H for Hidimba’s Son, Ghatotkacha - Mahabharata Mashup

Namaste, 

This is a roundabout post since I already used G for my favorite scene. Anyway, we can talk about two characters from Mahabharatha in the same post, so that’s a plus. 

Hidimba is a rakshasi (demoness) and the twin sister of Hidimba, a male demon. They first appear in Adi Parva when the Pandavas escape the burning of the House of Lac and pause to rest in a forest. Hidimba sent his sister to find out who the humans were with a plan to consume them as a meal. However, when the rakshasi saw Bhima, she fell in love with his physique and his devotion to his mother and brothers. 

She transformed into a beautiful woman to talk to Bhima. Her brother didn’t like this and attacked Bhima, who killed him. Hidimba proposed marriage, but Bhima declined. Then, she convinced Kunti, saying she wasn’t a Yatudhani (evil spirit) but a Salakatarikati (another type of rakshasa). She had a gift of sight and guided them to a safe place, saying Vyasa would meet them soon. Kunti agreed to have Hidimba as her daughter-in-law but said Bhima would not stay with her in the forest forever. 

Hidimba agreed and said she would willingly let him go once she had a child. Thus, during their stay, Hidimba and Bhima spent time together in the morning while Bhima returned to guard his family at night.

Soon, Bhima and Hidimba had a son, a half-rakshasa, whom they named Ghatotkacha. He was named thus since his head resembled a water pot (Ghata). He loved the Pandavas, and they loved him. After he grew up a little, the Pandavas left the forest while Hidimba and Ghatotkacha stayed back in their domain. 

Fun fact: Do you know there’s a Hidimba Devi temple in Manali? It is locally called the Dhungari Temple and was built in the Dhungiri Van Vihar by Maharaja Bahadur Singh in 1553. 

Over the years, Ghatotkacha helped the Pandavas many times. He was loving, respectful, and devoted to them. 

• In Sabha Parva, Sahadeva asked Ghatotkacha to fly to Lanka and inform Vibhishan (the king of Lanka) about Yudhistira’s Rajasuya and bring gifts. 
  
  
• In Aranyaka Parva, Yudhistira called Ghatotkacha to help them during the pilgrimage and carry Draupadi when climbing Mount Kailasa to reach Gandhamadana. Ghatotkacha and a team of rakshasas stayed with them for many years. He helped them go down the Kubera Mountain to spend the last phase of their exile. 
  
  
• Ghatotkacha had a prominent role in the Bhishma and Drona Parvas and killed many warriors on the Kaurava side, including another rakshasa Alambusa. When Karna killed Ghatotkacha, he managed to squash one akshauhini of the Kaurava army under his body before breathed his last. 

(One Akshauhini = 21,870 chariots; 21,870 elephants; 65,610 horses and 109,350 foot soldiers)

Yudhistira had a special love for Ghatotkacha and was devastated by his death in the Kurukshetra War (killed by Karna). 

(Baby) Ghatotkacha was described thus by Vyasa – "a fierce-eyed, large-mouthed baby with ears like arrows and a fear-instilling face, a roaring voice, brown lips, and sharp teeth. He was powerful and athletic, like a chariot hero. He had a long nose, a broad, swelling chest, calves rippling with muscles, and amazing swiftness of speed. He was hardly ever a boy; he looked so full-grown, and very soon, he became renowned as an expert arms-wielder."

For me, Ghatotkacha has always been – SV Ranga Rao Garu from Mayabazar (1957).

This is the Technicolor version. 

I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z.

The AI images are made on Bing.