Week 12: Extra Reading Post

 I decided to read part of the twenty two goblins unit. In the unit, there are difference stories that are told to the king and after each one the king as to answer a question it is very interesting.

The first story I read is The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life.

On the bank of the Kalindi River is a farm where a Brahman lived He had a daughter named Coral. This story is strange! Three Brahmans worshiped Coral, but she died and the men became very depressed. One of them laid on her ashes. The other used her boned. The last one cried so much his mother threw him into a fire. In the end of the story the Monk brings her back to life with a magic spell. She was more beautiful than before. Ones again the three men fought over who should be the husband.

The story cuts back to the king and the goblin asks who should be the husband. He correctly answers that it must be man who slept on her ashes. 

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Ghost Lake - Dita

Week 12 Reading Diary B: Bidpai unit

The Bidpai unit stories are mostly about fools and tricksters. In “The hare, the Fox and the Wolf” the wolf frightened the hare one day, and told her that he would eat her. The Hare persuaded the wolf to go after the fox. Once they got there however, the fox ended up tricking them both and made them fall in a trap. Thinking that this was all the Hare’s idea he ate the hare on the way down into the trap. In the end the fox got away safety.

It is known that foxes can be sly and witty. A famous fox that sort of fits this description is Swiper the Fox from “Dora the Explorer.”

The story about three snakes was an interesting read. Each story featured a snake as either the main focus of the story or the outcome (means to an end). In my opinion, in each of the snake stories no matter what happened the snake always has to do with the end of the story. The snake either gets what it wants, gets karma inflicted on it (eating things), or gives out a punishment. 

Yin Yang - WikiMedia Commons

Week 12 Reading Diary A: The King and the falcon

I enjoyed the King, The falcon, and the Drinking cup. This story is about a King and his bird. One day they go out on a hunt chasing a deer. Due to some accident, the king gets separated from his men and is left alone in the forest. He comes across a stream and gets a drinking cup and slowly starts to fill it up with water to drink. Right as he puts it up against his lips the falcon snatched it out of his hands and drops it. This angers the King and he yells at the bird while filling the cup up again. Once filled, the falcon tips over the cup again, enraging the king so badly that he grabs the bird and smashes it on the ground killing him instantly. A few moments later one of the Kings men approaches the king and offers him water from his flask, but the king rejects and says that he must have some from this spring. The king tells the man to go fetch the water from the source of the spring. Upon the man’s return he says that there is a slain dragon in the water whose poison tainted the whole stream. It is then when the king realized that his beloved bird was trying to save him.

You can take from this story that the king needs to learn patience. The bird was only trying to help 

him. 

Prairie Falcon - Wikipedia

Week 11 Extra Reading Post: Ramayana

Ramayana

Khara called upon fourteen Rakashasas to capture 3 royal hermits.

 Rama told Lakshmama to take Sita and go find a cave to hide in. He would battle the demons alone. Rama put on his glowing armour, and took his celestrial bow and arrows. The Rakshasas appeard and flew toward him with weapons. Rama began to discharge flaming arrows which swept among the demons. Many were slain all over the floor, but Khara and his brother continued to attack. Rama took his celestial weapon and slew Dushana. Next followed by an arrow into Khara. The battle was won and Sita came forth from the cave and hugged Rama.

I liked this battle scene because they provide so much detail within it. Just like in the other scenes of the epic the battle scenes are the most drawn out. I wish that the Ramayana could go to the big screen because the battle scenes would look great.

One of the main turning points in the Ramayana was when Maricha took the shape of the golden deer. His task was to lure Rama away from Sita in order for Ravana to abduct Sita and take her back to his city. So Rama chased the deer for a long time through the forest and he finally was able to shoot an arrow through the heart. Once this happened Maricha displayed his true form and screamed for Sita to come save him in disguise of Rama’s voice. 

Golden deer - Flickr

Internets_dairy

Week 11 Reading Diary B: Sental Stories

The Jackal made a terrible decision when drinking with the hen. I thought that it pointless to explain what the broth they were making. It didn’t seem like it mattered much in the story. I guess that since the Jackal liked the broth so much he wanted to eat the hen. When he did the chicks decided to get their revenge on the jackal. They ended up blinded him and chopped him up into pieces.

The Tiger and the cat story was very interesting. It provided a origin story for how tigers and cats interact. Basically, in the old days tigers and cats used to live together peacefully, but one day the tigers asked the cat to fetch some fire to cook a meal they had received. The cat came back to late, and this forced the tiger to eat the meat Raw. The tiger exclaimed that he would eat the cat, dung and all. So this is why cats bury their own dung and why tigers eat raw meat.

The elephant and the Ants is probably one of the shortest stories in the section, but it Is my favorite by far! The story provides so much insight and morals. I will definitely consider writing my story based off of some of the elements in the story. 

The Elephant and the Ants Christina Gulla

The

Week 11 Reading Diary A: Santal Stories

This week I am reading the Santal Folklore stories.

The first story that I read was “Ledha and the Leopard.” This story was Ok. I was alittle difficult to follow. It didn’t seem like the leopard had much to do with the story.

In the oilman story. The Bullock wanted to repay his debt to the oilman by placing a 500 rupee wager on a fight with the Raja’s elephant. To my surprise the bullock won and receive the money. In return, the bull was able to leave wherever he liked. He decided to stay with the oilman, but he soon died one month later.

In the Monkey and the Girl story the girl just sacrfices herself for the love of the monkey! Haha that was a strange ending. I liked how to type of monkey was called Hanuman. This reminded me of the Ramayana. 

Bullock - Owned by Ferrets

Week 10 Reading Diary B: The Ending

Since this is the last reading of the Mahabharata, I wanted to briefly cover the last bit of the story for my storytelling post. I think that I will write it over the ending.

Yudhishthira wants to make a final plea for peace. He is also not sure if it is safe for Krishna to go to Hastinapura as his emissary. Dhritarashtra learns about Krishna and wants a lavish reception. All Krishna wants is peach and justice.

Duryodhana denies Krishna’s plea for peace and refused to listen to the requests of his mother Ganhari. Krishna manifests himself in his divine form to the assembly. Shortly after Duryodyna realizes it is impossible to take him prisoner.  Krishna speaks to Karna and tries to convince him to abandon Duryodhana. But he refuses. Karna the promises Kunti that only one of her sons that he will attack in the future battle is Arjuna.

In the end Yudhishthira goes to consult Bhishma, who is dying. After he dies he is cremated. Dhritarashtra, Gandhair and Kunti go to live in the forest and die in a fire. Krishna’s people all destroy themselves in a civil war. Krishma is killed by a hunter and Yudhishthira goes to heaven in is bodily form. Arjuna’s son, grows up to be king of Hastinapura which continues the Pandava line. 

 

Bhima about to kill Duryodhana

Week 10 Reading Diary A: 13th Year

Dhritarashtra’s sends his spies to find out what the Pandavas are doing. He also leans about the weapons Arjuna has. He then makes a royal camp near Pandavas to shame and humiliate them, but the gods send a gandharava to fight with Duryodhana. During the fight the gandharvas eventually take Duryodhana into captivity. His plan is ruined and backfired on him.

A Brahmin asks the Pandavas for help because a giant deer stole his staff and the kindling he uses to make the sacrificial fire. The Pandavas chase it but fail. They soon became tired and went to find water. Nakula finds a lake to drink water from. Suddenly he hears a voice telling him not to drink the water until he answers all of his questions. He ignores his requests and drinks the water and dies instantly. Arjuna, Sahadeva, and Brima all die as well. Yudhishthira comes and sees that all his brothers are dead and he answers all the questions. He tells him that it was test by Yama, the god of death and of Dharma. The fallen brothers are brought back to life, and they receives the gift of unrecognizability.

Remember from before that after 12 years of exile they must spend their thirteenth year in disguise at the court of King Virata.  The Brothers all disguise themselves. Yudhishthira is the king’s companion. Bhima is a cook. Makula a stable boy, Sahadeva is a cowherd, Arjuna new alias is Brihannala and lives as a eunuch in the women’s quarters. Draupadi is Sairandhir, the hairdresser. 

Kichaka and Bhima

Week 9 Reading Diary B: The Mahabharata

I am confused some while reading this book, so I am going to keep my notes for this assignment short. I will need to re-read some pages, and focus more on the reading notes.
Yudhisthira ends up being crowned as a king at Indraprastha. Krishna, Duryodhana, and his uncle, Shakuni all attend as a guest. Next we learn about the great weapons that Skakuni owns, such as the Gandiva bow. It was a gift from the fire god Agni to Arjuna as a reward for trapping the birds and animals in the forest for him to eat. Shakuni Suggests to Duryodhana to play a game of dice to get revenge on the Pandavas.

Dice - Wikipedia

Week 9 Reading Diary A: The Mahabharata

Shantanu is the king of Hastinapura and he fell in love with a woman over by the river. She turned out to be Ganga the River goddess. Ganga agreed to many her as long as Shantanu never questioned her actions. Red flags are already going up in my head. I wonder why he would even agree to something like that. She gives birth to 8 sons and sacrifices them in the river one by one. Shantanu tries to stop her. This is when Ganga really reveals to him that she is the Goddess of the river. She explains that she is just an incarnation, and her role was to give birth to eight gods. In order to do this she needed to drown them so that they would go to heaven.


Shantanu falls in love with another woman named Satyavati. Obviously Shantanu has aj issue with other women. Bhishma renounces his claim to help his father out and then Shantanu and Sayavati got married. 

Ganga (Top)

Painting by Ravi Varma

Week 7 Reading Diary B: Bengali Folktales

Bangali Folktales 

• There was a wife of a Brahman that was walking to a tank. She accidentally brushed up against a ghost and it angered it. 
• The ghost grabbed the wife and put her into the trunk of a tree. The she-ghost then put on the cloths of the wife and went back to the home of the Brahman and mother. 
• After some time the Mother noticed that her-daughter in law was not acting the same as before (but better actually). This caught the attention of the family them she began to do things that were not human. 
• They called and exorcist and make the ghost tell the family where the wife really was located. They retrieved her and made the ghost not bother the family again. 
• My favorite part about this story is when the exorcist man began to beat the ghost with his show. 
• The Story of a Brahmadaitya is a quite interesting read
• The main plot of the story is that a poor man is desperatly trying to survive and he takes on the impossible task that has the potential to get him killed. On his way, a Brahmadaitya helps him and provides the Brahman with 3 requests that make him rich!, In the end, due to the Ghost helping out the once poor man he " sent to heaven.
• The story is a "Feel-" one like most of the stories in this section. I like how the poor man gets rewarded for his bravery and selfishness. I will think about writing my storyteling post over this story. 
• The Story about the Rubies is another feel good story. (I like all these stories within the unit. They have nice and happy endings). 
• I thought that toward the end of the story when the young man went to the palace in the whirlpool that he would get in some kind of trouble for taking the rubies, but I guess not. Also at the end when he became a husband to a second wife, I wonder why he didn't go back to the goddess. 

Ruby 

Source: Wikipedia

Week 7: Reading Diary Part A - Bengali Folktales

The Evil Eye of Sani is the Fist story I decided to read in the Indian section of the Untextbook called Bengali Folktales collected by Lal Behari Day.

• This story is different because I though that the main focus would be about Sani, or Lakshmi, but instead it is only indirectly about them.
• Sani curses Sribatsa and places his evil Eye upon him. Throughout the story he encounters jealous people, theifs, and evil men. They steal his wife and boat. 
• Eventually Sribatsa meets a King and he tells him this whole story. The curse is lifted and Sribatsa is reunited with his lovely wife a pile of gold which he took from a cow. 
• We also learn that he was the Child of Fortune, so that explains why he was even getting gold cow dung in the first place. 
• I like the story " The boy whom Seven Mothers Suckled." It is a revenge story about an demon wife who tricks a King into blinding and killing his old 7 wives.
• Instead the Wives are just blinded and go into hiding. All of the wives bore a child, but only one of then the seventh one kept the child. Each of the seven mothers took care of the boy and he grew up to be very strong. 
• In the End the boy received a bird that would kill her mother if harmed from the country of the demons. As he returned home there was a giant bird terrorizing the city. The boy insisted upon tearing the limbs of the small bird off to kill the big one. Instead it was the queen that suffered and then the boy was named the rightful heir, and the all lived happily. 

Gold Bars: Wikipedia

Week 6 Reading Diary B: Indian Fairy Tales

Part B Indian Fairy Tales

"The lion and the Crane was an interesting little story. It looks to be based of a poem. What I like about the short tale was how the crane and the lion interacted with each other. At first the lion desperate needed the crane's help to break the bone in the lion's mouth. The Crane was reluctant at first saying that he would eat him afterward, but the lion kept his promise and spared his life. Days after the crane went back to visit the lion, but he was acting ungrateful toward the crane. He told him that he was lucky to still be alive.

I am not sure what to think about the Broken Pot story! It is just a guy that is thinking to himself for awhile. Then he snaps out of it and kicks the pot of rice, and spills it all over him.

I remember hearing this story in last semesters class, and it is quite a good one. In the beginning the jealous wives plot to kill the brothers sister. They end up cursing her to drown here. Throughout the story. The dead sister becomes a magic fiddle and travels around with an old man. The family steals the fiddle and become very poor. Then the sister finally has a chance to tell the brothers what the wives have done. They act like they already knew what the wives have done.

My Favorite story is 'The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal." It ks similar to the Lion and the Crane story but there are some differences. I like the dialogue between all the characters especially the tiger and the Jackal . The jackal listens to the Brahman's story and acts like he doesn't understand. He does this so well that it eventually angers the man and the tiger! The tiger looses his patience so fast that he jumps back into the cage to give the Jackal a visual aid to the explanation, and then the Jackal slaps the door shut!

South China Tiger

Wikipedia

Week 6: Reading Diary Part A: Indian Fairy Tales

Part A from Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

Why this fist laughed is a story that I decided to take notes on.

• The picture caught my attention and the title. It looks silly
• a "Certain fisherwomen is passing by and the queen runs into here
• She asked if the fish that was in her hand a boy or a girl. She also said that she was looking for a "She-Fish" them suddenly the fish busted out into laughter for some apparent reason. 
• The queen went home angry and a bit confused if you ask me because she had no way of explaining this phenomenon.
• The King ordered his Vizir to find out why the fish laughed or else he would be put to death in six month. (This always seems to be a common trait in these Indian stories. The king always exercises the power to executive people at will. 
• The story them cuts to a different one in which it is about a young farmer and an old man
• The young man things that the old man is humorous and dumb, but when returning home the farmer tells his daughter and she thinks that he is the most smart man she has ever heard of and wants to meet him. 
• The girl figures out that the laughing of the fish indicates that the King is in danger because there is a man who is going to try and kill him. 
• Then the young man's daughter went to the palace with the son and explained. 
• The maids were to be tested and try to jump a dug. (I'm not sure if that means they will die if they miss). 
• Only one maid it and he turned out to be a man. 
• The King saved the Vizir. 

A Tentraodontiae - Wikipedia

 More info found here

Week 5: Reading Diary B - Hanuman

In this part of the book it starts off with the kidnapping of Sita. In further detail, Maricha tried so hard to convince Ravana not to kidnap Sita. He tells time over and over that it is the wrong thing to do and Rama will come back to kill Ravana. Ravana acts like it is no big deal at all. He doesn't even take it as a threat. You can easily tell this because for most of the time he isn't even paying attention to Maricha.

Ravana came up with a plan to steal Sita. Maricha disguised  himself as a golden deer and went to lure Rama away from Sita. A key thing to note here is that Lakshmana foresaw the trick and warned him. He said that there were no such animal on earth (A GOLD DEER).

Sita is taken and while trying to escape she drops her jewelry down onto the earth so that maybe Rama can trace her steps. She specifically drops something toward 2 monkeys.

Rama is told about the story of the Monkey kingdom and how it came to be. Some things to note. Hanuman is the son of the Wind. He is a white monkey with a red face. His father told them that he will possess great strength and no one will be able to kill him.
Vali and Sugriva are brothers from the father of Indra and the Sun. Vali is the King of Kishkindhya, but he is becoming more and more corrupt.

The next part of the story is about how Vali became cursed by Matanga, and also Vali began to hate Sugriva. Since I already know well about this part of the story I will spare some time writing it down.

Hanuman - By Steve browne and John Verkleir

Week 5: Reading Diary A

• Bharata finds out that King Dasharatha is dead, Kaykeyi tells Bharata that Rama is in exile for fourteen years, and he is extremly upset at his mother about it. 
• Vasishtha convinces Bharata to become king During the time of Rama's exile and when it is over the throne will be waiting for to rightfully take. 
• Bharata follows Rama into the woods and eventually into Chitrakuta. He tells him of his fathers fate. Rama further convinces Bharata to to take the throne until Rama gets back. Bharata takes Rama's sandals to put in at the throne. 
• 
  

The Demon Viradha kidnapped Sita. This is here first time being abducted. It seems like she is always the Damsel in distress. Rama chases down the demon and kills it. Once killed it is revealed that the demon was really a gandharva named Tumburu. He was cursed to walk as a demon. When Rama killed him then he would finally be set free.

Jataya (Ramayana)

taken by Abhilash Rajendran

Week 4: Reading Diary Part B Buck's Ramayana

Part B:
As we progress further into the story we reach the part that Dasharatha makes Rama his new succesor
This does not sit well for Manthara (Kaikeyi's servant) and convinces her that it would be a disaster.
Kaikeyi then uses two promises that were owed to her by Dasharatha. The first one was that Bharata be the new king, and that Rama get sent into the forest of exile for 14 years!

This part of the story was pretty much the same for. It is more clear now that I can read through things for a second time. A part that interests me is when Rama is banished for 14 years. He goes not even fight.If I were him I would be really scary.

Before they departed form Ayodhya, Rama, and Sita gave away all of their possessions.

Sumantra tells Dasharatha about Ram's departure and he starts to remember how Rama as a boy.
Dsharatha them dies.

I am having a hard time trying to find something  new to put into my diary! Most of it is just follwoing the same footsteps

. 

Rama with Sita and others

By Ravi Varma press Wikipedia

                                                                                                               

Week 4: Reading Diary Part A: Buck's Ramayana

Part A:
I am not sure that it is in the other version of the Ramayana that we read, but I don't recal there doing a small part with Sauti and Saunaka in it.

This version is much more different than the other version! It is so much different that I hate to read the Reading notes multiple times over. One of the main major differences from Buck's version and Narayan's is the intro to the Ramayana. In Buck's version it starts thousands of years later with Rama and Sita already being the King and Queen. Rama exiles Sita due to rumors! Narada has Valmiki rescue Sita, and learn about the story of his two sons. Then he puts a curse on the hunter and he becomes a poet. Brahma comes down to teach Valmiki the poem of Rama (Which is the Ramayana! hence he is the original author who put the story together). It is definitely a very interesting way to introducte the Ramayana opposed to Narayan's version.
Another change that I notices were how the Rakshasas were introduced and created to be.

The rest of the beginning of the story fell into place like the other one.

Ravana continued his terror amonst the lang after he was granted immunity from the gods. One thing he forgot to mention was to have protection from the humans. Next we go thoough Ravana's other conquests.

Ravana : Wikipedia

Week 3 Reading Diary B Ravana's End

Reading Diary Part B:

Hanuman now arrived on Lanka to begin searching for Sita.  Upon searching, he shrank himself down to an unnoticeable size and searched through every building and home. He came across a beautiful woman who he thought was Sita, but it was Ravana’s wife.

Hanuman then went to search one of Ravana’s favorite parks. There he found Sita. 

I was surprised when I read this part of the story. I didn’t know what to think about how Sita would be treated. I figured that she would be treated like a queen. I was surprised to see that this was not the case. However, it does made sense of what Ravana is trying to do. He is using frightening women to beat and scare her to death. Then after Ravana comes in to comfort her. He is trying to break her into wanting Ravana. It is quite sinister and evil if you ask me.

Another scene that interested me was the one with Ravana’s Council. You heard different points of view from Ravana’s Council some of which included his brothers and sons. Most of the people all agreed in favor of Ravana, but one person (Vibishana) who was Ravana’s youngest brother disagreed and warmed him of all his misdoings. He was told to leave, and then he went to Rama’s camp.

The Battle raged on with the help of Vibishana. Both sides sent messengers and tricks to try and get an advantage on the other. Both sides spilled a lot of blood. Ravana’s side has suffered the most losing his commander-in-chief- and his brother Indrajit.

In the end Rama won against Ravana and got Sita back. He had one last trail to test her loyalty and she passed. They then returned home and Rama was named king and lived in peace. 

Rama in Battle

Found http://www.harekrsna.de/108rama.htm 

Week 3 Reading Diary:Vali

Reading Diary Part A

Rama arrives to Kiskinda to meet with Hanuman (Anjaneya). He was in the form a little scholar boy which I thought was weird. I am not sure why he chose that form, but is through form was a giant monkey for he was the king of all the monkey in that land.

In this next section Hanuman is telling the story of Vali, which is Sugreeva’s elder brother. Apparently he is a God-like figure and was blessed by Shiva with unimaginable strength and speed. Interestingly enough, it is even mentions that then Vali passes by Ravana even he is scared to death of him. I will have to highlight this and maybe include Ravana’s fright of him in my later storybook.  Continuing in the story Hanuman recognized that Rama is an Incarnation of Vishnu and asked him to test his Archery to prove he was capable. Rama feel sorry for Sugreeva and offers help to vanquish Vali. On top of mountain Rama sees bleached bones and asks what it is. Sugreeva then begins with Dundubi’s story.

Vali in the Ramayana

Source: Wikipedia

Vali kills Dundubi and throws his body on the Sage Matanga’s sacred site. He then cursed Vali so that if he steps foot back on the land his head will explode.

The Reading part where Sugriva fights Vali is my favorite part of the book so far! It does such a good job at explaining the motifs of Rama and Vali. Then Rama strikes Vali with an arrow at first he doesn't understand why Rama would meddle in the affairs of two brothers, and at first I could reason with him. In time, Rama explained that it was Vali who was seeing unclear, and in the end he finally realized his wrong doing. If I decided to retell this story then I can definitely see each side of the story.