Week 2 Reading Overview

I have chosen to read the Public Domain Edition of the Ramayana, mainly because I am not on campus this semester so I won't be able to check out Narayan's Ramayana from the Bizzell. I also think I will enjoy reading the more old-fashioned language and illustrations of the PDE version, since it will be more similar to the Ramayana storybooks that I used to read as a child. I think the various styles of the multiple authors will also be cool and I think I will enjoy reading from the perspectives and attitudes of many different people as they have interpreted Ramayana.

Ghatotkacha: The Chivalrous Demon

This comic book immediately caught my attention. There is one very famous and classic movie of India, Mayabazaar, that is a movie adaptation of Ghatotkacha's story. The movie is full of hilarious scenes of Ghatotkacha, a demon disguised as the beautiful Vatsala, as he makes a fool of the Kauravas and ultimately remains faithful and good-hearted, despite being looked down on for being a demon. This is a story that my family, along with many people who have watched the movie, holds near and dear to our hearts.

Karna: Brave, Generous, Ill-Fated Prince

This is another story that I have heard of before. Karna is famous for being a well-intentioned and four-dimensional character, but cursed to live a life of misfortune, despite always meaning well. He is fiercely loyal, and ultimately sides with the "wrong" side during the great battle of the Mahabharata. But the thing that strikes me as most interesting about Karna is that his power and greatness rivals that of the Pandavas, and yet he seems to be overlooked simply because he was cast away as a baby. I am really looking forward to reading his story again during the Mahabharata unit and recalling the details of his life that led to his ultimate demise.

Harry Potter Meets Hindu Mythology

Oh wow, I really love this video! The similarities between Harry Potter and the stories of Hindu mythology are mind-boggling, and I love that people like to identify them and explore them even further to understand underlying themes.

Many gods, one logic

I think this is a beautiful depiction of the Hindu faith. I am always questioning and seeking to better understand Hinduism, and I love to see big picture ideas like the one in this video to bring the variety of Hindu gods and people under one umbrella. Everything is connected! Diversity of gods in Hinduism exists to accommodate everyone, so no one feels left out. One very wise person has told me before that the fundamental belief of Hinduism is "God is everything, and everything is God." The world is divided into so many different societies and subcultures, and yet, we are all still connected and share similarities. I really love this ideology!

Portrait of Sage Narada

From this beautiful painting, I envision Narada as a very peaceful and omniscient being. I have heard of him in numerous stories growing up; he seems to play a role in so many stories! I read on the Wikipedia page that he is so knowledgeable, he was actually cursed so that he would always tell the truth, but no one would believe him! From the popular depictions of Narada in Indian culture that I am familiar with, Narada is devoted to lord Vishnu; a messenger of God, he travels everywhere singing, "Narayana, narayana!"