Wikipedia Trail: From Ravana to Constructivism

Page 1- Ravana

I wanted to learn a little more about Ravana because I found his character to be so interesting. He was an unusually powerful ruler who really gave Rama a run for his money. What I found to be really interesting was that Ravana was actually a follower of Shiva. I wish they had explored that a little more in the Ramayana... I think that it would be really interesting to explore how the different gods interacted between the forces of "good" and "evil" as they existed within the Ramayana universe. 

Page 2- Political Science

I clicked on to this link because, as a student of political science, I was wondering what Wikipedia would have to say about the discipline. What I found most interesting was that the article talked about how, even though philosophers like Aristotle have been considering questions of political theory for millennia, it is only recently that political science has emerged as a unique and independent field of study.

Page 3- Moscow

I clicked on this link because I've fascinated by the metropolises of non-Western countries because they are usually a unique blend of modern and traditional architecture; Moscow is no different. I didn't realize how expansive Moscow is... as the cultural capital of Russia, I should have assumed that it would as big as it is, but when I saw the pictures of it, I gained a new appreciation for the city's magnitude! Fun Fact: The Russian Prime Minister actually lives in a building known as The White House

Page 4- Constructivism (art)

This was an artistic style introduced to Russia in the earliest 20th Century that was primarily focused on creating art with a social purpose. It was particularly popular in the larger cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg as those were place where buildings could serve both an aesthetic and utilitarian purpose comfortably. This particular artistic style was represented in a large number of mediums from architecture to music.

Zuev Worker's Club (in the Constructivist style)
Source: Wikipedia

Wikipedia Trail: From Jatayu to Polymath

Page 1- Jatayu

I wanted to read a little more about Jatayu because I found his story so interesting. He was one of those characters that showed up precisely when Rama needed him (which, if you'd read anything else from this blog, you know annoys me), and investigating what about him specifically led him to do that it what led me to his page. The story about him flying close to the sun also reminds me of the Greek story of Icarus.

Page 2- Sampati

In a similar vein as Jatayu, I was interested in Sampati because of his interaction with Rama in the Ramayana. I also find his decision to save his brother, and thus lose his power of flight, to be an example of the kind of self-sacrifice that characterizes so much of the Indian mythology that we've read so far. Unfortunately, this page didn't have too much information that wasn't already covered in the Ramayana.

Page 3- Madhya Pradesh

I chose this page because I'm always fascinated by the intersection of real, geographic spaces and mythology. This location is believed to be the birthplace of Sampati, and is often referred to as the "heart" of India. The region is especially notable for its folk music and its status as a center of Hindi culture/religion. 

The Narmada River (in Madhya Pradesh) at Sunset by Wikipedia user Rbsrajput

Source: Wikipedia 

Page 4- Polymath

I was led to this page because of the line in Hamilton: The Musical where Alexander exclaims that he's a "polymath, a pain in the ass, a massive pain". I had a good grip on what the term meant, but it was interesting to read more about it in a formal setting. I find that there are a lot of similarities between this word and the person encapsulated by the phrase "renaissance man (or woman/person)". Indian history, and the history of Madhya Pradesk specifically, was filled with rulers who doubled as polymaths.

Wikipedia Trail: From Rama to Throat Singing

1. Rama

I originally went to this article to learn more about the role of Rama in Indian mythology and as a figure within the Indian canon of storytelling; the article did not disappoint! I loved learning about all the ways Rama is represented in Indian culture, which led me to my next page.

2. Rama Navami

This was originally under a section of the Rama article called "Rama Worship", which really intrigued me because I didn't know that Rama was a deity, or considered close to one. Reading about the festival spent honoring Rama provided some more context for reading the Ramayana.

A Home temple with deities of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, on Sri Rama Navami by Vijay Chennupati
Source: Wikipedia

3. Chanting

I chose this article because I'm always interested by non-traditional (in the Western sense) forms of musical expression. Chanting as an art-form was something I explored lightly when I was in choir, but I enjoyed reading a more complete article about it.

4. Throat Singing

I ended up on this article because I actually attempted to learn how to throat sing in high school for a song in choir. The song, Past Life Melodies, is a beautiful composition that brings overtones into the main melodic line, requiring throat singing to produce two different distinct notes at once. It's pretty awesome!

Wikipedia Trail- From Nursery Rhymes to The United States Commission on Civil Rights

Page 1- Nursery Rhymes

I revisited Nursery Rhymes after my original re-telling post because I was interested to see what Wikipedia had to say about the ability of these childish poems to influence how children think. I was reminded that these works are also overwhelmingly English; as you see from the picture below, even characters that aren't explicitly explained as wearing certain clothing are dressed in traditional English attire.

And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon by Randolph Caldecott
Source: Wikipedia

Page 2- Political Correctness

Its not surprising that I found this page, considering what I was looking for on my first page. I'm primarily interested in political correctness because, as a Social Justice/LGBTQ Studies minor and an activist, I believe in the power of words. Therefore, I was wondering what Wikipedia would have to say about the issue, especially considering what a buzz-phrase political correctness can be. I was also very interested in the fact that the phrase was hardly used before the 90's... its introduction into modern-day rhetoric is a recent concept.

Page 3- Affirmative Action

I ended up on the Affirmative Action page because I was wanting to find other court cases aside from the recent/popular ones that created the case law surrounding affirmative action. However, I was far more interested to learn how other nations practice Affirmative Action in their hiring process. For example, there is a system in India that imposes quotas for certain subsets of people; considering India's background, its not surprising that the caste system is being recreated in its governing structure.  

Page 4- The United States Commission on Civil Rights

I ended up on this page because, despite my intending to pursue a career as a civil rights attorney, I've never heard of this Commission. It was created in the 50's and still exists, with a membership composed primarily of Democratic and Independent political leaders. However, in theory, it is supposed to be bipartisan.