Reading Notes: Heroes of Hampi
Story Source: Heroes of Hampi
The second comic book I read provided an interesting read of the Ramayana but also a backstory of a city.
Hanuman was also a crucial part of this story, and this relates to the image. He asked for an idol image to worship and then built a temple around it.
The two brothers head out to conquer and an old sage stops them to tell them a story about why they should make their fortified city at that particular place.
He tells them the story of Shiva and Sati. Sati's father is very unhappy about the marriage and essentially cuts out his daughter from his life, to put it in modern terms. She shows up to a Great Yagna he was holding and Daksha is angry. Sati expresses her wish for a better father in another life and he bursts her into flames.
Vishnu breaks off a strand of hair and creates Veerabhandra, a god of fury and anger. He ends up beheading Daksha.
Sita is reborn to Brahma as the river Pampa. And then decides that she will not touch anyone until Shiva comes to find her. She waits and waits and finally, an old sage appears asking for her help. She obliges and as he's being attacked by a crocodile she ends up touching him, resulting in his appearance as Shiva.
They wish to marry and this time her father, Brahma, is happy to oblige.
Then the sage tells them of Hanuman's story. His birth, great strength, forgetting his great strength, and helping Sugriva. Long story short, Rama and Lakshmana show up for a few seconds as Hanuman helps them.
In the end, the brothers realize the place will be perfect for their fortified city, and they ask the sage to be their advisor.
I like how this one was told as a story from a sage. I would like to try that sort of storytelling.
I would focus on Shiva and Pampa's love story a bit more. When does she decide to wait for Shiva? How does Shiva know it's her? I could create a friend for Pampa that tells the story of the lovers later on...
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