Reading Evaluation

I liked Ramayana reading the best. For the reading diaries, I wrote what I liked the most in the reading along with including any topic that I would like to write my retell story on. In addition to some summary of the story which would help me in writing the retell story and use that as a guide. I really enjoyed reading the stories compared to writing it and then commenting was also fun because I got to read other student's retell stories. I would say do not wait till the last time. When you get time just try to read the story and write reading diary write away.

End of semester reflection

I really enjoyed being in this course. I got to learn about different Indian epic stories from various authors.  Which was great because they all focused on different characters. Another thing I really enjoyed doing was reading other student's stories. All stories were unique on its own way. After writing retell stories every week, I think in future it would not be hard for me to retell a story from my perspective.

Week 14 Storytelling: Mickey and Minnie's jungle walk

Here continues another bedtime story of three sisters. Similar to the previous stories, they will be focusing on Mickey and Minnie as their main characters.

Mary continues, “Today, I have decided to continue on from our last night’s bedtime story because we did not have Minnie’s character as much. Which I know was Ally’s complain from our last bedtime story. Alright sisters, here we go.”

Here continues the story after two months of Mickey and Minnie’s happy married and great life. Mickey and Minnie had their own everyday routine. Every day Mickey and Minnie would go out for a walk. When Mickey would come back from work.

One day as they were getting ready for the walk, Mickey’s father called Mickey and Minnie in his study room, where he was reading one of his favorite book because he enjoys reading a lot.

As Mickey and Minnie walked into the room, father said, “I heard that you guys go for a walk in a huge dangerous jungle. Is that correct, Mickey?”

Mickey anxiously said, “Yes father we do.”

Then, father said, “Are you a little kid, Mickey? Have you not heard any story of that jungle? Don’t you know that it is such a dangerous place for you and especially when you have Minnie with you?”

Mickey said, “Father, we have been going from past two weeks and it is not dangerous at all. Look, look at us we are totally fine.”

Then the father said aggressively, “Are those people crazy who tells the horrible stories of the jungle?”

Mickey calmly said, “Listen father, we have been going from past two week and nothing has happed. Those stories were nothing but rumors.”

Then very aggressively father said, “Mickey, I did not call you here for an arguments. Fine, you can go Mickey, but I am not going to let Minnie go. She will stay at home and follow what I say. Okay, Minnie?”

Minnie stuck in between did not know what you say. First she looked at Mickey to check his reaction on father’sstatement and finally, she said, “Yes father. You are right. That jungle is a dangerous place for us to go.”

Then happily, father said, “Great, Minnie. I know you would never disobey to what I am saying. You both can leave now.”

When Mickey and Minnie got to their room, Minnie tried to calm Mickey and said, “Look Mickey, he is our father and he would never want to see us getting harmed by anything. So we should listen to what he says. So, be happy now.

Then Mickey said, “I guess. Yes you are right if thinking from a father perspective.”

Then while yawing, Mary said, “Alright sisters, lets sleep now. Good night.”

Happy couple:Mickey and Minnie

Author's Note: I followed the idea from "Beauty and Brownie" story, which is a Jataka tales by Ellen C. Babbit. The original story is over two deer, Beatuy and Brownie. Their father tells them to be careful because that jungle is not save for them. However, Beauty listens to her father and does not go too far, where she would get hurt, but Brownie gets in danger by not following what he father told. So, my story was more like a conversation between father and son, but the idea was the same, which was a jungle.

Bibliography: Babbitt, Ellen C. "Beauty and Brownie." The Balwin Porject

Week 14 Review

From this week's announcements, I found the post titled "Persian Word in English:Jackal" interesting because I find the meaning facts interesting from different languages. I think all languages are very interesting and unique in its own way whether one can understand it or not. Here is the image that I found interesting as well.

Persian Word in English: Jackal

Week 14 Reading Diary Continued: more of jataka tales

Title: Jataka Tales
Author: Ellen C. Babbitt
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2013/06/reading-guide-babbitt-jataka-tales.html

For this week's reading diary, I read more of Jataka Tales by Ellen Babbit. It was fun reading all of the short stories but I do have some favorites. "The Monkey saved his Troop" is the one I liked the most because I liked the idea of how the money did not care about anything but his troops. I think all of these short stories teach you a lesson. So, for instance, in this one the idea would be to help others when they are in trouble. The second story I liked was "Beauty and Brownie" where the brownie get in trouble for not listening to his parent. On the other hand, Beauty deer, she was totally okay because she listened to his father and followed his instructions. So, here the lesson is to listen to what your parents or elderly say because they tend to be right most of the time.

Beauty and Brownie

Week 14 Reading Diary: more of jataka tales

Title: Jataka Tales
Author: Ellen C. Babbitt
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2013/06/reading-guide-babbitt-jataka-tales.html

For this week's reading daily, I read more of Jataka Tales by Ellen. C. Babbit because I enjoyed reading those short stories. From this section, I liked "The Girl Monkey and the String of Pearls" and "The three fishes" the most. In the "The Girl Monkey and the String of Pearls" I liked it how the guard figured the thief of pearls, which was the girl money. His idea was very creative and clever. Next, In "The Three Fishes," the first thing I liked was the name of each fish because those names were self-explanatory about each fish's personality, Names were thoughtful, very thoughtful and thoughtless. In the story, very thoughtful was the one who saved other two from being captured into the net by a fisherman.

Thoughtful and thoughtless plus the fisherman

Week 13 Storytelling: Water-spirit

Here begins another bedtime story of three sisters. As always they will be focusing on Mickey and Minnie as their favorite main characters.

Mary said, “Get yourselves ready girls. I am about to start our new bedtime story.”

Once upon a time there was a prince, Mickey. He had two brothers named Micko and Mickin. The brothers had real bond of love between them. However, everyone loved Mickin because he was the youngest one. The brother’s mother always loved Mickin more for the same reason. Suddenly, the father was not feeling well.

Now it was about time to give the kingdom to one of the three brothers. The brother’s father wanted Mickey to rule because he was the oldest one, but the mother said, “No.”

She said, “I always wanted to see Mickin ruling this kingdom after you.”

Then father said angrily, “NO, it is our oldest son responsibility. I have no problem in making Micki the king, but he is the youngest from all. He would not be able to make smart moves like Mickey.”

Then the mother called Mickey and told him to leave the kingdom and live in a forest. In addition to that, she told him to take Micko as well. So, Mickin would be the only one left in the kingdom to rule. So, as they were leaving, Mickin saw them and forced them that he would not let them go unless they take him with themselves.

When they reached the forest, there they saw a pond to refresh themselves.  By the pond, they met a guys, who was known as water-spirit.

Ally said, “That is interesting. What does he do, Mary?

Water-spirit has the right to make anyone marry who drinks out of that pond because he is the king of that forest.

As the brother drank from pond, the water-spirit took them into his cave and showed them three different girls and ordered each of the brother to marry each girl.

Mickey did not like that and angrily he said, “No, none of us would marry your given girls. We are new in this forest. We do not know any rules.”

Water-spirit said, “What is wrong with these girls? Look, they are beautiful and what else do you young boys need. Either you guys marry these girls or you all would die within 10 minutes you refuse to marry these angles.”

Mary said, “Then they all agrees to marry the girls and Mickey marries the girl named Minnie.”

Ally continued, “It was nice story, but it did not focus on Minnie’s character at all. That was sad.”

Water-spirit

Author's Note: I read princess and the water-spirit jataka tales by Ellen C. Babbit. I changed the story a lot around. The beginning of the story was same of three brother and they all go to the forest and find a water-spirit. In the original story, water-spirit asks a question and when someone answers it wrong then he takes him to his cave. None of the brother answered it corrected except for prince star, the oldest one. Since he gets it right then he got to free his brothers from water-spirit.

Bibliography: Babbitt, Ellen C. "The Princes and the Water-Spirit." The Balwin Porject

Tech Tip Site Navigation week 13

I looked through all of the horizontal and vertical navigation. Here is the link.

Week 13 Review

For this week's current post, I found Rama and football and interesting way of telling a story. That would be really fun writing and reading as well. That would give the entire character different interesting, which would made it interesting. It is putting two different things together, which is a very unique idea.

Rama as football player

Week 13 Reading Diary continued: Jataka Tales

Title: Jataka Tales
Author: Ellen C. Babbitt
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2013/06/reading-guide-babbitt-jataka-tales.html


For this week's diary post, I read Jataka tales by. I enjoyed reading all of the short stories, but for this time, the one I liked the most was "The Princes And The Water-Sprite" because it showed the bond love of three brother and while I was reading it, it reminded me of Rama and his brothers. How Rama was sent so his brother could rule over and same issue was presented in this story. The older brother was being sent to the forest but since they loved each other a lot the youngest brother did not let him go and in fact went with him.

The sun Prince went into the pond

Week 13 Reading Diary: Jataka Tales

Title: Jataka Tales
Author: Ellen C. Babbitt
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2013/06/reading-guide-babbitt-jataka-tales.html

For this week's reading diary, I read different kinds of kids type of stories. It reminded of my days when I used to read these kinds of stories with excitement. For real, I enjoyed reading all of these different stories and lessons in it. I found that helpful from kids perspective how each story had various images for illustration to present each part of the story. For instance, in the first story, it was monkey and crocodile. Here is the image of when the monkey tricks dumb crocodile by jumping over him.

Monkey and crocodile

Week 12 Reading Diary continued: Mahabharata film part D

Title: Mahabharata
Author: Peter Brook
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/film-brook-mahabharata.html

For this week's dairy post, I continued reading the film Mahabharata by peter. I believe watching the film was very interesting compare to just reading it. I got to visualize all of the character which made it easy to understand the story. I was nice to see all of the characters playing the role. I felt like I was more attached with the Mahabharata story by watching the film rather than simply reading. I enjoyed the Pandavas  and Kauravas fight the most because intense fight is fun watching got observing each character. Overall, it was fun watching the film based on original Mahabharata.

 Pandavas and Kauravas battle: Wikimedia

Week 11 Storytelling: Blind Mickey and Minnie

Here we go with another bedtime story of three sisters: Mary, Ally and Sarah. Mary said while preparing herself for the bedtime story, “Okay sisters get your things together. I am about to start our bedtime story and yes, this time it will be fast and quick.”

Ally continued, “So, that means the story will not be fun and exciting as before.”

Mary said, “NO, it means you both have to listen to the story without interrupting me, so it will be fast.

As always we will have Mickey and Minnie as our main characters and our story will proceed from there.”

Once upon a time there was a king named Mickey. Who was blind from the day he was born. Mickey’s parents were very worried for his life. They thought he would never be able to get married and have a nice life partner. Mickey, on the other hand, never let himself down. He believed that one day he will get a life partner, who will be familiar with his pure heart inside.

On one random day, Mickey’s father invited his old friends along with their families just for a reunion of friends. Along with those families came a girl, who was not very pretty, but an average girl. However, she seemed really attractive to Mickey’s mother and then she decided to make her Mickey’s wife. Mickey and Minnie’s parents gathered and planned their wedding without informing either of them.

As the wedding days were coming closer, Mickey’s mother decided to tell Mickey.

She said, “Mickey, it is time for you to get married.”

Mickey said, “Mother, no girl would like to marry someone who is blind. A husband who would never be able to praise his wife’s beauty.”

The mother said, “Oh no my child, you are not blind from heart.”

Mickey agreed.

The day of the wedding, when Minnie was getting ready, her sister came in and said, “Minnie, there is no point of showing your beauty.”

Minnie very surprisingly asked, “What do you mean? Is everything okay? Is Mickey alright?”

Sister replied, “Yes, everything is okay, but there is one hidden truth about your husband.”

Minnie said, “What? Tell me right now. I want to know it. Is about my entire life.”

Sister said, “Yes, I know. That is why I came to tell you now. Mickey cannot see anything. He is blind.”

Minnie calmly said, “Sister, I order you to cover my eyes with a cloth. I want to be like my husband.”

And there ends the story of Mickey and Minnie. They accept each other as they were and lived happily.

Mickey and Minnie with no eyes

Author's Note: For this retelling story, I made the story completely different, but the main point was same. In the original Mahabharata, Dhritarashtra was blind, which was played by Mickey in my retell story and Gandhari's character was played by Gandhari.


Bibliography: "Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata." by Brook.Website: Image library for MLLL-4993, Epics of Ancient India

Week 11 Reading Diary continued: Mahabharata film part B

Title: Mahabharata
Author: Peter Brook
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/film-brook-mahabharata.html


For this week's diary reading, I watched the next part of the Mahabharata. I enjoyed watching the film because you get to visualize the character, which helps in getting to know their characters better internally and externally. The main point is that the author does not have to be really descriptive in telling the audience about their emotions. Face expression are enough for audience to understand. The part I really enjoyed was when they were having fight.

Mahabharata film

Week 11 Reading Diary: Mahabharata film part A

Title: Mahabharata
Author: Peter Brook
Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/film-brook-mahabharata.html


For this week's dairy reading, I watched Mahabharata film by Peter Brooks. I enjoyed the film so far. Since we read Mahabharata before watching the film, the film is not that much exciting when it comes to the story itself. Now visualizing Mahabharata and the story seemed different and in fact with better understanding.I think we attach ourselves more when watching something compare to reading it. For instance, when watching the film I felt really bad for Gandhari who marries Dhritarashtra, who is blind. When reading through the Mahabharata, my feelings did not attach that much for Gandhari, but watching it seemed different. Overall, it was a nice film and I enjoyed it.

Dhritarashtra and Gandhari.

Week 10 Storytelling: Satya-Narayan-Vrat

Here continues the story of three sisters: Mary, Sarah and Ally. As usual, Mary will be sharing a story using the Mickey and Minnie cartoon characters.

As Sarah and Ally were being prepared to listen to a bedtime story, Mary said, “Wouldn’t that be awesome if one of you be a story teller for today.” 

Sarah and Ally both shouted at the same time, “NOO.”

Then Ally continued in her innocent voice, “I do not know how to create great stories like you do, 

Mary. But I can try to tell a story about Cinderella, which I watched last night.”

Rudely Sarah said, “No thanks, Ally.”

As always, Mary continued, “Today’s story will be concentrating on Hindus rituals and their way of life. However, our story will be based on Mickey and Minnie as our characters, who will be following those rituals. So, sounds good girls?”

Ally replied, “Yes, great! That will be a new and interesting story, Mary.”

It is a story of newlywed couple, Mickey and Minnie. As in Hindu culture, there is not a huge concept of love marriages. So, Mickey and Minnie got married with the choice of their elders, mostly the decision was made by their parents. A couple has to follow some rituals for a successful happy married life. For the desire for a happy life manifests in many rituals called Vrats, which Mickey and Minnie had to follow. They were encouraged to perform Satya-Narayan-Vrat as their first household ritual. However, Satya- Narayan-Vrat can be performed any day, but by a married couple. So, Mickey and Minnie’s family wanted them to begin their married life by performing Satya-Narayan-Vrat. The purpose of the Vrat was to bring happiness, good luck and health into the household. Satya-Narayan-Vrat cannot be done without a priest. The reason between performing Satya-Narayan-Vrat was that Satya-Narayan is seen as Vishnu. Its purpose is to resolve household issues and problems which is performed by household or housewives by praying front of Vishnu. During the Satya-Narayan-Vrat, the couple chants thousand names of Vishnu, while at each name offering him a sprig of tulsi. Through chanting and the determination of the couple the God pleased to fulfil the wishes of the couple.

The rituals are to express one’s desire to the deities through fasting, hearing tales, singing songs, staying awake through the night and visiting holy places. That helps in seeking blessing from god and goddess for a happy and successful life. After performing the Satya-Narayan-Vrat, the family elder also gave their blessing to Mickey and Minnie and wished them all the best for their future.

 Satya-Narayan

Author's Note: My retell story was based on Hindu’s rituals. Which were discussed in Brahma’s secret part 2 video. The story is written with all true facts about Hinduism. Since I wanted to make it a story out of it, I decided to Mickey and Minnie as newly married couple who are performing the rituals for their good life.

Bibliography: "Public Domain Edition of the Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art." by Pattanaik.Website: Image library for MLLL-4993, Epics of Ancient India

Week 10 Reading Diary, continued: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art

Title: 7 Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Link:http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/search/label/Guide%3A%20Pattanaik.%20Calendar%20Art

Vishnu's secret part 2: Ram is a only form to worship as king. He leads the move from nature to culture. The goddess sits on his lap because she feels secure and comfortable in his arm. The money Hanuman sits at his feet. I found these facts interesting that wife sits with his husband most of the time.  The entire story of Ram is written in the Ramayana. Which we read in the beginning of the course. It was interesting the comparison between Ram and Krishna how these two are different from one another.

Brahma's secret part 1: It was an unique fact that Hindu do not worship Brahma. Brahma's daughter turned it a cow and then Brahma later turned into a bull was very interesting facts. He kept changing into the male form of his daughter's female form because he was very onto controlling her. She was a great delusion of life. Since Brahma was chasing the material worlds rather then trying to understand himself, so no one worships him one such as Brahma. The fifth head shows the ego, the part of the mind that controls the material reality. Shiva is everything Brahma is not. Shiva destroy what Brahma creates. 

Brahma and his Vahana

Week 10 and Review

From daily announcements, I found the fact about the sugar how the word is from French sucre and medieval Latin succarum. It is great how we make our own words by using the words from other languages. Arabic came up with sukkar from Europe and Persian. It is nice to know that because I was unfamiliar with this sugar fact.

Different kind of  sugars

Tech Tip Theme

For the redesign of the website, I wanted to make it look colorful because I love colors. So, I added some colors to and font design as well to make it look nice and interesting. Here is the link: googleSiteWebsite.

Week 10 Reading Diary: Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art

Title: 7 Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik

Link:http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/search/label/Guide%3A%20Pattanaik.%20Calendar%20Art

For this reading diary post, I am watching videos by Pattanaik titled "Seven Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art - Gods and Goddesses."

The first video is about Devi's Secret, she is desire and destiny create life. Kanyakumari, the virgin goddess and her temple is located in southern tip of India. She wanted to marry Shiva and plus their marriage was fixed and Shiva had to come from the north on one night before he could reach the gods made a rooster crow and Shiva assumed that it was a day break and his missed the hour of their marriage. So, he went back. It was sad that the bride waited and waited and the groom never came. The bride got really mad and kicked the pots and pans and wiped her makeup and for that reason the southern tip of India is so multicolored. Since she never married, she was gifted with raw power to destroy demons. If married the goddess energy is channelised to provide  for a home if not then the energy is channelised for protection.

The second video is about Vishnu Secret: Detached Engagement Brings order part 1. It was interesting how Hindus praise cows. Go Pala the care taker of the earth's cow. That is why the Vishnu is the preserver and the sustainer. Vishnu also enjoys the milk of the cow. It was interesting how in the video they did compare and constrast between Shiva and Vishnu.

(Kamadhenu:The mother of cows:Source:Wikipedia)