This presentation is part of presentation season semester 4, M.A, at the Department of English, MKBU

1. Department of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
Date: 4th April 2024
Sem 4। Batch 2022-24
Research Project Writing: Dissertation Writing
Presentation On
Empowered Echoes: The Feminine
Journey of 'Draupadi' in Selected
'Mahabharata' Retellings
Rinkal Dangar

2. Academic Details
Name : Rinkal Dangar
Roll No:18
Enrollment no: 4069206420220007
Paper name: Research Project Writing: Dissertation Writing
Paper no: 210 A
Paper code: 22417
Topic: Empowered Echoes: The Feminine Journey of 'Draupadi' in Selected
'Mahabharata' Retellings
Submitted to: Smt. S.B.Gardi, Department of English, M.K.B.U
Dated on: 04/04/2024
E-Mail: dangarrinkal0609@gmail.com

3. 1.Introduction
'Until the lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter'
● What is A Counter Narrative?
● About Retellings and History
● Unveiling Feminism: Exploring Gender Dynamics in Narrative Retellings
● Poststructuralist and Postmodern Feminism
● Deconstructive Reading:
Hypothesis
○ To explore the portrayal of Draupadi in each novel and examine how her character is developed and interpreted
by the authors.
○ To identify key themes and motifs present in both retellings and analyze how they are addressed and
interpreted differently in each narrative.
○ To examine the narrative techniques employed by the authors, such as point of view, structure, and language
use, to convey the Mahabharata story and Draupadi's perspective.
○ To investigate the cultural and historical contexts in which each novel was written and published, and analyze
how these factors influence the authors' interpretations and portrayals of the epic.
○ To assess the reception of "Palace of Illusions" and "Yajnaseni" among readers and critics, including
discussions of literary merit, cultural significance, and fidelity to the original epic.

4. 2. Literature Review
● Indian epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana, are retold and rewritten in various literary works.
● The Prevalence of Retellings
● Focus on Draupadi
● Key Points from Analyzed Works
Research Questions
● How do the retellings of "The Palace of Illusions" and "Yajnaseni: The Story of Draupadi" challenge and subvert
the patriarchal narratives present in the original Mahabharata epic?
● In what ways do the retellings give voice to Draupadi's experiences of marginalization, trauma, and resilience,
and how do they contribute to a more nuanced understanding of gender dynamics within the epic's context?
● How do the authors engage with postcolonial discourse and feminist theory in their representations of Draupadi,
and how do these retellings participate in the reclamation of marginalized narratives?
● What are the intertextual and mythopoetic strategies employed by the authors in their retellings, and how do
these strategies reimagine and transform traditional representations of female characters in Indian epics?
● How do the authors' reimaginations of Draupadi's character and experiences resonate with modern feminist
movements and the call for amplifying marginalized voices in literature and popular culture?

5. 3. Narratological Study of Selected Works
● Analyzing the Narrative Structure of the Mahabharata:
● Depiction of Major Characters and events in the ‘Mahabharata’
● Analyzing the Narrative Structure of ‘The Palace of Illusions’
● Depiction of Major Characters and events Characters of ‘The Palace of
Illusions’
● Analyzing the Narrative Structure of ‘Yajnaseni: The Story of Draupadi’
● Major Characters and Events of ‘Yajnaseni: The Story of Draupadi’

6. 4. Comparison of the ‘Mahabharata’ with ‘The Palace of
Illusions’ and ‘Yajnaseni: The Story of Draupadi’
● Comparison of the Beginning of the Selected Texts,
● Comparison of the Swayamvara Parva of the Selected Texts,
● Comparison of the Vaivahika Parva of the Selected Texts,
● Comparison of the Dyuta Parva of the Selected Texts,
● Comparison of Mahaprasthanika Parva of the Selected Texts,

7. 5. Conclusion
● The concept of "woman" is not fixed by biology but rather
a social construct.
● Historically, men have defined women in relation to
themselves, not as autonomous beings.
● The idea of femininity is subjective and not universally
defined.
● Language itself can perpetuate these inequalities.

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13. Thank You!