Storybook Plan

Vahanas of the Gods: Wikimedia Commons

 Lakshmi the Mother Goddess

Lakshmi is the Mother Goddess as well as the Goddess of wealth, love, prosperity, joy, and beauty. She appears in The Ramayana as Sita, Rama's beautiful wife. Lakshmi is seen riding both an owl and an elephant. Elephants symbolize work, activity, and strength, as well as water, rain and fertility for abundant prosperity. The owl signifies the patient striving to observe, see, and discover knowledge, particularly when surrounded by darkness. As a bird reputedly blinded by daylight, the owl also serves as a symbolic reminder to refrain from blindness and greed after knowledge and wealth have been acquired (Wikipedia). Perhaps I could retell a story from The Ramayana and use this owl or elephant. Perhaps when Rama first sees Sita, or when Sita is alone in the hut and Ravana comes to take her away. The owl could also be pictured as Lakshmi's twin, the goddess of misfortune and strife, Alakshmi.

Sources to use: The Ramayana and an essay by Devdutt Pattanaik

Indra the Thunder God

Indra is a powerful god and is known as the King of Gods as well as the Thunder God. Indra is usually seen with his white elephant, Airavata. Airavata has a very interesting story of origin, as there are many versions of how he was born. Indra uses Airavata in some stories, such as sucking up the water underworld and spraying it up into the sky to form clouds and rain (Wikipedia). I know Indra is in The Mahabharata so maybe more specific stories will come to mind when we start reading that. Indra also kills demons and other foul beasts, such as the serpent dragon Vritra. There are many stories of Indra's battles that could be used.

Sources to use: The Mahabharata and stories of him being the demon-slayer (Wikipedia)

Ganga the Goddess of Forgiveness and Purification

Ganga the Goddess is a personified version of the river Ganga. She rides a divine creature known as a Makara. This animal has the head of a crocodile and the tail of a dolphin. Many time, however, it is depicted as just a crocodile. The river Ganga is in The Mahabharata, so perhaps I could utilize the Makara during the readings and storytelling. One story about Ganga is on her way to Bhagiratha, her rushing waters created turbulence and destroyed the fields and the sadhana of a sage called Jahnu. He was angered by this and drank up all of Ganga's waters (Wikipedia). There is also a story with Siva, who captured Ganga in his matted hair as he descended into the earth.

Sources to use: The Mahabharata, Wikipedia and River on the Doorways

I was planning on using these stories as an anthology of the separate stories. I was mainly wanting the stories to show the connection of how the gods and goddesses use their animal mounts during their adventures and conquests.