Introduction
There are many love stories that lie within Indian
Epics, although sometimes the love isn't as obvious as we would think. Most of the time, the love
stories are easy to spot, but others are embedded within another story. The two books we have read in class, the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata, contain numerous love stories. One story in particular, the story of Rama
and Sita, is an example of a love story that dominates the whole
Ramayana. This couple endures a number of
trials and
tribulations throughout their marriage.
Despite all of these challenges, Rama and Sita maintain their
love and
devotion for one another. The love
shared between Rama and Sita is just one of the four love stories that
will be
expressed within this storybook.
The second story that has been
retold in my story book is the story of Ahalya and Gautama.
Ahalya's story is another example
of a passionate love story
that has been expressed. Ahalya's love
story includes betrayal, punishment, and forgiveness.
Ahalya and Gautama experience an immense
amount of deceit at the hand of Indra, but together they overcome it
and learn
to trust each other.
The third story I have put in
my storybook is the sort of complex story of Draupadi and her five
husbands. In the story of Draupadi and her five husbands,
Draupadi was able to chose who she wanted to be with, and
she ended up marrying the five Pandu princes. Together they,
Draupadi and the Pandavas have
a few trials and tribulations and that is what my third story
reflects.
The fourth story I have used
within my storybook is the story of Kaikeyi and Dasaratha.
Kaikeyi saved Dasaratha during a war, in which he was hurt in.
Dasaratha in turn promised Kaikeyi two requests, but despite
her rescuing him, it is my belief that these two were in fact in love,
so I have explored this theory in my fourth and final story.
The stories of Rama and Sita and
Ahayla and Gautama are
based on love shared between two people, but there are also love
stories in
which only one person involved is in love.
This makes for a disastrous and rude awakening for the person
who is
consumed with love. For example, the
story of Ravana's love for Sita would be classified as this
kind of
a love
story. When love is not reciprocated, it
can be dangerous for the person who does not feel the same way as the
person
who is in love.
Although these are fictional
stories, they have a basis in
reality. Love is a powerful thing. Love is an innate need of every human being,
as well as all human cultures. And love
is what this storybook is all about.
I have decided to use a frametale
to
link the stories
together. The frametale I decided to use makes the
stories girly and fun, which I feel really fits in with the theme of
this frametale; love. I think that the frametale I
have chosen will be a fun and vibrant way to tell these wonderful and
exciting
love stories.
I
had just finished setting the
table for our "Girls
Only" dinner party when the oven beeped, telling me the chicken
enchiladas
were ready. At almost the same time, the
doorbell rang. I ran to the oven and
turned it off and then sprinted over to the door. I
opened the door to find my three best
friends, Ashley, Danielle, and Cheyenne.
They didn't know
the reasoning behind my
dinner party, but
they were about to find out. I couldn't
wait to tell them my exciting news.
Back to Coverpage
Image Information: India, Madhya Pradesh, Datia. Scenes from the
life of Krishna, Folio from a Bhagava Purana (Ancient Stories of the
Lord). Date circa 1775. Museum Number M.81.272.2. Weblink: LACMA.