Friday, August 31, 2012

Quiz of the day (42)

I enjoy answering quiz questions. If you are like me, here is a random quiz question of the day in general knowledge for you to answer or else check back tomorrow for the answer.
I am sure since our childhood we have seen bunch of Tarzan movies, read related books etc. What does exactly Tarzan mean in ape-language?
a) fictional character
b) powerful physique
c) ape man
d) white skin
Quiz of the day (41)  Answer: b) Mercury (In 1950s, Minamata disease was caused by mercury-contaminated waste-water that was dumped into Minamata Bay by a petrochemical plant)

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Quiz of the day (41)

I enjoy answering quiz questions. If you are like me, here is a random quiz question of the day in general knowledge for you to answer or else check back tomorrow for the answer.
Your geography knowledge may help you point out Minamata, on the map, in south Japan. But can you figure-out which element is responsible for someone who is suffering from 'Minamata' disease?
a) Copper
b) Mercury
c) Calcium
d) Manganese
Quiz of the day (40) Answer: c) Vasudeva (greater than the Greatest)

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Adhika maasam

Did you know there are 13 months in some years of the calendar?
The thirteenth month in a lunar calendar is called Adhika (extra) maasam. This additional month is not calculated by the followers of solar calendar. Lunar calendar has 354 days in a calendar year. Solar calendar has 365 days. The difference of these days is added on average once in two and half years. In states like Karnataka, Andhrapradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, etc, the adhika maasa begins on the day after amavasya day (no moon day) and ends on Amavasya day. In North India, Adhika Masa begins on the first day after pournami (Full moon day). Whereas in states like Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Tamilnadu, there is no adhika maasa for them, as they are following solar calendar. The lunar calendar completely synchronizes with the solar calendar in a period of 60 years.
Other names are Purushottama maasa (month of the Lord Vishnu), mala maasa (intercalary or month). Scriptures say that Lord Vishnu will remove all our sins during this maasa for notable noble acts.  Charity or donation given in this month have more weight-age. Religious rites performed to obtain certain material benefits or personal gains are not advised to perform. Hence auspicious functions like marriage, housewarming ceremony are not performed. This year Bhadrapada maasam i.e., from August 18 to September 16 is the Adhika Bhadrapada maasam. An important festival Vinayaka chavithi performed during this month on the fourth day after amavasya is performed in the nija or actual Bhadrapada maasam which happens on September 19th.
The next adhika maasam will be the Ashada maasam, fourth month of the Lunar year 2015-2016.
There is a story related to Adhikamaasa, it goes like this: (from http://www.sumadhwaseva.com/ )
Once Lakshmidevi asked Srihari as to how to perform the Adhika Maasa pooja and what daanaas (donations) are to be performed during Adhikamasa.
Then Srihari told her that he himself is the God for the Adhika maasa with the name Purushottama. What ever punya kaarya lika snaana, japa, homaa will bring akshaya phala. He also told that those who does not do any punya karya during Adhika Maasa will be getting daaridrya, putrashoka, etc
Those who could not do for the whole month can do it atleast on Krishna paksha Astami, navami, chaturdashi, Dwadashi, pournami, chaturdashi, etc.
Earlier there lived a brahmana by name Kaushika who was a jitendriya(one who is free from lusts). He had a son by name Maitreya who was addicted to drinking and was a kamaandha. One day Maitreya went to forest. He killed a brahmana in Sourashtra and snatched all the money with the Brahmin. Because he killed that brahmana, the whole City itself was burnt. As he got brahma hatya dosha, Maitreya was taken by Yamadoothalu and was thrown in Krimeekunda (pit full of worms). He was in the Hell for more than 10000 years. After a long period, Kaushika, the father of Maitreya came to know about the same. Kaushika searched all the shruthi – shaastraas and found a remedy for brahmahatya parihara.
He did the Vratha named Adhikamasa Vratha and donated 33 apoopas (sweet cake made of rice flour and jiggery) and his son was saved from the Hell.
As such, Adhikamasa vratha, if done with proper anusandhana(recitation of sacred texts) can remove brahma hatya dosha (negative effects of killing a Brahmin)also.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Polala Amavasya

Polala amavasya- is an important vratham dedicated to Goddess Poleramma, observed on Sravana amavasya (no moon day). Poleramma is the local deity. This vratham is mainly observed in Andhra Pradesh and some parts of Karnataka. North Indians celebrate as Pithori amavasya and Maharashtrians as Pola.
Goddess Poleramma is known as the protector of children. Every year, offering prayers to Poleramma coincides on the amavasya day and hence the vratham is called Polala amavasya. Symbolically Goddess is worshiped in the form of  “kanda mokka” (suran or yam shrub) or “kanda dumpa”(suran or yam bulb). Women perform puja and raksha thoranam (sacred thread) is also worshipped during the puja. According to vrata texts, by performing this vrata, one can safe guard their children from the clutches of death. Women tie the sacred thread to her children after reading the story about a mother who prayed Poleramma to help bring back her dead young children. For the welfare of the male children fried sweet balls of chana dal and jaggery are made, for the welfare of female children urad dal vadas are made and offered to Goddess Poleramma.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Krishnashtami!

 
Happy Krishnashtami!
May Lord Krishna give you reasons to be healthy and happy!
 
"No one should abandon duties because he sees defects in them. Every action, every activity, is surrounded by defects as a fire is surrounded by smoke."
-Krishna Quotes from The Bhagavad Gita

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Quiz of the day (40)

I enjoy answering quiz questions. If you are like me, here is a random quiz question of the day in general knowledge for you to answer or else check back tomorrow for the answer.
Sri Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated as the day Lord was born on the eight day after the full moon in the Sravana maasam. Due to his dark complexion the initial name given to Him as baby is Krishna. Can u guess what was the name given during the naming ceremony?
a) Shyamasundara
b) Balagopala
c) Vasudeva
d) Gopalakrishna
Quiz of the day (39) Answer: b) Gymnastics (gymnos in Greek means naked(adjective), to train naked (verb))

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Quiz of the day (39)

I enjoy answering quiz questions. If you are like me, here is a random quiz question of the day in general knowledge for you to answer or else check back tomorrow for the answer. 
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games began, last week, in London. While enjoying watching the games, can you guess what Olympic sport is derived from the Greek word for 'naked'?
a) Boxing
b) Gymanstics
c) Water polo
d) Kayaking
Quiz of the day (38) Answer: b) cyberspace ( commonly used as virtual world of computers; William Gibson used this word in his book "Neuromancer" describing for clusters and constellations of data in a computer)

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

August flower

courtesy: crocus.co.uk
August flower - Gladiolus or Poppy
Flower of the Gladiators
Meaning - remembrance, infatuation, sincerity,
              symbolizes strength of character
Hidden message - Love at first sight
Other name - gladiola or sword lily
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poppy - Pleasure, Consolation, Wealth, Success
Symoblizes - peace (because of opium extracted from them) sleep, and death (because of red color)
National flower - Belgium (red poppy), Bhutan (blue poppy), Poland (corn or red poppy), Republic of Macedonia.
State flower - California (1903)
Happy Birthday to all the August celebrities (babies)! 

                 The Gladiolus Bed
NO fairer sight hath in the garden been
Throughout the summer since the birth of May
Than the tall blossoms which these plants display,
Set among sword-like leaves of lightest green.
Yellow are these, whose ancestors were seen
First in Zambesi forests far away,-
This lemon-pale, this like a sunset ray
When clouds are pink and there is gold between.
But fairest and most graceful of them all
Is this, which was but thirty hours ago
A bud that promised still unseen delight,
And now shows radiance pure and virginal,
Scarce to be equalled by the mountain snow.
Yellow is fair, but fairer still is white. 
-Robert Henry Forster (1867-1923)