Shakuntala - The Woman Wronged By Utkarsh Patel
Prior reading to this book, I have heard about Shakuntala as some character in Hindu mythology but never knew her story.
As we, all know about Shakuntala’s famous dramatic representation in Kalidasa’s play Abhgyanshakuntalam in which Shakuntala has been presented as gentle distress damsel who was cursed by Sage Durvasa, however, the original characterization of Shakuntala was done by Vyasa in Adiparva of Mahabharata.
Shakuntala was one of the first female characters of Mahabarata who ensured she got justice and did not succumb to the man. She was no less than women like Kunti and Draupadi of Mahabarata but we all know her nothing more than a gentle and lovelorn lady, and was a mother of Bharata and wife of Dushyant.
But after reading this book, I realized today Bharata whom we know as a king is all because of her mother Shakuntala. I have never realized before that Shakuntala was a protagonist woman character of Mahabarata – Adi Parva. It was with her son that started the Bharata dynasty and was the ancestor of Pandavas and Kaurvas. It was she who inculcated such values in her son and set a good example as a mother as a woman as a person, that Bharat instead of choosing from his nine sons, made a commoner as the heir of the throne. Bharata gave an epic example that it is not your royal lineage but your qualities make you the emperor, however, the next generations forgot as we all know about Dhritarshtra and rest is history.
As the Title of the book says Shakuntala – the woman wronged, I would like to mention not only the woman wronged but understated and underrated too.
Utkarsh has described Shakuntala’s tale in a very beautiful way. He has portrayed her emotions very clearly. He had shown Shakuntala not just as a divine beauty but a very strong-minded, opinion-oriented woman. I also liked the extract where Shakuntala explained her logical viewpoint how Varna should be decided by deeds not by birth.
Not only Shakunatala’s but all other characters Menaka, Indra, King Dushyant, Sage Kanva are also portrayed very well by Utkarsh and given equal space and importance without centre staging Shakuntala.
One more thing which I enjoyed about reading this book is that not only I came to know about Shakuntala’s tale but also about other tales too: story behind Sati Ahalya and Indra; Lord Prajapati and Rohini; Galava and King Yayati; story behind Parijat tree.
Last but not least, one of my favorite lines from this book:
‘Time is all-pervasive; it heals all and hides much.’
Rating : 3/5