Epics of India

(Turmeric rhizome and powder, from Wikipedia ) Turmeric I saw this on the class Twitter stream. I always thought it was spelled/pronounced "tumeric," but that's not the case. My mom LOVES turmeric because of all the benefits it has when you eat it. Apparently, it's in the same family as ginger! Whenever I buy turmeric, it's already processed and ground up, and is usually a powder, but it looks really similar to a ginger root, except that it's orange instead of yellow. The picture on Twitter mentioned mixing it with milk to cure coughs and colds. Next time I have a cough or cold, I'll be sure to try it. Ayuverda Of course, turmeric has many medicinal properties, and is used in a system of medicine rooted in India - Ayuverda. It's been said that Dhanvantari, the god of Ayuverda, passed on this knowledge to some physicians. It has treatments that include herbal, mineral, and metal mixtures, as well as surgical techniques, surprisingly! Anci...

The final story lab, and with it, my (and other writers') parting words: (questioning, taken from MaxPixel ) Make Trouble for Your Character "When in doubt, make trouble for your character. Don’t let her stand on the edge of the pool, dipping her toe. Come up behind her and give her a good hard shove. That’s my advice to you now. Make trouble for your character. In life we try to avoid trouble. We chew on our choices endlessly. We go to shrinks, we talk to our friends. In fiction, this is deadly. Protagonists need to screw up, act impulsively, have enemies, get into TROUBLE." -- Janet Fitch Without the characters, the story can't really happen. But a common pitfall I come to when creating characters is to make them too tame. Just as we sometimes need some suffering to grow, so they need that "push" of detriment to really spur their development. They a way to deal with my problems rather than a living, breathing part of the story they're in. Wh...

More advice to writers! I really love this website and all their quotes. Give Them What They're not Expecting "The advice wasn’t to me personally, but I recall hearing Jay-Z say something along the lines of, don’t give people what they want, give them what they’re not expecting. It’s what I’ve always believed and it’s powerful to have your philosophy endorsed. I never want to deliver a novel that I think people are expecting, I love the challenge of creating something unique and surprising. It’s so important to write with freedom." - CECELIA AHERN I think this is an important milestone in writing - the ability to subvert expectations. It's why some of the most beloved stories of all time are beloved. Yes, they are well-written, but they're also unique from their generic contemporaries. Who doesn't love a good plot twist? Or a story that causes you to go back and read it again and again to pick up the clues that were there the whole time? If the reader...

Notes taken from " The Iliad of the East " by Frederika Richardson. How Valmiki Received the Gift of Poesy I always wondered why Valmiki was credited with writing the Ramayana, and I'm glad someone was able to provide a bit of background. Valmiki decided to leave society and go into isolation in the forest, not because of dissatisfaction, but to obtain an unbiased, clear vision. It reminds me of the Biblical stories of Jesus, where when he was surrounded by the crowds, would always withdraw from the crowds to spend time with the Father and pray. While in isolation, he contemplates the state of man; specifically, on if there's anyone who displays an unblemished virtue of heroism that will elevate mankind. Narada, the messenger of the gods appears and joins the discussion, and tests him a bit, trying to cause him to doubt mankind but Valmiki remains resolute (yet meek) in his belief. So Narada reveals that there is in fact a human that exists such as this - Rama, s...

I'm not sure when you'll read this, but here's how it began: I was out for a walk in the woods when a sudden feeling of extreme dizziness overtook me - everything became a blur, with distant flashes of memories, and I had a sudden sensation of... something  in me being... pierced. It wasn't something physical and I wasn't bleeding. It was just as if I was...less. After that, I always had a weight on my soul that left me always vaguely tired, even after resting all day. The solution of course: coffee. The three-times-a-day caffeine rush combated the lethargy and helped me feel normal again. That week, my life began - that's when I met Ale. We hit it off right away, but I think I fell in love with her over the phone way before we actually met. I think meeting her caused some kind of reaction, though. The first few incidents were minor. Berenstein Bears, the children's stories about a lovable family of bears, changed to Berenstain Bears. A couple of days la...

Notes taken based on " The Divine Archer " by F. J. Gould in 1911. Part B begins after Sita is taken away by Ravana, due to some...questionable decisions by both Rama and Lakshmana. Rama gets distracted by a golden deer, then Lakshmana doesn't have the faith in his brother (who is supposedly the best warrior in the universe or something?) to realize that he will be okay on his own and leaves his post of guarding Sita. The valiant king of the vultures, Jatayu, gives up his life trying to get Sita back, but fails. And dies. But not before he tells Rama and Lakshmana what happened. Also, Hanuman. Section 7 The party finds out that Sita is in Lanka, so Hanuman jumps there and scouts it out. He finds Ravana's brother, Vibhishana, who, because he was like, "Yo, return Sita man. I don't want no war with Rama," was not on good terms with Ravana. Vibhishana tells Hanuman where Sita is so Hanuman goes there and gives Sita Rama's ring. He then tears up...

Notes taken based on " The Divine Archer " by F. J. Gould in 1911. I appreciate prose versions of texts. It always seems like I never get a fully adequate understanding on my first read through of the original version. It's on the second read through of a different version that helps fill in the gaps. Rama and Lakshmana taken from Wikipedia Section 1  The Divine Archer The birth of Rama...it feels like so long ago that we began this journey through the Ramayana. And here we are again. The gods are overjoyed and everyone is happy due to Rama's birth. And of course, the scene with Kaushalya, seeing her baby transform into a cosmic being for an instant. But of course, this is just normal for a mother, right? A mother always sees greatness in her son. Rama and Lakshmana - name a more iconic duo. I always enjoy reading about the two brother's adventures because they're so loyal to each other. Section 2 Rama and Sita meet, and it's love at first...

Man, I really like these quotes. (splash painting of a bird, from Pixabay ) All Art Comes from Love No one asks what Mozart means. Or an Indian raga or the little tripping dance of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to “Cheek to Cheek” in Top Hat. Forget about making things that are understood. I don’t know what Abba means, but I love it. Imagination is your creed; sentimentality and lack of feeling your foe. All art comes from love — love of doing something. JERRY SALTZ It's true - in every widely known piece of art, no one asks what it means , so much as they enjoy what it is . A skillful display of brushstroke, a layering of notes that make you feel a certain way, an exciting weaving together or words in a particular order that inspires you - there's just... something  about it that you enjoy. And it's not from understanding it, but from you sharing the same love the creator put into it. It's like they put so much love into doing something that it spills over...

Notes taken from  "The Five Brothers: The Story of the Mahabharata"  by Elizabeth Seeger. I feel like this extra detail could be a story project for this class! I could see it on a portfolio or storybook that explores the "behind-the-scenes" of the Mahabharata. The Bridal Choice The king of Panchala is holding a tournament for the hand of his daughter - it's her swayamvara, or bridal choice. The Pandavas, hearing about it (and Draupadi's exceeding beauty) pretty much begin to swoon over her, and decide to go to this tournament. The challenge, of course, is nearly impossible, set with exactly one person in mind that could finish it and marry the king's daughter - Arjuna, the third son of Kunti. The king of Panchala wanted none other to marry his daughter. Karna, the mad lad, does it with ease, however, but before he can finish, Draupadi rejects him because of his low birth. Poor Karna. He is able to do everything Arjuna can but because of his social ...

Notes taken from "The Five Brothers: The Story of the Mahabharata" by Elizabeth Seeger. Sons of Pandu I love reading a story, then finding out the backstory behind the main characters, and this is what Seeger's story does. It takes the backstory of the Pandavas, from when they first arrived in Hastinapura, and provides more detail and imagery than what was provided in the Mahabharata. For example, in the Mahabharata, it doesn't mention the Pandavas noticing the four different castes present in the kingdom. It also provides more details about the poisoning of Bima by the jealous Duryodana (spoiled much?), the meeting of Drona and his skill/accomplishments, and how Arjuna is not one to be taken lightly - he's actually pretty awesome. (Drona's test, taken from Kidsgen ) The Tournament In the Mahabharata, I always viewed Karna as a kind of rebellious challenger, but with the explanation given in this story, it seems he has every right to challenge ...

Impostor Syndrome : I saw this on the class Twitter feed and it piqued my interest. From the name, it sounds like it would describe an irrational fear that everyone is an impostor out to get them or something - a Truman Show-esque scenario. That, however, is more descriptive of the Capgras delusion, where someone believes a loved one has been replaced by an impostor. Impostor syndrome refers to one's belief/fear that their effort and accomplishments is a fraud, it was based on luck, and that they're living as an "impostor" - portraying themselves as someone they're not. I think this has a real, serious detrimental effect, especially on one's self-confidence and in today's society. I always see memes and jokes on the internet about people who are thirty and it just now hitting them. "When did I become an adult?" or "Adulthood is just faking confidence when you don't really know what's happening." ICD : ICD stands for Intern...

The mobile Canvas app is rarely used, but when I do need it, it's a lifesaver. I take my phone everywhere, and as such, I can quickly check messages that a professor or TA has sent, check the syllabus of a class I'm in to make sure I'm not missing an assignment, or in a real emergency when my laptop has died, I can use it to take a quiz that's being administered through Canvas. It's convenient and handy! But also not something I use regularly. If you have space on your phone to install it, I would say do it. There's no big losses in having notifications from your classes.

Choraya's Diary, Entry 1, Tula 12: Oh, how I've waited for tomorrow - the day of my marriage! The harvest is over, the weather is cooling, and I finally get to be married to the woman of my dreams. She is beautiful as the lilies, and as radiant as the stars. How lucky am I to be joined to her for the rest of my life. I cannot wait!! Maybe twenty years from now, I can present this diary to our children, as a memento and record of the beginning of our lives together. Kushi is actually with child, though her parents and I are the only ones who know. We even have a name! Roshanee, the light of our worlds. The location - the city of Kurukshetra, which she believes is blessed by the gods, so that blessing will transfer into our marriage. I certainly hope so, too. Choraya's Diary, Entry 2, Tula 13: Good morning! Today's the day, and I'm so nervous. Over the past 8 years, Kushi and I have come to know each other pretty well, I think. But as Baba always told us, ...

These were taken from the  Jataka Tales , by Ellen C. Babbitt in 1912. (undecided on how to kill a turtle, from Jataka Tales ) How the Turtle Saved His Own Life I think all these should have a moral, but I'm not sure what this one's could be...A turtle uses his cunning to escape a (less than intelligent) king and his men. The boys are so wimpy that they run away from a harmless thing they've never seen before. They don't even consider it might be completely harmless! It's a turtle. But their even wimpier father doesn't correct his sons but tries to appease them by ordering it to be killed. Fortunately, they are all so dumb that they can't decide on how to kill it. One suggestion was to throw it into the water where it will drown, to which the turtle acts dreadfully scared, and thus he escapes. I just...I don't even know. Is the moral supposed to be: "don't be as ignorant as the king/his kingdom"? The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop ...

These were taken from the Jataka Tales , by Ellen C. Babbitt in 1912. The Wise and Foolish Merchant Ah, the classic juxtaposition of a wise and foolish man that ends with a moral - don't throw away your future because of a temporary enjoyment. This is pretty pertinent for college students (cough, cough me). The Elephant Girly-Face What a strange name...kind of demeaning, if you ask me. Like the previous story, we see another moral: evil companionships corrupt good morals, as it says in 1 Corinthians 15:33 in the Bible. The story may seem a little exaggerated, but it's definitely true. We're all Girly-face - susceptible to peer pressure. (Two cows noticing the pig's choice food, from Jataka Tales ) The Ox Who Envied the Pig A story about not being jealous of other people's fortune, I think. Two cows are wondering why the pig is getting all the good food while they're getting just straw and grass. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the cows, I g...