5000 thousand years after Krishna

Bedtime Story No.3: Rain Clouds vs Mushroom Clouds

2011-06-19T16:45:00.004+05:30

Long long time ago, in the bountiful kingdom we know as Vegetania, where all the vegetables lived happily, there came a time when for a long stretch there came rains like never before. It poured and poured and poured and poured. Dark clouds or White clouds, Rain clouds or Smoke clouds, didn't matter. The rains poured day after day, week after week, month after month.

The rivers became full, and the lakes swell. Vegetania became flooded as hell. The vegetables started rotted, became weak and many lost their lives. All the vegetables begged the clouds to go away and stop raining, but they wouldn't listen. This sight of his poor friends suffering at the hands of rain angered the Mushrooms.

Mr. Mushroom Sr. decided to take matters in his own hands. He swelled with anger, bristled with temper and he met the clouds face to face. He gave the clouds one last warning to go away but they simply ignored him. He then took the shape of an umbrella and asked all the vegetables to come under his family. He told them that they could get all the protection and nutrition. After seeing this, the clouds felt ashamed and went away and promised to come only during the rainy season.

Till today, the mushrooms grow and take the shape of an umbrella when the rains come and protect any plants or grass that grow under them.

Bedtime Story No.2: Everybody loves 'em Potatoes

2009-08-02T12:29:00.004+05:30

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Vegetania, there were all kinds of vegetables that lived together. Everyone loved their king (Sabji) and the queen (Dalia) as they mixed freely with all the vegetables. However there was one group called the potatoes who were unhappy. This is because all other vegetables made fun of potatoes for being ugly, fat and shapeless. After all, the tomoatoes were round, smooth and shiny. The carrots were golden, slender and sweet. The beans were healthy, crunchy and ummm easy going. Tired of being made fun of everyday, the potatoes sulked and stopped growing. Soon, the people went and complained to king Sabji that the potatoes were not to be found anymore and that they were hiding, well, under the ground. The king - being fond of potatoes himself - then decided to take the matters in his own hands and summoned the leader of the potato clan. The leader Mr. Idaho explained the situation and told the king that if other vegetables continue their attitude, then the potatoes would never come out of the ground and never live among other vegetables. The king then thought the matter over and agreed that the potatoes were indeed unfairly treated. He thus declared that, henceforth, the potatoes shall be liked by all.

Thus, from that day till today, potatoes have been called as the "king of vegetables". They continue to be used in all forms such as stew, fried, snacks and stuffing. Everyone still love potatoes.
The End !!!

Bedtime Story No.1: Onion Makes you cry, why?

2009-07-27T11:27:00.004+05:30

Once upon a time, there lived a poor onion couple called Pyazalal and doPyaza. They were always made the object of ridicule among his friends - the tomoatoes, peas, corns and other vegetables. They complained that the onions smelt badly, their clothes are always torn and that their house was under the ground. Everytime the Pyaza's tried to go out with their neighbours, they made fun of him and made him sad. They then decided to pray to God who came before them one day and asked them what made them cry. Pyazalal told God what happened and asked God to make his wife look pretty and move them to a new house above the ground. God looked at him and told him gently that every vegetable has its own charm and smell and taste. No one is better than another. But the Pyaza's was not convinced. They pleaded with God to stop their friends from making them cry. So God thought that it was about time to teach other vegetables a lesson. So he told the kids born to Pyazalal and doPyaza shall be in colors like white, red and yellow. Moreover, anybody who harms the onion family shall cry !!!
From that day nobody tried to harm the onions. The onions thanked God for his help, and lived happily ever after.

THE END !

Bedtime stories for kids under 5 - Introduction

2009-07-27T11:17:00.004+05:30

I've been practising this "dinner 'n story" theme with my daugther and she just adores it. This achives couple of things: being a poor eater, this story makes her interested in food and cooking. Besides, the story part acts as a bedtime story to make her sleep in a happy frame of mind, while giving, umm, some food for thought (pardon the pun).

Here's what we do.... First I give my daughter her menu of the day. Then i give her a list of things to buy from the grocery shop asking her to pretend to write it and to go buy from the store (one corner of the bed) with fake money. Then we cook and while we eat, i tell a story. After a sumptuous meal she dozes off.

Now, this may work well perhaps with girls, but can be adapted for boys as well. Anyway, ummm, long story short, the real kicker is the bedtime story. For the story, I have come up with few "food based stories". i.e., stories of say Onions, Potato, Roti, Grass etc. I've tried to incorporate some basic moral and a happy ending flavor (i'm on a roll today) to these very short stories. So I figured, i'll post 'em while i still remember 'em.

Do post your comments

Backdrop for the story - End of Yadavas

2009-07-22T11:21:00.006+05:30

References:
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 16, Mausala-parva; Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text by Kisari Mohan Ganguli [1883-1896] http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m16/m16000.htm

Setting of the plot:

After the great Mahabharata war (circa 3031 BC), Krishna & Balaram return to Dwaraka and rule on for 36years. There are several small kingdoms (clans of yadavas) under them such as Bhopas, Vrishnis, Satyakis, Kritavarmas, etc...During this time as the Yadavas get more powerful and inevitably more arrogant and drunk with power, they fail to discharge their Kshatriya duties properly. One day, led by Krishna's son Sambha, they play a practical joke on a Rishi and he incurs a curse whereby a mace would be born to him and that would prove to be all of their death-knell.... They dont take it seriously, but soon, Sambha develops labour pains and delivers a mace!!! The people get scared and wondering what to do, the chieftains decide to powder the iron mace and throw it in the ocean. Thinking that ended their misery they continue to be as only they can be.... proud, quarrelsome, arrogant.... However, the powder sunk in ocean gets washed ashore (near present day Prabasha Pathan) and grows into dense strange looking plants/shrubs.... Soon, one things leads to another, there is a quarrel of ancient family feud and soon they all start fighting each other, eventually destroying & killing each other.... Krishna & Balaram, seeing this, try desperately to bring peace but of no avail decide their purpose in this kali-yug has come to an end, and end their lives... Balaram just walks into the ocean, whereas Krishna walks to a forest a deranged old man and when asleep a hunter mistaking him for an animal kills him....Arjuna who came to help arrived late and took away the remaining Yadava refugees back to Mathura where, later, he installed Vajranabhi (son of Aniruddha, grandson of Pradhyumna, great grandson of Krishna) as the ruler of Yadavas.

But what role does Vajranabhi play? Is there a remedy for the powerful combination of Gandhari and the Rishi's curse? Are future Yadavas safe. Our story takes off from there and fast forwarded 5000 years to present day (Circa 21st AD).

Original Summary

2009-07-22T11:18:00.007+05:30

This time-spanning plot revolves around two young mordern adventurers - Ojas and Uttari - who stumble upon a golden mace, the same mace that 5000 years ago was the curse of Krishna's Yadavas. They accidentally awaken the spirit of Vajranabhi. The king's spirit along with that of the entire clan (Bhopas, Vrishnis, Satyakis, Kritavarmas, etc) are released from the mace and now continues the ancient feud that almost wiped out the Yadavas.

Our Hero and Heroine discover that they have some connection to the Rishi and Uttara (Abhimanyu's wife) and are the only ones who can find a permanent cure to remove Yadavas of their curse. How they do it, forms the story.

Author's Notes: This is my first attempt in writing a story that I had conceived as a historical fictional thriller. There are portions that are admittedly influenced from as varied subjects as the Mahabharata, Hollywood thrillers like "Mummy 3", "The Myth" and "Forbidden Kingdom". There is no intention on my part to denigrate mordern Yadavs or any caste. This is purely a history-based thrill seeking fiction to be read for fun, adventure and entertainment.

Notes for the "5000 years after Krishna"

2009-07-19T12:15:00.006+05:30

- Prabhasa Pathan is the beach place the Vrishnis came for revelry

- Mount Raivataka near Prabhasa

- Krishna's son Sambha is said to have taunted the rishis and incurred the curse

- fight first started between Satyaki and Kritivarman, where K reminded S of how he unfairly killed Bhurisravas

- Based on the astrological information provided by Veda Vyaasa, Mahabharat war was estimated to have started on 3067B.C. on 22nd November, thus destruction of yadavas took place in 3031BC

- Sri Krishna's Birth - He was born on 3112B.C. on Friday at 11:40 PM, and passed away on 3031BC, April 13th Friday

- Vali (to avenge Rama's unfair killing behind his back) was said to have got a boon to be reborn as Jara who's arrow killed Krishna

- Arjuna took with him the remaining Yadavas to Mathura where he later installed Vajranabhi (son of Aniruddha, grandson of Pradhyumna, great grandson of Krishna) as the ruler of Yadavas.

-The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 16, Mausala-parva; Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text by Kisari Mohan Ganguli [1883-1896] http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m16/m16000.htm