FUNDAMENTALS
Commander G.R. Balakrishnan (Retd) who conducts the Odyssey Family Quiz in Chennai, has sent his list of best questions on Indian mythology that was part of this quiz. See if you can crack it.
INDIAN MYTHOLOGY
1. How are Kubera (North), Yama (South), Indra (East) and Varuna (West) collectively known as? 2. According to legends, the king of which territory served food for the armies during the Mahabharata war? 3. My father is Dasaratha and my mother is Kausalya. My spouse was associated with the famous Putrakameshti
yajna in Ramayana, Lord Rama is my younger brother. Identify. 4. Greatgrandfather — Sagara, grandfather — Asamanjasa, father — Anshumatntha. Who am I? 5. Which famous nuclear scientist famously quoted
Bhagvad Gita: “Now I have become death, the destroyer of worlds” after witnessing the first nuclear explosion? 6. 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. Who is this goddess of misfortune, jealously and malice? 7. The gatekeepers of Lord Vishnu are Jaya and Vijaya. They were cursed to be born as humans for three lives — Sisupala and DantaVaktra, Hiranyaksh and Hiranyakashipu. Who are the third pair ? 8. My mother is Kaikesi, I am the only sister to my three brothers. Who am I? 9. I contain 901 distinct sounding names. 815 names are repeated once, 75 of these names are repeated twice, nine of these names thrice and two of these names four times. Who or what am I? 10. According to some versions, I have three distinct parts known as
anava, karma and mava. Who am I?
ANYTHING GOES
1. A brother and sister were both part of Mahatma Gandhi’s personal entourage — one as private secretary and the other as personal physician. Identify these siblings who were an integral part of the Mahatma’s life. (Ramesh Iyengar, Chennai) 2. Which word, now extremely common, was first used by an Australian named Nathan Hope in an Australian internet forum on 13 September 2002? (Dee Surendranath, Hyderabad) 3. In which part of the human body would you find Adenoid, Tubal, Palatine and lingual? (Jonathan Francis, Secunderabad) 4. What is special about the statue of an Indian goddess that was found in Kankalitila near Mathura? (Somen Sengupta, Kolkata) 5. In which continent would you find the mountains called Nipple Peak, Dick Peaks and Mount Cocks? (Partha Sarkar, Kolkata) 6. In 1998, the Padma Vibhushan was conferred on a Gandhian lady who was responsible for setting up the secret Congress radio during the time of Quit India movement. Name her. (Dr Shanu Chandran, Vellore) 7. Bibliosmia has something to do with books. What is it?