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Hi friends!

Here's my storybook: Letters from Sita

Please let me know what you liked and, more importantly, what you think I should change. Thank you!

Sita in exile; Image Source

Week 4 Story: Sita's Heartache

Sita sat amidst the Ashoka trees, her only companions over the last several months. She passed the hours praying to the gods that she would soon be reunited with her love. As day by day crept by, she grew more worried that Rama would never come, that some horrible fate had befallen him in her absence. She often found herself awaking from nightmares drenched in sweat with images of Rama's lifeless body burned into her eyes. The rakshasas mocked her relentlessly, taunting her loyalty to Rama and her every present fear that he was not coming for her.

One night after a particularly ruthless attempt to get Sita to come to bed with him, Ravana stalked off back to his chambers, muttering curses under his breath.

(Ravana trying to woo Sita; Image Source)

The rakshasis mocked Sita, using a high-pitched voice and singsonging "Oh Ravana, most wealthy and powerful Lord, why would I ever give myself to you when my homeless and coward husband is coming for me?" Sita simply bowed her head and tuned out the mocking, praying that Rama would rescue her soon.

One night, a strange man with the shape of a monkey came to Sita and reassured her that Rama was still alive and he was coming for her. Sita finally felt hope that her love had not forgotten her and that he would display his might against all of Lanka to find her and hold her again. Word came later that night that the man had been captured and set ablaze, but he set the whole city on fire in an act of revenge. Sita couldn't help but smile to herself as she thought of Ravana looking out at his burning city and knowing that Rama was coming to save his beloved.

The next time she saw the monkey, he came bearing great tidings, Ravana was dead and Rama sought her presence! She quickly bathed and braided her hair, ready to greet her husband and embrace him for the first time in months.

With every step Sita took closer to Rama, her excitement grew and her heart pounded in her chest until she was certain that the entire region would think a drum was banging through the wilderness. At long last, she saw Rama's glorious face and it felt like she was lifted off the ground as her heart sore at the sight of her love. It took all she had in her to not go running into his arms, but she knew that she must preserve his honor and so she maintained her bashful demeanor, waiting for him to call out to her.

As Sita gazed into Rama's eyes, she noticed a sudden shift into a hard and determined stare rather than the love he had just been looking at her with.

At last, Rama spoke. "Sita, I have slayed the Ravana, Lord of the demons, and spent many months trekking the wilderness and fighting beasts to find you. It is finally complete and I have fulfilled my duty."

His stone cold voice made Sita shiver as she worried what would come next.

"I have accomplished what I must and I will now return to my kingdom to rule. A king is an honorable man and my subjects will be looking to me, so it is with this that I declare that I cannot take you back. No man could resist you, and I cannot have a wife who has dwelled with another man that is not her father."

A tear came to Sita's eye and she whispered, "My Lord, I have lived among the Ashoka-"

"Silence." Rama looked away from Sita's eyes and said, "you may choose where you live, but it can not be with me any longer." With this, Rama turned away and entered conversation with the monkey king.

Sita felt like she had been hit with a boulder as her eyes swelled with tears. Lakshmana met her gaze and sorrow overtook his face as Sita turned and walked slowly away.

Bibliography: 
Sita and Rama from Myths of the Hindus and the Buddhists by Sister Nivedita.

Author's Note:
The first part of my story follows very closely to the original, Sita waiting for Rama to rescue her while preserving her innocence all the while. I added the mocking by the rakshasas to try and show some of the torment she probably endured while rejecting Ravana time and time again. In the original story, Rama slays Ravana and sends for Sita. He lectures her on why he will not take her back, but then she ends up arguing that she did maintain her purity and she enters a funeral pyre to prove her innocence, upon which Rama takes her back. However, he does not take her back for long, as he is quick to exile her again when people start talking about her, rather than defending his wife. I didn't see any reason for Sita to go through this embarrassment twice, so I adapted my story to have her only be exiled once by her husband. While reading the original, I could only think of how unfair this was to Sita and how crushed she must've been, so I decided to write my story in a way where we can see her emotion a little deeper. 

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Section D

Today's the day I finish the Ramayana! To be fully transparent, I didn't really expect to enjoy it this much because I thought it would be difficult to understand and relate to. These past couple of weeks have proven to be a pleasant surprise as I've really enjoyed the story and been able to understand the characters and their motivations. Here's to being pleasantly surprised for the remainder of the semester!

Lakshmana and Indrajit
By: Romesh Dutt
This chapter is where we really see the power of having Vibhishan on Rama's side. He was able to tell Rama of the deception that Ravana and Indrajit were using to try and distress him, then he is able to give Rama and Lakshmana advice on how to proceed. I really enjoyed the dialogue here between uncle and nephew, Vibhishan and Indrajit. I thought it was interesting how Indrajit tried to condemn Vibhihshan as a betrayer, but Vibhishan quickly put him in his place and proclaimed the sins of all of Lanka, separating himself from his kin. Of course this chapter ends with the death of Indrajit by Lakshmana's hand, which seems a long time coming.

(Lakshmana taking his final aim at Indrajit; Image Source)

Indra's Chariot
By: Romesh Dutt
Considering the gods were the ones who were calling for Ravana's defeat so adamantly that Vishnu was born as Dasharatha's four sons, I've been wondering if they were ever going to show up to aid Rama and Lakshmana in this deadly battle. This chapter finally gives some relief to that question, as Indra sends aid to Rama in the war. We finally see a glimmer of hope here in this battle that Rama seemed to have been losing, as he now has new celestial weapons and a mighty chariot to go forth and slay Ravana with.

(Mayhem in Lanka as the battle rages; Image Source)

Sita and Rama
By: Sister Nivedita
I'm honestly so disgusted with Rama. In my research for my project, I knew that Rama was going to reject Sita because she had been in the dwelling of another man, but it made this blow no less knowing it was going to happen. I suppose it is a sign of the times, but it is just so awful that this noble and just man, a god personified, would punish his loving wife for being kidnapped. She refused Ravana's attempts and stayed in the trees isolated, waiting for Rama to rescue her, yet he still casts her out because he's concerned with dishonor. I would have just hoped that he would care more about the woman who followed him into exile and lived in misery for years than he would care about the thoughts of the few who would dishonor him for taking Sita in. Whereas the death of Vali is seen as one of the most controversial points in Rama's character, I feel like his treatment of Sita here takes the cake.

(Rama and Sita likely discussing her exile; Image Source)

Valmiki's Hermitage
By: Donald A. Mackenzie
Even after Sita proves her innocence in the fire, the gods vehemently defend her to Rama, and Rama and Sita could have had their happily ever after, Rama still gives in to the whispering of men and ends up exiling Sita. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, I'm so disappointed by this action, because it shows that Rama cares more about his own pride and reputation more than his wife who sacrificed everything for him. Thank goodness Valmiki was there for Sita and took her into his hermitage so that she did not have to wander the forests as she had for the past 14 years. When Rama goes to perform the Ashwamedha 16 years later, his sons (that he knows nothing about) are the ones to capture the horse and defeat many of Rama's men, including Lakshmana.

(Valmiki teaching Lava and Kusha, Sita's sons, to sing 

the songs of Rama; Image Source)

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Section C

Vali's Death
By: Romesh Dutt
I see why this chapter is so controversial, as this whole story line made me a bit sad. I know it explained why Sugriva and Vali had fought, but honestly I don't see why Rama and Lakshmana encouraged Sugriva to go take on Vali again and continue the hatred between brothers. Then we reach this chapter, in which Sugriva and Vali are fighting to the death until Rama steps in and murders Vali. It just seems like the other times that Rama has killed, it has been justified, but in this story line, there was no reason for the brothers to ever fight again, and Rama seems to kill Vali in cold blood. I just feel like this was unnecessary and takes away from some of the godlike characteristics that have been bestowed upon Rama throughout the entire epic. However, we must also remember that Rama is still a human avatar of a god, so he is bound to make mistakes, but it just let me down a little more than expected.

Hanuman in Lanka
By: Sister Nivedita
Hanuman has leaped across the whole ocean to arrive in Lanka, a golden and treasure filled city. The city is described as a woman, which I thought provided excellent imagery in imagining the kingdom. Hanuman traveled from house to house looking for Sita, and he even goes to Ravana's bedroom to see Ravana sleeping on his bejeweled bed, but Sita is not there. After further searching and still not finding Sita, Hanuman resolves that she is dead.

Sita and Ravana
By: Sister Nivedita
Ravana visits Sita and tries to seduce her using every trick in the book, offering power, wealth, pleasantries, etc. but Sita refuses his every effort. Despite her horrible predicament, Sita is still fully committed to Rama and refuses to betray him, even in the face of torture and death.

(Ravana trying to persuade Sita; Image Source)

Vibhishana
By: Donald A. Mackenzie
This is an interesting turn of events, with Vibhishana, Ravana's own brother, joining Rama's forces. Rama mentioned that the rakshasas have magic, so I wonder if Vibhishana will be able to contribute in that way. Nonetheless, he will be a powerful ally in that he knows the ins and outs of Lanka, as well as knowing his brother quite well.

Feedback Strategies

The first article I read was "How to Give Students Specific Feedback that Actually Helps Them Learn." As a student, this article was very relatable, in that feedback must be structured in a certain way to be helpful. It's always great to get an A on a paper, but it's even better when the grader takes the time to say what parts really worked for them and why, as well as which parts could be stronger. The same goes with a lower grade on an assignment. If the grader doesn't tell me why I was graded this way, there is no way to improve. I agree with this article in that feedback should be transparent, actionable, specific, and ongoing. Feedback that tells me how to improve and grow is much more helpful than that which just says that I met the assignment guidelines.

Next, I looked at "What Kind of Messages Help Kids Grow?" I don't fully agree that giving generic praise is going to be super detrimental to a child's growth, but I do agree that certain kinds of praises are better than others. I've noticed that with my little sister, she gets more out of if I point out exactly what I like that she did rather than just saying "good job."

(Feedback should help grow your brain, rather than limiting 

it to "talent;" Image Source)

Topic Research: Sita

In thinking about topics for my semester project this week, I think I'm leaning more towards focusing on Sita. I really like the idea I came up with of Sita writing to her sons via a journal or letters retelling the adventures of her life, from the exciting to the heartbreaking. I think it'd be cool to have these be from her perspective because I could really dive into her emotions and what she learned from different periods in her life, as well as have her passing on advice to her sons. Considering Sita stayed with Valmiki during her time of exile, he would likely have encouraged her to write her story down, as he is the inventor of poetry.

One of the stories I could tell through this project would be of when Rama and Sita first meet. Sita prays that evening that the goddess grants her wish of being with Rama, which then ends up being the case when Rama wins her hand. This would be a good account for Sita's sons so that they know how their parents fell in love despite never having seen them be together. 

Another story I would like for Sita to tell is her capture by Ravana. She was so strong in resisting Ravana because of her love for Rama. This has messages of bravery and loyalty that would be worthwhile to pass on to her sons. 

A third story that Sita could tell would be the heartbreak of being banished by her husband Rama, who she had waited for and been faithful to. I watched a bit of "Sita Sings the Blues" dedicated to this part of Sita's story, and I think this film would be worthwhile to watch in its entirety. For this specific story, I can't imagine the feeling of desperation Sita felt while being exiled by her love because he can't trust her. Sita is such a strong woman and this story really shows her strength even amidst her hopelessness. Even after this hurt, Sita still allows Valmiki to teach her sons to sing the songs of Rama, rather than being bitter toward him.

(Valmiki teaching Lava and Kusha of Rama; Image Source)

Week 3 Story: Ravana, New York's Top Boss

Ravana sat in the back booth of a smoke-filled restaurant in New York City, closing his eyes as he puffed his cigar. Beefy men in dark suits were scattered around the booth and throughout the restaurant, restricting access to their boss, as he only had time for the most important of people.

A bloody and disheveled woman tore through the restaurant and just as one of the guards grabbed her, Ravana spoke with an angry force "Stop!" The guard immediately dropped his hands and the woman, Ravana's sister Shurpanakha, approached the booth.

Ravana grimaced at his sister's dirty appearance and spoke. "You disturb my peace sister, what has come over you? Who dares attack the sister of the mighty Ravana? Tell me now!"

Shurpanakha laughed ruthlessly. "Ravana you sit around in your mansion all day and count your money, when was the last time you looked to see how we were doing on the street? We're falling apart out there Ravana! Our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered on the streets and our family is mocked by all of New England, yet you puff on your cigar as our enemies roam free. Our brothers are dead! They were defending my honor and they were ruthlessly killed along with 14,000 of our best men, yet you ask "who dares?" Not the feds, the cops, or even one of the other mobs, it was the homeless Rama who wanders the streets like he owns them with his fearless brother and beautiful wife."

"Ah Rama, he will rue the day I learned his name. You say he has destroyed our men, but he has never seen the likes of Ravana and he will tremble at my voice. I will seek his one true weakness and I will use it to break him, his weapons and prowess are no match for me. "

"Brother!" Shurpanakha exclaimed, "I already know his weakness - it is his wife Sita. She is the reason that he scorned me and Rama released his fury on our men when Sita was endangered. She is the way to truly damage him."

Ravana slowly put his cigar out on the ash tray at his table, and then a wide grin came over his face and he let out a slow and vicious laugh. The restaurant silenced as the dreadful noise filled the space, with people averting their eyes before Ravana caught their stares. The restaurant quickly emptied, for his laugh captured his murderous determination and none of them wanted to be the first target.

(Christopher Walken, who I imagined playing Ravana in this

mobster adaptation; Image Source)

Author's Note:

This story is based off of "Shurpanakha and Ravana," the first part of The Ramayana where we meet Ravana and prepare for the story to shift. Before this story, Shurpanakha, Ravana's rakshasa sister, approached Rama in the form of a beautiful woman, trying to seduce him. Rama turned her down quickly and joked that she go and see Lakshmana to find a fitting husband. Lakshmana poked fun at her, which made her grow outraged, and when she tried to attack Sita, Lakshmana cut off her ears and nose. She then ran to her brothers who gathered an army of 14,000 rakshasas to go and attack Rama, but Rama subsequently killed the entire army to protect Sita. Then we reach the present story, in which Shurpanakha goes to her brother Ravana, king of the demons, and tells him her woes. Shurpanakha says that Ravana must take Sita as his own to torture Rama, rather than letting him off with death. 

I pictured this story from the beginning happening with Ravana being a mob boss who is pretty oblivious to what is going on in his domain while he enjoys his own pleasures. However, once his sister has been offended and someone dared to kill off so many of his men, I pictured Ravana ready to take matters into his own hands. I think that I related Ravana to a mob boss for the fear they inflict on the people around them, the power they wield, and the lengths they will go to to defend themselves and their family. I pictured Christopher Walken as Ravana and this all unfolding in 1930's New York. 

Bibliography:

"Shurpanakha and Ravana" from The Iliad of the East: The Ramayana by Frederika Richardson Macdonald.