Hidimbi

Hiḍimbī
Bheema and Hidimbi, 20th century print by Ravi Varma Press
AffiliationRakshasa, Devi
AbodeKamyaka Forest
TextsMahabharata
Genealogy
SiblingsHidimba
ConsortBhima
ChildrenGhatotkacha

Hiḍimbī, also known as Hiḍimbā (Sanskrit: हिडिम्बा), is a character in the Mahabharata, one of the two great Sanskrit epics of ancient India. She is introduced as a man-eating Rakshasi (demoness) and the sister of Hidimba, a powerful demon who ruled a forested region. In the narrative, Hidimbi is tasked by her brother to deceive the exiled Pandava brothers—the main characters of the epic—but instead falls in love with Bhima, second of the five Pandava brothers. She exposes the scheme, leading to Hidimba's death at the hands of Bhima. Afterwards, Hidimbi marries Bhima and becomes the mother of Ghatotkacha, who plays an important role in the Kurukshetra War. In contemporary times, Hidimbi is identified with a guardian goddess named Haḍimbā, locally worshipped in the Himalayan region.