Quizzical India
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS BLOG
India is a land of diversities and complexities. The mosaic of Indian existence has many strands of culture and they have been interwoven into a fine structure that has been known through the ages as Indian culture. Aberrations are there but they are so few and far between that they can be ignored easily.
This blog will be devoted to an in-depth exploration and exposition of that great Indian culture from which more than 100 crores of people draw their sustenance for their moral and cultural existence. This exploration and exposition will be done through the medium of quiz. Every fortnight, there will be 15 questions and, next fortnight, the answers will be given and a new set of questions will be posted. Readers also may try attempting answers. There will be discussions on the questions and related issues as well. If there is a good and enthusiastic participation from people, then we can even think of holding an annual competition on this blog. We must not restrict the studies on our great country and culture to ourselves – we must try to make this blog popular overseas so that foreigners feel interested about India and come to visit this beautiful land of ours in even greater number every year.
India is a land of diversities and complexities. The mosaic of Indian existence has many strands of culture and they have been interwoven into a fine structure that has been known through the ages as Indian culture. Aberrations are there but they are so few and far between that they can be ignored easily.
This blog will be devoted to an in-depth exploration and exposition of that great Indian culture from which more than 100 crores of people draw their sustenance for their moral and cultural existence. This exploration and exposition will be done through the medium of quiz. Every fortnight, there will be 15 questions and, next fortnight, the answers will be given and a new set of questions will be posted. Readers also may try attempting answers. There will be discussions on the questions and related issues as well. If there is a good and enthusiastic participation from people, then we can even think of holding an annual competition on this blog. We must not restrict the studies on our great country and culture to ourselves – we must try to make this blog popular overseas so that foreigners feel interested about India and come to visit this beautiful land of ours in even greater number every year.
The first set of questions follows:
ON
THE MAHABHARATA AND ITS CHARACTERS
Q U E S T I O N S
1. According to the Mahabharata, who was the father of the great Dronacharya, the poor Brahmin from whom both the Kauravas and the Pandavas obtained training in arms and weapons?
2. Amongst the Pandavas, nobody, except Yudhisthira, could make it to the heaven (Swarg) in person on their way of Mahaprasthan because of various faults of their own (as described by Yudhisthira to Draupadi one by one). What was nakul’s fault according to Yudhisthira?
3. According to the legends, a deity was Veda Vyasa’s scribe as he dictated the story of the Mahabharata and when He had been requested by Veda Vyasa to take the dictation of the Mahabharata, this deity had imposed a condition on Vyasa that He would take down the dictation non-stop without any rest and if His pen stopped moving even for once, he would stop writing. Who was this deity?
4. Who is the queen of the king Virata of the Mahabharata in whose palace the Pandavas took shelter durinig the year which they were to spend in hiding as per the condition imposed upon them by the Kauravas as a result of the formers’ defeat in the game of Pasha?
5. According to the Mahabharata, the Swayambarsabha (the ceremony in vogue in ancient India of choosing her husband by a lady who is normally of aristocratic or royal descent)of Draupadi was being organized, the Pandavas were living in the principality of Panchal at the house of a potter in the disguise of Brahmins. What was the name of this potter?
6. While the Pandavas were passing their days of exile in hiding in the palace of the King Virata, they decided to have secret code-names of their own by which they would call each other in case of any emergency situation. Who amongst them had the codename Jaysen?
7. In the palace of the King Virata, which Pandava had the secret code-name Jayadwala?
8. In the Mahabharata, Shakuni has sometimes been referred to as Soubal. Why?
9. In the Mahabharata, who was Arjuna’s son by his Naga-wife ulupi?
10. Draupadi had five sons by the five Pandavas. Whose son was Pratibindhya?
11. The Mahabharata narrates the story of how Sishupala was slain by Lord Vishnu. Which principality usued to be ruled by Sishupala?
12. Who made a poetical abstract of the Mahabharata entitled Bharata-manjari in the 11th century A.D.?
13. In which forest were the Pandavas living in exile when Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, fell in love with Draupadi at her sight and tried to take her away forcibly?
14. During Akbar’s reign, and under his instruction the Mahabharata was translated into Persian. This book was given a new title by Akbar. What was that title?
15. Vidura is one of the greatest characters in the Mahabharata. Who was his father?
THE MAHABHARATA AND ITS CHARACTERS
Q U E S T I O N S
1. According to the Mahabharata, who was the father of the great Dronacharya, the poor Brahmin from whom both the Kauravas and the Pandavas obtained training in arms and weapons?
2. Amongst the Pandavas, nobody, except Yudhisthira, could make it to the heaven (Swarg) in person on their way of Mahaprasthan because of various faults of their own (as described by Yudhisthira to Draupadi one by one). What was nakul’s fault according to Yudhisthira?
3. According to the legends, a deity was Veda Vyasa’s scribe as he dictated the story of the Mahabharata and when He had been requested by Veda Vyasa to take the dictation of the Mahabharata, this deity had imposed a condition on Vyasa that He would take down the dictation non-stop without any rest and if His pen stopped moving even for once, he would stop writing. Who was this deity?
4. Who is the queen of the king Virata of the Mahabharata in whose palace the Pandavas took shelter durinig the year which they were to spend in hiding as per the condition imposed upon them by the Kauravas as a result of the formers’ defeat in the game of Pasha?
5. According to the Mahabharata, the Swayambarsabha (the ceremony in vogue in ancient India of choosing her husband by a lady who is normally of aristocratic or royal descent)of Draupadi was being organized, the Pandavas were living in the principality of Panchal at the house of a potter in the disguise of Brahmins. What was the name of this potter?
6. While the Pandavas were passing their days of exile in hiding in the palace of the King Virata, they decided to have secret code-names of their own by which they would call each other in case of any emergency situation. Who amongst them had the codename Jaysen?
7. In the palace of the King Virata, which Pandava had the secret code-name Jayadwala?
8. In the Mahabharata, Shakuni has sometimes been referred to as Soubal. Why?
9. In the Mahabharata, who was Arjuna’s son by his Naga-wife ulupi?
10. Draupadi had five sons by the five Pandavas. Whose son was Pratibindhya?
11. The Mahabharata narrates the story of how Sishupala was slain by Lord Vishnu. Which principality usued to be ruled by Sishupala?
12. Who made a poetical abstract of the Mahabharata entitled Bharata-manjari in the 11th century A.D.?
13. In which forest were the Pandavas living in exile when Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, fell in love with Draupadi at her sight and tried to take her away forcibly?
14. During Akbar’s reign, and under his instruction the Mahabharata was translated into Persian. This book was given a new title by Akbar. What was that title?
15. Vidura is one of the greatest characters in the Mahabharata. Who was his father?
posted by Quizzical India @ 5:00 AM
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