Week 3 Storytelling: Sita in Lanka

If you had not read my great tale from before, you may not know that Vayu is the father of Rama's devotee, Hanuman.  Vayu is the god of wind, and one of the many gods that the demon King Ravana had conquered and made slave of his court and kingdom. You would have also missed the part where I explained that Vayu had to ability to be everywhere at once, and to grant life to throughout the Earth.  All the gods knew of the prophecy once Ravana was granted his boon.  He was so arrogant that he believed that only celestial creatures would want to see the end of him.  Ravana was granted eternal protection from all beings except for humans and monkeys. The great Rama's entire existence was centered around marrying the most beautiful woman in the world, Sita, and ending the demon King's reign of terror.  

Onto present day, and back to Vayu, he had just witnessed the heart breaking scene of Ravana carrying Sita, on a slab of dirt, into his court.  She was very distressed, and was calling for him to return her to Rama before he sought the demon's death.  Ravana was amused by her threats, but was quickly becoming annoyed.  He ordered that an entrapment of sorts be made in the garden, directly outside the biggest window of his bed chamber.  Vayu observed all of this unseen, for he had the power of invisibility, and went to tell his friend Agni (the fire god) about the situation.  Once he had Agni convinced that their salvation was near, Vayu went to observe what the kingdom had to say about Sita's presence.  

Much to Vayu's surprise the kingdom was in quite a stir.  The many consorts of the King were growing concerned that Ravana would grow tired of them, and banish them back to their homeland.  The demon army was growing excited, for it had been many years since Ravana took them out on raids to overcome the many gods on Earth.  Vibhishana, Ravana's younger brother and advisor, was growing anxious over his brother's well being and began plans on how he could convince the King to surrender to Rama. 

(Source)

Once Vayu was done listening to the opinions of the Lanka, he decided to pay Sita a visit.  He made himself invisible at first to see what kind of environment and situation that she was in.  There were some fearsome looking rakshasis' surrounding her around the clock.  They were trying to convince her to just give in to Ravana, to forget about Rama, and that the demon King would be able to please her for an eternity in ways that her human husband wouldn't be able to.  After hearing this for a little while, Vayu decided enough was enough and sucked the breath out of their bodies temporarily.  He made himself visible only to Sita and reassured her that if she continued to refuse Ravana that she would remain safe.  He gave her a secret signal (only known between the two of them), so that if she ever needed anything he would be able to bring it to her, or he could determine whether a messenger is telling her the truth or lies.  This is how Sita kept her determination while waiting for Rama throughout the next rainy season and year.  Anytime someone would try to deceive and lie to her about what was going on, even when the demons tried to bring her what appeared to be a decapitated Rama, Sita would always wait for Vayu's signals on whether or not her audience was telling the truth.  Vayu's son, Hanuman, was a devotee of the great Rama, and the human king-to-be would be the one who was going to grant him salvation.  The least he could do is aid Sita during her time in the demon kingdom. 

Author's Note:
Since the wind god is able to be in all places as once (or least I depict him in this way), I decided to try and make a part II of the story I wrote last week [3].  Since Narayan's version of the Ramayana doesn't give readers much insight on how Sita's stay was like in Lanka, and how she survived, I decided to give Vayu the credit.  Since Vayu is known as the wind god, I really emphasized on his abilities of being all-seeing and how he can be perceived as in many places at one time.  I thought it would be interesting to make a continuation of last week since someone commented about how they would like to know more about Sita's capture. 

I am aware that we are put into different "comment" groups each week, and those who I will be paired with will be different from last time.  Even though I tried to continue from last week's story, I tried to catch the reader up so they didn't feel like they were missing out on anything. For my new readers, please don't hesitate to point out if I made anything confusing, I'll gladly try and make them clear!

Bibliography:
Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana.

Week 3 Reading Diary B: Narayan's Ending

I simply cannot display through writing, and emphasize, on how excited I was to begin reading this part of the tale. Up until this point I have read lot of comparison, and I am ready to learn something new about Rama, Ravana, and Sita's fate.  Hanuman's stature and powers are really impressive in this section.  He is so devoted in looking for Sita and appeasing Rama's wishes. I like how he was able to send a message to Ravana and to his kingdom, by burning it down, and relieve Sita from her torturous guards.  

(Hanuman and Sita)

Vibhishana's persistent warnings, and helping Hanuman to escape Lanka, not only shows his pure heart, but also Ravana's consistent arrogant blindness.  He only tries to be voice of reason, but reveals that Ravana is truly destined to send himself to doom.  Ravana's biggest mistake is sending his younger brother away, he practically handed the win to Rama for he now has all of his army's secrets.  

One of my favorite parts is when Rama's army builds the land bridge, and I could only imagine what this site would have looked like during the process.  When the many days of battle have gone by, Rama has finally defeated Ravana, and he has ordered the great funeral for the demon king.  

I was VERY surprised and shock with how Rama tested and presented himself to Sita when he first saw her (as were the gods)!  After Agni presented Sita back to Rama, blessing her as pure, I understood more but this did not lessen my shock.  I am glad that the epic addressed this, and set Rama back on the path of Dharma.  I think this is just an example of how a man can be changed by battle and war.  I can only wonder what would have happened if Sita did give in to Ravana.  Would Rama still have defeated him, would he have changed his mind about doing so, etc.?  I really liked this ending of the story, and glad that Narayan added the epilogue to go over some things. I was wondering when and why Sita would enter the forest, but he decided that this was an unappealing ending when the tale should be positive.  Overall, I am very happy with Narayan's version of the Ramayana.

  

(Sita's Test)

Week 3 Reading Diary A: The End is Near

I am starting to see lots of variances again within some familiar places.  When I first began reading Buck's version, I preferred and was partial to it.  Now that I have come this far in the text, I am favoring how Narayan is able to cut out some "unnecessary" points in the story, and he is effectively able to move along without leaving the reader wondering what these specific details are.  With this version I like how Ravana was unable to touch Sita against her will, I think this is much more effective than him not being able to "take her" as he pleases.  I still fell bad for Jatayu, but I am glad that he was so valiant and tried to save Sita from Ravana. 

(Ravana fights Jatayu)

Hanuman's significance is more elaborated, and his appropriate "obsession" with Rama is more understood, in my opinion.  I understood the dispute between Vail and Sugriva better in this version of the epic, and I am relieved that Tara didn't take her life and was able to serve as a voice of truth after the rainy season.  The sending out of the armies, setting free the nymph to heaven, and crossing paths with Jambavan comes quickly in this version, and I am very excited to come to the end of the epic and see how the battle comes about!  

Week 2 Storytelling: Ravana's Servants

Vayu was once a mighty god that gave life to the Earth and all of it's inhabitants.  Before Ravana's reign of terror, Vayu was one of the most important.  Now, he is only a lowly servant that is in charge of keeping the Demon King's marble palace spotless from dust.  Unlike his dear friend Agni, Vayu was optimistic though while working for Ravana for he had a great secret.  Everyone in the three worlds (human, god, and demon) knew that when Ravana was granted his boon by Brahma, he only asked for protection from gods and powerful beings.  He did not request to also be resistant to monkeys nor humans.  What Ravana did not know about his swift servant is that he fathered a monkey named Hanuman.  Hanuman was a devotee of Vishnu and his human reincarnation known as Rama. 

(Vayu)

When Vayu sensed Ravana coming for him in the mountains, to take him as a servant, he quickly left clues that only a monkey could find.  His only mistake is that he scattered them too far apart from each other, and monkeys are notorious to have a short attention span.  Hanuman was able to find all the information he needed about Rama, but he never found the clues that located the city of Lanka in case they ever needed to find Ravana there. 

Back to modern day, as Vayu was swirling dirt around the main courtyard, a large commotion was coming from the entrance of the palace.  There was a woman screaming, and it was a voice that Vayu had not heard before.  He quickly made himself invisible and made his way to where the noise was coming from.  He saw a slender woman fighting Ravana's grasp, yelling about how her husband was going to come after him.  Could this be?! Has the time for the gods be set free come, and the world rid of the Demon King?! Vayu was overcome with excitement and went to see his closest friend Agni. 

(Agni)

"Agni" called Vayu, "We shall be set free at last, for Rama has finally made Ravana his target!"  Agni was a cautious individual, hated gossip, and didn't believe anything unless he heard it with his own ears or seen it with his own eyes.  Agni said, "Vayu, I now accept my undesirable position as the palace's lighter.  Leave me be, and don't fill my head with ideas!" Vayu smiled at his dear friend's response because he could tell that Agni was at least a little interested.  "I am telling the absolute truth my friend, I swear" said Vayu, "As soon as the sun sets this evening go to the King's chamber and when you light his lamps look out the biggest window and you will see a beautiful human woman.  This is Sita, Rama's wife."  "Rama.. Rama?!" called Agni, "Oh the prophecy must being coming true!" With that Agni went off to see Sita for himself and Vayu to tell the other servant gods.   The kingdom began to quietly stir.  The gods were not worried about alerting Ravana for he stayed alone and locked in his private chamber, tormenting himself over Sita's beauty.  

Author's Note:

I decided to create a short story about two of the many servant gods that Ravana had in his court.  I feel that they are merely mentioned, and not given the recognition they deserve.  I followed the prompt provided in the Week 2 Storytelling Ideas, then added some extra information about Vayu.  I knew that Hunaman would be an important player coming up, and thought it was interesting that Vayu was his father, so I decided to mention that here.  Since Sita's capture hasn't officially happened in this week's assigned reading, I decided to leave these details out.

Bibliography:
Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana.

Week 5 Reading Diary A: Adventures in the Forest

I feel bad for Bharata, and could only imagine how he feels when he returns home and is disclosed about everything that has happened so far.  I think he is very humble, and did the right thing by going after Rama into the forest in order to clear-the-air.  Although the kingdom remains sad, and this is not what Rama would want, but everyone is assured of what is to happen.  Also, Rama and Lakshamana aren't left in the dark to whether their father had survived their leaving. 

(Bharata After Rama)

As the Kosola's returned to Ayodhya, I was glad that the trio decided to travel throughout the country side instead of just "settling" on Chitrakuta.  They meet some interesting characters along the way, and at the end the final transition into the Dandaka forest was a good cut off point.  I enjoyed learning about Mandakarni and the five Apsarases, and think that it's interesting that no one is able to see them.  When the three are confronted by Shurpanakha, and Rama refuses her, I can only imagine what Sita is feeling at this time.  It is astonishing how easily Rama was able to defeat the large army of demons, and now I am wondering if he will just as easily defeat Ravana, or will there be difficulties. 

I am excited to finally learn of the epic battle between Rama and Ravanna, and see what Sita does while she is en captured.  The background of why Sita was exiled to the forest is still in the back of my mind, and I am wondering if the rumors of the kingdom hold any weight or if they're overexaggerated.  I am ready to see what is going to happen next! 

Week 5 Reading Diary B: The Great Battle

I am starting to see just how foolish and arrogant Ravana is.  He is the type of being that acts before he has time to think.  All characters in this story, so far, are smart enough not to cross Rama
s path. Even Ravana's own uncle does not want to help him in stealing Sita!  The only part of this section of the reading that I did not like was how Sita treated Lakshmana when she heard Maricha's impersonation of Rama.  She was quick to accuse him of  defiance only because he was instructed and wanted to protect her. 

(Ravana and Jatayu battle)

My favorite part of the reading was when Indra met Sita where she is being held in Lanka, and gave her the food which would keep her from going hungry.  I liked the story about Rhambha, although what Ravana did to her was terrible.  Once Rama sought out the help of the monkeys the story began to drag, in my opinion.  This was especially so when Sugriva is instructing his army where to search for Sita.  I felt this part could have gone a lot faster, but maybe other reader's would enjoy and appreciate how graphic Buck is with his descriptions.  I applaud Hanuman and Jambavan for continuing on with their search although they have already surpassed the time allotted to them.  I can only hope they find Sita soon, and can't wait to come back and finish the book later! 

Week 2 Reading Diary B: Lover's Scorn

I am still a little angered at Kaikeyi's apathetic nature to everything that is going.  I can see that this version of the tale has left out the tree king and all of his supposed part in the finding of Rama at Chitrakuta.  I was surprised the god's interfered at the end of the argument granting Rama to stay in the forest.  At this time I wonder if no one else is seeing the significance in the exile.  

Shurpanakha is the perfect example of a woman who can be overcome with unhealthy obsession when she is in love.  If she wasn't a demon and trying to plot against Sita, when she is Rama's true wife and partner, I would almost feel sorry for her.  Lucky Rama and Sita have Lakshmana, or Sita would be out of the picture. 

 

(Life in the Forest- Shurpanakha is being attacked by Lakshmana at the bottom)

Since Ravana has not been introduced formally, or his history provided, he puts a picture of grand entrance when Sharpanakha visits him in Lanka.  Ravana's sister is so persistent about Rama, I am surprised that instead of having Ravana kill him she is still longing for him and wants him taken alive.  This is much different from Buck's story.  As much as Sharpanakha is in love with Rama, Ravana is in love with Sita.  This is a little unsettling for me, because of course I think it's terrible to meddle in someone else's affairs, but their demons and I guess this doesn't apply to them.  

Week 2 Reading Diary A: Request for Rama

This version of the Ramayana is very different from Buck's, I mean just look at the shear difference in size!  I can't believe that I am going to be able to finish this book in about a week, when I've spent two week's on Buck's version, and I'm only half way finished!  As Laura had pointed out to me when I had to skip ahead to the different version, there is a lot left out in the beginning of the tale.  In my opinion, I feel that having to read ahead has kind of corrupted my view of the epic.  Haha.  I am looking for all of the background detail that I had before, but at the same time at least this version is more upfront with what the main point of the story will be (that Rama is needed to defeat Ravana).  As the story continues, I have completely given up trying to compare the two stories, and I am reading this one for what it is.

(All in Grief)

Towards the end of the reading, I finally see some similarities between the two versions of the Ramayana.  The detail in this Ramayana noticable and I enjoyed reading this version of the wedding, the difference in how Indra became the thousand eyed god, and of Rama's exile once again.  Reading the exile for the second time was different.  There was far more emotion in this time around.  I can't believe how apathetic Kaikeyi is, Manthra (Kooni in this version) is much more manipulative and her motives are clear here.  There is so much going on so far, it will be interesting picking a storytelling topic!

Week 2: Storybook Brainstorming

First Possible Topic: The God Ganesha
Coincidentally, I thought of this topic over the winter break.  While visiting family, we decided to do some shopping and came across a little consignment shop that sold Indian goods.  Every time I visit one of these shops, I always wonder about the references to elephants.  In particular, I was interested in figures that depicted a human body with the head of an elephant.  Since I've previously taken Myth-Folk, I knew that I was going to do another Storybook project, and decided that I would keep an open mind to learn about this character and their significance!  When the semester began, and I was instructed to review some previous storybooks, I came across a title that mentioned an elephant headed god.  I skimmed over the material and learned the god's name is Ganesha, and that is about all I know at this point!
Research:  When beginning my research, I first tried to find a site that wasn't Wikipedia.  I am not opposed to Wikipedia, I just felt that this is the first source people normally use.  This site seems to be very detailed and even breaks down the different aspects of Ganesha such as why his appearance is so, his symbolism, and his contributions to literature such as the Mahabharata that we will read in the next few weeks.  I mentioned that I tried to steer away from using Wikipedia as the main source of my project, but as I reached the end of my source that it is what they had used for information!  :)

(Ganesha)

Second Possible Topic: Traveling India

I decided that this topic sparked my interest when I cam across a cookbook/storybook combo.  I loved how the author was able to talk about important events of the culture, such as the Holi festival, and the different foods she was enjoying, all the while having some of the locals explain and tell her well known stories.  I think this is another excellent topic because it would allow me to learn not only the folklore of India, but I would able to learn other aspects of the people of the country as well.

Research: At first I had to think on how I was going to conduct research for this topic, but then I decided to simply google "traveling to India."  After going through some sites, I found Rough Guides and decided that if I were to use this topic that this site would be my go to.  There are so many features to this site, and it is simply perfect!  They provide locations and galleries that highlight excellent places to visit while there.  I love this site so much, that if I were ever to truly visit I would come back to Rough Guides in order to plan!

Third Possible Topic: The God Hanuman
As I was searching for an image to use during the course overview, I came across one of a monkey.  Later I realized he was a king, and this sparked my imagination.  I have some questions of how he came to be king and why is he in monkey form.  Was a he originally a human that was turned in a monkey then made king, or was he a monkey who was then made king, etc?
Research: For this subject I went ahead and went straight to Wikipedia, and I was surprised on how much information was available!  I was pleased to see that Hanuman was a devout follower of Rama, and that he had a significance in both the Ramayana and Mahabharata.  I am beginning to see how all of the gods, goddesses, animal kings, and other important figures of the Indian culture all somehow interconnect in one way or another.

(Shadow puppets of Ravana and Hanuman)

Fourth Possible Topic: The god Ravana
I will not lie, when I first saw images for Ravana he kind of scared me.  I believe this is because of the amount of heads and arms he possesses.  When I began to read Buck's Ramayana, I was able to learn of his significance and how he rose to conquer so many kingdoms.  By picking this topic, I would be able to learn more of Ravana's history, different roles, family, and his influence on the Indian culture.
Research:  Once again I resorted to Wikipedia to do my research, although if I were to choose this topic I would also use Buck's Ramayana heavily for Ravana's history.  While reading over the page, I learned just how important the Ramayana  is to the Indian culture, and now I understand why we are required to read two different versions of it!  I was surprised to see just how it influenced things such as architecture.  This reminds me of the Ancient Egyptians and Romans/Greeks.

Week 4 Storytelling: Manthara's Plot

Manthara was an elderly woman who was loved only by King Dasaratha's youngest consort, Kaikeyi.  She helped Kaikeyi raise Bharata, and looked to him as one of her own children.  She was a malicious woman, and always looked out for the best of her own while disregarding others.  When she heard through the servant grapevine that King Dasaratha was making Rama next to take the throne, she became very disgruntled. She had an infamous dislike for Dasaratha's eldest son, for when he was a young boy he injured her when he shot an arrow into her bum.  

When she first heard the news, many thoughts began to circulate in her mind, "What will happen to me now?  Why does Dasaratha see Rama a better heir than her dear Bharata?  What if the king decides to relocate himself and his wives to the countryside, away from the city?  What would I do in the country?!" 

Manthara decided to come up with a plot in order to make sure none of her previous thoughts would take place. She wanted to see Bharata on the throne before Yama called Death after her, and she knew if she was to come up with a plan she must do so quickly.  Manthara made her way to the royal library, and began to look over documents the royal scribes had written over the King's history.  While reviewing the material she came across a battle that Kaikeyi told her about in the past.  Dasaratha was badly wounded in battle, and was nearly dead when Kaikeyi saved him.  At this time the King was so delighted he asked his young Queen to wish for two things, and he would grant them immediately.  Kaikeyi loved Dasaratha tenderly, and was just happy he survived the battle.  She instructed that he save the wishes for a time in the future, for she could think of nothing but his well being at this time.  After reading about this event, Manthara grinned to herself for she now had the key ingredient to her poisonous plot.

She gathered herself and made the journey to Kaikeyi's private quarters, scheming along the way.  Lost in her thoughts, she collided with a nobleman who was making his way to a meeting with the King.  The nobleman was angered with Manthara, and cursed her for the next fourteen years after Rama is crowned king.  He stated that the god Yama and Death will visit her in her home and take her to hell.  Manthara became frightened and ran from the nobleman, but now she had even more incentive to convince Kaikeyi to have Baharata crowned.  She decided that she would have the Queen use her second wish also, and have Dasaratha exile Rama to the forest for fourteen years in order to have Baharata establish his ways to the people of Ayodya.  Just as she gathered all her thoughts, and finalized the story she would tell the Queen, she reached the royal quarters.  She took a deep breath, and entered Kaikeyi's private room, calling her name.

(Manthara and Keikeyi)

Author's Note:

For my Storytelling post this week, I decided to write about Manthara and her influence on Rama's story, and most importantly his exile.  She seems to have been the catalyst to all the trouble, following the King's decision to make Rama his next in line to the throne.  While doing research on Manthra's character, it has been said by many sources that if she was not included in the Ramayana, that there would be no story at all!  Although her mention in this section of the reading was brief, her impact was powerful, and I was left wondering why she felt compelled to convince Kaikeyi to prevent Rama's coronation.  It was mentioned in Buck's Ramayana that Manthara has some animosity towards Rama when he shot her with an arrow in his childhood, but no other incentive for her actions was provided. When we read Narayan's version, Rama reflects on how cruel he was to Manthra when he was child, and comes to the conclusion that he played a part in his own exile. I decided to come up with the curse on her life, by the nobleman, in order to justify with why she specifically chose fourteen years for Rama's exile.

Bibliography:

Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way.

Week 4 Reading Diary B: Rama's Exile

This part of the reading reminds me of Greek and Roman mythology, where tricksters are a major player in the plot.  If Manthara was never present, and hadn't influenced Queen Kaikeyi, then Rama would have been crowned king and never exiled.  I wonder if Manthara had a hidden agenda by taking Kaikeyi into using her two promises granted by Dasharatha earlier in life.  I think Rama is about the only level headed person during this whole phenomenon.  He realizes that it is his duty to obey Kaikeyi's conditions, in order to honor his father's word, and he also realizes that fourteen years is only a fragment of time that will soon pass.  It didn't surprise me that people of the kingdom tried to follow Rama into the forest, but I am glad that he had Sumantra trick them into going back to Ayodhya.  

When Guha tells the story of when Kaikeyi asked Dasharatha to use one of his promises to teach her the language of the animals, and in the end refused, this last part confused me.  He changed his mind only when he heard some animals talk about how foolish he was acting.  What is different from this time and when she asked to exile Rama?  Could he not refuse for a second time, especially since this situation was more important?  

(Kaikeyi and Dasaratha)

At the end of this section, I was surprised by the story Dasharatha tells Kauslya.  I can see why he was so upset about losing Rama now, since he believes this is all caused by his previous actions.  He is of old age, though, and I am glad that Lakshmana, Sita, and Rama now have a home and permanent place to stay.  

Week 4 Reading Diary A: My First Insight to the Ramayana

This week I am doing the readings for Week 4, because I have not yet received my version of R. K. Narayan's Ramayana.  

When I took Myth-Folk last semester I noticed that the "story-within-a-story" theme was used heavily.  I can see that with how the epic begins that this theme will carry on.  As the story begins to unfold I am wondering what rumors are so terrible that Rama has exiled his beloved wife, who happens to be pregnant with his twins!  I am happy that Brahma has arranged Valmiki to help Sita, and that he is able to use Rama's sons in his plan.  I think that it is only coincidence that Rama has arranged a festival in the forest where he has sent Sita.  It makes me wonder whether he is hoping to see her and his sons, or if he has expected her to down herself such as Narada predicts if Valmiki hadn't agreed to help calm her down.  

I love how the story goes back to the very beginning with the history of Rama's father Dasharatha, Ravana, how Dasharatha came to have sons, and how Ravana used his boon from Brahma to conquer any kingdom he wished.  I feel especially bad for Indra throughout this section of the reading.  He put up the most resistance against Ravana, and suffered the most, but I am also very glad that Narayan and Brahma have found a way to help him find a way to end Ravana once an for all.  

The wedding of Rama and Sita is my favorite part of this section.  I love how Buck went into detail of how their wedding took place.  This gave me insight of their culture I was not familiar with prior to the reading.

  

(Rama and Sita's wedding.)

URL Shortener Tech Tip

For this assignment I used Goo.gl to shorten a longer URL so that I could use it in an email.  I'm still waiting on Amazon to send me R. K. Narayan's version of Ramayana, and wanted to ask Laura if the PDF found at the URL would suffice in the mean time.  I was quite impressed with the result, and the shortened URL looked and fit better into the email.

Long URL:

http://dt.pepperdine.edu/courses/greatbooks_v/gbv-14/66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan.pdf

Shortened URL:

http://goo.gl/PW2Li4

Week 1: EOI Overview

Prior to this course, I have not studied Indian history nor culture.  This does not mean that I have never been interested in it.  The only exposure I've had to Indian music is when I've visited restaurants where they had music videos playing on televisions. The only epics that I've had to read in the past are Beowolf and Homer's epic poems.  Overall, I would like to take advantage of this course and learn as much as possible about the Indian culture.  Dance, food, lifestyles, religions, history, all of these topics are ones that I would like to learn about (if possible) along with the epics and stories we will read.  

Our first assigned reading, Ramayana, sounds very interesting and I am ready to begin soon.  I love mythology, so learning about the different gods and goddesses has me very excited!  The god Ganesha really has my attention, and his character is a topic that I am interested creating a storybook over.

(Source)

The image information indicates that the picture depicts "Indra and Sachi Riding Airavata."  I am guessing that Airvata is the elephant with many heads. I recently learned about Ganesha when overviewing Storybooks, but prior coming across this picture I have not heard about Airavata.  I am sure that there is a fascinating tale that reveals why he has so many heads. 

Week 1: Introduction

Hello all!  My name is Liza-Ann (pronounced lee-zuh), and this is my second semester of my junior year!  I took Laura's Mythology and Folklore course last semester, and I loved it so much I had to see what Epics of India had in store!  I have also learned to enjoy the flexibility of online courses, so I decided to make three out of my five classes of the semester this way.  

Hm, a little bit about me... I  am currently a pre-medical student, but plan to take a gap year after I graduate next spring.  Instead of completely taking a year off of school, my plan is to take master's courses while I apply for medical school.  If anyone is taking Cell Bio or Intro to Molecular Bio, we should definitely meet up to study!  I have a young son, who keeps me very busy, and this leaves me with limited availability to dedicate my time to campus activities.  Before last semester ended I adopted a kitten named Piper, and she can be a handful as well, but we are getting used to each other.  Although my schedule is pretty hectic, I am apart of FSA (Filipino Student Association).  Our executive board was able to bring back the group last semester, and we are always looking for new members (even if you aren't Filipino and just interested in the culture).

(My cuties, photos provided myself) 

Now that I am done trying to advertise my organization (haha), I guess I can try to elaborate on my hobbies.  When I have time, I love to cook or try new restaurants.  Although I try to refrain during the semester, I love to binge watch series on TV and Netflix.  I love being outdoors and exploring areas that I am unfamiliar with.  Over the break, I was able to visit my family that live in California, and let me tell you, it was a life changing experience.  At this point I look forward to graduating in the next three semesters, and moving onto the next phase in life!


(Photo I took while on Baker's Beach, near San Fransisco)

Week 1: Storybook Favorites

The first story book that I chose was Food and Culture: An Indian Scrapbook. Indian food is definitely a favorite of mine, and this is what caught my attention to choose this storybook!  When opening the site the simplicity and the large  images of food immediately appeal to the eye.  I love the cookbook approach of this Storybook, which is sort of nontraditional, but also that the author was able to incorporate stories that correlated with the Indian culture.

The second storybook I chose to review was Hindu Goddesses. One of the reasons that persuaded me to enroll in this course was that I know so little about the Indian culture, but I am very intrigued about it.  The title was appealing, and the author's storytelling theme is easy to follow.  It seems that she has went above and beyond in how many goddesses she has chosen to cover, but she does an amazing job in introducing all of them! I like how the author tried to stay true to every aspect of her storybook, pertaining to the balance of the goddesses' story, and the interaction between mother and child.

Source: Hari Harji

(Image taken from the storybook)

Lastly, the third and final storybook I decided to review was Stories of an Elephant-headed God.  When you go into little consignment shops, you almost always see an elephant headed god, and I've always wondered what their significance was.  The title itself compelled me to check this storybook out!  I really enjoyed the look of the site, and that there is a short blurb about what the focus is even prior to the introduction. I've noticed that is is sort of a trend in the storybooks I've reviewed, and I think I may try to incorporate this in my own! The writer of this storybook is very creative and talented.  The theme is based on poetry, which is an amazing take on the writing, one that I do not be able to do myself.  Haha.   It's amazing that they were inspired by Shel Silverstein, an author, and how they were able to incorporate his work into their own creation.

(Source)

(Image taken from storybook)

Week 1 Storytelling: The Emperor and His Three Princes

In the Kingdom of India there was Emperor, Sinha, who was always accompanied by his three sons and royal advisor.  Emperor Sinha was prideful and liked to brag about his best qualities. This characteristic had rubbed off on his three sons.  While at a large dinner party Sinha had a little too much to drink and exclaimed to his audience, "All of you, see how courageous I was in battle recently!  This is how I have become the ruler of this great nation!"  This ended up creating a ripple affect for the three princes.  The eldest, Lōmarī, was known as the greatest hunter of all the kingdom.  He exclaimed, "Gaze upon my swiftness and how well I wield a bow and arrow.  This is how the people are fed!"  The other princes were immediately envious of their brother's attention.  The middle prince, Mōra, was known throughout to have the most elegant robes in all the land. He stepped forward and stated,  "You all! Gaze upon my beautifully stitched attire, which bring tourists from far and wide just for a quick peek!"  At this point a very muscular being stood up from his seat.  This fellow's name was Hāthī, and he was the strongest of the nation's army.  He took the floor, "All of you!  Gaze upon my arms and their massive strength! I can take out half of an army on my own!"  

(Assembly of Animals: Wikipedia)

At this point, the hall erupted into a great applaud.  The citizens of the kingdom were very grateful to have such a wonderful ruler and his glorious sons.  In the back of the hall sat Śuturamurga, the Emperor's royal advisor, who stated among his peer's, "Yes.  Our Emperor and his three sons are wonderful in their own rite, but if they do not take care our enemies will learn our weaknesses as well."  He continued, "The mighty one's courage will lead him to the enemy, but if he is not also wise, he will lead his men into a battle they cannot overcome.  Lōmarī certainly is the best archer of the hunter's, but his ego may bring him to prey that may one day overcome his skill.  Mōra may have the best fashion sense in the kingdom, but if he continues to brag he will attract the eyes of thieves and enemies.  Oh, and our dear Hāthī may be the strongest our army, but if he is not careful a rival may want to capture him to use for their own benefit."  He looked at those seated at his table, "The moral of all this my dear friends, is to always remember to remain humble. 

Author's Note:
I created this story based on Indian Fables "The Assembly of Animals"  Each fable in the collection serves a purpose to teach readers a moral. Below I have included the original version of the fable that I chose:

THE ASSEMBLY OF ANIMALS

ONCE there was a great assembly of the animals in a wood. The lion said, "Look, how great my valour! 'tis this that makes me king of the woods."

The fox said, "Look, how deep my cunning! 'tis this that feeds me so well."

The peacock said, "Look, how bright my feathers! 'tis this that makes me the wonder and admiration of the wood."

The elephant said, "Look, how long and powerful my tusks! there is nothing that can resist them."

A toad, who lived secure in the heart [31] of a rock, close by, said, " 'Tis the lion's valour that leads him to the herds, and gets him killed by the hunters. 'Tis the fox's cunning that brings him to the furrier at last. 'Tis the plumes of the peacock that men covet; hence his ruin. The elephant is hunted for his tusks, and they are his bane. In the mark of your vanity is your death!"

When writing my story I decided to take the animal names (lion, fox, etc.) and decided to use the Hindi version of their names.  In the original fable the Toad gives the moral of the story at the end, but I decided to change it to an ostrich since my picture featured one.  I really liked the underlying theme of the fable, and this is what inspired me to write my tale.

Bibliography:
   "The Assembly of Animals" by P. V. Ramaswami Raju, from Indian Fables (887). Web Source: The Baldwin Project

Week 1: Favorite Places

I've only traveled a few places, I'm such a homebody, and my favorite destinations are where I'm surrounded by family.

Oklahoma. I was born and raised here, and most of my life has been spent in the Metro.  Many feel that Oklahoma is boring, but I like how you can go from country to city living in only a matter of miles.  My life is mainly centered around college right now, so of course I especially love Oklahoma for the University.

(Downtown OKC: Wikipedia) 

Tarlac, Philippines. My mother is from the Philippines, and I have visited multiple times over the years.  Majority of her family reside there, and it's always fun to visit and catch up with them.  Although my family doesn't live near the coasts, the country is still so beautiful. I know the beaches are beautiful, but I love seeing this side of the Philippines and the rawness of landscape.

(Entrance to the City: Wikipedia)

Vacaville/San Fransisco, California.  I absolutely love the Bay Area, and during the break I was able to visit my family who lives there!  Vacaville is sandwiched between San Fran and Sacramento, and somewhat has a small town feel to it.  The hills and the openness of this area certainly reminds me of Oklahoma, and my dream is to move out there either after or for medical school.  After visiting, I have no doubt in my mind that this area of Cali is where I would like to end up.  It gives me motivation to work harder in school, and gives me something to work towards in general.

(Vacaville Hills: Wikipedia)

(Baker Beach: Photo I took myself)