She was daughter of Gandhara king Suvala and sister of Sakuni. When Bheeshma came to ask the had of Gandhari for his grand son Dhritharashtra, Suvala hesitated because the groom was blind. Then he accepted the offer looking at the riches and lineage of Kuru kings.
When Gandhari came to know that she will marry blind Dhritharastra, she blind folded her eyes. Some say it is out of respect for Dhritharashtra and some say as a protest.
When she was pregnant, she heard the news that Kunti, the wife of Pandu has given birth to son. She was so jealous that Kunti's son will inherit the kingdoom and she squeezed her stomach and her fetus broke into hundred and one pieces and fell on ground. Vyasa who heard the news, came and told her to keep these pieces in pots filled with ghee. These eventually developed into hundred sons and a daughter Dushyala.
As the sons - kauravas grew up, she realized that her sons were not on the righteous path. She tried to stop them but in vain.
And during Mahabharatha war, she called her son Duryodhana and told him to appear in front of her unclothed and she will open her blindfold and look at his body and her look will make his body as strong as steel. But out of modesty he wears a loin cloth and appears in front of her. Her look made his body steel like except where he was clothed.
Krishna knew this secret and during the final battle between Bheema and Duryodhana, he told Bhima to attack the Duryodhana on his thighs and Duryodhana was killed.
Gandhari last all her hundred sons in the Mahabharatha war. Enraged she cursed Krishna that even his clan will be destroyed completely and they will die fighting among themselves (yadavi kalaha)
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