Comic:Tandava
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| Artist: | Naga_Solidus |
| Writer: | Naga_Solidus |
| Characters: | List of characters |
| Updates: | Updated irregularly |
| Began: | Sept. 10, 2007 |
| Ended: | April 14, 2008 |
| Art style: | Comic book |
| Rating: | Web-14 |
| Website | [Website Website] |
Tandava focuses on Indians and ABCDs (American Born Confused Desis/American Born Competent Desis), and the travails of cultural divides, and the sheer logical fallacies of emotional ties to any given culture, for that matter.
Contents |
Plot
Silicon Valley, CA-Welcome to a region populated by loads of Indian H-1 programmers and their families, not to mention all sorts of immigrants from the Far East (shouldn't it be called the Far West relative to California?). Their children, being natural-born US citizens, must struggle with issues of multiculturalism, and any acknowledgement of their ancestry on their part makes them risk ostracization (those of European ancestry do not face similar problems). Only through open-minded and logical discussions can any of these people reach agreements with their parents and friends.
Storylines
The Gifted Academy 1 - 8
It's the start of a new schoolyear at the Silicon Valley Gifted Academy (SVGA) in Los Altos, CA. Maya starts high school, taking Calculus in 9th grade, while Jai catches up with his friends to talk about their subjects for the semester.
Watersports Recruitment 1 - 9
Maya signs up for SVGA's swim team, only to find out that they won't be able to compete in the next swimming event unless they fill all of their open spots. This prompts Maya to try recruiting her friends from the cheerleading squad...
Migrant from Kenya 1 - 3
When Maya introduces Biff to a new student from Africa, Biff and his new friend must challenge their preconcieved notions of what's Indian, what's American, and what's African.
400m Frestyle 1 - 6
SVGA's swim team faces off with their rival school, SBA.
The Nine Goddesses 1 - 9
Navaratri, the Hindu festival of the sacred feminine (in nine different forms) has arrived, and provided Jai Maya, and their somewhat appropriately-named mother Gayatri with the oppertunity to counter another Indian's poor understanding.
Workplace Woes 1 - 4
Kishore gets some guidance from his co-worker Arun before Gayatri's presentation to the President of the Marketing department.
The Presentation 1 - 5
Gayatri gives a presentation on her work to the Chief Marketing Officer.
Gayatri at Home 1 - 3
Satveer surprises Gayatri with plans for a gorumet dinner when she gets back from work...to honor Maya's academic achievements.
Kishore's Castle 1 - 9
Kishore's family values are shown in explicit detail-a family where "traditional values" reign supreme.
Let's Make Out in the Bathroom 1 - 5
In his desperation to pee, Jai accidentally runs to the wrong bathroom and finds some nasty surprises...
The Holidays 2007 1 - 7
Maya meets a new guy from South America, while Jai's friends plan a dinner party.
Carnal Desires 1 - 3
Kris gets in touch with his new hormones in the most inoppertune way possible.
Republic Day 2008 1 - 6
Maya runs into Vinaya again at SVIA's Republic Day celebrations, but unfortunately, she raises the ire of Vinaya's father, Kishore
Natya-Shastra 1 - 4
Despite his moral objections, Kishore goes to Arun's daughter's Kuchipudi Arangetram after somme convincing.
Characters
Rai-Gupta Family
| Name | Image | DOB | Ancestry/Nationality | Bio/description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jyoti Rai | Image:Jyoti.png | March 8, 1941 | Indian/USA | A grandmother who is nearing retirement from her professorship. |
| Gayatri Rai |  | March 8, 1967 | Indian/USA | A career woman with a strong family life, Gayatri never saw the working woman's debate as career vs. family, but as career and family. She is extremely talented and beautiful, with a relatively high-level job at work. |
| Satveer Gupta | Image:Satveer.png | July 4, 1962 | Indian/USA | A member of the medical community who loves his family a lot. He is also quite young at heart, despite being in his mid-40s. |
| Maya Rai |  | February 14, 1993 | Indian/USA | She's miss perfect, intellectually and physically gifted, well-liked, and from a loving, low-stress family. |
| Jai Gupta |  | January 26, 1991 | Indian/USA | Sensible and intelligent, Jai is the leader of a controversial heavy metal band. |
Reddy Family
| Name | Image | DOB | Ancestry/Nationality | Bio/description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kishore Reddy | Image:Kishore.png | March 8, 1967 | Indian | He's an iron-fisted and conservative family patriarch, and needless to say, it's ironic that he works as a subordinate to Gayatri. |
| Neela Reddy | Image:Neela.png | January 26, 1991 | Indian | Kishore's oppressed housewife who nonetheless tries to exercise some authority over the children. |
| Vinaya Reddy | Image:Vinaya.png | February 14, 1993 | Indian/USA | Thanks to her dad's chauvanism, she is deprived of the pleasures that Maya takes for granted. |
| Kris Reddy | Image:Kris.png | February 14, 1993 | Indian/USA | A young ABCD who actively resents being taken to Indian cultural events. |
Other Characters
| Name | Image | DOB | Ancestry/Nationality | Bio/description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Archer |  | June 20, 1993 | Scotts-Irish-German-Anglosaxon/USA | A close friend of Maya's who is also a cheerleader. |
| Lucy Lee |  | July 1, 1993 | HK-Chinese/UK | Maya's other good friend, also a cheerleader. |
| Heinrich Dingolfinger |  | October 3, 1991 | German/USA | Fiercely proud of his Teutonic roots, Heinrich spends much of his free time researching what causes some cultures and societies to gain supremacy over others. |
| Shawn O'Swords |  | July 4, 1991 | Irish/USA | He's a socially-conscious Irishman...or at least he would be, if he wasn't born in the States. |
| Gopal K Sharma |  | August 15, 1991 | Indian/USA | Despite his hedonism and slacker tendencies, Gopal is quite intelligent. |
Background
Tandava was conceived to explore issues facing Americans of Indian ancestry, as well as those of other races to a lesser extent.
Trivia
- The name Tandava comes from the universal dance of the Hindu god Shiva, which has been interpreted by prominent figures such as Carl Sagan to be the random dance of subatomic particles. Thus, the word tandava is, in addition to a term of religious significance, a general term that can be applied all that occurs in the universe.
- Maya and Jai's mother Gayatri is named for the Hindu mother goddess, also known as the mother of the Vedas (see Veda Mata, Gayatri Mantra of Vishwamitra)
