Epics of India

Story #1: Absolving the Original Sin Yama and Yami represent the Lord of Death and the Lady of Life; in some myths, they are also said to be the first humans. There is a tributary of the sacred Ganges River known as the Yamuna, which is worshipped as the Goddess Yami. It is said that drinking and bathing in these waters removes sin. The fact that Yama and Yami are referred to as the first humans prompted me to think about Adam and Eve, and the Judeo-Christian story regarding the creation of the first man and woman. I think it would be interesting to write a story that combines these two religious traditions. What if Adam and Eve encountered the twins after their tragic fate with the fruit from the tree of knowledge, and Yami offers them the chance to absolve their sin by drinking her waters? There is a catch, however. In order to go to the River Yamuna, they must leave the Garden of Eden forever and promise to start news lives along the bank of the Ganges, building the foundations o...

The Adventures of Hanuman  After encountering and briefly learning about several of the gods and goddesses these past few weeks, the god that has stood out to me the most is Hanuman. Many of his stories seem to involve epic quests or journeys of some kind; in the comic Guide: Hanuman to the Rescue, he goes searching for a medicinal herb to save the life of Rama's wounded brother. In one of the storybooks that I read, Hanuman believes the sun is a mango and takes a bite out of it, launching an epic saga of events and challenges he must overcome. The idea of Gods and Goddesses being linked to certain animals or animal personalities also fascinates me, and I would like to learn more about Hanuman's association with the monkey. Is his physical being actually part primate, or is the entire idea metaphorical? Why is he typically portrayed this way? Writing Hanuman's adventures sounds like it would be a lot of fun, and I would love to delve further into his wild personality. Re...