Week 13, Famous Last Words: Heading Home!

This week I finished up the final revisions for my storybook project. There were a few things I was able to polish to make sure the entire piece flowed nicely. For example, when I first wrote the introduction I didn’t know exactly how each characters story would turn out. I had a general idea, but was still unsure about some of the details of each story. Thus, there were a few lines in the introduction that didn’t quite make sense with the stories that followed. It was good to have the opportunity to read the entire storybook altogether so I could identify and eliminate these discrepancies in the plot.
Outside of this class, it was a slightly stressful week. For one of my courses called Data Driven Decision Making II, students are assigned to groups and expected to execute an experiment and develop a research paper by the end of the semester. My group is conducting research that will measure the self-efficacy (or confidence) of engineering underclassman, and (hopefully) identify some outside factors that my influence that measure. I won’t go into too much detail on the design of the experiment, but we conducted it this week and collected all of the data we need. I am anxious to see if we get any significant results!
Outside of school, I am so ready to be home with my family for Thanksgiving. This break has come at a much needed time! After I turn in this post, I will probably pack up a few things and head home. I was lucky enough to have all of my classes canceled today and tomorrow, so I’m really getting a nice week-long break! For Thanksgiving I usually do most of the cooking for my family. I really enjoy spending all day in the kitchen chatting with my family, drinking wine, and snacking throughout the day. Hope everyone has a nice break!

(Image Information: personal photo of my siblings and I last Thanksgiving;

photo from November 2014.)

Week 13: Reading Feedback

I don't know how it's possible, but somehow I have never noticed this extra credit assignment before. I wish I would have been posting my reading feedback throughout the semester, because I've really enjoyed a lot of these assignments!

This week I finished reading William Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata. In all honesty, the only reason I chose this book was because I had already purchased it at the beginning of the semester. Before school started, I went online to try to figure out which books I would need for this class. I noticed that all of the books were technically "optional", but I went ahead and bought one version of the Ramayana and one version of the Mahabharata on Amazon. Once I started the course, I realized that there were also many online options and books to check out at the library for the reading assignments. However, since the books had already been purchased, I went ahead and used them for two of my reading assignments.

Buck's retelling was very interesting, and was different in a lot of ways from other interpretations I read/watched. I spent a lot of my time in my Reading Diaries comparing and contrasting his versions to the other version I had experienced. Buck's retelling seemed more poetic to me, and included vivid imagery and lots of detail. Buck's version also included a lengthier ending with a long description of the Pandava brothers' lives after the war. The book in general was lengthy, so I was thankful that it could be split up to cover the span of four weeks. Another interesting detail about this book was the illustrations that were included. All in all, I enjoyed this assignment!

The Pandavas' nephew Abhimanyu battles the Kauravas and their allies,

Author: Unknown, Date: 1800-1900, Source: Wikimedia

Reading Diary B Week 13: Life After the War

With this reading diary, I finish William Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata. One thing I liked about this interpretation was that there was a lot of description about life after the war. When reading the story initially, I pictured Arjuna as being the "main character" or the protagonist. However, after reading this version, I really think Yudhishthira is the protagonist. After the war Yudhishthira becomes king and is very respectful and well-liked. He is very kind and loving towards Dhritarashtra which made me very happy. However, Yudhishthira struggled with a lot of guilt before he was able to accept the crown. The scenes depicting Yudhishthira's internal struggle were very interesting to me. At first, he wanted to go out into the forest and live a peaceful life until he could die. However, through the counsel of his loved ones and strange dreams, Yudhishthira recognizes the good that he could accomplish as king. He shifts his focus from a desire to do no harm to a desire to do good.

As a reader, some of the questions I asked myself in the end included:
Was the war necessary?
Did the right side win?
Were deceptive acts in war justified?
Why would so many brave and wise men follow Duryodhana's leadership?

Overall, I really enjoyed my time spent reading/watching the different versions of this epic. There are many lessons that can be taken from the various characters and their stories. The plot had many twists and turns, and kept me on my toes. I also feel as though my understanding of this epic will help me understand Indian culture better.

Draupadi and Pandavas,

Author: Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906), Date listed: circa 1910, Source: Wikimedia

Week 13 Storytelling: The Mongoose Tells a Story

There was once a very rich man who lived a very lonely life. From the outside looking in, he appeared to have it all. He had a nice house, fancy cars, and a successful career. However, he had no family to share all of his treasures with. Because of this, he felt very poor. He decided that he would know no greater joy than to share his possessions, but with whom?

He sat on a busy street, and dressed himself in rags. Men and women in business suits passed by and scoffed at him. “Get up and find a job,” they’d say. Other people who passed him ignored him altogether, he felt as if he was invisible. He peered across the street, and could see through a window of a small apartment. A mother was packing lunches, and appeared to be using the last of her loaf of bread. She cut the last slice of bread in half, and gave one to each of her two children. He noticed a single tear fall down the mother’s cheek as she hugged her children goodbye for the day. The kids kissed their mother, and cheerfully sped out the door to walk to school.

The children walked past the rich man dressed as a beggar and stopped. “What are you doing out here, sir? It’s cold and rainy!” The man replied, “I have fallen on some hard times and have nowhere else to go. I am hungry and lonely, and thought I would sit here and beg for someone to help me.” One of the children replied, “We can help you!” and handed the man her lunch, which was comprised of only a half-slice of bread. The other child followed suit, and wished the man well. Tears welled in the man’s eyes. Never had anyone moved him so greatly.

After the kids hurried off to school, the man walked over to their apartment. Their mother greeted him at the door, and he explained the situation that had occurred with her children. He then reached for his checkbook, filled out a check, tore it out, and handed it to the mother. The mother took the check and stared for a long while. She then stared at the man, and then back and forth between the man and the check. After a few moments of this, the woman fainted.

The rich man indeed felt rich that day, although his bank account had decreased by about 90%. He of course, helped revive the woman, and they went on to become dear friends. 

Toast-1,

Author: Rainer Zenz, Date: Not listed, Source: Wikimedia

Author's Note: 

In this week's portion of my reading, a mongoose appears and tells a story to Yudhishthira and his kingdom. In his story, he witnesses a very poor family who shares the very last of their food with a traveler. Ultimately, after the family blesses the traveler, the mongoose witnesses the family be escorted up to a heavenly place in a beautiful chariot. I essentially re-told what the mongoose witnessed in a different way. In this version, the poor family receives a large amount of money in the end, and the story takes place in a more modern setting. 

Bibliography:

Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Week 13 Reading Diary A: War Scenes

This will be my last week reading Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata. Unfortunately, this portion of the story is the hardest for me to read. It vividly describes the devastation of war, acts of senseless violence and rage, as well as betrayal and dishonesty. I think this portion of the epic is meant to show the worst characteristics of humanity. It also demonstrates how war is the most effective catalyst for showcasing these characteristics. As I read about Bhima killing Duryodhana, I wonder how serious of an offense it was to strike someone below the waist. Will Bhima be condemned for this act? Does this make Duryodhana the “real” winner of the war? Or is the rule a mere recommendation that can be overlooked in dire situations. I wonder why the author chose to take away some of Bhima’s honor by having him kill his enemy in a dishonorable way. Despite the faults in judgement that the Pandava brothers displayed in war, they were still overall considered a greater good in comparison to Duryodhana.

My favorite scene in this portion of the reading was when king Dhitarashtra finally embraced and blessed the Pandava brothers after the war was over. In this moment it was as if both “sides” were simultaneously forgiving and apologizing to one another, while recognizing that each party had to do what was necessary for them. I would like to read more about the relationship between Dhitarashtra and the Pandava brothers moving forward. I would imagine that he would adopt them as sons, and they would love him as if he was their father. However, it may be the case that too much evil has happened between their families. 

Duel between Duryodhana and Bhima,

Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri, Date: not listed, Source: Wikimedia

Famous Last Words Week 12- Almost Done!

With the way my points are adding up, it’s looking like I will be able to meet my learning goals and finish up this class within the next couple of weeks. This semester has truly flown by! I am very pleasantly surprised by the wealth of knowledge I have gained about Indian culture through epic literature in this course. This week I think my best writing was in my storybook project; I had the opportunity to tell Amba’s story from a completely new perspective, and had a lot of fun with it! It has been great to get such detailed feedback from Professor Gibbs as I’ve continued working on this project. She definitely knows how to polish writing, and keeps her students on exactly the right track!

One of my classmate’s projects I read this week had one of the coolest webpage layouts I’ve seen… it really added a lot to his overall project! I think this is one area I could improve on. My blog for the course and my website for the project are both very simple and plain. Perhaps I might work on giving my blog site a “face-lift” for one of the extra credit tech-tip assignments!

In my other classes, my professors appear to be cramming in the last round of tests before Thanksgiving break! I know that after Thanksgiving break the semester will fly by, and finals will be over before I know it! Hopefully I can keep my head above water until then.

Outside of school, my family has been busy with exciting wedding plans! My sister will get married on New Year’s Eve, and we’ve had lots of fun planning and celebrating her at showers and parties these past few weeks. I cannot wait for the wedding day; I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off 2016!

(Image Information: personal photo of my siblings and I headed to a shower;

photo from November 2015.)

Storytelling Week 12: In Hiding

Arjuna understood that Urvashi’s curse would ultimately end up being a blessing. He needed an impenetrable disguise for this final year of exile, and who would ever believe that a woman teaching dance classes was actually one of the most masculine warriors of their generation? This was the eve of the first day of their last year in exile. Tomorrow, Urvashi’s curse would go into effect. Deep down, Arjuna knew it was all for the best…. But he couldn’t help but be a little nervous and anxious.

Arjuna had never even thought about what life would be like as a woman. How would he fit into this role? Would he like it? This wasn’t just going to be a day of playing dress-up; Arjuna would take on this alternate personality for an entire year. Would Draupadi still be attracted to him? Would she still love him? What if he fell in love with a man? What would people think about him once the year was up? Would Arjuna forever be mocked as the man who spent a year teaching dance?

These questions continued to cycle through Arjuna’s mind. He tossed and turned all night, afraid to fall asleep because he knew he would wake up a different person. He decided to get up and walk around. He tip-toed over to Draupadi’s bed, and began to stroke her beautiful hair. Draupadi awoke, and could immediately sense the uneasiness in her husband’s heart. She turned to him and told him before he could ask, “I will love you forever Arjuna, no matter what happens tomorrow.” Arjuna breathed a sigh of relief. He kissed her forehead and wept. What had this beautiful princess done to deserve so many years of exile? It wasn’t fair. As if she could hear his thoughts, Draupadi responded, “I count myself the luckiest woman in the world to have not one, but five brave and caring husbands. I would go through a hundred more years of exile if it meant I could spend just one more day with the Pandava brothers.” Arjuna smiled, and made his way back to his bed.

He felt himself drifting off to sleep. Draupadi’s warm words replayed in his mind and melted away all of his concerns of the future. His dreams that night were vivid and exciting.

Arjuna awoke in the morning feeling wonderful and giddy. She saw beauty in the world around her that she had never noticed before. The beauty of her surroundings, her loved ones, and all of her blessings overwhelmed her with happiness. The only way she could externally express what she was feeling, was to dance. Arjuna was excited for the year that would unfold before her. 

Urvashi curses Arjuna,

Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri, Date: acquired in 1965, Source: Wikimedia

Author's Note:
In my opinion, the most interesting portion of my reading assignment for this week was the year that the Pandava family spent in exile. I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to take on such a new and different identity. Specifically, I thought about Arjuna who would take on the role of a woman. I imagined that this would be intimidating and scary for him, and began to wonder what it would feel like the night before his "transformation" would occur. I figured an entire story could be created describing Arjuna's transformation alone.

Bibliography:
Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Week 12 Reading Diary B: War Stories

For this reading assignment I continued reading Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata. This portion of the book focused on the famous battle scenes of this epic. In this retelling Sanjaya is the narrator, and describes all of the major scenes of the battle from a first-person perspective. Some of the main scenes include Bhsima getting hit by thousands of arrows and slowly dying. Also, the use of a trick to kill Drona (deceiving him and making him think his son is dead to catch him off-guard). Also, the battle between Arjuna and Karna- the two brothers who never had the chance to grow up together. One common scene throughout the narrative is the respect between the warriors, especially when the war first begins. Arjuna has a flashback of Bhishma playing with him as a child. Deep down, he loves and respects Bhishma, but at the same time he understands the importance and the necessity of the war they will fight against each other. I imagine these are complicated emotions to processes.

Duryodhana, however, continues to act like a selfish child throughout these scenes. I do not understand why such wise and powerful people such as Bhishma and Drona continue to fight on his side. This portion of the reading ends with Duryodhana hiding in the bottom of the lake, while his men are battling and dying for him- such a coward! I wish there was more of the story told from Draupadi’s point of view. She appears to be missing from the plot for the entirety of the war.

Arjuna and His Charioteer Krishna Confront Karna,

Author: Unknown. Date: circa 1820, Source: Wikimedia

Week 12 Reading Diary A: Noticing the Details

This portion of William Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata starts with the trial at the crystal lake and ends a little after the end of the Pandava exile. The questions asked by Dharma at the lake appear to be slightly different in each version of the story. In this version, Yudhishthira proved he understood the importance of wisdom, the danger of pride, and the power of contentment. It is always fun to read the dialogue between Dharma and Yudhishthira; it feels like reading through an old book of Indian proverbs.

Yudhistira and Yaksha,

Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri, Date: acquired in 1965, Source: Wikimedia 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Pandava’s last year in exile when everyone had their disguises. Particularly, Arjuna’s is the most amusing. In his year of womanhood he teaches the princes how to dance… so it was quite comical to see her shock when he later returned to her a very masculine warrior. Draupadi seemed to have the most trouble in her exile. Her beauty is truly a blessing and a curse. Men claim that they cannot control themselves around her, but once again Draupadi exhibits the utmost amount of dignity and bravely protects herself in all situations… even when her life is threatened!
Arjuna has the most unrecognizable disguise, however, after him would probably be Yudhisthira. Since Yudhisthira is famous for losing everything he owns in a dice game, no one would ever guess that the kingdom “dice master” would be him!
This portion ended with Duryodhana refusing to play nice with the Pandava brothers. He reminds me so much of a spoiled child in these scenes. I do not know how Karna, Drona, and Bhishma are able to stay loyal to him through it all.

Week 11 Storytelling: Savitri Outsmarts Death

Savitri was incredibly smart and kind. She always had been the smartest person in her class, ever since she was little. She would never admit to it or brag about it, but everyone knew. It was no different for her when she started medical school. She was among some of the brightest minds in the nation, but she still outshined all of her classmates. Savitri had always been single, and this was one purpose. She didn’t see the need for a relationship before she had established herself.  It was well known among her classmates that she wasn’t interested in romance.
In her third year of medical school, Savitri confided in her best friend that she might be ready to find love. Well, Savitri’s friend told a couple people… and they told a couple people, and after a few days the whole school knew that Savitri might be ready to date. Savitri asked a few boys out for dinner, and they were all very nice. However, none of the first dates led to a second. That was until she met Satyavan.
Satyavan was wise, thoughtful, and kind. He was unlike any man she had ever met. The two began going on dates almost every weekend. Before long, Savitri knew that she had found the man she would marry. As Satyavan started to realize that their relationship was getting more serious, he knew he had to be completely honest with her. He pulled her aside one day and sat her down in private to talk. He told her about the rare disease he was diagnosed with a few months before they started dating. Unfortunately, his doctors said he only had one year to live.
Savitri was devastated, but it didn’t prevent her from loving him. The two were married the following week and began their life together. Savitri dedicated her life to her work. She was working on a big research project- she hoped to find the cure for Satyavan’s disease. She had a sense of urgency that her colleagues couldn’t replicate- her intensity was unparalleled. She researched, experimented, and developed a treatment for animal trial within 8 months. The treatment was successful, but it would take many more months, if not years, for the FDA to approve a human trial. Savitri was running out of time, and Satyavan grew weaker with each passing week. Savitri knew what she had to do. It went against all of the rules, but at this point she didn’t care. She began administering the treatment to Satyavan in secret in their home on the day that his year would’ve been up. Slowly but surely, Satyavan began to rebuild his strength. His doctors were amazed by his progress, and claimed that it had to have been a miracle that saved his life. Satyavan grinned, and glanced over at his wife. “I couldn’t agree more,” he responded.
In the following year, Savitri’s treatment was approved made available to the public. Savitri and Satyavan went on to live a long and happy life together.

Illustration of a hypodermic needle,

Author: zeimusu, Date: Not listed, Source: Free Stock Photos

Author’s Note:

In the original story Savitri gets to take her pick of who will be her husband, and she chooses a man who only has one year to live. These details of the story have remained the same. However, this version of the story takes place in a modern setting. Instead of Savitri literally outsmarting the lord of death, she uses her smarts to prevent the death of her husband by creating a cure for his disease. 

Bibliography:

Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Week 11 Reading Diary B: Stories within Stories

As I continue reading William Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata, I find myself discovering new stories that are told within the plot of the epic. For example, the story of Savitri and Satyavan was new to me. It was told by Vyasa to the Pandava brothers and Draupadi out of inspiration for their love. Savitri could have chosen anyone in the world to be her husband, and she allowed herself to fall in love with a man who had only a year to live. They enjoyed their year together, and when the time came, Savitri somehow managed to negotiate/trick the lord of death into reviving her husband. As if that weren't enough, she also managed to restore her father-in-law's vision and kingdom. Draupadi is similar to Savitri. After her husband gambled everything away (including her) she received favor from King Dhritarashtra which drastically improved their situation.

Savitri and Satyavan,

Author: R. Varma, Date: between 1848 and 1906, Source: Wikimedia

Another story I enjoyed was the story of the part-deer-part-boy Rishyasringa and his love for Santa. Rishyasringa had a very strict father who kept him isolated from the world and its pleasures. In fact, Rishyasringa had never really seen other people before. That's why when he met Santa for the first time, he thought she was a boy! He hadn't even learned about women before! The story of their first encounter was so sweet, and his descriptions of his new friend to his father were so innocent. Since he didn't really know how to explain love, he merely said he wanted to be the closest of friends with him (her) for his whole life. I was so relieved and happy that the two ended up together and that, ultimately, the father was supportive.

I look forward to reading more stories within this story, and hope to finish this book within the next couple of weeks!

Week 11 Reading Diary A: Same Epic in a New Way

This week, I am continuing to read William Buck’s retellingof the Mahabharata. One detail in this version of the Mahabharata that was left out of other versions I’ve read/watched was Draupadi’s behavior in the dice game. In this version, she literally punched Duhsasana who attempted to un-robe her. I loved it.

Another story included in this version that I was unfamiliar with was the story of Nala and Damayanti. This was a fascinating love story filled with unexpected twists and turns. One common thread between the story of Nala and Yudhishthira is there inability to turn down a gambling challenge. This frustrates me when I’m reading. Their inability to refuse a challenge (aka their pride/ego/etc) somehow seems to justify their stupid actions. Basically, what I’m saying is, I don’t feel sorry for Nala or Yudhishthira when they lose all of their possessions in a gambling match. In fact, it makes me pretty angry at their character. If I was their wife or family member, I would find it very difficult to forgive them.

One thing that confuses me about the references to dice games in this story is, first of all, how Yudhishthira managed to lose every single throw and second of all how anyone can learn the “science” of dice. I find myself craving more details about the dice used… were they weighted? Did they have magnets in them? Was it an illusion? I think the answer to this question could make for an interesting retelling of the dice match in a storytelling assignment.

The ordeal of Queen Draupadi,

Author: Mackenzie, Donald Alexander, 1873-1936; Goble, Warwick, Date: 1913, Source: Wikimedia

Week 10: Famous Last Words

This past week was slightly busy with two tests in other classes. Luckily the tests were on Thursday. I prefer to have tests towards the end of the week. I would rather work hard on the weekdays than stress about tests over the weekend.

I was very pleased with the reading assignment I chose for this week. I found it easy to read, and looked forward to the time in the week I set aside for this reading assignment. I also enjoyed the illustrations included in my reading, they are beautiful and contribute a lot to the stories. I will continue reading this book for the next few reading assignments.

I think my best writing was my storytelling assignment for this week. I know a couple of families who have five or more kids, and I often hear people joke with them saying, “What, are you trying to create your own basketball team?” This silly joke inspired me to convert the Pandava brothers into a team of college basketball players. The story was fun, light-hearted, and easy to write! I think I could improve my reading diary writing by including some more details. I will try to take better notes this week!

Unfortunately I missed this week’s presidential debate. I was so busy studying for my tests and wasn’t able to carve out time to watch. Usually they play a replay, so hopefully I’ll be able to catch that this week! Also, this past week, I enjoyed celebrating Halloween. Even though Halloween isn’t my favorite holiday, I had fun spending time in silly costumes with my friends and family and passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. My roommate went all out with the decorations at our house. We had pumpkins, pine cones, witches, cobwebs, and caution tape all over our house. It was a lot of fun!

(Image Information: personal photo of my friends and I;

photo from October 2015.)

Storytelling Week 10: Do I know you from somewhere?

//23 years ago//

Kunti was young, beautiful, and full of life. She was madly in love with someone she barely knew. Actually, love may not exactly be the right word. Kunti was obsessed with Surya. Kunti was a sophomore in high school, and Surya was a senior. To her, he was a god. The two finally met one night at a party; it was as magical as she had imagined it would be. Well, one thing led to another and nine months later Kunti gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Karna.

Kunti knew the baby deserved a better life than she could provide for him at such a young age. She decided to put the baby up for adoption, and tried to move forward with her life.

//Present day//

“Mom, I can’t believe you drove all the way up for this, you really didn’t have to do that,” Arjuna insisted to his mom, Kunti. “Are you suggesting that I miss my sons’ most important college basketball game? Against their biggest rival? I wouldn’t miss it for the world sweetheart!” Kunti replied.

Arjuna and his brothers, also known as the Pandavas, had already become quite the campus celebrities … and they were only freshman! First of all, people were intrigued by them. Nobody at the school had ever seen quintuplets before! Also, the five brothers were as handsome as could be, and so kind to everyone they met. Finally, and this is the most amazing part, all five of them were incredibly talented, and were in the starting lineup for the school’s basketball team. That’s right, that means at every game it was the other school versus the Pandava brothers.

The boys were so excited to have their mom in town to watch their big game. She got to the courts early and waved at her boys. Her face beamed with pride as she watched them warmup. The opposing team made their way to the courts. They started to announce the starting lineups for each of the teams. The Pandavas walked out on the courts and started waving to the cheering crowd. When the opposing team was walking out on the court, the announcer made special notice of a walk-on who recently joined the team and made his way to the starting lineup-an impressive accomplishment! The walk-on player’s name was Karna. As soon as his name was announced, Kunti’s face turned white. The Pandava brothers all looked at each other puzzled. They were all having the same feeling. They whispered to one another, and then looked back at Karna. They couldn’t explain why, but they all felt like they had seen Karna before.  He looked so familiar to them. Arjuna was so perplexed, he couldn’t help himself. He walked right up to Karna right before the game was about to start and ask, “Do I know you from somewhere?”

Basketball through hoop,

Author: Airman 1st Class Kerelin Molina, Date: 2009, Source: Wikimedia

Author’s note:

An interesting detail I found in Buck’s version of the Mahabharata that I didn’t find in other versions, was that Arjuna had a feeling that he knew Karna. I thought an entire story could be developed from this one detail. I tried to ask myself, what would it feel like to meet and recognize your long lost brother? I tried to make the story more modern, so many details of the original story were altered. For example, in this version Kunti had Karna in high school, and the “competition” where the Pandava brothers first met Karna was a basketball game. 

Bibliography:

Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Week 10 Reading Diary B: Buck's Mahabharata

In this reading assignment, I continued to read William Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata. Reading/watching all of these different versions of the original epic is proving to be very useful to me. I am able to compare and contrast various styles and interpretations. For example, the movie version didn't show as much detail as is in this book. I don't remember the war scene for the forest being shown in the movie. Probably, since the movie was constrained on time (and budget) only the most important stories were included. Side-stories that hardly contributed to the overall plot were generally left out of the film. In general, the war scenes in these epics are my least favorite. They are hard for me to follow and uninteresting to me.

There are also parts found in the PDE that are left out of this book. For example, I have read the story behind why Draupadi was given five husbands... how in a previous life she had prayed five times for a husband and was granted her request after her reincarnation. This part has been left out. Also, Amba's story is hardly told at all... I am hoping more details about Amba and Draupadi will surface later on in the book.

Small details are altered from interpretation to interpretation. For example, in this book Draupadi is jealous of Arjuna's second wife, but this was not the case in the other versions. It was interesting to read this version of how the Pandava brothers "win" Draupadi. Lots of details were included in the scenes leading up to Arjuna completing the challenge with the bow and arrow.

The Swayamvara of Panchala's princess, Draupadi,

Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri, Date: acquired in 1965, Source: Wikimedia

Week 10 Reading Diary A: Buck's Mahabharata

For the next few weeks of reading assignments, I have decided to read William Buck's retelling of the Mahabharata. I have read the PDE and watched the movie version of the Mahabharata, so I have some good background knowledge of the various stories going into this reading assignments. With so many different interconnected characters to keep track of, I think it will be good for me to spend some more time on the Mahabharata to fully internalize this epic.

The first portion of this reading assignment was spent describing the births of all of the incredible warriors that will ultimately go into battle. In this version, there is more of a description of Kunti's interactions with the Gods who father her sons. Also, there is more of an explanation as to why Pandu forgot the curse that the deer had cast on him. He was so filled with joy from having so many sons that he felt youthful again, and had forgotten the dreary days of his past.

I also loved the description of Dritarashtra and Gandhari's love. The king felt downcast, and like he couldn't rule because he was blind. However, when he learned of Gandhari's love for him, and the way she had blindfolded herself to be like him, he became filled with joy that overcame his sorrow. That was one of my favorite "scenes" described by the book.

Boon of Indra to Kunti,

Author: Ramnadayandatta Shastri Pandey, Date: Not listed, Source: Wikimedia

Week 9 Storytelling: Drona Misunderstands

Bhima and Ashwatthaman were in the 5^th grade, and had been in the same class since they were in kindergarten. Bhima thought that Ashwatthaman had the coolest name when they were little, so he named his favorite toy elephant after him. Bhima took that stuffed animal with him EVERYWHERE. As Bhima got older, it became slightly more unusual for him to carry it around. His parents were starting to get worried that his classmates would tease him, so they took the stuffed animal away. They explained to Bhima, “We are taking your toy. We know you don’t understand why now, but you will thank us when you’re older. We can’t tell you where we’re taking him- it is going to stay a secret for now.” Bhima was upset to say the least; he felt like he had lost a friend.

Ashwatthaman’s dad, Mr. Drona, was walking into the school to pick up his son when he saw Bhima pouting outside of the classroom. “What’s wrong?” he asked. Bhima replied, “My parents said I’m not allowed to play with Ashwatthaman anymore.” Mr. Drona was shocked and appalled, “Why on earth would they make up a rule like that?” Bhima began to cry, “I don’t know… they just… they just… took him away. They locked him up somewhere, and they won’t tell me where to find him!” Mr. Drona’s annoyance now turned into intense fear. He thought Bhima’s parents had kidnapped his son.

He ran to the principal’s office and explained what Bhima had told him. Mr. Drona was frantic and sweaty. He was just about ready to call the police! The principal, however, seemed calm and collected, “Kids can have the wildest imaginations. Before we go accusing parents of kidnapping, let’s check with Ashwatthaman’s teacher to see if he’s okay.”

Sure enough, Ashwatthaman was safe and sound waiting patiently in his classroom to be picked up. Mr. Drona was just relieved that his son was safe. The pair began to exit the building when Bhima rushed up to them. Mr. Drona was about to scold Bhima for giving him such a fright. Before he could shake his finger, Bhima proudly lifted up a raggedy stuffed animal. “Look Mr. Drona! My mom said I could play with Ashwatthaman after school,” he explained. Suddenly things became a lot clearer to Mr. Drona. He patted Bhima on the head, and chuckled as he walked out of the building. 

Elephant toy,

Author: Pixabay user jarmoluk, Date: 2014, Source: Pixabay

Author's Note:

In the original version of the story, Drona is tricked into thinking his son died after Bhima kills an elephant who shares the same name as Ashwatthaman. I wanted to make the story a little more light-hearted, so instead of a real elephant being killed a stuffed animal has gone missing. Also, in my version of the story, although Drona thinks his son is missing, it is only for a brief moment. Here, Drona ends up realizing what Bhima really meant by the end. Also, in the original version of the story Bhima was intentionally being deceptive, while in this version the misunderstanding was an honest mistake. I've been babysitting and tutoring a lot lately, and have come to realize that kids can say the funniest things. I wanted to incorporate some of that childlike humor in my story. 

Bibliography:

"Death of Drona" by Sister Nivedita, from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists (1914). Web source: here

Peter Brook's Mahabharata (1989). Web source: here

Week 9 Reading Dairy B: Finishing Brook's Mahabharata

In this reading assignment, I finished Brook's film version of The Mahabharata. In all honesty this last portion of the film was probably my least favorite. The war scenes were kind of repetitive and exhausting to me. The effects used in the war scenes were also a little cheesy, but I think they were supposed to be more artistic than realistic.

I thought the film did a good job explaining Drona's internal conflict. He was secretly hoping that the Pandava brothers would win the war, but  he had already sworn his allegiance to their enemies. Unfortunately, in the midst of the war Draupadi plays less of an important role. She has few speaking lines in these scenes. Abhimanyu's wife is barely introduced in one scene during the war, but in the end the viewer learns that she is a pivotal character in the greater story of mankind.

I wonder if Arjuna would have still killed Karna if he had known he was his brother. I bet the entire war could have been avoided in Kunti had told the Pandava brothers that Karna was one of them. I also wonder what would have happened if Krishna wouldn’t have persuaded the brothers to play tricks and break the rules of war. It is as if he had a divine understanding of the greater good that would come from the Pandava brothers winning. I am kind of confused by the last scene where Yudhisthira is trying to find paradise. I might do some further research to try to figure out exactly what is happening during this part and what all of the people, animals, and settings he comes across symbolize. All in all I think the film did a really good job portraying the major themes, characters, conflicts, and lessons of the original epic. There were a lot of stories to cover, and the film did a good job including every detail that was important.

The Mahabharata, stage play by Peter Brook,

Author: Daniel Cande, Date: July 1985, Source: Wikimedia

Week 9 Reading Diary A: Finishing Brook's Mahabharata

For this week's reading assignment I have chosen to finish Brook's film version of The Mahabharta since I have already started it for the last reading assignment. A few parts stick out as favorites in this portion of the film. First, I thought it was a really emotional scene when Karna found out that Kunti was his mother, and came to the realization that he was about to go into battle against his brothers. You can tell that he was completely shocked. However, it was too little too late and Karna refused to change his mind about going into battle. Secondly, I liked the scene where some type of vision or ghost of Amba approached Bhishma after she had died and been reincarnated as a male warrior. I made sure to pay special attention to scenes with Amba since she is one of the characters for my storybook project. Amba's reincarnation as a male should help her complete her life's work: to kill Bhishma. However, in my version of her story I don't want Amba to be reincarnated as a male. I want to portray an Amba who was able to reach her goals fully as a woman. I also liked the part where Arjuna was about to go into battle, but had to stop because he was so disgusted by the thought of killing people he was related to. I think that scene forced the audience to put themselves in Arjuna's shoes and wonder what it would feel like to wage war on kin.

It is interesting to me that the author of this poem, Vyasa, is as much of a narrator of the story as he is a part of it. There are portions of the movie where he is acknowledged by the characters he is creating. This confusing idea that someone can be above and within a time frame at the same time is too abstract for a person to fully wrap their head around. Although Vyasa is writing the story, he is unable (or unwilling) to tell what will end up happening.

Vyasa,

Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri, Date: Not listed, Source: Wikimedia

Week 8 Famous Last Words

I really enjoyed this week of class. It was nice to take a break from the reading assignments, look back at what I’ve accomplished so far, and plan ahead to see what the rest of the semester will (hopefully) look like. I am excited about the reading assignments I have planned out for myself, and look forward to getting started.

I’m having a lot of fun with the storybook assignment. I especially enjoy the creativity it allows. However, I think I have a lot of room to improve in the mechanical aspects of my writing. I think the storybook assignment will help me with that because I am not only telling stories, but also revising them.  

This week was a weird (but wonderful) week for me in my other classes. I didn’t have any tests and there were only a few small homework assignments to do. It was kind of nice to have a relatively light week of school work so I could spend some more time investing in my extracurricular activities, spending time with friends, and keeping up with current events.

I saw the musical Ragtime on Thursday evening here on campus at the newly dedicated Elsie C. Brackett Theater. It was a phenomenal performance, and if there’s still an opportunity for you to go I highly recommend it! The costumes, special effects, acting, and singing were all topnotch.

Ragtime Dance Joplin Cover

Author: Scott Joplin, Date: 1906, Source: Wikimedia

Unfortunately, I was only able to see highlights from the democratic presidential debate. I am trying to be better about keeping up with all of the candidates on both sides for this election. Hopefully I will be able to find it online and will watch it sometime this weekend.

Next week will be a bit busier in my other classes, so I hope to spend some time tomorrow getting a head start on this class. 

Week 8, Reading Plan

One of the things I love most about this class is the many options available to students. Specifically, there are many different reading options. This allows students to explore topics or authors that are of particular interest to them. I think this teaching style recognizes that a course experience doesn't have to be "one size fits all."

So far I have had the opportunity to experience Indian epics through prose, online editions of stories, and film. Since I really enjoyed the film-version of the reading assignments, I will finish Brook's movie online which will account for one week of the reading assignments.

I will also read William Buck's version of the Mahabharata. I chose this version because I find it difficult to read stories online and prefer to have a hard copy of a book in my hands. I had already purchased this book before the course had begun because I saw it was one of the recommended readings online. Since I already own the book, I will go ahead and use it for four weeks worth of reading assignments.

The movie and the book will take up five weeks worth of reading assignments. That means there will still be a one week period I will need to fill. I plan to choose this reading later on after finishing the book and the movie to see if there is a specific character or topic I wish to explore further.

I look forward to getting started!

Girl reading a notebook,

Photographer: Karolina Grabowska, Date: October, 2014, Source: Pexels

Week 8, Reflections: Looking Forward

One thing I think I could do to improve my writing in this course is combine stories from this course with stories I'm familiar with in the storytelling assignments. I have noticed my classmates do this in their work and  it adds a new level of dimension to their stories.

As far as the reading goes, I need to be more intentional in getting started early. I know that I take a long time to read, so I need to account for this when scheduling for this course. My new goal will be to begin the reading assignment for the next week on the Thursday before it is due. If I can at least get started, I can gauge how much time the reading will take me and determine if time needs to be set aside over the weekend to read for this course.

In my interaction with my peers, I hope to become more specific. I have seen how beneficial constructive criticism and feedback has been for me, and I want to be sure that I am providing this for my classmates.

My goal is to end this course with and A, not just because I want the grade, but because I feel like that grade will reflect the level at which I have mastered this material. It is less important to me that I finish early, however, it would be nice to be finished with this course before dead week. I am on track (according to the chart provided) to make the grade I want, however, in order to finish early I will need to start engaging in more of the extra credit opportunities. I think a good goal would be to complete at least one extra credit assignment a week. Specifically, participating in the growth mindset and curation extra credit activities will not only enhance my grade in this course, but also my overall abilities as a student and a learner.

This class is flying by! I have learned so much already, and am sure I will continue to reach my learning goals if I remain focused, organized, and engaged with my peers and professor.

We Can Do It!

Author: J. Howard Miller, Date: 1942, Source: Wikipedia

Week 8, Reflections: Looking Back

I have really been inspired by my classmate's weekly stories. Specifically the imagery, word choice, and general creativity has motivated me to enhance my own writing. After the first week I noticed a lot of my peers were re-writing stories in a more modern context. I tried this for the first time in my week 2 storytelling assignment, and I enjoyed it so much that I've written pretty much every other story after in a modern setting. I think having a weekly storytelling assignment has encouraged me to be more creative, thoughtful, and has generally improved my writing skills.

My favorite reading so far has been The Ramayana A Shortened Prose Version of the Indian Epic by, R.K. Narayan. I was not expecting to get so "sucked into" this book. I truly couldn't put it down. There were so many different kinds of characters, so many elaborate stories, and lots of twists and turns in the plot. I think my favorite character in this story was Sita, however, I longed for more of the story to be from her point of view. That is why I enjoyed the next reading assignment where I got to watch a film that told the story a little more from Sita's perspective.

Ravana Sita Painting,

Author: Nina Paley, Date: 2008, Source: Wikimedia

As far as interactions go, the commenting and feedback from our professor has been really helpful. I like how each week after I've completed my progress on my storytelling assignment, I get personalized and specific feedback from professor Gibbs. This feedback has been encouraging, but also constructive, and has taught me a lot.

I usually work on this class between my other classes. I have random large chunks in the day between classes that are long enough to get something done, but not quite long enough to walk all the way home. I am very fortunate through my major to be allowed access to the Industrial and Systems Team Room. Basically it's a lounge with couches, tables, a refrigerator, a microwave, and computers that ISE students have access to. When I'm not in class during the day, I'm usually there either doing homework or working on this class and eating.

I feel like through this class I've grown in my understanding of Indian culture and literature. I also feel like I've learned a lot about learning online. One major lesson I've learned is how crucial it is to keep yourself organized, and that there are lots of tools that can be manipulated for the virtual classroom. Bookmarks have been the most helpful tool for me. After using them for this class I started using them to keep all of the links for my med-school secondary applications organized and in my other classes.

Week 7 Storytelling- Amba

There once was a college student named Amba. Amba was beautiful and kind, but beared a great secret. Amba was a lesbian, and she felt like she could not come out to any of her friends or family. Amba was in love with a girl named Priya. Their love was true and steadfast, however, very secretive. Amba’s parents were very traditional. They already had someone in mind for Amba to marry. He was perfect. His name was Bhishma. Bhishma was going to be a doctor, he came from a great family, and nobody could say a bad thing about him.

Amba’s parents arranged for the two to meet each other’s families.  A date was then arranged for the two to spend time together with a chaperon. The date was lovely- they started with a walk in the park, they ate pizza at a local bistro, and were concluding the afternoon with a trip to the movies. On their walk to the movies, Amba pulled Bhishma aside. They were far enough away from the chaperon to have a private conversation. Amba confessed to Bhishma that she had no desire to marry him, and was in love with someone else. Bhishma was noticeably saddened by this news, but, alas, he was a good person. He told Amba to follow her heart. He also told her that he would break the news to their parents that the two of them had decided to part ways. Amba was relieved by his understanding.

Whisper

Author: Alejandro Tuzzi, Date: 2015, Source: Pixabay

The next day, Amba explained the whole situation to Priya. Priya was annoyed to say the least. “You still haven’t told your parents about us??? Are you so ashamed of me?? I cannot be with someone who doesn’t know how to be honest. I can’t believe you would go on a ‘fake’ date with someone just to please your parents. This relationship is over.”

Amba was devastated. She couldn’t please her parents, and she couldn’t be with the person she loved the most. For some reason, she was most angry at Bhishma. If Bhisma was never in the picture, her parents would not have tried to set her up. Priya would not have gotten upset, and everything would still be normal. Bhishma was the root of all of her problems. And she would get revenge. She didn’t have anything else to live for- no Priya and no parents. She only had one desire that consumed her. Making Bhishma pay.

Author's Note: This week we re-read the Mahabharata in a new way. I chose to watch the movie version of this epic. The actress who played Amba did a wonderful job. She was so devastated by her circumstances, but also became so determined and passionate because of them. I wanted to express this character in a modern interpretation. I asked myself, how might a situation like this arise today?

Bibliography:

"Amba" by Sister Nivedita, from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists (1914). Web source: here

Peter Brook's Mahabharata (1989). Web source: here

Reading Diary B Week 7- Continuing with the Film

For this reading diary, I have continued to watch the film version of The Mahabharata. A link to this film can be found here. The plot picked back up with the Pandava brothers and Draupadi in exile. Draupadi impressed me in these scenes. She spoke frankly and confidently to Yudhishthira, and questioned his motives for the gamble. All of the brothers, including Yudhishthira, respected Draupadi and listened to her concerns even if they disagreed with her. This kind of effective and open communication is rare in many relationships today, and was certainly very ahead of its time for the time period during this story. I appreciated that scene.

Description: Illustrations from the Barddhaman edition of Mahabharata in Bangla, which were printed in wood engraving technique (7).jpg, Author: Maharaja Mahatab Chand Bahadur, Date: between 1820 - 1879, Source: Wikimedia

Amba made a brief re-appearance shortly after the Pandavas has started their exile. I was sure to pay attention in that part since she is one of the characters for my storybook project. Everyone recognized her name and knew her story, and they were all amazed at her determination. She was so focused that she didn't eat, sleep, or age. She barely stopped to discuss anything other than her mission.

Weapons were acquired "by both sides" in these scenes as well. Arjuna went out on his own journey to get a weapon- I appreciated how they only hit the highlights in this part. There were a lot of smaller (and not as relevant) stories/descriptions that could have been shown in the film but were left out. This was probably for the best because the viewers were able to streamline the plot a little bit.

The effects in the movie aren't "state of the art" by any means, but they aren't too cheesy either. The costumes for the demons, for example, weren't super realistic- but they were scary enough to get the point across! All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this film and think it will help me better understand all of the various characters.

Famous Last Words Week 6

This week I finished one of my other classes called circuits! Industrial engineers only have to take one part of circuits, so it’s kind of a mini-semester two month class. I took my final on Monday, so it feels so nice to have one less class to worry about! I am hoping this will give me more time to work on this class, and spend some more time fine-tuning my writing skills.

(Image Information: personal photo of a portion of my circuits project;

photo from September 2015.)

I think my best writing from this week was the introduction I wrote/revised for my storybook project. I am really excited about where that project will go. I have a general idea for what I want each of my stories to look like, but I feel like they will really start to come to life once I do some more in-depth brainstorming and writing. I’m glad we have the opportunity to alter famous stories and make them our own. This allows for so much creativity!

I am consistently amazed by my classmate’s writing skills. Reading some of the other storytelling assignments has allowed me to see where my writing has some room for improvement. Specifically, I think that I can improve my word choice and imagery. This is something I’ve noticed my classmates do really well. That attention to detail can take a story from good to great, it just takes a little more time.

I missed a reading diary this week, but hope to be all caught up on the reading by the end of next week. Hopefully some better time management strategies this week will help me to stay on top of all of my courses.

Also, next week, I want to start writing out more detailed notes as I read/watch the movie. I think this will make writing my reading diary blog post so much easier.

Reading Diary A Week 7 Another Mahabharata (Online Movie)

This week I decided to watch the online movie version of the Mahabharata, You can find a link to this movie, here. When I was initially reading the online PDE of the Mahabharata, I was having a hard time keeping characters and lineages straight. I thought watching a film version of the story would be beneficial for me because I would be able to match names to faces. This helped me to keep everyone's stories and backgrounds organized.

I started watching the movie two nights ago, and was able to convince one of my friends to watch it with me! I think we both enjoyed it more than we anticipated we would. The plot really is so fascinating, and it is so interesting to see how all of the characters are woven together. I thought Draupadi's acting in the last scene, where her husband gambled her away, was the most impressive. You could see the desperation on her face, but also her sincere faithfulness as she called upon the gods for help. I think Draupadi was my favorite character in the film, I was surprised that they left out her whole story. What I mean is, they didn't show her previous life, and how she became destined to have five husbands.

It's hard to tell exactly who is the main protagonist in a story with so many characters, but I think Arjuna and Yudhishthira are probably two of the biggest stars. In my eyes, however. both of them have their faults. I think Arjuna was a coward to deny the challenge of Karna. Also, I think it was shameful that he let Drona go after Ekalavya, who had done nothing wrong, and ask for his thumb. Yudhisthira's fault is obvious- the gambling. I don't understand how his brothers and his wife were so calm and understanding as he gambled everything they owned away. I also don't understand why he "had" to accept the challenge.

Shakuni is Master of Dice Game,

Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri, Date: acquired in 1965, Source: Wikimedia

I look forward to watching the rest of the film! I've noticed that a few stories are skipped over, but I feel like overall the film does a good job of hitting all of the highlights.

Storytelling Week 6- Brothers Face a Riddle

There were once five brothers with the last name of Pandava who were always competing with each other in sports. They loved to play football, soccer, tennis, and run in races against each other. The five of them had been like this for as long as they could remember. Sometimes the oldest brother would win, other times the youngest. Nobody really kept a long term record of who was the “most winningest” brother. It was all just for fun.

One day the brothers were at camp and had just finished a game of basketball when they came across a man sitting by a water jug. There were lots of water stations set up around the camp, so the brothers approached this one because it was the closest. The man by the jug said to them, “The first one to drink the water will not really be the first. It is a competition. Who will be the first to drink the water?”

One of the brothers named Nakula replied, “I don’t have time for your word games old man, I’m thirsty! Move over everyone. I’ll show you exactly who will be first!” Nakula helped himself to the water and immediately spat it out as if he had just drunk a bitter poison. The man looked knowingly at Nakula, and smirked at the remaining brothers.

Sahadeva was the next in line. He looked at his brother with sympathy and said, “C’mon Nakula, everyone knows the old saying ‘first is the worst, second is the best’. Therefore I will be the winner of the water if I am served second.” The man complied with Sahadeva’s request and served him a glass of the water. Similar to Nakula, Sahadeva also spat out the water in disgust.

This happened again for Arjuna and Bhima. Nobody could quench their thirst with the water from the jug. The boys were about to leave and find another place to get a drink, but the man stopped them and asked, “Yudhishthira, why have you not attempted to solve the riddle? Aren’t you thirsty as well?” Yudhishthira quietly responded, “There is an old teaching that says those who are first will be last and those who are last will be first. Therefore, I will wait to see if anyone else wants a drink before I drink.”

The man smiled at Yudhishthira’s wisdom. He responded, “I see no one else in line,” and handed Yudhishthira a bottle of water from behind the jug. The water was clean and refreshing. Yudhishthira only drank a small sip and then passed it around to his brothers. There was plenty to go around, and Yudhishthira was praised for his wisdom.

Water Pour Jug Pouring Liquid

Author: Not Listed, Date: 2014, Source: Pixabay

Author's Note: This story is an adaptation from the story about the Pandava brothers facing a riddle at the lake in our reading this week. I chose to make the characters more modern so the story would be more relatable. I added in the detail about the brothers being competitive so that the reader would feel like they know the characters better. Instead of dying by drinking the water, the brothers were simply given bad water. In both my version and the original story, Yudhishthira proves to be the most wise and patient brother, and is the only one who is able to answer the riddle. However, in this version the "wisdom" is taken from teachings of Christianity when Jesus preaches that those who are first will be last and vice versa.

Bibliography:

"Riddles at the Lake" by Donald A. Mackenzie, from Indian Myth and Legend (1913). Web source: here 

Reading Diary A Week 6- Keeping up with the Pandavas

Draupadi has to be one of the most interesting characters I have ever read about. Unfortunately, I got behind on my reading schedule last week and just now read about her this week. I think she could have been a cool character for my storybook project... but I went ahead and picked my three main characters last week. I might go back and add her in.

Five husbands, good for her! It's interesting to me that the culture has seemed to make an exception for her, and only her. Usually women who are with multiple men are scorned... I mean just look at how Rama treated Sita after she was kidnapped against her will by another man! However, Draupadi was apparently destined to be with all of the Pandava brothers, so she can get away with it.

Unfortunately the brothers lost everything they had. I have a feeling that if it was Draupadi placing the bets then things would not have gotten so out of hand, and they would not have faced exile out in the forest. She is definitely miserable in her exile, and wants revenge. However Yudhishthira is remaining relatively calm through the whole exile. He is portrayed as the "wise" or "cool-headed" one throughout this portion of the reading. This confused met because he obviously wasn't THAT wise when he was gambling away everything he owned. Honestly, I don't know how the whole family isn't incredibly angry with Yudhishthira. In the riddle story I guess he somewhat redeems himself. By using his "wisdom" he is able to avoid the temptation of the water and answer complicated questions about virtue. This revives his people, who had suffered death through their own impatience and misunderstanding.

2716_PandavaDraupadi.jpg

Photographer: Flickr user vaticanus, Date: Nov. 2007, Source: Flickr