<p>With the war in West Asia and Ukraine still raging, absurdity, violence and cruelty seem a part of the civilised human psyche. In the centuries before Christ, the epic <em>Mahabharata</em> was essentially the story of a great war. It was a war which even God, Lord Krishna, could not prevent. Such was the arrogance of Duryodhana, the Kaurava prince, that he refused to give even a needlepoint of land when the Pandavas were willing to settle for five villages. The Pandavas won the war, but the destruction was devastating.</p>.<p>Despite the devastation it depicted, the epic did not serve as anti-war literature. On the contrary, its characters have been used to inspire warriors. The story, which was situated in the north of India, was, several centuries later, brought to the south by Tamil kings to attract soldiers for their armies. Draupadi, the daughter of King Drupada, was believed to have emerged from fire. This fiery woman did not forget or forgive the humiliation she had been subject to at the Kaurava court. She sought revenge and provoked each one of her husbands to wage war. She lost all her sons on the battlefield at Kurukshetra. Her grief further spurred her anger, and she became a force literally baying for blood.</p>.Why Luv and Kush still matter in India’s 21st‑century cultural landscape.<p>A class of warriors was created in South India by an ode to Draupadi. Among the many celebrations of her divine power is the centuries-old festival of Karaga, which still attracts large crowds in Bengaluru. The story goes that the Pandavas and Draupadi proceeded heavenward in their mortal bodies. When she lagged behind the demon, Timirasuta behaved inappropriately. Her cries for help could not be heard by her warrior husbands. She did not despair but prayed to Shiva and Parvati. Bestowed with their strength, she created an army of young warriors, the Veerakumaras. They were her sons, and it was their duty to protect her. This legion and those who believed they were their descendants called themselves Vannihkula, the family of fire.</p>.<p>The kings patronised the retelling of these stories, as it enhanced the status of their warriors and gave them divine blessings for martyrdom. No sacrifice was too great to protect their mother in distress. In times of peace Draupadi gave them prosperity through their diverse occupations of being gardeners, carpenters and even ironmongers. They glorified her as the power that protected the Pandavas. ‘As you protected the Pandavas, my mother, protect these children.’ </p><p><em>Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.</em></p>
<p>With the war in West Asia and Ukraine still raging, absurdity, violence and cruelty seem a part of the civilised human psyche. In the centuries before Christ, the epic <em>Mahabharata</em> was essentially the story of a great war. It was a war which even God, Lord Krishna, could not prevent. Such was the arrogance of Duryodhana, the Kaurava prince, that he refused to give even a needlepoint of land when the Pandavas were willing to settle for five villages. The Pandavas won the war, but the destruction was devastating.</p>.<p>Despite the devastation it depicted, the epic did not serve as anti-war literature. On the contrary, its characters have been used to inspire warriors. The story, which was situated in the north of India, was, several centuries later, brought to the south by Tamil kings to attract soldiers for their armies. Draupadi, the daughter of King Drupada, was believed to have emerged from fire. This fiery woman did not forget or forgive the humiliation she had been subject to at the Kaurava court. She sought revenge and provoked each one of her husbands to wage war. She lost all her sons on the battlefield at Kurukshetra. Her grief further spurred her anger, and she became a force literally baying for blood.</p>.Why Luv and Kush still matter in India’s 21st‑century cultural landscape.<p>A class of warriors was created in South India by an ode to Draupadi. Among the many celebrations of her divine power is the centuries-old festival of Karaga, which still attracts large crowds in Bengaluru. The story goes that the Pandavas and Draupadi proceeded heavenward in their mortal bodies. When she lagged behind the demon, Timirasuta behaved inappropriately. Her cries for help could not be heard by her warrior husbands. She did not despair but prayed to Shiva and Parvati. Bestowed with their strength, she created an army of young warriors, the Veerakumaras. They were her sons, and it was their duty to protect her. This legion and those who believed they were their descendants called themselves Vannihkula, the family of fire.</p>.<p>The kings patronised the retelling of these stories, as it enhanced the status of their warriors and gave them divine blessings for martyrdom. No sacrifice was too great to protect their mother in distress. In times of peace Draupadi gave them prosperity through their diverse occupations of being gardeners, carpenters and even ironmongers. They glorified her as the power that protected the Pandavas. ‘As you protected the Pandavas, my mother, protect these children.’ </p><p><em>Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.</em></p>