FUNDAMENTALS

If you are a Bollywood lover and are in Kolkata on September 11, do not miss Bollywoodnama held at Spring Club. This is a three- member event and will start at 3 pm at this club on EM Bypass. It is conducted by a group styled as ‘ Quiz Lovers of Kolkata’. For further details, contact Ashoke Sanyal at 98301 90982 or Somnath Chanda at 98740 56162. This quiz follows the successful LAMP ( Literature, Arts, Mythology, Politics) quiz conducted by the same group. We present some questions asked in the LAMP quiz. Write to us with your suggestions, cribs and questions ( with answers) to senjam@ gmail. com

LAMP QUIZ 1. It is believed that the sage Dhadichi, tired of safeguarding the devas’ weapons, dissolved them in water and drank it. When the devas required the weapons to fight the asuras, Dhadichi realised that the weapons were part of his bones, and so he willingly gave up his life, so that Brahma could fashion weapons to defeat the asuras. According to legend, this sacrifice was made in a particular place in India. The site was chosen for something else in 1917. What? 2. Saadat Hasan Manto in his book Ganjey Farishtey sketched one incident, where X, an Indian politician in a high profile social gathering failed to recognize Y, a Bollywood heartthrob. Irritated by X’s attitude Y straightaway asked him, “X- ji can’t you recognize me, but your father Late ….. …… often used to come to meet my mom.” Identify both X and Y. 3. After the Battle of Kurukshetra, Yudhistira performs the funeral rites for all loved ones, including Karna. But he was deeply hurt that Kunti did not reveal to him earlier that Karna was his brother. The depressed prince reacted painfully and gave a

curse. What was curse? 4. This school of art was patronised by the Rajput rulers between the 17th and 19th centuries. It is known for its beautiful detailing and was hugely influenced by the Bhagavad Purana and portrayed incidents and scenes from the life of Lord Krishna. Identify the school of art. 5. Regarded as the pioneer in his field, this much awarded personality founded X in 1948, on the lines of Punch, which produced celebrated names like Ranga, Kutty and Abu Abraham. But it was forced to close down during the Emergency in 1975. Identify X, founded by that noted Indian who once elicited the remark — “Don’t spare me, ___”, from the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru. 6. A popular quote of a heavyweight politician who started his professional career as a Scientific Assistant in the Department of Defence Production, Pune was “Pehla chunaav harne ke liye, Doosra haraane ke liye aur teesra chunaav jeetne ke liye”. Identify this politician whose legacy is carried forward by his most well known protégé. 7. Famous as home to the cluster of ruined Brahmanical and Jain temples dating from the 8th to 11th centuries, this ancient North- Indian town has been popularly given an epithet to show its similarity to another Indian town. Identify this town, dotted with artistic sculptures and also its popular epithet. 8. The Boeing 747- 236B of British Airways which served the airline for 30 years, carried a particular Indian design on its tail. Which design adorned this plane that was retired in 2004? 9. One of the first Sanskrit texts to be translated during the British rule of India in 1794, by Sir William Jones, it was used to formulate the Hindu law by the colonial government. The Calcutta manuscript with Kulluka Bhatta commentary is said to be the most authentic of the manuscripts found. What is being talked about?

ANYTHING GOES 1. With which electronic part of a mobile/ laptop/ PC would you associate its inventor Ajay Bhatt? ( Commander G. R. Balakrishnan ( Retd) Chennai) 2. Britisher Tim Peake famously described his feelings after a long journey as “The world’s worst hangover”. What was he describing? ( Rajeev Lochan, Kolkata) 3. Which animal even if born in a zoo is named hundred days after its birth, in respect to a Chinese tradition? ( Daniel Murad, Kochi) 4. Nita Ambani is the first Indian woman to become a member of International Olympic Committee. Who is the first Indian to become a member of the IOC? ( D. Surendranath, Hyderabad) 5. Margaret Abbott is the first American woman to do what in the field of sports? ( UN Murthy, Secunderabad) 6. Which native American athlete won gold medal in both the pentathlon as well as the decathlon events in the same Olympics in Stockholm in 1912? ( BK Harinath, Mysuru) 7. Which is the only Olympic event in which a mother and daughter duo competed against each other. The event was won by the daughter while her mother finished joint seventh. Name the two. ( Philip Joshua, Secunderabad)