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Draupadi
Mahasweta Devi situates her story against the Naxalite movement (1967-71), the Bangladesh Liberation War (1971) of West Bengal and the ancient Hindu epic of Mahabharata, engaging with the complex politics of Bengali identity and Indian nationhood. The tribal uprising against wealthy landlords brought upon the fury of the government which led to Operation Bakuli that sought to kill the so-called tribal rebels.
22 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1981
About the author
Mahasweta Devi
202 books345 followersMahasweta Devi was an Indian social activist and writer. She was born in 1926 in Dhaka, to literary parents in a Hindu Brahmin family. Her father Manish Ghatak was a well-known poet and novelist of the Kallol era, who used the pseudonym Jubanashwa. Mahasweta's mother Dharitri Devi was also a writer and a social worker.
She joined the Rabindranath Tagore-founded Vishvabharati University in Santiniketan and completed a B.A. (Hons) in English, and then finished an M.A. in English at Calcutta University as well. She later married renowned playwright Bijon Bhattacharya who was one of the founding fathers of the IPTA movement. In 1948, she gave birth to Nabarun Bhattacharya, currently one of Bengal's and India's leading novelist whose works are noted for their intellectual vigour and philosophical flavour. She got divorced from Bijon Bhattacharya in 1959.
In 1964, she began teaching at Bijoygarh College (an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta system). During those days, Bijoygarh College was an institution for working class women students. During that period she also worked as a journalist and as a creative writer. Recently, she is more famous for her work related to the study of the Lodhas and Shabars, the tribal communities of West Bengal, women and dalits. She is also an activist who is dedicated to the struggles of tribal people in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In her elaborate Bengali fiction, she often depicts the brutal oppression of tribal peoples and the untouchables by potent, authoritarian upper-caste landlords, lenders, and venal government officials.
Major awards:
1979: Sahitya Akademi Award (Bengali): – Aranyer Adhikar (novel)
1986: Padma Shri[2]
1996: Jnanpith Award - the highest literary award from the Bharatiya Jnanpith
1997: Ramon Magsaysay Award - Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts
1999: Honoris causa - Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
2006: Padma Vibhushan - the second highest civilian award from the Government of India
2010:Yashwantrao Chavan National Award
2011: Bangabibhushan - the highest civilian award from the Government of West Bengal
2012: Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Sahityabramha - the first Lifetime Achievement award in Bengali Literature from 4thScreen-IFJW.
মহাশ্বেতা দেবী একটি মধ্যবিত্ত বাঙালি পরিবারে জন্মগ্রহণ করেছিলেন । তাঁর পিতা মনীশ ঘটক ছিলেন কল্লোল যুগের প্রখ্যাত সাহিত্যিক এবং তাঁর কাকা ছিলেন বিখ্যাত চিত্রপরিচালক ঋত্বিক ঘটক। মা ধরিত্রী দেবীও ছিলেন সাহিত্যিক ও সমাজসেবী। মহাশ্বেতা দেবী বিখ্যাত নাট্যকার বিজন ভট্টাচার্যের সঙ্গে বিবাহবন্ধনে আবদ্ধ হন। তাঁদের একমাত্র পুত্র, প্রয়াত নবারুণ ভট্টাচার্য স্মরণীয় কবিতার পঙ্ক্তি ‘এ মৃত্যু উপত্যকা আমার দেশ নয়’ এবং হারবার্ট উপন্যাস লিখে বাংলা সাহিত্যে স্থায়ী স্বাক্ষর রেখে গেছেন।
তাঁর শৈশব ও কৈশোরে স্কুলের পড়াশোনা ঢাকায়। দেশভাগের পর চলে আসেন কলকাতায়। এরপর শান্তিনিকেতনের বিশ্বভারতী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে ইংরেজিতে অনার্স এবং কলকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে স্নাতকোত্তর ডিগ্রি নেন।
১৯৬৪ খ্রীষ্টাব্দে তিনি বিজয়গড় কলেজে শিক্ষকতা শুরু করেন । এই সময়েই তিনি একজন সাংবাদিক এবং লেখিকা হিসাবে কাজ করেন। পরবর্তীকালে তিনি বিখ্যাত হন মূলত পশ্চিমবাংলার উপজাতি এবং নারীদের ওপর তাঁর কাজের জন্য । তিনি বিভিন্ন লেখার মাধ্যমে বিভিন্ন উপজাতি এবং মেয়েদের উপর শোষণ এবং বঞ্চনার কথা তুলে ধরেছেন। সাম্প্রতিক কালে মহাশ্বেতা দেবী পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকারের শিল্পনীতির বিরুদ্ধে সরব হয়েছেন । সরকার কর্তৃক বিপুল পরিমাণে কৃষিজমি অধিগ্রহণ এবং স্বল্পমূল্যে তা শিল্পপতিদের কাছে বিতরণের নীতির তিনি কড়া সমালোচক । এছাড়া তিনি শান্তিনিকেতনে প্রোমোটারি ব্যবসার বিরুদ্ধেও প্রতিবাদ করেছেন ।
তাঁর লেখা শতাধিক বইয়ের মধ্যে হাজার চুরাশির মা অন্যতম। তাঁকে পদ্মবিভূষণ (ভারত সরকারের দ্বিতীয় সর্বোচ্চ নাগরিক পুরস্কার,২০০৬), রামন ম্যাগসেসে পুরস্কার (১৯৯৭), জ্ঞানপীঠ পুরস্কার (সাহিত্য একাডেমির সর্বোচ্চ সাহিত্য সম্মান), সার্ক সাহিত্য পুরস্কার (২০০৭) প্রভৃতি পদকে ভূষিত করা হয়।
২০১৬ সালের ২৮ জুলাই, বৃহস্পতিবার বেলা ৩টা ১৬ মিনিটে চিকিৎসাধীন অবস্থায় তিনি শেষনিশ্বাস ত্যাগ করেন।
जन्म : 1926, ढाका।
She joined the Rabindranath Tagore-founded Vishvabharati University in Santiniketan and completed a B.A. (Hons) in English, and then finished an M.A. in English at Calcutta University as well. She later married renowned playwright Bijon Bhattacharya who was one of the founding fathers of the IPTA movement. In 1948, she gave birth to Nabarun Bhattacharya, currently one of Bengal's and India's leading novelist whose works are noted for their intellectual vigour and philosophical flavour. She got divorced from Bijon Bhattacharya in 1959.
In 1964, she began teaching at Bijoygarh College (an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta system). During those days, Bijoygarh College was an institution for working class women students. During that period she also worked as a journalist and as a creative writer. Recently, she is more famous for her work related to the study of the Lodhas and Shabars, the tribal communities of West Bengal, women and dalits. She is also an activist who is dedicated to the struggles of tribal people in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In her elaborate Bengali fiction, she often depicts the brutal oppression of tribal peoples and the untouchables by potent, authoritarian upper-caste landlords, lenders, and venal government officials.
Major awards:
1979: Sahitya Akademi Award (Bengali): – Aranyer Adhikar (novel)
1986: Padma Shri[2]
1996: Jnanpith Award - the highest literary award from the Bharatiya Jnanpith
1997: Ramon Magsaysay Award - Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts
1999: Honoris causa - Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
2006: Padma Vibhushan - the second highest civilian award from the Government of India
2010:Yashwantrao Chavan National Award
2011: Bangabibhushan - the highest civilian award from the Government of West Bengal
2012: Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Sahityabramha - the first Lifetime Achievement award in Bengali Literature from 4thScreen-IFJW.
মহাশ্বেতা দেবী একটি মধ্যবিত্ত বাঙালি পরিবারে জন্মগ্রহণ করেছিলেন । তাঁর পিতা মনীশ ঘটক ছিলেন কল্লোল যুগের প্রখ্যাত সাহিত্যিক এবং তাঁর কাকা ছিলেন বিখ্যাত চিত্রপরিচালক ঋত্বিক ঘটক। মা ধরিত্রী দেবীও ছিলেন সাহিত্যিক ও সমাজসেবী। মহাশ্বেতা দেবী বিখ্যাত নাট্যকার বিজন ভট্টাচার্যের সঙ্গে বিবাহবন্ধনে আবদ্ধ হন। তাঁদের একমাত্র পুত্র, প্রয়াত নবারুণ ভট্টাচার্য স্মরণীয় কবিতার পঙ্ক্তি ‘এ মৃত্যু উপত্যকা আমার দেশ নয়’ এবং হারবার্ট উপন্যাস লিখে বাংলা সাহিত্যে স্থায়ী স্বাক্ষর রেখে গেছেন।
তাঁর শৈশব ও কৈশোরে স্কুলের পড়াশোনা ঢাকায়। দেশভাগের পর চলে আসেন কলকাতায়। এরপর শান্তিনিকেতনের বিশ্বভারতী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে ইংরেজিতে অনার্স এবং কলকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে স্নাতকোত্তর ডিগ্রি নেন।
১৯৬৪ খ্রীষ্টাব্দে তিনি বিজয়গড় কলেজে শিক্ষকতা শুরু করেন । এই সময়েই তিনি একজন সাংবাদিক এবং লেখিকা হিসাবে কাজ করেন। পরবর্তীকালে তিনি বিখ্যাত হন মূলত পশ্চিমবাংলার উপজাতি এবং নারীদের ওপর তাঁর কাজের জন্য । তিনি বিভিন্ন লেখার মাধ্যমে বিভিন্ন উপজাতি এবং মেয়েদের উপর শোষণ এবং বঞ্চনার কথা তুলে ধরেছেন। সাম্প্রতিক কালে মহাশ্বেতা দেবী পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকারের শিল্পনীতির বিরুদ্ধে সরব হয়েছেন । সরকার কর্তৃক বিপুল পরিমাণে কৃষিজমি অধিগ্রহণ এবং স্বল্পমূল্যে তা শিল্পপতিদের কাছে বিতরণের নীতির তিনি কড়া সমালোচক । এছাড়া তিনি শান্তিনিকেতনে প্রোমোটারি ব্যবসার বিরুদ্ধেও প্রতিবাদ করেছেন ।
তাঁর লেখা শতাধিক বইয়ের মধ্যে হাজার চুরাশির মা অন্যতম। তাঁকে পদ্মবিভূষণ (ভারত সরকারের দ্বিতীয় সর্বোচ্চ নাগরিক পুরস্কার,২০০৬), রামন ম্যাগসেসে পুরস্কার (১৯৯৭), জ্ঞানপীঠ পুরস্কার (সাহিত্য একাডেমির সর্বোচ্চ সাহিত্য সম্মান), সার্ক সাহিত্য পুরস্কার (২০০৭) প্রভৃতি পদকে ভূষিত করা হয়।
২০১৬ সালের ২৮ জুলাই, বৃহস্পতিবার বেলা ৩টা ১৬ মিনিটে চিকিৎসাধীন অবস্থায় তিনি শেষনিশ্বাস ত্যাগ করেন।
जन्म : 1926, ढाका।
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 12, 2020
Definitely worth reading the translator's foreword which gives a fantastic, concise overview of the history, gender politics, and onomastics in the short story.
September 27, 2017
Krishna doesn't show up.
You fucking jackal of a cop, deadly afraid of death, you can't run around in a forest. I'd run you out of breath, throw you in a ditch, and finish you off.
She is her own Krishna.
I have tried to type a review that would aptly describe what the writings of Mahashweta Devi make me feel and I have failed. One has to read it to know.
You fucking jackal of a cop, deadly afraid of death, you can't run around in a forest. I'd run you out of breath, throw you in a ditch, and finish you off.
She is her own Krishna.
I have tried to type a review that would aptly describe what the writings of Mahashweta Devi make me feel and I have failed. One has to read it to know.
August 18, 2024
„What's the use of clothes? You can strip me, but how can you clothe me again? Are you a man?“
danke an caro, für dieses extrem spannende retelling von draupadi! Auch danke an Caro für die Info über die Draupadi im original Epos, um das ganze halbwegs einzuordnen. Es ist trotzdem noch so viel geschichtliches, politisches über meinen Kopf gezogen. Hier ist extrem viel drin, was das Vorwort von Spivak mich hat erahnen lassen.
Mein feministischer Blick ist ein westlicher Blick, und mein westlicher Blick in die Übersetzung verliert umso mehr der Sprachvielfalt, dementsprechend war das Vorwort auch extrem helpful!
danke an caro, für dieses extrem spannende retelling von draupadi! Auch danke an Caro für die Info über die Draupadi im original Epos, um das ganze halbwegs einzuordnen. Es ist trotzdem noch so viel geschichtliches, politisches über meinen Kopf gezogen. Hier ist extrem viel drin, was das Vorwort von Spivak mich hat erahnen lassen.
Mein feministischer Blick ist ein westlicher Blick, und mein westlicher Blick in die Übersetzung verliert umso mehr der Sprachvielfalt, dementsprechend war das Vorwort auch extrem helpful!
February 12, 2018
Draupadi/Dopdi - two women separated by more than a thousand years, angry and determined, refusing to bow down and enact the accepted role of a woman bowed down at the feet of her patriarchal oppressors.
This is a powerful story and it will stay with me for a long long time.
This is a powerful story and it will stay with me for a long long time.
August 28, 2021
This was a bookstagram recommendation. It is a short story with hardly 22 pages and 30 minutes of read.
I really don't have words to express but the story has left an impact which is gonna last ages.
I really don't have words to express but the story has left an impact which is gonna last ages.
July 22, 2016
Words fall short. They really do fall short, when describing this text. In a sentence: this is the kind of reading that should a) come with a trigger warning and b) will leave you aghast and agape and in total awe and c) will etch itself, permanently, in your brain.
September 25, 2021
I picked this up after getting the news that this story has been dropped from the syllabus in Delhi University. I could understand the reason behind the step i.e. this story glorifies Naxals which is a menace to Government and brings to light exploitation of the tribals at the hands of army men.
The foreword by Gayatri Spivak sets the stage with her fiery tongue. But Gayatri's rhetoric relies on Aryan Invasion Theory which has been falsified today. I found the writing style of Gayatri bit difficult but I came to appreciate her after reading the more difficult-to-read Mahashweta's story. It was almost ramblings of the mind. Maybe only my copy didn't have inverted commas for dialogue. Only in the last couple of pages all of it came together to make sense which was disturbing yet mind-blowing.
This story quite effectively portrays the naxals as not enemies but humans and unveils their side of struggle.
The foreword by Gayatri Spivak sets the stage with her fiery tongue. But Gayatri's rhetoric relies on Aryan Invasion Theory which has been falsified today. I found the writing style of Gayatri bit difficult but I came to appreciate her after reading the more difficult-to-read Mahashweta's story. It was almost ramblings of the mind. Maybe only my copy didn't have inverted commas for dialogue. Only in the last couple of pages all of it came together to make sense which was disturbing yet mind-blowing.
This story quite effectively portrays the naxals as not enemies but humans and unveils their side of struggle.
August 22, 2024
“There isn’t a man here that I should be ashamed. I will not let you put my cloth on me. What more can you do?”
Im Vergleich zu dem Draupadi retelling von Pratibha Ray wirklich um Welten besser, vor allen Dingen auch weil es intersektionaler ist und nicht nur weiße Hindi Frauen der höheren Kasten zentriert. Ich bin sicher, dass ich nicht alles verstanden habe, auf das angespielt wurde, weil ich weder im Thema noch in der Kultur so tief drin bin, aber die letzte Szene ist so allgemein eindrücklich, dass sie jeder versteht.
Im Vergleich zu dem Draupadi retelling von Pratibha Ray wirklich um Welten besser, vor allen Dingen auch weil es intersektionaler ist und nicht nur weiße Hindi Frauen der höheren Kasten zentriert. Ich bin sicher, dass ich nicht alles verstanden habe, auf das angespielt wurde, weil ich weder im Thema noch in der Kultur so tief drin bin, aber die letzte Szene ist so allgemein eindrücklich, dass sie jeder versteht.
January 7, 2023
Premise: Will give you chills. Without revealing too much. It's not about what you think from the title. Naxalbari movement, Adivasis, rapes, femme fatale. But it will leave a slight shockwave on your brain. That's for sure!
About the book: The title got into headlines sometime ago for being removed from the syllabus of Delhi University. No big surprise, BJP government is ushering us towards a no free media, no free speech world. Couldn't have missed on a lefty book.
Writing Style: Love the writing style of Mahasweta Devi. Not a lot of people know that, but she was nominated for the international booker prize in 2009. I think her genius has not been celebrated enough because of her being a Bengali writer. Maybe she's famous in Bengal,
Mahasweta Devi: What I do know is that she's highly acclaimed in Academia. She wrote more than 100 novels. And was a leading force for the empowerment of Adivasis and the leftist movement. President Shankar Dayal Sharma commuted two death sentences after Devi led a petition campaign.
Extra remarks: Reminds me of this documentary that I had seen a long, long time ago. It shows the real life depiction of the group of people the story is about. What they go through everyday.
https://youtu.be/OvUVzvt_jtg
Must Read. Must Watch!
About the book: The title got into headlines sometime ago for being removed from the syllabus of Delhi University. No big surprise, BJP government is ushering us towards a no free media, no free speech world. Couldn't have missed on a lefty book.
Writing Style: Love the writing style of Mahasweta Devi. Not a lot of people know that, but she was nominated for the international booker prize in 2009. I think her genius has not been celebrated enough because of her being a Bengali writer. Maybe she's famous in Bengal,
Mahasweta Devi: What I do know is that she's highly acclaimed in Academia. She wrote more than 100 novels. And was a leading force for the empowerment of Adivasis and the leftist movement. President Shankar Dayal Sharma commuted two death sentences after Devi led a petition campaign.
Extra remarks: Reminds me of this documentary that I had seen a long, long time ago. It shows the real life depiction of the group of people the story is about. What they go through everyday.
https://youtu.be/OvUVzvt_jtg
Must Read. Must Watch!
November 13, 2024
4.5 ★
in a patriarchal society where women are constantly oppressed and othered based on their caste and color, they must become their own krishna to protect themselves and avenge the sins committed against them.
mahasweta devi is a genius! the way she showed dopdi refusing to succumb to the status of being a victim after getting violated, and instead using it as a weapon to terrorize her abusers, is so damn powerful!!
in a patriarchal society where women are constantly oppressed and othered based on their caste and color, they must become their own krishna to protect themselves and avenge the sins committed against them.
you fucking jackal of a cop, deadly afraid of death, you can't run around in the forest. i'd run you out of the breath, throw you in a ditch, and finish you off.
mahasweta devi is a genius! the way she showed dopdi refusing to succumb to the status of being a victim after getting violated, and instead using it as a weapon to terrorize her abusers, is so damn powerful!!
how can you clothe me? are you a man? there isn't a man that i should be ashamed.
July 12, 2020
"You can strip me, but how can you clothe me again? Are you a man?"
Draupadi opens her eyes after "a billion moons" and finds herself in the form of Dopdi, a tribal woman, as a proof of male authoritative society once again.
But this time Krishna never shows up.
Dopdi becomes the woman that Draupadi couldn't be; she becomes her own Krishna with divine power!
"There isn't a man here that I should be ashamed. I will not let you put my cloth on me. What more can you do?"
It's such an overwhelming and powerful story and indeed a must read.
Draupadi opens her eyes after "a billion moons" and finds herself in the form of Dopdi, a tribal woman, as a proof of male authoritative society once again.
But this time Krishna never shows up.
Dopdi becomes the woman that Draupadi couldn't be; she becomes her own Krishna with divine power!
"There isn't a man here that I should be ashamed. I will not let you put my cloth on me. What more can you do?"
It's such an overwhelming and powerful story and indeed a must read.
August 29, 2016
have to re-read, because of the translator's preface by spivak. otherwise, a brilliant story!
January 15, 2018
A short story about a fugitive naxal woman, is both enriching and exciting. The way it ties in with Draupadi, the wife of the five pandavas is even more enticing.
March 30, 2021
“How to change your life and perspective forever in 1 hour and 22 pages”
August 24, 2025
Incredibly terrifying, informative, historical, and multilayered with mythology and history. The removal of this short story from syllabus across several unis in India is very scary truthfully. Suppressing thought & expression, I fear without the current age dissecting the racial, patriarchal, and political context throughout, we halt critical thinking and discussions….
(I highly recommend read this alongside Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s foreword and academic perspectives (notably refer Cielo G. Festino & Liliam Cristina Marins analysis))
(I highly recommend read this alongside Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s foreword and academic perspectives (notably refer Cielo G. Festino & Liliam Cristina Marins analysis))
January 3, 2023
women are so undeniably strong and brave.
October 11, 2025
3,75*
December 31, 2025
You can strip unarmed targets, but how can you clothe them again?
January 24, 2025
how i wish i could learn every language of my country and read the literature in the original languages.
still, this was beautifully translated and i especially appreciated the foreword.
still, this was beautifully translated and i especially appreciated the foreword.
Read
November 5, 2026read for uni
Read
April 19, 2025This year I have decided to be interested in some individuals and Draupadi is one of them. As this was free with Prime so I said ‘Why not try it?’
Firstly, it isn’t a book to read if I want to know about the epic Mahabharat itself. Many parts which are irrelevant to Draupadi or not witnessed by her have been cut. Sometimes the editing is fine but at times I want to learn about what happened.
It starts from her childhood which I found a bit confusing. Wasn’t she supposed to emerge as an adult from the fire. She was never even supposed to be a child as she had directly descended into adulthood following an offering from Drupada. I also didn’t know anything about her brothers and her natal kingdom. I had previously thought that she had a father and brothers hating her. Drupada’s kidnapping and consequent thirst for vengeance were new to me.
Overall, this book was well-written and her emotions were described pretty accurately. There was politics involved too with other intricacies. Some words were repetitive which annoyed me a bit.
This book has enabled me to understand her character better. She may be the guiding force which I need urgently now at this point in my life. Her struggles, dilemmas, and priorities lead me to a solution which I don’t favour too much now. She is showing me a way different from what I think is right. And I don’t know what to do.
Anyways, isn’t she a true feminist? On the second note I loved her friendship with Krishna. Someone was calling my culture regressive? I am actually planning to call Snehil, Sakha from now on though I know that will be an insult to them. I also hadn’t known how much respect the brothers gave to her.
I don’t even want to comment about her relationships with all brothers because they were… complicated. I will also not read the book named Palace of Illusions because this book has provided me with good enough knowledge. I am planning to read some articles about her now and leave behind fictional accounts.
This book also talked a lot about dharma. Krishna and Draupadi invoked it all the time.
Overall, I have found a new role model (that too a woman- an Indian one!), a beautiful and non-toxic opposite-sex friendship and after some research a sort of good grip on Mahabharat (not the technical details but the aftermath, the participants, some anecdotes) which is enough for now.
Firstly, it isn’t a book to read if I want to know about the epic Mahabharat itself. Many parts which are irrelevant to Draupadi or not witnessed by her have been cut. Sometimes the editing is fine but at times I want to learn about what happened.
It starts from her childhood which I found a bit confusing. Wasn’t she supposed to emerge as an adult from the fire. She was never even supposed to be a child as she had directly descended into adulthood following an offering from Drupada. I also didn’t know anything about her brothers and her natal kingdom. I had previously thought that she had a father and brothers hating her. Drupada’s kidnapping and consequent thirst for vengeance were new to me.
Overall, this book was well-written and her emotions were described pretty accurately. There was politics involved too with other intricacies. Some words were repetitive which annoyed me a bit.
This book has enabled me to understand her character better. She may be the guiding force which I need urgently now at this point in my life. Her struggles, dilemmas, and priorities lead me to a solution which I don’t favour too much now. She is showing me a way different from what I think is right. And I don’t know what to do.
Anyways, isn’t she a true feminist? On the second note I loved her friendship with Krishna. Someone was calling my culture regressive? I am actually planning to call Snehil, Sakha from now on though I know that will be an insult to them. I also hadn’t known how much respect the brothers gave to her.
I don’t even want to comment about her relationships with all brothers because they were… complicated. I will also not read the book named Palace of Illusions because this book has provided me with good enough knowledge. I am planning to read some articles about her now and leave behind fictional accounts.
This book also talked a lot about dharma. Krishna and Draupadi invoked it all the time.
Overall, I have found a new role model (that too a woman- an Indian one!), a beautiful and non-toxic opposite-sex friendship and after some research a sort of good grip on Mahabharat (not the technical details but the aftermath, the participants, some anecdotes) which is enough for now.
April 28, 2025
"Draupadi" by Mahasweta Devi was first published in Bengali in 1978 as a part of her collection "Agnigarbha". An English translation by Gayatri Chakraborty Spivak, appeared in the journal Critical Injury in 1981 & later in her collection "Breast Stories" in 1997.
Draupadi is the narrative of Dopdi Mejhen, who was a tribal lady and a revolutionary who opposed state repression. Her husband is murdered, and she is arrested by the police led by Senanayak. She is atrociously tortured and gang-raped inside the prison. But in an empowering gesture of rebellion, Dopdi refuses to dress up when asked to present herself before Senanayak. Bloodied but unbroken, she stands up to him with her bare body, making humiliation turn into a gesture of resistance and claiming back her dignity.
It is a powerful and unsettling short story that challenges the traditional notions of heroism, victimhood, and resistance. By naming her protagonist after Draupadi from the Mahabharata — another woman subjected to public humiliation — Devi draws a powerful parallel but deliberately avoids offering divine rescue or redemption. Dopdi Mejhen must fight her battles in the brutal reality of rural India, where state violence is rampant and justice is elusive.
Devi’s storytelling is raw and unsparing. She does not romanticize Dopdi’s suffering; instead, she presents it in blunt, unfiltered detail, forcing readers to confront the dehumanization inflicted by systems of power. Dopdi’s final act of defiance — standing naked, refusing to cover herself — reclaims agency over her body and asserts a radical form of resistance that words or weapons can not match.
The power of the story lies in its discomfiting realism and in its presentation of a woman who, physically devastated, is spiritually invincible. Devi demonstrates that resistance lies not in physical strength, but in an indomitable spirit.
Draupadi is a classic work of political and feminist fiction. It is highly relevant today, providing a scathing critique of violence, marginalization, and the resilience of oppressed communities.
Draupadi is the narrative of Dopdi Mejhen, who was a tribal lady and a revolutionary who opposed state repression. Her husband is murdered, and she is arrested by the police led by Senanayak. She is atrociously tortured and gang-raped inside the prison. But in an empowering gesture of rebellion, Dopdi refuses to dress up when asked to present herself before Senanayak. Bloodied but unbroken, she stands up to him with her bare body, making humiliation turn into a gesture of resistance and claiming back her dignity.
It is a powerful and unsettling short story that challenges the traditional notions of heroism, victimhood, and resistance. By naming her protagonist after Draupadi from the Mahabharata — another woman subjected to public humiliation — Devi draws a powerful parallel but deliberately avoids offering divine rescue or redemption. Dopdi Mejhen must fight her battles in the brutal reality of rural India, where state violence is rampant and justice is elusive.
Devi’s storytelling is raw and unsparing. She does not romanticize Dopdi’s suffering; instead, she presents it in blunt, unfiltered detail, forcing readers to confront the dehumanization inflicted by systems of power. Dopdi’s final act of defiance — standing naked, refusing to cover herself — reclaims agency over her body and asserts a radical form of resistance that words or weapons can not match.
The power of the story lies in its discomfiting realism and in its presentation of a woman who, physically devastated, is spiritually invincible. Devi demonstrates that resistance lies not in physical strength, but in an indomitable spirit.
Draupadi is a classic work of political and feminist fiction. It is highly relevant today, providing a scathing critique of violence, marginalization, and the resilience of oppressed communities.
January 28, 2023
Wow. A feminist reconstruction on the story of Draupadi, Mahasweta Devi explores what it meant to be a marginalized and subaltern woman.
I read this short story over, and over again.
Dopdi Mehjen, the main protagonist, is such a powerful woman- even that sounds underwhelming compared to how incredible she is. I was in a constant state of awe as I read about her murdering the landlords and her eventual capture. When she is assaulted by the officers who captured her (which sparked a relevant comparison to the torture of men and women in war) she refuses to feel any shame. Instead, she flips the script and weaponizes her violated body. When she confronts the senior officer- she makes him 'terribly afraid'
"What’s the use of clothes? You can strip me, but how can you clothe me again? Are you a man?"
There are no words to describe how impactful this story was. I will always adore retellings of classic epics, like the Mahabharata, where female characters take agency in their narrative.
I highly recommend this to literally anyone. Ever.
I read this short story over, and over again.
Dopdi Mehjen, the main protagonist, is such a powerful woman- even that sounds underwhelming compared to how incredible she is. I was in a constant state of awe as I read about her murdering the landlords and her eventual capture. When she is assaulted by the officers who captured her (which sparked a relevant comparison to the torture of men and women in war) she refuses to feel any shame. Instead, she flips the script and weaponizes her violated body. When she confronts the senior officer- she makes him 'terribly afraid'
"What’s the use of clothes? You can strip me, but how can you clothe me again? Are you a man?"
There are no words to describe how impactful this story was. I will always adore retellings of classic epics, like the Mahabharata, where female characters take agency in their narrative.
I highly recommend this to literally anyone. Ever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2026
"Draupadi" is a short story by Mahasweta Devi, originally written in Bengali and translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. If the title makes you expect just another retelling of the Mahabharata, you are in for something far more radical.
Set in the 1970s, the story follows Dopdi Mejhen, a Santhal tribal woman and a Naxalite revolutionary. The parallels the author draws between Dopdi and the mythological Draupadi are brilliant. The story shows how the marginalized are treated as territory to be conquered by the State and the privileged, exposing the horrors such machinery can inflict. Even decades later, the story remains relevant. Devi’s writing is unsentimental, and the prose hits like a punch. The translation succeeds in preserving that essence brilliantly. "Draupadi" is not just a piece of literature; it is a confrontation with power, gender inequality, and systemic violence. It is a painful but essential read.
Set in the 1970s, the story follows Dopdi Mejhen, a Santhal tribal woman and a Naxalite revolutionary. The parallels the author draws between Dopdi and the mythological Draupadi are brilliant. The story shows how the marginalized are treated as territory to be conquered by the State and the privileged, exposing the horrors such machinery can inflict. Even decades later, the story remains relevant. Devi’s writing is unsentimental, and the prose hits like a punch. The translation succeeds in preserving that essence brilliantly. "Draupadi" is not just a piece of literature; it is a confrontation with power, gender inequality, and systemic violence. It is a painful but essential read.
February 12, 2025
Draupadi, stripped and defiled, refused humiliation. Rather she laughed at those who defiled her. "What's the use of clothes? You can strip me, but how can you clothe me again? Are you a man?"
I can't help think of the recent story of French-woman Gisèle Pelicot, violated by over 50 men. She also refused to be silent. She bore witness to the horror. "Shame must change sides," she said.
Both women, through their refusal to carry the shame imposed on them, reclaimed their agency. This act of reclaiming their narratives disrupts the established order, unsettling the men who benefit from their silence.
Powerful.
I can't help think of the recent story of French-woman Gisèle Pelicot, violated by over 50 men. She also refused to be silent. She bore witness to the horror. "Shame must change sides," she said.
Both women, through their refusal to carry the shame imposed on them, reclaimed their agency. This act of reclaiming their narratives disrupts the established order, unsettling the men who benefit from their silence.
Powerful.
July 17, 2023
I believe words aren't enough to describe the beauty Draupadi's character beholds as she protects her tribe despite being stripped off physically and mentally all night.
And as the white cloth is pulled off from her body throughout the night, it wraps around Senanayak's (the specialist bent on capturing tribals) neck as he learns to "terribly fear his unarmed target."
Eventually, Mahasweta Devi's Draupadi packs the most powerful statement(s) leaving the other men scared witless as well (note: she was a criminal for them, once).
And as the white cloth is pulled off from her body throughout the night, it wraps around Senanayak's (the specialist bent on capturing tribals) neck as he learns to "terribly fear his unarmed target."
Eventually, Mahasweta Devi's Draupadi packs the most powerful statement(s) leaving the other men scared witless as well (note: she was a criminal for them, once).
October 24, 2019
A very strong story of Draupadi Manji a tribal Naxal outlaw who could not be caught. Once she gets caught the humiliation at the hands of the so called saviours of society, multiple rapes she had to endure, kept clothless and without food.. the end brings her accumulated anguish, pain and defiance to fore..
August 5, 2020
I've never read a more authentic, moving, and inspiring piece of fiction. All in a matter of a few pages. I highly recommend this one to everyone. The translation is brilliant and the Indian essence is intact. This makes me want to read it in Bengali to understand what the author really said.
September 4, 2021
Read the foreword, read the book and then read the foreword again. There was discourse recently about this book being removed from the curriculum in DU. This book juxtaposes the story of Draupadi with rape as a tool for oppression against tribals in India.
September 19, 2022
"Uncomfortable" sensations rose up within me as I read this short story, but if the topic that is written about here were "comfortable" to talk about, it wouldn't be an amazing story about "being one's own Krishna" now would it?
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