EC Reading Notes: Tales of Durga

Tales of Durga

Durga, The Mother of Goddess
Source: Google Image

I am sure you are not surprised I was attracted to this comic as it is all about a powerful female. Since I plan on making my project about the females of Indian Epics, I thought I should start to look into Durga, the Mother of Goddess. She is the supreme goddess and the manifestation of other powerful women. In this comic, her invisibility is demonstrated through the many battles she wins. For instance, in the first story, The Slayer of Mahisha, she kills an asura who has the power to shape shift into different animals. Without having to say explicitly that Durga is a strong character, the author was able to convey her power through each battle. This is something I might consider in my project. Rather than directly listing the characteristics of the women, I could write of stories that demonstrate their power. 

I also liked all of the magic (used for lack of a better word) within the comics. Characters were able to shape shift, manifest other beings, possess souls, and merge into one. I consider making my project over the supernatural in Indian Epics because I think magic in other cultures is so fun. In Western culture, magic is believed to be non-existent and almost comical. However, throughout all of the readings we have done for class, I can clearly see it is not only a respected piece of culture in India,, it is a fact of life. In my short stories, I am going to try to be creative and incorporate more magic. I really liked how the first asura Durga killed, Mahisha. He was able to shape shift into multiple different animals and beings during his battle including his main being, a buffalo. Speaking of, I am also a fan of each deity having a spirit animal of sorts. It seems as if characters have an animal that they shape shift into the most often. I think I will incorporate this into my project as well.

Bibliography: Tales of Durga: Tales of the Mother Goddess www.amarchirakatha.com