Extra Reading Week 13

                         (A group of Indian Musicians in 1870: Image from Wikimedia Commons)
Folk Dance and Music by Epified

My reading for this week is a little off topic and unconventional but it kept popping up on the YouTube side bar and it was made from Epified so I thought I would try it. The video talked about music and dance. They describe how rich the Indian culture is and how it is in everyone’s roots. Whether the person be a farmer, businessman, or doctor, everyone is musically inclined. A lot of the folk music in Madhya Pradesh tells a lot about its history and people. The music is often about love, duty, and sacrifice, all things people lived through. It is really cool and different to hear that a lot of people practice this music together because it is not something you see in the US a lot. It reminds me of the native American culture. It is also really interesting to hear that different tribes that were all close to each other have different traditions and produced different types of music. It sets the different tribes apart but also gives them something to share in common which is their love for music. These people wanted to make music so badly that they would make instruments out of so many different things. It is inspiring how much they just loved to make and listen to music with their neighbors, they didn’t care if it wasn’t a real instrument, as long as it made sound. One example of this music being played and loved is when Krishna played the music to stop the demon. This example just explains what the Indian people think that music can do and what kind of impact it has on their daily lives. Not only is music important to them but also dance. Many tribes and cultures in India have special dances to go with their music. I enjoy reading about things that are different then the western culture I was raised in.                

Week 13 Story

                                  (Young Krishna: Image from Wikimedia Commons)

The 8^th child has been born and Devaki and Vasudeva were waiting for the King to come and take the baby. They waited and waited holding the child close as they knew they wouldn’t have much longer with the baby they named, Krishna. Vasudeva was wondering why no one had come to kill his son yet and decided to peak his head out of their cell and see if anyone was coming. He noticed the guards at his cell were asleep and did not know the baby was born. He decided that this would be the one and only chance to save his son, so he reached his arm through the cell and stole the guard’s keys. He, very quietly, opened the cell door and slipped out with his son and escaped the castle. Vasudeva walked miles and miles, more then we could count, to a village he had once heard about. He knew the people of this village were good and highly respected.

Amongst these people was Putana, who was also a new mother. Putana had earlier that day gave birth to a baby girl. Vasudeva knew this and knew Putana was going to be a great mother so he left Krishna with her during the night. Vasudeva left no explanation only a note on this son that said “Krishna”. Vasudeva found his way back to his cell before anyone realized he was gone and he was content knowing his son was safe.

Putana awoke from her sleep to find her beautiful daughter and a newborn son. Putana did not question the fact that another baby accompanied her daughter, she new what she needed to do. She had a feeling she needed to care for this child because he was special and alone. So Putana cared for the two children as if they were her own.

King Kansa finally discovered that his sister had birthed he 8^th child, the child that was to be the downfall of the evil king. The king headed down to the cell to kill the baby, however he was surprised to find no baby……

Read my next story to find out what happens.

Authors note: This is the retelling of the story Krishna by Epified TV (India). The only difference between this story and the original is the fate of the two children. In the original story Vasudeva drops of Krishna but steals Putanas baby. He knows he can not show up to his cell with no baby. The king then tries not kill the baby girl but fails.      

Reading Notes Part 2 Week 13

(Lord Krishna & Kalia: Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Dreams and Music by Epified TV (India)

I wonder if Krishna knows he is a god. He does these things that know one else can do like play music without learning, kill demons, and show people the world. No one tells him he is a god, although only his birth parents, king Kansa, and Yashoda knows. It must be confusing for him as to why he is like this but it is not mentioned that he has any strange feelings. I wish the video would explain more why everyone left their town and moved. All that is said is that there was a feeling that they should leave and then everyone did. Did one person have this feeling or was it the many? If one person had the feeling then how did they convince everyone else that the feeling was true. Also why did they pick the town that they settled in? Where their other people living there already? Was there conflict with the people that were already living there? Did they know about the demon that lived in the water before they got there? There are many unanswered questions in some of these short videos. I wonder what kind of music Krishna played to get rid of   

Kalia? Does the Indian culture at the time of this story have snake charmers because it seems that that is what Krishna is doing? The town now knows that Krishna is a god/Avatar but does Krishna know. No one has told him but he must know by now that he is special and there is something different about him. I like that the demons and the kids are illustrated because it makes it easier to invasion what they look like and how many of them there are and what they look like.

   

Reading Notes Part 1 Week 13

                              (Demoness Putana: Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Krishna by Epified TV (India)

I am very confused as to why the characters in this story are not questioning anything that happened. Yashoda did not question that she woke up next to a boy when she gave birth to a girl. She was confused but she did not question this fact. In fact, she went with it and did not wonder where her baby girl went. She also does not question the fact that her husband brings her another son to care for. Whose son is it and why is Yashoda so willing to take the boy. Are the parents of this boy not worried about him? Yashoda also does not question how close Putana gets to Krishna. Putana inserts herself into their lives and know one is concerned about it. Yashoda then does not question the fact that she finds her stolen baby next to a dead corpse of a demon. I understand that the audience knows that Krishna is a god but Yashoda does not know this so why is she allowing her child to do these things without question. Once again, I enjoy that this is in video format and it makes it much easier to follow along too. Another thing that I question/wonder about this story is that straight of the bat the village people love Krishna. Why? Did he do something special that was not said or is it just because he was born? I am curious to see how King Kansa tries to find and kill the baby. The baby is far away and how will he know that he has found the right baby? Is there a distinct make that Krishna has to allow people to recognize him, like Harry Potter? Or will the king just get a feeling that it is the right baby, and what happens if he kills the wrong one?