Epics of India

Vedavati is thought to be the spirit of Sita, wife of Rama. Vedavati sacrificed herself to be reincarnated by stepping into a fire after being assaulted. Click here for background/story link Jaya and Vijaya are two gatekeepers where Vishnu resides. They were cursed to undergo multiple births and eventually reincarnate to Ravana- Rama's enemy. Click here for background/story link Moksha is a term that defines to various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation and release. It refers to the cycle of life and death. It prevalent in many religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism etc. Click here for background link Reincarnation Click here for link

Click here for portfolio link As I walk up to the great figure with my three trusty companions I know I should not fear anymore. The scarecrow was eager for knowledge, lion was reluctant to go in with no sense of courage, and the tin man was longing for a taste of emotion.  The room was dark, musty and smoke filled. Suddenly as the clouds peeled away, a giant head appears in the air.  “Who here seeks to see the Great and Wonderful Oz” As the voice echoes in strength across the room, we all shiver in our boots scared of the tumultuous roaring head before us. I, amongst my friends, finally build up the courage to step forward. I explain my journey to the Oz and request that he grant my friends their wishes. That he does. Scarecrow is not gifted a brain, Lion is now with courage, and Tin Man with a warm heart.  “Please oh Great and Wonderful Oz, I was banished here from my hometown. I need to find a way to go back if I ever so desire, or when I come o...

Battle with Khara Main Characters: Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Khara, Rakshasas in the preparations for battle, Rama tells Lakshmana to take Sita and go hide  Rama is dressed in a shiny armor with a bow and many arrows Khara came trolling towards Rama with an army of Rakshasas following him like a black cloud Rama flung flaming arrows into the arming wounding lots Rama drew his bow and killed Khara thus finishing the battle The Sandals Main Characters: Rama and Bharata  Bharata gave Rama his gold sandals and said he could accomplish all good with these sandals Bharata says he will live as protector of the throne for fourteen years until Rama returns Bharata returns to a neighboring town to wait until Rama returns Rama returns to the forest the shoes symbolized royal authority  Shurpanakha and Rama   Main characters: Rama. Sita, Shurpanakha, Bharata Shurpanakha is a rakshasa who takes the form of a young and beautiful girl she plans to dri...

Rama Wins Sita Main Characters: Rama, Janak, Sita, Vishvamitra Monarchs, Nobles, Warriors gathered about to compete for Sita's heart talks about the history and lavishness of the bow lots of imagery to the setting  main plot: Rama bent the bow to win Sita's heart lots of room for retelling because plot is so simple and to the point Kaikeyi and Dasharatha  Main characters: Kaikeyi, Dasharatha, Bharata Kaikeyi asks that her husband grant her the two wishes he had promised her long ago otherwise she will drink poison he agrees and explains he will never be happy again unless he grants her whatever wish she desires her first wish: for her son, Bharata, to be crowned as King/Leader her second wish: for Rama to be sent into exile heartbroken, Dasharatha scolds Kaikeyi but knows he must grant the wish she again reminds him that if he does not fulfill, she will kill herself "So he lamented through the night, and unto Kaikeyi he said, 'I grant the boons,...

The first article I read was, "Why rejection hurts so much- and what to do about it" . This article is very prevalent in today's society, especially in the social media scene. New generations have this need of "self-belonging" and conforming to society in order to be liked. Rejection is good, the way people take it needs to be altered, which this article helped to do. It is better in the long to build our self-esteem and not let rejection take a hit to that, because in the long run it will help individuals be there true self. Most college students know the pain of being rejected by a college one really wanted to go to- instead of letting it hold you back, learn from it. Personally, I was rejected by a school that I thought I wanted to go to. Eventually, I found the place I needed to be elsewhere and that rejection helped shape me into finding where I belonged. "Why It's So Hard to Hear Negative Feedback" is another article I found very helpful. ...

One topic that I would be interested in doing is, “Reincarnation”. I chose this topic because it is a concept/idea that has always fascinated me. I know the general idea of reincarnation is that once you die, your physical body is gone, but your soul lives on forever in other lives. I would like to read more stories and folktales about this because other than the simple definition, I do not have any knowledge of the fact. I could see myself retelling stories in the form of a short composition or a poem.  Another topic I could see myself focusing on is, “Love Stories” . I am always a sucker for a good love story and romanticism. My knowledge of love in Indian culture is rather small, but I am aware that it is quite different from the love I know today. Every culture has their own standards of love and what is accepted and what is not, and I would be interested in reading tales about how love is depicted in the Indian culture. I could see myself retelling love stories in forms of...

Once upon a time, there lived a mother and a daughter in the foothills of the Great Plains. One day the sun rose and brought with it a beautiful sunrise for a very special day. For that day was the daughter’s thirteenth birthday.  A girl’s thirteenth birthday is seen as a rite of passage that comes with many responsibilities.  The mother, dreading this day, has been brewing up a plan for quite some time now. The mother, apprehensive about her daughter surpassing her in beauty, wits, and head maiden of the house, devises a mission to murder the birthday girl.  “Little girl, for now you are coming of age to uphold more household duties. You’re first task of the day is to fetch water from the well four miles uphill to the West. This well is a special one, only to be drawn from on very special occassion. Today calls for the specialist of days.”     The little girl, so excited to fetch the magic water, hurries along for her trek with the basket. After tr...

The Foolish, Timid Rabbit Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt Rabbit and Lion: main characters; Monkey, Elephant, Fox: secondary characters Story similar to children's movie, Chicken Little Monkey drops coconut on ground, Rabbit thinks the earth is breaking, causes a frenzy to other animals to join in on rampage All mighty lion comes in to prove all rumors of the earth to be false The Monkey Who Gathered Lotuses Tayodhamma Jataka in The Jataka: Volume 1 translated by Robert Chalmers. Main Characters Bodhisatta--> monkey son Monkey father Ogre Secondary Characters Monkey mother  Son grew up without a father because it was known the father was frightened by his children that they would one day surpass him as King Son was eager to meet his father, so he questions his mother on where he resides. He finds out he is located at the foot of a certain mountain, so thus he goes to seek out his father.  Weary of his son coming to meet him and overtaking the thro...

I have chosen the read from the Public Domain Edition, mainly because it is free and it is online. The audio was also a factor that drew me in, because in order to not let me focus draw elsewhere, I like to listen to the audio to keep me on track. One of the comics that I am interested in is the story of Rama: Retold from the Ramayana  . This character sparked my interest because his journey as a skilled archer seems intriguing and his journey to win his love is one that I would be like to read. Another comic that drew me in was Ganga: The Divine Beauty.  This drew me because of the theatricality of the story. It includes many parts, characters, and plots that all seem interesting to read how they tie together and progress. The video that I liked the most was, "Harry Potter Meets Hindu Mythology" . Just from the title, I was drawn in because I am an avid fan of Harry Potter. Any story that is similar to that series, is a story that would interest me. Another video th...

The first article I read was “The Myth of Too Busy”. There are some views of his I agree on, and some I do not. I do believe if we changed our mindset that we are not “too busy” to “not prioritizing our time” can make a difference, and it is in fact true. I always think I am too busy or there are not enough hours in the day, when in fact if I cut out my midday nap, or woke up earlier, I could get a lot more done. There are few things I can modify in my time to create a more efficient schedule, I just need to beat procrastination mindset. One thing I do not agree with, is cutting out that one hour before bedtime to lay down and watch tv. The end of the day is tiresome, and we all need a little break in our day. Another concept I do not agree with, is telling people that you do not prioritize your time for a certain thing rather than saying you are too busy. I feel that that can come off as rude in some cases. The second article I read was, “Eat the Frogs First Thing in the Morning”...

I am not familiar with any of these technology tools, I prefer to stick to the basics and use Microsoft Word and Google Documents. This online environment is very different from any other class I have taken because all of my other classes stick to the traditional “Canvas” and let the student decide which other technology tool they wish to use. I am eager to learn about the different tools I can use, although it will be quite confusing and overwhelming for the first couple weeks. I am apprehensive about it, but will try my best to learn the ways of new technology because I am not technology savvy. Technology  Click here for link

The assignment that I am most intrigued by are the blog comments because it gives me a chance to explore other student’s creations. Not only will I be able to learn about different stories through their perspectives, it will also help me develop and mature my blog. The extra credit assignment I see myself doing regularly is the “Famous Last Words” because I do find myself almost everyday going back and reflecting on my days already, and this will be as assignment that will fit perfectly into my schedule. I have never had an online class where all the material was given to me at once, but it is organized in a nice schedule that seems easy to keep track of and not fall behind. "Organization": The key to this class Click here for link

Before today, I have heard of the general idea that students need to be challenged more, and praised less. I have not heard about Carol Dweck’s approach to it and the idea of “not yet” but I do believe it has beneficial value. I find myself in the middle between the spectrum of a growth-fixed mindset. I find comfort in the fact that I am so knowledgeable about certain things, and when I am able to showcase that, it feels good to be praised for things I already know. Despite this, I do like to be challenged so I can expand my area of expertise.  My biggest challenge when it comes to learning new things is my drive to really understand new concepts. School has taught me way too much to memorize ideas and concepts and not fully grasp the meaning of them all. I find myself just forgetting all the information I learned in a class once the semester is over. I would be interested in learning more about the “growth-fixed mindset” because I feel that it will motivate me more to st...

Hi! My name is Jinal Wani, I am twenty one years old and a third year undergraduate student here at the University of Oklahoma. I am currently studying health and exercise science in hopes of one day being a physical therapist or an athletic trainer. I grew up in Flower Mound, Texas, a suburb on the outskirts of Dallas. I grew up in a household with my mom, dad, brother and dog. My brother is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in mechanical engineering.  Although I am a third year student, this is only my second semester attending the University of Oklahoma. My first two years of undergraduate school were spent at the University of Texas at Austin, of course I just had to make the switch between the two most rivalous schools. I found myself in Austin to be very lost amidst the big city, and overwhelmed with the culture shock from my hometown to a busy part of town. It took a lot of humbling myself to finally admit I needed to make a ch...

One of my favorite storybooks on the list was, “The Creation of Kali” . I chose this one to browse over because it is one story that I have been familiar with in the past. I recalled my parents telling me this folklore at an early age. I felt the introduction did a good job explaining as a whole who Kali, the goddess of many things, really is. The background gave a good overarching theme of most of her folklores: good vs bad. Starting the introduction with a short, dramatic conversation really drew my attention unto this storybook. The overall design is very easy to navigate and the picture on the introduction makes the reader more drawn to the story. Another storybook that stood out to me was, “No Birth No Death” . This title drew me in because I am somewhat familiar with the idea that in the Indian culture, the soul within a person lives on forever. There is no birth or death, there is reincarnation of the soul itself from one physical body to the next. The eeriness and mysteriousn...

My favorite place is Punta Cana, located in the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic  Click here for the link

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