Week 3: Styles

TOPIC: The storybook topic I am choosing is "Indra." The God Indra has several stories, especially in the Ramayana as well in which he plays a large role. I don't think there are too many stories or two few that will make it hard to decide, but a good amount. I want to pick four different stories of Indra that show how he is both mischievous as well as great and powerful. One of these stories is the one from Buck's Ramayana where Indra and Ravana battle each other. The other story is from Narayan's Ramayana where Indra interferes between the love of Ahalya and Gautama, his more mischievous side.

Bibliography:
1) Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. 
2) Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana.


Styles:

Postscripts and Prequels
I really like this idea since I usually tend to write about things that aren't really mentioned in the actual story, so the idea of having a prequel to Indra's stories, showing what he was doing prior to the event or perhaps after it. Or maybe even both.

Courtroom Style
This is a style that really appealing to me especially because I can bring in other gods into my story as the judges and jury and so on in my courtroom but still have it seen from the perspective of Indra. This would be cool to do with the battle against Ravana that Indra had, but have it in a courtroom instead. Even the story of Gautama and Ahalya can be put in a courtroom setting. Either way, this idea is something I might actually pursue.

Twist the Ending
I always have these thoughts about how things would be with an alternate ending so this is also something I might do. I can have it to where the usual endings to Indra's story have a bit of plot twist, an example being that Ahalya actually ends up going with Indra rather than being turned into a rock after Gautama sees her.

News Reporting
What are the most fun news reports? The ones about scandals and war... of course, thats not actually good, but it would be fun to put Indra's stories into this format and have some of the other gods be the ones who are reporting the story and then maybe have Indra interviewed in the news report or something around those lines.

Interesting depiction of Indra

Source: Google

Famous Last Words

This week was a hectic one. Where I planned to keep up with my work and get ahead, I actually slowed down. Where I kept up with things my first two weeks, I seem to have died this third week. Most of this is due to the fact that I have to study for the MCAT on the side and take some time away from homework to study for it. But homework this semester is taking a lot more time than I expected. Where I assumed I would get done quickly and then resume my MCAT studying, I end up getting very tired of doing homework, finishing it partially, then studying for the MCAT and then ending up too tired to finish the rest of my homework.

School is a very tiring process sometimes. However, in the past year I acquired a job, and just recently, I left it. It was afterwards that I realized that I liked having my job and earning money and feeling independent. And that is my biggest motivation for finishing college and continuing onwards towards the profession of my dreams: a doctor. I do realize that the studies I have right now are nothing compared to that which I'll face in medical school, which I hope to first get admitted into. So I suppose I just have to toughen up and focus and prioritize. 

For this class specifically, I had a set schedule written down. But instead of being a day ahead, I'm doing the actual day's assignment very last minute, something I said I wouldn't do. Hopefully though, I can get back on track starting this week (on Monday) and ace this class. Starting tomorrow, I plan to finish Reading A and Reading B for week 4 and begin to form an idea for my storytelling post that is due on Wednesday. 

Planners are the best!

Source: iheartorganizing

Tech Tip: YouTube Blogger

Bhagwan Hai Kahan Re Tu

"Bhagwan Hai Kahan Re Tu" means "God, where are you?" in Hindi. This song (one of my favorites) was from the movie called PK written by the actor/director Amir Khan, one of the greats in the Bollywood film industry. This movie was one about all religions and had a very neat perspective of how religion could be portrayed by someone who has never encountered such a concept. All in all, it is a movie worth watching!

Storytelling: Week 3 (The Return of the King)

He could remember the exact moment. Fourteen years ago. On that day where birds didn’t chirp, the sun hid behind the clouds, and a gloom had set over the whole kingdom. Rama said to look towards the horizon for his return on the last day of his exile.

Bharatha had promised he would end his life otherwise. You would think after so many years, the brother would have forgotten his lost sibling, but no. There he stood outside his home, which he exiled himself to after his sibling’s leave from their kingdom.

What was his purpose in life if his brother were not to return? No purpose. He sighed to himself and slowly started setting up everything for his self-inflicted death.

____

Rama marched with his army towards Nandigram, where his brother awaited him.

“March onwards, my people! We must make haste,” he boomed to the army following behind him. There was no time left. Just small seconds ticking. They weren’t going to make it.

____

“Brother, please don’t! He may yet show, there is still some time!” Sathrugna urged. “You cannot do this to yourself!”

Tears in his eyes, Bharatha brought up his hand, bringing his brother to silence. “You know this was my promise to Rama. He is the true king, brother.”

Sathrugna grabbed Bharatha’s wrist, tears flowing down his face as well. “Please. Just wait.”

____

Rama was running as fast as he could, everyone rushing behind him. “It is not possible,” he whispered, sadly. But then a thought came to mind.

“Hanuman! I need you to go ahead of us! As fast as you can, go to my brother and tell him we are coming!”

Hanuman nodded, growing bigger and quickly heading towards Nandigram.

___

Bharatha stared into the last light falling into the horizon and pushed away Sathrugna. “It’s time. You have to let me go.”

“No, brother!” Saruthragna cried.

Just then, they saw a figure in the horizon running quickly towards them.

“Brother, look!” Sathrugna yelled.

Bharatha was about to end his life, when Hanuman immediately came upon him and put out the fire.

“Rama is on his way.”

Bharatha stopped breathing. “Rama…?”

Right then, his eyes settled on another figure in the horizon and soon enough a huge army.

“He’s here,” Sathrugna whispered, his face soaked from the tears.

Bharatha crumbled onto the ground, feeling all the energy in him drain away.

"My King is finally home."

Rama's return to Adhoyda

Source: Google

Author’s note: This story was set during that specific last moment of Narayan's Ramayana where Rama realizes how little time is left till his fourteenth year is over and he has to return to his hometown where his brother, Bharatha, is waiting on him. I would have liked to make this moment more epic, but I was having a bit of writer's block so this is all I was able to come up with. The story I didn't really change at all, I simply expanded on the moment and put in some extra detail to it.

This moment was one that I had visualized in my head and I just wanted to show how panicky it was and how intense it was on both sides. That is why I had the change of scenes so many times between Rama and Bharatha, just to portray how important time was on both sides and how much it was all rushed and hectic. If you watch Lord of the Rings, then you know that my title is from the third movie "Return of the King" and there is a particular scene in that movie where Gandalf had told Aragorn to "look for me, at first light, on the fifth day," and that moment reminded me of Rama telling Bharatha before leaving for his exile that he will be there on that last day, so look out for him. I kind of wanted to bring that moment from Lord of the Rings into life in my story because the feeling of relief during that moment is insane. Here is a video to kind of make you see how I picture Rama on the horizon on that last day with his whole army behind him:

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

Week 3: Reading Diary B (Attack on Lanka)

Narayan's Ramayana

Pages 131 - 171

• Hanuman's adventure after he crosses the water and finds Sita. 
• Sita is at the pleasure garden and is extremely sad, close enough to commit suicide. Hanuman appears and tells her who he is and then presents her Rama's momento. He then destroys Asoka Vana. 
• Sita's time at the Asoka Vana, how might her time there have passed?
• Ravana is in council where he is being told how he shouldn't have just taken the women, but dealt with the men first. Ravana is being very stubborn despite all the good advice being given to him.
• Vibhishana being thrown out by Ravana goes to Rama. Before meeting him, he spies on him for a bit. What is he thinking at this time?
• Planning out the attack on Lanka with Vibishana
• Bringing together everyone to build the bridge
• Ravana tries to trick Sita again. How is Sita feeling at this time? 
• They proceed into battle and Rama at the end of Day 1 hurts Ravana. What is going on in between the two days, when they take a break?
• Kumbarkana is awoken and vows to defeat Rama but is defeated himself. What are the thoughts of Ravana at this time, and prior to him being defeated? 
• After the war, Sita is returned to Rama but first goes through a test of purity by jumping into a fire. Rama's father is later sent down and Rama requests him to forgive his two wives. What is Dasharatha thinking at this time?
• Rama returns to Ayodha. His entry back into the kingdom, how do you think that proceeded?

Rama returns from exile

Source: Google

Week 3: Reading Diary A

Narayan's Ramayana

Pages 89-131

• Sita falls for Ravana's plan, hearing Rama call for help and so she tells Lakshmana to go to Rama, leaving her alone.
• Ravana is then able to kidnap her.
• Jatayu, the demi-god in eagle form, tries to save Sita but his wings get cut off.
• Story about this battle?
• Rama and Lakshmana come back to find him dying.
• On their way, they come to the kingdom of Kishkinda, where they meet the monkey, Hanuman. Sugriva, the younger brother of the Vali, king of this kingdom, lost his wife and is also in exile.
• Another possible battle story.
• With Rama's help, Sugriva is able to defeat Vali and becomes king. Tara, the wife, during this time told them not to fight... what might her thoughts have been during this time?
• Sugriva gives Rama Sita's jewelry, that she had dropped while being kidnapped by Ravana.
• Huge search parties are then sent out to find Sita, amongst them is Hanuman.
• Story about this particular huge search to find Sita.
• Sampathi, after reviving from seeing Rama, relays the news that Sita is at Lanka, across the ocean. 

Ravana versus Jatayu

Source: Google