Hiḍimbī

Hiḍimbī, also known as Hiḍimbā, 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 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.