I appreciate Mr Gopalkrishnan and welcome his sea change. Nothing is wrong as long as one is in a learning process subjected to corrections, you , me or anyone. Thank you sir KR IRS 15 3 24
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: gopala krishnan <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2024 at 19:15 Subject: Re: [KeralaIyers] Fwd: [iyer123] CULTURAL QA 03-2024-14 To: [email protected] <[email protected]>, [email protected] <[email protected]>, Iyer < [email protected]>, Rajaram Krishnamurthy <[email protected]>, APS Mani <[email protected]> Respected sirs, As Mr Rajaram pointed out Ananta, Vasuki and Thakshaka *are brothers *of Sea God, varuna. They are not sons. *I am extremely thankful to Mr Rajaram for pointing out the mistake. * By oversight I included the QA in a *disturbed mind*. Their father is sage kashyapa and mother is Kadru. Varuna is also the son of sage Kaashyapa with wife Muni. I am sorry for including the wrong answer. I would have been a little more careful in selecting QA, * fully knowing kashyapa is the father of serpants. In a disturbed mind I included the QA. * *I am sorry for including such a QA, by oversight.* *Gopalakrishnan* On Thursday, 14 March, 2024 at 11:08:03 pm IST, Rajaram Krishnamurthy < [email protected]> wrote: CULTURAL QA 03202414 Q1 Can you name the three sons of Varuna? A1 Joseph Taylor, Handsome guy 2h G Yes, I without any hesitation can name the three sons of Varuna. In Hindu mythology, Varuna, the Vedic deity associated with water, is said to have three sons. These sons are: 1. Shesha (also known as Ananta): Shesha is often depicted as a serpent and is considered to be the cosmic serpent who supports the universe. 2. Vasuki: Vasuki is another serpent deity in Hindu mythology. He is often depicted wrapped around Lord Shiva's neck as a necklace. 3. Takshaka: Takshaka is a serpent king and a prominent character in various Hindu epics, including the Mahabharata. He is known for his role in the Kurukshetra war. These three sons of Varuna play significant roles in various mythological narratives and are often associated with the cosmic order and the elements of creation and destruction. KR Mr G who cannot read well “GANDHARI WITH THE KOURAVAS ALSO…….. properly meaning apart from Kouravas attached to Gandhari also….// but raised a perverted indecent question akin to his level, as usual flouts through some Christian if it is the org name that snakes are the grandsons of the Kashyap Aditi . WRONG SENSE WRONG KNOWHOW AND WRONG CP---NOT COMPILING SEKING REFERENCES. 1 Varuṇa (वरुण).—One of the eight guardians of the quarters. Birth. Varuṇa was the son of Prajāpati, Kaśyapa born of Aditi. He was one of the twelve sons of Aditi. So he is considered to be one of the twelve Ādityas (Sons of Aditi). The twelve Ādityas are Dhātā, Aryaman, Mitra, Śakra, Varuṇa, Aṃśa, Bhaga, Vivaśvān, Pūṣā, Savitā, Tvaṣṭā and Viṣṇu. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 65, Stanza 15). 2) Varuṇa (वरुण).—A Deva Gandharva. It is mentioned in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 65, Stanza 42, that this Devagandharva was the son of Prajāpati Kaśyapa born of his wife Muni. Story of Varuṇa One of the eight guardians of the quarters. Birth. Varuṇa was the son of Prajāpati, Kaśyapa born of Aditi. He was one of the twelve sons of Aditi. So he is considered to be one of the twelve Ādityas (Sons of Aditi). The twelve Ādityas are Dhātā, Aryaman, Mitra, Śakra, Varuṇa, Aṃśa, Bhaga, Vivaśvān, Pūṣā, Savitā, Tvaṣṭā and Viṣṇu. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 65, Stanza 15).{KR: SOMEONE MAY WONDER WHETHER Kashyapa and Aditi had no other job. Kashyapa is Rishi and Aditi his wife; Kashyapa is space and Aditi is Earth the prakriti; Many are symbolic as Varuna is Apa, water, sea etc. West says water came out of land as rain; we say as Gods the nature and came out of Gods.} These twelve Ādityas were the twelve Devas (gods) known as Tuṣitas in the Manvantara of Manu Cākṣuṣa. A statement occurs in Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Aṃśa 1, Chapter 15, that when Vaivasvata Manvantara was about to begin after the end of Cākṣuṣa Manvantara, the famous Tuṣitas united together and took birth as the sons of Kaśyapa. Kingship of the waters. In Kṛtayuga the Devas approached Varuṇa and said to him. "You must be the lord of all the waters, as Indra is our protector. You can live in the heart of the ocean. All the rivers in the world, and the ocean which is their husband will obey you. You will wax and wane along with Candra (Moon)." Varuṇa agreed to comply with their request. All of them anointed Varuṇa as the King of the waters. (Mahābhārata Śalya Parva, Chapter 47). The Guardian of the quarter west. Brahmā appointed Varuṇa as the guardian of the western zone. Vaiśravaṇa once did penance before Brahmā, and when Brahmā appeared before him, he made a request that he should be appointed as one of the guardians of the quarters. Brahmā replied. "I have already selected Indra, Varuṇa and Yama as guardians of the points. I was thinking who, the fourth, should be, when you came. So from this day onwards, Indra shall be the guardian of the East, Yama that of the South, Varuṇa, that of the West and you Vaiśravaṇa shall be the guardian of the North." After saying this, Brahmā disappeared. Thus Varuṇa became the guardian of the West. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa). Family. Varuṇa had several wives and children. Prominent among them were Gaurī and Varuṇānī. Mention is made about the sons Suṣeṇa, Vandī and Vasiṣṭha and daughter Vāruṇī. Cārṣaṇī was another wife of Varuṇa. Prajāpati Bhṛgu, who died in the sacrifice of Dakṣa took birth as the son of Varuṇa and Cārṣaṇī. Devī Jyeṣṭhā, the daughter of Priest Śukra was another wife of Varuṇa. The children of Jyeṣṭhā were Bala, Surā the Suranandinī and Adharmaka the destroyer of the elements. The semen of Varuṇa fell on Valmīka (White-ant-hill) from which the great hermit Vālmīki was born. Besides them, Dakṣasāvarṇi, the ninth Manu was the son of Varuṇa. Puṣkara was another son of Varuṇa. The handsome Puṣkara was received as husband by the daughter of Soma (Candra). Vandī, who was defeated by the hermit Aṣṭāvakra at the palace of Janaka was the son of Varuṇa. (Mahābhārata Udyoga Parva, Chapter 117, Stanza 9; Ādi Parva, Chapter 66, Stanza 52; Ādi Parva, Chapter 99, Stanza 5; Vana Parva, Chapter 134, Stanza 24; Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa Sarga 17, Stanza 13; Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa, Sarga 46, Stanza 36). Carrying away Utathya’s wife. Bhadrā, the daughter of Soma (Moon) was extremely beautiful. Some gave her in marriage to the hermit Utathya. Varuṇa carried her away. Utathya got angry and drank up the ocean dry. Varuṇa returned Bhadrā to Utathya. (For further details see under Utathya). Theft of Varuṇa’s cow by Kaśyapa. Kaśyapa once decided to perform a sacrifice. He made all preparations. But he did not get the required cow at the stipulated time. So he got the Homadhenu of Varuṇa by theft and began to perform the yāga (sacrifice). Varuṇa knew this. Instantly he went to Kaśyapa and demanded his cow. But Kaśyapa refused to return the cow. Varuṇa complained to Brahmā, who sent for Kaśyapa and asked him about the cow and both Brahmā and Varuṇa cursed Kaśyapa that he who had taken the cow by stealth would take birth as a cowherd in Ambāḍi. (For further details see under Kaśyapa and Nandagopa). Other information. (i) The Vaiṣṇava bow received by Śrī Rāma from Bhārgava Rāma, was given to Varuṇa. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Sarga 77, Stanza 1). (ii) The capital city of Varuṇa one of the eight guardians of the universe was called Śraddhāvatī. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 8). (iii) At the time of the burning of Khāṇḍava forest Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna helped Agni (Fire). Agni prayed to Varuṇa to supply Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna with weapons so that they might fight with Indra. Varuṇa appeared and gave Arjuna the bow 'Gāṇḍīva', a quiver which would never become empty of arrows and a banner with the emblem of a monkey depicted on it. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapters 234 and 237). (iv) The image of Varuṇa should be dedicated in temples as sitting on a horned shark with a rope in hand. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 51). (v) Once Varuṇa gave exhortations to Puṣkara, which he in his turn gave to Paraśurāma. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 151). (vi) It is stated in Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala 1, Anuvāka 2, Sūkta 2, that Varuṇa and Mitra are the Deities of rain.1.2.2RV (vii) Once the King Marutta performed a sacrifice at which the guardians of the eight points were present. Rāvaṇa came to the sacrifice and tried to do harm to the hermits. At the beginning of the attack, the guardians of the points assumed forms of various creatures and escaped from the place. Varuṇa escaped in the form of a swan. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa). (viii) Rāvaṇa defeated Yama. On his return he defeated the Uragas (serpents) of Pātāla (Nether world). After this, he challenged Varuṇa, who came out with his sons and army and fought with Rāvaṇa, who won the battle. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa). (ix) Varuṇa is a member of the assembly of Brahmā. (Mahābhārata Sabhā Parva, Chapter 117, Stanza 51). (x) When Arjuna went to the world of Devas, Varuṇa gave him the weapon Pāśa (rope). (Mahābhārata Vana Parva, Chapter 41, Stanza 27). (xi) Indra, Agni, Yama and Varuṇa tested Nala and finally gave him blessings. (xii) Once Varuṇa performed penance along with other gods in Viśākhayūpa. (Mahābhārata Vana Parva, Chapter 90, Stanza 16). (xiii) Varuṇa once gave Ṛcīka thousand black-eared horses. (xiv) At the coronation of Śrī Rāma, Varuṇa made his appearance and proclaimed that Sītā was chaste and pure. (Mahābhārata Vana Parva, Chapter 291, Stanza 29). (xv) Varuṇa had the bow Gāṇḍīva in his possession for hundred years. (Mahābhārata Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 43, Stanza 6). (xvi) Once Śrī Kṛṣṇa defeated Varuṇa. (Mahābhārata Udyoga Parva, Chapter 130, Stanza 49). (xvii) Parṇāśā, the mother of the King Śrutāyudha once worshipped Varuṇa with vow and fast and Varuṇa gave her boons and a club to Śrutāyudha. (Mahābhārata Droṇa Parva, Chapter 92). (xviii) Varuṇa gave Subrahmaṇya two followers named Yama and Atiyama. (Mahābhārata Śalya Parva, Chapter 45, Stanza 45). (xix) Besides Varuṇa gave Subrahmaṇya an elephant. (Mahābhārata Śalya Parva, Chapter 46, Stanza 52). (xx) Once Varuṇa performed a Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice) at Yamunātīrtha. (Mahābhārata Śalya Parva, Chapter 49, Stanza 11). (xxi) When Balabhadra Rāma died and his soul went to Pātāla (under world), there was Varuṇa also among those who came to receive him. (Mahābhārata Mausala Parva, Chapter 4, Stanza 16). (xxii) At the time of his great departure, Arjuna threw the bow Gāṇḍīva and the arrows over the sea to return them to Varuṇa. (Mahābhārata Mahāprasthāna Parva, Chapter 1, Stanza 41). (xxiii) Words such as Aditiputra, Āditya, Ambupa, Ambupati, Amburāṭ, Ambvīśa, Apāmpati, Devadeva, Gopati, Jalādhipa, Jaleśvara, Lokapāla, Salilarāja, Salileśa, Udakapati, Vāripa, Yādasāmbhartā and so on have been used as synonyms of Varuṇa in Mahābhārata. NOW SIR when so many references did not show your content and after you depend on a scholar Christian school boy to write utter……….. K Rajaram IRS 14 3 24 SIR THIS IS COMPILING --------------------------------------------------- SIR THIS IS BONUS: Ashtanaga—Eight important Nagas Out of the one thousand serpent children Kadru had, 8 important nagas are called Ashtanagas. They are: Kadru is wife of Kashyapa (where is Varunas brothers of Vasuki, dakshaka etc became children sir? Ananta,Vasuki,Takshaka,Karkotaka,Shankha,Padma,Mahapadma,Gulika. They are the nagas that are worshipped. Many of the ashtanagas are important characters in the Itihasa Puranas. Ananta He is the most important of the ashtanagas. The name itself means one who has to end. It means he is infinite. About the birth of Ananta, ValmikiRamayana says like this. From Mahavishnu came Brahma and from Brahma came the Prajapatis. From this it can be surmised that Ananta is a Prajapati But as per the Mahabharata,Ananta is born to Prajapati Kashyapa in his wife Kadru. When Kadru and Vinatha, two of the wives of Kashyapa, were fighting and to win in the bet Ananta was asked to hang from the tail of Iravata. Ananta lost his peace and so went to places of pilgrimage and fasted. Immersing himself in reflections on Brahma, he obtained a boon from him. The boon was that even if the entire universe burns down, Ananta will not perish. That is how Ananta becomes Adi Shesha and the leader of nagas. He also became the bed and shade of Mahavishnu. It was because of the boon he received he went into the Hades and began to hold the worlds upright supporting them with his hoods. It is garuda that helps Ananta in this task of holding the worlds. Ananta has one thousand hoods and on the main hood there is the mark of Svastika. This indicates the Sun and Vishnu. As weapons he holds a plough in one hand and an iron pestle or mace in the other. He is served by Shridevi, Varuni Devi, Nagakanyaka and many other goddesses. The belief is that Ananta dwells in the abode of Varuna in the West. Ananta is not merely the eldest of the brood, but he is the noblest and occupies an elevated niche in the hierarchy of things. He is softspoken, philosophical and has an ascetic character. He is the one who leads the group of ideal serpents. Two of Ananta avatars are Lakshmana, the younger brother of Rama and Balrama, the elder brother of Krishna. The Anantashayanam indicates the mutual relations between Vishnu and the Serpent. Vasuki He is the son of Kashyapa and brother of Ananta. He spent his childhood with his parents. As a devote of Shiva, he dwells in the body of Shiva. According to the Puranas, it is thought that Vasuki is the ring on the finger of Shiva. In the quarrel between Kadru and Vinata, Vasuki did not support his mother and so he was cursed and therefore he had to live away from his mother in a different group. Vasuki has a special place amongst the important deities of Shaivas. Vasu means diamond. The one with a diamond on the head is Vasuka, that is Kashyapa. the son of Vasuka is Vasuki. Vasuki has the white colour of diamonds. When the Devas and Asuras churned the Ocean of Milk, they used Vasuki as the coir for binding the Manthara Mountain which was used as the churning stick. For the protection of the nagas, Vasuki gave his sister to the ascetic Jaratkaru as his wife. Astika is the son of this sister. It is this Astika who blocked the sarpasatra. It is presumed that Vasuki was present at the time of the birth of Arjuna and as per the request of Aryaka persuaded the nagas to give the divine potion to Bhimasena. In the Mahabharata, it is said that the nagas and the goddesses anointed Vasuki and the king of nagas. During the burning of Tripura, Vasuki worked as the bowstring of the bow of Shiva and the hold of the chariot. Moreover he gave Subrahmanya two parshadas Vasuki who is the one of the seven nagas that hold the earth went to the Hades to receive Balarama when he went there after his death Takshaka Takshaka is one of the naga chiefs born to Kashyapa in Kadru. Takshaka has an important role in the story of Parikshit and the burning of Khandava. Takshaka was one of the nagas who was cursed and sent out because of the anger of Kadru. Then he went and stayed in the Khandava forest. When Arjuna burned the Khandava forest he came safely out of it. Shringi, the son of Shamika, cursed Parikshit who was the emperor and the grandson of Arjuna. The curse was that Parikshit would die after being bitten by Takshaka. Parikshit died that way. Then his son Janamejaya carried out a sarpasatra. All these famous things are described elaborate in the Puranas. Astika blocked the sarpasatra and therefore Takshaka is saved. Takshaka was generous and helps others. He has terrible form and powerful venom and the Puranas are full of his stories. His colour is red. His hood has the mark of svastika. Karkotaka Karkotaka is the terrible serpent which is the garland of Sri Parameshvara. Karkotaka was caught in the forest fire because of a curse from Narada. But Nala who was afflicted with the curse of Kali saved Karkotaka from the fire. He bit Nala and disfigured him. He did that to help Nala in his incognito life. He advised Nala about the ways to overcome the curse of Kali and gave him a silk cloak. He told him that when he wore the new cloak he would get back his original shape. In the Nalacarita, Karkotaka plays a major role. There is a belief that if one remembers Karkotaka, the curse of Kali can be overcome. The colour of Karkotaka is black. Shamkha (Samkhapala) Shamkha is a fiery serpent who has many heads and a lot of power. Although he looks ferocious he is not harmful. Shamkha is also known an Shamkhapala. Shamkha is the naga born to Kashyapa in his wife Kadru. Once Narada introduced this Naga to Matali who is the charioteer of Indra. During the death Balabhadra (Balarama), Shamkha was one of the important nagas that came to accompany the soul of Balabhadra into Hades. Padma Padma is the Mahasarpa that holds the north-west part of the earth aloft. Padma was born to Kashyapa in his wife Kadru. Padma’s place is on the right side of Vasuki. Padman has only one head4 and his red colour is that of lotus MahaPadma He is also known by the name Shankhapadma. On his hood the mark is the trident. He has the prime place among nagas. His colour is white. Gulika In the Ashtanaga square, the place of Gulika is on the left side of Ananta. It has strong venom and red colour. It has a single head like a cobra and is almost of the same size. It is considered ferocious and its venom is very powerful. It instils fear into others. It has an important place in astrology. K RAJARAM IRS 14 3 24 Q3 What is the most memorable incident you have had during your stay in another country? KR I appreciate the lady who spoke the truth; but it is complex; thinking that I am lower in anything is a complex; inferiority complex; among the Indians many states cross wise may not understand the spoken English; why even the mother tongue; a born madrasi speaking Tamil, may not understand what her maidservant speals only tamil of her style; a Trivandrum Keralite will find it difficult to understand the Malayalam of north. So, language is not a barrier in tourism sign language is always there. When I first saw Benhur in Minerva, I could not follow it but as days passed by now except for a few, my English is understood right from sessions to Supreme court and in Europe, USA and other nations and vice versa; and there are so many nations where English is not at all understood sir. Q5 Who killed Joan of Arc? KR Perfect history is: “The story of Joan of Arc is one of the most captivating and inspiring tales from medieval history. Born in the village of Domrémy in northeastern France around 1412, Joan was a peasant girl who would later rise to prominence as a military leader and symbol of French resistance during the Hundred Years' War. Joan's remarkable journey began in her adolescence when she claimed to have received visions from saints urging her to support Charles VII, the uncrowned king of France, and help drive the English out of France. Inspired by her divine calling, Joan travelled to the nearby town of Vaucouleurs, where she convinced the local garrison commander, Robert de Baudricourt, to grant her an audience with the Dauphin (heir to the French throne). In 1429, Joan was granted an audience with Charles VII at the royal court in Chinon. Despite skepticism from some members of the court, Joan impressed Charles with her fervours and conviction. She was subsequently given a suit of armour, a horse, and a small army, with which she set out to lift the siege of Orléans, a key French stronghold besieged by English forces. Joan's leadership and bravery on the battlefield were instrumental in turning the tide of the war in favour of the French. She successfully led the French army to victory at the Battle of Orléans in May 1429, breaking the English siege and bolstering French morale. Buoyed by her success, Joan continued to lead military campaigns against the English, reclaiming several other strategic cities and paving the way for Charles VII's coronation at Reims in July 1429. However, Joan's fortunes would soon take a darker turn. In 1430, she was captured by Burgundian forces allied with the English and sold to the English, who put her on trial for heresy and witchcraft. Despite her steadfast denials and courageous defense, Joan was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death by burning at the stake in Rouen on May 30, 1431, at the age of just 19. Joan's trial and execution sparked outrage both in France and abroad, and her martyrdom further solidified her status as a national heroine and symbol of French unity and resistance. In 1456, after a lengthy posthumous retrial, Joan was declared innocent of heresy and exonerated of all charges by the Catholic Church. She was later canonized as a saint in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. The legacy of Joan of Arc endures to this day, as she continues to be celebrated as a symbol of courage, faith, and unwavering determination in the face of adversity. Her story serves as a reminder of the power of conviction and the extraordinary impact that one individual can have on the course of history. K RAJARAM IRS 14 3 24 ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: *'gopala krishnan' via iyer123* <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2024 at 08:09 Subject: [iyer123] CULTURAL QA 03-2024-14 To: Patty Thatha <[email protected]>, Kerala Iyer < [email protected]>, Iyer <[email protected]> CULTURAL QA 03-2024-14 All the below QA are from Quora DIGEST to me on 14-03-2024. Selected Quora answers by scholars and generally interesting jokes are included. Still they need not be 100% correct answers I am only a compiler. Compiled and posted by R Gopalakrishnan,80, on 14-3-2024 Q1 Can you name the three sons of Varuna? A1 Joseph Taylor, Handsome guy 2h Yes, I without any hesitation can name the three sons of Varuna. In Hindu mythology, Varuna, the Vedic deity associated with water, is said to have three sons. These sons are: 1. Shesha (also known as Ananta): Shesha is often depicted as a serpent and is considered to be the cosmic serpent who supports the universe. 2. Vasuki: Vasuki is another serpent deity in Hindu mythology. He is often depicted wrapped around Lord Shiva's neck as a necklace. 3. Takshaka: Takshaka is a serpent king and a prominent character in various Hindu epics, including the Mahabharata. He is known for his role in the Kurukshetra war. These three sons of Varuna play significant roles in various mythological narratives and are often associated with the cosmic order and the elements of creation and destruction. Q2 What are some of the most interesting little-known things? For example: fast food restaurant ketchup cups are expandable. A2 Amit Singh,19h The Indian coins (for that matter, coins anywhere in the world) have a mark at the bottom, (under the date of issue of coin) which tells where it was made. In India, coins are minted in four cities: The Bombay (Mumbai) Mint Bombay (Mumbai) Mint has a diamond under the date of the coin (year of issue). The Calcutta (Kolkata) Mint Calcutta mint has no mark under the date of the coin (year of issue). The Hyderabad Mint Hyderabad Mint has a star or a diamond under the date of the coin (year of the issue). The Noida Mint Noida mint has a dot under the year of issue (coin date). Source: India Government Mint My note-Once there was coin mint in Chennai (madras) The grant for Madras in 1639 came with permission for setting up a mint. In the early years, the East India Company minted coins that bore the Vijayanagar emblem of the boar (varaha), which is why priests at weddings refer to all gifts as 'varahan' even today!18 Nov 2016 The first mint was established in Madras in 1640, and finally closed in 1869.( by Google search) Q3 What is the most memorable incident you have had during your stay in another country? A3 Vijaya Lakshmi,Have experience in life for 68 years.5y Our first trip to the USA was in 2006. We went there to attend the graduation ceremony of our son. Since I was in service then, we could stay there for only few days (about 20 days). Both our son and daughter in law became very busy during that period because of the thesis submission and subsequently shifting from California to Boston for our son’s new posting. So they could not accompany us for most of our outings. On one particular weekend they booked tickets for us for ‘Boston tour’ on a bus. We were somewhat reluctant to go alone. There are reasons for that. The American accent was new for us and the use of some English words by them with other meaning confused us. For example: at the customs clearance at airport, the officer asked us what was there in our suitcases. We listed all the items in the suitcases. Then he said “Sorry”. We thought he is saying sorry because he was not going to allow that luggage into the USA. We just stared at him without knowing what to speak. Then he again said “Will you please repeat what you have said just now?”. Then we came to know that ‘sorry’ also means that the person did not get what we said. Now coming to the story.... We refused to go alone and told them that we would rather prefer to stay at home and help them in unpacking things. But they insisted us to go, saying that we need not worry because in this tourist kind of things generally there would be more Asians than Americans. We agreed. It was a small bus with 20 seats. By the time we boarded the bus, it was almost full, only three seats being vacant. Those three seats were adjacent to our seats. We looked around in the bus. As our children told, except 2-3 people, all were Asians. But there were no Indians! In the next stop, a couple in their thirties with a 5 year (girl) kid boarded the bus. They were speaking in Bangla (Bengali) among themselves while searching for their seats! Both of us at once felt ‘at home’ hearing a language of our country. The feeling was similar to the feeling when we met a Telugu family in Kolkata (then Calcutta) for the first time after our marriage. “Namaste” they said before they occupied their seats. We were delighted! All the loneliness in us got suddenly vanished. Then we had a long conversation about food habits, USA, work culture in America, tourist places in America, how we are proud of India etc etc... They were talking in Bengali accent English, hearing which we felt heavenly! Then that little girl whispered something into her papa’s ears. “She says that you resemble her grandparents. She wants to sit with you for some time” he said. “Sure” we said. She sat with us for some time. She was very cute... We were very happy... At every stop, the driver would tell everybody in the bus, how much time they could spend at that place. In most of the places, both our families would roam around together. But whenever their daughter wanted to play at a play station, we would depart in our ways. We had one cell phone with us (our daughter-in-law’s). The young man would call us to remind about the time, whenever we went separately. In ‘museum of fine arts’ both our families were roaming separately. We forgot our time. When it was time for boarding the bus, he called us on the phone. While coming out, we lost our way. We called him and told about our plight. He requested the bus driver to wait, came to us and took us to the bus. The entire tour ended in a very happy note. That day we learned a great lesson. When we are in our own state, there will be fights between castes and religions. But when we move out of our state we forget about caste or religion. All that matters is “That person belongs to our state”. But then there would be fights between states! But when we move out of our country, we forget about our states, all that matters is “That person belongs to our country” But then there would be fights between countries! May be after a thousand years human beings if settle on or tour another planet (of another star), then we may feel happy when we see a ‘human being’ on that planet among all the aliens. :) Then there would be no fights between countries! Let us wait for that day! Q4 Is there a weight limit for horseback riding? A4 Jean-Marie Valheur, love me some yummy animals2h A Dutch woman recently complained in a newspaper about being rejected at an equestrian facility she used to attend. The lady, 38, had gained a significant amount after the birth of her third child. One of the trainer at the stable asked her if she planned to go riding again. Yes, she said. She was then informed that the facility has a “weight limit” in place. A horse cannot carry someone for a ride around the property, or even through a forest, when that person is morbidly obese. Seeing as though the would-be rider weighed about 250 pounds, it would have been too much for the horse to handle. As a rule of thumb, a horse should carry a rider that is between 10% and 20% of the horse’s weight, with 20% being the absolute maximum. For a thousand pound horse, the limit would be about 200 pounds. But that’s already pushing it. At certain equastrian facilities and stables, there are weighing scales. The stable roughly knows the weight of each horse and will make an estimation. If a rider is very tall and heavy, or very obese, they may be provided with a significantly larger, stronger horse. If no such horse is available, they cannot ride. Because it would be animal abuse to force the animal to carry such a load. Q5 Who killed Joan of Arc? A5 “Silk Road”,AI Expert20h Known as Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, she was not killed by a single person but by a system. A system of power, politics, and religious zealotry that saw a young woman leading men into battle, claiming divine guidance, and doing the unthinkable: winning. This was the 15th century, and such things just didn't sit well with the powers that be. Joan was captured by the Burgundians, who were allied with the English, at the Siege of Compiègne. They didn't kill her right away. No, they sold her to the English, who were more than eager to get their hands on this pesky girl who had rallied the French against them. The English then handed her over to an ecclesiastical court at Rouen led by Bishop Pierre Cauchon, a man whose loyalty to the English crown was as clear as the political motivation behind the trial. You see, this trial was basically bullshit, a series of trumped-up charges ranging from heresy to witchcraft, all because she dared to wear men's clothing and, you know, kick some serious English ass. But, the verdict was a foregone conclusion. Joan was condemned and burned at the stake in Rouen's Old Market Square on May 30, 1431. She was 19.But let's be real here.It wasn't just the English or the Burgundians or even Bishop Cauchon who killed Joan. It was fear. Fear of change, fear of the other, fear of a world where a peasant girl could be more than her station, more than her gender. They killed her because she represented something that threatened the very fabric of their society. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "iyer123" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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