Topic Brainstorm

There are various topics that I am interested in learning more about, to utilize in creating my Indian Epics storybook. The four that sparked my interest are listed below.

Ahalya, wife of a sage. Source: Wikimedia 

Women of The Epics:

I believe women are an essential component to this universe. Women are fierce and intelligent beings. I sincerely appreciate all the women who have come before me to ensure my success and provided me with opportunity to give other women the same encouragement. I think learning about the various women of the epics, would give me a more rounded perspective and comprehension of women from different cultures. I have hardly learned much about women in India before this course, so that is something I would like to further explore. While researching topics, I came across Women in Hindu Epics. I feel like the source I provided, is a great way for me to get a better idea of the role women have in society from the Indian perspective and culture in general. I would like to incorporate women into my storybook to further enhance their many contributions.


Karma:

Karma is something that has been a common word in society. However, I did not entirely understand its true concept and origins until beginning this course. I think it would be fun to do a storybook with karma at the focal point, because karma is relevant to us all. I would like to use karma as a source of energy in my stories, for readers to engage with. I would also strive to initiate karma being seen as a circular concept, rather than a start to finish one. Karma is a great resource where I could start creating an influx of ideas. 


Yoga:

I have actually experienced yoga several times in my life. Yoga to me, is a great way to achieve feelings of relaxation and serenity. I did not previously recognize yoga's origins in relation to the Indian culture. I feel as if yoga is perceived as a form of exercise that is trendy and does not require you to exert too much force. The reality is, yoga is difficult in the sense of focusing on your breathing while trying to perform certain poses that usually require flexibility. Yoga is actually used as a way to connect with divinity in the Indian culture. It would be interesting and enlightening to use yoga as a storybook topic, because it would be informative to others and amplify its vitality within the culture's origination.


Love Stories: 

I am a true romantic, so using loves stories as the foundation of my storybook would be something I enjoy. Growing up, I was obsessed with all of the princesses showcased in western society. Focusing on love stories within the Indian culture would be a neat way of comparing the evaluation of love from differing cultural entities. I am eager to learn how love is perceived from different regions of the world. As I was looking at resources to give me more ideas about love stories, Love Diaries by a former student caught my eye. I thoroughly adored the way she translated ideas of love within Indian culture into a diary. I think love stories would be a topic that provides me with plentiful information to use in my storybook.