The broad overview of my vision for my storybook is that I want the reader to experience several key Hindu stories of Creation. These stories are all very different, and contradict each other; I want to find the balance of showing all of them, while not leaving the reader feeling frustrated at the inconsistencies--rather, I want them to appreciate the beauty of them. I myself have the expectation that stories follow their own logic, and there to be a consistency across stories, but in India, those expectations aren't present, so I want the reader to get more comfortable with inconsistency.
I think structurally, there will probably be either a central storyteller, or maybe a small collection of storytellers, in conversation with each other, sharing their favorite stories. For example, maybe Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva (the Trimurti) get together, or maybe Brahma the Creator walks us through some of his favorite tales. I also want the stories and this Storybook to convey the cyclicness of the universe, how it's believed that it is infinitely destroyed, recreated, and experienced, with reincarnation and karma factoring in.
Stories I could include:
- The Churning of the Ocean
- Matsya (The Great Fish)
- The Golden Egg
- Maybe this works? http://www.bigmyth.com/download/HINDU_CREATION.pdf
- An old storybook: https://sites.google.com/site/thecosmicegg1/hindu-cosmic-egg-myth
I LOVE this idea, it was something I had mentioned as a possibility as well. I feel like even with inconsistencies they can definitely tie together. I think it would be really cool to have the God's tell the stories back and forth so that way it can smoothly transition from one to another. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
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