Indian Epics

This next part starts with Rama going to exile. When Dashartha is informed that Rama has left, he dies. This can be a form of karma he received for denying Rama his rightful throne.Even Bharata is upset that Rama is not king. Rama meets Ravana's sister Shurpanakha in the forest. She falls in love with him and decides to attack Sita but Lakshmana is able to stop her. Shurpanakha returns to her brother in Lanka to to show him what happened to her. He is angry but falls in love with Sita after hearing about her. He uses his uncle Maricha, disguised as a golden deer, to trick Sita. Sita is left unattended when Rama goes out to chase the deer and she is captured. The Golden Deer Source: Wikimedia Bibliography: Vālmīki, & Narayan, R. K. (1972).  The Ramayana; a shortened modern prose version of the Indian epic by R.K. Narayan. Suggested by the Tamil version of Kamban . New York: Viking Press

This story first begins with King Dasharatha. Dasharata was a great king and had many riches. The only thing he lacked was a child. Through a year long sacrifice, his wives were finally able to give birth. Before Rama was born he was called by the gods to defeat the rakshasa Ravana. Rama becomes the avatar of Vishnu in order to do so. The sage Vishvamitra comes to the court to ask that he may have Rama for battle with the demons. Though reluctant, Dasharatha finally agrees. Rama is able to defeat many demons on his journey. Rama falls in love with Sita, the avatar of Lakshimi and daughter of King Janaka. He is able to receive her hand in marriage by bending Shiva's bow. We see here that Rama (Vishnu) and Sita (Lakshmi) have an eternal connection due to the love both divine powers have for each other. When Kaikeyi's son is chosen as the heir over Rama, the King banishes him to exile for 14 years. he is followed by Lakshamana and his wife Sita. The Ramayana by Narayan.

Rama and Sita I feel like this is a timeless story with lots of different twists and turns. I've been able to get a basic understanding of the story through some of the readings we've done in the class. This story is a classic and I think it would be fun to retell it in a new way. Maybe with a modern twist or a new perspective. The love story of the couple and the obstacles that they face set the stage for a very interesting story which I would like to dive deeper into. Village Folktales of Ceylon . Because this is the country my parents are from, I believe this would be a good topic to do a project on. I also feel like it's a topic that other students may not have used in the past. I think it would be a good way for me to learn more about my culture and the folktales that originated from the country. A few of the stories I've read in this class have mentioned Ceylon and I even wrote a story inspired by Goblin City. I would like to dig deeper into the subject and

One of the articles about feedback that stood out to me was the one about Neil Gaiman's advice on the creative life. He spoke about how it is okay to make mistakes and actually beneficial in a way. If we're making mistakes this means that we're taking risks and growing. By putting ourselves out there and doing things that might make us uncomfortable we're opening ourselves up to new possibilities. I'm always fear the possibility of making mistakes, both in school and in work, so reading this article opened me up to the idea that mistakes are part of the learning process. In the article Why It's So Hard to Hear Negative Feedback  by Tim Herrera, the author speaks of how negative feedback can lead to opportunity and how we can become better at receiving it. I struggle with taking negative feedback in a job and one of my biggest fears working at my internship this summer was being criticized on something I did wrong. I'm also bad at giving negative feedback b

It had been days since we'd seen any sign of land. About a week earlier a storm had come in from the East, knocking us off our course for home. We were beginning to lose hope. Food supplies became scarce and dehydration was starting to get the better of us. That's why when I saw a strip of sand peak over the horizon I couldn't help but cry out in joy. The gods had heard our prayers! I motioned for the others to look and together we all rejoiced. We began to row towards it and as we got closer we scanned the beach for any signs of life. Massive palm trees rose up into the blue sky and I could see that a vibrant jungle stretched as far as the eye could see. Small huts dotted the shoreline and upon further inspection we could see men working outside, gathering crops and fishing. We finally reached the shore and as we were docking our boat a group of women caught our eye. A woman broke away from the group and approached us. Her eyes locked onto mine and I saw that they were

Goblin City   This story takes place in Ceylon, in a city full of she-goblins. These goblins would trick men who were traveling through the area into marrying them. After they got bored of them they would eat them. A new wave of travelers are passing through the land. After tricking these new men into marrying them, the goblins went to the jail to eat their old husbands. One man overhears his wife talking about eating men and he discovers that she is a goblin. The next day he warns the others and with the help of a fairy and her magic horse they are able to escape.  A big moment in this story is when the man discovers his wife is a she-goblin. It seems like this is the first time someone has tried to escape.  this story is told from a third person point of view. It might be interesting to see it from the point of view of one of the men or even a goblin. I'm imagining the setting is in a very green, jungle like area. Maybe a tropical setting. Story Source :  The Giant Crab

The Ramayana I chose to read is Narayana's version. One of the main reasons I chose this one is the novel format of the story. I feel like it will be more organized and easy to follow. Vasantasena, A Dancer This comic was interesting to me because from the description it seemed to be more female led. The twists and turns and comparisons to Shakespeare caught my attention and I feel like the comic will be very engaging. Tales of Shiva I've heard a lot about Shiva but I don't know many of his stories. I would like to read more about him and see what makes him the popular figure that he is. The Mahabharata - An Introduction This video provides a basic overview as to what the Mahabharata is and how it came into existence. It also includes links to different videos with a modern twist on ancient Indian epics. This is a good video to watch when you're wondering where to begin and what the Mahabharata is actually about. Rama and the Ramayana: Crash Course Crash cou

Time management is different for everyone. What works for someone else may not work for you. That's why it's important to create a schedule based on your study habits and learning style. For me I've found that it's beneficial to write out my schedule in an agenda or on my phone calendar. This helps me to stay on top of things. The two articles I read were The Psychology of Checklists and How to Beat Procrastination . The first one talks about how checking off tasks on a checklist can lead to a release in dopamine which helps us to stay motivated as we pursue our long-term goals. The latter speaks of how procrastination is human nature and offers some tips to tackle it. I thought this was especially useful to me because I always struggle with procrastination and waiting until the last minute. I hope these articles and this class will help me time manage better. Losing Time. Source:  Public Domain

Because I've worked on web design in the past and because I'm currently taking a class on it this semester, I feel as if  I am familiar with some of the technology we will use. As an MIS major I get to see the technical side of a website so it will be interesting to use one for my class projects. I feel like this knowledge of technology will help me with this class. I am looking forward to creating graphics and Twine because I don't really have experience in either. I would really like to work on these two things and get more familiar with all the blogging capabilities this site has to offer. Technology vs. humanity. Source: flickr

My first impressions of this class is that it will be an engaging way for me to learn about a subject that interests me. I like how the class is very flexible and we have the freedom to learn at our own pace, by our own schedule. Because I'm enrolled in a heavy load this semester I feel like this class will provide a good balance from some of more difficult classes. There are many opportunities for success in this class because of grace periods and various extra credit opportunities. I look forward to more reading assignments because I love reading. I know I will enjoy this class and I'm excited to get started on more of the assignments. Studying Assignment Materials  Source: Pixabay

I think the concept of growth mindset Carol Dweck spoke of is interesting because it showed me a view on learning and education that is very different from the one I grew up with. Rather than focusing on the grade, it focuses on the future and raising children that dream big. If we focus on the now and simply getting a good grade, we lose sight of a bigger goal and purpose. Raised in a household where getting A's was always important, this gives me a new perspective on education. Our goal must be to improve and strive for more rather than just settle for small achievements. Growth Mindsets vs. Fixed Mindsets. Source:  Youtube In my personal experience I can think of many times where I may have failed, especially as a college student. Sometimes when I get a bad grade its easy to beat myself up over it and I end up wasting my time stressing over something that can't be changed. Growth mindset helps me see that just because I get a worse grade than I expect this didn't

Hi everyone, my name is Joanna and I'm a senior with a double major in Accounting and MIS. I grew up in Rockwall, Texas, a small suburb in Dallas. My mom was born and raised in Sri Lanka, a small island in South Asia. She moved to Kansas when she was 17 to attend college and escape the dangers of the civil war that was taking place at the time. My dad was born in Sri Lanka as well but grew up in London. On a gondola in Venice. Source: personal photo Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. Source: personal photo One of my favorite things to do is travel. I think part of this has to do with the fact that I have family all around the world. From a young age I've been flying off to London almost every year to spend Christmas with my cousins. Some of my favorite places I've been to are Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, and Switzerland. It's always been a dream of mine to visit Machu Picchu in Peru and I hope that one day I can. My dog Teddy is my best fri

Gossip Girl Ayodhya Rama's Journey:  Wikipedia One of the stories I found interesting was Gossip Girl Ayodhya . I was drawn to this one because I'm a fan of the show Gossip Girl. Something that stood out to me was the way the narrator was involved in the whole story. From an outside perspective we were able to see the story unfold. The author blended modern concepts, like Tinder, with an ancient Indian tale about Rama and Sita. The introduction at the beginning of each section grabbed my attention as it set the stage for the drama to come. Overall I enjoyed this story thoroughly. Lifelong Devotion Image Information : Women performing Karva Chauth rituals in the Indian television show, Bidaai Source:  India-Forums Another storybook that stood out to me was Lifelong Devotion .This storybook covered three different love stories at the time of the Karva Chauth festival. During this festival, women fast and pray for their husband and marriage.These stories emphas

Over the years I've had the opportunity to travel to over 15 different countries and experience many different cultures. Out of every place I've visited, only one has a truly special place in my heart.  (Nuwara Eliya Tea Plantation. Source:  Google   ) My parents and grandparents grew up in Sri Lanka and although I've never actually lived there I consider it to be a second home. The culture I grew up with, the delicious food I get to eat, and all the inside jokes that come with being a part of this culture is what made me who I am. Not to mention the country is gorgeous with tropical beaches and vibrant green tea plantations stretching across the mountains. If I could only travel to one place for the rest of my life, this would be it.

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