For my Storybook Project, I decided to go ahead with the topic idea of Ghatotkacha. I believe Ghatotkacha is a truly fascinating and inspiring character--even though he is a rakshasa, he defies conventional notions and remains good and kind-hearted, standing up for his friends and family. I think this will be a nice addition to the collection of storybooks, as Ghatotkacha has not been the focus for a Storybook project yet!
I think I will take much inspiration from the Indian Telugu movie, Mayabazar. The film is classified as an "epic fantasy," as the storyline is not actually described in the original Mahabharata. For instance, Sasirekha (also referred to as Vatsala), who in the movie is Balarama's daughter, is not actually a character mentioned in the Mahabharata; nor is the romance between Sasirekha and Abhimanyu, who is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra (Balarama and Krishna's sister), ever described in the scriptures. Nonetheless, this story has been retold many times in Telugu folklore because of the hilarious and exciting plotline, and even today many people enjoy telling this tale and celebrating the movie. I encourage those who are interested to watch this movie! It is a great classic in Indian cinema.
Link to Wikipedia article for Mayabazar (1957)
I will definitely flesh out this story more in my Storybook project, but basically, the synopsis is as follows: Sasirekha is in love with Abhimanyu, but after the Pandavas lose all of the wealth and happiness in a game of dice with the Kauravas, she is forced to marry Duryodhana's son Lakshmana Kumara. Krishna appoints Ghatotkacha to disguise himself as Sasirekha, while the real Sasirekha can marry Abhimanyu. What follows are hilarious events where Ghatotkacha teases and tricks the Kauravas in his efforts to stop the marriage between Sasirekha and Lakshmana Kumara.
Currently, I am thinking of incorporating at least these three stories in my Storybook project:
1) Birth of Ghatotkacha: Ghatotkacha was born to Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, and Hidimbi, a rakshasi. I think, in this story, I will explain the circumstances of Bhima's and Hidimbi's relationship and also showcase the moment when Ghatotkacha realizes who his father is.
2) Ghatotkacha's Mayabazar: Here, I will tell the story as it is told in the film Mayabazar. Ghatotkacha, master of illusions, impersonates Sasirekha and also designs a city called Mayabazar for the Kauravas to live in, which is where he carries out the majority of his tricks. This is kind of a long story, so I may have to break it up into two parts or leave out some parts.
3) Ghatotkacha's death: In the Kurukshetra war, Bhima calls Ghatotkacha to help fight alongside the Pandavas, to which Ghatotkacha gladly obliges. He uses many illusions and fights very well. Unfortunately, Karna, who is fighting alongside the Kauravas, sees through all of his tricks and kills Ghatotkacha. His death is described as deeply saddening for the Pandavas; Krishna smiles, however, knowing that Ghatotkacha is leaving his demon form behind and going to heaven.
Possible Sources for project:
Link to Wikipedia article for Ghatotkacha
Link to Wikipedia article for Mayabazar (1957)
I may also choose to include other stories that further explore how Ghatotkacha's demon form may have resulted in people mistaking him for being evil, when in fact, he is one of the most loyal and kindest characters in the Mahabharata!
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