Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my storybook. This page will serve as an introduction to my topic and provide somewhat of a map to understanding my storybook. ­­I want to tackle the flood mythology in India. Flood stories are a major part of multiple cultures. These cultures come from civilizations that are situated along the banks of major rivers, and often large flood events influence the mythology of the culture. The stories are often some of the oldest stories in the culture. India is a prime example of these flood stories. Some stories include Matsya, Markandeya, the creation of the Ganges, and the creation of Kerala. There are multiple locations within the Indian subcontinent that deal with flooding. The Indus River valley provided a home to a major civilization that was contemporary to ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. Being situated in a major river valley meant that, like Mesopotamia, the Indus valley dealt with seasonal flooding and developed a flood story that featured Vishnu. This story will be the first in this storybook.

The Ganges river also holds mythological significance within India. The story of its creation, while not a typical flood story, contrasts the story of the raging floods well. I would like to explore the contrast between salvation and destruction, which are the two main themes of these stories.

Modern-day India still deals with flooding, and recently Kerala, a province on the coast in southwest India, was devastated by massive flooding. Due to these floods, more than 400 people died and billions of dollars of property suffered damage. This kind of tragedy provides a modern context for flooding that evokes vastly different emotions than the ancient flood stories. The tragic loss of life from modern day floods is not mirrored in ancient stories. Instead the floods are portrayed as acts of god meant to cleanse the world. The story of Kerala highlights the significant impact flooding can still have.

Matsya is the first story that will be explored in this storybook.

Image Information: Kerala Before and After flooding. Lauren Dauphin