Today we are excited to welcome our old friend Kari Kusek to the show. Kari and Azure are taken on a surprise trip back to some of the earliest Mahabharata stories that precede where we started on episode 1.
We explore 3 (of the many) examples of queerness in Hindu Mythology. Also featuring the moon, some tree spirits, and suddenly having boobs.

What was your favorite Gender twist in this episode?
Let us know in the comment section of the episode page.
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-0-5/

Kari Kusek is our first out of state guest, coming all the way from Denver, Colorado where she is a middle school S.A.C. (School Assessment Coordinator) & Dean. She is also the mother of 2 teenagers and married to a delightful dude.

S.P. Jayaraj is a mythology and mahabharata fanatic and the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Creative Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching. He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

Support the podcast and join the NYMM community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd #QUEERSTORIES

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson

Aaron Bodling joins us to hear the story of Drupada as he is attacked by the Kuru clan.

Drupada is a good king who has ruled by the wisdom he has gained from his guru, so he has no idea why a bunch of teenagers are leading an army against him. Aaron and Azure love the flashback and different version of Drupada's daughter/son Shikhandi. Satish is thrilled to rediscover Drupada's importance in the Mahabharata, and foreshadows galore with the new characters introduced at the end.

Which of Drupada's three children are you most invested in? Shikhandi, Drishtadyumna, or Draupadi? Answer in the comments section of the episode page.
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-11/

Aaron Bodling is a nurse and animal love in Saint Paul, MN. He and his family are proud supporters of Underdog Rescue

Underdog Rescue

Underdog Rescue, MN is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, foster-based, rescue group dedicated to the rehabilitation and permanent placement of homeless dogs and cats of all ages and all breeds. We believe that all animals deserve caring, responsible homes and if there is one common bond between them and their foster volunteers, it is this:

We are genuinely moved by each of the amazing animals who come into our care and we believe we are their advocates.

S.P. Jayaraj is a mythology and mahabharata fanatic and the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Creative Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching. He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

Support the podcast and join the NYMM community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson

We welcome Shanan Custer to tell her the story of the exhibition.
Drona wants to show off all he has taught his students, to bring unity to the Kuru clan and dazzle everyone with Arjuna's unparalleled skill. It doesn't go well. ☹️ Shannan expects the grudge match between Bheem and Duryhodana to be what ruins everything. Azure has specific questions on who did all the arranging. No one was expecting this character to return and level up the boyish taunting.

Who do you think would have won if the contest between Arjuna and Karna went forth? Let us know in the comments section of the episode page
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-10/

Shannan Custer is an actor, improviser, writer, director, and educator based in the Twin Cities. She is a veteran of the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis.

Shanan is performing in "Rock of Ages" with Unlabeled Theatre Company this July 11th to the 14th.

Unlabeled Theatre Company employs and educates artists and actors with disabilities. Their model is to connect these artists with shadow partners, of which Shanan is one, in order to create a fully accessible creative environment.
www.unlabeledtheatre.org

S.P. Jayaraj is a mythology and mahabharata fanatic and the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Creative Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching. He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

Support the podcast and join the NYMM community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson

For this episode we continue our adventure with Nick Mroczek by introducing him to Ekalavya, the forest kid with archery skills that inexplicably are better than Arjuna's. He claims Drona taught him, but what is the real truth? Nick is skeptical of Ekalavya's methods, and Azure is disgusted with Drona's actions to keep his promise to Arjuna.

What do you think of Ekalavya using just his imagination to perfect his archery? Let us know in the comment section of the episode page.
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-09/

Nick Mroczek is a singer, composer by night and an IT specialist by day.

S.P. Jayaraj is a mythology fanatic and the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching. He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

Support the podcast and join the NYMM community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson

For this episode we welcome Nick Mroczek and introduce him to the pivotal character, Drona. We also meet Kripa and Kripi. ALL of whom were born without mothers! Bizarre right?!?! Nick 'enjoys' all the splurging. Azure loves the name 'Bucket.'

What do you think of Drona so far? Let us know in the comments section of the episode page.
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-08/

Nick Mroczek is a singer, composer by night and an IT specialist by day.

S.P. Jayaraj is a mythology fanatic ans the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching.

He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

Support the podcast and join the NYMM community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj
Have an imaginative day.

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson

For this episode we welcome Mike Hallenbeck and tell him the origin story of Karna, one of the Mahabharata's leading characters. We first visit Karna in a previous incarnation and decide he was wearing a magical 'croissant' armor when fighting Nara and Narayana. We explore the caste system of the Mahabharat through Karna's inability to find a teacher, and we question Parashuram's 'lap sleeping' style while hearing about the bizarre flesh eating bug demon eating through Karna.

What do you think about Karna's miserable luck? Does having shiny armor skin make up for it? Let us know in the comments section of the episode page.
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-07/

Mike Hallenbeck is a composer, songwriter, sound designer, and mix engineer living in the Twin Cities Metro Area. His sound house Cool Cat Audio provides services ranging from voiceover engineering to custom music, sound editing, Foley, audio restoration, and final mix for clients in the spheres of corporate communications, film, animation, and multimedia.
His band, 10 Items or Fewer is music that soaks post-skiffle X-treme indie folk in the depths of flyover country and psychedelia– harboring lyrics about dinosaurs, mammoths, Evel Kneivel, Star Wars, a crashed Russian space station, and Planet of the Apes. Find them on Spotify.

Cool Cat Audio: Coolcataudio.com
10 Items or Fewer: 10itemsorfewer.com

S.P. Jayaraj is a mythology fanatic and the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching.

He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Support the podcast and join the NYMM community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

Have an imaginative day.

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson

For this episode we welcome childrens book author Peter Pearson and tell him of the Pandavas meeting the Kauravas, and the beginning of the deadly rivalry between Duryodhana and Bheema. We once again dive into the theories of celibacy and brain power, and question why the wives fight for who gets to join Pandu on the funeral pyre. Satish tells the story Bheem roughhousing the kauravas too much. Peter says many things he never thought he would ever say, and Azure loves everything about the trip to the underworld of the river snakes. Also fart jokes.

Were you expecting so many snake-being ancestors and butt rubs? Tell us what you think of the episode on the comments page of the episode
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-06/

Peter Pearson is a children's author living in the Twin Cities Metro Area.
peterpearson.com

S.P. Jayaraj is a mythology fantasy writer the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two novels, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching.

He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

Support the podcast and join the community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson

For this episode we welcome writer Evan Kingston and tell him the origin of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Satish tells the story of his favorite half-celibate, half-sex-crazy couple, Evan is not into buying Vayu's impressiveness because of his own biases against wind, and Azure is proud of Madri's divine threesome.

Which god or goddess would you like to have take you on a romantic spin? Answer in the comments section of the episode page.
https://spjayaraj.com/nymm-05/

Evan Kingston is a writer living in the Twin Cities Metro Area. If you would like a wonderful Christmas gift this year that challenges and honors the spirit of Christmas, email Evan at betternotcry@proton.me

S.P. Jayaraj is the creator of the mythic world of Adijari that is the setting of his two books, The Secret of the Zipacna Dragons and Legacy of the Crow. He is also a Life Coach through his business Imagination Life Coaching.

He draws inspiration from global mythology.

spjayaraj.com

Support the podcast and join the NYMM community on Patreon.com/spjayaraj

Azure Anderson-Jayaraj is a musician, a maker, a cat mom, an arts administrator and now a podcast editor.

#Mahabharata #ComedyMeetsCulture #Comedystorytelling #IndianMythology #MahabharataRetold #MythologyNerd

Have an imaginative day.


Artwork and music by Azure Anderson