What is The Mahabharata? Read about this tale that the Hindu religion is based around (also the Ramayana) and learn more about the origins of the beauty and vibrance you can see in India.
The Hindu religion is one of the very many cultures represented in India. Every culture has its origins, and this religion is no different. I myself, being of Indian descent, find this topic especially intriguing. I hope you will too. Now, I will begin. (This is the second story I have told during this ongoing segment.)
Gandhari and Her Children
Once upon a time, there lived a young woman named Gandhari. One day, her parents got a message from the King's family, asking if she could marry their blind son, Dhritarashtra. It was a hard decision for her parents to make, but in the end they decided to have her married to Dhritarashtra. When Gandhari found this out, she reacted in a most peculiar way. She tied a piece of cloth around her head while saying, "My husband doesn't get to enjoy the flowers and the birds, why should I?" From that day forward, Gandhari never removed the cloth. She never even got to see her children.
That brings me to the next part of the story. Gandhari wanted kids. And she also had a boon (my, boons show up a lot) from a rishi, which said she could get 100 sons. It took forever to get a baby, and in that time period Kunti (remember her?) gave birth to her eldest son. Gandhari grew depressed and sad, because she really wanted kids, and nothing was working. Eventually, she gave birth, but instead of having a child, she had produced a lump of flesh instead. Scared, the couple called for the rishi who had granted Gandhari the boon in the first place. The rishi came immediately, and he knew just what to do. "Cut the flesh into a hundred pieces," he instructed, "and then place each piece in a separate container full of ghee. Then, when it's time, the babies will sprout from the jars." "But I also want a daughter," Gandhari protested. "We can do that, too," replied the rishi, "you'll just have to make a hundred and one pieces instead." And so, the Kauravas were born.
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