This story is based on an excerpt from the MAHABHARATA

2.  Arjuna, the great archer among the five
Pandava brother had saved the asura Maya
from the burning Khandava forest.
 Maya was grateful to him and asked "How
shall I repay your kindness Arjuna?
 Maya wanted to do something
extraordinary for Arjuna as a token of his
love and gratitude for him.

3.  “It is enough that you give me credit for
saving your life, and express your
gratitude thus you need not actually do
anything for me," said Arjuna.
 Mayasura , however, made this request
again and again till at last Arjuna told
him to do whatever Lord Krishna
instructed him to do.

4.  Mayasura was a great architect and sculptor
 Therefore, Lord Krishna asked Maya to build a
unique Hall of Assembly for the Pandavas
 The Pandavas at that time were building their
capital of Indra-prastha and this hall would be
the crowning glory of the capital.

6.  Mayasura agreed readily, This was something he
would be happy to do it.
 He set to work immediately and made a detailed
plan of the proposed Hall.
 He chose an extensive plot of land in a beautiful
location

7.  The plot was so situated that one could
experience all the six seasons simultaneously in
its different parts
 Maya had stored heaps of selected precious
stones, powdered jewels and other precious
building materials in a lake called Vindu near
the Mainak mountain to the north of the Kailas
in the Himalayas

8.  It was a marvel that at once dazzled and
pleased the spectators
 It was as wide and so high that it seemed to
reach the skies
 It was built in crystal with emeralds and
diamonds adorning its doors
 The vast expanse of the hall was interspersed
with trees of gold

9.  At the centre of the hall, Maya had created a
beautiful pool in which one could see plenty of
lotuses blooming and leaves were designed from
indra-neel gems and the flowers themselves
from padma-rag gems. The stems were carved
from other precious stones
 Golden fish and turtles moved among the
delicate leaves and flowers and there was not
even speck of dust to be seen anywhere

10.  Indeed, the water of the pool was so clear that
you could directly see the crystal bottom
beneath
 it was difficult to distinguish which was water
and which was floor
 The crystal and the water both reflected the
ornamental birds, gold fishes and flowers so
clearly that the images and the real things were
totally indistinguishable

11.  When Mayasura showed the hall to the Pandavas for the first
time, he explained to them how to move through it
 The hall was surrounded by beautiful gardens stretching far and
wide
 There were hundreds of fragrant evergreen trees and plants in the
garden
 There were a number of pools and lakes in which real lotuses
bloomed throughout the year
 The surroundings were perfumed with the scent of the lotus
flowers and the blossoms on the trees
 Colourful birds roamed freely in the garden and swans and geese
sailed in the pools and lakes

12.  Mayasura had devised a band of eight thousand
rakshasas to guard the marvellous hall
 When Prince Duryodhona, the jealous cousin of
the Pandavas, saw the Hall of Assembly for the
first time, he was consumed with envy

13.  Even before he entered the hall he was bedazzled
with its grandeur and splendour
 Upset and disturbed in his heart of hearts, he
entered into hall
 As he walked down the corridors, he saw the
beautiful pool in which lotuses bloomed and
goldfish gleamed .
 He gathered the folds of his garments before
stepping into what he thought was water only to
discover that it was the hard crystal flooring
 Bhima laughed aloud to see him thus confused

14.  However, Duryodhana suffered his humiliation
in silence, and moved ahead
 When he came to the pool in the middle, he
decided he wouldn't make the same mistake
twice and took a bold step ahead
 But alas, he landed straight into the pool!

16.  Arjuna, and to make matters worse even Draupadi
along with her friends joined in the laughter
 Fuming and raging within, Duryodhana came out
of the pool
 Attendants rushed to him with dry clothes
 Duryodhana decided to leave the Hall of Illusions
and walked in a huff to an open door
 He barged ahead only to discover that it was no
door and he had bumped hard against a wall

17.  thoroughly disgusted but unfortunately could not find a
proper door
 The Pandava twins Nakula and Sahadevo rushed to his
help, but their kind words only served to add insult to
injury
 When Duryodhana left the Hall of Assembly after the
ceremony, he vowed to revenge on the Pandavas, and to
destroy them forever
 The wonderful, magical mystical Hall of Illusions only
added fuel to the fire of the feud between the Pandavas
and Kauravas.