. The Palace of Illusions is a narration of Mahabharata by Paanchali, also known as Draupadi. Her works are largely set in India and the United States, and often focus on the experiences of South Asian immigrants. It was built by the demon Maya, who had granted them a […] It is a retelling of the story of Mahabharata from the perspective of one of its main characters – Draupadi. Her brother, Dhri, is born this way as well. Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. I should have known before I started reading that this isn’t technically retelling (as in rewriting the story as how a woman would want it to be) but narrating an existing story (one we’ve all heard a million times over) from a female perspective. ‘Palace of Illusions‘ is a book written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, which provided a scintillating account of the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s perspective. The Palace Of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a phenomenal book. A literary review of the epic fantasy: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni in her retelling of the Mahabharata, 'The Palace of Illusions' portrays the story through Draupadi's eyes, making her the central character. Doubleday $23.95 (360p) ISBN 978-0-385-51599-3. The terms of the marriage, the recurring insults of pandavas by Kauravas, Yuddhistir' s stupidity over the board, her insult, her curse to the clan that actually led to it's very destruction and most importantly losing the palace most dear to her from which the novel gets its name,' The Palace of Illusions '. An introduction to the novel:'The Palace of Illusions', a composition of an Indian origin American author, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a feminist retelling of the Indian epic poetry 'Mahabharata - The Grand War between brothers of royal lineage' as Draupadi's story published in 2008. She is the cause behind the major upheavals of the plot due to her impulsive decisions and rebellious nature. The Palace of Illusions by Kim Addonizio explores the expanding paradoxes and conflicts innate in human experience through a series of short stories. Name : V.Kala College : St. John’s College, Palayamkottai, Place : Tirunelveli. However, it also fails to impress on many counts. Buy this book. It is clear post Swayamvar, Draupadi has accepted her fate and readily accepted Arjun as her husband unaware of his real identity but realising he is certainly of a fancy lineage and not an ordinary Brahmin from his presence, personality and archery feat in her Swayamvar. As the name suggests, the palace of illusions was a magnificent structure that was full of mirages, trick doors, walls, fountains, and illusions. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a retelling of Mahabharata but from the perspective of Draupadi or Panchali. Narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahabharat, the novel gives us a new interpretation of this ancient tale. . In this book, the story is narrated by Panchali's point of view. (Draupadi was born from a holy fire with a prophecy in the novel that she will change the course of history. The word of sharing whatever you have got amongst yourselves not realising what they were referring to. Draupadi, also known as Panchaali derives her name from the name of her father Drupada or as known in the novel 'Drupad', heir of the Panchaal kingdom and subsequently her name Panchaali comes into the picture as the princess of Panchaal. THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS (2008) Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to the time of the Indian epic The Mahabharat—a time that is half-history, half-myth, and wholly magical. Divakaruni's novel The Palace of Illusions, was a national best-seller for over a year in India and is a re-telling of the Indian epic The Mahabharata from Draupadi's perspective. They inhabit a … One is well aware of the concept of Polyandry introduced through Draupadi's marriage with Pandavas as a strict adherence to Kunti (Birth mother of three pandavas and step mother of the rest two)'s word. Analysis Of The Palace Of Illusions By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Analysis of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s approach towards Draupadi in “The Palace of Illusions”, Tennessee Williams ' A Streetcar Named Desire, Alternate Homes And Beyond : Issues And Perspectives, William Shakespeare 's The Play ' Everyman ', The Effect Of Sensitivity Of Sub Surface Fatigue Cracks During Service Stage Of Gears, I Have Taken Endeavors At Balfour Downs Station At The North Western Australia Settlement Of Jigalong, Deplorable Description Of The Mulk Raj Anand 's Untouchable. Coming to her novel, The Palace of Illusions, this is a work inspired by and completely based on Hindu epic authored by Vedvyasa, the great sage in the Dwapar Yuga, the era of Bhagwan Krishna. When met with Kunti's words, and her obstinacy of adherence to it, she rebels realising the consequences of a Polyandry in a highly orthodox and a rigid patriarchal society, in an era where it was even difficult to find a man adhering to monogamy and most importantly she didn't want to marry. Throughout the novel, Draupadi perceives him to be divine and her blind faith on him serves as her guiding force. The first lines prepare the reader for the centrality of space in P?nc?li’s life as it develops into a search for her own palace… While the point of view is different, Divakaruni’s style of writing itself is quite displeasing. Her father and her family at Panchaal comes to her rescue but to no avail. ‘The Palace of Illusions’ by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a fascinating book. The Palace of Illusions was full of optical tricks. The Palace of Illusions , written by award-winning novelist and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a rendition of the Hindu epic Mahabharata as told from Panchaali's (Draupadi’s) point of view , namely, that of a woman living in a patriarchal world. In The Palace of Illusions, Jack and Rose go by the names Karna and Panchaali, and their great big ship is heaven itself. Panchaali is the narrator and protagonist of The Palace of Illusions. In this case, it was via an intricate archery challenge) in the most humiliating manner by questioning the whereabouts of his birth parents as she knew when given a chance he would have won her hand all because of what Krishna - her divine acquaintance guided her. "The Mahabharata in its current form has eighteen sections, of which the first section establishes the content of rivalry between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The Palace of Illusions, a novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, is a perfect recipe for anyone who is an aspiring novelist and wants to make something happen. The stories of these epics revolve around the … The novel is narrated from the point of view of Panchaali, a princess who is born from fire. In the book, the tale is told entirely from Paanchali’s (better known as Draupadi) perspective. A writing in the genre of epic fantasy and mythological fiction giving it a feminist narrative. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Palace of illusions came highly recommended as a must-read book (based on the Mahabharata) for feminists. The cover is blinging and attracting the readers, no doubt, but the content is true to it’s name- The palace of illusions- the author has created illusions of radical story which the readers awaits to come but is no where to be found. Chitra Banerjee’s novel The Palace of Illusions is a fine example for this sort of narration. . Palace Of Illusions Analysis. She is the cause behind the major upheavals of the plot due to her impulsive decisions and rebellious nature. Her interpretation and redefinition of her beauty especially due to resemblance of her skin tone with Krishna is an important aspect of the novel.). Mythologies can be used to look into reality in new contexts and give them new kinds of meanings. The beauty and selflessness as well as service captured in her relationship with Krishna is unique to the novel. The novel is written in first person, giving Panchali’s own thoughts on her own life. When their cousins, the Kauravas came to visit, they found themselves befuddled and lost. The book narrates one of India’s greatest epic from the perspective of the woman, who is believed to have been the … The novel is a rendition of the Hindu epic Mahabharata as told from Draupadi 's (Panchaali's) viewpoint, namely, that of a woman living in a patriarchal world. 2180 Words 9 Pages. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - author of ' The Palace of Illusions '. Among the summaries and analysis available for The Palace of Illusions, there are 3 Short Summaries and 6 Book Reviews. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is based on Indian epic the Mahabharata which was written by sage Ved Vyasa. This, dubbed ‘Panchaali’s Mahabharat’ on the cover, is a critical shift and impacts the retelling kaleidoscopically. Her book The Palace of Illusions has also been included among a list of 12 books of Indian authors you … So, reading The Palace Of Illusions and revisiting the Mahabharata was indeed a wonderful and refreshing experience. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s bestselling novel, The Palace of Illusions, is an interpretation of the events of the Hindu epic Mahabharata through the lens of the woman married to the five Pandava brothers, the greatest heroes of their time – Panchali. Through this mythological fiction composition, Chitra has certainly made us see the epic through an altogether different narrative. I will attempt a review of the same. She was larger than life character. The Palace of Illusions: A Novel is a 2008 novel by award-winning novelist and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s 2008 novel, The Palace of Illusions, is a retelling of the ancient Hindu epic The Mahabharata. The Palace Of Illusion English Literature Essay. There a few very simple steps that a novelist-to-be needs to follow in order to make something like Chitra’s work happen once again: Watch B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharat The Palace of Illusions Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Author. Her quest begins, unknowingly, at a very young age, when she muses on her father’s palace: “Through the long lonely years of my childhood, when my father’s palace seemed to tighten its grip around me until I couldn’t breathe, I would go to my nurse and ask for a story” (Divakaruni, The Palace of Illusions 1).