Draupadi is a famous short story written by Indian Bengali writer, Mahasweta Devi. The story was originally published in 1978 in Bengali language. The main theme of story is gender exclusion and caste discrimination.
Draupadi By Mahasweta Devi

Summary of Draupadi By Mahasweta Devi
Mahashweta Devi’s “Draupadi” story begins with character, Dopdi Mejhen, a 27 years old tribal woman from West Bengal. Her husband name is Dulna Majhi. When Dopdi was born, her mother used to do work of cleaning rice at Surja Sahu’s home. Surja Sahu is a rich landlord of village, Bakuli.
Dopdi was named by Suraja Sahu’s wife. After marriage, Dopdi lives with her husband, Dulna Manjhi. Dulna Majhi’s great grandfather borrowed rice from Surja Sahu due to which Dulna is working at Sahu’s home and paying off debt. Surja’s doesn’t pay any money to Dulna. Surja has bad intentions for Dopai and he want to come in physical relation with her.
Once upon a time there was a water shortage in village as a result lower caste people faced many problems. There was no water in village. The lower caste people goes to Surja Sahu’s home for water but he denied to give them water.
Thereafter, lower caste people revolt against Surja Sahu and surround his home from all sides. Sahu gets angry and comes out with gun in hand to fight with them but tribals captured him and tied him with tree. Dulna comes forward and ask his villager brother to let him deal with Sahu.
On this, Dopadi tells that he also look at her with bad intentions. Dulna wants to take revenge from Sahu for his grandfather and wife. Afterwards, few tribals killed Sahu and his son and run away. But people blame Dulna and his wife, Dopadi for the murder of Sahu and his son.
The village police starts looking for Dopadi and Dulna on the allegation of killing Sahu and his son. The police officers looks for Dopadi everywhere but does not able to find her. So police officer announced that whoever help them in catching Dopadi will get a reward of hundred rupees. To protect themselves from police, Dopadi and Dulna run away in Bengal jungle. Dulna and Dopadi are well acquainted with jungles so the police officers cannot find them.
The operation is carried out for the search of Dopadi and Dulna by name operation forest. The story now features new character, Arjun Singh, a Bengali commander who is assigned to Operation forest to catch Dopadi and Dulna. Arjun Singh order his officer to be stationed in place where there is water as they would come out from jungle to drink water for sure.
One day, Dulna was drinking water from river, an officer named Dukhi Singh saw him and shot him dead. When they goes near to see him, he was Dulna Majhi only. Arjun Singh ordered not to touch Dulna’s dead body as with his dead body they can catch Dopadi.
Dopadi loved her husband with all her heart, she want to go near Dulna’s body but she knows if she goes near to his body, officers would catch her. So no one from tribals group goes to take Dulna’s body. As the day passes, Arjun Singh understand that Dopadi won’t come to take Dulna’s body, so he orders his officers to drag his body in village.
Dopadi is wandering alone in jungle and she only has raw rice to eat. One day, Dopadi was passing river to go in jungle, then someone calls her from behind, when she turn to see, that was Surja Sahu’s brother, Rotoni Sahu. Dopadi tries to escape from Rotoni but his officers catch her.
After capturing Dopadi, they take her to camp where they interrogate her for hours. In camp, there were around more than 100 peoples and Dopadi was the only female among them. Arjun Singh orders his hundred officers to torture her and rape her.
Afterwards, Commander’s officers rape and torture Dopadi one by one. They raped her for hours. They raped her till she faints. When Dopadi comes into consciousness, she find herself naked and tied to four poles. Dopadi realized that her every single part of body is bleeding. Her breast was bitten. After some time, officers again raped her.
The next day, Dopadi was taken to Arjun Singh by his officers. Dopadi stands bravely in front of Arjun Singh. Arjun is shocked to see Dopadi. He saw that her all body parts are bleeding. She was bleeding from mouth. Dopadi goes to Arjun and starts smiling in front of him, you told all your officers to rape me, don’t you want to see what they did to me.
At the end of story, Dopdi spits bravely spits on Arjun Singh. She told all of them they all are coward and she is not scared of them. She goes near to Arjun and push him with her body which makes him frightened.