The Mahabharata is one of the greatest literatures in the world. It is a great story in itself which has got all the heroes and villains that make for an epic. No other work brings out the complexity of human problems in such a profound and entertaining way. The most striking characters in the Mahabharata are Arjuna, Karna, Drona and Bhishma, Krishna, etc. But there were some characters in the great epic, who played an important role in the war, however, they are not remembered or talked much about.

Here are few such characters of Mahabharat who played a major role, but are still unknown to many.

Shikhandi

Shikhandi was born to Panchal Naresh Drupad as an impotent. Shikhandi had been born in a previous lifetime as a woman named Amba. He fought the war on behalf of the Pandavas. In the battle of Kurukshetra, Bhishma recognised him as Amba reborn, and not wanting to fight ‘a woman’, lowered his weapons. Knowing that Bhishma would react thus to Shikhandi, Arjuna hid behind Shikhandi and attacked Bhishma with a devastating volley of arrows. Thus, Shikhandi’s role was instrumental in Bhisma’s death.

Eklavya

Ekalavya was a Hiranyadhanu (a tribe placed low in the caste hierarchy) and was a prodigy. He wanted to learn archery from Guru Dronacharya, but Dronocharya refused to teach him because of his caste. He then practised archery with the statue of Drona as his teacher. Slowly, he became even better than Arjuna in archery. When Dronacharya came to know about it, he got scared for Arjun for whom he promised that “I will make you the best archer in the world” and asked for Eklavya’s thumb as his dhakshin (as a mark of completion of the course). He immediately cut it and gave it to him.

Vikarna

Vikarna was the younger brother of Duryodhana who was one of the 100 Kaurava sons of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. During Draupadi’s Vastrapaharan, Vikarna was the only Kaurava who had raised his voice against the act. In the battlefield when he faced Bhima, Bhima said that he doesn’t want to kill him since he supported Draupadi. To which Vikarna replied that his dharma doesn’t allow him to go against Duryodhan. Bhima eventually killed Vikarna.

Yuyutsu

Yuyutsu was Dhritrashtra’s son. Yuyutsu was born to Sauvali, a maid who attended Dhritarashtra and looked upon the royal household. Yuyutsu, the dasi-putra of Dhritarashtra was younger to Duryodhan, but elder to other 98 Kauravas.

Just before the war was about to begin, Yudhisthira came forward and declared that if anyone thinks that dharma is on his side, that person is welcome to join him. And if anyone thinks that dharma is on Duryodhan’s side, that person can go and join Duryodhana. While no one moved on either side, Yuyutsu asked his charioteer to drive him on the side of Yudhisthra. After the war of Mahabharat, Yuyutsu was the only Kaurava alive who later became the king of Indraprastha.

Shalya

Shalya was the king of Madra and was the brother of Madri, the mother of Nakula and Sahadeva. Duryodhan had kept him on his side to fight against the Pandavas in Mahabharata. Shalya was killed by Yudhishthir.

Jarasandh

Jarasandh was the king of Magadh. He was a big devotee of Lord Shiva. He had a negative nature and was killed by Bhim. When Bhim had cut Jarasandh into two halves, his body joined again. Then on Krishna’s advice, Bhim cut his body from the centre into many parts, which flew into different directions far away from the centre point and hence his body could not be joined again.

Ghatotkach

Ghatotkach was the son of Bhim and Hidimba. Since Bhim was a human and Hidimba was a witch, Ghatotkach had both the qualities. Considered to be a loyal and humble figure, he made himself and his followers available to his father Bhima at any time. All Bhima had to do was to think of him and he would appear. He was an important fighter in the Kurukshetra war.

Ahilavati

Ahilavati is also known as Nag Kanya (snake’s daughter). She was married to Bhim’s son Ghatotkach. To marry Ahilavati, Ghatotkach had to take a lot of tests and prove himself. Ahilavati was the mother of Barbareek, who had taught her son to support the losers.

Barbarika

Barbareek or Barbarika was the son of Ghatotkach and Ahilavati. Actually he was a yaksha who had reincarnated as a human. He was the mighty grandson of Bheema and Lord Krishna’s pupil. Barbareek was invincible in war and had three arrows given to him by the Goddess Kamakhya. Using a single arrow, Barbareek could wipe out all enemies in his sight but Barbareek had sworn to aid the weaker side in the war.

This posed a threat to the Pandavas because if Barbareek wiped out a large portion of the Kaurava army on the first day of the war, they would be weakened and thus Barbarika would be forced to join them due to his oath. So Krishna asked Barbareek for his head as ‘Guru Dakshina’. Barbarika as a disciple was obliged to obey.

Vajra (Son of king Anirudh)

Vajra was the grandson of Krishna. Arjuna made Vajra as the king of Mathura at Indraprastha after Krishna left for Vaikunta. King Vajra’s lineage is traced to the royal family of Jaisalmer.

Iravan

Iravan, the son of Arjun and naga princess Uloopi, sacrificed himself to goddess Kali to ensure the victory of his father and his team in the Kurukshetra war. He, however, had a last wish – He wanted to marry a girl before he died. Now, getting a girl who knew her husband would die in few days was a tricky task. So, Lord Krishna took the form of Mohini, married Iravan and even wept like a widow after her husband died.