Gandhari, the princess of Gandhar, is mostly known as the Queen who gave birth to 100 children – 100 sons and one daughter. Married to Dhritarashtra, she was the Queen of Kuru Kingdom, which is believed to have existed around the modern-day Delhi and Haryana.
Her marriage with Dhritarashtra is claimed to have been arranged by Bhishma in exchange for her father’s kingdom whom he defeated in a battle. Epics do not talk much about what Gandhari felt about her alliance but some scholars argue that Gandhari was overcome with rage at the injustice mete out to her and in protest of being forced to marry a blind man, blind-folded herself for life. Some, more traditional believers stick to the idea that she was a devoted wife who upon learning that her husband was blind decided to forego the pleasure of sight herself.
Gandhari’s life, like Kunti’s life, was full of miracles which also turned into hardships for her.
Some lore around Gandhari say that in her youth she did penance and obtained the boon to have 100 sons from Lord Shiva. Others suggest that Ved Vyasa gave her the boon of 100 sons after seeing her devotion to her husband. The idea in Hindu society that a woman who begets a son is more virtuous, seems to find some foothold through Gandhari’s tale. It is said that Bhishma chose Gandhari to be Dhritarashtra’s son for this very reason – she could provide sons to carry on the kuru line.
Though Gandhari became pregnant before Kunti, Kunti bore the first child of the next generation. Reason being, Gandhari carried on an unusually long pregnancy of 2 years. When she learnt that Kunti had given birth to a son, she pounds on her stomach in grief and rage and a flesh mass comes out. Ved Vyasa consoles the Queen then goes on to divide the mass in 101 parts and incubates them in earthen post for another 2 years (perhaps the first example of Assisted Reproductive Technology). The first child to be born thus is Duryodhana. Gandhari has another 99 sons and the 101st pot delivers a baby girl who is named Dushala.
Some accounts also claim that Gandhari bore exactly 100 children, the 100th child being Dushala. The 100th Kaurava boy was a child born to a maid after Dhritarashtra has intercourse with her. The child was named Yuyutsu. Yuyutsu has a shining moment in Mahabharata war as he is the only one to leave the Kaurava side and join Pandavas just before the war.
Gandhari is said to be a charitable and kind woman who also had a stronghold in the royal court. When Dushasan, on Duryodhana’s order, tries to drag Draupadi to the hall where the dice game was played and Pandavas lost their freedom, she tries to run to Gandhari’s chambers since she is the one who can stop her. Unfortunately, Gandhari is not in her chamber and what ensues brings about the downfall of the Kuru clan.
It is said that Gandhari was a righteous woman who entreated her sons to make peace with the Pandavas.
One lore associated with Gandhari and the cunning of Krishna says that having been blindfolded for years, Gandhari had accumulated ‘tej’ (divine power) in her eyes and one look from her could have rendered any man invincible. Gandhari to protect her eldest son, asks him to meet her in her chambers without any clothes so that one look form her could leave his body immune to any attack. While Duryodhana is on his way to her chambers, Krishna meets him and deduces what is going to happen. He cleverly shames Duryodhana to cover his groin area before his mother. Ultimately, Duryodhana’s whole body remains immune and powerful except his thighs and private parts. Krishna asks Bhima, during the last fight with Duryodhana, to hit him on his thighs. Bhima does exactly that, while also fulfilling his promise made during the dice game that he would break Duryodhana’s thighs.
This story finds parallels in the story of Achilles’ heels. Achilles’ mother Thetis tried to make him immortal by dipping him in the Styx River. However, his left heel remains vulnerable because Thetis had held him by that heel while dipping him in the river.
Gandhari was bereaved after all her sons were dead and the only daughter was left widowed at the end of the Mahabharata war. It is said that Gandhari curses Krishna, without whose clever strategies Pandavas could not win, that all his clan would die fighting among themselves just like her sons did. She however immediately realizes what she has uttered in her rage and wishes to take it back. But words cannot be taken back and respecting the words of such great a woman, Krishna accepts her curse graciously.
In India, a temple was built for Gandhari in Hebbya village, Nanjangud, Mysore, Karnataka. The foundation of the temple was laid in 2008.
In literature, Rabindranath Tagore wrote a play, Gandharir Abedon (Gandhari’s Supplication), in which she, her husband Dhritarashtra, and her eldest son Duryodhana are the central characters.
The Broken Inkpot 