Pratinayak Duryodhana

“Even if you are base, why should I not be noble?” — this is not merely a moral aphorism. In society, in history, and even in epics, an ‘other’ is deliberately created. These ‘others’ stand outside accepted human values. Sometimes they are gods yet branded as demons; sometimes they are human, yet considered less than human. Deceit and manipulation do not stain the victors, but society refuses to accept that even these so-called villains may have their own voices. Until a writer takes up the pen in their defense, they remain lower than the low. Duryodhan is one such character from the Mahabharata. Though traditionally portrayed as the villain of the epic, alternative interpretations exist within the epic itself. Even today, temples dedicated to Duryodhan in parts of North India bear witness to this truth. This novel presents an alternative retelling of the Mahabharata that is sure to stir the reader. Duryodhan here is not a flawless superhuman endowed with every virtue. Alongside humility, he possesses anger. He is not a mad killer; his heart longs for a mother’s affection and the love of family. Like any other human, Duryodhan weeps — he remains close to the earth, grounded and deeply human. It is for this earthbound, human Duryodhan that novelist Asim Chattopadhyay has taken up his pen. For over four decades, he has offered Bengali literature and publishing a distinct and powerful alternative stream. His notable novels include Pub Akash Lal, Mahajuddher Nepathya Nayika Kunti, and Notun Juger Swapnapathik Draupadi. Lowkey, this book is basically a mic-drop reinterpretation of a so-called villain — flipping the epic POV and asking us who really gets to write history.