Week 15: Reading Feedback

Looking back on this semester there were several readings I liked and didn't necessarily care for. First of all, I really loved the Ramayana and all of the readings that went with it. Rama and Sita were some of my favorite characters and I loved following their story. For me, the Mahabharata was harder to get into. I felt it was more difficult to read, didn't seem to flow quite as well as the Ramayana, and for whatever reason just did not interest me as much. However, as a whole I loved this class. I thought that at times the amount of reading was a little overwhelming, but it was enjoyable most of the time. I liked that this class challenged me to become a better writer as well. Working full time, I'm always really busy during the week (especially when I have to travel). I managed my weeks by sometimes skipping one of the reading assignments and doing an extra credit assignment over the weekend when I have more time. For future students, I would recommend getting ahead of schedule as soon as you start the class. I realize that for many people, myself included, this is not really an option, but I imagine it would make all the difference.

Week 15: Reflections

I cannot believe the semester is finally ending. I have to say, this was a great choice for my final class as an undergrad. There's a lot to look back on from the last few months. I came into this class knowing nothing about the Indian epics and having absolutely no idea how to manage a blog. I think I improved not only my knowledge on the topic and ability to work on a blog, but also my witting skills and creativity. This class made me go out of my comfort zone a bit, which is a good thing. I was never much of a writer, and certainly not a creative writer. Each week I would see the fun, inventive stories my classmates would come up with and it inspired me to work on my creativity and come up with a better story for the next week. I think I successfully wrote some creative stories, and enjoyed doing so. That was my favorite part of the class!

Week 13: Reading Diary B

this week I chose to read the Divine Archer. I picked this story because it seemed different than most I have read, but just the name alone interested me because of one of my favorite stories I've written about the men having an arrow contest. I liked the style of writing from this author. It is kind of a shortened, somewhat poetic version of the Ramayana, my favorite epic. I think I want to write my story This week on Rama growing up. I love how in depth this version goes into Rama as a baby and growing up. I think this would be a great addition to my storybook because it could give a little back story on Rama and what went on before Rama and Sita united. This was one of my favorite stories!

Baby Rama (riversidetemple)

Divine Archer F. j. Gould (1911)

Week 12: Reading Diary B

I chose to read this story this week because I really love the Ramayana. I have come to love Rama's character, so I was immediately drawn to this story. I like that it's very focused on everything Rama is doing. The storyline is similar enough to some versions I've read in the past, but the style of wiring is very comfortable and easy to read, making it much more enjoyable to me. I want to focus on Rama and Sita for another story to add to my portfolio, except this time I want it to be a little more upbeat and happy. I loved my story based on Sita sings the Blues, so I think I'll enjoy this as well. I think I can pull a good excerpt from this story to twist into my own. I want to do another story that strays from the original plot quite a bit, so I can get creative. This will give me a good base to do so. 

Indian Storybook: Rama's Quest

Week 11: reading diary B

This week I chose to read Monro's writing on Rama and Sita. I loved the story I did about Rama and Sita earlier in the semester, so I was interested in doing another reading on the pair. I saw this reading had a love story, which is another reason why I was drawn to it. The only love story I have done so far is on Rama and Sita, and that story was not so lovey dovey, as it really focused on Sita being sad. This reading starts a little slow by giving some background information on what's going on. They explain how Sita was bestowed to Rama, and how it was decided that Rama would be the heir to the King. This story gives a little different perspective on Rama and Sita, which I enjoyed. I think I may want to write a sequel to "Poor Sita" using this story's different characteristics but sticking with the very modern approach I had taken with that story. I think this could be a great addition to my portfolio.



Rama and Sita Monro

Rama and Sita (Hanuman-Bhakti)

Portfolio Guide

Story 5: Kunti Says Goodbye
Kunti faces a difficult decision, and must choose between her life and her baby.

Story 4: Karna, You Are the Brother
Karna learns the dark secret that his enemy is actually his family.

Story 3: Who is the Strongest Man of All?
Drona holds an exciting tournament to determine the best warrior of all.

Story 2: Yudishthira Saves the Day
On a long, hot afternoon Yudishthira saves the lives of his brothers after a strange encounter with a mysterious voice.

Story 1: Poor Sita
An update on Sita and her rotten luck.  She cries out for help each time she stumbles, and eventually gets her way.  Inspired by the short film Sita Sings the Blues. This story is probably my favorite because it was the first time I got really creative with the original story and made it my own.

Week 10: Reading Diary B

This week I decided to read a modern version of the Mahabharata. The Mahabharata was much harder for me to get into, unlike the Ramayana that I breezed through, so I thought reading a modern version would be easier for me to relate to and further understand the plot and characters. The first section started off differently, but was very dramatic and descriptive when talking about the characters. I loved this because this is my kind of style of writing, and I think basing one of my stories off of this version will help me a lot. I loved the section talking about Pandu seeing Madri and finally feeling something. I think I will base my story this week off of this section.

Pandu and Madri (Wikipedia)

Mahabharata Dharma 2008