Week 10 Storytelling: Panchali's Trials

Note: This scene is of Panchali, in disguise, while she is attending to Queen Sadesha's hair.  This is the day after Kichaka's funeral, where Panchali was supposed to perish, but was saved by her husband Bhima.  She is under the alias Sairandhri.

"My goodness, have I not gone through enough?!" Panchali confided in the Queen as she was preparing her hair. 

"Oh darling Sairandhri, you sound distressed tell me everything," replied the Queen.  Queen Sadesha was clearly intoxicated and high off the sweet perfumes in her palace, so Panchali was assured she could confide in the Queen without worrying about blowing her cover.  

"First, my hand was won in marriage by a strong gandharava, but I was not allowed to marry just him.  He had four other brothers whom he was very close with, and the five had shared everything throughout their whole lives.  Because of this, this gandharava didn't know how to possess anything on his own. In my father's eyes, and by common law, I was rightfully his so I had to agree to marry all five of the brothers.  The eldest is very wise, and had come up with a scheme where I would spend a whole year with one brother, and would rotate to another's home when time had ended."

The Queen interjected, "Five husbands?!"  "My dear that must have been some feat having to juggle and pleasing so many different men," Sadesha continued.  

"It was odd at first my Queen, but I learned to love each brother for their special qualities," replied Panchali.  "This was only the beginning of my torment for only after a few years of marriage, the eldest and wisest of my husbands' had gambled everything he owned, his brothers, and finally himself. Although, technically, I am one with my husband and would have been included in his possessions, I was not going to allow my dignity to be gambled away.  I protested to my husbands' opponent that I was not an object to be owned, but this fool grabbed me by my hair and drug me to the assembly floor."

"HE DID WHAT?!" the Queen exclaimed.  

"Oh my Queen, it gets better than this.  I explained that I was in the middle of my menses, but this man was already on a role with his atrocities.  He denounced my husbands and made them undress themselves of their fine clothing.   As he tried to do the same with me, I reminded him of my monthly and told him how vile he was.  This statement was ignored and he was already reaching for my sari.  I threw my hands up in the air and asked the gods to help keep my dignity.  Every time this man tried to remove one of my sari's, a new one had taken it's place until he grew tired of trying to remove my clothing.  There was literally a pile high enough to dress all the women in your court." 

"You don't say," said the Queen, "You have gone through so much." 

"Thats not even it, we were exiled soon after that.  Overtime I ended up in your kingdom and was appointed head hairdresser in your court. My husbands had taken a vow to become invisible during our exile and always watch over me with a protective eye.  Even with this in mind, you vile brother still had an eye out for me."

"Hey!"

"Sorry, too soon? Don't expect me to be sorrowful for Kichaka's death considering he violated me and all."  

"You're right, but remember that I let you remain in my kingdom only because you promised your husbands wouldn't cause anymore troubles."  

"Yes my Queen, I am well aware of this, but on with my rantings.  A while after I had arrived, your brother had an eye out for me, and like I previously said, he violated me.  Prior to this event I graciously asked your husband, the great King, to dismiss his brother-in-law, but was hurriedly dismissed myself.  I was so infuriated, can a girl not catch a break?  Anyway, shortly after this was when Kichaka acted and the same night my husbands took care of him.  I thought this would end my streak of bad luck with men, but I was blamed for Kichaka's demise and was ordered to be burned in his funeral pyre!  I was deeply hurt my Queen, how is a woman supposed to defend herself around here? She isn't, and when her husbands step in to take care of her honor she is then blamed for another man's violations?  It just doesn't make sense."

(Draupadi in Virata's palace. Source: Wikipedia)

"Yes, my dear I am very sorry for all of that," the Queen stated in a very drunken state, "I was sad and upset. I wasn't in a mood to otherwise defend you against my husband. If it wasn't for our new cook's delicious food and drink, there was no swaying the King's decisions once his mind is made up. You should thank the cook for he is the one who was able to save you from that horrible fate."  

Panchali was very grateful for the cook, who was Bhima (one of her husbands) in disguise, and she knew in her heart that he was the one who had ultimately saved her.  

"My Queen, thank you for your council and listening to all of my grievances,"  Panchali said after thinking for a bit. She poured the Queen another glass of fine wine and slipped in a sleeping potion that would make her forget the conversation they previously had.  Even though Panchali knew that the Queen was terribly drunk, she didn't want to take any chances on her remembering anything about the conversation they just had. Especially when her exile would end in a matter of two weeks time.  Once the Queen was asleep, Panchali slipped from the palace and went to visit with Bhima to thank him for coming to her rescue the day before.  

Author's Note:
When I originally read the epic, where it mentioned Kichaka "assaulting" Panchali I didn't automatically assume he had raped her.  When this was confirmed, a thought came to mind on how much this woman had to endure so far and what was to come in the future. After looking over the storytelling prompts, I noticed one regarding to Bhima saving his wife at the funeral pyre.  This along with my previous thoughts inspired me to create a story about Panchali's frustrations.  I wanted to have a story where she felt comfortable venting to someone, and since she was a hairdresser I thought what a perfect scenario. If you're wondering why I chose to use Panchali instead of Draupadi in my story, it's just easier for me to spell and read so I decided to go ahead and use it.  

I chose the image I used in order to try and convey how defeated Panchali must feel when she learns that she is to be burned at the funeral pyre. 

Bibliography:

Narayan, R. K. (1978). The Mahabharata.