Week 2 Reading Overview

Image Information: Karan Acharya

Which Reading Source Shall I Take?

For our week three reading assignments, I will be reading Narayana's Ramayana. A more traditional copy of the text appeals to me, at least for some sense of historic context. However, time permitting, I will try to read versions from the Public Domain Edition as well (after all, we must remember Tim Grahl's advice to prioritize our time). The idea of comparing and contrasting the two versions sounds intriguing and insightful.

 Bizzell Comic Books

After perusing through the online list of Bizzell comic books, I was attracted to the stories that appeared to have a heroine as the main protagonist in the story. I believe this is because I have two teenage daughters whose personalities are maturing and I am seeking ways to understand and relate to them.

My first selection is Vasantasena, A Dancer and Her Most Precious Jewel. A link to the related webpage is as follows:

http://ackguide.blogspot.com/2017/12/guide-vasantasena-dancer.html 
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My second selections is  Tales of Durga: Tales of the Mother Goddess. I have to say, the Mother Goddess looks like her favorite thing to do is kick ass and ride on the back of a lion. In a completely nonacademic sense, that puts her straight to the top of my favorite deities at the moment. A link to the related webpage is as follows:

 http://ackguide.blogspot.com/2015/07/guide-tales-of-durga.html

India Video Playlist 

The two videos I choose for my blog post toady are selected because they explain basic concepts of Indian beliefs over a story narrative. I'm seeking fundamental context as we move into our readings.

The Stages of Life - EPIFIED 

Sacred Trees - EPIFIED

Indian Epics Images

Image Information: Karan Acharya

The image above is a recent creation by an Indian artist named Karan Acharya. The artwork is an expression of Hanuman that appears to be channeling his inner Thundercat. Perhaps there is a story opportunity here? The account of how Acharya's Hanuman can be found here. I chose the Hanuman image because I liked the contemporary version of the Lord of Victory for its monochromatic appeal and the sinister rawness that it conveys.