Tech Tip: Google Timer

The timer is so cool! Mostly, I'm impressed that it's like a Google short-cut to search for "set timer" and have it pop up! I don't think this will be particularly useful to me when managing my time online -- I usually give myself "five minutes" to take a quick break and get back to work, and it never works out even though I'll consistently check my time -- but probably for cooking and such it's easier. Maybe it will help me be better at actually doing homework while things cook, instead of me getting up to check every five minutes...

Week 11: Famous Last Words

It’s the home stretch! I have figured out my basic weekly assignment list for the rest of the semester: two more Storybook things (both of which are revisions), three reading posts a week, and about five points, on average, in other assignments a week. Shouldn’t be too hard to keep up with, right?

This week was a busy one for reading. I ended up finishing The Palace of Illusions, reading an Amar Chitra Katha comic, and starting Breaking the Bow. I really enjoyed the final chapter of Divakaruni’s novel and the philosophical way in which it wrapped up after hints being given to Draupadi about that all along. The comic, Stories of Creation from the Brahma Purana, was fun. I hadn’t tried any of the comics or graphic novels at Bizzell, so I’m glad I took the opportunity to see what one was like. And of course, I’m enjoying Breaking the Bow right now. I’m interested to see what else the anthology has in store, with such a diverse array of authors, genres, and takes on the epic.

I had a couple interesting Epics-related interactions this week as well. Checking out the comic from Bizzell, one of the workers gushed about how much she loves the comic series, having grown up reading these. The lady who checked out the book to me was just amazed at it being volume 834. J

Earlier in the week, I unsuccessfully tried to avoid yet another campus proselytizer on the South Oval. But this one turned out to be super friendly (and seemed genuine about it) and was discussing the Bhagavad Gita, not Christianity. Turned out she’s from ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), which made me realize that while many of us read these epics for entertainment, others can view them as texts relating stories of spiritual significance. I hadn’t really connected the Krishna of the Ramayana with a god who people still worship, so this was an interesting perspective to encounter.

 life-size statue of ISKCON founder Swami Prabhupada

from ISKCON Temple Chennai

(Wikimedia Commons)

Week 11 Reading Diary, cont.: Breaking the Bow

reading: Part A of Breaking the Bow: Speculative Fiction Inspired by the Ramayana, ed. Anil Menon & Vandana Singh (2012)

I've been so excited to get to read this! I first ran across the anthology probably a little before it came out, when I was looking for speculative fiction (particularly sci-fi) by non-English and/or non-Western authors. It's out there, even in translation, it's just not always that easy to find! So, loving both sci-fi and new takes on old stories, I had long been looking forward to finding a copy of this book and reading it.

The introductions made it clear that this epic has so. many. different versions, and this anthology is just adding to them. I knew, of course, that individual storytellers are each going to have their own way of telling the story, but I hadn't realized how much leeway there is and just how much adaptation has been done over the years. It's something I would definitely love to learn more about! It kind of reminds me of Arthurian legend, how the same basic things get retold, but in different ways and different languages, over a long period of time, essentially creating its own genre...

The first story didn't impress me too much. It seemed like an extended version of something someone might do in this class, which is cool within the course framework, but not particularly revolutionary or notable within this anthology. Mostly I was just disturbed by the vitriol of some of the "comments."

The second story, "Exile," was amazing. I was reading it while sitting in a crowded, loud room, and I realized partway through that I was so absorbed I'd completely blocked out all the people around me. It's set in a futuristic world -- again, I always love the sci-fi -- and is able to do a lot of world-building, and do it clearly, within not very many pages. It didn't do much for me in terms of having me come away with a social message or anything, but the future subculture it built around the epic was pretty awesome.

I realized after the fact that the first three stories (how far I've read so far) relate loosely to Surpanaka being humiliated, as here where Lakshmana has cut off her nose.

Raja Ravi Press, 1920s

source: Wikimedia Commons

Week 11 Reading Diary, cont.: Palace of Illusions

reading: Part H of The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (2008)

It is done. I was surprised that there were still several chapters left after the big battle, but then, the original epic does cover long-reaching consequences of the conflict. The novel most of these events in only slightly more detail than the succinct summary given by Narayan. They rebuild after the war, there's a prophecy about Pariksit, Krishna and all his family dies, the Pandavas die. Another couple decades of Draupadi's life summed up in little space.

This section of the novel was more rewarding than the last because the characters begin to heal. Draupadi, Kunti, and Gandhari finally come together, to help the widows who are left in desperate situations. They've come to regret many of their past actions, but the effects of these will inevitably come back to haunt them. Draupadi's voice matures at this point, as she finally begins to let go of the selfish concerns that have driven her before to look more at her relationships with those around her.

The last chapter was most interesting to me. The Pandava brothers and wife are on their last journey, one that is both physical and spiritual. Draupadi is the first to fall, and as she dies, she converses with Krishna one last time. With Krishna coming back and discussing metaphysics with her, I wonder (not knowing much about actual Hindu faith in practice) how much of this section is just literary content and how much begins taking on a spiritual/religious message. All of the strains of thought are finally coming together in this scene, with Draupadi coming to terms with the role of the individual in the world.

death of Draupadi

from Bahadur's illustrations of the Mahabharata, 19th cent.

source: Wikimedia Commons

Week 11 Reading Diary: Palace of Illusions

reading: Part G of The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (2008)

Well, this reading was heartbreaking. Turns out I had pretty much completely forgotten everything that happens after the battle. I roughly remembered that all five Pandava brothers survive, but their children and most of the other key figures do not (besides Krishna). I'd forgotten the part where everyone should be safe, but someone on the Kaurava side goes mad, breaks into the Pandava camp, and brutally kills Dhri, the five Pandava sons, and some other important people who are, again, slipping my mind right now.

This section really emphasizes the senselessness and monstrosity of war. The two sides start out with rules for war, but about halfway these get tossed out the window. Atrocity is countered with atrocity in a cycle that will only continue past the conclusion of the battle. At the end, the head honchos finally wake up to the fact that their drama-turned-battle doesn't just affect them; they're all heartbroken -- and so is everyone else around them. The conflict over succession has devastated the lands they would be ruling, which seems pretty counterintuitive to me.

So...if I thought Rama's treatment of Sita in the Ramayana was sad, the Mahabharata is even more depressing by the time the epic concludes. And I'm not even to the end just yet. But kudos to the epic for not just senselessly glorifying its heroes, but for showing the pathos that goes along with their actions and repercussions as well.

Just look at all the little people who are going to die because the couple of big ones can't get along.

image: Arjuna confronts Karna; painting c.1820 (Wikimedia Commons)