Chakravyuh

I happened to watch the ‘Chakravyuh’ scene of B. R Chopra’s ‘Mahabharata’ today on Epic channel and the first thing that struck me was its uncanny similarity with a certain thing. The young, confident and cheerful Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuh formation when his uncles and other family members promised to help him but later they were barred from entering the formation by the enemy soldiers. Inside, Abhimanyu was attacked by his elders in the Kaurava army all at a time: an unethical attack. He died bravely defending himself and crying for this father. Gurus Dronachrya and Kripacharya were genuinely sad about this but could not do anything. A brave young life was lost due to unethical fighting.

‘Chakravyuh’ exist in modern context too and are known by the name of the ‘Arranged Indian Marriages’ that don’t turn out to be as expected. A young and confident girl enters the alliance but ends up catering to everyone’s demands and fighting for her freedom and rights. Her family members are not allowed to interfere and thus they become helpless as well. She ‘dies’ fighting, not literally always, and even though her downfall and deterioration is mourned by a few members, they are too dependent to take a stand. An arranged marriage in India is an unethical combat that swallows young lives where they not only battle for their freedom every day; they are attacked by many societal malpractices all at once as well. There is no way out from such formations, they are one way streets that lead only to frustration and rapid decline.

Image from Shutterstock

Warrior Abhimanyu entering the Chakravyuha. 

Stone artworks of the 12th century Hoysaleshwara temple in Halebidu, India.