Story: Draupadi's Party and Kunti's Hundred Questions

"Make sure you're home by midnight," Kunti yelled at the five as they were leaving the house. 

"Always mom!" Yudhisthira yelled back. 

She thought they were going to a school fundraiser at a bowling alley but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Actually, Draupadi, the most popular girl in school, was having a party. It just happened that the five were all infatuated with her, each as convinced as the next that they had a chance with her. 

When they drove up on the house it was already packed, high school kids everywhere with their Solo cups in hand. Music was blaring from inside and someone was puking under a tree in front of the house. They walked through the door to people mingling everywhere. Draupadi instantly greeted them, "Hey guys! I'm so glad you all were able to make it. C'mon, let's get you some punch!" She shoved them towards the kitchen. 

Once they had their trusty Solo cups, they were ready to enjoy the party. They started to make their way around the house, stopping to talk to the people they knew. They were pretty well known at their school. Since all of them were highly athletic and good-looking every girl swooned over them. After downing the first three cups of punch you could say they were all feeling pretty good. It had reached that point in the night where everyone either loved everyone or wanted to fight everyone. A few jocks got into a fist fight and the boys had to separate them and call them rides home. Slowly, the party was coming to an end. 

At some point they had lost sight of Bhima but were all too intoxicated to really worry much about it. Soon enough, he reappeared wearing a giant smile on his face. Next, Arjuna vanished... the other four too busy dancing and enjoying the music to care. After Arjuna returned, suddenly Nakula was gone, and then Sahadeva, and then Yudhisthira. All were beaming once they returned. But no one asked what was going on, again a bit too wasted to care. 

Somewhere around four am Yudhisthira remembered to check his phone. He had fifteen missed calls and eight voicemails from their mother. His eyes widened as he stumbled over to Bhima... 

"Bh-hiima, Bhima... it'sss four am, we gotta go mom's so mad," he stuttered. 

Bhima laughed. "Calm down, Yud. You're too uptight. It's fine."

"No, no... really we hav-v-ve to go," he began to tug at Bhima's arm. 

"Let me drive you all home." Draupadi appeared, somehow completely sober.

The boy's faces instantly lit up and they agreed to let her drive them home. Once they got home they all thanked Draupadi for the great night and arranged a time to get their car tomorrow. She watched to make sure they got in alright, and then went back home to tend to the rest of her hammered guests and attempt to clean up some of the mess.

They walked through the door to find Kunti sitting at the dining room table, fuming. She raised her eyebrows, looked at the clock, then back at the boys. 

"So, five am is now the same as midnight? Would anyone care to explain your logic behind this?" 

The boys stood there silent.

"Tell me, Bhima, why is it you smell like alcohol?"

Bhima stared blankly at Kunti. 

"Fine, go to your room, now. What about you, Nakula, what went on tonight?"

Nakula didn't say a word, and just shook his head. 

"Get in bed," she scolded him. "Who's next? Sahadeva, ah... who were you actually with tonight?"

Sahadeva mumbled, "Just kids from school... that's all."

She dismissed him. "Arjuna, my sweet boy... which bowling alley were you at tonight?" 

Arjuna said nothing, scared of his mother's wrath.

He was sent to bed as well. She stopped at Yudhisthira, always the responsible one of the boys, and said, "Yud, this is so unlike you. Tell me, why did you boys decide to lie to me tonight?"

Yudhisthira trembled before her. "Mom, I tried to get them to leave... they were having so much fun and they-"

"Having so much fun bowling? So, this bowling alley serves alcohol to underaged kids do they? Well, I think that's illegal. And where is your car?"

"We were at Draupadi's, she had a party, I'm sorry that we lied. She drove us home and our car is parked at her house."

Kunti shook her head in disappointment. "You're grounded, just like your brothers. I can't believe the disrespect I was given tonight. Unbelievable!" And with that, Yudhisthira headed upstairs.

"Did you tell her?" Bhima asked. 

"Yeah, what was I supposed to do? We come home looking like crap and smelling like alcohol at five am. Clearly we weren't at a bowling alley."

"Gah, man... why do you always have to be such a momma's boy?" Arjuna complained. 

"Well, even though this night didn't end well... it was so worth it," Nakula smiled.

"What are you talking about?" Sahadeva asked.

"I made out with Draupadi. She told me I was the best kisser she'd ever met," he boasted.

The brothers all looked around at each other, stunned. 

"Yeah, I knew y'all would be jealous. I told you she was into me!" Nakula said.

"...Did we all make out with Draupadi tonight?" Yud asked.

They all nodded. They had been played, and now they were grounded. 

"Mom always told us to share with each other. At least we obeyed her once tonight!" Bhima joked.

High school, what a time to be alive. 

Author's note:
After reading the "Hundred Questions" chapter in the Mahabharata it reminded me of how mothers are always notorious for all their questions. If you don't remember that chapter, it's the chapter where Yuhishthira's father is asking the boys questions in the form of a deadly yaksha. They are all so thirsty that they don't take time to answer the questions before they drink and all but Yudhisthira die. Because Yudhisthira obeys and answers the questions he is able to live and is then able to bring his brothers back to life. I'm sure we can all relate to a time when our mothers had to know everything about our lives! My mother is still like that, and truly I don't mind. I've always said that if I went missing she would have no trouble finding me because she knows so much! I wanted to write a story on that but I thought it would also be fun to add in Draupadi. I thought the part of the epic involving Draupadi was so interesting and somewhat hilarious. Since they had to all share her as a wife in the epic, per their mother's wishes, I thought it would be funny if they all had to share her here as well. Of course it's in a bit different way, but I still wanted to incorporate it. I honestly think this is one of my best stories thus far. I was surprised at how easily the two parts molded together. I've found that making the epics more modern is an easy and efficient way to turn them into your own. I had a lot of fun writing this story and I hope it made you all laugh! 

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata 

(The boys and Draupadi)

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Part D

It was a bit sad how the epic ended up. Many died and Yudhistira, though he became king, was distraught over the fact that he killed so many people. He even wanted to exile himself for doing so. Krishna finally was able to talk Yudhistira into taking on the kingdom, though convincing him had been no easy task. Yudhistira appointed everyone to their duties, Bhima to be the yuvaraja, Bidura as his counsellor, Sanjay to the finances of the state, Bakula to be in charge of the register of the armed forces, Arjuna to defend the country, Dhaumya to be the Chief Royal Priest and Sahadeva to be his personal companion. This is a great example of something I struggle with in this epic, there are SO MANY characters! Truly it was a challenge to keep them all straight. Overall I would have to say I did enjoy the Ramayana better but both were truly interesting and gave me much more insight on India culture! (Also I have really enjoyed all the colorful pictures that go along with the pics! They're always so vibrant!)

(Yudhistira and Krishna)

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata 

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Part C

One of the chapters that's really stuck out to me so far was the "Hundred Questions" chapter. I love how there's always so much nature involved in these epics. The imagery in this chapter was also very appealing. I found it interesting the each brother still drank the water even though the voice warned each not to. Even though they could each (besides Nakula) clearly see the outcome of drinking the water without answering the questions- they could not ignore their thirst. When Yudhistira arrived and obeyed the yaksha, i found the questions and answers to all be very intriguing. While reading this it really reminded me of a mom berating their child with questions. I thought this could be a possible way for me to put a fun twist on the story. Maybe the brothers stayed out too late the night before and the moms asking typical mom questions like "Who were you with?" "What were you doing?" Where were you at?" Because I'm sure we have all been there and I'm sure we can all attest to the fact that moms can truly ask a hundred questions! 

Bibliography:

Narayan's Mahabharata 

(Yuhistira and the yaksha)

Week 5 Story: Adelaide

(Red Wine)

It was a Friday night, so of course Joe and his friends planned to go out on the town. Joe's family was very wealthy- owning many oil wells across the country. So Joe always picked up the tab for everyone. They walked into their usual spot on Friday nights - the Cosmopolitan - and grabbed some seats at the bar. The bartender, Frank, was already making Joe's whiskey on the rocks when he walked in. Joe was a regular there so all the staff knew him. 

"How's it going, buddy?" the bartender asked as he set down his drink in front of him. Joe took a sip of his whiskey and smiled. 

"Pretty good, man, just glad Friday's finally here." He was looking out the windows at the Oklahoma skyline when someone caught his eye.  

A beautiful woman, alone at the end of the bar sipping the last drop out of a huge glass of red wine. He asked the bartender what she was drinking and bought her another. Frank set the wine down in front of the woman. 

"Oh, I didn't order another. I was just going to ask for my tab!" 

He smiled. "The gentleman down there bought you another"- he nodded to Joe. 

Joe smiled at her and got up from his seat to talk to her. "Hi, I'm Joe. I couldn't help but buy a beautiful girl like you a drink! What's your name?" 

She smiled shyly. "Well, you're very kind to do so! I was actually about to head home soon, but I guess now I must stay at least to finish this wine. My name is Adelaide." She took a sip of her wine, glancing up at him with her giant emerald eyes. 

They talked and drank the whole night and he ordered an Uber for the both of them. They ended up spending the night in his loft. I'm sure you can guess how that went. The next morning she was still there sleeping next to him. This was a regular occurrence for Joe but never had he ever felt this way towards a woman. He even decided to make her breakfast.

A few weeks passed. They were still consistently spending time with one another. One evening she sat down at his table for dinner. Adelaide had been acting a bit odd. He poured her her favorite glass of red wine and she just stared at it the entire dinner. 

Finally Joe asked, "Not feeling the wine tonight?" 

She looked up from her plate, which was still full of food, and said, "I'm pregnant." 

Joe set down his utensils and tried to hide the shock from his face. "Oh. Okay, that's okay... Uhh well we can make a doctor's appointment tomorrow and we-" 

"It's okay, we don't have to keep it. I know it's not the time right now," she said. 

"No, Adelaide, I want this baby. I want you. We can have this family. I know that it's so soon, but I'm sure if you are." 

She  gave him a weak smile. "It just so scary. I feel like we just met... because well, we did." Joe reassured her that everything would work out and that he loved her no matter how little time they had spent together. 

***

Two months after that Adelaide and Joe got married and nine months from then their son was born. He was so strong and handsome. They named him Maddox and he was perfect in every way. After a couple days they were able to bring Maddox home and get him settled. Joe was puzzled when none of Adelaide's family had showed up to witness the birth of Maddox and when he inquired about it Adelaide just brushed it under the rug and said she just hadn't talked to her family in years. Joe didn't think much of this but for some reason he had felt uneasy about not knowing that part of her life. So he began to do some research. He found no one under her name. Which he found extremely strange. So he hired someone to look into her life further. Turns out Adelaide was not even her name. Her name was Heather. She was born in Germany and had spent time in jail there. In fact she was serving a death sentence when she escaped. They never found her, since she fled to the US incognito. But why? Why was she serving a death sentence? The investigator pulled out her record and showed him. She was charged for the death of seven infants. Joe's mouth dropped and he began to hyperventilate. He told Adelaide he had a work meeting and would be home late this evening meaning she was still home alone with Maddox. Before the investigator could utter another word Joe was out the door and on his way home. He didn't know how he would handle the situation but he knew he had to get Maddox away from her. 

He walked in the garage door and Adelaide greeted him with a kiss. He faked a smile. "Where's my boy?" 

"Asleep in his crib!" Joe rushed to his room with Adelaide following behind him. 

"Honey, what's wrong? Don't wake him. I just got him to sleep!" 

He grabbed Maddox and held him against his chest, his eyes wet with tears. 

"Would you like to tell me who you really are, Heather?" 

Adelaide's face fell, as she began to back away from Joe. She shook her head and ran. She took nothing with her and never returned again. That was the last Joe or anyone saw of her. 

Author's note:

I thought the story about Santanu (Joe) and Ganga (Adelaide/Heather) who drowned all seven of her children and kept the eighth was extremely disturbing but also intriguing. I thought it would be interesting to write a murder mystery kind of story modeled after the Mahabharata. I'm sure you can tell by reading some of my other stories that I really like to try to modernize these stories. I feel like it makes it easier to understand them and remember the details of the story if I can make it more relatable to my life today. I would really like to have been able to elaborate more on this story but I'm trying to do better at staying within the word count requirements! I think maybe I may end up writing another part to this. It ends kind of abruptly but that makes it more of a cliffhanger that way. I think keeping stories short and sweet definitely makes them better but I also feel like I had to speed through this story. This isn't my typical style of story so it allowed me to test my horizons a bit. I'm eager to start revising this story. I hope you all enjoyed the story! 

Bibliography: Narayan's Mahabharata 

Reading Notes: The Mahabharata Part A

Whoa. There are a ton of characters in this epic. And to make it even more confusing their names are even similar... (Amba, Ambika and Ambalika for example). That reminded me of my great aunts who were named Reeva, Rita and Reeba. I was astonished by how many sexual encounters were going on here. It seemed that the top priority was to make sure that the dynasty lived on and that there was an heir to the throne. They were desperately trying to pop out sons in order to keep their kingdom alive! So far it has also been very dark. Like with Ganga drowning every child she had and then letting the eighth live but sentencing him to a life of celibacy. Or also, it was pretty morbid when Pandu died because the curse placed upon him (during intercourse, yikes) and then his wife Madri killed herself as well. So far this isn't much of a feel good story. I haven't thought of ways to make it my own just yet but I might attempt to give them each a bit happier endings. This reminded me of how I used to tell stories as a child... I would end every story with "and then they died." Comical as a little girl but not the best ending for a story. Also I wanted to note that my friend pointed out that in the beginning of the first chapter when Ganga drowned the children in the river it reminded him of the lady of the lake who is in many fairytales. He said that this story in particular was a lot like the Irish fairytale. He told me as well about all the fairytales in which the disney moves like Cinderella, Snow White and The Little Mermaid were based off of and how all of them ended morbidly. I found that super intriguing and was able to relate to how Disney changed these stories to make them appealing to us and turned them into movies. I feel like this is very similar to what we are doing in this class with manipulating the stories to make them more of our own!

Bibliography: (I didn't know where to find the link to Narayan's Mahabharata.)

(The Lady of the Lake)

Feedback Focus

Focus technique one was my favourite. I actually already use this technique. I always find it hard for me to stay focused while reading, my mind always wonders to other things so reading out loud usually helps me stay on task a bit better. I also like to pretend I am reading to another person which helps me because I really have to try to portray the story in a way someone would understand and be interested in. I've found that this method works best for me. 

I thought the second technique was really unique. I think if I combined it with the first technique it may really be beneficial for me. Note-taking is also something I have struggled with in the past. I have a hard time picking out what is REALLY important to jot down. But just jotting down thoughts you have while reading is a great idea. I think this technique could be very helpful to me down the road with reading assignments. 

I didn't like the last technique as much as the other two. Being timed usually doesn't help me. I get anxious and end up wondering how much time I have left instead of focusing. I'm not the fastest reader so I would end up trying to beat the clock rather than really honing in and focusing on the material I'm reading. Overall, the first technique seemed to work best for me. They are all great ideas for ways to stay focused, and I know I need to learn to stay on task more!

(Cute Dory Meme)

Portfolio Introduction

I decided to go with a portfolio so I'll be able to keep my creativity flowing with new stories and new ideas! If I chose the storybook I'm afraid my writer's block would have kicked in full force! I think this will allow me to really explore all different types of stories!

Bachelor in Paradise (Indian Edition)
If you're a hopeless romantic who's into reality shows, this story is for you. If you've never seen Bachelor in Paradise, you should watch an episode. Check out my spinoff from the show and let me know what you think!

Draupadi's Party and Kunti's Hundred Questions
Ever wondered what the Pandava sons would be like in modern-day high school? Say no more because here is your answer. This is my personal best so please read away! Leave me some comments!

Adelaide
If you're a sucker for suspense then this story is right up your alley. This story is based off the chapter of the Mahabharata about Shantanu and Ganga. I found it very intriguing that Ganga drowned all her children but one and decided to modernize the story.

The Sea Turtle and Whale
Do you like Finding Nemo? Then this story is for you!!! Come on a fun little journey with Ruth and Eugene full of love and acceptance! 

Sita's Rebellion 
Are you ready to see Sita stand up for herself? Well here you go. Read about how Sita chooses freedom over love. 

Story: The Lion King Ramayana

(Rama and Ravana)

It was at the brink of sunrise when Rama reached Ravana's kingdom, he and Lakshama moved with stealth through the tall grass of the Savannah. Shadows were cast over his land even as the sun broke the horizon. They could see Ravana's lair in the distance, where Rama hoped Ravana was holding his one true love, Sita. Ravana had always been jealous that Rama had acquired his fathers kingdom and not him. Since Ravana was the kings brother he had expected to rule the kingdom once he passed. But instead the kingdom was handed down to Rama. Because of his jealousy he had taken the one thing that meant the most to Rama, his queen Sita. After traveling through the heat without much water for two days Rama and Lakshama had finally reached their destination. Though Ravana had the hyenas on his side- Rama had every animal in the Savannah on his side. 

As they neared the lair they heard the chatter and hysterical laughter of hyenas. They couldn't be seen or else they would alert Ravana and their entire sneak attack plan would be ruined. So they made sure to walk very carefully- focusing on each step, just as when they stalked their prey. Finally they had reached the rock formation. Rama placed one paw on the rock and began to climb up towards the lair. That is when they were spotted by Ravana's little minions. They began screaming up to Ravana, "Ravana Ravana your nephew has come to take back his wife! Wake up you must stop him!"

That is when he saw her. Sita ran out of the lair and looked down at Rama, eyes wide with terror and hope. She let out a roar of relief and Rama began to climb faster. Ravana had her shackled to his lair so she couldn't escape. Rama reached her and began to bite at her shackles trying his hardest to release her from them when out of the shadows came Ravana. His shaggy black mane hung over the scar on his left eye. He dangled a key in his claws, "Aw... the brave hero is here to save the love of his life. Isn't that sweet?" the hyenas cackled all around them. "Let her go Ravana and I will leave you be," Rama snarled through his huge white teeth. "Did you think it would be that simple sweet nephew?" They were now face to face, yellow eyes wide baring their teeth at one another. "Go on, hit me. You won't hit your dear uncle, you're too weak," Ravana taunted Rama. "Lakshama, protect Sita," Lakshama nodded and did as his brother wished. 

"I didn't come here for a fight Ravana," Rama said as they circled one another on the rock. "Oh, I know you didn't, after killing your father I know it would be hard for you to have to blame yourself for another family member's death..." Ravana smirked. Rama roared into Ravana's face waking up all the animals in the Savannah. He launched himself forward and ontop of Ravana. They went tumbling, claws and teeth meeting fur and skin- off of the rock and into the tall grass below. Rama was on top a mouthful of Ravana's mane in his mouth. Ravana slapped him across the face, catching his left eye with his massive claws. Rama roared in distress. Ravana was now on top blood gushing from his forehead into his eyes. He had his paws pressed into Rama's chest and his teeth sunk into Rama's left paw. Sita watched from above screaming for Lakshama to help him. Lakshama could not leave his sister-in-laws side, he had made a promise to protect her. Rama heard Sita's cries from above and with his vision blurred shoved Ravana off of him. He charged him and grabbing him by the neck and pressing him into the earth. Ravana began choking and laughing, he hissed through the pain... "You won't kill me Rama. You're too weak." Rama looked up and they were surrounded by hyenas. They had all realized one thing, Ravana was not who he said he was. He had promised them he would rule the kingdom one day and that they would be with him on his rise to king. They were all closing in, hysterical laughter echoing from all around. Rama let go of Ravana and said, "You're right, I'll let them do it instead." They parted to make room for Rama to walk through and then closed the circle on Ravana. Rama limped slowly back up to the lair where Lakshama and Sita were perched watching as he heard Ravana's screams quiet until the only sound was of snapping jaws and ripping skin. He knew it was over.

When he reached Sita, Lakshama had already freed her from the shackles. She cried, "I thought I was going to lose you, I was so helpless up here I'm so glad yo-" Rama interrupted her. "Sita, you have been living with my uncle. I know his deceitful ways and I cannot trust that he did not take advantage of you." "...but Rama i would nev-" "It does not matter, we are through. I have saved you, you are free. You may go now." Sita looked at him puzzled. "Wait," she said. She roared to the heavens and Rafiki appeared, "Rafiki, Rama is worried I have betrayed him, please prove to him that I am still pure and that we can still be together." Rafiki cracked a coconut and slathered it across Sita's forehead. He looked at Rama, "If she is impure, the dust I spread across her forehead will turn red. If she is still pure it will stay a golden color like her fur," Rafiki let the dust slip through his fingers and onto her forehead, it remained a golden color. Rama let out a sigh of relief and embraced his wife. He purred, "I won't ever lose you again, I am so sorry Sita." She smiled and kissed his cheek, "It is okay my love, let's go back  to the kingdom and share with everyone the good news of my return." Rama, Lakshama, Rafiki and the hyenas all made the trek back to the kingdom to celebrate Sita and Rama's love. 

Author's note:

Well, this was a bit of a stretch really, I was just trying to find a new way to manipulate this part of the Ramayana and make it my own. As I hope you figured out, it is based off The Lion King. I don't know how that idea popped into my head, but I thought changing them into animals would be fun and then somehow I ended up with The Lion King! I hope you all enjoyed reading it!

Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.

(Rama and Sita)

Reading Notes: The Ramayana Part D

Wow, what an intriguing ending. This epic was embellished with so much imagery and action which made me truly love it. I LOVE the Interlude. I read someone's story they wrote based on the interlude about how Sita had to prove herself to Rama by stepping into the fire and I loved the twist they put on it. I would like to work my magic on this part as well and see what I can come up with. I think there are so many details leading up to that moment and the suspense build up is off the charts. I also feel her walking through a fire is so poetic, just goes to show the crazy things people will do for the ones they truly love. I found it so odd that Rama spent all that time and effort to save Sita just to tell her they could never live together again, however I am glad they ended up together. In the student story I read Sita actually left Rama since he doubted her. It was very empowering and I liked that alternate ending. I need to brainstorm some more but I think maybe I could add an even bigger twist to this part of the story!! I think I will do a portfolio for the class project so I'm eager to write a strong story for my portfolio this week!! 

I thought this picture showing Sita's fire test was really neat. I love the colors used here. 

(Sita's Fire Test)

Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.

Story: Bachelor in Paradise (Indian Edition)

(Bachelor in Paradise)

Sita walks down the steps and the four people greet her. She's wearing a baby pink skin-tight dress, that has spaghetti straps and a low-cut V down the front. It's adorned with iridescent sequins on both sides. Her hair is done up in giant braids all over her head and she's wearing the most beautiful smile. Rama is the first to greet her, beyond elated as he was hoping she would be on the show as well. They had history together previously and had broken it off because it just "wasn't the right time," though neither would admit it to the other they are still madly in love. Lakshamana, Rama's brother, is there as well as Mareecha and Ravana. The men are more than happy to see a woman- their first chance at love in paradise. But they all knew of Rama and Sita's previous relationship so this put a damper on things. Lakshamana would never dare try to come on to Sita, though, since he knows the love his brother Rama has for her. As for Ravana and Mareecha, neither one is fond of Rama, so winning over Sita's heart is at the top of their list. 

After dinner Ravana and Mareecha (Ravana's sidekick if you will) are having some whiskey on the beach. 

"Did you see Sita when she walked in tonight?" Ravana says while watching the waves crash on the shore. 

"Yeah, dude, she's a stunner," Mareecha replies.

"I know that her and Rama have history, but I'm gonna try to win her over- it shouldn't be too difficult."  

Mareecha suddenly has a bright idea. "I could invite Rama to a game of pool and you could steal Sita away for a drink?" 

Ravana's in love with this plan and wishes to execute it immediately. 

They find Sita, Rama and Lakshamana in the hot tub chatting. 

"We were wondering if you all would like to join us for a game of pool?" Mareecha asks. 

"Sure!" Rama says as he steps out of the tub and helps Sita out. 

It's at this moment Soorpanaka walks in. She's breathtaking, wearing a deep green off the shoulder dress with huge blue jewels hanging around her neck that match the color of her eyes. Soorpanaka's Ravana's sister.

 "Ayyyyyyy sis!!!" Ravana runs up to her and embraces her in a bear hug. "My little sis isn't allowed to look this beautiful." 

She laughs, punching him in the arm. "Oh quit!!" That is when she saw Rama for the first time. She's stricken with love in that very moment. She whispers to Ravana, "Who is that?" 

"Oh, Rama? He's in love with Sita, not even worth a second glance." 

"And I'm assuming Sita would be the woman whose hand he's holding?" 

"Yes, she arrived this morning and I am determined to be with her." 

Soorpanaka giggles. "Oh and you're telling me I have no chance with Rama? Let's tag team them and get what we want."

Ravana prances up to Sita and asks if she'd like to have a drink with him. Seeing no harm in a drink, she agrees. They stroll along the beach, watching the crabs walk across the sand and dart back into the sea.

 "So you and Rama... is that still a thing? Have you all seen anyone else since each other?" 

Sita pauses. "I don't know, it's all been so complicated. I truly care for him but it's hard when it just doesn't feel like the time is right for us. Have you ever experienced that?" 

Ravana manages to let out a sigh. "Yes, unfortunately, I have been there. It's just so hard to know what your heart desires but to feel like you can't have it. I'm sorry you're going through that." 

"Yes, exactly! I am so glad you get me! It's just been so hard." Sita shakes her head. 

Ravana, getting a bit too hopeful at this moment, thinks he's winning her over with his completely relatable story, and confidently blurts... "Well, whenever you think you're ready to move on, I'll be here waiting." 

Sita immediately realizes what's happened and sets Ravana straight, "Oh no, I'm sorry, Rav, but I love Rama. I only came here for another chance with him." 

Ravana, in attempting to not to let his anger show through,  smiles. "I completely understand and only want what's best for you!"

Meanwhile, it's obvious to Mareecha and Lakshamana that Soorpanaka is flirting with Rama but he seems not to notice. Probably because he's lost in daydreams of Sita. 

"What do you do for fun? Probably work out all the time," she says as she grabs his biceps and laughs. "You're so buff!" 

Rama chuckles. "I do hit the gym every week but I also love hunting." 

"Ohhh I love venison! Can you cook me up some sometime?" she says adoringly. Here comes Sita, gliding in and ruining everything. Rama's face lights up as she walks over and sits on his lap. He wraps his arms around her. 

Soorpanaka smiles at Ravana, "Don't they make such a lovely couple?" 

***

As the days pass Soorpanaka and Ravana watch the ones they love fall deeper and deeper in love with one another. Time crawls by but Soorpanaka and Ravana are too fixated on Rama and Sita to give anyone else a chance. At the Rose Ceremony on the fifth night, it's the ladies' turn to give roses out to the men they want to keep in paradise. 

Soorpanaka's called first. In her last try to win over Rama, she calls his name. "Rama, will you accept this rose?" 

He shakes his head and says, "I'm sorry, Soorpanaka, but I can't take this rose from you- I love Sita." 

Soorpanaka's enraged and throws the rose down and runs off crying. Because Soorpanaka offered her rose to Rama, no one received her rose. Therefore not only she but Ravana and Mareecha must leave as well. They're all livid and leave without love. But as for Rama and Sita they found love before paradise and were able to rekindle that flame thanks to the show. 

Bibliography

Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.

Author's Note:

I don't know if any of you have watched the show Bachelor in Paradise but when I read of this love square in the Ramayana I immediately thought of the show. The show is a spin-off from The Bachelor/Bachelorette. And if you've never seen THAT, well, basically one person goes on the show to meet about 25 other people and at the end of the show they pick one to marry. Kinda crazy, right, but entertaining- for sure! There is always so much drama with someone liking who someone else likes, or someone else asking someone on a date who's already in a relationship with someone else. When I read this part of the Ramayana, Bachelor in Paradise immediately came to my mind! So, I had to switch it up and pretend they were a part of paradise. If you haven't seen the show you should totally watch it sometime! It is so entertaining, dumb- but entertaining. I thought that this would be a fun addition to my portfolio. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Soorpanaka wasn't brutally beaten by Lakshama as in the epic so it's definitely not as gruesome. I think that it turned out pretty comical and that is what I was aiming for! 

Reading Notes: The Ramayana- Part C

There was a great story in the chapter Vali. It told of the misunderstandings between two brothers Vali and Sugreeva- monkeys. They were not typical monkeys though, they knew right from wrong so they were not just animals. And Vali was blessed by Shiva with unlimited strenght. In Vali's fight with Mayavi he had disappeared and upon his return had mistaken Sugreeva's actions to find Vali and make sure he was okay. Vali brutally beat his brother causing him to run away and then stealing his wife. Sugreeva asked for Rama's help to defeat his brother. I think that this could become such an interesting story. Brother's are always fighting I could turn this into a less serious quarrel between young kids. I liked this chapter because in the end Vali was able to realize what he had done and was able to be forgiven for his actions. Rama treated him as more than a monkey and he was honored because of it!

(Rama, Sugreeva and Vali)

Bibliography

Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.

Reading Notes: The Ramayana- Part B

I absolutely loved these two chapters. In the first, Encounters In Exile- I was so intrigued by Kamavalli's (Soorpanka) determination to be with Rama. She was described with so much beauty and captivating qualities that I was sure there had to be a catch somewhere. And then once she did not have her way with Rama and was all sliced up by Lakshmana she proceeded to go to her brother Ravana for help. I found it interesting though, that she turned the story all around to make it appear that she had seen Sita and wanted her for her brother. This was very clever of Soorpanka- since she didn't want to reveal to her brother her real emotions towards Rama since Rama was out to kill all of them. One of my favourite parts was when Mareecha morphed into a golden deer with hooves adorned with jewels. The imagery in this part of the book was off the charts. (And I am a sucker for imagery because it really pulls me into a story.) Rama, so love stricken for Sita- obeys her wish you retrieve the animal for her. And as we know, this is only a ploy to get Sita alone so that Ravana can take her, as he is stricken with love for her. All the while this entire plan was set up by Soorpanka who is madly and desperately in love with Rama. Whew, what a love square we have going on here!!

I think I have an abundance of info here to use for my story for this week. I could twist and manipulate the plot in countless ways to really be able to make it my own. I could make it more modern and have them all go to a counseling session- as I have seen other students do in some of their stories. I could maybe pretend they're all celebrities and then have them on a talk show like Ellen. Or even better, have you ever heard of Bachelor In Paradise? It's a show based on The Bachelor/Bachelorette where all these singles go to paradise to find love and there's always a ton of drama. I could put them in that type of setting and really be able to run with it I think. The possibilities are really endless and I can't wait to see what I can conjure up this week!!

(Ravana vs. Jatayu)

Bibliography 

Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.

Feedback Thoughts

Michael Scott Feedback Meme

Personally, I've never had an issue with feedback. I think for the most part I enjoy giving it and receiving it. For instance, I am a very open book and am drawn to deep conversations with anyone. I'm not afraid to share emotions I feel in the depths of my heart or discuss difficult topics with someone. I think in all of my friendships I give and receive plenty of feedback and I think I'm fairly good at accepting "constructive criticism". 

However, I understand that feedback isn't everyone's favourite thing. I think though, that it is all in the way you word it as the articles we read have stated. The first article, "5 Tips For Taking Feedback Like A Champ" I really liked the point they made about growth areas. If someone points out an area in your life where you are maybe slacking a bit- don't let it discourage you, let it empower you to do better, to try harder to achieve your goals. I am guilty of having a fixed mindset, where I don't try when I am challenged but this is an area where I need to push myself to grow into someone with a growth mindset! 

I love almost anything to do with Psychology so the second article was super interesting to me! In "Why Rejection Hurts So Much- And What To Do About It", I learned that evolutionary psychologists think that the sting of rejection stems from the days when we were hunters and gatherers. Back then you simple could not survive on your own, so if you were exiled (or rejected by your group) it was a death sentence. That same feeling we feel today when someone rejects us, is just a part of who we are. I found that idea very intriguing, and I never would have thought about that on my own!!

I liked how in "Prescence Not Praise: How To Cultivate a Healthy Relationship with Achievement" the point was made that when a child is praised all the time they think they don't have to try as hard anymore. Praising a child for difficult tasks like sharing and saying "thank you" is good, and pushes them to do better. But if you praise a child constantly they have no incentive to try harder to achieve goals set by their parents! I thought this was a really good point and I know a lot of parents who praise their children for anything and everything. I am sure I am guilty of it too. But just to be there and support the child and comment on a picture they're drawing is enough to encourage them to keep going. We don't have to shower them with praise 24/7!

In the last article "The Difference Between Praise That Promotes Narcissism vs. Healthy Self-Esteem", I learned that focusing on the fact that a child "worked really hard" to achieve something rather than is "very smart" is extremely important. The point was made that if you praise a child for being smart, when they fail they will just assume they're stupid. Now if you praise them for their hard work, the next time they fail they will know they just must work harder! This really puts feedback into perspective for me. Simply watching how you word your praise is so important to facilitate the correct response! 

Story: Jessie Marie & Robert Gerald O'Leary

(Personal Image of Jessie Marie)

It was July 18th, 1931 in Arkansas. Jessie lived here with her mother, father and two sisters. She was 16, beautiful, tall, with short brown hair framing her face. She was never one to get all dolled up like her sisters because she would rather be outside playing some sort of sport with the boys who lived close by. They all knew her, and secretly all loved her but she wasn't interested in them in that way. Jessie spent most of her days riding her pony, Dolly, her daddy got her a few years back. She had raised her from a filly and they had a bond like nothing anyone had ever seen. Jessie would lie on her back, feet dangling on either side of Dolly reading a book nearly every day. This was her escape from everything else and where she felt the most at peace. 

One evening Jessie took Dolly out for a ride at dusk. She never rode with a saddle, always bareback because it felt more free that way- to both Jessie and Dolly. They took off through the pasture, Jessie twisting her hands in Dolly's mane and squeezing her legs around her torso to ensure she didn't fall off, they moved as one. Her hair was rising and falling with the movement of Dolly's legs across the earth. Usually Jessie could predict Dolly's every move but tonight Dolly had something else in mind. Their pasture was surrounded by a thick forrest- with barbed wire around their land to keep in Dolly and keep out anything else (most of the time). As they ran towards the fence, Jessie was leaning to the left of Dolly preparing for the turn they always made at the end. But Dolly wasn't slowing. Once Jessie realized what was about to happen she wrapped her arms around Dolly's neck and braced for the jump. Dolly almost cleared the fence but caught her left back foot on the top wire, sending Jessie flying and hitting her head on a rock. She rubbed the back of her head and sat up dizzily, nothing was broken as far as she could tell. She looked around to find Dolly a little ways in the distance clearly spooked. Dolly limped over to Jessie and she placed her hand on her nose to comfort her, running it from her muzzle to her forehead and back again. Dolly let out a sigh and Jessie said "There, there girl, it's okay. Everything's gonna be alright." She walked around to Dolly's side to look at her foot. Her fur right above her hoof was stained red from blood but from what Jessie could tell the cut wasn't too deep. Dolly still refused to put pressure on her foot though. Jessie would have to lead her home, so they began to walk towards the gate to get back into their pasture. The sun had just sunk behind the trees and the silver moon began to light their way. She knew that at a walking speed it would take them at least ten minutes to reach home, she didn't want to push Dolly to go faster though- so they took their time. 

She heard something brushing through the grass behind them and turned to look, nothing. They kept walking, Jessie wasn't worried because she always carried her knife with her... just in case. A little bit later she heard the noise again and this time Dolly's ears shot up and she held her head high- alert. This is when she saw something off in the distance, four wolves. Typically they would have run by now so they must be desperately hungry. Jessie tried to hop on Dolly but she couldn't support her weight. Surely the wolves would just give up... right? To her right she heard another noise, the sound of hooves beating the ground. A young man road through on a black horse scaring the wolves back into the forrest. He road up to Jessie and asked "Are you okay miss?" To which she replied "Yes, we were actually doing just fine. And who might you be? Daddy wouldn't like a strange young man trespassing on his land." As he dismounted his horse he said "Oh of course, I am sorry- my name is Robert Gerald O'Leary." He stuck out his hand to shake Jessie's, "Ah nice to meet you, Robert- what exactly are you doing here?" "I just moved here a week ago from California actually, I live just up the road and was going for a ride when I noticed those wolves tormenting you and your girl, is everything alright?" "California huh? Didn't know ya'll even rode there. And yes, she will be alright- the fool jumped the barbed wire and didn't clear it... sometimes she's a little overconfident." He smiled, "I wonder where she gets that from? Do you ladies need us to walk you back home? You know, just to make sure you don't get eaten or anything." Jessie laughed, "I have grown up here my entire life, I would have been perfectly fine without your help. I have the knife my daddy gave me and I know how to use it." His eyes widened, "Oh so you planned to fight off a pack of wolves with just a knife?" She stared at him confidently, "Yes. And I'm sure I could fight you off with a knife just as well."

***

The next morning Jessie woke with a headache and ran out to check on Dolly's ankle. And there he was. The boy from the night before... standing with her father? "Jessie, come meet Robert! I figured since I'm getting old, he could help out around here a bit. He just moved in right up the street."Jessie smiled, "Yes daddy, I actually met him last night." Robert boasted, "I saved her from a pack of hungry wolves, sir!" Jessie shook her head, but couldn't deny that twinge of something stirring in her gut. His green eyes caught hers- blue, as she tried to hide her smile. "Guess I'll be seeing you quite often, Jessie." he said as he shook her hand, for the second time.

Authors note:

After reading the story about Sita and Rama I wanted to write a love story. Well I always wanna write a love story. This is kinda a stretch but it's actually combined with a true story. My great grandmother's (we called her Big Granny) name was Jessie Marie. In her old age she would retell stories over and over but I didn't mind at all. One story was of a man named Robert Gerald O'Leary who was her boyfriend for a brief time in high school. She told me that every day at school he would do her homework for her, and about how smart he was. Unfortunately he married someone else and went off to war and my grandmother never saw him again before she passed. But she definitely never forgot him after all those years. I felt like it would be neat to write a story using her and him because she clearly felt some intense emotions for him (much like Sita and Rama) to be still telling their story nearly 90 years later. Dolly, was actually my Granny's pony (Jessie's daughter) because I am actually not sure what the name of my great grandmothers pony was! At the end I had Jessie's father hire Robert to relate it to how Sita's father challenge Rama to shoot the bow and arrow in order to have her hand in marriage. Hope you enjoyed it!

Bibliography:

Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.