All Indians are familiar with the standing figure of a woman with a blindfold in the Indian courtroom. Many assume this is Queen Gandhari from the Mahabharata. After all, the resemblance is striking.

But the truth is, it isn’t Queen Gandhari from the Mahabharat at all. The statue represents Lady Justice, a global icon of fairness. Although the statue was replaced with a new figure in 2024, the blindfold was simply what sparked the connection in people’s minds.

Who Was Gandhari and What Does She Represent?

Gandhari was a princess from the epic Mahabharata who married King Dhritarashtra, a man born blind. Out of devotion and empathy, she chose to blindfold herself for life, vowing never to see what her husband could not. This extraordinary act of self-sacrifice turned her into one of the most interesting figures in Indian mythology.

Why Blindfolded?

For Gandhari, the blindfold was a symbol of loyalty, love, and shared fate. She willingly gave up her sight, living in perpetual darkness to mirror her husband’s condition. But in the courtroom, the blindfold represents something entirely different: the idea that justice must remain impartial, untouched by wealth, power, or influence.

The Symbolic Overlap

Though Gandhari was not intended to be the face of justice, the visual similarity makes people wonder. Her story of sacrifice echoes themes of fairness and moral duty, values closely tied to what the blindfold in law is meant to signify. It’s this overlap that keeps Gandhari’s name alive in conversations about justice — even if the statue isn’t truly hers.

A Legacy Beyond the Courtroom

Gandhari’s choice still sparks reflection today. Was it ultimate strength, or was it a tragic surrender of her own agency? Either way, her blindfold remains a symbol of resilience and devotion, reminding us that ancient stories often carry meanings that evolve far beyond their origins.

Image credit: AI-generated image created with Google Gemini, September 17, 2025