Indian Epics: Readings and Resources: Project Ideas

Showing posts with label Project Ideas. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Project Ideas Index

Here's an idea at random... press reload for more:

Below is a list of the Project Idea posts with research tips and links, and these ideas are just a few out of the infinite possibilities! You are not constrained in any way by this list; in fact, one of the most exciting things that happens each semester is when people do projects that no one has ever done before.

The Gods / Devas
Devi: The Goddess
Vahanas of the Gods
Weapons of the Gods
Divine Iconography
Creation Stories
Vishnu and Lakshmi
Shiva Mahadeva
Ganesha, The Elephant-Headed God
Indra, The Thunder God
Surya, The Sun-God
Ganga, The Goddess of the Ganges
Kamadeva, The God of Love
Avatars of the Gods
The Avatars of Vishnu
The Ramayana Told Your Way
Dasharatha and his Family
Women of the Ramayana
Loving Couples of the Ramayana
Sita
Rama
Rama and Sita
Hanuman
Ravana
Supernatural Characters of the Ramayana
Animal Characters of the Ramayana
Geography of the Ramayana
Krishna the Hero
Epic Heroes
Epic Battles
Epic Brothers
Women of the Epics
Sages and Gurus
Valmiki
Vishvamitra
The Chiranjivi (Immortals)
Animals, Natural and Supernatural
Horses
Elephants
Rakshasas
Yakshas
Apsaras
Nagas and Naginis
Birth Stories
Death Stories
Reincarnation
Love Stories
Nala and Damayanti
Swayamvaras
Karma
Dharma
Maya
Yoga
Traveling India
Temples
Food
Music
Festivals and Holidays
Jataka Tales

Plus you can get project ideas just from looking at random books with Indian stories and random artwork... there are hundreds more project ideas just waiting for you to discover them. Press reload for more:

Browse all the images at the Epic Images Gallery:

Browse all the India books at the Freebookapalooza:

Project Idea: Apsaras

The apsaras are divine nymphs, and you will find them in both of them epics and in other Indian legends.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about apsaras, and then start exploring the articles about famous apsaras like Rambha (who curses Ravana), Hema (mother of Mandodari), Menaka (mother of Shakuntala, and thus ancestor of the Bharata who gives his name to the Mahabharata), Urvashi (who curses Arjuna), Ghritachi (indirectly the mother of Drona), and Tilottama,

(apsara in Indonesia)

Project Idea: Vishvamitra

Vishvamitra, who plays a key role in the Ramayana as Rama's guru, is one of the most famous sages in the Indian tradition, with an unusual life story: he started out his life as a king, not a sage.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about Vishvamitra, and also the article about what it means to be a Brahmarshi. There are also good articles about other characters who are involved in Vishvamitra's life and adventures: Vashishtha, Harischandra, Trishanku, and Menaka.

Plus, you might also enjoy this comic book on Reserve in Bizzell: Vishvamitra: The King Who Became an Ascetic.

Past Projects:

Brahmarshi Vishvamitra

Project Idea: Valmiki

Valmiki is both the author of one of the most famous versions of the Ramayana, and he is also a character in the story himself, with a fascinating life history of his own.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about Valmiki, which tells the story of how he was the first to discover poetry, and how he then went on to compose the Ramayana. You can also read about his earlier life as Ratnakar, the robber.

You might also want to read about Tulsidas, the later poet who was considered by some to be a reincarnation of Valmiki. You can get a comic book version of Tulsidas's Ramayana in Bizzell: Tulsidas' Ramayana, and there is also a comic book about his life: Tulsidas: The Poet Who Wrote Ram-Charit-Manas.

Here is an image of Valmiki with the sons of Rama in his hermitage:

In Valmiki's hermitage,

Lava and Kusha recite the Ramayana,

while Shatrughna listens.

(British Library: Mewar Ramayana)

Project Idea: Divine Iconography

The Indian art tradition is rich in iconography, and you could use those details in the depictions of the gods as prompts for the stories in your project.

Research Tip: Each of the Wikipedia articles about the major gods and goddesses will provide information you can use: Vishnu iconography, Shiva iconography, Brahma iconography, Lakshmi iconography, Parvati iconography, Saraswati iconography, Ganesha iconography, etc. There's even an article on the 32 popular forms of Ganesha.

Here is one of those Ganeshas: Vīra Gaṇapati, the Valiant Ganapati:

Armed with Bhetala, the weapon of power (shakti), arrow, bow, wheel (chakra or discus), sword, club, hammer, mace, hook, nagapasha (serpent noose), spear, plough, and the shining axe.

Project Idea: The Chiranjivi (Immortals)

The Chiranjivi ("Immortals") of India would make a great topic for this class; most of them will be familiar to you from the epics, and, being immortal, some of them appear in both of the epics.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about the seven Chiranjivi, and then articles about the individual characters: Hanuman, Parashurama, Vibhishana, Vyasa, Kripa, Ashwatthama, and Mahabali. Some also consider Jambavan to be one of the immortals.

You might also enjoy the comic book on Reserve in Bizzell about Ashwatthama, which is based on the premise of him living into the distant future: Vengeance of Ashwatthama.

Project Idea: Vishnu and Lakshmi

The divine couple Vishnu and Lakshmi, in their divine forms and in their human avatars, make a great topic for this class; you will be meeting Vishnu and Lakshmi right at the start of the Ramayana as Rama and Sita.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia articles about Vishnu and about Lakshmi, and also the article about Narayan and Lakshminarayan. You might also read about their heavenly home in Vaikuntha. The article about Vaishnavism describes the worship of Vishnu, and there are holidays dedicated to Vishnu and Lakshmi such as Diwali and Holi. You might also enjoy this comic book on Reserve in Bizzell: Tales of Vishnu: The Gentle God.

Past Projects:

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Project Idea: Elephants

Elephants are one of the most distinctive animals of India, and you will find many elephant tales in the Indian storytelling tradition, starting with Ganesha and his elephant head.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about the Indian elephant, and also the article on cultural depictions of elephants. You will find articles about the Indra's elephant Airavata, and also Gajendra, the elephant devoted to Vishnu. There are many Jataka tales about elephants too!

Past Projects:

Project Idea: Swayamvara

The Sanskrit word "swayamvara" means "self-choice-of-suitor," and it refers to the ritual where the bride picks (or seems to pick) her choice from among a crowd of suitors, sometimes based on a contest.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about the swayamvara, and then look at some of the famous swayamvaras from the epics: Sita and Rama; Bhishma and Amba, Ambalika, and Ambika; Kunti and Pandu; Draupadi and Arjuna; and Damayanti and Nala. You might also enjoy these folktales: The Rat's Swayamvara and The Dancing Peacock. The ACK comic books can be a good resource, like the story of Purushottam Dev and Padmavati, where a swayamvara is an important part of the story.

Past Projects:

Tales of Marriage: Swayamvaras Behind the Scenes

Project Idea: Horses

Horses have been part of the Indian storytelling tradition since ancient times, and there are many horse stories you could tell for a project in this class.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about horses in South Asia, especially the section on horse symbolism. You'll want to learn about the Ashwamedha, "Horse Sacrifice," which is a feature of both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The Ashwins are the divine twin horsemen, celestial fathers of the twins Nakula and Sahadeva in the Mahabharata. You can read about Vishnu's horse avatar, Hayagriva, and Uchchaihshravas, the seven-headed flying white horse; Vishnu's avatar-to-come, Kalki, will arrive on a white horse. There is also an article about Kanthaka, the Buddha's horse.

Past Projects:

Horses Divine

Project Idea: Creation Stories

Just as there are many gods in India, there are many stories of creation. Brahma is often called the "Creator," but there are other creative forces at work to make the world as it is, and the ancient epics provide important evidence for those creation stories.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia articles on Hindu cosmology and Hindu evolution (especially the creation myths section), and then look at one of the most famous of the creation stories: Samudra-manthan, "The Churning of the Ocean." You might also enjoy the article on Hiranyagarbha, the "Golden Egg" (or "Golden Womb"), along with the article on the god Prajapati. Wikipedia also has good articles on Brahma, plus Manu, the first man (although according to some sources, Yama was the first mortal man). For the cycle of creation and destruction, see the article on Hindu eschatology.

You will find this comic book on Reserve in Bizzell: Stories of Creation from the Brahma Purana.

Project Idea: Reincarnation

The epics feature some characters whose past incarnations are profoundly connected to their epic identity, and you can use your class project this semester to learn more about reincarnation in the Indian tradition.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia articles about Reincarnation and also about Samsara, Moksa, and Nirvana. You can also learn about Sita's past life as Vedavati, Draupadi's past life as Nalayani, and you get to see Amba's own vow to reincarnate as Shikhandi. Some people consider Vali from the Ramayana to have returned as Jara (the hunter who kills Krishna) in the Mahabharata, while others think he is Arjuna (as both have Indra for their father). Kaikeyi from the Ramayana returns as Devaki in the Mahabharata, while Kaushalya returns as Yashoda.

Past Projects:

Project Idea: Yoga

You might think of yoga as a form of exercise, but there is much more to Yoga, and you could use your project in this class to learn more about ancient Yoga traditions and their connection to the Indian epics.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about Yoga, and you might also enjoy the article about Yogis and about Yoginis. Check out the article about Tapas too (spiritual power, not the appetizer). You can also look at some famous yoga Asanas whose names come from the Indian storytelling tradition: Anantasana, Anjaneyasana, Aṣṭāvakrasana, Bhairavasana, Bharadvajasana, Garuḍasana, Hanumanasana, Kalyasana, Natarajasana, Surya Namaskara , Tandavasana, Trivikrama, Vajrasana, and Vasiṣṭhasana.

Past Projects:

IE Yoga Studios: Pose Origins Workshop

Project Idea: Maya

Maya is a key concept in the Indian cultural tradition, but it is difficult to translate into English: the most common word used is "illusion," but it's not just a matter of simple trickery or deceit. Maya is about the fundamental unreality of what we like to call reality; it is the veil of appearances beyond which true reality is hidden.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about Maya, and you will see how the term has had different meanings over time and in different Indian philosophical schools. Then, you can start looking for stories from the epics the exemplify the traps. Like Karma and Dharma, Maya is a universal concept: Maya is at work in every story at all times; it's for you to decide which stories you want to retell in order to explore the concept of Maya as you see it.

You might also enjoy the amazing legend of the Maya Sita: according to this version of the Ramayana, Sita never went to Lanka at all; that was just a phantom Sita. The real Sita was returned to Rama by the god Agni when the phantom Sita entered the fire. Even more amazing: a similar story is told about Helen of Troy!

Past Projects:

Project Idea: Epic Battles

Both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata feature battles on an epic scale; for a class project, you could focus on the battlefield scenes, finding your own way of telling the story of the clash of mighty armies... and not just human armies, but monkeys, bears, rakshasas and the gods themselves taking part.

Research Tip: If you are interested in this topic, focus your attention on the battle scenes in the epic; you will find battle scenes in the reading every week. You can use Wikipedia to learn about kshatriya (warrior) caste, and also to learn about the weapons of the warriors. The article about the history of warfare in India begins with Vedic times, and you will find links there to related articles. You'll also want to learn something about the Bhagavad-Gita as told to Arjuna by Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

Past Projects:

Project Idea: Epic Heroes

There is no shortage of heroes in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. But who stands out as a real hero to you? What makes a real hero? For a class project, you could zoom in on a single character to consider their heroic qualities, or create a collection of different characters who embody heroism in their own ways. You could also think about what the events of the epic look like when viewed through the eyes of your hero(es).

Research Tip: If you are interested in the topic of heroism, use that lens as you are reading, looking for heroic qualities in all the characters you meet. You will find comic books on Reserve in Bizzell, and you can see in what way the heroes of the epics are like what you might expect from a comic book hero (or not). As you find characters who really intrigue you, use Wikipedia to get more background information; you might find information there that does not figure directly in the epics!

Past Projects:

Project Idea: Jataka Tales

If you enjoyed the Jataka Anthology from back in Week 2, you can use your semester project to learn more about this Buddhist storytelling tradition from India. You will find so many echoes between the Jataka themes and characters and the stories of the epics.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about the Jataka tradition, and you can also get some good background on Buddhism there and on the life of Gautama Buddha. You will find these Jataka comic books on Reserve in Bizzell, and there are many great Jataka books online. I've also got a blog featuring many of the most famous Jataka tales with notes: Stories from India. The stories in that blog are at Diigo where you can search by length (for example, here are the extra-short and short jatakas), along with other Diigo searches.

Past Projects:

Jataka Tales: Waffle and Tootsie

Project Idea: Weapons of the Gods

The gods and goddesses possess celestial weapons and mantras which they use in their own battles with the asuras, and they also bestow those weapons on human warriors, as you see in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata

Research Tip: If you are interested in this topic, keep an eye out while you are doing the reading for class; you will see references to many celestial weapons in both epics. There are also Wikipedia articles about all the most famous weapons. Start with this list of weapons along with this list of astras, and then zoom in on the specific articles, like Indra's Vajra, Shiva's Trishula, Vishnu's Chakra, Brahma's Astra, Hanuman's Gada, along with the famous bows of India tradition: Sharanga, Kodanda, Vijaya, Dhanush, Gandiva, etc.

Past Projects:

Project Idea: Surya, The Sun-God

Surya the Sun-God is the father of Sugriva in the Ramayana, and he is the father of Karna in the Mahabharata, plus there are other stories about Surya and his family that you can learn about online. He is a fascinating character!

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about Surya and his wives Chhaya and Saranyu, and you might be related in these articles too: Konark Sun Temple, Makar Sankranti, Savitr, and Rahu the Eclipse Demon. There are also comic books on Reserve in Bizzell: Surya: How the Sun God Was Tamed, Tapati: Daughter of the Sun God, and Konark: Temple to the Sun.

Past Projects:

Here Comes Surya: A View from Above

Project Idea: Nagas

You will meet some important Naga characters in the Mahabharata, and there are also some great Naga stories you can read in other sources.

Research Tip: Start with the Wikipedia article about Nagas, and then take a look at some of the articles about individual Nagas and Naginis like Shesha, Ulupi, Takshaka, Astika, Vasuki, Manasa, Kaliya, and Karkotaka. Plus, you will find there comic books on Reserve in Bizzell: Uloopi: The Naga Princess and Pareekshit: Son of Abhimanyu (which includes the story of Takshaka and Astika).

Past Projects: