Week 5: Storytelling styles.

The first story telling method that I would like to talk about is having Vishnu as the storyteller. This would be great because Hanuman is one of Rama’s (a incarnation of Vishnu) biggest devotees and is also a god so he knows all about Hanuman and his life's tales. In this way, I could tell all of the stories through Vishnu’s perspective and have them all combine to show how helpful Hanuman was throughout his lifetime in helping Vishnu accomplish his mission of defeating Ravana as a human.
Source: The Brother's of Rama.

The second story telling method I thought of was using Hanuman as a role model for children these days. A lot of Hanuman’s stories have and can contain good morals that kids need to learn today. Most of Hanuman ‘s stories can be turned into children’s stories easily. One example is the story of when Hanuman is cursed by the sage of forgetting his powers. That story can be turned into a story for children to learn that they must not disrespect their elders and can turn into bad consequences for them.
Source: Tales of Ganesha.

The third story telling style I was thinking and was my favorite was telling it from the different gods perspective. Like the story of when Hanuman reaches for the sun, thinking it is a mango, can be told by the god of wind or Vayu. This storytelling style is my favorite because I actually got this idea from one of the storytelling projects I read earlier on this year. This project really kept me interested and I think it was really one of the best that I saw because it really kept me interested in the stories and I never felt like I needed a break.
Source: The Brother's of Rama.

The fourth storytelling style that I was thinking about doing a children's storybook, where one could find different stories that include different kinds of morale. This was one that caught my attention because I have read a lot of different children's stories that were written using many different styles.
Source: Vishnu's Bedtime Stories.

The last story telling style I chose was the TV show storytelling. I think this would be one of the more fun ideas because everyone is glued to their TVs nowadays and no one can live without it. It might be fun to see what a hanuman TV show would produce and show. This might also be one of the harder story telling style’s because it requires me to tell them in sequence like a TV show and I don’t think I have four Hanuman stories that can be put together like episodes of a TV show.
Source: How I met your mother.

Week 5 Storytelling: Bharatha's return to Ayodhya.

After King Dashratha passes away, Kaikeyi sends some men to brink bharatha and Shatrughna back from their grandfather’s place. She informs the messengers not to tell them about anything that had happened here in Ayodhya.

As the messengers reach Bharatha’s grandfather’s place, they tell Bharatha and Shatrugna that they have to return at once and that was an order from their mother.

The first thing that came out of Bharatha’s mouth was, “ Why? Has something gone wrong? Did we do something?” The messengers were told to stay quiet, so they didn’t respond. Bharatha and Shatrunghna got their stuff together and got ready to head home. When they entered the city, the city that used to be full of joy and happiness seemed to be gloomy and depressing. Bharatha turned to Shatrughna and asked, “ Something doesn’t feel right. Do you know what has happened?” Shatrughna shook his head in denial.

When they got to the palace, they went straight to Kaikeyi, who had ordered for the retrieval. As soon as they got to her, Bharatha asked, “ What is wrong, mother? How come you had us come back without anykind of other information? How come no one is telling us anything?” Kaikeyi replied, “It is because I have told them not to. I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that your father has passed away. And the good news is that before he died I used the two promises that your father owed me to crown you the king and exile Rama for fourteen years. “

Bharatha froze for a second in shock. How could the mother that had raised him to be such a sincere man asked for such a thing? How could she ask for one of her sons to go on exile? He turned to Shatrughna and asked, “Did you know anything about this?” Shatrughna answered, “ No, but why do you seem so upset with this.” Bharatha angrily said, “ What do you mean? I am upset because the mother that I thought always looked in the best interest of her sons, just asked one of her sons to leave all of his friends, family, and possessions and go live in a forest.” Shatrughna said, “ Don’t you see? She only did this for you. She still has the best interest in mind. She just didn’t want some one else to steal the opportunity from you.” Bharatha still angry said, “That someone that she stole this opportunity from was my brother and after she stole the opportunity from him, she sent him away on a punishment. What did he do wrong? He was the rightful heir to this throne and still will be. There is no way I will let my brother be exiled from his own kingdom. We shall go get him as soon as we complete father’s cremation ceremony.” He then turned toward his mother and seemed like he was going to say something, but nothing would come out. He just walked away in distress.

Bibliography
Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way.

 

Rama, Sita, Hanuman, and Rama's three brother, Lakshmana, Bharatha, and Shatrughna. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Author’s note

I really liked this story because it shows the true character of Bharatha and in this story I didn’t make any big changes because I really like the way that it was. The only real big change was that I added some of Bharatha’s and Shatrughna’s thoughts.

Week 5: Reading Diary B

In this part of the Ramayana, Ravana convinces his uncle, Maricha, to help him abduct Sita. So Maricha transforms into a golden deer and appears in front of Sita. Sita thinking it is the most beautiful thing ever; she wants it and sends Rama after it. Sita gets worried and sends Lakshmana to go help her husband, Rama. When she is by herself, Ravana comes in front of her disguised as an old man. He grabs her and is running away, trying to get back to the South. When Jatayu sees what is going on, he goes to go help Sita, but after fighting with Ravana, Ravana finally wins and cuts off Jatayu's wings.

Sita learns that Ravana had been cursed by Vaishravana's son, Nalakubara, to have his head explode if he ever raped another women. She learns this from Indra, who had brought her food in Lanka.

When Rama and Lakshmana return, they see Jatayu and he tells them what had happened before he dies. Hearing all of this, Rama and Lakshmana decide to head south and go find Sita and win her back. When they are heading south, they come across Savari, who tells them all about Vali, Sugriva, and Sugriva's best friend, Hanuman. She tells them all the details of their lives unto the point of who their parents are, how they obtain the powers they had, etc. She also tells them about the fight between the two brothers, Vali and Sugriva. Sugriva had trapped Vali in a cave under the impression the Vali might have been dead since he didn't appear for a really long time and this was the cause that Sugriva had been exiled from his kingdom. Rama hearing this goes to Sugriva and Hanuman and helps Sugriva fight and kill Vali. Seeing what had happened, Vali feels bad because of his anger and tells his son, Angada to help Rama.

Sugriva thanks Rama and tells him that they will continue the search for Sita as soon as the rainy season is over. He becomes very happy with recent power he has achieved and starts drinking all the time because he could and so when Hanuman comes to him after the rainy season he finds Sugriva drunk and have forgotten about his promise to Rama. Hanuman reminds him and gets him sober and they go meet Rama. Sugriva sends an army full of his men including Hanuman, Angada, and Jambavan, the king of bears in search of Sita. The men come to their one month deadline and still don't have anything, making them stressed. They knew that if they returned everyone would be disappointed with them.

Week 5: Reading Diary A

In this part of the Ramayana by William Buck, we start of with Dasharatha found passed away in bed after the exile of his son, Rama. Seeing this, Messangers are sent to have Bharatha and Shatrughna return back to Ayodhya. When they get back, they go to Kaikeyi, who tells them what had happened and explains her story. Bharatha becomes upset and at once tells everyone to get ready to go get Rama and Lakshamana back. So as soon as Dasharatha's funeral ceremonies are completed, Bharatha takes people of Ayodhya and the queens to go get his brother, Rama. In the forest where they are looking for Rama, they get the help of Gahu, the forest king, and Bhadrawaja, a hermit. Both of these people only accept to help because they sense that Bharatha's intentions are well and is trying to do the right thing. When they finally reach Rama, Rama refuses to go back. Bharatha asks Rama for his footwear so it can be placed on the throne for the duration of Rama's absences.

Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita are visiting the hermit, Atri, who tells them the story of Mandakarni. Mandakarni performed many rites that got him to be really powerful, to a point where the gods were even scared of him and so they sent five Apsuras to seduce and make sure he didn't do anything irrational with his power. They succeeded and lived in the lake in harmony.

During one summer, they meet the sage, Agastya, who warns them about entering the Dandaka forest. He tells them that a demon named, Ravana is the master and controls it.

One day when Rama is telling Sita a story, she is abducted by a demon named Viradha. Lakshmana and Rama manage to capture him and kill him, but before they do Viradha says he is actually a gandharva named Tumburu, who was cursed to live as a demon until Rama killed the demonic form of him.

As they continued to live in Panchavati, they meet Surpanakha, who is the sister of Ravana. She falls in love with Rama and tries to get Rama to marry her, but Rama refuses to. So she attacks Sita in jealousy. Seeing this, Lakshmana attacks Surpanakha and mutilates her. She runs to Ravana's army chief, Khara, who then attacks Rama and Lakshmana. When Rama and Lakshmana defeat Khara, she runs to Ravana and tells him her situation.