FUNDAMENTALS
Long time reader Commander (Retd) G.R. Balakrishnan from Chennai contributes this week’s theme of Hindu mythology. Read on. Write in with your suggestions, questions (with answers) to senjam@gmail.com.
HINDU MYTHOLOGY
1. The Dikpalas, the Guardians of the four directions, are responsible for protecting the four directions of the universe. Name them. 2. To which God is the universal prayer, Gayatri mantra, addressed? 3. According to Vedas, this God was treated as an asura while the Puranas treat him as a
Devata. Whom are we talking about? 4. Sometimes the elder sister is portrayed along with her younger sister in the form of a bird. The bird is a representation of arrogance and stupidity that accompanies good fortune. Name the sisters. 5. Name the four major non-human races as per Hindu mythology. 6. Other than the white elephant, Airavat, which other vahana or vehicle was used by lord Indra? 7. What was the weapon gifted by Lord Shiva to Lord Parashurama who in turn handed it over to Lord Ganesha? 8. What is the significance of the term svaha uttered by a priest as a part of the rituals made in front of the sacred fire?
ANYTHING GOES
1. Argan oil, which is most commonly used as a skin moisturiser, is regarded as an ideal product to give skin a natural boost. The extraction of this oil is a traditional, communal, labour intensive process so much so that “practices and knowhow concerning the Argan Tree” was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014. This tree is unique to which country? (Dee Surendranath, Hyderabad) 2. Phillumenist is a person who collects what? (Philip Joshua, Secunderabad) 3. Bill Clinton, while he was the President of the USA, during his visit to Jaipur, desired to ride an elephant. But on the suggestion of his advisers he gave up the idea. What was the advice? (A.S.M. Rao, Vijaywada) 4. Which country promotes vampire tourism touting itself as home to real life Count Dracula in Transylvania? (Rajeev Lochan, Kolkata) 5. Which five lettered word sounds the same even when the first letter is removed, then middle letter, then fifth or last letter are removed? (P.S. Nivritee Sreelekha, Secunderabad) 6. Which company started as Karnataka Consumer Products Limited in 1962 and is now named after its most famous consumer brand? (Sanjay Nair, Noida) 7. LOX refers to Liquid oxygen. In American gourmet world, what does the term LOX refer to? (Madhavi Chandran, Kochi) 8. Sunil Gavaskar shares a dubious distinction in Test cricket along with Bangladeshi batsman Hannan Sarkar. What is it? (B.K. Harinath, Mysuru)