Identity and Inheritance: Diasporic consciousness in The Mahabharata

Sumana Chakraborty Department of English Assam University, Silchar

ABSTRACT The essential root of conflict in The Mahabharata lies in the negotiation of the identity of the Pandavas and the Kauravas to determine the deserving heir to the royal throne of Hastinapur. The seeds of the conflict are sown long before the birth of two sets of cousins of the Kuru dynasty. In fact, the question of the succession that begins with the demise of King Shantanu perplexes three generations of the Kurus before Yudhishtir finally ascends the throne after the end of the great war. Several parameters are used to resolve the issue of inheritance, but the one of the primary qualifications of the heir seems to be the undisputed recognition as the eldest and the ablest Kuru prince of the generation. Qualifying as a full blooded Kuru prince becomes increasingly difficult due to the disruption of the Kuru bloodline by issueless patriarchs. Children are begotten through surrogacy and adoption that not only challenges the legitimacy of these children, but also intensifies their desire of the longing to belongto the family and the state. The battle of wills within the royal family casts its inevitable shadow on the kingship of the state. The issue of inheritance remains under control for two generations, but the competition and hostility in the third generation not only determines the heir but also irrevocably bifurcates the Kuru dynasty into twoKauravas (descendants of the Kurus) and Pandavas (sons of Pandu). This paper aims to explore the nuances of the identity of the Pandavas and how they negotiate their belonging to their family and by association, to their kingdom. Keywords: Mahabharata, identity, inheritance, belonging, Pandavas.