Pushyamitra Sunga founded the Sunga dynasty in 185 BCE. It held sway over North India for 100 years. Pushyamitra is said to have assassinated the last Mauryan king at a military parade and taken over power. Agnimitra succeeded him as the Sunga king. ‘Malavika & Agnimitra’ is the first drama written by Kalidasa. It is a historical fiction that enacts the twists and turns in the love story of Prince Agnimitra. His lover is Malavika, a noble woman who was captured by robbers and had to become a servant in the palace. Agnimitra and Malavika overcame political upheavals and the displeasure of Agnimitra’s two senior wives. A Vidushak (comedian) helps the lovers. This is a staple character in even current day films. The drama is one of action and romance. The aesthetic touch of Kalidasa is not prominent.
The image from imdb is of a 2014 Sanskrit play on Malavikagnimitram by KN Panicker.
Source: GC Jhal, ‘Kalidasa – A Study’

After Indonesia’s declaration of independence in August 1945, the Dutch tried to reimpose control. The Indonesian nationalists, led by Sukarno and Hatta, shifted their base to Yogyakarta in central Java. Sukarno wanted his Prime Minister to attend the Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi to spread awareness about Indonesian movement, but the Dutch were trying to arrest the leaders. Biju Patnaik secretly flew his Dakota to Yogyakarta, landed on a makeshift airstrip, and evacuated Sutan Sjahrir (Prime Minister) and his wife. He brought them to New Delhi. Biju Patnaik’s wife, Gyanwati was also a trained pilot and she accompanied him in this mission. Both were awarded the title Bhoomi Putra by the Indonesian Government. The picture is the historic Dakaota that Biju Patnaik flew, now on display at the Bhubaneswar Airport.

The Indians and the Japanese have different stories. In both cases the patriarch Dharma was the discoverer. Dharma devoted seven years to sleepless contemplation on Buddha. During the fifth year he began to feel sleeру. He picked and chewed some leaves from a near-by bush. He was immediately once more in full command of all his senses. He had eaten tea-leaves! The Japanese story is similar. But Japanese believe Dharma cut off his eyelids to ward off sleep and threw them away. They sprouted up as tea plants.
Source: The Tea Story, J. M Scott
The picture is from the Spence’s Hotel of Calcutta in 19th century depicting a Babu waking up with a cup of chai.

Lalbaugcha Raja is the star of Ganapati festival in Mumbai. He is the last deity to be immersed in the sea on the Visarjan day. The immersion often happens at dawn of next day. People wait all night to see the Visarjan.
The King of Lalbaug is also popularly called Navasacha Ganpati or wish-fulfilling Ganesha. The large crowd of devotees can join a special line called Navasacha line. They can climb up the stage and touch the feet of Ganesha and seek his blessings. However, the line is long and can take more than 20 hours at times. From the normal line, people can only take Darshan from far and cannot touch the feet of Ganesha.
The Pandal is believed to an expression of gratitude by fishermen and textile mill workers who went through rough times in the 1930. The community was granted a plot of land for livelihood. The people believe that the blessings of Ganesha helped them survive tough times. To pay their respects to Ganesha, they decided to earmark a portion of the land for annual Ganpati celebration. This is in popular writing but there is no authentic reference for this story.
Picture is the iconic Lalbagcha Raja. Credit – Award winning photographer Salonee Jain

Garcia de Orta wrote a landmark book (published 1561) that details the medicinal properties of Indian plants & minerals and native diseases. De Orta’s Jewish family was converted to Christianity forcibly but were suspected of being secret Jews. The inquisition in Portugal targeted the converted Jews. He escaped to India and served the Portuguese viceroy. Later, he became the court physician of the Ahmednagar Sultan.

He became famous and the Portuguese gave him a lease to the then tiny island of Bombay (one of the 7 islands that make up modern Bombay) in 1553. Apparently, his family remained closet Jews. His sister was burnt at stake in Goa in the Portuguese Inquisition. He was convicted after his death in 1568 – his body was exhumed and burnt. The Portuguese would later acclaim de Orta as a hero.

De Orta had a background in the Greek-Arab school of medicine, of Galen & Avicenna. In India, he also interacted more with Muslim physicians though his book features some Ayurvedic practitioners. His work draws attention to the other traditional medical practice in India – the Unani (Greek) school, which was developed by Indian Muslim physicians adapting Greek-Arab medicine to Indian conditions. The image is that of de Orta’s statue in Lisbon. Note the herbs in his hand.

Source: Jonathan Gil Haris, “The First Firangis”

The Bower manuscript was found in February 1890 at Kuchar in East Turkestan (now Xinjiang, the restive Uighur Muslim province of China). It is named after the person to whom it was sold. The manuscript is in 5 parts and the first part documents the knowledge of medicine in ancient India.

The first part has three sections and the second section is called the Navnitaka manuscript. It details formulae for many types of medicine. It prescribes drugs from three sources – animal products (milk, honey etc.), minerals & metals (salt, gold, lead etc.) and plant products (turmeric, aloe vera etc.). The manuscript also quotes extensively from Charaka & Sushruta Samhita suggesting that it was composed after these texts. Paleographically, the manuscript is dated to around 300CE and is a copy of another manuscript. Thus, historians conclude that the material from Charaka & Sushruta quoted is much older.

Source: P Kutumbiah, “Ancient Indian Medicine”

Triratna in Sanskrit means Three Bodies or Triad. Three ratnas refer to the three jewels of Buddhism. These are Buddha himself, Dharma (his teachings) and Sangha (the community of monks). The word sangha literally means “that which is well struck together”; it derives from a Sanskrit root, han (to strike), with the prefix sam conveying a sense of togetherness and completeness. The idea is that the true Buddhist community is well hammered together, impervious to schism, and in perfect harmony. From the very earliest period the undisputed focus of Buddhist worship has been the sangha. Buddham Saranam Gacchami, Dhammam Saranam Gacchami and Sangam Saranam Gacchami is a popular recitation in Buddhism. It means “I take refuge in Buddha, I take refuge in Dhamma and I take refuge in the Sangha.” Source: Tatjana and Mirabai Blau. Buddhist Symbols. Encyclopaedia of Buddhism. The picture is Tibetan Triratna

Rishabhadeva is the first Tirthankara of Jains and is therefore also knows as Adinatha. He is believed to be the first King in a new social polity and is believed to have ruled from Ayodhya. He renounced his kingdom and led an austere life. He started fasting that lasted thirteen months. In the last six months of his fast, he declined food offered to him by people since it was not suitable for an ascetic. After thirteen months he entered Hastinapur, where King Shreyansa offered him sugar cane juice which is fit for an ascetic. This was the first food he had taken after starting his austere life. The day of breaking the fast was Akshaya Tritiya.

Even today, Jains observe fasting on alternative days and end the fast at Hastinapura on Akshaya Tritiya. This fast is known as Varsi Tapa. Source: Natubhai Shah. Jainism. The World of Conquerors.

Picture – Adinath receiving sugarcane juice from Shreyansa

Hanuman was the advisor for Sugriva, who was Vali’s brother. The two brothers together ruled Kishkinda but fell out due to a misunderstanding. Vali made Sugriva leave, and Sugriva lived on Rishyamuka mountain where Vali couldn’t reach him due to a Rishi’s curse. When Rama and Lakshmana came to Kishkinda, Hanuman disguised himself to learn about them. He had never met Rama before, but as soon as he saw him, he knew who he was. That’s why people see Hanuman as the greatest ‘Rambhakta’ (devotee of Rama) – he recognized the Lord right away.

People believe that Kishkinda is now the town of Hampi in Karnataka, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. It used to be the capital of the powerful Vijaynagara empire. You can still see many old buildings in Hampi that remind people of Hanuman’s connection to this place.

Source: hampi.in

Picture is the Anjaneya temple at hilltop, Hampi

The game had its origin in India and was called Moksha Patam or Parama Padam or Mokshapat. The British modified it to Snakes & Ladders. The game is popularly said to have been created by the 13th cent CE Marathi poet saint Gyaneshwara. The oldest surviving Moksha Patam is from 17th cent CE Mewar.

The ladders in the game represented virtues or devas and the snakes indicated vices or asuras. Some references suggest a similar game since 2nd cent BCE. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. Later through time, the game underwent several modifications but the meaning remained the same – good deeds take us to heaven and evil to a cycle of births & deaths. The Square 100 represented Nirvana or Moksha. The game was used to teach the idea of Dharma to children. That is why sometimes the game was called Gyan Chaupar – game of knowledge. There were Vaishnava, Jain (called Gyan Bazi) & other versions of the game.

The image shows a Paramapadam (Mokshapatam) version played in South India.

Source: Ashim Roy, ‘Games & Sports in Ancient India’, IERJ; ‘Gyan Chaupar’, MAP Academy

Once when Vishnu was sleeping, four sages demanded entry into Vaikunta. The dwara palakas refused entry. The upset sages cursed the dwara palakas. They were to take birth a hundred times in earth and only then come back to Vaikunta.

Vishnu woke up and forgave the dwarapalakas and declared that they had to be reborn only thrice. Vishnu was also upset that the learned sages could not control their emotion and ego. He said, “You have betrayed yourselves by losing your temper. You will hasten to earth and take refuge at the feet of Dakshinamurti, the mighty conqueror of senses and the very symbol of knowledge and wisdom.”

The sages reached the hermitage of Dakshinamurti on earth. He guided them into the knowledge of self. Control of senses is an incidental learning in the knowledge of self.

The deity of Dakshinamurti is enshrined in Shiva temples in the prahara facing south. Dakshinamurti is represented as a handsome youth seated beneath a banyan tree and preaching to the aged sages. His right leg is dangling down vertically and is placed on the demon Apasmara. His left leg is bent across the right thigh. He has four hands. The rear ones hold a snake and a trident. The right fore arm is in the form of Chinmudra. It represents Jiva and Brahman. The left forehand holds palm leaves.

Dakshinamurti has a pleasing personality. He exudes calm and peace. The Great Teacher enlightens the sages by Divine Silence. Silence is more eloquent than speech.

Picture Credit: Srinivasan GS Flickr