Week 7 Story Planning: Hidden in the Himalayas

Bhima and Hanuman
By: John Mandevill Macfie

• Recall that Hanuman remained on earth at the end of the Ramayana and he is destined to remain here as long as the praises of Rama are sung. 
• This is his one appearance in the Mahabharata, but we can be sure that he was in fact on earth during all of this, even if we weren't actively seeing him. In fact, he would still be on earth today since Rama's story is still told.
• Hanuman and Bhima are half-brothers, because they were both fathered by the wind god, Vayu.
• Bhima is walking along a path when he stumbles across a monkey (Hanuman)
• He tries to pick it up and move it because he regularly swings around dead elephants as weapons, but finds that he can't move Hanuman
• Hanuman then raises and explains who he is, telling of his time with Rama
• I wonder if at this time Rama is glorified like he is today
• Hanuman goes into his giant form at Bhima's request
• They talk about the different ages of earth: 
• Krita Yuga - complete virtue - evil didn't exist, so neither did gods or demons. All were equal and Brahma was attainable by all
• Treta Yuga - sin has entered, sacrifices become regular, men very devoted to worship
• Dwapara Yuga - 50% virtue - men become divided, subject to passion, less devoted, etc.
• Kali Yuga - only 25% virtue - evil, famine, disease, sloth, anger, etc. prevail
• Hanuman also discusses the four castes and how they reach heaven:
• Brahmin (priests, teachers, and protectors of sacred learning) - achieve heaven by their self-discipline and worship
• Vaishya (farmers, land owners, etc.) - gifts and hospitality
• Kshatriya (warriors and governors) - protecting men
• Shudra (lowest caste) - Hanuman said nothing

I want my story to be about people seeking to find Hanuman today. I imagine he'd be somewhere in the Himalayas so they will conduct their search there. I see Hanuman being the kind who would get as close to humanity as possible without giving himself away, so he would maintain his regular monkey form so as to decrease suspicion. However, the people looking for him have seen large monkey footprints they attribute to Hanuman, as well as several grainy photos of him leaping from tree to tree. Here's a website with an example of the footprint and a supposed photograph of Hanuman. This website also discusses a mantra that is meant to call Hanuman to his devotees when chanted, so that could also play into the story. 

 I haven't decided yet if they should actually find him or not. If they did, it would obviously be purposeful on Hanuman's part, because if he didn't want to be found he wouldn't be. I wonder if he would have a reason for allowing this group to find him? If not, they could continue their search further down the line, hoping to one day get a glimpse of Hanuman themselves. 

(Giant footprint inside of the Veerabhadra Temple, 

said to be Hanuman's; Image Source)