Famous Last Words: Week 6

This week was, once again, pretty crazy. No exams, but I had a couple of quizzes in a couple classes and I had to go to a concert for one of my classes and write a report over it. The concert was pretty interesting at first but then it got kind of boring because the concert was so long. I also lost my OU ID earlier this week and I can’t find it for the life of me so I guess I’ll be getting another replacement ID. This class went pretty smooth this week. I didn’t have any trouble managing any of the assignments or getting them done. I think my best writing this week was the storytelling assignment. I enjoyed writing more about Hanuman and expanding on another one of his stories. I also added a story to my portfolio so I had to write a little bit more to reach the minimum word count and I felt like that story was pretty good as well.

I read some other interesting stories this week as well. Both of the people in my blog commenting group wrote about Hanuman’s experience as a cat so that was pretty interesting. They both had different perspectives on what Hanuman experienced as a cat so it was a cool to compare and contrast the two. My other classes are going pretty well…besides physics. It’s probably the hardest class I have taken yet. I enjoyed organic chemistry and microbiology more than this class…I guess I’m just not a physics person like my roommate is. My calculus and other science classes are going pretty smoothly so that’s good. Work is also pretty smooth although the kids that I work with have been super hyper all week.

All in all, I can’t really complain about the week because I’ve definitely had worse. At least I can say I got to relax this weekend without having to worry too much about classes.

Except for the busyness, this semester has been smooth sailing so far; Wikipedia

Week 6 Storytelling: Hanuman Wreaks Havoc

“Alas, I have found her at last!” exclaimed Hanuman triumphantly. “Now I can return to Rama and prepare for what is to come next.”

Hanuman had just found Sita in the ashoka grove, safe and sound as can be when being held hostage by a demon. He assured her that she will be rescued soon and that Rama will be on his way to save her in the very near future. Ecstatic that he had succeeded in finding Sita, Hanuman decided to have a little fun before heading back to Rama to give him the good news. What could he possibly do though? As Hanuman scanned the city of Lanka, a huge grin slowly crept up onto his face.

“Until we meet again!” he said to Sita as he ran off towards the middle of town, feeling reckless and mischievous as can be.

He jumps into the air and flies towards what looks like Ravana’s lavish home with a smirk on his face.

“This is for all the unnecessary trouble you’re causing us!” Hanuman exclaims as he uproots Ravana’s neatly trimmed lawn.

He rips down all the trees and pulls out all the beautiful flowers, making Ravana’s once beautiful garden into a full blown wreckage site! Due to all the commotion that Hanuman is causing, the animals are spooked and proceed to stampede out into the city. Elephants are pummeling homes and crushing fences, while the quicker and faster animals, such as the horses, are creating chaos by galloping in between the resident of Lanka, knocking them over and stampeding them.

Ravana hears the ruckus outside and is furious! He sends his royal bodyguard to take care of Hanuman. The bodyguard charges at Hanuman but is way too slow. Hanuman sees him coming and dodges the guard’s attack. In one swift, counteracting motion, Hanuman lashes his tail out and strangles the royal bodyguard to his unfortunate death.

“Too easy,” Hanuman says to himself with a chuckle.

Hanuman decides that he has caused enough trouble and proceeds to head back to Rama when he suddenly sees a massive temple in his peripheral vision.

“One more thing I need to do,” Hanuman says.

He flies over to the temple and smashes it to bits, ramming it with all his strength. At this point, Ravana is desperate for help so he can save his beloved Lanka. He goes to Indrajit for assistance who eventually uses the spell of Shiva’s noose to capture Hanuman. With Hanuman in Ravana’s clutches, what is Rama to do now???

Hanuman creates chaos in Lanka; Wikimedia

Author's Note: I took the part of the Ramayana where Hanuman runs wild and creates chaos in Lanka and added my own twist to it. I didn't necessarily change much or anything but I did expand on it.

Bibliography: Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. 

Week 6 Reading Diary B: War Is Brewing

Hanuman returns to Rama with his news of Sita. Upon hearing this news, Rama and his allies head south towards the ocean, in hope of finding a way to cross to get to Lanka. Rama gets frustrated, as he cannot find a reasonable way to get across the ocean with all his allies. He grows angry at the ocean and curses it. In response, Samudra, the water king, rises up from out of the water and explains to Rama that the monkey, Nala, is able to make rocks float in water. Rama is enthused, as this solves his main problem of having to cross the ocean! With the help of Nala and his useful skill, and the help of the squirrels and other animals, a bridge to Lanka is built in no time!

Rama, his allies, and the other animals proceed to cross the bridge and come to Trikuta Hill. There, they spot Shuka, a hawk who is spying on their activities on behalf of Ravana. Angada seizes Shuka and tried to strangle him but Sugriva stops him from doing so in the nick of time! Sugriva send Shuka back to Ravana with a grave message and Ravana retaliates by sending two more demon spies that go by the names of Sardula and Sarana, respectively. They appear in the form of monkeys, but again, they are detected as traitors, this time by Vibhishana. He captures them and brings them to Rama but Sarana vanishes into thin air. Rama send Sardula back to Ravana with another message. War is nearing.

Building the bridge to Lanka; Wikipedia

Week 6 Reading Diary A: Hanuman's Journey to Lanka

After Sita’s abduction, Hanuman takes it upon himself to find the whereabouts of Sita. Sampati, Jatayu’s brother, explains to Hanuman that he has seen Ravana flying high in the sky, towards the city of Lanka. Hanuman is the only one capable of making the hundred league journey across the ocean to Lanka, which he does. Along the way, Hanuman catches a rest when the mountain Mainaka rises up from out of hiding. Mainaka had been hiding under the ocean in fear of Indra. As Hanuman gets closer and closer to Lanka, a female rakshasi, named Sinhika, appears from out of the water and ingests Hanuman! Hanuman is going to have none of this nonsense, as he easily crushes her heart and escapes from her ear. I thought this part of the story was super interesting because it had not been mentioned in the other version of the Ramayana.

Finally, after what seems like forever, Hanuman arrives at Lanka. To keep himself void of detection, he changes himself into the shape of a cat so he can move around freely without any trouble. Lanka appears in front of Hanuman and kicks him, which he returns swiftly with a punch. Lanka then realizes that Hanuman’s arrival is part of a curse that has yet to be fulfilled. Hanuman searches everywhere for Sita but cannot find her. As he is about to give up, his father, Vayu, the wind god, directs him to Sita’s whereabouts in the ashoka grove. At last, he has found Sita!!

Hanuman's journey across the ocean to Lanka; Web Source