Author(s): Swastika Banerjee

Abstract: This paper explores the themes of trauma and female suffering in The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee which re tells the story of The Mahabharata from Draupadi’s point. Unlike the traditional narrative that celebrates the male heroes of the epic, Banerjee’s novel highlight the emotional and psychological struggles of a woman who is caught between the battle of selfhood and patriarchal norms. This research examines Draupadi’s life long quest for identity, agency and dignity. There is a repetition of trauma in her life, the pattern can be seen in the various incidents of her life like, her birth from fire, her pre decided destiny, her forced marriage with the 5 brothers, her humiliation in the court, her 13-year exile and the death of her loved ones on the battlefield. The incident that took place in the court, where she was disrobed and humiliated in ways no women should be can be seen as a strong symbol of gendered violence and treatment of women as property within the patriarchal structures. At the end, Draupadi emerges not only as a mere victim who suffered in the hands of the patriarchy, rather she emerges as a questioning and resilient figure. She challenges authority along with calling out the injustice that was done to her. Draupadi channels her pain and converts it into her moral strength. The feminist reading of the paper, projects Draupadi as a complex woman who is shaped by desire, anger, love, guilt, and endurance.

Keywords: Female suffering, Feminist reading, Identity, patriarchy and trauma.

Article Info: Received: 24 Jan 2026; Received in revised form: 21 Feb 2026; Accepted: 26 Feb 2026; Available online: 05 Mar 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.112.4