Duryodhan was a character in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the eldest son of Dhritarashtra, the blind king of Hastinapur, and his wife Gandhari. Duryodhan was born to rule the kingdom of Hastinapur, but he was not chosen as the king due to his father’s blindness. Instead, his younger cousin Yudhishthira was chosen as the crown prince.
Duryodhan was known for his ambition, arrogance, and jealousy towards his cousins, the Pandavas. He harbored a deep resentment towards them as they were more popular and beloved by the people than him. He plotted against the Pandavas several times and even attempted to kill them.
In the famous gambling match, Duryodhan challenged Yudhishthira to a game of dice and, with the help of his uncle Shakuni, cheated and won everything the Pandavas owned, including their kingdom and their wife, Draupadi. This led to the 18-day long war of Kurukshetra, where the Pandavas fought against the Kauravas, led by Duryodhan, for the right to rule Hastinapur.
Duryodhan was eventually defeated and killed in the war by Bhima, one of the Pandavas. Despite his villainous actions, he is often seen as a tragic figure in the Mahabharata, as he was a victim of circumstances and his own flawed personality.