<p>Description</p><p>The myth of Drishadvati appears in the Mahabharata as the 'story of the</p><p>salvation of kings by a maiden.' While tales of surrogacy abound in the</p><p>Indian epics, this is the first known example of a womb-on-rent. This strange</p><p>story-of a girl whose fertility was bartered repeatedly in exchange for</p><p>priceless horses-has intrigued modern scholars, playwrights and authors for</p><p>its cultural significance. While earlier adaptations have cast its theme as the</p><p>exploitation of a helpless woman, Bride of the Forest presents it as the story of</p><p>girl who is surprisingly radical in her ultimate rejection of patriarchy.</p><p>Staying true to the original myths and springing entirely from the world of</p><p>the Mahabharata, the novel brings to life several other characters: Garuda,</p><p>the divine bird who flies Lord Vishnu around the world: the proud kings</p><p>of Ayodhya, Pratisthan and Kashi; the arrogant queen, Devayani, and her</p><p>duplicitous maid-whose stories reveal an intricate tapestry of human and</p><p>divine relationships. Intertwined in the tales of traditional rivalries is the</p><p>age-old war between the asuras and the devas that gave rise to the perennial</p><p>male quest for immortality, transmuted into the human desire for sons that</p><p>lies at the root of commercial surrogacy even today. However, it is the story of</p><p>Drishadvati, her sacrifice and her nobility, that will enchant the reader. </p><p><br></p>