Book of a lifetime: the Mahabharata
The IndependentOne of the longest books in the world, the Mahabharata tells the story of a country, a culture and a family tearing itself apart. Then, in the late centuries BC, somebody wrote it down, and after that the text went wild: translating itself out of the elite Brahminical language and into India’s demotic tongues. In the 1980s, BR Chopra made a bombastic Bollywood version for Indian television; while at the same time British audiences were shown Peter Brook’s pared-down Parisian rendering. The main story covers several decades; but it begins long afterwards – as the story is being recited – and also explores earlier mythic eras. There are plenty of amorous demons and stubborn river goddesses who live in freedom on its fringes; but it is the mortal women, trapped within the pivotal family structure, whose predicaments are most striking.
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Book Of A Lifetime: The Mahabharata
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