FROM THE PAGES OF SACRED TEXTS

Friendship in Indian mythology

Today is that day of the year when bonds between two friends are celebrated with pomp and show. A friend in need is a friend indeed is a proverb that says a true friend is someone who supports you through difficult times, guards you from harm, and acts as your compass when you’re feeling down to show the proper path. There are plenty of examples in the modern world of people going above and beyond to support their friends. However, what about Indian mythology and sacred texts?

 

Krishna and Arjuna were cousins. The latter’s mother was Kunti, Krishna’s aunt. However, their bond went beyond just kinship. Their friendship had been intimate. One’s gestures made the other person easier to understand. The Mahabharata claims that Krishna and Arjun are the human and divine forms that, when united, are capable of defeating evil. The highlight of their friendship story is when Krishna reads Arjun the Bhagavad Geeta. Even though Arjun was a strong warrior, he was moved to tears when he saw his family at the battlefield. He objected to the triumph being achieved at the expense of millions of lives. Arjun wanted to leave the battlefield. Krishna, however, encouraged him and also shared the divine knowledge. 

Lord Rama received assistance from the monkey king in his search for Devi Sita. Following Sita’s abduction by the demon king Ravana, Rama was forced to search the woods for his spouse. Then, in the course of this search, he came across Sugreev. Given that Sugreev was half human and half monkey, it is unlikely that anyone could have guessed that Rama would make friends with a monkey. And because of their peculiar affinity, he first kept Sugreeva safe from Bali, and the latter later demonstrated his loyalty by standing shoulder to shoulder with Rama to bring his wife back.

Karna, although born a Kshyatria, was raised by a charioteer and his wife, so he was considered a Shudra’s child. The Pandavas humiliated this warrior as he attempted to participate with Arjun. Despite being presented as bad for the most part, Duryodhan here stood for justice. He eventually loses in his attempt to have Karna compete, but as a token of his goodwill, he grants Karna the throne in the Anga province of his empire. Karna always treated Duryodhan as a true friend, despite the possibility that he intended to use Karna to accomplish his evil scheme against the Pandavas. He helped Duryodhan in whatever he did, even going so far as to continuously protect the life of his one and only friend. No wonder, when Kunti asked him to switch sides, Karna argued that he could never leave Duryodhan because he only had one true friend.

The pure and lovely friendship between Lord Krishna and Draupadi broke the notion that a male and female cannot be friends. There is no comparison to the way Draupadi would refer to Lord Krishna as ‘Sakha’ or how dependent she was on him. In order to tend to Lord Krishna’s cut finger, Draupadi sliced a piece of her clothing, demonstrating her concern for Krishna. Later, during the game of dice, the Pandavas lost their kingdom to the Kauravas, their cousins. As a result of their defeat, Draupadi was dragged into the assembly hall, and Dushasan, one of the Kaurava brothers, attempted to disrobe her in front of the entire court. However, Draupadi called out to Lord Krishna for help. Krishna, who was her dear friend and devotee, heard her prayers and came to her aid. It is believed that as Dushasan tried to disrobe Draupadi, her saree garment seemed to have no end, and Krishna miraculously protected her modesty by ensuring that the saree never ran out.

Krishna and Sudama were childhood buddies. Sudama once ate the butter on his own because he was the tall friend who was responsible for stealing it from the pot and would end up getting a less share. Another story says that they became good friends when they were studying in gurukul. One day Sudama ate all the food (beaten rice) alone given by his Guru's wife leaving Krishna hungry when they had gone to the forest to get firewood. He eventually got poorer. So much so that at one point of time he had little to eat. On being repeatedly asked by his wife, Sudama finally arrived at Krishna’s kingdom, Dwarka to get some assistance. However, the palace guards forbade him from entering, but Krishna saw him as a childhood friend and invited him inside. After seeing his condition, Krishna assisted his buddy in constructing a mansion for himself. With his approval, Sudama amassed wealth and led a contented life. In the face of any relationship, their friendship teaches us the value of unconditional love.

USEFUL SCAVENGERS

Crows, kites and coucals 

Crows, kites and vultures are useful scavengers. These birds effectively clean up bodies of dead animals, thus cleansing our surroundings and protecting us from disease and foul smell. 

Crows are scavengers as well as predators. They are omnivores. Their diet ranges from insects, frogs, mice and snakes to roadkill and human garbage. Crows are generally considered as pests. But they perform a valuable service for humanity. Without them, dead animals would be rotting around us, causing hygiene hazards. Remember the Panchatantra story of the intelligent crow which puts pebbles into a pot of water in order to raise its level and quench its thirst? Researchers have found that despite having a nut-sized brain, the crow is as intelligent as a 7-year-old child, and can understand analogies, exercise self control and fashion tools. Highly innovative in hunting food, crows have been known to make hooked tools from soft twigs. They’ve been seen at traffic signals dropping nuts that are difficult to crack for the wheels of passing cars to run over them and break them open. An Oxford University researcher observed a crow bending a wire from its cage with the help of a stone in order to hoist a can of meat. Crows also have an uncanny memory for human faces. They remember those who have been a threat to them.

Black kites and Brahminy kites are the most commonly seen kite species in human habitats, woods and forests. A black kite is not all black but colourfully spotted with brown and grey. A Brahminy kite is brown to golden in colour with a whitish head. When not circling the sky, the black kite can be seen perched on the chimney or the parapet of a building searching for prey. It has exceptional eyesight and can spot prey or a dead creature from kilometres away. The bird’s weapons are its powerful talons and meat ripping bill. It is able to fly high with minimum effort, and dive at an extremely high speed. Some kites eat only snails, some, mainly insects but most are scavengers, feeding on carrion and roadkill. They even snatch kills from other birds. Black kites are intelligent and fearless, and the only birds known to fly towards a wildfire rather than away from it. They do this to catch insects, small birds and mammals that are trying to escape the flames. They have been seen carrying burning twigs and dropping them on dry grass elsewhere to start a fresh fire and flush out more prey.

Coucals belong to the cuckoo family. A coucal is about the size of a crow. Its head is black, its upper mantle and underside are purplish black, and its back and wings are chestnut brown. It is a scavenger as well as a predator. It eats insects, caterpillars, snails, small vertebrates like snakes and dead creatures, as well as eggs and chicks of other birds. After eating a dead animal, it sometimes leaves bits of the animal’s body parts in the nest. Like the crow, it can be seen both at dawn and dusk on trees or on the ground, devouring whatever food comes its way. While some people believe that seeing a coucal first thing in the morning is a good omen, there are others who think that the bird brings bad luck.

CELEBRATION OF THE BEAUTY OF FLOWERS

Feria de las Flores

Which is the best place on earth to see a splendid spectacle of flowers? 

The Feria de las Flores in Medellin, Colombia.

The Feria de las Flores or Flowers Festival is a celebration of the beauty of flowers, the local culture of Medellin and its history. For ten days in July-August, the town is transformed into a floral tropical paradise as its streets, balconies and even billboards are adorned with fresh flowers.

Medellin is nicknamed the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ owing to its year round spring climate. Its moderate temperatures are perfect for growing one of the mainstays of its economy—flowers. (Colombia is the world’s second-largest exporter of flowers.) Roses, orchids and lilies among others are the stars of the show.

Originally called ‘The Flower Party’, the festival began in 1957 as a five day event. Today, it is a grand affair that includes a plethora of events such as flower exhibitions, concerts, a beauty pageant, a cavalcade, vintage car and motorbike parades, dance performances and bicycle tours. The main music event is the Trova festival in which the contestants compete in a sing-off. The crowning glory of the festival is the Desfile de Silleteros (Parade of Silleteros). Hundreds of flower growers from the village of Santa Elena, the heartland of the flower growing region, march down the streets of Medellin with large flower arrangements measuring five metres across and weighing up to 70 kg, mounted on wooden frames and strapped to their backs. Prizes are offered for the best floral arrangement. This parade harks back to the colonial times when silleteros (porters) carried luggage and people on silletas (seats) strapped on their backs through the treacherous mountain paths of the Andes.

SCIENCE BEHIND WETNESS OF WATER

Is Water Wet?

The answer to this question requires some philosophical thinking and depends on how you define wetness. The debate over whether water is wet is likely to continue for as long as the planet is awash with the stuff. 

Most scientists define wetness as a liquid’s ability to maintain contact with a solid surface, meaning that water itself is not wet, but can make other materials wet. 

When you touch a wet surface, the water molecules stick to your skin, creating a wet sensation. But if you define wet as ‘made of liquid or moisture’, as some do, then water and all other liquids can be considered wet. 

Some people describe wetness as a physical, cooling sensation experienced when water takes in energy to evaporate into surrounding air. The balance between adhesive and cohesive forces determines the degree of wetting. Cohesive forces, such as hydrogen bonds, hold water molecules to each other and create a surface tension. With strong cohesive forces, water tends to stay as spherical droplets to minimise contact with a surface. Adhesive forces attract the water to the surface of another material and encourage it to spread. If the adhesive forces are stronger than the cohesive ones, then a surface will become wet. 

Other liquids – such as alcohol – are better than water at wetting. Adding detergents can improve water’s wetting ability by lowering the cohesive forces. The nature of the surface exposed to water affects how wet it will become. Water-hating (hydrophobic) surfaces, such as waterproof fabrics, push liquid drops to have as little contact as possible. You can define a material’s hydrophobicity in terms of the internal contact angle that a water droplet makes with the surface. A perfectly hydrophobic surface is totally water repellent with a contact angle of 180°, while a perfectly wettable surface has a contact angle of zero.

STORY

The Judgement of Maharaja

Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab set out on a journey. He was accompanied by his bodyguards, courtiers, and a retinue of soldiers.

Suddenly a stone came through the air and hit his head. He began to bleed. Injuring an emperor was one of the most heinous crimes and invited punishment up to the death penalty. 

Now the question arose—who might have flung the stone? The commander of the army looked around for the culprit. All others too were pressed into action. Very soon they discovered an old lady standing under a tree. 

They brought her to Maharaja and said, "Your highness, this is the culprit who might have thrown that stone at your head. There is no one else present in the vicinity." 

The old woman was trembling with terror. The situation was tense. 

Maharaja asked her, "Did you throw the stone?"

She replied in a meek and fumbling voice, "Yes, Your Highness, I did throw." 

"Why did you do so?" Maharaja asked. 

She pleaded, "I am extremely poor. I have nothing to eat at home, and for the past two days I have been forced to starve. My boy is hungry too. I wanted to get something, at least for the boy. I saw a tree laden with some fruits. I threw some stones to get a few fruits. To my dismay, I suddenly realised that the stone had taken the wrong direction and hurt you in the head. This is the truth. Now, your highness may be pleased to decide the quantum of my punishment."

The Maharaja immediately asked his cashier to give her sufficient food, along with a thousand rupees, and release her with due respect. 

All the people present there were flabbergasted by this judgement. They were wondering—is it a punishment or a reward? In fact, she deserved no less than the death penalty. They couldn’t understand how someone who had injured the Maharaja could merit such a reward. Was this not an irony of fate?! But they had no choice but to keep quiet. 

Maharaja understood their predicament and said, "You all know that if a stone is thrown at a tree it gives sweet fruits in return. If a lifeless tree behaves so, how can I punish her with bitter fruits? It cannot be so. Therefore, bestow her with proper rewards and release her with due respect."

From this, one can easily infer how a wise judge or jury should pronounce a judgement according to time, clime, situation, and the person involved.

PLACE OF MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE

Bermuda Triangle 

The Bermuda Triangle is located in the Atlantic Ocean off the shores of Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Miami. It’s not a real, defined area but more like a rough triangle shape in the ocean.

The name ‘Bermuda Triangle’ was first used in a 1964 magazine article.

Bermuda triangle has captured the imagination of many over the years, becoming known as a place of mystery and intrigue. However, much of the legend surrounding the area is based on inaccurate or exaggerated reports.

Different explanations, both natural and supernatural, have been proposed to explain the alleged disappearances of ships and aircraft in the area. From leftover technology from Atlantis to theories about space-time warps, the Bermuda Triangle has been subject to numerous speculations. However, many of these explanations lack scientific evidence.

Natural phenomena, such as hurricanes and hectic waves, have been suggested as potential hazards in the area. While these can be devastating, there’s little evidence to suggest they specifically occur in the Bermuda Triangle more than anywhere else.

Magnetic issues have also been proposed as a cause for navigational errors, though none have been definitively identified in the area. It’s true that, in the early 20th Century, there was alignment between true geographic north and magnetic north in the Bermuda Triangle, which could have made navigational challenges worse.

Despite the continuous myths surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, studies by organisations like the US Coast Guard have not identified any specific hazards in the area. In fact, stats show that the Bermuda Triangle has not experienced a significantly higher number of crashes or wrecks compared to other parts of the ocean.

Ultimately, the interest in the Bermuda Triangle is because of people’s fascination with mystery and the unknown. Early reports of disappearances captured public attention, and people started to make up more stories from there. However, with modern technology allowing more precise tracking of ocean and air traffic, the intense interest surrounding the Bermuda Triangle has lessened in recent years.

CRADLE OF INDIAN TEST CRICKET

Ranji Trophy 

Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship in India played by teams representing different states and regions. Organised by the board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Ranji Trophy is undisputedly the most important tournament in India's domestic cricket season. It is considered the "cradle of Indian Test cricket", as the finest talents from its matches are selected for the Indian test cricket team. The tournament, which was launched in 1934, is named after Ranjitsinhji alias Ranji (1872 - 1933), an Indian prince who played test cricket for England and who is regarded as one of the finest players of all time. 

Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, the Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, to give his full name and official title, was born in Kathiawar in British India. As a child, he was chosen as heir to a distant relative, Vibhaji, the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar. He studied at the Rajkumar college in Rajkot and went on to Trinity College, Cambridge. Here he gained a place in the Cambridge University cricket team, becoming the first Indian to win a cricket Blue. In 1895, he began playing for Sussex. In 1896, he made his test debut for England against Australia. In a test career spanning 15 matches, Ranjitsinhji scored 989 runs including 2 centuries and 6 half-centuries, with an average of 44.95 runs and a high score of 175 runs. He also played 307 first-class matches, scoring 24,692 runs that included 72 centuries and 109 half-centuries, with a high score of 285 not out In 1907, he became the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar. In his political role, he was Chancellor of the Indian Chamber of Princes and represented India at the League of Nations. He died in 1933. The following year, when the BCCI decided to start a domestic tournament, the Maharaja of Patiala offered to donate the trophy which he proposed should be named in honour of Ranjitsinhji. The first Ranji Trophy winner was Bombay, who defeated North India in the final. 

Although Ranjitsinhji never played for India and and considered himself an English cricketer, he was remembered as the first famous cricketer of Indian origin.