Indian Epics Blog

One day in a quiet village, there was a quiet young woman named   Satyavati. Satyavati liked to keep to herself, but she always had an eye for the baker's boy, Shantanu. Shantanu, was the son of the town's bakers and it was his destiny to take over his parent's baking business after they died. At the moment they were grooming him and teaching him how the business worked. His parents were also getting him ready for marriage, for Shantanu was already to be wed to the daughter of the cheese makers, but Shantanu wasn't in love with that girl and he only wanted to marry someone he was in love with. This was a problem because Brishma was already being groomed as well by his parent's to take over, when and if Shantanu decided he didn't want to take over the bakery business. Brishma's parents assumed because of Shantanu's disdain for arranged marriages that he would forfeit his right to the bakery business so Brishma could take over and be the sole baker f...

I really enjoyed reading the section of the dice game. I think it would be fun to retell that part and change the stakes/the reason why they're playing. Maybe not gamble a person since that seems very inhumane. I could retell about Arjuna going to the mountains and then being in exile as a eunuch. I could make it some big adventure and how he comes back with all of these weapons. Statue of Arjuna  Title: The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic Author: R. K. Narayan Year: 1978

The Mahabharata was very different from the Ramayana. I didn't enjoy reading this as much as I did the other one. The part of the story where a child was sent off in a basket and raised by another woman reminded me of the Moses' story. However, during this part of the Mahabharata there wasn't any part that I really felt like I wanted to retell. It was much more graphic and nothing I felt connected to with all the wives and killing. The only part I could maybe retell Shantanu and Satyavati  story and make it where Shantanu was supposed to marry someone else but her heart is in love with someone else. I'm looking forward to part B, and I'm hoping that part will have a section of the story I really like which I can retell. Shanatanu - Web Source Title: The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic Author: R. K. Narayan Year: 1978

One morning, a very pregnant woman named Sita woke up and started her day just like every other day, but today would be the day that she would give birth to her four boys. After she woke up, she went about her day like normal, she went to yoga class and then went to work. At work she started having contractions but decided they were far enough apart that she didn't need to worry.  A couple hours later, her contractions started getting closer together - about 7 minutes apart - so she called her husband, Dasaratha, and they decided it was time to go to the hospital! After today they were going to be parents, they were so excited! Once her labor begun, the sky turned dark which was awfully peculiar since it was only 3:00 pm so it should've been totally bright outside and in that moment and her first son was born, Bharata. Even though she was tired, she still had three more boys. As her second son was about to be born, it started to get really windy and rain started pouring. ...

Most of section B is about Sita's capture and rescue, which I have retold as well so I don't want to retell it in a different way. I could possibly retell the section about Sita's twins and the horse sacrifice, along with Rama and his sons being reunited. I really like that they're lost and don't know who their father is and then finally it's a big reveal. That could be very fun to recreate into a modern day thing where the dad didn't know about the sons and they go on a search to find out who their father is and they have a mentor who helps them along the way, that would be Valmiki.  Rama's Sons  Title: The Divine Archer Author: F. J. Gould Year: 1911

I like how the story started off with the births. It would be cool to make the births of all four sons a really interesting experience. I could have the way they are born in different ways, with different events occurring during each birth and for Rama it would be a really out of the world birth because he is an avatar of a god so it has to be worthwhile. Along with that, all the four sons who get married on the same day, it could be a fast-forward story where we start off with their births and then go to their weddings and the same things occur as they're saying their vows or something along those lines. The exile is something I have already retold so I wouldn't really want to do that again, but I appreciated this versions take on it.  Four Brothers at a Wedding - Web Source Title: The Divine Archer Author: F. J. Gould Year: 1911

Click here to go to my newest in my storybook :) This storybook will focus on the Doctor from the BBC Show Doctor Who.  All 13 Regenerations of the Doctor

Once upon a time there was a princess, her name was Sita. She was to be married to the prince from the neighboring kingdom, Prince Rama.  They have grown up together and have been in love since they were little so they were very excited about the marriage ceremony.  It was the night before the ceremony, and Sita was sitting outside on her balcony looking at the stars when a demon, Ravana, appeared. He confessed his love for her and she freaked out. Ravana, witnessing her freak out, decided he couldn't live without her and kidnapped her.  The next morning when Rama found out what happened he went out to go rescue her. During his adventure he ran into a man named Sugriva, who's family had been exiled from his kingdom. After hearing of Rama's loss, he agreed to help him find Sita because he knows the pain and feeling of loss.  As Rama and Sugriva went on their way through a forest, looking for Sita, Sugriva found Sita's jewelry ...

Ravana is very much a trickster, which can play well into my fairytale idea of retelling Sita's capture and Rama's rescue of her. Their battle would be a good climax to this story, because it shows how Rama finally defeats Ravana. And after he defeats Ravana, I would incorporate the wish that Rama was granted, but I would change it to something else that he wishes for. Probably have him wish for his exile to be over or for him and Sita to live happily ever after. In the end he becomes king and Sita is his queen so I could have the fairytale end with a happy wedding like in Cinderella.  Cinderella Wedding - Web Source.   Title: The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic Author: Kamban / R. K. Narayan Year: 1972

This section picks up where B left off, Sita being captured by Ravana. I like that he came to her disguised as a hermit, it reminded me of when the evil queen came to snow white to get her to eat the poisoned apple. I think it would be really fun to make this into a sort of fairytale story, since Ravana can transfigure himself into different creatures. I could have him transform into a dragon and have Rama slay the "dragon" in order to get Sita back. Surgiva could be his trusted ally after finding Sita's jewelry. It could turn into an epic adventure where they cross an ocean, among other things in order to finally get to Sita. I really like this idea of a fairytale retelling of Rama saving Sita. Prince Charming Slaying a Dragon - Web Source.  Title: The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic Author: Kamban / R. K. Narayan Year: 1972

Giving feedback is very important to help people learn from their mistakes. From my leadership class we learned how the best way to give feedback depending on your relationship with the person and their experience. For this class its best to give mainly positive feedback since I won't know any of the other students and because, I'm assuming for most of us have never retold stories or blogged before. And from reading articles online, I've learned that positive feedback is good I just need to make sure it's constructive and goal-oriented. The specific article , discusses the importance of transparent feedback as well because it allows the person being criticized to understand exactly what it is they need to work on to improve the next time. I feel like that idea falls along the lines of the feedforward idea since we'll be giving feedback on student's ever-evolving projects so it's important to help them make the project the best it can be through positive feed...

Continuing with my Doctor Who storybook idea I'll be exploring other Indian Epic stories that the Doctor could get himself entangled in. First, I found the Sons of Rama: Luv and Kush - The Invincible Twins and thought it would be a fun story. I could have the two twins and monkey become his companion for a time where they defeat Rama's brother Shatrughna when he attempts to recapture the sacred horse. Mahiravana - A Magician Outwitted is another story I could have a fun time retelling and watching the bad magician be defeated by the Doctor instead of Hanuman. For the third story I found to retell is Dasharatha: The Story of Rama's Father . This story is another variation of Narayan's Ramanana where Rama is exiled. I think it would be interesting to have the Doctor in on his exile and the many encounters they could run in to. Lastly, I really enjoyed reading Abhimanyu - Star Crossed Prince , being Arjuna's son and watching the Doctor try and help him when his battl...