Storybook Topics Brainstorming

Possible Topic 1: Gurus, Yogis, Rishis

I've recently started going to yoga after having a couple semesters of being incredibly stressed out and realizing I need to do something about it. I've also been looking at trying meditation, so it's easier to focus my mind for longer periods of time, and because of this, I'm interested in the Gurus, Yogis, and Rishis topic. I'm also a fan of the sage trope in books and movies, a la Gandalf, Obi Wan, Dumbledore... The list goes on.

Research:

The Wikipedia article for Yogis mentions that a yogi patel "as someone who knows that the entire cosmos is situated within his own body". I think it would inspire some interesting stories based on that concept, especially since I've been rewatching Doctor Who lately. Wikipedia also lists Shiva as a historical yogi, and I hadn't made that connection yet in my readings. It was interesting to read that the Divine Mother Devi, which is the female manifestation of the trinity, and her/their connection to yogis. I also like the idea of a guru, which Wikipedia describes as a someone who's more than a teacher. These kinds of guides often have great storytelling potential as well. 

Possible Topic 2: Maya

Illusion is a great storytelling device, and as a fan of most things fantasy and science fiction, I think I'd be interested in retelling stories that deal with this. 

Research:

Reading about Lila, the closest thing I can compare it to is divine intervention, but on a smaller scale. Maya is described on Wikipedia as "that which exists, but is constantly changing and thus is spiritually unreal". It's also described as power, which I find interesting. I read the Maya Sita story, and was interested in how easily the topic came up. I like that there's such an acceptance of magic within that story--when Rama's presented with the idea of having a clone of Sita as a decoy for Ravana, he goes for it almost without question.

Possible Topic 3: Animal Characters

I love animals. I especially love animal presences in stories, and when looking at the animal characters, I was particularly intrigued by the idea of vahanas, and how stories could be told that way. Elephants in particular are one of my favorite animals, and their presence in Indian epics and mythology is something I've always wanted to explore.

Research:

When looking at the animal stories, I looked at Airavata, and first found a picture on the Wikipedia article that further interested me, so I've inserted it in the post below. Airavata is Indra's vahana, and is an elephant with four trunks and seven tusks. Airavata is also the king of all elephants (including, I assume, the tiny ceramic elephant I bought to paint because of this class) and is connected, through Indra, with the water and rain.

Image of Indra riding Airavata, from Wikipedia

Possible Topic 4: Women Characters

I love how many women there are in the Epics, and I'm especially excited at what large parts the women have to play within the epics. Sita already has had a huge part to play in the Ramayana, and many of the other important characters have been women as well. 

Research: 

For my research, I started by reading about Draupadi on Wikipedia and was immediately intrigued. Not only is she the "fire born" daughter of Drupada, but she was the most beautiful woman of her time. I'm currently reading The Princess Bride, and that reminded me of how Buttercup is described in the book. Reading further on the article, it's evident that Draupadi goes through some hardships, none the least being made as a bet in a game and then being dragged to court by her hair. I think Draupadi could have some really great stories, and right now she's the one I'm most excited about reading about soon.