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Fascinating women from mythology

Last updated on - Mar 7, 2019, 18:29 IST

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Why we must read about these characters

The mythological tales we grew up listening to reverberated about strong male characters sketching the religious anecdotes of Hinduism. But how many of us can recall portrayal of a strong female character from those tales? Women characters were either ‘ideal’ or ‘negative’. They were either mothers, wives, or vamps. But there is more to the vulnerable characters of Urmila, Hidimba, Mandodari, Sita, Savitri, and Draupadi. These women had a mind of their own, they trusted their sensibilities and were blessed with a sharp acumen. Read on to know more about these fascinating women from mythology.

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Draupadi

Draupadi: Born from fire-sacrifice, Draupadi is one of the most powerful and compassionate characters one would come across in Hindu scriptures. She was intelligent, fearless, loyal, sacrificing, and the one who stood tall to protect her womanhood during the game of dice. Analyzing her character in depth, Draupadi emerges as one the first feminists our scriptures witnessed.

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Surpnakha

Surpnakha: If there would have been no Surpanakha, there would have been no Ramayana! The damsel is mostly read in a negative light but she was a character ahead of her times. This woman had strong emotions and did not fray away from accepting her attraction towards men, something that was a taboo. She was ridiculed and Lakshman insulted her by chopping off her nose, but Surpnakha played the evil genius behind the epic Ram-versus-Ravana war.

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Urmila

Urmila: It is not easy to be a wife of a prince who decides to leave his wife and accompany his brother for a fourteen-year-long exile. Even though Urmila insisted on accompanying her husband, Lakshman insisted her to stay back as he will not be able to protect his brother and Sita if she came along. Urmila kept herself composed all through and after the trio returned, she fulfilled her duties of a devoted wife with compassion.

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Savitri

Savitri: She was born as a blessing to her parents who wished for a son for their lineage. She was extremely beautiful and an epitome of purity and devotion. It was the divine love and dedication of Savitri that she could save her husband’s soul from Yama. She was intelligent and an astute speaker; it was her words and wisdom that impressed Yama and he granted Satyavan’s life.

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Mandodari

Mandodari: Being a devoted wife to the King of the Rakshasas and still being righteous needs a brave stature. She did her best to make Ravana a better person and kept warning him about his wrong deeds that might lead to a destructive future. But despite his flaws and evil deeds, she was faithful to him and stood by her patnidharam.

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Hidimbi

Hidimbi: Known as the wife of Pandava Bheem and mother of Ghatotkach, Hidimba is also referred to as Pallavi. She deeply loved Bheem and wanted to marry him. Bheem agreed only on one condition that he will leave her once she bears a child with him but this did not shake Hidimbi’s decision. She was a single mother and never claimed any rights for his son because practically, Ghatotkach was the eldest Pandava son!

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Sita

Sita: The dedication and self-sacrifice of Sita have always dominated her dynamic characteristics. She was a woman of great inner strength and never resisted speaking up whenever the need arose. Woman of strong self-respect, Sita raised Luv and Kush as a single mother and finally took refuge in her mother – Goddess Earth. During her exile with Lord Ram or when Ravana abducted her, the strength of character and mind that she essays is unfathomable.

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