Kavita Kane on giving Hidimbi a voice in her new book ‘Bhima’s Wife’

Author Kavita Kane has dedicated her book ‘Bhima’s Wife’ to all single mothers. Her unique voice- injecting Indian mythology with feminism- continues unabated in her 9th work. Storyboard18’s Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta caught up with the author for a chat.

What inspired you to choose the perspective of Bhima’s wife for retelling this mythological story and how did you shape her voice in the narrative?

The fact that I need to title the book Bhima’s Wife and not Hidimbi, shows that not many know that Bhima had a wife other than Draupadi. Hidimbi’s voice is one of the most suppressed, silent voices in the Mahabharata; a voice stifled under the discrimination and injustice inflicted upon her in the name of war, honor and family. She remains discredited and forgotten in the heft of the narrative of the epic.

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Her voice is heard only when she asserts her love for Bhima and wants to marry him. But that single statement speaks volumes for this girl. Despite being a Rakshasi who is much condemned and maligned; she is essentially, a child of the forest, guileless, honest, independent and upfront. She does not know how to play the game of power and politics and ends up getting played in turn, like a pawn in that very tussle and intrigue. It occurred to me that her story has not been told. Was it because she’s too minor a character, an outcast Rakshasi who dared to marry a prince or because the heroes of the epic could do no wrong? Her story is ironically a case in point.

According to you, was there female empowerment and agency in the times of the Mahabharata, as we understand it today?

Definitely and very well defined too. These women were powered by their conviction! They fought and battled for their beliefs, even if they did not always win. Although they were limited by tradition and social structures, most of them (if not all) were strong, assertive female characters. Not only Draupadi and Kunti, but most female protagonists displayed agency through their resilience, wisdom, and defiance in specific situations.

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And it is especially commendable that their actions and reactions were carried out despite a patriarchal system that was meant to limit their broader rights and power. Interestingly, character arc of women like Devyani, Satyavati, Kunti and finally Draupadi visibly demonstrate that every backlash was preceded by the women being pushed into a corner.

How did your background as a journalist influence your research and storytelling approach for this novel?

The discipline both while doing research and committing to deadlines is largely because of being a journalist. It helped me to be brisk and succinct about researching and editing both my own thoughts and the manuscript at large. The knack of telling more in less words and time isa journalistic anthem that served me.

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To balance traditional mythological elements and contemporary themes can be challenging. What according to you is the reader looking for in such brave retellings?

Exactly that. Ancient stories are worth their weight in gold! When that wisdom is laced with a certain contemporary sensibility, it makes the story relatable. Retellings are a way of revisiting, rediscovering and reimagining the universal truths of our epics!

What message or emotional impact do you hope readers take away from “Bhima’s Wife” about our cultural roots?

That every woman deserves respect. This respect is her fundamental right as a person, an individual and a woman. She commands it, whether she is a Rakshasi or a princess, a wife or a daughter or a mother. Our protagonist Hidimbi’s story is that of an abandoned woman, who does NOT ‘abandon herself’ in self pity, regret or revenge. Her untold story is that of a woman, who was not given her due respect and status !Yet, she found the courage to sacrifice her all – even her son- despite remaining unseen, unappreciated and unacknowledged.

Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta is a columnist and bestselling biographer. She is credited with the internationally acclaimed Red Dot Experiment, a decadal six-nation study on how ‘culture impacts communication.’ Asia's first reading coach, you can find her on Instagram @OfficialReetaGupta.