Sairandhri, depicts both dharma and karma. What the F*$@. Queen of a kingdom who was won over by the most handsome and skilful guy had a destiny of marrying him and his four siblings. A mother who feared her sons would fight among themselves for a woman came up with an absurd idea of getting all her sons married to this one princess. Wow, what an idea to invite the rest of the world to lust for this woman and eye her as if she was everyone’s property. One of her husband gambles and loses his wealth, kingdom, his brothers, himself and even his queen to his cousins. Unlike the other wives of her husbands she didn’t have the privilege to go back to her maternal home or exempted from the twelve years of exile. A queen had to disguise herself as a maid in the thirteenth year of their exile in a kingdom that they didn’t belong to. Draupadi called herself a maid servant, Sairandhri. Sairandhri, my mind bogged down with this character.
Sairandhri stood braiding the hair of Sudeshna. Sairandhri stood there thinking confused whether she brought difficulties for the family or has her family put her through these tough times. Her love for the man who’d won her had faded in her heart, not now, but many years ago when he chose to elope and marry someone else. She had to leave her five children behind and walk with her husbands into a difficult life of exile. Her heart felt heavy thinking about her sons and her eyes were wet as she finished braiding. Sudeshna, noticed the tear in Sairandhri’s eyes. Silence occupied the queen’s room.
#RandomRant: Sairandhri’s mind had thoughts flowing.
What if I’d decided to not marry all the five men? Would I have lived a life of respect? Would I have apologised Karna and gotten married to him? After all I could have still been the daughter-in-law of Kunti.
What if Krishna cut Duryodhana and Dushasana’s hands instead of extending my saree while I was ill-treated in the court of Kauravas? Would the justice have survived? Well, magical powers would have had a meaning.
When the exile was announced, what if I’d decided to go back to my maternal home with my sons, just the way Subhadra took Abhimanyu to Dwaraka? At-least a mother could have been with her growing up children.
Sairandhri, couldn’t avoid memories that were bitter, she had to suppress her rage, save herself from the evil men.
Sairandhri, born a queen; yet, couldn’t escape a servant’s life.
Archana Nagaraja 