King Vikramaditya has one of the most famous rulers of India. A number of folklores about his 'divine' persona are now an inseparable part of most read or heard Indian stories. Two of the most famous collections of King Vikramaditya stories are:
Betaal Pachisi, on which the popular serial for kids 'Vikram Vetaal' was based, and
Sinhansan Battissi, on which another TV serial by the same name was aired on Doordarshan long ago.
Sihansan Battisi was the enchanted throne of Raja Vikramaditya, which was made of pure gold and precious gems. It was extraordinarily beautiful and seemed illuminated because of its divine powers, which it got as a result of being occupied by devata-like King Vikramaditya.
It had 32 puppets attached to it, which came to life when Raja Bhoj got hold of the throne and tried to ascend it. Each puppet told a story of King Vikramaditya's greatness to Raja Bhoj and said that he can only sit on the throne if he thinks he is worthy of it.
In the end, Raja Bhoj decides to depose the throne where he had found it - buried underground.
It is believed that a saint called Kshebhendra was the original author of these wonderful stories around 12th century. He penned them in Sanskrit. Another person called Varruchi translated to stories in Bengal.
In South India, these stories are quite popular and have been passed off from generation to generation.
Whether it is Panchantra, Jataka Tales, Betaal Pachisi or Sinhansan Battisi - India is a land of storytellers. Has your kid read these Indian fairytales yet?
Originally, this blog is about strange cultures, rituals, traditions, beliefs, lifestyles, and myths. But this site really blew me away. Ghostsingles.com is a dating site for ghosts! It even has dating tips on how to get an afterlife (must read... very funny and absolutely ingenious). Their 'pricing' section mentions that site is 100% free and is only interested in offering a service no one has ever thought of before. So, if you are a dead single who is ready to mingle, this is the website you must visit. Here's what one of the profiles looks like!
Read through it and enjoy your day! I hope I will be able to use it once I pass on.
In many cultures, itch in various body parts are seen as
good and bad omens respectively. If you find yourself tingling to scratch and
cannot find a physical reason for the itch, it might just be an omen.
Let’s see what an itch in different body parts interpreted
as:
Head/Scalp: Promotion at Work
Left Cheek/Ear: People
are saying Rude or Mean things about you
Right Cheek/Ear: Someone is saying Good things about you
Left Eye/Eyebrow: Disappointment is on its way
Right Eye/Eyebrow: Meeting with an Old Friend
Nostrils: You will soon encounter Bad Luck or Grief
Nose (outside): You are Confused, or will soon Kiss a Fool
Mouth or Lips: Insults are on their way
Neck: You or someone in your family will soon fall ill
Back/Spine: Disappointment again
Left Shoulder: Unhappiness for You
Right Shoulder: You will soon receive Inheritance
Left Elbow: News about Loss and Grief
Right Elbow: Good and Exciting News
Left Palm: Expenditure or Loss of Wealth
Right Palm: Income or Gaining Wealth
Stomach: Invitation for the Party or Lunch!
Loins: Patch up after an Argument
Thighs: Change of House or Place
Shins: Unpleasant Surprise
Left Knee: Gossip about you is going on, or Bad Luck
Right Knee: Good News is on its way, or Happy Journey
Ankles: Marriage or Increase in Wealth
Left Foot: Journey with an Unsuccessful Outcome
Right Foot: Profitable and Good Journey
In most cultures, an itch on the left part of your body
indicates a bad omen while an itch on the right part of the body is considered
a good omen. So they say, don’t scratch on the right or you will miss out on
the good luck. But if you are itchy often, check with your dermatologist.
However, Hindus believe that right side of a man and left
side of a woman means good luck.
Folklores and folk songs about two brothers - Aalha and Udal - have entertained the people of Bundelkhand for over 900 years! Interestingly, these two heroes were not even kings. They are considered the personification of Rajput ideals - brave and strong as soldiers and extremely loyal to their king and motherland.
The story is that Raja Paramaldev of Mahoba was one of the mighty Chandela kings. His wife Queen Malinha had two sisters. King Paramaldev married both of them to his two loyal noblemen - Bachhraj and Jasraj.
Jasraj was married to Deval Devi. They had two sons - Aalha and Udal. When these children were still quite young, Jasraj was killed in a battle fighting in the name of his King. King Paramaldev and Queen Malinha brought up Aalha and Udal as their own sons and gave them all the love, education, training and facilities befitting for princes. But their mother Deval Devi never let Aalha and Udal forget their position. She ingrained loyalty in them and taught them that for all the kindness and love the King and Queen showers on them, it is their duty to be ready to lay out their lives for them.
The boys grew up to invincible soldiers and won several wars and battle for the Chandela King. The Chandela empire grew under their skillful mentorship. This made Malinha's and Deval Devi's brother (and Aalha-Udal's maternal uncle) Maahil quite jealous.
He kept plotting against them but always failed to harm them or their reputation. Once when Aalha and Udal had been away on a battle, he succeeded in convincing King Paramaldev that the brothers have grown arrogant and think that the King's glory is only because of them. He instigated the King to take the test of their loyalty.
Udal
King Paramaldev summoned Aalha and Udal immediately. Surprised at such an urgent summon, Aalha-Udal summoned to the King's court. The King asked them what they think of him? Aalha said, "O King! Your are our father, mentor and lord. We are always ready to lay out our lives for you." The King smiled and said, "If that is so, could you give your horse to me?"
In medieval India, giving up one's horse and sword was considered an ultimate insult for a Rajput warrior. Aalha was confused. If he gave up his horse, he would have to live with the insult and would be mocked at. If he didn't give up the horse, the King will consider him disloyal. He was still thinking about what to do, when the King roared, "Don't you want to give up a mere horse for me?"
Aalha hung his head and politely shook it in "No."
The King was furious. "After all I have done for you, you deny me a mere horse. Is this how you claim to be most loyal subject? You are a liar too."
This was too much for Aalha. He roared too, "O King! My father laid out his life for you. Udal and me have done all we could to expand your empire and keep your enemies under control. We have defeated several Kings in your name. We have always considered you our Master and our Lord. But you seek to insult us? As a Rajput warrior, you know that we cannot give up our horse to you. If we have lost place in your heart, we do not deserve to live on your land. We will leave your kingdom right now."
Aalha and Udal just took their sword, their horse and their mother with them and left the kingdom. Still, they hoped that the King would realise that the allegations he had made against them were baseless and would send someone to call them back. But no one came.
Dejected, they went on. As the neighbouring kingdoms came to know about Aalha and Udal, they started inviting them to their courts and made several offers to them. King Jaichand's son managed to win them over. His polite behaviour and respect made Aalha-Udal join King Jaichand's court.
At the same time, with Aalha-Udal gone, Chandela empire became riddled with revolts and internal struggles. Prithviraj Chauhan who was a noted warrior himself was expanding his own empire. Some of his soldiers had camped near Chandela empire. They had a fight with Chandela soldiers and since Chandelas were more in number they managed to slew Chauhan soldiers easily.
To take revenge, Prithviraj Chauhan and his mighty army attacked Chandelas. When it became clear that only Aalha-Udal can control the situation now, King Paramal Dev sent Chand Bhat to call them back. At first, Aalha and Udal refused to came but Deval Devi intervened. She said, "Irrespective of what has happened, you still owe duty to your motherland. You cannot forget all the good King Paramaldev has done for you all your life just because he misbehaved once. If you are true sons of your father, go and win back the glory of your King."
Aalha and Udal joined the war. It was a gruesome battle. At the end of it, only Prithviraj Chauhan, Chand Bhat and Aalha remained alive. Everybody else was dead. After that, no one knew where Aalha went. Prithviraj Chauhan, who did not have a trained army anymore, was soon killed in the same battlefield in a battle with Mughals.
It is said that Aalha has become immortal with the blessings of Goddess Sharda at Maihar. It is said that he comes to worship the Goddess in the night and leave clues of his presence.
Aalha songs and stories are told in such an engaging manner that one becomes full of bravery, valour, and patriotism. If you visit Bundelkhand, don't forget to listen to these folk songs.
Chinese and Taiwanese culture are in stark contrast with popular European culture and American culture in many ways. So, if you want to play it subtle and want to break up with your Chinese or Taiwanese boyfriend, girlfriend or just-friend, here is a list of things that you can gift him or her (and reasons why they are considered as break up gifts):
Clocks or Watches
True, some clocks or watches are super cute and quite expensive too. But Chinese for 'send clock' is 'sòng zhōng' which sounds similar to what funeral ritual is called.
Besides, clocks and watches reminds one that time is running out and it symbolizes end of relationships, friendships and life.
Handkerchief
Giving handkerchiefs can be translated as 'duàngēn' in Chinese, which is also a farewell greeting. It is especially the worst gift you can choose for your Chinese or Taiwanese boyfriend or girlfriend as it will means that you want to break up with him or her.
Sharp Objects like Knives and Scissors
I would consider a Swiss knife as a cool gift. But Chinese perhaps don't agree with me. They consider that sharp tools used to cut things should be given as gifts only when you want to break up with your loved one or severe your friendship or relation with someone.
Shoes, especially Straw Sandals
No matter how cool straw sandals might look, they indicate that you want the person to part ways with you - indicating end of friendship or relationship. 'Giving shoes' sounds like 'sòng xiézi' in Chinese, which also means 'to break up'. So, here's another break up gift for you.
Umbrella
A more subtle way to ask your Chinese friend to buzz off forever is to offer him or her an umbrella. If it is raining and you want to offer genuinely help, you would let your friend huddle along under your umbrella as you walk him or her to the intended destination and bring back the umbrella with you.
Some other 'gloom and doom' gifts for Chinese (to drop hints):
Green Hat
Though buying a hat is not a typical gift anymore, yet one should be particularly wary of buying a green hat for a Chinese. The green hat is called 'dài lǜ mào' in China, which implies that one's wife is unfaithful. Green colour is also associated with the colour of turtle who hides his head in his shell in face of a danger and represents cowardice in China. Hence, calling someone a 'turtle' is considered a grave insult in China too.
Set of Four Gifts
Never gift a set of four to a Chinese. 'Four' is 'sì' in Chinese which is quite similar to 'sǐ' or 'death'.
Towels
In China, it is a tradition to hand out towels at funerals. Hence, they are associated with death and gloom - no matter how colourful they are.
White Flowers
White flower bouquet looks beautiful in the hands of American or European brides. But white flowers are often used at funerals in China and hence, they symbolize 'death' there.
White or Black coloured Gifts
White and black colours are associated with 'deaths' and 'funerals'. So, presents, envelopes or wrapping papers in these colours are considered inappropriate in China and Taiwan. I wonder if it's hold true for a sleek black limousine, a white envelope full of dollars or sparkling white diamond necklace too.
Do you know Mardi Gras is basically a Pagan celebration of Spring and Fertility? With the rise of Christianity, the Pagan Carnival Season was incorporated as a period of indulgence just before the 40-day penance and fasting season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.
The Carnival Season begins on January 6 - the Feast of Epiphany, which is also known as the Kings Day or the Twelfth Night Day. Traditionally, on the Kings Day, people eat King Cakes.
The original King cakes were cinnamon-laced brioche-like cakes topped with icing and colored sugars were decorated in Purple that symbolized Justice, Green that symbolized Faith, and Gold that symbolized Power.
Some bakeries offer king cakes with fruit, cream cheese or chocolate feelings. Usually, they place a small plastic baby doll symbolizing Jesus in these cakes. Anyone who gets this baby doll is supposed to buy another King cake within the week.
In Spanish cultures, the King Cake or Twelfth Night Cake had a pea or bean hidden in it. Anyone who got this bean or pea was entitled to be the King or the Queen of the Masquerade of that night.
Mardi Gras marks the end of all the carnivals and is French for Fat Tuesday. Before undertaking the long fasts, people indulge in fatty foots and alcohol - hence the name.
The colourful costumes, lavish balls, gorgeous masks add to the glamour of the Mardi Gras parades. Some of the biggest parades and parties can be seen in New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Lousiana and Mobile, Alabama in the USA; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Cologne, Germany; and Italy.
An interesting Mardi Gras tradition is how parade krewes (organisers) throw out purple, green, golden and yellow beads, baubles and trinkets at the onlookers. Viewers (including tourists) go crazy in collecting these trinkets, even if they are worthless. It makes for a lot of fun and laughter during the carnival season and has become quite popular. A popular misconceptions is that Mardi Gras is raunchy, where women strip and everyone reeks of alcohol. It is not so. Except for a few places, most of the areas are family-friendly where you can easily take your kids along with you. Just enquire a bit and you can have a lot of fun. Mardi Gras 2014 is to be held on March 4. If you miss it this year, mark the date for next year - February 17, 2015.
अश्वत्थामा बालिर व्यासो हनुमानश चा विभीषण कृपाचार्य चा परशुरामं सप्तातः चिरंजीविनम् |
It means that Aswathama, King Mahabali, Veda Vyasa, Lord Hanuman, Vibhishana , Krupacharya and Lord Parashuram are Seven Immortals. It is believed that all those who take their names daily will surely live for 100 years and will not face untimely death.
It is also believed that those who worship their teachers or Gurus with the prescribed ritual and also worship these Seven Immortals on their birthdays will become immortal too. (I think this is the easiest prescription of Immortality ever invented...;) )
But who are these Seven Immortals? Let's know them better:
Aswathama
Aswathama, son of Dronacharya - the Guru of Kauravas and Pandavas - became fast friend of Duryodhana. During the battle of Mahabharat, it became difficult for Pandavas to subdue their Guru Dronacharya. Hence, they hatched a plan.
They killed an elephant named Aswathama and made Yudhishthir (who always spoke Truth) declare loudly that 'Aswathama has been killed.' This stunned the raging Dronacharya as he had granted the boon of immortality to his son. The moment he cast aside his weapons, Draupadi's brother Dhristadyumna killed Dronacharya.
When the news reached Aswathama, he vowed to take revenge of the deceitful murder of his father. He was further enraged when Bhim resorted to unfair means to kill Duryodhan in the end. However, he was very much outnumbered by Pandavas and their mighty army.
While he was trying to think of ways to end the Pandava dynasty at night of the eighteenth day of Mahabharat, he saw how an owl killed an army of crows at night. Hence, he prayed to Mahadev and sought his blessings and entered the camp of Pandavas and killed many great warriors on Pandava's side including Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, and the five sons of Draupadi.
He was later caught by Pandavas. He fought hard and even used Brahmastra to kill Arjun's grandson and Abhimanyu's son Parikshit who was still in the womb. Krishna used his divine powers to revive the foetus and along with Draupadi meted out the toughest punishment to him.
It is said that though Aswathama is an immortal, he bears the curse of living a loveless and companion-less life till the end of Time. A gem on his head was grouched out and Krishna cursed him that the wound will never heal.
Aswathama is a living warning that those who live for Revenge and Rage alone, live a loveless and friendless life. They wish for death and even death refuses to give them reprieve from their distress.
There are many stories related to Aswathama appearances that do rounds from time to time. Raja Prithviraj Chauhan and parents of Bhagwan Swaminarayan are believed to have met Aswathama too.
King Bali
King Bali or Mahabali stands for Valour, Righteousness, Devotion and Charity. Grandson of Prahlad, this Asur King was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. When he conquered Heaven, Indra and other Devas request Vishnu to help them regain their kingdom.
Thus, Vishnu took Vaman (small Brahmin boy) avatar and asked for three strides of land from Raja Bali. Raja Bali pledged it to him. Then, Vaman strarted growing astronomically. He covered Earth and Heaven in only two strides. Since no place was left, King Bali offered him his head for the third stride.
Vaman pushed Bali to Patala where Bali is believed to rule forever. Vaman then granted him two boons - that he will guard the gates of his kingdom in Patala, and Bali can visit Kerala every year during Onam and see how his people are doing.
Some vedic texts also mention that Mahabali will be the next Indra after the term of Purandar (the current Indra) is over.
Ved Vyas
Ved Vyasa is the living embodiment of Erudition and Wisdom. He wrote Mahabharata, Srimad Bhagavatam and several Puranas. He is believed to be the ultimate visionary.
In Mahabharat, he played a key role and Dhritshashtra, Pandu and Vidhur are believed to be his sons.
Ved Vyasa is such a great sage that even Lord Ganesha (who was working as the scribe for him) had to stop and think to understand some of the verses of Mahabharat before penning them.
Hanuman
Hanuman is said to be one of the Rudra avatars of Lord Shiva. He exemplifies Loyalty, Devotion, Virtue, Strength and Wisdom. He is also believed to dispel negative energies including ghosts, poltergeists and demons.
The immortal Hanuman is present as an ideal to mankind and is believed to have several miraculous and divine powers.
Vibhishana
Vibhisana or Bibhishana was the youngest brother of Ravana. As opposed to the popular belief, he was certainly not a weakling. He resisted peer pressure, social mores and family ties to stay at the path of righteousness. He did not indulge in sycophancy to make his life easier when he was living with Ravana and did not think twice about embracing the righteous (and enemy) King Rama - without any expectation of reward.
Rama granted him the boon of Immortality and made him the Guardian of Truth and Dharma on Earth. In Mahabharat, he is mentioned briefly as King of Lanka who welcomed Ghatotkacha - the son of Bhim who approached him as an envoy of Sahadev - with open arms.
However, he is perhaps the least popular of six positive Chiranjeevis because he was considered a family traitor for telling secrets of Lanka to Rama.
Krupacharya
In Mahabharata, Kripacharya played the role of Rajrishi. In that capacity, he was one of the Gurus of Pandavas and Kauravas too and later was Guru to Parikshit - the grandson of Arjun - who was the only one left to ascend the throne after the war was over.
While Dronacharya is certainly the more famous teacher of the princes of Hastinapur, he lost the right to immortality because he was not totally impartial. He favored Arjun while teaching and later sided with Kauravas in the interest of his son - Aswathama.
Krupacharya, on the other hand, always adhered to laws and ethics that defined his role. Even in the face or worst adversities, he always stuck to his principles. After the battle of Mahabharata, he began doubting his principles. Lord Krishna, then, reassured him that he has done well and made him the Guardian of Laws and Ethics on Earth by making him immortal.
Parashuram
The Master of Martial Arts, the 6th Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Lord Parshuram denotes Raw Strength and Channeling the Anger to achieve Justice for the World. He stood up to the mighty oppressors and ultimately, learnt to make peace with the past.
Son of of a great sage Jamdagni, Parashuram got his name from 'Parashu' or 'Axe', which is his favored weapon. He is known to have gone around the Earth 21 times, killing Kshatriyas or Rulers who oppressed their subjects. He was the Guru of great warriors and warrior-gurus like Bhishma, Dronacharya and Karna.
Parashuram also appeared in Ramayana, at the time of Sita's Swayamvar, where he had a hot exchange with Lakshman over Ram breaking Lord Shiva's bow. Later, he came to know that Ram was Lord Vishnu himself and he apologized for his mistake.
All the land he had won from the evil kings, he donated to the priests. When he decided to build an ashram and settle down, he requested the King of Oceans to give him some land. This piece of land came to be known as 'Kerala'.
It is believed that Lord Parashuram is still doing his penance and will make an appearance at the end of Kaliyuga to become the teacher of Kalki - the last incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Do note:
Three of these personalities are associated only with Mahabharata - Aswathama, Ved Vyas and Krupacharya; two only with Ramayana - Vibhishana, and Hanuman (Hanuman appears in Mahabharat for a small episode with Bheem - the third Pandav and then again on the flag of Arjun during the battle); one both with Ramayana and Mahabharata - Parshuram (who was Guru of Bhishm Pitamah Bheem and again of Kunti's stranged son - Karna; and King Mahabali of Vaman Story fame.
Only two of these personalities are regarded as Gods - Hanuman (who also represents Vanar or Monkeys) and Parashuram. Three are Humans, even if they are sages or great men. Two are Asuras - Vibhishana and Raja Bali who changed their destiny by adhering to the right ideals and sticking to the correct path. It shows that it is your action, and not your origin, that grants you ultimate reward and recognition.
Only one of these personalities - Aswathama - represents negative quality and is here as a warning to us. Rest all the six represent different positive traits that should be idolized by all of us.
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