Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
The love-hate relationship between Karna and Draupadi, his hatred for Shakuni, his loyalty to Duryodhana are all seen through the eyes of his wife, Uruvi.
Karnas Wife Book Review
In Karna’s Wife – The Outcast’s Queen, by Kavita Kane, we meet a strong woman, his wife – Uruvi, and see this complex character through her eyes.
Review by Arunima Shekhar
Karna’s wife – The Outcast’s Queen, is a retelling of the epic from the perspective of Karna’s second wife – Uruvi, the Princess of Pukeya, a kshatriya princess married to a sutaputra. The narrative starts at Uruvi’s swayamvar; Karna is already a part of the dushta chathushtayam (the four examples of evil men), the others being Shakuni, Duryodhana and Dushasana. He has already faced public ridicule twice – once at the archery tournament in Hastinapur and then again at Draupadi’s swayamvar, for being a charioteer’s son and born in a low caste.
The Pandavas have faced exile once and have now returned to claim their half of the kingdom. From here onwards, the story unfolds through the eyes of Uruvi, who chooses Karna over Arjuna, her childhood friend, at a scandalous swayamvar.
The tale explores, through Uruvi, the multiple facets of Karna, the father, the son, the husband, the friend, the king; the epitome of moral righteousness, who made all the wrong decisions, owing to his loyalty to Duryodhana, to whom he is indebted for life. Duryodhana accepts him and gives him his due recognition, when the entire world chides him. The passage where Karna explains to Uruvi, why Duryodhana is what he is, leaves you wondering whether a person can really be classified as good or bad; “Duryodhana was doomed before he was even born…he was born a child of hatred and lives to hate...” The love-hate relationship between Karna and Draupadi, his devotion and respect for Krishna, his hatred for Shakuni, his loyalty to Duryodhana are explained as never before.
Uruvi, passionately in love with Karna, and with a wit and intelligence to match the stalwarts of the Kuru kingdom, has to reconcile herself to being the “outcast’s queen”. But after the Rajasuya yagna, she is faced with a new challenge – torn between her love for Karna and her own sense of morality, she is unable to forgive Karna for his transgression after the game of dice in ordering the disrobing of Draupadi and calling her a whore, even when everyone else, including Draupadi, has forgiven him. Filled with a sense of foreboding, she makes a last attempt to change Karna’s loyalties before resigning herself to face the worst.
Karna’s Wife is a must-read for anyone who likes mythology, and Uruvi’s outspoken and ’ahead of her times’ character is one with which most Indian women today will easily identify.
Publisher: Rupa Publications
If you’re planning to purchase Kavita Kane’s Karna’s Wife, do consider buying it through this Women’s Web affiliate link at Flipkart. We get a small share of the proceeds – every little bit will help us continue bringing you the content you like!
Readers outside India can purchase Karna’s Wife through our affiliate link at Amazon.
Founder @Tell-A-Tale - I gobble stories and spit out new ones everyday; travel addict, software engineer, storywriter for brands, mentor, Renaissance woman in-the-making. read more...
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Menopause is a reality in women's lives, so Indian workplaces need to gear up and address women's menopausal needs.
Picture this: A seasoned executive at the peak of her career suddenly grapples with hot flashes and sleep disturbances during important meetings. She also battles mood swings and cognitive changes, affecting her productivity and confidence. Eventually, she resigns from her job.
Fiction? Not really. The scenario above is a reality many women face as they navigate menopause while meeting their work responsibilities.
Menopause is the time when a woman stops menstruating. This natural condition marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The transition brings unique physical, emotional, and psychological changes for women.
Please enter your email address