EachforEqual
While the stars are growing dim in the pre-dawn sky, the matriarch of Kuru dynasty — Satyavati — arrives on the battlefield of Kurukshetra to hold a discussion with Kunti, Gandhari, Draupadi and Rukmini.
The plot of a book ‘Mahabharatee — Five women who held court before the war’ celebrates International Women’s Day 2020 campaign theme — #EachforEqual. While the men of Kuru dynasty have divided themselves on the battlefield, the women are united for a discussion. Mahamata Satyavati is determined to bring a peaceful settlement to prevent the war in her dynasty. On the other hand, Draupadi, burning in the fire of revenge for last thirteen years desperately wants this war to happen. Satyavati tries to convince her grand-daughter-in-law to make a sacrifice for the sake of others. Gandhari tries to convince Draupadi to forgive her sons; because from her experience she knows that what starts as an act or thought of revenge ends up as revenge on oneself.
The discussion takes place between the women of three generations of Kuru. In this discussion, each of them break the silos and de-bracket themselves for a greater cause. At the last, Rukmini reaches to the discussion court she convinces everyone that it’s not always a woman who has to sacrifice. She also proposes that this war is a result of the past actions.
The woman inside each of them agrees to the fact that Draupadi has every right to seek vengeance for her humiliation, but the mother inside them cannot see their progeny putting their lives at stake in a war. But the war must be fought as a revenge to an atrocity being committed against a woman. Would these warrior mothers encourage their sons to follow their Dharma?
Generally, a woman envies another woman and never extends support to her. However, in the long discussion we see that a woman is the only solace to other woman. Towards the end the five women together decide that let all of the women of this dynasty be united with a great detachment. A meaningful discussion where the five women hold the court before war helps us to realize that we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions — all day, every day — This is what #EachforEqual means.
Therefore, even in 2020, this mythology fiction based on epic Mahabharata could be called as the first feminist Gita, the song celestial, the perfect dialogue. Because, it leads to where every other philosophy leads: self realization.
