Reading Notes: Public Domain Edition Ramayana Section D

(Rama's Bridge)

The Bridge

• Why did the King of the Ocean refuse to help Rama? Was it impossible or did he need to remain neutral?
• I think it's interesting that Rama was often described as peaceful and sage and wise, but in relation to Sita he seems to often react violently and with great emotion - he threatened the very ocean.
• I do think that this is a good show of persistence - when prayers and supplications failed him he continued to try; however, this also reflects poorly on his temper.

Rama Attacks

• Sita is truly, truly dedicated to Rama if she is willing to die because he is dead.
• I wonder why Ravana didn't try this trick earlier since she's clearly dedicated to her husband.
• Ravana is a very stubborn person.
• He has a host of gorgeous wives - why does he care so much about seducing Sita.

Indrajit

• Why is it that when Indrajit hides to kill warriors with a bow and arrow it's evil, but when Rama does it to Vali he's considered a hero?
• Sushena seems very level considering the situation. Has he seen battle before?
• Ravana is really determined to go with this 'Rama is dead' ruse.

Kumbhakarna

• I have difficulty picturing arrows severing someone's head. I may change that detail in my own story. 
• Was Sugriva injured or killed when Kumbhakarna carried him off?
• If the rakshasas were in such desperate straits that must mean that the monkeys and Rama's forces are making an incredible amount of progress. 
• I have heard nothing more of the bears, though, are they still here?

Hanuman and the Mountain

• Yes, the bears are still here.
• This fits perfectly with everything I know about Hanuman so far - brave, strong, rash, impatient, and heroic.
• I like this idea of the heroes playing smart, though. I want to include a similar scene where they use the situation to fool the villain into thinking they have won and leaving too early.

Lakshmana and Indrajit

• Beheading seems to be a very popular mode of death.
• Especially beheading by arrow.
• I like this side of Lakshman - very brave and stoic as well as unerringly faithful.
• Vibhishan is really wise. I think that's very central to his character. He very much serves as an advisor to the protagonists.

Ravana's Lament

• This is a classic case of "you reap what you sow."
• I think this scene would play nicely into the story I'm writing.
• I also like the idea that grief can cause people to act in ways that one would not think that they might - for instance trying to kill the woman they're waging a war for.

Ravana and Lakshmana

• I like how this scene emphasizes Lakshmana's humanity. He's not invulnerable. 
• Ravana is a really good warrior. I think one of the points being made here is that, although generally associated with favor from the gods, being a good warrior does not necessarily mean that he is a good king or a good person.

Indra's Chariot

• The gods are very willing in this story to become involved in mortal affairs.
• Granted, they have something of a stake in this particular battle, but I'm noticing that they're generally not opposed to involving themselves for the sake of someone who prays to them for some kind of blessing or aide.
• This is definitely supposed to be the epic battle scene where the hero turns the tide of the battle for his people.

Battle of Rama and Ravana

• I wonder how worship to the Sun God will aid Rama's victory.
• I didn't realize that Ravana was essentially the human equivalent of a Hydra.
• Maybe Rama should try to shoot him in the heart.

Ravana's Death

• I wonder if Rama was aware of the task the gods needed him to accomplish.
• Did it have to be a divine weapon to pierce his heart?
• I think it did because I would like to take the 'heart of iron' line literally. It would make sense given everything else I know about Ravana's character.

Mandodari's Lament

• One thing I really really like about this story, and perhaps the culture of India, if this is, in fact, culturally accurate, is the immense respect people pay the dead. 
• Rama chose to allow Ravana, the man who kidnapped and tried to seduce his wife, a proper funeral out of respect for the dead and mercy on the mourning.
• I also like that no ill will is paid to the allies of an enemy once the enemy is defeated.

Sita and Rama

• I can not believe that this is how Rama treats her after he literally fought a war to rescue her.
• This will be altered in my story.
• In lieu of this preposterous interaction, I may include an argument of some kind asking why Sita didn't try to escape, but this will not happen.

Sita Tested

• I do not believe that Rama trusted Sita the whole time. I find that ridiculous. 
• I do, however, acknowledge that the test was necessary for the belief of the people.
• I see that Rama did not know he was a god. This makes some of his behavior quite interesting.

Pushpaka

• None of this is new information, but I am wondering how long this all took.
• Is their 14 years up now?

Rama and Bharata

• One really interesting thing to me is how much the people in these stories tend to value their word. 
• Bharata truly spent 14 years ruling in proxy with his brother's shoes in the throne. I find that very interesting because it isn't at all how people tend to behave in my experience, though there are some who truly value their word.

Rama Crowned King

• One thing I've noticed is that, while Rama is often painted blue, other people who are said to be incarnations of gods are not necessarily also painted blue. 
• The kingdom flourishes under a good and just ruler.

Valmiki's Hermitage

• I have no idea whatsoever why Rama's sons are attacking the city.

Sita Departs

• I would like to note that Rama did not have to die alone had he not sent Sita away in the first place. 
• I think she may have prayed like that because she was beyond hope that she could live out a happy life with her husband who literally banished her.

Rama Departs

• Apart from the fact that Rama destroyed his own love life, that is a very satisfying close to a gripping tale. I think it makes sense that eventually Rama and many of the people who adventured with him were ready to die. 
• I find it interesting, though, that Rama did not allow Hanuman to follow him to heaven. I wonder if he was allowed to join him later.
• Rama said he was to live forever, but perhaps that was not precisely what he meant.

Bibliography

Public Domain Edition Ramayana

Reading Notes: Public Domain Edition Ramayana Section C

(Hanuman the god)

Sugriva and Hanuman

• I'm having trouble picturing what size Hanuman might be.
• I wonder why the son of the Wind God can't lie.
• I think Rama and Hanuman already have an interesting sort of dynamic. On the one hand their relationship so far is very much "I'll help you out if you do the same for me" but on the other they already seem to be getting along very well and I anticipate that they will become extremely close.

Sugriva's Story

• Why do so many heroic-warrior type characters insist on feeding their pride and ignoring good sense. If Vali had taken a moment to consider his brother's character there need not have been conflict.
• I find it interesting that thus far the servant of Sugriva seems to have a much more central role than King Sugriva himself. 
• I guess this means that Sugriva is not much of a warrior. I wonder if he was a good king.

Sugriva and Vali

• It's insistence on violent solutions to problems that leads to situations like this. This could have been easily solved by simply having a level discussion together. 
• I also think it's interesting that the women so often tend to offer insight to their husband's that fall on deaf ears.
• I wonder why Vali and Tara's son brought the information to Tara first, not Vali. 
• Maybe it's because he, correctly, believes that Tara will be more receptive to the news than his father.

Vali's Death

• It seems that time away from Sita is making Rama more and more willing to loosen his morals for the sake of getting her back.
• I want to know what caused Rama to wholeheartedly support Sugriva in spite of the fact that we, as readers, have seen no indication that Sugriva is more morally sound or fit to rule, nor does he have any claim to the throne over his brother.
• In my rewrite, if I choose to include the stories that are centered around Sugriva and Vali, I'm going to make it clear that Sugriva, not Vali, belongs in the seat of power.

King Sugriva

• The emotions described here are a very unconventional mix.
• It's almost as if Vali was a good leader, but the people acknowledge the justice in his death because of either the way he treated his brother or the laws they have laid out regarding combat.
• What I can't figure out at all is why they're praising Rama who only shot him with a bow and arrow.

The Rainy Season

• It's interesting to see a hero give in to depression like this. Lament is an apt word for the bemoaning he's doing.
• I want to highlight that in the story I'm writing. I think it shows depth of character. 
• I also think that there's a lot of beautiful imagery I could add since this takes place during the rainy season.

The Armies

• Sugriva's behavior makes me think that Vali actually might have been a better king. 
• Rama may have aided Sugriva in order to have a powerful and easily mainpulated ally.
• That's how I would write this - as Rama effectively lying down with a dog in order to achieve his ends.

Sampati

• Sampati's character is an excellent reminder that, in general, the people in this story are rewarded for virtuous behavior and punished for evil behavior.
• Does this mean that some harm will befall Rama or one of his friends because of the way that he killed Vali?
• Why does Sampati call it the rape of Sita? Is he just assuming?

Sampati and Jatayu

• More proof that Sampati is reflective of this fact.
• Because he lost his wings protecting his brother he, in time, had them returned to him.
• I like this small peek into Jatayu's past as well. 

Hanuman's Leap

• These magical aspects of Hanuman's character may make him harder to adapt to my version. Perhaps I will give him a penchant for invention and a set of tools that can do many similar things to his powers in the original story.
• This passage also reveals Hanuman's devotion and passion for his newfound friend.
• I wish I knew what made him care about Rama so much and so quickly.
• I do like the inclusion of a sea demon to demonstrate Hanuman's newfound power.

Hanuman in Lanka

• This is a very telling chapter to the story. No one searching for Sita really actually knows what she looks like. They are currently on a countrywide search using the descriptors "pretty, faithful, and in love with Rama".
• That is a poorly planned search if ever one existed.
• I also find it interesting that, upon not initially finding a woman whose looks he does not know he assumes she must have been eaten.
• I feel that Hanuman, though powerful, may be something of a rash character.

The Ashoka Grove

• This part of the story starts getting into some cool adventures and gripping imagery that could make for an interesting adaptation

Sita and Ravana

• How will Hanuman talk to Sita without getting caught?
• I think it's interesting that Ravana is just now providing this ultimatuum. How long has it been since he kidnapped her?
• Why might Ravana bring a train of his wives while trying to persuade Sita?
• Perhaps they're supposed to be proof that he is a powerful warrior and a good husband.

Hanuman and Sita

• Hanuman is a very persuasive monkey. He wastes no time convincing Sita that he is to be trusted.
• I do like the devotion aspect of Sita's character, but in my story I want her to have more character traits apart from just devoted.

Hanuman Captured

• I reiterate my point that Hanuman is clever and wily. It takes him no time at all to determine that it would benefit him greatly to allow himself to be captured. 
• What does he have to say to Ravana?
• Hanuman killed of Ravana's sons, I think.

Hanuman and Ravana

• Ravana is an interesting character.
• He is a demon and literally kidnapped Sita and is threatening her with death, but he won't defy social customs and kill Hanuman.
• Why, specifically, setting his tail on fire?
• Hanuman is very courageous to say to Ravana's face that he ought to let Sita go given the fact that he's in the middle of a court of demons.

The Burning of Lanka

• Hanuman is generally very clever and courageous, but burning Lanka was fairly foolish.
• I suppose this is what happens when someone whose tail has been lit on fire no longer feels pain from being burned, though.
• Sita's prayers are very powerful. 
• She and her husband are very holy.

The March on Lanka

• I think Hanuman may be generally a rash person considering his advice was that the city was practically taken already because of his fires. 
• Rama, when not losing his mind entirely about Sita, is more prudent.
• I wonder if this means that Sugriva is permanently done being drunk and generally unhelpful.

Ravana's Court

• Now that Maricha's dead, none of the demons have the good sense to just give Sita back to Rama and LEAVE HIM ALONE.
• Seriously, every demon who has faced Rama so far has ended up dead - why are none of them getting the memo?

Vibhishana

• Enter Vibhishana, the single demon with the good sense to say what they all should be thinking: Brother, you literally stole his wife. Why did you do that? Give her back or a bunch of people are going to die. The gods are not going to be okay with this. You STOLE his WIFE. Just give her back and apologize. 
• I will be including this character in some story. 

Bibliography

Public Domain Edition Ramayan

Feedback Thoughts

The first article I chose to review was 'Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head'. I picked this article out because very often I am my own worst critic, and the people who will be more unkind to me about my work than I am are few and far between. Accordingly, I felt that reading this article would enable me to move past some of the negative thoughts I tend to have about my own work and realize that the only way I am going to be able to improve is to accept that what I do is not going to be perfect, and that is absolutely okay. It should not have to be perfect. This article was exactly what I was looking for in this respect. I had ever considered figuring out my own strengths simply to make a point of using them every day, but it does seem as though it would help to create a positive outlook on life and work. I also like the suggestion about asking for clarification on positive feedback. I think that people tend to be so afraid of looking conceited that they never stop to enjoy or look for clarification on success. They simply accept that they did not fail. I want to do more than that.

The second article 'Why Rejection Hurts So Much - and What to Do About It' offered some interesting explanations for why we let negative criticism to get to us in such a profound manner. I had no idea that we mentally registered rejection as physical pain. I thought that the offered explanation of the evolutionary benefits of responding to rejection the same way one responds to pain was incredibly interesting. What interested me more though, were the theories Guy Winch suggested regarding 'emotional first-aid'. The fact that other social activities can be used to mitigate the emotionally damaging effects of rejection makes a lot of sense. Now I know that it's okay to go eat ice cream with a friend when something someone said gets me down. In fact, it's backed by science as a surefire way to make me feel better and keep my emotional health in check.

The articles on the best way to offer criticism were also interesting. I love the concept of feedforward offered by Marshall Goldsmith's 'Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback' article. It's such a simple change from offering suggestions on how something could have been improved to how another person could potentially improve their performance in the future. The implications of that simple change, though, are enormous. People consider how they are going to change their future performance rather than dwelling on the oppressive fact of past shortcomings. I think that feedforward is a good way to teach and encourage people to do better without making them feel that they have done poorly already.

Finally, in Grant Wiggins' '7 Key Characteristics of Better Learning Feedback' I rather fixated on his concept of goal-oriented feedback. I am a passionate proponent of achievable goals, and Wiggins suggests that such goals are especially important in the case of feedback because they allow the receiver to know what to change and what to do more of in order to successfully reach the goals they set for themselves. Wiggins' article also reminded me that successful feedback is timely - a reminder I intend to take to heart. By providing prompt feedback, you allow the receiver to remember everything that they did to create what you are critiquing as well as giving them ample time to improve before they do the next related activity. I hope that I can take all of these pieces of advice to heart and craft useful feedback for my classmates during this course.

(A Sign of Success)

Bibliography
Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head by Sabina Nawaz
Why Rejection Hurts So Much - and What to Do About It by Guy Winch
Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback by Marshall Goldsmith
7 Key Characteristics of Better Learning Feedback by Grant Wiggins

Storytelling Week 2: Thataka

By the end of the twenty-first century, the world knew it was dying. There was so much hate and animosity mixed in with a deteriorating environment that the Earth simply could not support her human parasites any longer. That’s when they gave in to war.

After the nuclear war’s treacherous fallout, many of the people who weren’t killed by radiation or radiation-induced cancer began changing. Some drank blood or ate human flesh. Others simply became sadistic and violent. Many were grotesque and deformed with extra appendages and hunchbacks and fangs. The one thing they all had in common, though, was an insatiable bloodlust for vengeance against those who never had to suffer the agonizing changes they did and who, when confronted with their brothers’ new figures, ran away horrified and abandoned these Ravagers.

 (Krampus, a horrible creature)

Of the people left unchanged, many went into hiding. Others tried to build their lives back from the ground up. After many generations, all people knew was that Ravagers and humans were enemies, meant to kill each other. Neither side remembered their common ancestry. Neither side cared.

Our story opens on, Danaia, head of a branch of the organization known as Order. Order was bent on protecting the few people left in this hull of a world from Ravagers. Danaia, like all the heads of branches, protected her charges fiercely and led merciless forces against the Ravagers. Accordingly, the people in Danaia’s district adored her; however, Danaia was, as people in cruel times are wont to do, growing old far too quickly.

To ensure the future of her district, Danaia went to her three captains, Kaush, Samit, and Kaikey, and bade them to bring her young women who might succeed her. Kaush, her most cherished captain, brought forth a beautiful woman of strong stature and steel morals. He introduced her as Rama, his most valued soldier. Samit came to Danaia with a set of twins named Luka and Shutra who looked nearly the indentical. Luka was wise and a brilliant strategist, and Shutra was clever but managed to spend most of her time in the shadows lurking while her sister spoke out. Finally, Kaikey came forward with a stern girl of 14 named Beya who could have bested a brick wall in a contest of will immobility.

Danaia looked over the four women brought to her and immediately took to them, claiming them as her own daughters and immediately training them all in earnest to one day take over the task of defending her Adaya, her district. She would one day determine her favorite and guide them to take over with her sisters as her trusted inner circle and the whole group of them trained to lead and fight as one, cohesive unit.

After a short while training her daughters, Danaia had decided: Rama would be her successor. She fought like a legend and the people of the district flocked to her, trusting her leadership against Ravagers implicitly. So when an informant named Visha came to request Rama and Luka come solve a Ravager problem at a local trading center, Danaia was all too happy to send her daughters. It would be a field test for their training and allow them to exercise their skills against Ravagers.

Visha led Rama and Luka through the carcasses of an ancient urban hub where the trading center was located. Shattered glass that had long since rotted out of frames lined the streets and shone and glittered hopefully under a midafternoon sun. They passed miles of crumbling ruins that had been hollowed out years ago by people, animals, and the elements. There were rows of crops where empty lots once stood, surrounded by chain-link fences that were one of the only well-maintained memoirs of a world long-gone. The women surveyed the enormous trading center as they saw it rising in the distance. A mostly stone building with makeshift wooden and stone patches filling holes in the wall and a sign on the side of a word that didn’t exist anymore. The thick dull-black letters read “Dil ard” to the left of the barricaded doors.

(A destroyed city)

Rama and Luka turned to Visha to ask where the Ravager was holed up, but Visha only shrugged explaining that the thing would be back again by sundown to wreak more havoc, as it and its son always were. Rama and Luka nodded solemnly and took posts by the center’s entrance to wait, ready with swords and a single, rare gun in hand to fight the creature.

(Black Widow looking very cool perched on top of a building)

When the creature arrived, the two young warriors were at a momentary loss. This giant thing that had been tormenting the town was female. They turned to Visha while the creature, unmistakably a woman, was still at a distance and began to shout at her for her deception in not telling them.

Women, as the bearers of life in a dark world, were considered holy and precious especially since something in their biology had made them more capable of avoiding the transformations. Science had become myth and myth religion until women were considered holy warriors ordained and blessed by god among creation.

Visha turned away briefly and then entreated them not to be deceived. This Ravager needed to be killed or the women, children, and men she tormented would be killed in her stead. After some arguing and rage, Rama was persuaded to see reason, and when the Ravager approached the trading center, Rama fired a single shot through her head with the ancient gun she held.

Visha thanked her dearly and offered her a store of weapons hidden away in the center as a reward for her great deeds. Luka stood by and took in all that occurred, using the experience to help her grow as a leader. Eventually, Visha began to guide the two sisters home the long way, taking them through many of the district’s villages so that they could begin to know the people for whom they sacrifice.

Author's Note:

I wanted to tell an engaging story here that took root in the Ramayana but strayed away from some of the original text's character choices. I felt that in order to tell a successful story I would need to set the stage so I drew from several different early stories within the Ramayana, starting with the story of King Dashartha. While King Dashartha's story involves a flourishing kingdom with the sun always shining and imagery of flowers and birds, the best that dystopic leader Danaia can get is people who love her and trust her to protect them from Ravagers, my story's equivalent of rakshasas. I then proceed into a very loose parallel of Dashartha's sons as I tell of how Danaia has her captains select 'daughters' for her. This presenting is meant to generally reflect the ceremony conducted in order for Dashartha to have sons. I elected to make Danaia's 'daughters' already young adults to speed the storytelling process along and explain how her captains were able to make a selection. I also did this because the story I really wanted to tell was that of Rama and Lakshmana battling Thataka. I felt that my version of the story would give an interesting reason why Rama and Lakshmana were hesitant to kill a demon woman. I hope to use this story as a basis off which I can write other stories. The reason I chose to go the dystopic route is because I thought it would be fun to do an almost Bizarro-esque parallel universe sort of storytelling method. Although the good characters are, in this case, still essentially good, some of their values and character traits are different or simply emphasized differently. I hope you enjoyed reading it!




Bibliography:

All stories were drawn from the Public Domain Ramayana

King Dashartha

Dashartha's Sons

Rama: Avatar of Vishnu

Vishvamitra

Thataka

Reading Notes: Public Domain Edition Ramayana Section B

(A sculpture of Ravana, the ten-headed demon)

Bharata Returns

• I was right about Bharata being really upset. 
• I wonder why no one is willing to kill women? Is there some sort of religious significance or is it just the culture?
• I guess that means Bharata is essentially the unwilling king-figure who walks into a world on fire.

Dashartha's Funeral 

• The description of this funeral is really beautiful.
• I wonder if it really was customary to lie on the ground for ten days after the death of a monarch.
• I think the significance of this is to remind readers how important and well loved Dashartha was as a king which is why the whole world is said to darken at his death.

Rama and Bharata

• The important point here is being good on your word. Rama told his father he would honor his wish and so he will.
• Bharata realizes that Rama should be king but goes about convincing him all wrong.
• If Bharata is part of Vishnu reincarnated, how can he say there is no afterlife?

The Sandals

• Bharata has an incredible amount of loyalty for his brother to rule as an ascetic king in the woods.
• Does this mean that Rama will be able to rule when he returns?
• Will that be dishonoring his promise
• I think in my story the object will be a gift rather than a pair of sandals Bharata asks Rama to wear.

Anasuya

• I think this is meant to show how Sita, like her husband, easily wins favor and blessings from holy people.
• It also gives some cool insight into Sita's birth story.

Viradha

• I like this story because I feel like it's about the fact that sometimes defeat is a different kind of victory.
• Viradha was actually cursed to be the way he was. It was defeat that freed him.

Agastya

• Agastya is an interesting character. I find it fascinating that all the really holy sages they come across seem to already know so much about them.
• I plan to include an Agastya character equivalent to prepare Rama for war and warn him against overtaxing his wife. 

Shurpanakha and Rama 

• Rama is lauded as this peerless godlike virtuous man, but he clearly has human emotions and flaws too because he can be pretty cruel at times. 
• Shurpanakha amuses me with the fact that she assumes that offering to kill his wife is the best way to win Rama's heart.

Lakshmana and Shurpanakha

• Shurpanakha is a succubus.
• This should be a lesson about being unnecessarily cruel.
• I wonder why they are so opposed to killing women but not men. They could easily have killed Shurpanakha, but instead they just disfigured her. Why?

Battle with Khara

• This is proof that Rama's training as a warrior has paid off and shows him to be valiant and indomitable. 
• Lakshmana is very obedient to his brother. I wonder if it is because he was afraid of facing the demon army.

Shurpanakha and Ravana

• It is clear that Ravana loves his family, if nothing else.
• Shurpanakha really is vindictive and persistent. She's already sent two of her brothers plus an entire army to their deaths just because Sita is Rama's wife.

Ravana and Maricha

• I didn't realize before that Maricha had good sense enough to leave well enough alone.
• He is wiser than I thought. I almost feel bad about the fact that he's probably going to die.
• Ravana definitely has no respect for other people's lives and experience. 

The Golden Deer

• Sita is easily fooled it seems, and Rama is no better.
• Lakshmana should be lauded as the wise and loyal brother.

The Chase

• More and more I'm wanting to write a spinoff about Lakshmana, but I'm not sure if I should write something like that as incredibly wont to say 'I told you so' internally or more sage and mature.
• Sita may be beautiful and loyal, but the way she is written makes it sound as though those are her sole redeeming characteristics.

Ravana and Sita

• Ravana seems intent on dramaticism.
• He could have simply stolen her from the get go.
• Why did he think that a brahmin would be able to woo her away from her husband?
• Ravana is foolish and rash.

Jatayu and Ravana

• I suppose Sita also has the trait of likability as it seems that all the forest creatures love her as well as men and demons.
• Jatayu sacrifices himself for a woman he owes nothing to. That's extremely heroic.
• I don't know how to feel about the fact that Brahma seems to have, in some way, ordained this kidnapping.
• Are monkeys just known for being good or is Sita offering that out on a hope that they are?

Sita in Lanka

• So Ravana is both blessed and cursed by the same god of creation. I wonder that his misdeeds did not offer reason to revoke his blessings in the first place.
• Sita is resolute and unyielding, if extremely emotional.

Rama and Jatayu

• Lakshmana is far more put together than Rama in this situation.
• He offers actual helpful suggestions and helps them to make progress.
• Jatayu is truly selfless for using his last breaths to guide Rama in the right direction.

Kabandha

• There seems to be a pattern of good men being turned into demons, but I can't tell if being turned into a rakshasa is a punishment from the gods or if it is a curse not a result of wrongdoing.
• How does Kabandha know all this about Sita and Ravana?

Shabari

• Shabari is an incredibly patient and devout woman.
• Her devotion must have shown Rama how important his coming was to the holy people of the land.

Bibliography: Public Domain Edition Ramayana

Reading Notes: Public Domain Edition Ramayana Section A

(Rama and Sita)

King Dashartha

• The kingdom is great and splendid and compared to a celestial city.
• I could write a dystopic parallel depending on where the story goes from here.
• Kashala, Dashartha's kingdom, is clearly in it's heyday what with the ruling sun-dynasty and all. 
• I could write from the perspective of his wives who all want to bear a son for the Sun King.

Dashartha's Sons

• I really love all the descriptive imagery using lotus blossoms and other things to emphasize appearances.
• This chapter focuses on the horse sacrifice. This would fit really well with a dystopic turnaround.
• Alternatively, there could be some really amazing and vivid imagery if I choose to write from one of the wive's perspective.
• How hardcore is it that it's Kaushalya who gets to slay the horse???

Rama: Avatar of Vishnu

• I wonder if Brahma is obligated or in any way feels obligated to offer gifts to those who offer supplications. 
• I also wonder why Brahma cannot simply rescind his gift since it is being abused.
• Does this strict keeping of his word in any way reflect the way that members of the upper class during that time would have been expected to keep their word no matter what?
• I wonder if lotus flowers have religious significance in Hinduism.
• Why is Rama special if Vishnu divided himself in four parts and was born as all the sons?

Vishvamitra

• Why did the king promise any gift when he knew he had to keep that promise no matter what?
• Does Vishvamitra know that Rama is the Avater of Vishnu?
• If he knows, who else knows?
• I wonder if there is significance to the lizard-skin gloves.
• The brothers go to battle dressed to the nines.

Thataka

• There is a certain sense of irony in a religious sage urging a prince to kill someone.
• This chapter establishes Rama's heroic ability.
• The idea of receiving servants as a show of gratitude for murder could play interestingly into that aforementioned dystopic mafia setting. 
• I also like that setting because it helps to explore perspective and the ease with which what is good and what is evil can be manipulated by perspective.
• I wonder about the father of Maricha

Baghiratha and Ganga

• It's interesting that most of the people are said to spend many hundred or many thousand years in prayer to achieve their ends
• I could incorporate the storytelling as some kind of lecture from a mob boss on the origins of the group or a landmark the group reveres in some way.
• Why do the gods bless some who offer supplications but not all?

Ahalya

• Rama's presence alone is enough to atone the sins of Ahalya after she cheated on her husband.
• Maybe my main character can do something not magical (I think I'm going to go either a sci-fi or dystopic action route) like counseling the woman to make amends to her husband.
• Basically this just needs to establish the incredible virtue of Rama.

Sita

• Maybe in this version, Rama should be a woman so that I don't spend an entire page focused on how pretty Sita is. I could either swap Sita's gender as well or make them best friends. Alternatively, they could just both be women and fall in love. I'll have to give it more thought. I'm also not sure if I want to include the part about them being reincarnated, married gods.

King Janaka

• Maybe in my version, I'll include Janaka giving a different kind of impossible task.
• I also don't want the impossible task to result in marriage. Sita can choose her own fate. It will just cause Janaka to trust and accept Rama.
• Apparently Vishvamitra is meant to be a guide of sorts in this part of the story. I may be able to use that.

Rama wins Sita

• When Rama completes Janaka's task she can't just finish, she has to annihilate it.
• It's interesting that all these people know Rama as incredibly virtuous, but literally faint from fear when the bow breaks.

Parashurama

• I think my character is going to grow weary of everyone seeing fit to test her. 
• I think it's interesting that all it took was one sign of respect for the sage to feel better.

Rama and Sita's Wedding

• I think it's worth noting that all of Rama's brothers were married in the same ceremony he was. 
• Was this a political play by King Dashartha to unite the two kingdoms permanently?
• I may portray it that way in my story.

Rama the Heir Apparent

• Rama is very popular with everyone. I guess that's a perk of being a reincarnated god.
• I wonder how everyone can tell he is so virtuous. Does he show it on a regular basis through prayers or actions or something?

Manthara and Kaikeyi

• Manthara is extremely vindictive for someone who was wronged once and only after she started it.
• Kaikeyi is extremely easily led by Manthara's prodding. I think I'm going to genderswap all the roles. Dashartha is going to be a post-apocalyptic woman crime boss, and the "wives" are going to be men of different houses bringing forth women to succeed Dashartha.
• Manthara will be either a girlfriend or a boyfriend of the Kaikeyi character.

Kaikeyi and Dashartha

• Rather than having the characters in my story be crime lords, I think it will be more appropriate to write them as an organization of guardians. That will better explain why people behave the way they do.
• I think it's interesting that Dashartha grants the boons but then rejects Kaikeyi and Bharata.
• How is Bharata going to feel about that??

Rama is Banished

• Rama is taking banishment very well for someone who was supposed to be installed as crown prince.
• Maybe he never really wanted the job in the first place. 
• He was incarnated to kill the demon tormenting the gods so that would make sense.

Rama Goes into Exile

• Sita's weeping at the bark garment after she begged to go to the forest seems odd to me. I may flesh out her character a bit differently than that.
• I will write Rama's character as serenely as he is written here, though. I like that for the story I have planned.

Crossing the River

• Rama and Lakshmana clearly have a close relationship. I would like to add onto this scene of Lakshmana comforting Rama in his distress.
• I may drop some of these scenes such as the one about staying with a king since my story will be shorter than this one.

Dashartha's Karma

• It seems strange to me that Dashartha should be cosmically punished for a mistake that he owned up to and immediately tried to atone for. Yes, what happened was bad, but there was no ill intent.

Dashartha's Death

• Dashartha really did reject Kaikeyi and Bharata after that. I would like to know how Bharata's doing. 

Bibliography: Public Domain Ramayana

Growth Mindset: "You simply think differently"

When I was in elementary school, I was placed in the school's Gifted and Talented program, known as the 'LEAP' program. It was a program designed to help high-performing children get ahead by helping to teach them to think creatively and analytically. The teacher in the LEAP program used to give us all sorts of logic puzzles and we would spend hours working out the answers to various kinds of problems. I may not have known it at the time, but this was reinforcing a growth mindset and a love of learning that my parents had begun fostering years ago. Perhaps one of the most poignant things, though, that Mrs. Hagemeier ever said to us was "You're not any smarter or better than anyone else. You just think differently." What I didn't understand at the time is that Mrs. Hagemeier was teaching us that way of thinking in the same way that my parents taught it to me when they read me chapter books before bed and encouraged me to ask hundreds of questions about the parts that weren't making sense. I have a growth mindset because I was taught that a Mensa puzzle is a fun game and if I can't get an answer right then there's nothing wrong with raising my hand and asking my question - no matter if it may sound silly or irrelevant. I was taught to think rather than being taught to absorb.

I'm glad to have had the opportunity granted by such caregivers and I really do believe in the growth mindset as a rule. I have seen the difference it can make, and I want to help other people experience its benefits as well.

(Top: Four different color houses)

(Middle: Logic puzzle grid)

(Bottom: Girl or woman who appears to be thinking)

Time Strategies

(A stressed woman)

This weekend I took a look into strategies of time management. Based on my past behavior, I acknowledge that getting this right could be something of a hard sell for me so I decided to go ahead and take advantage of all the resources provided.

Jory Mackay's 'The Importance of Just Starting' reinforced an idea I have been driving home already for a couple of weeks. Sometimes the simple act of starting a task I am avoiding is enough to give me the momentum to power through. This has recently been helpful in achieving goals I would have counted out of my reach such as helping to gather donations for my speech team's upcoming tournament. I am no saleswoman, but I am proud to say that simply making those initial phone calls gave me the inertia to get almost 50 pizza's donated to our cause!

Sometimes you it is not as simple as 'just starting', though, and 'The Psychology of Checklists' reminded me that it is more than okay to break up intimidating goals into smaller, bite-sized pieces. I sometimes struggle with this, which is why, looking back at my schedule I set myself for this class, I decided to break my work up a bit more and make it easier to manage so that I avoid feeling overwhelmed by mountains of work every time I sit down to try and make progress. Caroline Webb's 'How to Beat Procrastination' also suggested identifying steps to solve problems.

I have little interest in the article on multitasking simply because it is not new information to me. I was already aware of the perils of playing two or more games at once. Honestly, I've never been much of a juggler so I'll leave the flaming chainsaws to the professionals and keep myself a good safe distance away.

Which brings me to 'The Myth of "Too Busy"' and '11 Ways Unsuccessful People Mismanage Their Time'. These two articles inspired me to pick up a habit my mom has been bugging me about for years - a day planner. This will help me this semester to keep my appointments, assignments, schedules, practices, etc. in order. In the past, I have had trouble keeping my feet on the ground when the semester gets busy. My lovely new planner will help keep me grounded and balanced, lending itself also to the tips about making time blocks and compartmentalizing in the '10 Entrepreneurs Share their Tips for Staying Focused' Article.

The final two articles, 'Why Time Management is Ruining our Lives' and 'Four Questions to Help You Overcome Procrastination' both deal in our strategies of avoiding actually doing the work we need to get done. I, for one, know I am guilty of doing this - of going out and saying I'm being productive then spending four hours sifting through email and notifications without getting much of anything done.

This semester I am going to make this public declaration: I will use the planner I have bought myself to plan and schedule my time. I will cut out the unnecessary noise, and I will be on top of my responsibilities so that I can enjoy the free time I have.

(Of course - I still intend to be a little spontaneous now and then. Otherwise, where would the fun be?)

Reading Options: Indian Epics

(mural depicting the injury of Rama's brother)

I have chosen to read the public domain version of the Ramayana. The idea of a whole anthology of stories coming together to form one cohesive, epic plot really intrigues me, and I am excited to have the opportunity to really dive into this collection of classical Indian myths and understand the culture better. I am also excited about the chance to read stories drawn from very old collections that capture their meanings in language that would have been closer to the language of the time. Stories like the Ramayana or the Iliad are classics, and I believe that they deserve to be enjoyed in their full literary glory as often as possible. That’s why I feel that choosing the public domain edition will work best for me. I really look forward to diving into this collection of stories and better understanding the myths, plot, and people of the Ramayana.

I did not realize before completing this assignment how much of Indian mythology was entwined into these epic poems. I guess for me that is kind of a different experience since most of the myths I am used to being exposed to are very much stand-alone kind of stories. Paul Bunyan had nothing to do with Little Red Riding Hood and so on. I also think it is fascinating to consider how much the Hindu religion is tied into these myths, and I wonder about the culture differences implicated in that observation. So far, in all of the myths I have observed, Hindu gods and goddesses play some role or another, and I have seen so many notes about how characters prayed to a specific deity among the Hindu pantheon for some blessing or another. I am excited to explore these cultural differences and come to better understand some of the beliefs surrounding the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Storybook Favorites from India: The Drama, Tales, and Travels

Three storybooks I read from past classes really stood out to me as exceptionally creative and engaging. Animal Cruise by Lauren Duchene, India Travel Journal by Evin Morrison, and Epic Women Tell All by Nicole (no last name provided)

Epic Women Tell All by Nicole (no last name provided)

Although I loved this storybook for its ingenuity and inventiveness, there are some obvious issues starting with the author’s failure to clearly denote who exactly created the book. The introduction is also a bit repetitive, but overall the story is fantastic. I have been exposed to the Ramayana a bit. I watched the classic animated Hindi retelling of the epic poem while my boyfriend sat by and explained some of the points that would not have made much sense to me otherwise. Nicole’s retelling of the stories of the women from these epics, two of whom come from the Ramayana, are clever plays on the characters that flesh out their personalities and give them more agency in the telling of the tale. She also played with the idea of how perspective can impact perception of people as either heroes or villains. The storybook was easy to navigate and had a clean design. All in all, it was an entertaining pleasure to read and may be one of the only talk shows I have ever enjoyed.

 

(a lithograph of a group of Indian women)

India Travel Journal by Evin Morrison

The main problem with Morrison’s Storybook is that there are a few grammatical errors. Issues like verb tense agreement can be found in more than one chapter. Honestly, though, I can not really complain past that. The introduction did a great job of grabbing my attention. I loved reading the stories and myths Evin incorporated into his book, and the style of writing it as a journal made it all very pleasant to read. I also loved the way that he utilized stories from the Ramayana to parallel Rama’s journey and growth with his main character Irene’s. Additionally, I felt that this storybook was really well organized. I thought that the inclusion of a sitemap was a great way of ensuring that people are able to find whichever journal entry they are looking for. Overall, I had a wonderful time reading this creative journal and almost wish there was more of it to read. 

(Top Left: Ganges River; Top Right: Open journal; Bottom: Indian Airlines Plane)

Animal Cruise by Lauren Duchene

 
Animal Cruise was by far the most creative of the three books I chose. It was ingenious to use the animal descendants of major players in the Ramayana to tell the untold stories of these characters. I loved that some of the less central characters were chosen for this exercise too. Additionally, I thought it was fun that the introduction was addressed to the reader as if they themselves were on this cruise listening to the stories of these animals. I very much enjoyed reading this storybook, and the design was very appealing.

(large dining hall)

Introduction to a Bleeding Heart Loudmouth

As the oldest of seven children, I am no stranger to shouting.

(man holding megaphone facing left)

“STOP HITTING YOUR BROTHER!”

(man holding megaphone facing upper right)

“QUIT RUNNING IN THE HOUSE!”

(man holding megaphone facing left front)

“PUT THAT DOWN NOW!!!!!”

It almost feels like a character trait by this point. Sometimes, it’s as if I could answer the question ‘Tell me about yourself. What are you like?’ with the single word ‘shouting’. I love my siblings, but it is not easy to sing with a sore throat, and I do love to sing. Incessant screaming from the ones I shout at also makes enjoying a good book something of a challenge. Now don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful for my long-honed skill of tuning out anything loud that might be getting in the way of what I am currently focused on, but it really is nice to get some peace and quiet once in a while.

Ironically enough, the same little monsters that make me sound and act like an angry drill sergeant are the ones who made me care too much about everything. Whether it comes down to social injustices or a simple, scraped knee, I care, and I sincerely want to help. I suppose that would be how I ended up studying social work too. The people I love taught me to care way too much, and now I can only hope to help wherever I work.

Of course, I have to admit that my sweet and sour siblings are not responsible for all of that. I also have the benefit of a pair of loving, supportive parents who have helped me pursue every new interest as quickly as the last. My mother taught me to cook and bake in what little spare time she had. There was never a question, no matter how obvious the answer should have been, that she was too busy to answer. My dad showed me what it was like to go out hiking and camping, taught me to pitch a tent. He was the one who showed me how vast and incredible the world really was and sparked my interest in going out to see it.

My family are the reason I am the person I am today. They taught me the trust and loyalty that make me a good girlfriend. They taught me a love for exploration and curiosity that make me a good student, and they taught me the patience and joy that make me a good friend. I am a bleeding heart loudmouth because of the loudmouthed bleeding hearts who raised me and the ones I, myself, helped raise.

Week 1 Story: The Builders and the Business

     A short time ago, there existed an expansive construction company responsible for building roads and skyscrapers, and homes galore. For many years, the company had brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual profit, bringing prosperity to all its employees and the towns where it brought its business. They offered health care and pensions and even stock shares to the employees who stayed loyal to them and worked hard.

(impressive architectural structure)

     Economic prosperity, however, can be as fickle as the rain, and the company fell upon hard times with the turning of the economy. As the employees began to struggle with the rising cost of living, the company struggled with the dwindling number of incoming contracts.

     The burden of expense grew heavier and heavier until finally the CFO began sending out emails with big, red, ominous, negative numbers to the heads of departments, explaining the bottom line. The company was in debt. There were not enough new contracts coming in to pay the employees’ salaries and benefits. People just didn’t seem to have the spare money during this financial crisis to pay for home renovations, and the government was being pressured by the people to reduce spending so the contracts they had in infrastructure were also being taken away, little by little.

     Towards the end of a particularly bad quarter, the company announced a massive shareholders meeting where all employees who held stock in the company were welcome to come and make their voices heard. The meeting was held, and almost every employee of the company was there. People had noticed that the economy was faltering. They were scared, and they wanted to know what was going to happen to them.

     First the CFO stood before the people and explained that the company was going under. He went on to say that there was little he cared to do and that there was still work out there for college educated people. He argued that they should simply let the company go bankrupt and start looking for new jobs now.

(indifferent bearer of bad news)

     A representative from the company’s legal department then stood and explained that they did not much care whether the company went under either. “There are always private law firms.” He reassured his colleagues.

     Employees from other white collar branches of the company all murmured in agreement and many sent representatives up to reassure their branches and express that many of them were already received job offers from other, better-off companies.

     The CEO considered the facts and chuckled a bit, thinking of his savings account now overflowing from serving the company during years of prosperity.
“It might even be nice to take some time off work and enjoy a sort of vacation off work for a while. Take some rest. Live off your savings. See the world. You all have to admit that that sounds pretty fantastic.”
The other members from corporate applauded as he sat back and relaxed some more, safe in the knowledge that the good years of his father’s company would protect him from a lack of income now.

     The construction workers and lower level managers of the company, meanwhile, whispered among themselves about the mortage payments and the health care they couldn’t afford if they lost their jobs.

     Realizing that the people at corporate would simply allow the business to fail, the blue collar workers banded together. They toiled and made phone calls, wrote letters to senators and sought out businesses needing renovation. After months and months of incredible work and countless calls to the CFO for updates on the bottom line, the people began to see the debt shrinking and then disappearing altogether.

     They met again when the economy had stabilized to drink and celebrate what they had achieved together. As they sat around they mused to themselves that the company’s reclaimed success was a blessing to many for the benefit of few.


Author's Note

This story was based off of an Indian Fable, The Fish and the Rain, written by Ramaswami Raju that tells of a lake that is drying up from lack of rain, much in the same way that the business I wrote about begins to lose money and go under when the economy falters. In Raju's fable, the animals hold a meeting when the lake becomes dangerously low. Many of the animals express disinterest in the problem with the crocodile, turtle, and crab all saying that they can simply move to land if the lake dries up. The fish do not have this option and see it as their duty to pray for rain to save the lake so they diligently pray until rain comes. This story intrigued me because I believe it to be very accurate to reality in many ways. At the end of the tale, it is those who will suffer at the hands of a problem that solve it. Many others simply benefit by proxy. I believed that my tale captures that spirit in the story of the builders who save their company because the crocodiles at the top will not.

Bibliography. "The Fish and the Rain" from Indian Fables by Ramaswami Raju.

My Favorite Place: La Ville-Lumière

There are truly no rivals in cuisine, architecture, rich history, or beauty to the City of Lights. I visited Paris for a week during my junior year of high school with my dad who used to travel frequently with his job. He took me around to see some of the most amazing famous landmarks I had ever seen and we ate at little cafes down streets that looked like alleys compared to American streets. All the while I was able to practice French and make amazing memories of cobblestone roads and palaces so rich with luxury the halls practically sang. That week, I made some of the most amazing memories I have, and I would go back in a hearbeat to see this beautiful city once again.

(1) A beautiful nighttime view of l'arc de triomphe in Paris, France.
Photo from: Pixabay

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My Storybook Website

(Ganga descends to Earth)

First Time Blogging

So, I've never really set up or written a blog like this, but I'm excited to get started! This semester, I'm hoping to learn more about Indian culture as well about epic poems in general and how they've progressed throughout history. I look forward to getting started and communicating with all my classmates!