Gandhari Beyond the Epic: A Feminist Interpretation of Aditi Banerjee’s The Curse of Gandhari

Abstract

Contemporary Indian mythological fiction increasingly revisits classic narratives through the perspectives of women whose voices have often been marginalised in epic literature. Aditi Banerjee’s The Curse of Gandhari (2019) plays a key role in this literary movement by reimagining Gandhari, a frequently overlooked female character from the Mahabharata, as a psychologically rich and emotionally layered protagonist. While traditional interpretations tend to portray Gandhari as a symbol of sacrifice, devotion and maternal suffering, Banerjee portrays her as an individual who navigates identity, agency, duty and desire within a patriarchal society. 

This study examines The Curse of Gandhari through the lenses of Revisionist feminist criticism and Psychoanalytic feminist criticism. Through a careful textual analysis, the paper shows that Gandhari’s resistance does not come from open rebellion but instead from moral authority, psychological strength, and ethical self-awareness. The study also argues that the novel makes a major contribution to contemporary feminist mythological fiction by focusing on women’s inner lives and questioning traditional views of women in epics.