Mahabharata Assignment

Q) Elucidate upon the significance of Draupadi being dragged by her hair in the assembly hall.

Draupadi’s subjection to severe humiliation began with Yudhisthira’s fall from grace. After betting
and consequently losing everything, including himself, to a game of high stakes dicing, Yudhisthira
bet his wife Draupadi, whom he shared with four of his brothers, and lost her to the Kaurava clan.

When she is ushered inside the assembly hall, it is Duhsasana who grabs her by her hair and drags
her across the hall. When she runs towards the clan of Kaurava women, Duhsasana seizes her long
black hair, not paying heed to her cries telling him that she is menstruating and is wearing only one
garment. She then goes on to calling him names to which he responds by forcefully holding her
down by her black hair saying that she could pray to whoever she wants but he would lead her to
the sabha regardless as, “with slaves one delights as one wishes.”

The echoing reference to her long black hair and the seizing of it by Duhsasana is of great literary
significance. From time immemorial, long hair has been seen as a sign of sexuality. A chaste woman
is expected to keep her hair tied always as sign of having her sexuality tamed. In many cultures,
women who are widowed are forced to shave their heads so as to completely get rid of their
sexuality.

When Duhsasana grabs her by the hair, he is metaphorically trying to take hold of her sexuality.
Turned into a slave because of her husband, she now exists as a play thing for the Kaurava, to do
with her whatever he pleases, whenever he pleases. He forcefully holds her down by her black hair
to symbolise how he is forcefully taking control of her sexuality. This is a way of showing how
Draupadi no longer has rights over her own body and is now a mere object for the Kurus to play
with.

Grabbing of Draupadi’s hair also signifies a way for Duhsasana to display his manhood. Duhsasana
was under the impression that the usher he had sent to bring Draupadi, feared Bhima, one of the
Pandava brothers. To show him and everyone present that he was the true force to be reckoned
with, he attacks the one thing most precious to the Pandavas and, in turn, show everyone that there
is nothing that the Pandavas can do to him hence asserting his manhood. It is also important to note
that, in Duhsasana’s mind, forcefully taking over the sexuality of a woman as important as Draupadi,
was a manly thing to do.

What we can also see here is how the symbol of Draupadi’s flowing black hair changes. After her
severe humiliation, her hair is unbraided and flowing to the hips quite like the spiral flow of her robe,
which suggests the spiral of revenge. She vows to never tie her hair again until she seeks her
vengeance upon all those who wronged her. This is a display of unrelenting feminism not seen
before in any other epic in this magnitude. Daughter of fire, she lives up to her name when she
proclaims to all that she would only tie her hair after she washes it in the blood of her enemies.

Most significantly, we see how this particular act is the catalyst for the epic war. This humiliation of
Draupadi put into motion the great war that was always brimming in the background, now fuelled by
everyone’s desire for revenge and justice. In the absence of this drastic event, the war would’ve
been delayed decades and perhaps might not have even happened. Pandava’s humiliation at the
hands of their cousins lit a fire of vengeance in their hearts which culminated into the greatest was
known to mankind and resulted in the complete decimation of the Kuru clan.
In conclusion, we can see that the symbolism of Draupadi’s hair evolved throughout the epic. When
it was braided, it signified her virginity and chastity. When it was grabbed by Duhsasana, it
symbolised her forceful relinquishment over her own sexuality and means for Duhsasana to
propound his manhood. Finally, it becomes a fiery symbol of Draupadi’s revenge for her
maltreatment.