Week 9 Story: The Growth of Evil
A wretched sound echoed from Ghandhari's bathing quarters as she
sat hunched over a basin, green slime emerging from her throat in sickening
waves. Each morning she was wrenched awake by a terrible feeling in the pit of
her stomach, and was held captive by the nausea for hours at a time. Her
pregnancy had been extremely difficult, and the illness it caused showed no
signs of letting up.
The physical sickness had made her weak and stripped her body of
its vitality. Her curves were replaced by bony protrusions, and her dewy
complexion became dull and lifeless. Welts and bruises of rich burgundy and
indigo hues covered her skin, and the slightest touch felt like fire.
These symptoms paled in comparison to the nightmares that haunted
Ghandhari. She writhed in bed for hours as horrifying scenes flashed before her
eyes, her sleep disturbed by demons and visions of death.
Ghandhari had watched the wives of Pandu navigate pregnancy with
grace. Kunti was mother to Yudhistira, Bhima, and Arjuna, and Madri was mother to
Nakula and Sahadeva. Both women had grown strong and vibrant each time their wombs
stirred with life. Their beauty became more radiant, and their presence was always
preceded by a soft glow, a whisper of the shining life growing within them.
Ghandhari had been anxious to experience this for herself, only to be crushed
by a cursed pregnancy.
Although Ghandari refused to acknowledge the dark omens that had
taken hold of her life, evil forces were present within her. Wise men and women
from across the land had warned her of the signs and tried to persuade her to rid
her womb of the evil presence before it was too late, but she had refused. The
child that made her violently ill would soon walk the earth and infect the land
with violence and destruction.
Bhima and Duryodhana engaged in battle. Source: Wikimedia Commons
~~~
Bibliography: "The Mahabharata." Video Series. Epified. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrWYQjLLbXch4II3e8ke0S-6u7JpPSCmJ
Hi Joni!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you detailed Gandhari's cursed pregnancy, and the terrible omens that came with it, in your retelling. She is one of my favourite characters from the Mahabharata and I'm glad I got to see how you retold part of her story in this. It was also great how you contrasted her pregnancy to the pregnancies of Pandu's wives to bring the Pandavas into the world.
Hey Joni,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, your diction is astounding. Your details of how the evil (the babies) was growing inside of her was intriguing. It was vivid. I think adding something in the beginning how Ghandhari yearned to be pregnant and how it was foretold that she was to have one hundred children would be a good addition to your story.
Your classmate,
Joanna Yoon
Hi again, Joni! I want to begin by saying that I really enjoyed reading your story. I thought that your writing was wonderfully written. I liked how you went into depth and detailed about her pregnancy. I also really like how you compared her pregnancy to the others. It illustrates how the evil presence in her womb was physically draining her as well as emotionally draining her.
ReplyDelete