Wikipedia Trails: From Draupadi to Elizabeth of Russia

Wikipedia Trails: From Draupadi to Elizabeth of Russia

Brihadishvara Temple. Source: Wikmedia.  

I started the trail off with Draupadi article. I wanted to read more on her to see if there could be anything on her Wikipedia page that wasn't mentioned in any of the readings. I got to learn some more information of her life with the Pandavas. I also learned that she has over 400 temples dedicated to her throughout various Indian states. 

From that article, I went to the article about Tamil Nadu. I have always been curious about the South Indian states. The languages down in the south are completely different than the ones I've grown up hearing. I got to learn from the article that the language of Tamil was the first language to be recognized as a classical language of India. 

From the Tamil Nadu article, I went to the article about the Seven Years' War. I remembered learning about it in a world history class but I don't remember much about it so I decided to research more. I learned that it spanned over 5 continents and it involved every European great power. It has also been described as "World War Zero" because it was similar in scale to the other wars.

Lastly, I ended at the article of Elizabeth of Russia. I wanted to learn more about her because I've heard of Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, but this was a first to see a Queen Elizabeth of Russia. Elizabeth was the Empress of Russia from 1741 to her in 1762. She led the country throughout two wars: the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. 

Tech Tip: Blogger Template

Tech Tip: Blogger Template

I used this tech tip because I felt like changing my blog. I got bored with the design. I followed the instructions to see how I could change the design. I decided to change my background image to an image of a place in India. I think it fits well with the theme of this class. 

Week 12: The Long Lost Son

The Long Lost Son

*I have updated this story for my portfolio project and the newer version is here on my website. I gave the story a new name as well. 

Cousins battling. Source: Wikimedia. 

“I can’t wait for the tournament,” Bhima announced loudly to his brother. The five Pandava brothers had been so excited all morning for this tournament. 

This tournament was between them and their cousins, the Kauravas. The purpose of the tournament was to see how much they had learned in their training from Kripacharya and Drona. Their skills would be tested today. Their talents would be exhibited in front of everyone including the royal family and the public. 

“I hope none of my sons get hurt today,” hoped Kunti. She had bene excited for the tournament as well. She knew her sons had all trained so hard. They had so much energy in them that she knew this would be a perfect way for them to exert all of that energy. 

At the tournament, all of the cousins had went and showcased the talents in front of the crowd. The one who stood out the most was her son, Arjuna. Everyone was stunned by his skills in archery and use of weapons. They watched in awe and admiration. She felt immense pride for her son. But then came along a man named Karna.

Karna said he had trained from Parshuram himself, so he wanted to challenge Arjuna. She watched as Karna surpassed all the feats Arjuna had made. She could tell from her son’s face that was getting angrier by the second. She watched as Arjuna refused to let Karna be crowned the victor.

Kunti couldn’t help but stare at Karna. For some reason, she felt a connection to this man. He looked familiar to her. She listened as Kripacharya stepped in and said they couldn’t let him fight if Karna wasn’t from a royal bloodline. They wanted to know his lineage.

“I don’t know about my lineage. All I know from my parents is that I was found in a basket floating down the river. I was brought up a charioteer and his wife, my mother. They are the only family I know,” explained Karna.

Kunti was in shock. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. “Could this… could he… is this… no, that’s not possible. But it can be. But how?” thought Kunti. She started to panic. She started to feel dizzy and her vision was getting darker. She lost consciousness the moment she realized that Karna was her firstborn. 

Author's Note: I based this story off of an interaction from an Epified: Mahabharata video. In the video, Karna becomes King, Kunti finds out for the first time that the man challenging Arjuna is actually her firstborn she had given up. In the video, the narrator focuses more on the tension between the men, and the part about Kunti fainting is briefly mentioned towards the end. I thought since I had already written a story about Kunti giving about baby Karna in her perspective, I would write this in her perspective as well. 

Bibliography:

Karna becomes King. Epified: Mahabharata. 

Reading Notes: Epified, Part D

Epified: Mahabharata

Part D

Draupadi's Swayamvar. Source: Wikimedia.

In the Part D videos of the Epified: Mahabharata series, the focus was more on Draupadi and her husbands. This was the part of the Mahabharata that I felt like things were picking up and the tension was starting to build, especially between the Pandavas and Kauravas.

I focused more of my attention on the character of Karna because I plan on writing this week's story on him. The part where Karna is mentioned is during Draupadi's Swayamvar and Karna's Humiliation. Karna feels like he is always tainted because he is a "soot-putra" or a charioteer's son. However, he still tries to win the challenge that Draupadi's dad put forward. Draupadi, however,  insults him by saying that he would never be worthy of marrying a princess because he is soot-putra. Karna returns to his seat with this fire of humiliation burning inside of him.

I have grown to show more sympathy for the character of Karna and for the character of Kunti, so I think in my story I can incorporate him being insults by Draupadi and show how he decided to be the bigger person and not fire any insults back.

Reading Notes: Epified, Part C

Epified: Mahabharata

Part C

Epified. Source: Viki.

For these next two weeks of reading, I'm going back to the Epified: Mahabharata videos to finish all of the parts. 

Part C starts off with the story of Karna and then moves on to the Pandavas. 

The video Karna's Quest. In this part, it gives a great introduction to Karna. Karna was born with the earrings and the armor and they grow with him as he grows. In the next 2 videos, it shows the stories of how Karna grows up, finds a guru to teach him and his interactions with the Pandavas. In the video, Karna becomes King, Karna and the Pandavas take part in a competition. When Karna tells the Pandavas about his lineage, he mentions how he was found in a basket floating down the river. Kunti upon hearing this faints because she realizes this is her first son. Duryodhan helps save Karna from more humiliation in this situation.

I wrote a story about Kunti having to leave her son Karna and what her thoughts would be on it. I think I can write a second part to that story, with like a big time leap into the adulthood of her kids and have her see Karna again at this competition.