MAHABHARAT ! The greatest Epic of the Subcontinent on TV, 21st Century Style.

[jaibi]

I just want to know if it is based on a true story or fiction?
I have watched some of it and they seem to have supernatural powers.

These are called the great myths. Like the epic of Gilgamesh, Troy, and so on these stories have been primarily narrated not written. There is definitely fact in there but the function of such stories is not to record history but to assemble the presence of an ever.complex society and the existential questions that it poses. Therefore, these stories are supposed to be read symbolically.

Secondly, there are definite historical facts in there. Take Homer's epics, we have found the historic Troy and evidence of warfare there so there is evidence that such a war took place and probably the heroes in there are based on real people but treated more literally.

My own field is narratology if you've any more questions shoot away and I hope it helps

 

[Robinhood Pandey]

Obviously fiction.

not exactly. . .

 

[jaibi]

Yes, Mahabharata story (apart from supernatuaral powers) resembles the day to day life of ours. The politics, the deceit, the fight among brothers, the greed, the sacrifice, the economy, the Rajadharma etc. everything is in it.

It is not as Black and White as Ramayana, it has shades of grey. There is hero, villain and antihero, heroine all in it

The escalating of human strengths to extremes comes from the fact that it was for the first time that we were dealing with our 'civilization' , the ancients were a people without much history and most of knowledge was transmitted through the oral traditions, therefore, the representations of the characters is symbolic not literal. The recorders of these epics followed this aspect.

 

[janon]

These are called the great myths. Like the epic of Gilgamesh, Troy, and so on these stories have been primarily narrated not written. There is definitely fact in there but the function of such stories is not to record history but to assemble the presence of an ever.complex society and the existential questions that it poses. Therefore, these stories are supposed to be read symbolically.

Secondly, there are definite historical facts in there. Take Homer's epics, we have found the historic Troy and evidence of warfare there so there is evidence that such a war took place and probably the heroes in there are based on real people but treated more literally.

My own field is narratology if you've any more questions shoot away and I hope it helps

And similarly, remnants of indraprasta (capital of the pandavas) can be found scattered on the outskirts of Delhi. However, people who ask whether it is fiction or reality are asking a very simplistic and naive question. As you rightly explain, the function of epics like these was a lot more than simply storytelling or recording of facts.

The two epics, long before they were even written down, became the fabric that held the subcontinent together, into a certain identity. Taken purely as a work of literature, the mahabharata is a very complex work, where everybody is highly multidimensional, and there are no black and white heroes or villains. The protagonists have their moments of ignoble conduct, and the antagonists have some very noble qualities to them. It isn't like say, the bible, with god always right and satan always evil. Krishna, supposedly the avatar or the supreme being, himself cheats a couple of times on the battlefield! Karna, fighting against Krishna and arjuna, on the whole comes up as a sympathetic and tragic character.

This brand of storytelling or mythmaking is unique to the subcontinent. It can be read as anything you want, and still enjoyed. You say it is meant to be read symbolically - and it certainly can be. But it can also be read simply as a story (albei a great one), or as a morality tale (as many people do), or as quasi-historic legend.

People who ask the question "is it all true" are asking that because they are accustomed to another way of looking at myths. The question of whether the bible or quran is completely true may be important to christians and muslims. But to most Indians, whether the mahabharata is 'all true' is simply irrelevant. The importance of these epics lies in how it has shaped a civilization, not whether it is factually true or false. In fact I don't even know how to evaluate a claim of true or false for large works of literature. Heck, the Harry Potter series has some true statements, as does any other book.

 

[Truth Finder]

And similarly, remnants of indraprasta (capital of the pandavas) can be found scattered on the outskirts of Delhi.

Yes, that old capital Indraprastha is now found to be the Indian capital Delhi.

Indraprastha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Sriram]

Not another "book"... it is the Longest Poem EVER!!!

I just want to know if it is based on a true story or fiction?
I have watched some of it and they seem to have supernatural powers.

I am a skeptic , but you cant call a story as fact if it has no supernatural element and vice versa

 

[bornmoron]

Mahabharata & Ramayana are not MYTH,,,,they are for real...Myth word was planted by the western media Long Back.
Things Changed & people had to believe When Dwarka was unearthed.
Now Fire Power,,,This Part No Idea,,,But Then If we had "Vimana Purana",,,Cant we have Fire Powers,,
Some findings have shown very high density Fire powers used (compared directly to Nuclear Power),I ll try to find n post it here.

 

[INDIC]

Obviously fiction.

Name of the cities and regions mentioned in Mahabharat are real and those names are still used after several thousands of years.

These are called the great myths. Like the epic of Gilgamesh, Troy, and so on these stories have been primarily narrated not written. There is definitely fact in there but the function of such stories is not to record history but to assemble the presence of an ever.complex society and the existential questions that it poses. Therefore, these stories are supposed to be read symbolically.

The existence of Troy was finally proved when archaeologist unearthed Troy in Western Turkey.

 

[livingdead]

Name of the cities and regions mentioned in Mahabharat are real and those names are still used after several thousands of years.



The existence of Troy was finally proved when archaeologist unearthed Troy in Western Turkey.

It could be based on certain events that happened. Also I think it was not exactly creation of one person, lot of people might have contributed to this massive epic.

 

[he-man]

this new mahabharata is a blot on the original one.

super model pandavs,super sexy women

total bullshit,atleast portray ppl as they were at that time.have chest hair,beards.
women should have no make up at all.

i am embarrassed to to watch such a serial

 

[Truth Finder]

At least, some facts are true.

Shakuni, my favorite character, was from Afghanistan and Karna was the king of Bengal.

 

[Victory]

Gods doesn't exist!

Embrace science, grow up.

 

[Truth Finder]

Gods doesn't exist!
Embrace science, grow up.

Who is talking about God here? We are talking about an ancient family drama called Mahabharata.

 

[bornmoron]

Gods doesn't exist!

Embrace science, grow up.

Whos Talking abt God Kid,,,,Grow Up....

Irony for u ,,,Even he believes in God...

 

[Victory]

Who is talking about God here? We are talking about an ancient family drama called Mahabharata.

forgot to quote bornmoron who is claiming that these fairytales are real

Whos Talking abt God Kid,,,,Grow Up....

Irony for u ,,,Even he believes in God...

I dont.