Amazing Race

Kartikeya wouldn’t give it to me even though I got the laddu first! We began arguing like usual and my parents had enough of it.

Our mom exclaimed, “Both of you, enough! You can both have half of the laddu, no need to argue over such a small thing!”

My brother and I were not splitting the laddu under any circumstance!

I said, “I got it first, and Kartikeya knows it’s my favorite! He is so irritating!”

Kartikeya smirked, “I want the laddu!”

Our dad exclaimed, “I have an idea! Whoever circles the world three times first wins the laddu.”

I was so upset by this! I knew this was an unfair advantage for my brother. He had a peacock! And I had what? Mooshak Raj – a mouse! I loved my Mooshak Raj don’t get me wrong, but how am I supposed to win when my brother has a peacock!

Of course, after our dad announced “Start” my brother leapt on his peacock and was off! I slowly got on my Mooshak Raj and was discouraged. But my intuition and my heart kept my spirits high! I slowly began circling around my parents wondering what options I had left to still beat Kartikeya. Then, a lightbulb went off in my head! OMG the two most important people in my life – my mom and my dad – are my world. Happy, I started gaining speed and circled around them one more time. As I finished my last round, I looked up at my parents and saw how proud they were of me. I was not cheating or cutting corners at all! My parents were really the world – my world!

My mother was overjoyed seeing me circle around her and dad! Right away my dad declared me as the winner of the race! Mooshak Raj and I did it!

See, I am so cool! Kartikeya did not think for himself; he listened to the words, but didn't even really think about what they meant! I knew the deeper meaning behind it - the world is my mom and my dad!

My brother finally finished his trek around the world and was shocked to see me celebrating with our parents! My parents explained that by circling around them three times, I won! He was so irritated!

“He cheated. I went around the world three times! This is so unfair!” Kartikeya exclaimed.

Even though I won, I ended up sharing half of the laddu with Kartikeya! And of course, bragging rights!

A fun fact! Before any pooja I’m offered prayers first because of my great wisdom! Also, a pooja is a religious ritual performed by Hindus to offer prayers to the deities they worship.

Okay! Well, my brother is done with his Zoom class and I know he will come to irritate me! I got to go now to make laddus with my mom! I’ve been making sweets during this quarantine, and of course eating them too!

Stay safe! And make laddus!

Author’s Note: I enjoyed reading the race around the world story and wanted to incorporate it in my storybook! It is in the quarantine theme following the concept of this storybook! In this storybook I began with presenting the present circumstance – the quarantine. I think by adding that they are in Zoom classes it is more relatable to our current life! Likewise, I ended the story by tying it to the beginning. In the story they are arguing about laddus I decided to add in the end that Ganesha is going to make laddus with his mom. In quarantine many of us have acquired new hobbies and talents. For Ganesha, that was making sweets! I added dialogue to present how Parvathi, Shiva, Ganesha, and Kartikeya must have felt in that moment. The emotion Ganesha went through knowing his brother was faster created a bigger meaning. He was initially discouraged, but by not giving up and knowing the truer meaning helped him! This inspired me because these thoughts to do come but being focused helps. By adding dialogue, you can see the regular arguments between brothers. Dialogue creates emotion and creates a new perspective. Also adding the parents creates a bigger picture!

Bibliography: The Famous Race - Kartikeya and Ganesha