Kshatra Draupadi…
On the 30th of August, Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy performed ‘Kshatra Draupadi’ at Vasundhara Bhavana, Kalandika, Saraswathipuram, Mysuru. The programme was organised by ‘Nruthyathi Kalaashaale’ and the event was named ‘Anugraha,’ a rare glimpse of five generation legacy.
There are some characters in the Mahabharata who seem to grow larger every time they are revisited. Draupadi is certainly one of them. She is at once a princess, a queen, a wife, a woman wronged, a voice of conscience and a figure of extraordinary inner strength. Yet, in the hands of Kumaravyasa, Draupadi acquires a particularly distinctive personality. She is more immediate, more earthier, more emotionally vibrant and, above all, endowed with an unmistakable Kshatra — the courage of spirit of a warrior.
It is this aspect of Draupadi that Dr. Vasundhara explores in her solo dance production ‘Kshatra Draupadi’ based on Kumaravyasa’s ‘Karnata Bharata Katha Manjari.’ The choreography seeks to enter the mind and personality of Draupadi and reveal the many dimensions of a woman whose destiny is inseparably linked with the great conflict of the epic. Kumaravyasa Bharata, popularly known as ‘Gadugina Bharata,’ written in the 15th century in Bhamini Shatpadi, is itself a re-imagination of Sri Vyasa’s epic and transforms the vast Sanskrit epic into a more compact, dramatic and emotionally immediate narrative.
The celebrated question Draupadi raises in the dice hall — whether Yudhishthira could stake her after he had already lost himself — is one of the most powerful assertions of moral and intellectual agency in the epic. The poet’s language, rich in metaphor and rooted in the spoken idiom of his time brings epic personalities closer to the listener. Kumaravyasa’s Draupadi feels like a woman one can hear, see, argue with and empathise with.
And it is this Draupadi, Vasundhara brings to the stage. ‘Kshatra’ is not simply physical bravery. It suggests the warrior’s spirit — the capacity to stand up for dharma, to resist humiliation, to protect one’s honour and to confront injustice without fear. Draupadi possesses these qualities in abundance. Kshatra is a far more appropriate description than merely fiery Draupadi as fire can be destructive but Kshatra is purposeful; it is guided by Dharma. Draupadi is the embodiment of wounded dignity that demands justice. Kumaravyasa’s genius lies in giving this extraordinary woman a voice that is simultaneously poetic and human.
To portray such a character as an Ekavyakti is a formidable artistic challenge. The dancer moved effortlessly between different characters — Draupadi, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Duryodhana, Dushasana, Krishna and so on. The young princess at the Swayamvara, the proud queen of Indraprasta, the woman humiliated in the Kuru Sabha and the determined woman who refuses to forget what has happened. The progression is what transforms a dance recital into theatre.
Dr. Vasundhara chooses carefully selected succession of episodes to trace Draupadi’s journey — from her extraordinary birth to the fulfilment of her vow. The presentation opened with her emergence from fire, immediately establishing her elemental quality. The swayamvara followed, leading to the unusual destiny that made her the wife of the five Pandavas. The dice hall humiliation and Vastrapaharana naturally formed the emotional core of the presentation. Here Draupadi’s dignity refuses to be crushed. Her anguish gradually transforms into indignation and then into an unshakeable resolve.
The Keechaka episode provided another opportunity to reveal her courage and resourcefulness. Pursued and harassed by Keechaka, she seeks Bhima’s help. Draupadi’s bond with Bhima is a special emotional force because Bhima repeatedly becomes the instrument of her protection and vengeance.
Through changes in stance, expression and movement, Vasundhara had to make the audience perceive not only Draupadi but all the other characters, which was challenging. One of the most delightful moments of theatrical ingenuity came when Vasundhara transformed herself for the disguise required in the Sairandhri episode.
The manner in which she wore a saree in a matter of seconds on stage was remarkable and humorous. The Saugandhika episode added yet another dimension to Draupadi — the woman capable of expressing her desire and wonder amidst the larger heroic narrative.
The culmination came with Dushasana’s death and Draupadi’s long-remembered vow. The image of Draupadi applying Dushasana’s blood to her hair with a fierce eagerness was powerful and disturbing. The hair that had symbolised her dishonour now became the site of its redressal.
In the entire presentation, every gesture, glance and alteration in body language established a new emotional circumstance. At 77, Vasundhara’s presence on stage acquires a significance of its own. To watch her continue to dance with such poise, vitality and physical command is, in itself deeply inspiring. At an age when many may find even sitting down or walking fast with ease a challenge, she still submits herself to the rigours of dance with an energy that belies her years. Years of yoga and discipline have clearly helped her retain the flexibility, strength and balance essential to her art. The ‘Kshatra’ she embodies on stage is not merely Draupadi’s — it is the inner strength of an artiste who has refused to let age diminish her passion for her art.
The event was choreographed by Dr. Vasundhara, with a beautiful script and narration by Dr. Jyothi Shankar and music by Balsubramanya Sharma.
—Dr. Padmavathi Narasimhan
This post was published on September 16, 2026 7:30 pm