Karna is one of the most beloved characters of the Mahabharata; the eldest Pandava who craved for legitimacy and respect, the only man who could defeat Arjuna, the good man who pledged unfaltering loy
Karna is one of the most beloved characters of the Mahabharata; the eldest Pandava who craved for legitimacy and respect, the only man who could defeat Arjuna, the good man who pledged unfaltering loyalty to the evil Duryodhana. Though he is a central character of the Mahabharata, Karna remains an enigmatic character. Who is this man born with the kavatch and the kunduns Where does he come from Was he born of celestial gods as it appears, or was he the son of a charioteer In all the renditions of the Mahabharata that I have read even less is revealed of Karna’s personal life. We know that he shares a love-hate relationship with Draupadi, who shunned him at her swayamvara, and so kick-started his quest for dignity and respect, but beyond this, we don’t know much else. Kavita Kane’s first book, Karna’s Wife is deeply interesting because it reveals Karna’s personal life to us. The book is written from the perspective of Karna’s second wife, Uurvi, the Princess of Pukeya; the only daughter of a powerful king, and a favourite of Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. This book traverses the tale of the Mahabharata, beginning from when Uurvi lays eyes on unimaginably handsome Karna at Drapaudi’s swayamvara. Uurvi falls in love with this low-caste prince and decides that she will marry him or remain unwed. Uurvi’s mother, a childhood friend of Kunti, has promised her daughter to Arjun as this will make a powerful alliance for the Pandavas, but Uurvi marries Karna against all their wishes. Though Uurvi marries the man she loves, the marriage is not without trouble. Karna has an older wife, of the same low caste as himself, and also a slew of brothers — all of whom are suspicious of the noble-blooded Uurvi. The novel is set against the background of the Mahabharata; at the centre of the story is Uurvi’s tumultuous and troubled relationship with her husband, who she loves deeply but cannot forgive for what he did to Draupadi. Through Uurvi’s eyes we see a different side of the warrior Karna. He is presented to us as a lonely, unhappy man, who lives his entire life devoid of true happiness, in the quest of rightness and the desire to earn respect and legitimacy. Karna’s Wife is an interesting read, a welcome refresher to any lover of the Mahabharata. We are introduced to a host of little known but important characters, like Bhanumati, Duryodhan’s wife; Karna’s first wife Vrushali; and also his sons, including Vrishkhetu, who at the end of the battle is offered the crown of Hastinapur. The author does not mention what or who her sources are. I suspect that some of it is fictionalised, but I was left wondering how much was a figment of her imagination versus how much was sourced. This novel is not a thriller nor a page-turner like so many of the mythology-based books that have hit the market. Instead it presents the reader with a new lens to view the Mahabharata. The Palace of Illusions is a favourite book of mine, and I expected this to be a similar sort of tale, but even though Uruvi, the Princess of Pukeya, emerges as a likeable character, we see a more factual account of what happened during the Mahabharata. Most readers will find this to be an enjoyable book, especially those who can never get bored of the most spectacularly crafted book ever written — Mahabharata.
Ira Trivedi is the author of What Would You Do To Save the World , The Great Indian Love Story and There is No Love on Wall Street
