Week 13 Story Planning: Beauty and the Beast (with a Twist)

 Simple Wikipedia (Beauty and the Beast)

The inspiration for this story came from the Wikipedia Trails post that I created a couple weeks ago. I wanted to continue on that by making a story in which there was a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast but with an Indian Epics twist. The approach I decided to take was Sita as Belle (Beauty) and Rama as the Beast. However, instead of Sita being held hostage by Rama, she stubmles upon his castle while running away from Ravana. The main antagonist of this story would be Ravana and he is the one that casts a spell over Rama's kingdom, turning everyone in the castle into objects and Rama into a Beast, as Ravana and Rama are mortal enemies. When Sita is trying to run away from Ravana, she stumbles upon Rama's castle and meets him. However, due to the spell, Rama is isolated from the rest of his kingdom and has lost his humanity. This is where the rose comes into play because Ravana curses Rama by saying that he will stay a beast until he finds true love. When Sita shows up at the castle, it is like a complete gift to Rama and he begins to regain his humanity. The conclusion of the story would probably be that Rama turns into a human again and has an epic battle with Ravana. At the very end, the gods appear and commend Rama for his heroism and applaud him for defeating Ravana.

Bibliography: Beauty and the Beast Movie

Week 11 Story Planning: The Three Friends

Flickr (Three Friends Watching the Northern Lights)

I definitely grew up hearing the story of Ganesha and Kartikeya racing all the time. While, as a child, the biggest thing that I got from that story was that parents are so vastly important, I do believe that the moral of the story is that the world can be viewed in a number of different perspectives. The way it is explained, however, makes a lot of sense. Some people view the world in a purely subjective, emotional, and intuitive fashion. Others view the world in an objective, rational, and logical way. However, I think that one of the strongest ways to view the world is by incorporating both elements to really gain an understanding of different perspectives. I think a great story for this would be to create a situation: a college decision, relationship, coping with a tragedy, etc. and then develop a story from two different perspectives and how each person would handle the situation. Specifically, I was thinking of a story in which three friends are attempting to confront a problem. One of the friends is very logical and thinks through things in an objective and rational way. One of the other friends is very subjective, emotional and intuitive in their thinking. Finally, the last friend is logical yet intuitive and objective, with a tinge of emotion when thinking. I think this would be an interesting story to write because it would require me to think out of the box. While I may think in one fashion, my perception of how another thinks would be different. 

I think these videos do a great job of describing some of the Indian stories in a way that everyone can understand them. In that way, DP discusses the stories and how Hindus view the world told through the lens of these stories. 

Bibliography: Devdutt Pattanaik, 7 Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art-Chapter 1 Ganesha's Secret

Week 2 Storytelling: The Ramayana

Mysore Palace (Good Free Photos)

It was a dark day. The clouds were dark and implied an impending storm. On the earth, the trees and plants were gloomy as it had been days since they had seen the light of the sun. The week had taken such a turn as the week prior, the sun peeked out from behind the light and fluffy clouds. The roses and neem trees looked healthy and bright. There was quite a difference between the two weeks. The little bird that usually chirped when the sun was out sat quietly on the branch and watched down on the little girl playing on the grass beneath. This little girl's name was Madhu.

Madhu lived with her parents and siblings in Mithila, King Janaka's kingdom. She had heard that there were people traveling through the town and that they would be at the royal court the next day to visit King Janaka. The whole kingdom was invited as the guests were rumored to be special. Madhu also knew that the King wanted to get his daughter, Sita, married. However, there was a stipulation: King Janaka had a bow that once belonged to Lord Shiva. He said that the person that could pick up the bow and then string it would be considered as suitable for Sita. Madhu had an inkling that one of these guests would be Sita's future husband.

When the day arrived for the citizens of the kingdom to go to the palace, Madhu was ecstatic. She would finally get to see and hear what the buzz for the last week had been about. When she walked in through the gates and saw the guests being brought in to see King Janaka, she felt the room immediately brighten up. The King introduced the guests as Rama, Lakshmana, and Vishwamitra. King Janaka requested that Shiva's bow be brought out in hopes that Rama would be able to string it. The anxiety in the room was building as the royal attendees brought out Shiva's bow. Some of the citizens closed their eyes, some clasped their hands in prayer, and others silently watched in hope.

With much ease, Rama lifted the bow, strung it, and then a loud CRACK struck through the room. The bow broke into two pieces and the room went silent. When everyone realized what had just happened, the room erupted in applause and joy. Outside, the skies cleared and the sun started shining again. The little bird began chirping once more and Madhu was overjoyed with happiness.

Author's Note: This section of the Ramayana is always told from the perspective of Rama or Sita so I thought to add a little spin to it. From a complete outsider's perspective. I used the way Sita felt after she saw Rama as inspiration for the feeling of utter gloom at the beginning of the story and the rest just flowed.

Bibliography: R.K. Narayan, Ramayana, Reading Guide

Week 1 Story: The Elephant and the Fly

The Elephant and the Fly

A fly, who lived in a palace, once said to one of the king's elephants, "Look! you do such hard work, yet you are confined in a shed, far from the palace; whereas I do nothing, yet I range over the whole palace and amuse myself where I like, even on the crowned head of the king." 

"That is because you are such an insignificant thing," said the elephant. 

The fly was abashed, and said, "Alas! it signifies nothing where a fly lives!"

An Indian Fable by Ramaswami Raju

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Once upon a time in a land far away, there lived an elephant by the name of Raja. Raja lived a majestic life as he was the royal prince's favorite elephant. Due to his position as the "favorite elephant," Raja lived a life of luxury and joy. Everyday, his meals would be served on the finest metal plates in the kingdom, he had his own barn on the royal grounds to sleep in, and the prince would make a visit at least once a day. However, when Raja wasn't eating, sleeping, or spending time with the young prince, he would get quite bored as none of the other elephants were friends with him. You see, the other elephants were jealous of the special treatment that Raja received. One day, a palace fly ventured out onto the royal grounds and happened upon Raja's barn. The fly was surprised to see the level of luxury the elephant lived in as he had seen the other animals on the royal grounds did not receive much special treatment.

He asked Raja, Oh, fine elephant, why do you live in such extravagance while the other animals get pushed around?

Raja replied, While it seems like an extravagant life, I myself live in misery as I have no friends to share my time with.

Astonished, the fly asked why Raja did not have any friends. 

Raja responded, I have had the unfortunate blessing of being the prince's favorite elephant. But, my fellow elephants do not wish to speak to me because of the special treatment I receive.

Realizing that it was soon getting dark, the fly soon departed back to the palace. However, that night, he decided that he should become friends with Raja and connect him with the other elephants on the royal grounds. The next day, the fly visited the other elephants...

Oh friendly elephants, why do you ostracize my friend Raja? He has done no wrong.

To which the elephants replied, We do not ostracize him, we just thought he did not want our company.

The fly said, Oh but that is not the case. Raja longs to be friends with you all!

Joyfully, the fly flew over to Raja's barn to tell him the happy news. Raja was overjoyed and quickly walked (as fast as an elephant can walk) to the other elephants. Soon enough, all of the elephants became the best of friends and also became close friends with the fly.

An elephant on palace grounds (Wikipedia Commons)

Author's Note: The inspiration for my story came from Ramaswami Raju's fable The Elephant and the Fly. In his fable, a fly from a palace tells an elephant that it is constrained in life and does not have any freedom. However, the elephant then says that it lives a more valued life than that of the fly, demonstrating that while the elephant has a tougher life, his purpose is greater. When I read this story, I wanted to create one that had a friendship between the elephant and the fly. But, I also wanted a story that incorporated the royal undertone, while creating one in which the ending was happy for all parties. 

Bibliography: "The Elephant and the Fly" from Indian Fables by Ramaswami Raju