Who was the father of Gandhari?

The father of Gandhari was King Subala.

Subala was the ruler of Gandhara, the kingdom from which Gandhari takes her name. In the Mahabharata, Gandhari is introduced as a princess of Gandhara and the daughter of Subala. Her brother Shakuni is one of the most important members of her family and later becomes a principal ally of Duryodhana.

Gandhari’s marriage was arranged with Dhritarashtra, the blind prince of the Kuru dynasty. After marrying him, she famously covered her own eyes with a cloth, traditionally interpreted as an act of solidarity with her husband. She later became the mother of the one hundred Kaurava sons, including Duryodhana, and a daughter, Dushala.

The answer is often confused with Shakuni because he is Gandhari’s best-known male relative, but Shakuni is her brother, not her father. Dhritarashtra is her husband, while Drupada belongs to the Panchala royal family and is the father of Draupadi.