Synopsis "The Forgotten Wife (in English)"
Deep in a forest on the outskirts of Varnavat, the beautiful Hidimbiencounters Bheem, strong and strikingly handsome. The attraction is mutualand instantaneous. But their union seems doomed from the start: she is arakshasi, a demoness; he is a Pandava, son of Pandu, erstwhile ruler of thefabled kingdom of Hastinapur. It is Kunti, Bheem's mother, who senses anopportunity in this unlikely match. She and her five sons-Yudhishthir, Arjun, Bheem and the twins Nakul and Sahadev-must remain in exile in the forestfor a year before they can do battle with their Kaurava cousins, and stake theirclaim to Pandu's kingdom. What better than to spend the time under theprotection of a rakshasi? And if a son is born to her, he will have the strengthof a rakshasa-a valuable ally in the battle with the Kauravas. So a deal isstruck. Hidimbi will be Bheem's wife-but only for a year. And any son bornof their union will come to the aid of the Pandavas whenever they call him.When the battle of Kurukshetra finally takes place, it is Ghatotkach, son ofBheem and Hidimbi, who fights valiantly for his father, until he is struck downby the mighty warrior Karna, Kunti's secret son, who has aligned with theKauravas. But in killing Ghatotkach, Karna uses his most powerful weapon, leaving himself vulnerable. The Pandavas' victory is assured.The story of Bheem and Hidimbi-and their star-crossed son, Ghatotkach-is one of the most fascinating from the Mahabharata. Madhavi Mahdevan'sretelling of it is spell-binding.
