Week 11 Famous Last Words

I can't believe Indian Epics class is about to be over... this class was so much and fun and I'm really enjoying blogging. This class had made me become a blogger. I also enjoyed reading all of the Indian Epics stories. I liked William Buck's version of the myths though. I didn't think Narayan's version was as detailed or specific like Buck. He did a better job at adding details which gave me a picture of what the characters are like. 

Everyone's portfolio and storybook was great and I liked all the stories. I think everyone was really creative. For this week's readings I'm glad Ganesha was in it. I feel like Ganesha is such an important symbol in Indian culture and I see the god everywhere, but we haven't learn about Ganesha as much. I wish there would be more stories about him.

This month in my other classes had been so stressful. I have so many research paper to write and I am not doing well in one of my classes that I have to put in more time and effort into my work. I can't wait until graduation. I am so ready to graduate and just find a job! However, I am not looking forward to moving back home with my parents. I've been having trouble finding roommates and a place to live. If I can't find anyone to live with then I'm force to move back home. That should be fun right? Oh well... maybe I can save some money and then move out somewhere. I was planning to move to Boston where my cousin lives. I've always liked it there, maybe I can start my career out there. 

One more month until graduation and I feel anxious as ever. I have so much on my mind like what I'm going to do with my life and my next step. It is all the beginning and I'm finally entering into the real world. It's so scary and at the same time pretty exciting. I am ready to grow up.

I am so ready for graduation!! Graduation

Week 11 Storytelling: The Tale of Ganesha's Head

Long ago...there were two gods, Shiva and Parvati. One day Parvati went to Mt. Kailesh for a bath and didn't want to be disturbed. She ordered Nandi to guard the doors and not let intruders inside. Shiva returned home and demanded Nandi to open the doors. Obediently, Nandi let her in and Shiva was furious because Nandi was more loyal to Parvati, so they decided to create a son (Ganesha) to guard the doors. However, Shiva decapitated Ganesha's head by mistake when she realized that he was not an intruder. In order to fix the mistake, she sent people out to look for a head facing north. From there they sacrificed an elephant's head and replaced it on Ganesha...

"Oh my goodness, what have I done?! My poor son, why didn't he speak up?! I had made such a terrible mistake... I ripped my son's head off and he is not breathing!" said Shiva.

"Parvati! Parvati! Please go and send people out and look for a new head! NOW! Poor Ganesha is not breathing and he must live!" said Shiva.

"It is you who made this mistake. How could you thought our son was an intruder?! Were you blind?! Did you not check to see who it was before slaughtering someone's head off? Is your bath THAT important that you can't have any distractions? I am telling you right now Shiva... you make this mistake again and Ganesha and I will leave you." said Parvati.

"I am sorry my love, I had made this horrible mistake but we must go and save our son now. Lets send our army out and sacrifice a new head for our boy!" said Shiva. 

"No, our army is too weak. We will send out Brahma, for he is the powerful creator and will surely help us find a head for our son!" said Parvati.

Shiva, Parvati, and Brahma searched far and wide for the perfect head. The head must be special and face north. They searched far and wide but still there was not a perfect head. Brahma continued his journey to find a head. While Parvati and Shiva rested under a tree. There Brahma spotted an elephant facing north. 

"This is perfect! I will cut that elephant's head off and give it to Shiva and Parvati!" said Brahma.

Brahma slowly approached the elephant. The elephant woke up from his nap and realized Brahma was staring at him. Then Brahma started to attack the elephant. The elephant made a loud noise and started to stop everywhere. Brahma dodging away from the elephant finally climbed up to a tree and used his bow and arrow to shoot at its back. The elephant shrieked and he climbed down from the tree and onto the elephant and used his knife to stab its heart. The elephant cried and fell on the ground. Brahma began to cut the elephant's head and rushed back to Parvati and Shiva.

"I've got the head now! Let's go and bring Ganesha back to life!" said Brahma.

The three gods rushed back and found Ganesha's body on his bed. They placed the head back on Ganesha and waited...All of a sudden Ganesha opened his eyes and gasped for air. Ganesha had finally come back to life!

Shiva and Ganesha: Ganesha's new head

Author's Note: The topic I chose for the story is about how Ganesha got his head. I thought that was an interesting part of Buck's version of the Mahabharata. The first paragraph I did a short summary of how Ganesha was born and the why Shiva decapitated Ganesha's head off. This time I did not write the story in anyone's perspective but how the story went. I emphasized how sorry Shiva was for cutting her own son's head off. As a parent she felt horrible for her mistake. So Shiva and Parvati asked Brahma for help. I also stated how angry Parvati was with Shiva and threatened to leave her if she made the same mistake again. I'm not quite sure if that was true in the actual myth but I decided to make it more dramatic that way. In the end, Brahma was able to find the perfect head for Ganesha and everyone was happy again that Ganesha came back to life.

Bibliography: William Buck, Mahabharata 

Week 11 Reading Diary B: Buck's Mahabharata

p. 49-91

The fight between Bhima and the demon was intense and surely Bhima is heroic and able to defeat the demon without any weapons. I thought it was kind of weird that Draupadi married all five of the Pandava brothers. I thought only men were allowed to have polygamous marriages but I guess in Indian epics it doesn't matter which gender.

I thought the part of Arjuna falling in love with Subhadra was really interesting and romantic. I wish there would be more details of their romantic lives together but the story focused a lot on the Pandava brothers especially Arjuna. The fire god Agni was significant in the burning of the forest and in a battle with Indra because she wants to eat the forest. I thought that was pretty interesting since it was a battle with fire and water. Arjuna was able to get rid of the clouds with his bow and arrow. Arjuna was such a great warrior!

Agni the Fire God: Agni wants to eat the forest

Week 11 Reading Diary A: Buck's Mahabharata

p. 1-47

So far I enjoyed reading Buck's version of Mahabharata better than Narayan's. I really liked in the beginning how the book mentioned the story of Ganesha. I noticed that Ganesha had been a significant symbol in Indian epics but we have yet to learn the story of Ganesha. I'm glad this book talked about how Ganesha played a role in Mahabharata. I was shocked reading the part where Shiva ripped Ganesha's real head off! Poor Ganesha... I actually thought he was born with an elephant head. I also realized that Ganesha is a male and not female, for some reason I had always thought of Ganesha as a female.

I also thought the part of the snake sacrifice was pretty interesting. If I recall I don't remember Narayan's version mentioned the part of Ganesha or snake sacrifice in Mahabharata. The whole beginning of the story revolve around the concept of karma. The beginning of the Mahabharata began with the aftermath of the snake sacrifice. Janamejaya finally agreed to release the snake and this where the part Vyasa tells the story have his companion recite the Mahabharata.

I really liked the details the book provided for the readers. I thought Buck's version emphasized more on the characters and gives people a clear glimpse of what characters or like. For instance, the part of Arjuna and how he was the best pupil of Drona. Arjuna is a skilled warrior. So far I like the characters of Ganesha and Arjuna. I wish we could learn more about Ganesha and his story.

Ganesha's elephant head: Ganesha

I posted a lot of pictures of Ganesha but I really like the pictures.