Epics in India: Week 1

Showing posts with label Week 1. Show all posts

Monday, January 19, 2015

Week 1: Famous Last Words

During this past week, I feel like I have learned so much about blogging. This is my first blog ever because I generally don't feel the need to document everything that goes on in my life. However, it is really different to be doing this for an assignment. As for school work, I would much rather do this then a lot of other assignments I have done in the past. This week, I really enjoyed the story retelling assignment. When I was younger I would waste all my parents' printer paper trying to make book. I think this semester will be fun minus the reading but that's expected for me. This class is really going to expand my imagination. Some of the stories I have read so far are more intriguing because they have a broader creativity skills. My other classes are going okay. This class has by far had the most work already though. On a great note, I had a great weekend! I love whenever the weather is pleasant! Everyone is out and about exercising and giving our lungs fresh air! I went to the OU vs OSU men's bball game and we crushed them. Thank God because I can't take another lose to them this year in my presence. My little corgi and I had so much ball time. She is so pooped! Love my Carmi so here is another pic of her :)

(Carmi stole my seat photo by Rachelle Ward)

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Storybook favorites

The first storybook I looked at was called Stories of an Elephant-headed God. I choose this because the title made me laugh! The God's name is Ganesha. His elephant-head was created for protecting his mother. The God had honorable traits such as using his large ears to listen to the people with compassion. One day, Ganesha's dad came home and did not recognize his son and murdered him. This was just the beginning of these elaborate stories this storybook shares. It is an unbelievable tale that would be a hard to believe.

The second story book I found was Women Reincarnated. I found this book interesting because the concept of reincarnation fascinates me. I do not understand how a person can think they can be reborn again in a different form. The believes that exist in India are very different, and this book gives a good insight into these differences. This book has several stories about different women who share their experiences of reincarnation. Each woman gives personal detail about themselves in their tales.

The third story book I chose was 1000 ways to die. I choose this book because it just sounded crazy. I also found this book ironic because death does not seem to be as big of a deal in India as it is in the United States. My favorite article of the story book is called Arrow Through the Bone Marrow. The tale is about a king named Ravana, who was intrigued by death because he was a warrior who fought against Rama because he had stolen his wife. Rama and Ravana battled back in forth in hopes to murder the other, but the other would always succeed in turning the tables on the other. Until one day, Rama finally succeeded in killing Ravana. He had won his trophy back again.

( A photo of the Elephant-headed God: Ganesha

Elephant-headed God )

Overiew: India Topics

I have never studied Indian culture, epics, or visited anywhere out of the United States actually. I would love to one day; I just haven't had the chance! Indian culture seems so complex with legends, myths, and all kinds of different philosophies. I enjoy the Indian music in the Maati Baani video. Their music had a message that was actually worthwhile, not just some garbage like the rap culture in the United States' recent generation has clung to. Music is suppose to be beautiful. It's an art to be used as a tool to connect people to each other. I am also interested in learning about Buddha, incarnation, and royalties.

(Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana in the forest

Photographer:Indischer Maler von

Indian Epics Resources

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Introduction: About Rachelle!

Hello!

My name is Rachelle Ward. Good luck trying to pronounce that. I am a senior in the Health and Exercise Science program at the University of Oklahoma. My favorite season is summer because I love to be by the pool, go to the beach, and play golf. "The worst day on the golf course is better than the best day at work/school." However, I absolutely love fall in Oklahoma. OU football is one of my obsessions. Sometimes I can be too serious about it. I am a member of Sigma Alpha Lambda on campus. It is an academic club. I really enjoy school for some reason. This semester I am taking Principles of Health and Exercise, Chronic Disease Intervention, Spanish, and Women and Gender Studies. I could be considered a feminist :) I am also a pre-med student. I am basically still undecided on that though. I love the idea of the job, but I am not sure it has enough of a family vs. job balance that I am looking for. That being said, I love my family. I would do anything for them. Loyalty describes my family to a T. I cannot stand to read. I only do it when I have to like for school. However, my favorite movies are anything with Kevin Hart in it. Lastly, I have a Corgi named Carmi. She is my best friend. I have turned into a home body because I love being around her. Our favorite activity is playing fetch. She could play nonstop for hours. Being that corgis are herding dogs she may bite your ankles, or even your booty! But I have been trying to make her not do that since she was 6 weeks. It's been a process. She is just so cute. Only the lucky ones get to meet her.

I am a believer of God so to close: "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

A picture of Carmi I got when I was doing homework and she got on my table! I guess she thought I wasn't paying enough attention to her.

Week 1 Storytelling: King of the Jungle

There once was a lion who was preying on a unicorn. When the lion was about to catch the unicorn, the unicorn disappeared into thin air. He had used his magic. The unicorn reappeared standing behind the lion. The unicorn laughed and uttered, "I thought you were supposed to be the king of the jungle." The lion responded in anger, "I am!!" He then proceeded to challenge the unicorn to a contest that would determine who was the fastest, strongest, and smartest of all the animals in the land. The unicorn accepted his challenge without hesitation as he thought he could win. The contest consisted of a race in order to measure the speed of each animal, pulling large branches to measure their strength, and a preying contest to determine who could outsmart the other animal in order to feed themselves and their families. Rumors of the contest spread like wild fire throughout the forest. Animals from all kinds of places in the forest made the trek to be apart of the event. As the animals arrived, they came bringing gifts for the contenders. Some sneaky animals offered the lion and the unicorn unhealthy snacks in order to fatten up their opposition. However, the generous animals brought them both healthy snacks to help the contenders be at their peak conditioning level in order to win. The lion and the unicorn had to be aware of their friends and their foes. Alas, the day of the event had arrived. The lion won the race with ease. The unicorn was no match for the lion in this category. However, the unicorn gave the lion a good scare in the strength event. The unicorn was one log away from beating the lion, but in attempting to beat the lion, the unicorn fell and injured his horn. The contest had to take a break to let the unicorn gain his strength back. During the break the lion was acting conceited, as if the other animals did not deserve his presence. Meanwhile, the unicorn had become irritated by his losing position, and was so unpleasant none of the animals wanted to be around him either. By the time the contest had resumed, the observing animals had created a plan of their own. The only event left was the preying contest which is where the lion's abilities lacked against the unicorn. However, not to the knowledge of the lion or the unicorn, the new intentions of the other animals was to get the lion and the unicorn out of the forest because they both were unpleasant to be around. The animals of the forest accomplished tricking them both into doing the preying contest in a far far away land outside of the forest. So when the lion finally caught the unicorn despite it's magic, the lion was crowned the king of the forest, but no on was around to celebrate and praise him. Nobody likes a lion that cannot win with grace and an unicorn who is a sore loser.

(The Lion and the Unicorn

Author: L Leslie Brooke

The Nursery Rhyme Book)

The lion and the unicorn

Were fighting for the crown;

The lion beat the unicorn

[63]

All round about the town.

Some gave them white bread,

And some gave them brown;

Some gave them plum-cake,

And sent them out of town.

(Lang, Andrew, The Lion and the Unicorn, The Nursery Rhyme Book, 1897: 62-63 The Nursery Rhyme Book)

Author's note:

I summarized this nursery rhyme into a contest with two dominate animals in the forest with equally powerful strengths. Lions always think they are the best and unicorns have magically powers, so they have a good match up. The town or forest are sick of these animals fighting for dictatorship because the rest of them want to live in harmony. During the fighting for control of the forest both animals get kicked out of the forest. Be a graceful winner and a good loser. Sports teach good sportsmanship which is a good lesson that is useful throughout a person's adult life.