Reading Notes; Epified Krishna, Part B

Krishna Humbles Brahma 
I think it's really interesting how time after time again, Krishna seems to humble the most divine beings and surprise everyone at how strong, valiant, and clever he is. I love all these stories about how he has defeated all these demons, as well as the one with Brahma's plan backfiring. I feel like I could write about any of those and put it in a different perspective. Maybe even in Krishna's!

Akrur
I was watching these videos with my mom and she said that in another thing she watched/heard, Akrur actually dies before Kamsa does. So, maybe I'll write a story in which exactly that happens. I might research more about Akrur, his story, and his death to write a better and more interesting story if I choose to write about him.

Mathura
I liked how Vishnu showed his true form to Akrur while he was taking Krishna and Balram to Mathura. I also like how the Epified showed the death of Kamsa and the release of Krishna's true parents and grandfather. I might write about that reunion in a different way; maybe I'll write about Krishna being kidnapped at birth and finally being reunited with his real parents. This theme is common in many stories I have read and watched. For example, in Hercules, Hades orders two of his companions to kill Zeus's son. They end up leaving him in a basket, and a random couple picks him up and raises him. Throughout the movie, Hercules seems to be different from the other kids, although no one knows his true identity. Finally, he finds out who he really is and ends up saving the world, as every Disney hero does. This plot story was similar to Krishna's story in many ways. Also, in the movie Tangled, Rapunzel is stolen by a witch and kept in a tower for her entire life. Her parents are actually royalty and she has no idea. Flynn Rider comes along and rescues her and they find out the truth together. I could replace these characters with those from the Krishna stories!

Source: Vasudeva carrying baby Krishna across the river to Gokul.

Bibliography: Epified Krishna videos, Part B. 

Reading Notes; Epified Krishna, Part A

I love, love, love the Epified videos so much! The way they draw things out and portray all stories in a few minutes is really interesting to me!

Switched at Birth
I think this may be the name of my next story! ^ If I decide to write about this; since Krishna and Yashoda's real child are switched, I wonder if I can write a story about how they find each other after so long and if that's how Krishna finds out his true fate. I might also write a story in which Yashoda's daughter and Krishna grow up together, instead of being switched. I feel like it'd be interesting to see a daughter and a son grow up together instead of two sons.

Krishna's Mouth
I love this story and might write about how Yashoda figured out Krishna was something special. I could switch it around and have something else happen instead of him eating mud, such as hearing him sing or seeing him defeat a demon, etc. 

Radha's Love
The story of Radha-Krishna is epic. Their love is special in many ways, so I could write a story about this as well. Maybe I'll write a story in which they can actually get married, or maybe I'll write it on OU's campus and see how they find each other in this life as well. I could also give another reason as to why they can't get married, or have another person get jealous of their love and try to ruin it. I'm not sure yet, but I think writing about their story could go in many different directions!

Source: Yashoda looking into Krishna's mouth and seeing the entire universe.

Bibliography: Epified Krishna Videos, Part A.

Reading Notes; Inayat's Twenty Jataka Tales, Part B

The Goblin Town
I read this story the last time we read the Jatakas, but this one was a different version and included a different plot story near the end of it. I realized I could rewrite this in any way I wanted, with different endings, different characters, or with switching the roles of the males and females in the story.

The Quarrelsome Quails
I like the theme in this story, which in my opinion, revolved around a sense of karma. The quails quarrel all the time, but in the end it doesn't hurt anyone else except themselves and their friendship with each other. There are a lot of stories I could write about this; possibly about two friends constantly quarreling and what that could do to them, as well as the people around them. Oftentimes, people don't realize that what they're doing affects others as much, when in reality it actually does. 

The Forest Fire
I like the idea that a small creature was able to stand up to such a huge phenomenon. If I were to rewrite part of this story, I would change the characters to make the little goose a minority group and have the forest fire be an oppressing group and having the minority stand up to the oppressors. 

The End of The World
I had also read a different version of this earlier in the class, but I still really like the theme of it. It's important to observe all sides of a story before making any hasty decisions/assuming things about other things/people.

Source: "The little one was not afraid; he gazed steadily at the flames" (pg. 119).

Bibliography: Noor Inayat's Twenty Jataka Tales.

Reading Notes; Inayat's Twenty Jataka Tales, Part A

The Guilty Dogs
I like this story a lot because it shows how we are quick to judge others, especially those that are different from us. The King in this story didn't even think to question the royal dogs for the crime they committed, but rather blindly ordered all the other dogs to be killed. He didn't think about the full story, nor would he have if the head chief hadn't brought it up. 

The Tortoise and the Geese
I have read this story before, about how the tortoise opened his mouth when he shouldn't have and that eventually led to his demise. However, this version of the story added onto the end by incorporating the story in a castle and having the King learn his lesson from the turtle's mistake. I love this story because it taught a lesson, and had another person learn from the previous character's mistake.

The Fairy and the Hare
I like this story because it showed true character. For me, a true sense of character or integrity means doing the right thing when no one is looking. All the animals did the right thing without knowing they were being watched by the fairy Sakka. If I rewrite this story I might just change the context and setting, but have that same underlying theme of judging one's true character.

The Golden Feathers
Wow, I read this story as well, but this version was so different in that the goose had a familial connection to the family! That made it even worse to realize that the mother took all of the feathers, since it was technically her own husband she was robbing (even though she didn't realize it). 

The Master's Test
This is another story in which the theme of "do the right thing, even when no one is watching" comes into play. Like the pupil said, "My self is always watching." Our conscious is always present, whether we want it to be or not, whether we realize it or not. If I were to rewrite this story or the one about the Fairy and the Hare, I would keep the theme present and maybe just change the mentor/mentee characters. 

Source: "There is no place wherein no one is watching" (pg. 81). 

Bibliography: Noor Inayat's Twenty Jataka Tales.

Reading Notes; Babbitt's More Jataka Tales, Part B

How the Monkey Saved His Troop
This story showed true dedication and loyalty; when I read it I thought of Harry Potter and the loyalty that everyone shows Dumbledore. The protagonists are always comforted when Dumbledore says something uplifting and doesn't panic. He also always seems to know how to save them so in my head it kind of related!

The Hawks and Their Friends
This reminded me of the Woodpecker, Turtle, and Deer story. There were four sets of animals helping each other and were always there for each other. If I were to rewrite this story, I might combine it with the Woodpecker, Turtle, and Deer tale and have both groups be enemies, maybe?

The Stolen Plow
I really liked this story because it reminded me of Akbar Birbal short stories/fables. The way the trader figured out that the other trader had sold his plow and announced it in the court was amusing and reminded me of other short stories I've read. 

The Lion in Bad Company
Wow, this story was really interesting to me. The theme of it was very relatable to today's world and how good people sometimes get caught up in bad habits or in a group of friends with bad influences. If I were to rewrite this story, I would change the setting to OU or just the United States in general.

Prince Wicked and the Grateful Animals
I like how this story was all about being respectful, patient, and humble. It immediately made me think of Kendrick Lamar's song "Humble" and maybe I can rewrite the story as what inspired Kendrick Lamar to write the song.

Source: The loyal relationship between the elephant and the dog in one of Babbitt's stories.

Bibliography: Ellen C. Babbitt's More Jataka Tales, Part B.

Reading Notes; Babbitt's More Jataka Tales, Part A

The Girl Monkey and the String of Pearls
This story depicted a monkey who was too prideful for her own good. When the other monkeys were pitying her for not having glass beads, she immediately revealed herself and the pearls she stole in order to look superior. If she hadn't said anything, she may have never been caught! This reminds me of the other Jataka tale with the turtle who talked too much for his own good, so I could possibly do another rewrite with this same theme.

The Three Fishes
I liked that the fishes' name were based off of their personalities; it made the plot of the story flow well and predictable. If I were to rewrite it, I might change up the names to Funny, Very Funny, and Funnyless. Or something like that, just to make it interesting but connected to the original story!

The Woodpecker, Turtle, and Deer
I really liked this story because of the unity between characters. All three looked out for each other and I thought it was a really neat story! 

The Golden Goose
This theme of greediness pops up in a lot of ways, so I could rewrite this story in a different way. I could put it back on OU's campus and write about a student receiving free things, or maybe even scholarships, every year and eventually getting greedy and asking for more. Once the person in charge hears their plea, they get annoyed and do not want to give any more things to someone who has to ask for it. 

Source: The greedy mother taking all of the golden goose's feathers.

Bibliography: Ellen C. Babbitt's More Jataka Tales, Part A.

Reading Notes; Babbitt's Jataka Tales, Part B

The Princes and the Water-Sprite was an interesting tale because it sounded so much like the Ramayana, when Rama is exiled! The reason he was exiled was due to Kaikeyi wanting King Dasharathra to make her son, Bharata, king (instead of Rama). In this story, the queen asked the King to let Sun Prince be the king, instead of the Prince of Stars (who was the oldest). Both Sun Prince and Bharata realized what was happening later, and both offered to go with the other sons to live in exile. In the Ramayana, however, Rama convinced Bharata to stay. In this story, the Sun Prince convinced the brothers to let him go with them into exile. I thought this was super interesting since both the Ramayana and this tale told a similar story, although with different styles and characters. 

If I do a rewrite of one of these stories, I might do Why the Owl is Not King of the Birds, and give different reasons as to why the owl and the crow are enemies. 

I also could do the Princes and the Water-Sprite and retell it in yet another way! There are so many stories with exiles, so I could either write another one or do one where nobody is exiled.

I could also write a story about the Crab and the Crane, except make the crane the victim and the crabs/fishes the predators.

Reading Notes; Babbitt's Jataka Tales, Part A

I really love stories like these! They're short, simple, and always have a great underlying theme incorporated into it. The moral of the story is always something relatable. 

Many of these were about creatures outsmarting the other animal in the story, but they each had their own twist and plot. I really liked The Ox Who Won the Forfeit because it showed how a person can act like two different people when around two different groups. The owner of the Ox had always been nice, but as soon as he had to show him off, he was very rude to the Ox to show he was powerful to the other bystanders. I feel like this happens a lot with people nowadays; they want to look good in front of others so they leave some of their moral and principles behind for a little bit and act completely different from what they are usually like. If someone wants to impress someone else, he/she oftentimes changes. I, for one, do not like when people do this because I believe everyone should be themselves 24/7. Obviously we all have a sense of how to act in an interview setting and with our friends, but our overall personality should not change. Our morals and principles should not change. So I think I'll rewrite my story based off of this Jakata tale. It's one of my favorites and I think the underlying theme is very perceptive and relatable.  

Source: The owner and the ox, after the owner has realized he should always respect his ox.

Bibliography: Ellen C. Babbitt's Jataka Tales.

Reading Notes; Epified Mahabharata, Part B

Part B of the Epified Mahabharata videos actually had a few things in which R. K. Narayan's version did not have, so I thought that was super interesting! They were just small things in which the Epified went into more depth about. 

#1) Gandhari's demonic children
In the Epifieds, it showed how Gandhari gave birth to a large lump of flesh, after which Sage Vyasa separated the lump into 100 little lumps and allowed them to grow, each in a different pot. It turns out the children came out looking demonic / scary, but since Gandhari and Dhritarashtra were both blind, they didn't notice. They were just happy to have children. In R. K. Narayan's story, it just mentioned that the couple had 100 sons. They never went into depth about how they were born. If I were to rewrite this part of the story, I would make all the characters some sort of bird. The 100 sons could be eggs that suddenly hatch, instead of lumps growing in pots. I kind of thought of an "ugly duckling" sort of story, because everyone noticed that Duryodhana and all his brothers were quite abnormal. 

#2) Ekalavya's story
I don't think this story is in R. K. Narayan's version, but I really like it! I can't believe Ekalavya handcrafted an image of Drona and used that to practice in front of. That shows true dedication to me and I believe he should have been praised for it. Instead, Drona asked him to cut off his right thumb, knowing that would take away from Ekalavya's true potential. I thought it was kind of sad and in a way, it was Drona spoiling Arjuna. He only did this to Ekalavya because he was outsmarted and I don't think that's fair, so maybe I'll make a story in which it IS fair and Ekalavya DOES get to reach his true potential and get praised for it.

Source: Ekalavya praising his handcrafted image of Drona.

Bibliography: Epified Mahabharata, Part B.

Reading Notes; Epified Mahabharata, Part A

I really like this version of the Mahabharata. I love the drawings that Epified does and the narrative does a great job of explaining the stories as well as what they mean.

Part A discusses everything from the beginning of the Mahabharata until Dhritashtra and Gandhari's marriage, as well as Pandu's marriage with Kunti and Madri. Everything in the story so far is lined up with what I read in R. K. Narayan's Mahabharata. I really like how the narrator stated that everything in the story happened as a result of something before and after the situation (like of like a huge cause-and-effect cycle or karma cycle sort of thing). I could see those things clearly with the gifts, boons, and curses placed on various characters throughout the Mahabharata.

If I were to write a story about this part, I would focus on one aspect of the cause-and-effect or karma cycle. For example, I would maybe discuss the story of the eight sons that Ganga drowned and what they did in their past life that caused them to have the fate they did. 

Source: A drawing from the Epified Mahabharata videos: Shantanu meeting Ganga.

Biblography: Epified Mahabharata, Part A.

Reading Notes; R. K. Narayan's Mahabharata, Part D

Krishna's Role
I love that Krishna takes on the role of going to Hastinapura to try to make peace between the two sides of the family. That doesn't work, clearly, so he reveals his true form which I think is super important because it's about time people realized who he is. I also like that Narayan mentioned the part where Krishna talks Arjuna through his fears and stated that this was basically the Bhagvad Gita. I have always had many copies of the Gita at my house and at my apartment, but I have actually never read it. My mom always told me I could read it if I wanted to, but it wasn't necessarily the most important thing we needed to know at the time. She would focus more on me learning the different hymns and mantras of the Hindu literature, rather than the story of the Bhagvad Gita. However, I really liked that he mentioned the Gita in there, and maybe I could take that and expand a little bit more on it. If I research up on the Gita a little bit, I might be able to come up with a story explaining it for everyone to grasp a general gist of it. 

The Battle
There were so many characters involved in the battle, so many revenge plots, so many deaths, that I got a bit confused as to what was happening halfway through. It was interesting to see how Karna's chariot got stuck in the ground and how he forgot how to use the Brahmastra at the most crucial part of his life, all because of two people who had cursed him long ago. I also think it's interesting that whenever someone is cursed, that is exactly how things play out. I wonder if there is any way to prevent that from happening. Maybe I'll re-tell a story in which Karna, after getting cursed, spends his whole life trying to free himself from the curse or find out ways in which he can backfire it. I could even do this with Duryodhana's curse (in which Bhima smashes his thigh) and see if he ever finds a way to overcome it. Krishna is also cursed and told his people will fight and kill one another, but he states he already knows his fate. I wonder if he could change it as well? We shall see what I come up with soon!

The Aftermath
I'm glad the Pandavas finally got their deserved seat at the throne. Yudhishthira was so grief-stricken that even Krishna lost his temper and had to console him about how killing his own family members was okay in this situation. It ended peacefully, which I like, even though there were many deaths and a few sad ones. I'm thinking I could write a sequel to this and talk about Abhimanyu's reign and his son's Parikshit's reign over the kingdom. It would be interesting to see if history repeated itself and if the future kings also had disputes amongst children/nephews.

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part D. 

Source: Krishna in his whole form, revealing his true self to Arjuna before battle.

Reading Notes; R. K. Narayan's Mahabharata, Part C

Twelve Years of Exile / One Year Incognito
I thought this was a pretty random and well thought out plan of Sakuni's. When he first said 12 years of exile for all the Pandava brothers as well as their wife Draupadi, I was surprised. And then he mentioned going one whole year incognito; it was sort of like a very long obstacle course he wanted to put them through. If I were to re-write this part of the story, I could make it like the Hunger Games, where all the brothers had to fight to see who could survive the 12 years of the forest the longest, or who could stay incognito, or undercover, the longest. It could also be based off of the TV show Quantico, and we could see how many of the brothers could survive being undercover for a year (FBI training academy - like). I could also incorporate one of my earlier ideas about festivals and holidays in the Hindu culture and have the day the Pandavas come back from their 13 years away from their home become a huge festival. Just like how in the Ramayana, after the 12 years that Rama spent in exile, he came back and everyone had lit candles and fireworks for his return, which later turned into the festival of Diwali, I could make something like this appear in my re-tell of the Mahabharata.

Yama
I really liked this part of the story, because I thought the voice in the lake was just some monster or guardian of the lake, but it turns out to be Yudhishthira's father! The first thing that came to my mind was the ever-famous "Luke, I am your father" quote from Star Wars. I love that series, so maybe if I have time and if I can think of a long enough story to stem from this one idea, I could write about it.

The Struggle Before the Fight
I thought it was weird and intriguing that King Dhritarashtra cannot resist Duryodhana's will, no matter how much he knows deep down that what his eldest son is doing is terrible, and no matter how much he loves the Pandavas. If I were to continue with the Harry Potter stories, I could possibly have Duryodhana keep his father, Dhritarashtra under the imperius curse, which is one that makes the other do whatever the person holding the curse wants. It seems like that is already happening, but if I re-tell this part, might as well have a reason for why the King follows everything his eldest son does, despite everyone else's suggestions.

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part C.

Source: The scene where Yama tests the Pandava brothers and reveals that he is Yudhishthira's father.

Reading Notes; R. K. Narayan's Mahabharata, Part B

Indraprastha
I found it really shocking to find out the Kauravas actually wanted the Pandavas and their mother Kunthi dead. When the text said the two sides of the family were not fond of each other, I thought the Kauravas just wanted the Pandavas to step down and let Duryodhana be king. However, they actually tried killing them all! Even Kunthi, who didn't do anything wrong or vouch for anyone specifically. However, the Pandavas seem more agreeable and humble than the Kauravas at this point and I love how they constructed a beautiful city (Indraprastha) out of a simple desert. The Karuavas thought making the Pandavas go to a desert would make them upset, but they ended up doing the opposite, which obviously frustrated Duryodhana. Although Dhritarashtra seems to be a good man, he is torn between making each side of the family happy. Since Duryodhana is always the one to be upset and since nothing pleases him, Dhritarashtra is forced by his own conscience to give the oldest Kaurava brother whatever he needs. I could re-write this part of the epic in many ways. For one, I could have have Dhritarashtra not be blind; I think this handicap makes him vulnerable to many things; since he cannot see, he has to ask someone to recount what is happening and whenever they mention one of his sons or nephews being hurt, he immediately loses control of his emotions. So maybe if he was a King who could see, he would not need advice from others as much and maybe would not be influenced by Duryodhana's evil mind. 

The Dice
Sakuni is an evil mastermind when it comes to gambling with dice, it seems. He somehow gets Yudhishthira to gamble away all his possessions, even his brothers and his own wife! I thought that was extremely shocking because I thought Yudhishthira was intelligent and fit to be King. However, he was so engrossed in the game he did not realize what he was doing. He even comes back for a second game and has his whole family exiled for 13 years, which brought quite the twist into the story. I have been wanting to do a Lion King themed story sometime, so maybe this is the time to do it, as there is another form of exile. Simba could be Yudhishthira, he could have 4 brothers and a wife who he takes care of along the way. I'm not really sure yet, but it might just work!

Krishna
I have been waiting to see how Krishna finds his way into the Mahabharata, so I was excited to see him appear and would like to see how exactly he influences the rest of the story. I feel like I could write a lot about Krishna and his work with the Pandavas. 

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part B.

Source: A picture of Indraprastha from the Mahabharata story told in a Youtube video.

Reading Notes; R. K. Narayan's Mahabharata, Part A

The Mahabharata provides many back stories, many of which appear in Part A of the reading. It's really interesting to see how different characters turn out to be a God/Goddess later on.

Bhishma
It's really interesting to see how Bhishma readily agrees to not ascend to the throne and to never have kids that could potentially be successors of the kingdom, especially for a family he did not know. He did it all for his father, which shows a great deal of loyalty. However, if I were to rewrite this part, I would maybe tell it from Bhishma's point of view as he rules the kingdom himself. Things would have probably gone a very different path in this case.

Ambika and Ambalika
I thought it was amusing that since Ambika closes her eyes when Vyasa sleeps with her, their son is born blind, and when Ambalika turns pale when Vyasa sleeps with her, their son is born very, very pale. If I were to rewrite this part of the Mahabharata, I would possibly tie in a "deaf, dumb, and blind" sort of theme, where one son was born deaf, one was born without the ability to speak, and one was blind. Maybe all three sons would get along perfectly, or maybe they would have their own people rooting for them to ascend to the throne. 

The Pandavas
There is a Bollywood movie called "Karan Arjun," where the two are brothers who live a simple life with their caring mother. They are killed by a villain in an attempt to save their mother from him, and are reborn into the world. When they become older, they feel a connection but have no recollection of their previous lives. It's a really interesting movie with lots of fighting, and when I read about Arjuna in the Mahabharata, that movie is all I could think about. I could possibly write up a back-story for Arjuna and tie in the movie plot. Also, Karna was a son of Kunthi that not many people knew about until after he died. Karan and Arjun in the movie also fight against one another initially due to some conflicts, but later remember their previous lives. Karna's name even looks like Karan's (with only two letters switched), so I could maybe have Karna and Arjuna find out their true identities in my retell. 

Draupadi
I couldn't figure out if Draupadi getting five husbands was a blessing or a curse. In her previous life, she had wanted one husband with five different personalities, so why was five husbands such a curse to her? Maybe I could go more in depth into her previous life and why exactly she wanted her husband to act like five different people, or maybe I could write a story in which there was a competition between the five Pandava brothers to win Draupadi as their wife. 

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata, Part A.

Source: The five Pandava brothers, with their wife Draupadi in the middle.

Reading Notes; Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues, Part B

Everything after the intermission was really interesting and weird for me, just because I've always seen Ram in a positive light and always imagined a "happily ever after" once Sita is rescued. However, it is way different than I had expected!

I thought it was cruel of Ram to banish Sita to the forest after finding out she was pregnant, just to gain the approval of his subjects! I had never seen this side of Ram before, so it was all new and weird. He suddenly turns into this selfish king, but Sita, being the pure-hearted woman she is, still prayed to Ram everyday. That was also one of the things the narrators talked about; how and why she still prayed to him when he didn't let her come back to the palace. However, I really liked the depiction of Ram and Sita's sons and the song they sang in praise of Ram (I thought it was very amusing... and it's still stuck in my head so there's that). If I were to rewrite this part, I would make it more of a modern-day break up story maybe, kind of like the animated versions of Nina and Dave. 

I could also have Lav and Kush go find Ram once they're older and bring some sense into him, luring Ram and Sita back together once again. There are lots of movies, TV shows, and other story plots where the kid grows up without a parent (or both) and eventually pieces together who they were born to, then goes and finds them. I think that's where I got this idea - it is just so common these days! We'll see how my story turns out after I brainstorm some more :)

Bibliography: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues.

Source: The appraisal song sang by Lav and Kush in Sita Sings the Blues.

Reading Notes; Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues, Part A

I thought this version of the Ramayana was HILARIOUS. I couldn't stop laughing; the different animations were funny, the narrators were funny, the dialogues were funny, I could go on and on. I feel like everyone should watch this short film just to watch it because while it tells the story well, it also adds many little side twists to it.

I really liked how Nina Paley put some of her own life story in the film as well, with little tweaks here and there. And many of her life's story correlated with what was going on in the Ramayana as well. I also thought the songs were interesting and were sung with a beautiful voice. 

I thought it was great that the film added in a little background of how Ravana was so devoted to Shiva and how his lust for Sita all began. It depicted the events of the Ramayana really well, and I thought it was amusing that the narrators argued over things a lot. If I were to re-write some of this, I could put it in the point of view of Brahma, the creator of all things, or even in Ravana's point of view. I could have something happen between Rama and Ravana in their childhood that made Ravana despise Rama. 

I thought it was super interesting that one of the narrators didn't like how Sita didn't go back to Rama with Hanuman. Is it because she didn't trust him or is it because she wants Rama to come himself? There are many possibilities, and I could write about one of them. I could write a story in which Sita goes back with Hanuman, which would be interesting because that is the only reason Ram was even going to Lanka in the first place. 

In this film, Lakshman is not shown very often; he is not seen guarding Sita when Ram goes after the golden deer (Maricha) or even accompanying Rama to see Sugriva and such. This got me thinking - what if I wrote a part of the Ramayana without Lakshman? Or without Hanuman? Or any other huge character in the Ramayana? There are many different ways I could take this story, we'll just have to see what I go with!

Bibliography: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues.

Source: A narrator of Sita Sings the Blues describing the scene where Sita is praying for Rama while captured by Ravana. 

Reading Notes; R. K. Narayan's Ramayana, Part D

Hanuman in Lanka
I love that Hanuman can figure out exactly who Sita is just by Ram's description. The love between the two is clearly seen in that context. Also, when Hanuman's tail is lit on fire and he goes around the city and sets fire to everything with his tail is one of the things I remember the most from when I used to read the children's version of the Ramayan. R. K. Narayan didn't talk about it much in this version, but I was glad to see it in there.

Vibhishana
I grew to like Vibhishana's character because he was wise and warned Ravana of the dangers of fighting Ram and his army, and when Ravana kicked him out, he went straight to Ram to help him. He was very helpful in gaining Sita back; I'm not sure if it was out of revenge for Ravana or because he knew it was the right thing to do, but I think it was because he knew what was right and wrong. When I read this I was thinking of re-writing it with a Narnia theme to it, because of the boy Edmund who betrays his friends, but then betrays the Witch later. Vibhishana betrays Ravana, the bad guy, at the end, which helps the good team win in the end. I could write about Lakshman, Hanuman, Sugreeva, or any other character who helps Ram, and make them betray him at first and join the "dark side." I could even make that character betray the good side and then later betray the bad side exactly as it is in Narnia. We'll see soon enough!

Sita's Return
I was confused when Ram wasn't accepting Sita, but it made sense after she jumped into the fire and declared her purity. Still though, it seemed kind of rude that he would question her purity even after Hanuman had clearly seen her in simple clothes and surrounded by demons all the time. But I'm glad the two got together in the end and Bharata was still a pure and loyal guy.

Bibliography: Narayan's Ramayana, Part D. 

Source: Sita in the fire, showing Rama that she is still pure.

Reading Notes; R. K. Narayan's Ramayana, Part C

I feel like this section of the reading was extremely suspenseful because we know that Ram is being led in the wrong direction and that Lakshman should stay with Sita, but they don't know Ravana's plan. It was also really saddening to see Jatayu being killed. There are a few possible stories I thought I could write off the top of my head for this part, but I couldn't think of nearly as many as I did for readings A and B. However, maybe if I spent time brainstorming like I did for the topic research, I bet I could figure it out.

Kiskinda

I really liked the part where Ram and Lakshman met Hanuman and Sugreeva. It was a heartwarming sort of moment, where Hanuman could immediately sense that Ram is an avatar of Vishnu. His utmost loyalty and service to Ram is so powerful and amazing to read about. There is a lot of uncertainty that prevails in this part of the story, since neither party is sure whether they should trust the other. I liked the challenge that Sugreeva and Hanuman asked Ram to complete, just because it showed his inner greatness.

Vali vs. Sugreeva

I find it interesting that many times, a God will give someone powers, and many times, those powers end up causing terrible things. I felt bad for Sugreeva here because he lost pretty much everything, even though he had good intentions and much love for his brother. However, the battle between the two was interesting, and when Vali finally dies with Ram's arrow, I liked how they conversed in a civil manner and Vali understood the reason for everything. I might write a story about this, because Vali's own hastiness and foolishness is what got him killed. There are many ways I could write about trying to do things fast and getting caught up in the moment and in your own overconfidence without thinking.

Search for Sita

It was interesting to read about Hanuman's adventure in trying to find Sita and the creatures he meets along the way. Sampathi's story is also very saddening, but I'm glad he got his majestic feathers back and he is back in his normal state. I feel like the story is finally moving in a positive direction since they now know that Sita has been taken to Lanka. 

Bibliography: Narayan's Ramayana, Part C. 

Source: Picture of after Ram has killed Vali with one of his arrows, as well as a depiction of the fight between Sugreeva and Vali in the top left corner.

Reading Notes: R. K. Narayan's Ramayana: Part B

Rama's Exile and Bharata
I really liked how much everyone supports Rama; they were all willing to go live in the forest with him and I thought that was super special! I also admire Bharata's humble character; he really hoped Rama would be king and is even staying out of Ayodhya until Rama comes back. I was hoping they would all revolt and through Kaikeyi out or something, but they are all good people so that did not happen :-) like I said in my last reading notes, I might go with my Lion King theme, where I would have Rama replace Simba and go out into the forest for years and have all the other "lions" be upset and be under the whole of someone they don't want. I could put a twist on it and make Bharata take the place of Scar, so in that case he would be an evil person instead of a loving, humble one. 

In the Forest
I liked all the different people that Ram, Lakshman, and Sita met along their journey. I could replace some of them with Hanuman, Timon, and Pumbaa to reiterate the Lion King theme. I could them tell stories of how they got there and other things that come later in the reading. I think this would be a great story because there are many characters in the Ramayan, so I could combine all my story ideas and have Nagini from the Harry Potter series come in. I could also have characters from Doctor Who come in and be rakshasas that Ram defeats. Soorpanaka's character could be replaced by a rakshasa or even Nagini if I decide to make her an evil character in the series. Or this could be where Nagini comes in and Ram convinces her to be his companion instead of Lord Voldemort's (just like Dumbledore convinced Snape to be on his side rather than a Death Eater). Just some ideas I'm throwing out there.

Soorpanaka and Ravana
There is a lot that goes on in this part of the Ramayana. Ravana comes up with an elaborate plan to capture Sita, although she clearly is not interested in him. There are many stories like this one, so it might not be too hard to come up with a story plot for this part. If I do combine Doctor Who and Lion King, I could have the Doctor chase some of the rakshasas that got away from him last time, and they all end up in the forest. When Ram and Lakshman get tricked by Mareecha and Ravana takes Sita, the Doctor could even help in bringing her back, while Ram and Lakshman can help the Doctor defeat the alien rakshasas in return.

Bibliography: Narayan's Ramayana, Part B.

Source: Ram killing the golden deer, who is actually Mareecha in disguise.

Reading Notes: R. K. Narayan's Ramayana, Part A

As I was reading the beginning of the Ramayana, I was very intrigued because there were many stories which I haven't heard before and many that I have, but not in such detail. Here are some of the thoughts/questions I had about some of the stories in Reading A:

Vishvamitra
I really liked this idea of a mentor, kind of guiding Rama and Lakshmana through the forests and cities. He allowed Rama to obtain and realize his full potential as a leader, which was really neat. I could write this in many ways, because there are many stories in which a mentor guides a student. For example, Professor Dumbledore guides Harry Potter in many ways. In my version, he could guide the Patil sisters. Also, Oogway and Shifu were both great mentors in Kung Fu Panda, which is another setting I could use. Lastly, if I went along with my Lion King story theme, I could use Rafiki as the mentor (sage Vishvamitra) and Simba as the mentee (Rama). 

Ganga
I had actually never heard the story of how the river Ganga came to be, so I thought this story was really interesting. The Horse Sacrifice was something new to read about, and I wasn't sure where the story was going until it mentioned Ganga coming down and cleansing the bodies of the people that died trying to find the horse. It was weird reading how Ganga and Shiva were making Bhagiratha go back and forth, but it was even more interesting to see his determination of praying to the gods for thousands of years for the salvation of his ancestors. I also found it interesting that all the holes Sakara's sons dug up to find the horse became "the oceans of today." I'm not sure if I will rewrite this story, because I can't think of a more interesting way to write this; or at least, I think I could write more about other stories than this one. 

Ahalya
I don't usually see gods in an evil light, so when Indra is shown in such a negative way, I was really surprised! I had never heard of his infatuation with Ahalya and what he did to try to receive her love back. I do think it was a little harsh of Sage Gautama to punish her to become a stone for years, though, because she was not aware that Indra had taken her husband's place. This was a fairly short story, but there are still many stories about unrequited love that I could replace the three main characters with.

Sita
I loved the part where Sita and Rama first meet. It was simply adorable and the typical "love at first sight" scene. I could actually picture it in my head. I don't think I could write stories about this one, it's too historical to change :-)

Ram's Exile
I was so upset when reading about Kooni and how she manipulated Kaikeyi to be harsh towards Dasharatha and Rama. Kaikeyi was actually happy to see Rama become the next King, until Kooni told her she was being absurd. Kooni is the one that brought up how Kaikeyi still had two boons, and told her exactly what she should demand. I don't think Kooni had any right saying those things and disrupting a perfectly happy Kaikeyi and her family. I was also surprised about how quickly Kaikeyi changed her views and immediately became so cruel towards Dasharatha and Rama, so I wonder if she actually had the same thoughts as Kooni but did not realize them until they were brought up. I could go with my Lion King theme again here, and replace Dasharatha with Mufasa, Rama with Simba, Kaikeyi with Scar, and Kooni with the hyenas that assist Scar. I'm not sure who would play Bharata, so I might have to add in a character for Scar's son.

Bibliography: Narayan's Ramayana, Part A.

Source: Rama breaking Shiva's bow, which gained him Sita's hand in marriage.