Indian Epics Styles Brainstorming

Topic. My Storybook will be based on Rama’s life. I will talk about Rama’s epic life with four different kind of views. Those views will be from Rama, Lakshmana, animal gods, and other four gods. Only one view will be chosen as the final style. The stories I will use as references would be all the Rama’s stories from the Public Domain Ramayana. Moreover, I will use some gods’ stories to introduce those gods.

Bibliography: Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition

Possible Styles:

Rama’s own view. This is the very common way to tell a main character’s story from his view. I will write Rama’s birth, exile, fights, death. I am most likely not using this style since this common style may not be interest for readers. I however save it as a backup style in case of the failures of the rest three styles.

Lakshmana’s view. This is the alternative way to tell Rama’s story. I will use Lakshmana’s view to tell the entire storyline. I will write Rama’s birth, exile, fights, death I will write Rama’s birth, exile, fights, and death again, but this time it will be from Lakshmana’s view. It will be very interesting to do this because I will think like Lakshmana think; I will be Rama’s brother fighting on his side. The room that I could imagine is very big. It will take longer time than Rama’s view, but it definitely worthy to do since this style will be new for readers.

Animal God’s views. To make the siege to the Lanka City, Rama decided to find four animals gods as his comrade-in-arms. However, those gods are hard to find. Furthermore, they are not that easy to convince. If I will use this style, I will write a lot of the animal gods’ thoughts in their minds. Maybe the Monkey King was looking forward to helping Rama, but the Snake King was not willing to help Rama at all. During the convincing, the Animal God’s psychological changes will be very important.

Four Gods’ views. This is currently my most likely style. To save his wife, Rama had to visit few gods to get their blessing for saving his wife. After the successful siege of the Lanka City, Sita was saved but she was in deep sleep that Rama could not wake her up. The reason would be cursed left by the evil Indrajit; the curse took away part of Sita’s soul, so Sita was in dead sleep. To make Sita awake, Rama must travel around the world to find lost Gods that could find Sita’s lost soul. Rama will visit four gods, but first three could not help him; they would give Rama the information of next god. Eventually, the Death God Yama, the fourth god Rama visited, helped Rama find Sita’s soul, but he warned Sita could only be saved by him this time since Yama had already broken the rule of death. The last god has been decided, which is the Death God Yama; however, it is hard to decide the first three gods Rama visited. I will keep on making the sequence of the first three gods; they must have some connections or I will make them connected. Those gods’ thoughts in their minds and talks with Rama would be the main part in this style.

Rama and Lakshmana builds a bridge

with the help of the monkeys;

they are writing Rama's name on the stones

so that the stones will stick together

Oleograph by Raja Ravi Varma.

Storytelling of Week 3: Siege to the Lanka City

Indrajit in Battle

(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

Rama cannot assault a city just by him and his brother. He needs an army, so he went to the monkey king for help.

When Rama entered the monkey kingdom, Sugriva could sense Rama and Lakshnama come into his territory. However he did not know why they come here. Hanuman was sent by him to see if Rama is hostile to them.

Hanuman was trying to watch Rama at a closer distance, but Rama has a really sensitive sense of nearby environment. Though Rama did not feel hostility, he shot Hanuman eight arrows without shape heads.

“Ouch!” Hanuman said in pain. “What are you doing?”

When Hanuman noticed the arrow, he realized that Rama is not an enemy. And Hanuman asked. “You are not my enemy. Why are you here? What are you looking for?”

“I am the Price Rama. I am here because I need your help to save my wife.” Rama said.

Hanuman sent them to meet Sugriva. Sugriva decided to help Rama but he told Rama that Indrajit is not easy to be defeated because of Indrajit’s ability. If Rama wanted to win the war, he has to get help from the Bird King Garuda since Garuda is the very natural enemy of the Naga race.

Thus, Rama started going to the lair of Garuda. Few days after, he eventually found Garuda. However, he was worried about if Garuda was willing to help him.

“Enemy’s enemy is my friend. I will help you but only in my way” Garuda said immediately after Rama told him the reason, “Nagas are very tricky; I do not want to let Indrajit has a chance to escape, so I will try to trap him.”

And Garuda continued, “I will stealth beside the battlefield and wait for Indrajit come out. When you know Indrajit is attacking you, take defenses only until my spell is done. Remember, help me to capture Indrajit alive; I want to enjoy his flesh.”

Several days later, the war began. The monkey army was very brave though the deaths were around them; they all fight to the end. The situation of the war looked very good for Rama

When Rama brothers did not know what to do, the Garuda flied into the battlefield.

 “I am waiting for this moment so long! As promised, I will slay this dirty creature.” Garuda yelled.

“Our reinforcement has arrived! Fight back!” Lakshnama shouted.

Indrajit was very shocked to see Garuda because only the strongest one in his race can fight with Garuda. At that moment Indrajit was thinking about how to escape. However, Garuda will not let his easy picking to escape; he unleashed a powerful wave of light to heal the monkey army and Rama brothers. Moreover, the spell hurt enemies and make Indrajit become no longer invisible. As a result, Rama and Lakshmana used their exquisite precision of archery skills to capture Indrajit for Garuda.

Garuda was very happy; he ate Indrajit alive. And the army’s morale was sky high; soon, the siege to the Lanka City succeeded and Rama saved his wife Sita.

Author's Note:

At the very first, I thought I would write a lot about the Monkey King Hanuman. However I changed my mind after I finished the reading assignment part 2. The siege to the Lanka City is very epic and I want to write some about Garuda's performance during the war. Garuda will turn the tides of the war and helps Rama to win the war.


Bibliography:

Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition

Source

Reading Diary B： Week 3

In today’ reading, Rama and his followers overcome a lot of difficulties to reach the Lanka City. They will take siege to the Lanka City and save Sita. The Monkey King Hanuman did have a lot much scenes. However, another animal god that I want to write in my project comes out. The mighty Garuda!

The siege is very tragic, countless monkey soldiers died during the day. The war looks good for Rama until night comes,  Indrajit, a Naga race guy, uses his ability to sneak attack Rama and Lakshmana. The condition of the war become worse and worse; Rama and his brother cannot see Indrajit because of Indrajit’s in visible ability. When they are going to lose hope, the Garuda comes and brings healing to Rama’s army. With the aid of the Garuda, the monkey army continues the siege to the Lanka City.

In my storytelling, I would change the setting. Rama will go to the Garuda and ask for help. Garuda says he will stealth beside the battle field because he want to assassinate Indrajit. Indrajit is a Naga race, which is Garuda’s enemy and food resource. Garuda will unleash a power wave of light right after Indrajit uses his invisible ability. The light will heal the monkey army and hurt enemies. Moreover, the light will make Indrajit visible to Rama and Lakshmana, so they could use their archery skill to hurt Indrajit. Finally, the Garuda will eat Indrajit as whole as his meal.

Garuda

(by Nanda Lal Bose, from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists, 1914)

Public Domain Ramayana

Reading Diary A： Week 3

I like the reading assignment today because I could read about the very character I want to know about, the Monkey King Hanuman. I am very excited to read the story of Hanuman.

Their first meet is not very easy; Sugriva does not know if they are enemies, so he lets Hanuman to change into a human form and find out Rama’s purpose. Rama tells the disguised Hanuman their purpose. Hanuman passed some trials to gain more abilities, so he could assist Rama to find his wife. When Hanuman tries to find Sita, he however does not find her, so he thought Sita must have been killed or eaten. Hanuman eventually found Sita and he cannot wait to save her, therefore Hanuman went into the city and killing enemies. Nevertheless, Hanuman was captured by a Brahma scroll and his tail was burnt as punishment.

In my storytelling, I think I will make their first meet from a fight because of misunderstanding. Sugriva thought Rama and Lakshmana were enemies. Then they would yell to each other to know that they are actually not hostile. I will not change the trails part because the original story is good; I may change the ability Hanuman gains during the trials, such as stealth. In the following story, I will not let Hanuman become that impulsive. I will make him like a skillful spy who sneaked into the city, assassinated enemies, and rescued Sita successfully.

Ravana and Hanuman

Public Domain Ramayana