There isn't a man here that I should be ashamed”

Draupadi stands before him naked. Thigh and pubic hair matted with dried blood. Two breasts two wounds. is this? He is about to bark. Draupadi comes closer. Stands with her hand on her hip laughs and says The object of your search Dopdi Mejhen. You asked them to make me up; dont you want to see how they made me? Where are her Wont put them on sir. Tearing them. [Draupadi]s black body comes even closer. Draupadi shakes with an indomitable laughter that Senanayak simply cannot understand. Her ravaged lips bleed as she begins laughing. Draupadi wipes the blood on her palm and says in a voice that is terrifying sky-splitting Whats the use of clothes? You can strip me but how can you clothe me again? Are you a man? She looks around and chooses the front of Senanayaks white shirt to spit a bloody gob at and says There isnt a man here that I should be ashamed. I will not let you put my cloth on me. What more can you do? Come on counter me counter me... Draupadi pushes Senanayak with her two mangled breasts and for the first time Senanayak is afraid to stand before an unarmed target terribly afraid (Mahasveta Devi 1990/1992: 104). Mahasveta Devis rendering of Draupadis tale develops many of the classical themes in interesting ways. Implied rape in Draupadis case becomes actual rape in Dopdis case. Blood figures significantly in both narratives but where Draupadi will bathe and purify herself in Duryodanas blood Dopdi sullies Senanayak with hers spattering his clean white shirt. But most interesting for the purposes of this paper is the emphasis on exhibitionism in both narratives. Like Vyasas Draupadi displaying her unbraided hair Mahasveta Devis Dopdi counters the wickedness of her tormentor by exhibitionistic display. Refusing to cover herself she uses her ravaged body as a weapon by which to censure the man who has sanctioned the use of gang rape as a weapon against her. (authors)

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