#b r chopra mahabharata

[theramblergal]

Thoughts on old Mahabharat (B.R. Chopra's I think)?

~ @nakulsword

Ooh yes, here's my thoughts:

The music, it's so soulful! My favourites are Binati Suniye Naath Humari (not a surprise there :P) and Sabsau Unchi Prem Sagai (I had to look it up, but this is genuinely one of my fav Kanha songs not less because of the visuals accompanying it).

Nitish Bhardwaj as Krishna is just *chef's kiss*. He's the softer Kanha, always respectful towards elders and just overall a bit more gentle than SRJ's Krishna. Also the dark skin, my lord I am in love.

I also enjoy how they frame the whole story over Bhishma's life; it ends with his death. And I like that because I really love Mukesh Khanna as Bhishma. He's the perfect one for that powerful warrior: all anger and power when needed, but the perfect devotion when addressing Kanha, and his love for Hastinapura.

I appreciate how they stick to KMG (not everything ofc but more on that later) for some stuff. Particularly, Arjuna and Krishna returning to camp after Abhi's death leaps out. They lifted that straight from the text and I like that.

The costumes were pretty cool too, ngl. (I'm always gonna be a fan of the fact that they made Arjuna wear white, and now it's a permanent association for me.)

Arjuna and Bhishma's bond? AHHHH KILL ME. I love all those scenes T-T

I also actually love that Dhritarashtra dream sequence where Bharata and all his ancestors blame him for stuff. Say it louder for that blind fellow!

Ooh ooh and the Arjuna-Subhadra vivaha too. I love that song sequence with them in bed the first night, Subhadra being all shy and Arjuna reaching out to her.

I also loved Vidura's character! He's so much more prominent in this version and constantly advising Dhritarashtra even though he never listened to him? Ahh the tragedy.

The negatives?

Draupadi. I'm still rather upset at how they treated my queen. The dark skin is fine. She looks pretty. But they butchered her character with all those hated scenes, and just showed her as a proud woman who cared more about herself than anyone. And she doesn't even respect her husbands that much, let alone love them. To date, the only episode I can watch with her in it is the Agyatvasa one, and that's mostly because of Arjuna's presence.

Yudhishthira too. He just looks really confused most of the time, and doesn't give me the Dharmaraja vibes. If I remember correctly.

Honestly, all of the Pandavas were pretty dull iirc. Especially Nakula and Sahadeva, I genuinely can never tell them apart. I enjoyed Arjuna's and Bhima's characters mildly, but the eldest and two youngest Pandavas are so forgettable it's sad.

I don't remember too much about the antagonists. Ig Duryodhana was pretty fine, Karna.. let's not go there, more out of my own disrespect for the character than the portrayal.

I did like the war sequences but it did get repetitive after a while.

Hmm, I think that's all, really.

[bollywoodirect]

MahaBharata Title Track Rehearsal: Seen here are composer Raj Kamal, singer Mahendra Kapoor, producer B.R. Chopra, and others.

[jeevanjali]

Mahabharat: दुर्योधन ने अज्ञातवास में कैसे लगाया पांडवो का पता, जानें पूरी कथाMahabharat: अज्ञातवास का अर्थ है बिना किसी के द्वारा जाने गए किसी अपरिचित स्थान में रहना महाभारत कथा के अनुसार द्यूत में पराजित होने पर पांडवों को भी 12 वर्ष जंगल में तथा तेरहवाँ वर्ष अज्ञातवास में बिताना था

[nature-writes29]

This is such a well written and correct depiction of what had happened according to the text.... My mind was boggled when draupadi was shouting at the elders, throwing her chudamani, etc... It was all... wrong. You want dramatic effect? Fine, but please don't hinder with something as sacred as this... That's the reason I am NOt a big fan of that Mahabharata serial ( and the fact that they whitewashed the character of Karna! I was ready to throw my remote at the tv during the Karna scenes).

But I think that the old, og, B. R. Chopra/da's Mahabharata did justice to the story... It is my comfort serial. Even the Vastraharan scene is good.... It is pretty acurate to what you described... What do you think?

But once again, this thing's very well written :)

"SHE SAVES HERSELF, IT'S HER DHARMA THAT SAVES HER"

I always wanted to say so about Draupadi and the episode of Vastraharan. Before reading BORI CE, I had seen many versions of Vastraharan on TV serials. But after reading the original version, I realized how the serials had either overdone it or underdone it, snatching the actual essence of what the Vastraharan was for.

First of all, there was no instance in Mahabharat which claims Draupadi had insulted Duryodhan/Karn to make them go mad over the fact that they were made fun of by her.

No, there was no such instance.

Duryodhan was very jealous of the wealth and property that the Pandavas had obtained, it's clearly written in the texts how he was literally shivering in jealousy witnessing the glory of Pandavas. He wanted to snatch it all, and hence the plan.

Now comes the actual Vastraharan episode.

I know, many of you guys are extremely angry on Yudhishthir for what he does and the anger is justified enough. I am NOT justifying Yudhishthir or his actions, but actually asking you guys to think, think what would've you done in his place? This man was repeatedly scammed at first thinking that it would be a FRIENDLY MATCH between Duryodhan and himself. And Yudhishthir was a poor player of dice, Krishna himself confirms in the text. Also, Yudhishthir had always said how competing on dice would leave to grave consequences. But it's Duryodhan who persuades him to play. Now, it would really be cowardly for the Samrat to reject a game of dice like that.

Honestly speaking anyone could've said he could've denied it, but he cannot! He cannot because Kings when invited for Dyut had to play, or otherwise they would be tagged as cowards or insults! So at the most what Yudhishthir could do was to try and persuade the Kauravas to drop the idea, which he actually did in the texts, but they didn't give a damn about it.

The game begins, and what Yudhishthir had feared initially happens. He starts losing bouts of wealth, his army, and then the Kingdom he made out of sweat and blood. At this point, the elders, specially Vidur intervenes.

He asks Yudhishthir to stop, but he's at such a position that he cannot. Imagine your entire kingdom is lost, and now you have a bit of hope that you can win it back at the next game, will you actually play or let it go?

Like, don't sugarcoat yourself guys, think about the possibility! It's like you're drowning and playing next is like the branch that would save you, won't your mind flicker? Won't you take a chance to save yourself?

This is what exactly Yudhishthir does, and again he loses his youngest brother Sahadev. Still he hopes he would get everything back, because he had no option. Ofcourse he could've refused playing by now, technically yes. But deep down Yudhishthir knew what calamities can happen if he would try to win everything back by force, so he takes the chance again- and loses Nakul, Bheem and Arjun.

And at last, he loses himself as well.

Now Duryodhan plays the last and crucial move with Shakuni. He asks Draupadi to be staked, and this stuns the Pandavas.

Their KINGDOM is gone, their WEAPONS are gone, and now they're practically the slaves of the Kauravas, and at this time Duryodhan asks Draupadi to be staked. Duryodhan always knew what could break the Pandavas to the core- and that was seeing Draupadi in tatters. So this guy practically renders the Pandavas helpless, and then takes his dig on Draupadi.

And boom! Yudhishthir loses Draupadi too! This is the point where the elders lose their temper, mostly Vidur, and asks Yudhishthir to do something and stop this nonsense, but everything was already done.

Duryodhan sends his own messenger to Draupadi's chamber and tells him to get her.

Now comes the very interesting part.

The ground slips from under Draupadi when she hears the news, but instead of accompanying the messenger, she asks him to question the Sabha that how can Yudhishthir stake her when he already loses himself in the game?

Very valid question by her.

The messenger comes back, and it's clearly written in the texts that he was scared of Draupadi. (Take a note, those who call her "scaredy cat" ). Duryodhan gets angry now, and sends Dushassan behind Draupadi.

Draupadi pleads Dushassan at first, for she was bleeding that time, but when he refuses to listen, she warns him about the consequences. Even that doesn't work, and Dushassan starts dragging a single-garment clad Draupadi to the court. Draupadi is angered, but never scared. Yes, as per the texts she wasn't scared, she was trying her best to SAVE herself from his grip, but Dushassan was obviously proving stronger than her.

Draupadi gets dragged to the court, in a really bad state and is hurled. In the texts, she was said to be hurled like a tree is done by the strong winds, so mucg that she faints for sometime.( My heart starts wrenching while writing.) But Draupadi being Draupadi ( I don't know how this woman had so much self restrain even at this situation), you won't believe this woman actually pleads the court to forgive her them to see her in that state, means she had not washed her hairs since she was in her menses and it wasn't appropriate for someone to appear in a court in such a dishevelled state. Can you imagine the precision of this woman? The mental power, the collectiveness she had?

The story isn't done. Draupadi is taken aback seeing her husbands in that condition. She constantly shoots painful glances at them, and the Pandavas are broken. Bheem yells in anger, warns Dusshasan and Duryodhan but nothing works. Now Draupadi, again stabilizing herself, holding herself questions the Sabha what right Yudhishthir had on her since he himself was lost in the game? How could the Sabha stoop this low to let it happen?

This is when the wretched Karn steps out and says how Draupadi has now been won, she's their slave. He calls her whore and laughs loudly, and orders Dushassan to disrobe her. That man stoops so low, that he asks Draupadi to "serve" the Kauravad sexually, and choose a husband from the Kauravas because her husbands are of no use ( Atp, I wanted to kill him, strangle him).

Vidur intervenes, but even Vikarn too. But Vikarn is again shut up by Karn who calls him a coward and asks him to mind his own business.

Bheeshm is shaken, but he couldn't do anything. He says it was the decision of the Pandavas, and that Draupadi has no choice here. Either she becomes a slave with Yudhishthir, accepting the status of a wife with a husband, or separates herself from the Pandavas. If she choses to separate from the Pandavas, she has no option but to go to the Kaurava's side technically since they won her. So all and all, Draupadi was put in a helpless spot by Dharma ( Bheeshm calls it the subtle nuance of Dharma in text).

That's when Draupadi feels that none of them could resolve the situation and she also knows what was going to follow. This woman finally resorts or rather surrenders to the power of Dharma, which is Krishna ( BORI doesn't mention Krishna explicitly, but calls it the force of Dharma. But for me, Dharma is Krishna.) This woman surrenders her entire self whole heartedly to the supreme Lord. She knows only Dharma is the one that would save her, she knows she HAS DONE NO WRONG, AND THAT DHARMA WAS IN HER SIDE.

At this moment, for anyone the situation is so traumatic that you can end up passing out, but this woman, my God, this woman just KNOWS what is meant for her. Her righteousness shall save her, her purity shall save her. Draupadi knows who she is, Draupadi knows she has done no wrong, Draupadi knows she's innocent, Draupadi knows that it's Dharma who wins at last.

Such was her faith, her stance. If this isn't boldness, then what is? If this isn't her strength then what is? Imagine her situation that moment, she was moments close of getting disrobed and in an inappropriate situation, that moment too she is in her entire consciousness. She knows what would help her.

And that's what happens.

Dushassan tries to disrobe Draupadi, much to the cries of the Pandavas, and that wretched guy feels like he has touched something he shouldn't touch. Yards of cloth extends and covers Draupadi, and yes, Draupadi's righteousness saves herself.

I want to draw your attention how Draupadi was strong till the last end, neither did she BEGGED anyone to save herself, nor did she herself PITY her own condition. Nor she was whimpering or crying, like how people like to show her or something. She BEGGED none, she RELIED on none but her own self. She relied on her strong belief in Krishna, her righteousness and Dharma. At that moment, it was the fight of Draupadi and Dharma against Kauravas.

Righteousness was such that if it didn't save Draupadi, it would've put itself to shame that day.

The story isn't over yet...

Dhritarashtra gets extremely scared now, for he senses the power which Draupadi had. The old King who was enjoying everything, suddenly shudders. He pleads Draupadi to forgive his sons, and asks Draupadi to ask for 3 boons.

Draupadi accedes. She saw her husbands. The helplessness of fate that had rendered them so. And even after so much, she had utter and immense faith in the five of them. She had the belief that the five would rise this time, and shall avenge her. The five of them were enough for it. (And that's why I say why Pandavas and Draupadi were one of the most ideal couples in Mahabharat. There is no concept of Draupadi throwing her chudamani away, or showing pure anger that time. Yes, she was upset and angry, but not so much that she wouldn't understand 5their situation too! She knows what they were going through at that time, it was as traumatic for them as it was for her!)

Draupadi asks Dhritarashtra to free her husbands, that was her first boon. Dhritarashtra agrees immediately. In the next boon, she asks the weapons of Pandavas to be returned. Dhritarashtra agrees to even that, and asks Draupadi to ask for the third boon.

But Draupadi being Draupadi STOPS right there. Yes, she explicitly claims how it is inappropriate for a Kshatrani to be greedy and ask for a third boon, and she has complete faith that her husbands, now free, shall win over and avenge her insult. (ATP, I was literally 🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐 her.)

This woman...this woman, I now realize why Pandavas literally kissed the path she walked upon, for real. This woman knows what she wants, this woman is fearless, this woman is bold, this woman knows exactly what is right and wrong, and this woman SHINES brilliantly, surpassing even the glow of diamonds! This woman is the true example of what true feminism looks like! Believing in herself and her partner without tarnishing the equality of it! She bows to righteousness and chooses the ones who do the same!

She surrenders to Krishna, righteousness and Dharma, in short SHE SAVES HERSELF.

People always pity Draupadi for her Vastraharan, but they don't see how she fights it. They don't understand the power of righteousness at all, but see her as a woman who had no power to fight. Often her surrender to Krishna is looked down upon, like seriously? Surrendering to the Supreme is also a sign of weakness?

Draupadi literally, LITERALLY pulls out the boat which had her and her husbands from drowning from amidst the tempest! She had no weapons, no fighting skills, yet she was able to rescue everyone from the clutches of Duryodhan!

Roughly putting, isn't such a skill more powerful than one having the weapons?

Yet you guys label her as "scaredy cat" and not a Mary Sue, and all?

For me, "shastra ke prayog ke bina hi tumne khudko bacha liya, ye asadharan nahi hai to aur kya?"

In Krishna's words, "Swayam vichar kijiye."

Let others say anything, Draupadi is THE HEROINE of Mahabharat, and in the episode of Vastraharan!

[jukti-torko-golpo]

Congrats on 200, lovely! You deserve every last follower. May I have a 🎇, please? ❤️❤️

Chaanv Moodboard

A Roopa Ganguly Draupadi inspired moodboard for you. I hope you like it😁.

And here's a doodle for you.

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!! ❤️💖❤️💖❤️💖

[justpostsyeet]

So karn is one of the best warrior. He's hyper masculine, strong, quick tempered, social climber, oppressed etc etc. What color costumes should Pankaj Dheer wear?

B. R. CHOPRA - Oh! Shades of pink will do?

Even in war he's like I'm pink

Noticing side characters

Old mahabharat edition part 1

[poonamranius]

Mahabharata : कुरुक्षेत्र युद्ध के बाद कौरवों की पत्नियों का क्या हुआ?

Mahabharata : कुरुक्षेत्र युद्ध के बाद कौरवों की पत्नियों का क्या हुआ?

Mahabharata : महाभारत युद्ध समाप्त होने के बाद Kisari Mohan Ganguli द्वारा लिखित महाभारत के अनुसार पांडव अनुष्ठान संपन्न करने के बाद सिंहासन पर बैठते है. जब युधिष्ठिर को पता चला की विदुर महल छोड़कर जंगल जा रहे है तो उसे रोकने की बहुत कोशिश की गयी । लेकिन विदुर द्वारा समझाने के बाद युधिष्ठिरने उन्हें जंगल में जाने दिया और सभी पांडव उनके साथ जंगल में गए और उनके जीवित रहने के लिए सभी आवश्यक साधन…

[nisthadhawani]

क्यों पितामह भीष्म को लेटना पड़ा बाणों की शैय्या पर , जरूर सुने अनसुने तथ्य | Nistha Dhawani

क्यों पितामह भीष्म को लेटना पड़ा बाणों की शैय्या पर , जरूर सुने अनसुने तथ्य | Nistha Dhawani

[awesometeennews]

Dipika Chikhlia Posts Pic with Arun Govil on Public Demand

Dipika Chikhlia Posts Pic with Arun Govil on Public Demand

[ad_1]

TV actress Dipika Chikhlia shot to fame once again during the coronavirus lockdown as popular mythological series Ramayan made its comeback on television. The actress, who portrayed the role of Sita, shared many throwback stills and videos from Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan.

Now, Dipika aka Sita shared a recent picture of her with co-actor Arun Govil, who played Lord Ram in the show. She…

[maharewatch]

Mahabharata Rewatch Master Post

What is this?

A rewatch for the Mahabharata TV series from the 1980s, made by B. R. Chopra! Be warned of gaudy costumes and questionable special effects--but surprisingly decent performances and dialogues. This rewatch is intended to be for both newcomers to the epic/show, and people familiar with both--that said, a blanket warning that spoilers for the epic are probably likely.

What is the schedule?

Roughly 1 episode per week (~45 minutes each), with new posts going up Friday. This first discussion post though will go up on early on Thursday, to allow people more time to find out about the rewatch/work around schedules. You can watch the episode of the week and post your thoughts at any time before Friday, however.

Won’t that take a while?

There are 94 episodes, so....yeah. Probably. We reserve the right to bump up the number of episodes per week if need be.

What can I expect to find in the Mahabharata?

Besides one of the major touchstones of Indian culture--literally, most people casually namedrop characters/events from the epic in conversation all the time--interesting female characters! Multiple deeply codependant male friendships! Dodgy ethics rife for discussion! Characters who defy the gender binary!

Any advice for new viewers?

It’s....not a terrible idea to skip the “Time’s voiceover” intros. Ditto for any prolonged Vidura and Bhishma discussion that goes on and on and on....

Where can I find these episodes, anyway?

Youtube has a playlist HERE, with English subtitles for all episodes.

What do I do to participate in the rewatch?

Not much! There will be a main discussion post that covers interesting points from the episode in the OP’s opinion, which you can reblog and add to! You are also strongly encouraged to make your own reaction posts, gifs, fics, etc. but if so, remember to tag with #maharewatch so we can find and reblog them.

(Also, if anyone--or ones--want to volunteer to be co-mods or to make some of the  main discussion posts for upcoming weeks, that would be SO AWESOME.)

Where are the links to main discussion posts for previous episodes?

Behind the cut!

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

[many many episodes later]

Episode 94

[herawell]

Amazement and shock when Draupadi’s saree becomes endless during the Vastraharan.

From left to right, top to bottom: Bhima, Nakula, Arjuna, Sahadeva, Yudhisthira, Kripa, Dhritarashtra, Drona, Shakuni, Bhishma, Duryodhana, Dussassana, Vidura, Karna. 

From B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharata.

@hindumythologyevent

Day 4: Male Mythical Characters

[demonkidpliz]

Things I learned while re-watching Star Plus Mahabharata (Part 4/many):

1) Finally, Dronacharya is in the picture and he has some major attitude and aukaat. This will spice things up amidst the vanilla, pansy-ass Kurus.

2) Mahabharata is here fulfilling all my brother-in-law angst.

3) Kripa hitting Drona where it hurts..uff.

4) I solved the mystery of why Kripa is motherfucking old, he’s an immortal.

5) Kunti praying to Shiva…if I were Shiva I would be scared and give her what she wants. These Yadavs are not to be taken lightly.

6) Bhishma is not fooled by a single one of his grandsons, is he?

7) I’ve said this before but I love Shakuni’s dramatic ass.

8) Not Ram. Arjun is the best of men. Even as a child, it’s so clear why he was Kunti’s favourite, Drona’s favourite. And Bhishma’s favourite. Arjun is Draupadi’s favourite and Krishna’s favourite. When you’re God’s favourite, you obviously are the best of men.

9) ‘Parth’ is canon eeeeee

10) Yudhisthir trying to teach his brothers to be pansies just like his father taught him. Thank God Kunti and all her Yadav sense was there to knock some sense into them.

11) Poor Bhishma trying to so hard to be human and to care like one and failing mostly. Not everyone has nailed this avatar thing properly.

12) Bhishma reminding Dhritarashtra that he’s not the first blind person in the world lmaoooo

13) Drona appears to be a little extreme but a rational person at the end of the day. How did he end up with the bad guys?

14) Also, his mild obsession with Drupad makes me think that there was more to that story than meets the eye.

15) No wonder Drupad wanted Arjun to be his son-in-law, the one person Drona loved the most.

16) Drona’s statue built by Ekalavya looks a lot more like Kripa.

17) I feel like I should feel bad for Ekalavya as he’s going to become one of the first victims of casteism in India…oh no, wait, he just shot three arrows into a dog’s mouth, he’s dead to me now.

18) What happened with Ekalavya, is so poignant, and a proof of how for millennia we have been complicit in the subjugation of our scheduled castes and tribes - this story really has everything in it. Also A+ 10/10 for the background score.

19) I love Drona. I didn’t think I would this much, but I do. There’s something so otherworldly and primal about him - like Ganga. And the actor, he doesn’t appear to be acting at all. Drona is his role of a lifetime.

20) The reason I love Arjun the most is because of all the qualities we have identified in the best of men - bravery, loyalty, intelligence and ambition - he is a combination of all four.

21) I can just imagine Ganga cackling to herself as she sends this big-ass crocodile to take a chonk out of Drona thinking, ‘this is going to be so much fun’.

22) Karna obviously did not get the memo that Drona is the biggest casteist this side of the Indus because he thinks he’s going to teach him, a Sut kid.

23) I just realised that the actor who played Duryodhan in B R Chopra’s Mahabharat plays Parashuram in Starbharat! Good for you, Puneet Issar!|

24) Goddamit Karna is going to get bitten by that fake looking bug.

25) I was just going to say that Dronacharya probably learned his casteism from Parashuram but it appears that they had to make Parashuram a legit Vishnu avatar. He seems okay. Where did we go wrong, Ram?

26) Aww, even Kakashri Vidur and Drona are friends. What’s the deal with Vidur anyway?

27) Duryodhan and his L’oreal hair.

28) Yudhisthir straight up bungee jumped into the playground bro.

29) My man, Kuntiputra Arjun, maybe just a prince, but he sure is the king of trash talk.

30) They were right. This story really has everything. But most interestingly I like how this story is mostly about selfish parents, even the Gods, wanting to leave a legacy for their children. Ganga wanted Bhishma to be king. Satyavati wanted her sons to be kings. When her sons died without heirs, she wanted her illegitimate son’s bloodlines to inherit the throne. Dhritarashtra wanted Duryodhan to be king. Pandu wanted Yudishthir to be king. Kunti wanted Arjun to survive over her illegitimate firstborn. Duryodhan wanted Lakshman to be king. Subhadra wanted to Abhimanyu, and after him, Parikshit, to be king. Krishna crowned Pradyumna crown prince in the hope that he would be Lord of Dwarka after him. And at the end of the day, the Kauravas and the Pandavas fought the war but the war was won by the Yadavs that played the long game. This story indeed has everything. But in the end when it is being narrated to Janamejaya and Vajranabha, the kings of Hastinapur and Indraprastha respectively, one is the are grandson of Subhadra and the other is the great-grandson of Krishna, and that tells you that men and Gods alike have one and only one primal instinct - to leave behind a legacy for their children.

31) Did they change Kripacharya? Looks like being an immortal is like being an icchadhari naagin.

32) The biggest disservice any retelling of Mahabharat can do is to downplay the relationship between Karna and Duryodhana. Yes, Karna was a social climber and Duryodhana only made friends with him in the hope that he would come in handy against Arjun. But it didn’t start and end there. Karna was loyal and he loved Duryodhan. Duryodhan never begrudged Karna’s low birth and treated him like a friend and equal. Karna was as much a part of his family as any of his brothers. Karna was friends with his wife, was an uncle to his children. That sort of thing is not born from just convenience. People need to stop whitewashing Karna as some guy who was compelled to fight for Duryodhan against his will. What makes Karna’s character so great was the fact that he was so flawed and hitched his ride to the wrong wagon but stuck by it.

33) Duryodhan pointing out that the five Pandavas are not Pandu’s biological children, which is 100% fact but somehow is considered scandalous. Also, how does it even matter? None of them are Shantanu’s bloodline. That died with Bhishma, Chitrangad and Vichitraveerya. They are all sons and grandsons of randos. Important randos but randos.

34) The Pandavas and Kunti always get to me. Is there anything as pure as the love of a single mother and her sons?

35) Arjun so soft. Cries in court.

36) As a person who grew up in a family that loved them only to be estranged as ambitions diverged, I can feel the story of Dhritarashtra, growing up loving Pandu, only to hate his sons. Sometimes, in Indian families, love isn’t enough.

37) How does everyone not immediately shit their pants when Dronacharya stares down at them? That man gives me crazy Vishwamitra vibes.

38) Every time you think you know what the Mahabharat is about, it changes. It goes from being the story of a war between the Pandavas and Kauravas to Bhim and Duryodhan’s enmity to Arjun and Karna’s stand-off to a story of revenge. Drona’s revenge on Drupad. Drupad’s revenge on Drona. Gandhari and Shakuni’s revenge on the Kurus. Draupadi’s revenge on the Kauravas.

[avani008]

"Give me a character and I will tell you…" Draupadi, the Pandavas, Karna, and Duryodhana please? Also Krishna and Balarama. (please feel free to pick and choose from this wide selection; I apologise for my thinly disguised greed. :P)

(Don’t apologize! Greed is good–in this situation alone ;)

Behind the cut because this is LOOONG. 

Draupadi

* How I feel about this character

One-half of my top two favorite characters in the entire epic and obviously a best beloved.

* All the people I ship romantically with this character…In a likely unpopular opinion, I only ship Draupadi/her husbands, and, honestly my preferred version is very much without angst at having to marry all five. My!Draupadi also doesn’t really have a favorite, other than a mild wistful partiality for Arjun; but both of them know for her to be married to him alone would work better in theory than practice, and that neither would really be happy were it so.

* My non-romantic OTP for this characterTEAM KRISHNA(A) FOR LIFE.

* My unpopular opinion about this characterRupa Ganguly was the One True Draupadi *tries to look fierce, fails*.

* One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.B.R. Chopra brings up the tantalizing possibility of Draupadi volunteering to ride on Arjuna’s chariot when the Pandavas and Krishna are coming up with the plan to defeat Bhishma, and though they end up going with Shikandi instead….True, my headcanon-Draupadi is no warrior, but the thought of allowing her some agency in avenging herself is wonderful.

* Something about them I consider true, even though it’s only my head canon/fanon

….Not true, necessarily, but one of the more-realistic-alternatives for Draupadi’s miraculous birth I really love is that of it representing a rebirth in the form of a oath witnessed by fire that two of Drupad’s pre-existing children took to wreak revenge on the Kurus.

Pandavas

* How I feel about this character

Five arrogant, dorky, but essentially good-hearted heroes whose best quality is perhaps their devotion to each other against all odds. (Their brotherly love survived being wagered away by their big brother without losing their temper–how, I can’t imagine.)

* All the people I ship romantically with this character

Mostly Draupadi, honestly–though also Hidimbi for Bhima, and Subhadra/Ulupi/Chitrangada for Arjuna* My non-romantic OTP for this character

I don’t know if I could choose just one, though: but their relationship with Pandu as kids and Kunti much later fascinates me, just in the way they are kept together by love for their parent. * My unpopular opinion about this character

I…actually think that, while they are flawed, my favorite versions are still likeable and sympathetic protagonists as opposed to jerks who are just as bad as their cousins. * One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

…I wish the twins had gotten seperate personalities, and even the other Pandavas more characterization to get rid of the “goody-two-shoes other than the gambling thing”/ “strong but stupid” / “insufferable Designated Hero” flanderizations you so often see. * Something about them I consider true, even though it’s only my head canon/fanon

The Year of Disguise was one of the defining episodes in their lives. Prior to this, they’re so often casteist/classist/less concerned with the sufferings of others, and the forced walk in servants’ shoes must have done so much to make them better people.

Duryodhana

* How I feel about this character

Entertaining villain, often scores one of the most entertaining and talented actors out of the casts in most adaptations. * All the people I ship romantically with this character

I’m come around to Duryodhana/Bhanumati, but Duryodhana/Karna is also a Valid ‘ship. * My non-romantic OTP for this character

Duryodhana/Karna, even otherwise. Give me a version where Duryodhana is just using an sweet-ignorant-and-innocent Karna and you have a very unhappy Avani *side-eyes Starbharat, and, even more so, Suryaputra Karn** My unpopular opinion about this character

I–truthfully, I think the most unpopular opinion is irritation at how much pop culture wants to blame Duryodhana and Shakuni for everything, where Karna and other characters are…actually mostly responsible in actual canon.  The whitewashing of all other characters while Duryodhana is ridiculously evil to the extent where you wonder why no one drowned HIM at birth, is just….illogical. So that’s my grumpiest opinion. * One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I want to know so much about how he actually was as an administrator! The only indication we have Duryodhana’s dying speech about how he was an awesome King and is going to heaven, that’s….showered with flowers by the gods and not disputed by Krishna, and it just makes me wonder. * Something about them I consider true, even though it’s only my head canon/fanon

Duryodhana was a very loving and indulgent father and brother (to Dushala), albeit a hypocritical one–despite his treatment of Draupadi and others, he insisted that the women he cared for be held to a higher standard.

Karna

* How I feel about this character

Rather more irritation than most people in the fandom, I’m afraid. * All the people I ship romantically with this character

I never really–grew up with stories of Karna/His Wife, so I don’t really ship him with Vrushali/Urvi/Supriya/other variations of this character. Truthfully, it’s pretty much Karna/Duryodhana, or nothing. * My non-romantic OTP for this character

Karna & Arjuna as good, old-fashioned mutual loathing, rather than Starbharat’s near-constant ~SECRET BROTHERS~ song, is….always amusing. B. R. Chopra (I know, I know, despite its flaws, a whole bunch of its little character moments have stuck with me) has this part during Draupadi’s swayamvar where Arjuna watches Karna string the bow and just…smirks. He seems almost genuinely pleased, because well–of course his rival would be good enough to string the bow. He would expect no less of Karna.* My unpopular opinion about this character

Though Karna admittedly suffers quite a bit, and is unfortunately affected by bigotry, a) there are other characters who suffer just as much if not more and b) in no way does that justify the suffering he inflicts on other characters. It’s the Snape conundrum all over again. * One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Look, the only fanon I reliably want from any Mahabharat adaptation is the impossible scene where Duryodhana finds out Karna’s true origins after his death and mourns. I’ve said this before, but the “you [the Pandavas] have no right to perform his last rites! Only I do! He was MY friend!” made quite the impression on baby Avani. * Something about them I consider true, even though it’s only my head canon/fanon

Like many a solar hero before him (I’m thinking Gawain/Gwalchmai from Arthurian myth in particular, but I don’t think that’s the only one), Karna’s strength waxes and wanes with the rise and fall of the sun.

Krishna

* How I feel about this character

A warning: I am admittedly biased, because Krishna is the deity dearest to my heart: but a god dedicated to doing the right thing rather than blindly obeying law and tradition, whose response to a devotee saying “I don’t understand” is not to command them to stop asking questions, but rather to explain again and again, is one that I believe in. * All the people I ship romantically with this character

Krishna/Everyone is….pretty much canon, but I have a soft spot for Krishna/Rukmini* My non-romantic OTP for this character

Krishna & Arjuna (if you don’t ship them) is certainly an option, but *points upwards* I’m Team Krishna(a) forever.* My unpopular opinion about this character

I have to hope that Krishna’s offer to Karna that Draupadi would be his is more of a bluff–or rather, a way of guilting Karna rather than a sincere prediction of what would, or even should, happen. * One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.* Something about them I consider true, even though it’s only my head canon/fanon

Krishna’s “women are unreliable, so just go ahead and kidnap my sister instead of proposing” spiel to Arjuna re:Subhadra is honestly tongue-and-cheek and largely because Subhadra begged Krishna to make Arjuna actually get a move on instead of waiting until she got married off against her will. I don’t care that it’s blatantly ignoring canon; but it’s one of the few scenes of Krishna in the Vyasa Mahabharata that don’t fit in with my understanding.  

Balarama

* How I feel about this character

I really like Balarama! I feel like he hardly ever gets any attention, and many of the interesting stories/episodes concerning him often get glossed over. * All the people I ship romantically with this character

I’ve started shipping Balarama/Revati something fierce after getting on Tumblr! But consider: she’s literally from another age entirely, and they still find each other! She’s taller and wiser and stronger than he is! They have no son, only a daughter, and he still never marries anyone else!* My non-romantic OTP for this character

Krishna & Balarama snarking at each other is always great, no matter what the adaptation. * My unpopular opinion about this character

Not unpopular, but I suppose not universally accepted: Balarama is the reincarnation of Lakshmana/Shesh Nag, because Balarama trying to enjoy getting to be the big brother in this birth while Krishna continues to be cheeky and do as he pleases is great. * One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I would have loved to hear more about Yadava politics than what we get, and definitely even more about Revati and Balarama–there’s hardly any mention of her in the Mahabharata. * Something about them I consider true, even though it’s only my head canon/fanon

Balarama and Krishna have perfected bad cop/good cop (or grumpy raging Yadava/ charming compromising Yadava) to an art. Both of them are perfectly capable of exploiting their reputations for political gain.

[lizzybeth1986]

Getting to know me - Short Edition

Thanks for the tag, @callmetippytumbles! This sounds fun xD

Favorite color: Purple. Definitely purple.

Lipstick or chapstick: Neither. I put any random lip balm if my lips get chapped. I think the brand is Nivea? Not sure. I haven't used it in a while.

Last Song: Moondance by Van Morrison

Last movie: Shanghai Calling

Top 3 shows:

3. B. R. Chopra's Mahabharata (released waaay back in the 80s and has a lot of discrepancies from the actual epic, but it's the one I've most enjoyed of all the adaptations done so far)

2. Masterchef Australia

1. My Name is Kim Sam-Soon xD xD xD Just started watching this a week or two ago and I love how slice-of-life it is! It's probably the only show I know of where I stan the secondary lead pair haha.

Top 3 ships: Outside of the Choices Universe? Harry/Ginny from the HP series (they were perhaps my first ever ship), Henry/Hee Jin from MNIKSS, and Robin/Min-june from Seducing Mr Perfect. (Is there entirely too much Daniel Henney here? You bet there is XD)

Tagging: @violetflipflops, @feisty-mary, @ladynevrakis, @zigbadboy, @zig-ortega.

[poonamranius]

महाभारत ( Mahabharata ) के युद्ध समाप्ति के बाद भगवान श्री कृष्ण ने अर्जुन को रथ से पहले उतरने के लिए क्यों कहा था?

महाभारत ( Mahabharata ) के युद्ध समाप्ति के बाद भगवान श्री कृष्ण ने अर्जुन को रथ से पहले उतरने के लिए क्यों कहा था?

Mahabharata : श्री कृष्ण ने अर्जुन को पहले रथ से उतरने को कहा क्योंकि- जब महाभारत का युद्ध समाप्त हुआ ओर पांडव जीत गए तो जब श्री कृष्ण ओर अर्जुन रथ से उतर रहे थे तब अर्जुन ने श्री कृष्ण से कहा कि आप पहले रथ से उतरिए केशव लेकिन श्री कृष्ण ने अर्जुन को पहले रथ से उतरने को कहा तो अर्जुन रथ से उतरे फिर श्री कृष्ण रथ से उतरे ओर फिर हनुमान जी भी रथ पर से उतर गए ओर श्री कृष्ण ने अर्जुन से थोड़ा दूर खड़े…

[raat-jaaga-paakhi]

top five favourite costumes from mahabharat

Oh shoot! I'm not very familiar with those costumes because I was so focused on plot and character when I watched it (years ago, and never since) that I overlooked all of that, hehe. And also, I don't have any pics in my gallery. Still, there are some that I can faintly remember (because they left an impression, I guess), so here we go, in no particular order -

1. This is the only one that's going to be of B. R. Chopra's Mahabharata and of Krishna, primarily because it's the darkest (and most decent, imo...or well, as decent as you can get with a character like Krishna—I'll leave you to unpack the implication) Krishna we've got (and that's mostly because of the lighting) and because that portrayal is closer to my heart than the others. This is more a specific look than a costume, so to say, but hey, humour me, lol. (My Gopika loves me so she wouldn't mind me cheating, right? 🥺🙈) This is in the Vinati Suniye song in the Krishna-Rukmini mini-arc, when Nitish Bharadwaj's Krishna reads Rukmini's letter, seems pensive, stands up and walks to a pillar, then leans against it, cocking his head — if you guys knew how many times I have gone back to this tiny little sequence, well. I mean... Krishna is barechested here, not heaped with those heavy costume thingies (how ironic lol), not wearing his crown and all - I love that look! *flails arms* Ignore me! (Also, this sequence, because of how...silent and thoughtful he is here, fits very, very neatly into my image of Krishna, so.)

The rest is StarMbh and, you know, with actual costumes. 😂

2. Satyavati's fisher-girl clothes were amaze! When the trailer first came out (omg, that's sooooo long ago), that part with her I watched quite often. Y'know. Priorities.

3. And Satyavati in her light peach costume after Shantanu died. *heart-eyes* Stuff like that makes me wanna cosplay. I mean! Look at this colour! The pose, the jewelry. What style! And yes, this is the only pic I somehow had. I didn't even know I did, lol. Again, priorities?

... Just imagine Satyavati as the dark woman she canonically was, Kali Matsyagandhi, decked in these robes. *dies*

4. Hm, Arjuna in white is a great look. Lemme close my eyes and imagine a properly dark-skinned one in white regalia.

5. Draupadi in her walking-outta-fire costume is !!! And as a bonus: Draupadi in the promo of her marriage (wow) and in the promo where she's dressed in her ochre robes post-Dyuta. Great aesthetic appeal. But also, Draupadi in her red and blue-gray costume >> Draupadi in all fiery red. Unpopular opinion, I said what I said.

Thanks for the ask, Goki! 🤗 (and now I wanna know your top faves ahhh)