Book review
Contents
Abhimanyu
Ghatotkacha
Uloopi

Description
Abhimanyu’s father was the great Arjuna. His mother, Subhadra, was the sister of Lord Krishna. In spite of being overshadowed by such powerful personalities, Abhimanyu had no difficulty in finding his rightful place among the greatest of his time.

It took seven of the greatest on the Kaurava side to vanquish the young lion that was Abhimanyu. Youth has seldom scalded such heights in any epic known to mankind.

Ghatotkacha, the hero of the second book in this special issue, was one of the finest characters in the Mahabharata – affectionate and kind even though he was a rakshasa. Perhaps that was because he was only half a rakshasa, being the son of Bheema and the rakshasi Hidimba.

It was Ghatotkacha, who with his rakshasa hordes and their magical powers, made the wedding of Abhimanyu and Vatsala possible. This story is not found in the Mahabharata. It seems to have evolved at a much later date, as a legend, in Telugu and Kannada. Our Amar Chitra Katha is derived partly from the Mahabharata and partly from the legend.

Uloopi was the daughter of Kauravya, a king of the Nagas. There are accounts of many Aryan princes marrying Naga princesses. Arjuna met Uloopi when he was in exile. Uloopi wielded great influence on Babhuruvahana, the son of Chitrangada and Arjuna. Hence her story assumes importance in the Mahabharata.