Sairandhri by Vinod Joshi - Sunday Reading

According to plato Literature is  not nothing except merely imitation. But this copy made by writer is in his own perspective and in his own words. So the Sairandhri is a 'Prabandh Kavya' written by Vinod Joshi published in 2018 with seven cantos, 49 chapters and 1800 lines. It is based on Draupadi character picked from Hindu epic Mahabharata and depicts distinct world of Daraupadi's thought and feeling as a woman during exile.

Vinod Joshi

Vinod Joshi is a well known name among the post modern gujarati poets and critic.Vinod joshi's literature is full of description of rural areas with the use of regional language. He is also very good in describing feminine sentiments. His achievements are..

•  Kavishwar Dalpatram Award (2013)
•  Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar (2015)
•  Narsinh Mehta Award (2018)
•  Kalapi Award (2018)

Meaning of "Sairandhri"

In Hinduism the name Sairandhri was used by Draupadi during the Pandavas last year of exile in the kingdom of Virata.  Sairandhri means a maid servant or female attendant employed in royal female apartments. Sairandhri worked as the servant of Sudeshna (Queen of King Virata).

Vinod Joshi's "Sairandhri"

In his poem Vinod joshi took a few parts of Mahabharat from 'Virataparvam.' Draupadi is known by different names like…

• Panchali- Because she is princess of Panchali
• Draupadi-Daughter of king Drupad
• Shama-She is lady with dark complexion which resembles evening
• Sakhi-called by krishna
• Yagyaseni-one who born from fire

But Vinod Joshi chose her as a Sairandhri. Because as Sairandhri she is the symbol of "Whole Human Society." 

Lost Identity

Sairandhri is a woman, a woman who was living disguised and hid her original personality.In the same manner we find in present society that everyone is living with hiding their original personality and really who they are? In our day to day life we try to fit in certain circumstances and manage ourselves, which creates our hidden personality.There are two types of Human personality…

• Revealed
• Hidden

Humans consider Dual Personality One is our real identity which we try to hide in front of society and the second one is our potential to manage in every situation. Here the poet wants to convey the message that this is " the story of lost identity, Draupadi who lost her identity as a queen and living as a maid but still she meets her new personality and which is her power as a "Yagya Kanya" Before their exile she is depended on Male as her father, her husband or friend krishna but now there is no one to help her and as a normal woman still she is surviving.So she can feel proud as "Ojaskanya"(word used by Vinod joshi)

Sairandhri Loves Karna

In his poem Vinod Joshi depicted karna as her first love and Arjun as second. Which is different from the original story. They both love eachother but they hide their love in front of society because indian society is not going to accept their love. In original Mahabharat she loved Arjun and become wife of five Pandavas and lost her identity in the same manner here bith loves each other but not even able to express their love. Vinod joshi try to put the words for Karna in the mouth of Draupadi when she first observed him..

"વક્ષ વિશાળ ભુજા બળશાળી

નેત્રે વિધુત ચમક નિરાલી

તત્ક્ષણ મોહિત થઇ પાંચાલી

પાંચાલી ગઈ નખશિષ ઠરકી

રહી બાહુબલી નરને જોતી

તર્ક પરોવ્યા મનના મોટી"

Sairandhri is a poem about the lost identity of Draupadi with whom any reader can connect. The style of the writer is very unique and elegant and written is very easy to understand.

Thank you...