DharmaQuiz: 2015

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Dhanvantari

#DharmaQuiz Session 350: 8-Dec-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2141: Name any state, where there are multiple temples for #Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods (devas) and Lord of Ayurveda. Ans: Kerala or Tamil Nadu.

#DharmaQuiz 2142: Dhanvantari's students were famous for dissection of human bodies for the study of surgery. On the banks of which river? Ans: Ganga. Kashi city.

#DharmaQuiz 2143: Dhanvantari is said to have emerged from the Ocean of Milk or Ksheera Sagara.
Which Purana says so? Ans: Bhagavata Purana.

#DharmaQuiz 2144: Dhanvantari Trayodashi is said to be Dhanvantari's birthday. It happens during which famous Hindu festival? Ans: Diwali.

{Final, open till 9 PM}: #DharmaQuiz 2145: This is one of the big Dhanvantari temples remaining in India. Which state? Ans: Kanakkoor in Keralam state.

DQ 2145: Pic - dhanwantharitemplekanakkoor.com

Scores for Session 351:
Did not score. Sorry.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Women of Mahabharata

#DharmaQuiz Session 350: 1-Dec-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2136: Draupadi has a name in Mahabharata which means "the one born from a Yajna or fire-sacrifice". What's that name? Ans: Yajnaseni.

#DharmaQuiz 2137: Name the brave son of Chitraganda, the wife of Arjuna from Manipura. Ans: Babruvahana.

#DharmaQuiz 2138: The great grand mother of Pandavas and Kauravas, Satyavati, was a fisherwoman on the bank of which mighty river? Ans: Yamuna.

#DharmaQuiz 2139: Name the wife of Bhima, who was a Rakshasi, for whom a temple exists today in Himachal Pradesh. Ans: Hidimba.

{Final, open till 9 PM} : #DharmaQuiz 2140: The Grandmother of warrior Arjuna in Mahabharata, Ambalika, was from which kingdom? Ans: Kashi.

Scores for session 350:

@_akt05 : 5
@Appu_Chikku : 5
@sabal_abla : 5
@anil_prongs : 5
@Simuntweets : 5
@jasshu7 : 5
@sposavalike : 5
@MangoAdmi : 5
@durgaramdas : 5
@deepti_nainwal : 5

@AMoorthy : 4
@mrsnrao : 4

@katwamurali37 : 3
@GayathriSrinath : 3
@Tweelak : 3

@HarMat24 : 2
@NikhilShembekar : 2
@bhsngr : 2
@Mamdhata : 2
@aditi2005 : 2
@deva1956 : 2
@arunmramu : 2
@deshi_mangoman : 2
@Susri1210 : 2
@_krishna1_ : 2
@manu_2k5 : 2
@rajeshrajput1 : 2
@jupallykk : 2
@drarora_gaurav : 2

@noniecool : 1
@harishinamdar : 1
@vamshitweet : 1
@Ateendriyo : 1
@vijayrkshetty : 1
@c_bhargava : 1
@gnb_351 : 1
@shantheshkulur : 1
@kum_1_09 : 1
@ganeshmahnar : 1
@ANILKUMARAN5 : 1
@arshaileshapte : 1
@ShivRTs : 1
@Amaradma : 1
@AshishSonwane : 1
@sraman0603 : 1
@vicky20680 : 1
@InnovativeHindu : 1
@rohitsamvada : 1
@thebagchi : 1
@apar_rajesh : 1
@JAYPATEL1018 : 1
@maverickmax1 : 1
@drrajeshnaik : 1
@rakeshjmishra : 1
@krsnaloveu : 1
@nation1st : 1
@radhakras21 : 1
@harianand_dr : 1
@sachinvij : 1
@saikripa1008 : 1
@0ff1ceofRG : 1
@kalpokashyap : 1
@DesiHum0ur : 1
@DrSndptripathi : 1
@RAJ_KUMAR_VERMA : 1
@aasare1 : 1
@rahultri1977 : 1
@Bhaskar42182097 : 1
@arjun_eklavya : 1
@Praveen_1singh : 1
@harigunwant : 1
@rinku3009 : 1
@sanjaynparikh62 : 1
@pramodgurav : 1
@Kalyan_Chakraa : 1
@jay2978ms : 1
@vimalrajm : 1
@Rajdarbar : 1
@surya_mukhi : 1
@vishaljammu : 1
@AnshulAgarwal4 : 1
@vicky20680 : 1
@BhairaviAshar : 1
@anna_do_kaudi : 1
@arya_shaktar : 1
@Rakeshbhaati : 1
@harigunwant : 1

Thanks to the great participation today. We all learned more on Mahabharata's famous ladies.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Hanuman

#DharmaQuiz Session 349: 27-Nov-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2131: Hanuman took Surya as his teacher. As guru dakshina, Surya asked Hanuman to help his son. Who was that son? Ans: Sugriva.

#DharmaQuiz 2132: During Ramayana times, the mighty Hanuman lived near Pampa lake. In which of today's Indian state is that region located? Ans: Karnataka.

#DharmaQuiz 2133: Anjaneya brings Dronagiri hill to search for Sanjivani to save Lakshmana.
In which Indian state today is Dronagiri in? Ans: Uttarakhand.

#DharmaQuiz 2134: In Mahabharata, which brave warrior's ratha / chariot had the Hanuman flag? Ans: Arjuna.

#DharmaQuiz 2135: Anjana's son Hanuman (Anjaneya or Bajrangbali), is an avatar of which mighty Bhagawan? Ans: Shiva.

Scores for session 349:

@tweeteringuise : 5
‏@iSaakshi : 5
@man8shree : 5
@Appu_Chikku : 5
@IndiafirstVM : 5
@jasshu7 : 5
@AadyaRao10 : 5
@anamika_99 : 5

@mamtan14 : 4
@SamitLive : 4
@mrsnrao : 4
@pandeyanant99 : 4

@Susri1210 : 3
@BluruLad : 3
@Swatiisme : 3
@manasdoon : 3
@AparnaAbhimanyu : 3

@tradetoday99 : 2
@neel_jai : 2
‏@raghur : 2
@ksharma2485 : 2
@ANILKUMARAN5 : 2
@VaibhavTweeeter : 2
@ChintanKahar : 2
@vamshitweet : 2
@vmguruprasath : 2

@manojdha : 1
@meenagor412 : 1
@vadirajayachit : 1
@alsorun : 1
@keshavaram : 1
@aatma_deep : 1
@nnsinha54 : 1
@pradeepbadaneha : 1
@ganeshmahnar : 1
@lodyaashi : 1
‏@POTTUKADALAI : 1
@agNishchay : 1
‏@shenoyorker : 1
‏@anujkapoor83 : 1
@harishkrcr : 1
@BMNikitha : 1
@rkvk2001 : 1
@vinayrkr : 1
@suryatej_borra : 1
@Panchjanyaa : 1
@jgdanjesh : 1
@sufferuddin : 1
@bhanubms : 1
@Sridhar_Salem : 1
@bezubaan : 1
@shivaparv : 1
@rspack_hosur : 1
@Rahulasm_ : 1
@chaitanyaMVS : 1
@NSSollapur : 1
@subodhdgame : 1
@PriyaLakar : 1
‏@arunrush : 1
@apar_rajesh : 1
‏@envee38 : 1
@shivprasath : 1

Praying to Bajrangbali to bless us all!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Festivals during the month of Kartika.

#DharmaQuiz Session 348: 20-Nov-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2126: Name one state in India, where Kartik or Kartika, named after Kartikeya, is not the eight month of their Hindu calendar. Ans: Gujarat - Kartik is the first month as their new year starts with Diwali.

#DharmaQuiz 2127: For 2000 yrs, this festival of lights during Kartika celebrated in temples & homes of TN. Name it. Ans: Kartikai Deepam.

DQ 2127. Pic - templedarshan.in

#DharmaQuiz 2128: Name this brother-sister festival that's very popular in Nepal during the month of Kartik. Ans: Bhai Dooj.

DQ 2128. Pic: Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2129: Name 1 state in India where the 1st day of Kartika month is celebrated with special puja to cows.Ans: Maharashtra, Odisha and Karnataka. It is called Go Padyami. (Padyami = Pratipada = First day)

DQ 2129. Pic: thehindu.com

#DharmaQuiz 2130: Name 1 state where the 1st day of Kartika is in memory of Asura King Bali. Ans: Karnataka. Many said Kerala, but Onam is not in Kartika month.

DQ 2130. Pic: hindujagruti.org

Scores to session 348:
Did not score. Sorry about that. Great participation though!

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Colourful Festivals of India

#DharmaQuiz Session 347: 17-Nov-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2121: This is a famous festival from Rajasthan. Name it.

DQ 2121

DQ 2121. Pics from rajasthan-travel-tour-india.com

Ans: Saawan Teej or Gangaur.
Read more here: http://www.rajasthan-travel-tour-india.com/teej-festival-of-rajasthan.html

#DharmaQuiz 2122: Name one other country besides India, that celebrates #ChhathPuja in big numbers.

DQ 2122. Pic from Wiki

Ans: Nepal mainly. But other countries with North Indian immigrants like Mauritius, Fiji are
considered.

#DharmaQuiz 2123: Tough question.. Can you tell which temple is this Diwali decoration from?

DQ 2123. Pic: Blogspot

Ans: Swami Narayan Mandir, London, UK.

#DharmaQuiz 2124: Name this harvest festival from North East India, where the thanks is given to Surya or Sun God.

DQ 2124. Pic: Wiki

Ans: Wangala festival from Meghalaya

{Final, Open till 8 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2125: During Kartika month, a colourful fair happens in Rajasthan. Name it.

DQ 2125: Pic: rajasthantourismbuzz.files.wordpress.com

DQ 2125

Ans: Chandrabhaga Fair in Jhalawar. But Pushkar is also considered as it happens similarly on Kartika month with animal fairs.

Scores for session 347:

@man8shree : 5
@karthikjana : 5
@ChaitanyaAdvait : 5

@iSaakshi : 4
@jasshu7 : 4
@Mimaniya : 4

@PriyaLakar : 3
@anamika_99 : 3

@RAMESH4184 : 2
@UKKishor : 2

@IyerMira : 1
@SunilTapashetti : 1
@RaghuKandkur : 1
@supadhaya : 1
@AparnaAbhimanyu : 1
@AiyooGoobe : 1
@oarhtanirs : 1
@jp_surat : 1
@Rupradeeprathi : 1
@puneethsamani : 1
@BhartiKanu : 1
@rajiv19651608 : 1
@AnupamkPandey : 1
@pkpk181982 : 1
@guptajn1001 : 1
@vml_nair : 1
@manojojha13 : 1
@6thSenseHindu : 1
@AnilPsoni : 1
@shoksing : 1
@chaitanyadj : 1
@Amit_Joshi07 : 1
@Kalyan_Chakraa : 1
@harigunwant : 1
@Chanakya_74 : 1
@Gyan_ : 1
@RishiShenoy : 1
@niravkbhagat : 1
@NitinShanbhag : 1
@rvaidya2000 : 1
@UDB_Jaipur : 1
@sankarbe : 1
@PromilaSuri : 1
@swami000 : 1
@BluntyCorner : 1
@Rabid_Troll : 1
@Praveen_1singh : 1
@Rakeshbhaati : 1
@iAjKP : 1
@RomeshNadir : 1
@raghav2518 : 1

Hope all you had a great Deepawali!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Theme: Krishna in Bhagavad Gita's 10th Chapter

#DharmaQuiz Session 346: 27-Oct-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2116: In Gita, Krishna says that he's Gayatri among Chandas (meter).
Can you name any other Vedic Chandas that has 8 syllables? Ans: Anushtup is one example.

#DharmaQuiz 2117: In Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna hints that among 4 Vedas, he's the most "melodious". Which one? Ans: Sama Veda.

#DharmaQuiz 2118: In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna Bhagawan says - I am ____ among 11 Rudras.
Fill the blank. Which Rudra? Ans: Shiva.

DQ 2118: pic: Blogspot

#DharmaQuiz 2119: In Bhagavad Gita, to which warrior-chief does Lord Krishna compare himself?
"Senaninam aham ______" Ans: Skanda or Subrahmanya.

#DharmaQuiz 2120: In Gita, Shri Krishna compares himself to which mighty mountain, among the world's mountains. Ans: Himalaya.

Scores for session 346 could not be complied on time. Next time!

Friday, October 9, 2015

Hindu temples of North East India

#DharmaQuiz Session 345: 09-Oct-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2111: The famous Kamakhya temple of Guwahati, Asom, is over which hill? Ans: Nilachal.

#DharmaQuiz 2112: The famous Basistha temple outside Guwahati, is in which forest reserve, famous for elephants? Ans: Garbhanga reserve forest.

DQ 2112: Pic: Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2113: There's a Maha Bhairab temple from Mahabharata times in the North East of India with ~5 ft tall Linga. Where? Ans: Tezpur, Asom.

DQ 2113. Pic: holymahabhairab.in

DQ 2113, pic 2. Pic from Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2114: This Shiva temple in Brahmaputra, on the smallest inhabited riverine island in the world. Name it. Ans: Umananda temple.

DQ 2114. Pic 1 (from holidify)

DQ 2114: Pic 2 (from ignca.nic.in)

#DharmaQuiz 2115: One North East Indian state is named after this Devi temple. Which state? Ans: Tripura, named after Tripura Sundari temple of Udaipur.

DQ 2115. Pic: Wiki

Scores for session 345:

@karthikjana : 5
@Appu_Chikku : 5

‏@mamtan14 : 4

@VkPriyanka : 2

@bulletguru : 1
@alok_bhatt : 1
‏@sujata_subhasis : 1
@Winnie11Pooh : 1
‏@Sanjay2Agarwal : 1
@AjoyChatterjee : 1
@sndoreswamy : 1
@dharmikumar : 1
@HalderSitavra : 1
@adiscover : 1
@gaonliya_aapa : 1
@Sandeepkhaitan : 1
@ratlamisev : 1
@bibekdebroy : 1
@Richanjgd : 1
@RAMESH4184 : 1
‏@keshavaram : 1
@sidsen77 : 1
@Myselfkp : 1

Try to visit these magnificent temples in the North East!

Friday, September 18, 2015

Ganesha Songs

#DharmaQuiz Session 344: 18-Sep-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2106: There's a famous Ganesha song - "Vatapi Ganapatim Bhajeham".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSq0islk3XY
Which kingdom's capital was Vatapi? Ans: Chalukya. Place also known as Badami in Karnataka.

#DharmaQuiz 2107: This is one of the all time hit Ganapati bhajan.
"Ekadantaya Vakratundaya"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq00BSNbsI0
Who wrote this? Ans: Shrirang Godbole is what I have heard.

#DharmaQuiz 2108: The most famous Ganapati praise in Marathi is "Ganapati bappa Morya".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdkkkE12zxA
Who or What is "Morya"? Ans: Morya Gosavi.
Read more on Morya - https://www.quora.com/What-does-Morya-mean-when-they-say-Ganpati-bappa-Morya-during-Ganeshotsav

#DharmaQuiz 2109: Ganesha is known as Pillaiyaar in Tamil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq3SM8uM9Y8
Can you name one historic temple for Pillaiyaar in TN? Ans: Karpaka Pillaiyaar temple.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpaka_Vinayakar_Temple

#DharmaQuiz 2110: The famous Ganesh Chalisa was composed in which language?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCW2oRJybgs
Ans: Awadhi.

Scores for session 344:

@karthikjana : 4

@SuprithVantimar : 3
‏@anasrini : 3

@kumarkm53 : 1
@nemkals : 1
@anasrini : 1
‏@AnandRai001 : 1
@jasshu7 : 1
@Gopalee67 : 1
@harishgksms : 1
‏@iyer8_iyer : 1
@Ar26_27 : 1

Jai Swamy Ganapati!!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Sapta Moksha Nagari

Sapta Moksha Puri. Pic - Wiki (sorry, PoK & CoK excluded)

#DharmaQuiz Session 343: 25-Aug-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2101: Out of the "Sapta Moksha Nagari" or 7 holiest of cities for Hindus, which is the only one on sea coast? Ans: Dwaraka, Gujarat.

#DharmaQuiz 2102: Out of the "Sapta Moksha Nagari" for Hindus, which one had a historic name called Avantika? Ans: Ujjain, MP.

#DharmaQuiz 2103: Out of the Sapta Moksha Nagari's for Hindus, which one has a huge temple for Devi Kamakshi? Ans: Kanchi, TN.

#DharmaQuiz 2104: Out of the Sapta Moksha Nagari's for Hindus, which one can be termed as both gateway to Shiva as well as Vishnu? Ans: Haridwar or Haradwar, in Uttarakhand.

#DharmaQuiz 2105: Out of the three Sapta Moksha Nagari's for Hindus in Uttar Pradesh, name the one not next to Yamuna or Ganga rivers. Ans: Ayodhya.

Scores for session 343:
Did not count, sorry.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Ancient Indian mathematicians, dramatists, doctors, gurus and kings.

#DharmaQuiz Session 342: 14-Aug-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2096: Apart from Sushruta, name one other famous Doctor from ancient India. Ans: Vagbhata, Bharadwaja, Nagarjuna, Shalya, Charaka, Patanjali, Sharangadhara

#DharmaQuiz 2097: Apart form Arya Bhata, name one other famous mathematician from ancient India, who specialized in Sanskrit. Ans: Bhaskara 1 and 2, Varahamihira, Leelavati.

#DharmaQuiz 2098: Apart from Bhasa, name one other famous Sanskrit dramatist from ancient or medieval India. Ans: Kalidasa, Bhavabhuti, Banabhatta, Kalhana, Bharavi.

#DharmaQuiz 2099: Apart from Chanakya, name one other brilliant strategist who helped build an empire in India, and went back to ascetic life. Ans: Vidyaranya, who established Vijayanagara kingdom from scratch.

#DharmaQuiz 2100: Apart from Ashoka, name one other Indian king who sent teams abroad to spread Dharmic ideology. Ans: Rajendra Chola, Kanishka and Harshavardhan.

Scores for session 342:

‏@ChaitanyaAdvait : 5

@KumaraVaani : 4
@VG100000 : 4

@deepti_nainwal : 3

@deshi_mangoman : 2
@ThinkersPad : 2
@rahul_rverma969 : 2

@Right_Indian : 1
@SANTOSHGOUDAPPA : 1
@NarayanNed : 1
@saviteshmishra : 1
@yenkak : 1
@db_is_db : 1
@Venky1971 : 1
@cgxhvvvd : 1
@ashvasant : 1
@psxyz : 1
@crazydiode : 1
@kakdwip : 1
@girishkudva : 1
@Yossarian_007 : 1
‏@drarora_gaurav : 1
@sona2905 : 1
@meenakshidevihk : 1
‏@sudhirapai : 1
@amtgpt2008 : 1
@lolsalaam : 1
@kakdwip : 1
‏@prasca : 1
@ashutosh83_ : 1
@arunstiwari : 1
@sridhar_savitha : 1
@vishalsme : 1
@Deshraga : 1
@kanchan_prakhar : 1
‏@painolis : 1
@Moskvaa : 1
@JpackJack : 1
@rinku3009 : 1
@Sanjeevp02 : 1
@spread_khushi : 1

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Non Hindu Sanskrit scholars

#DharmaQuiz Session 341: 5-Aug-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2091: Which Mughal prince completed the translation of 50 Hindu Upanishads from their original Sanskrit into Persian in 1657? Ans: Dara Shikoh.

#DharmaQuiz 2092: Which German born 19th century Sanskrit scholar wrote "Sacred Books of the East", a 50 volume set of English translations? Ans: Max Muller.

#DharmaQuiz 2093: Which 19 century England born Sanskrit scholar is best known for Rig Veda translation to English? He studied Sayanacharya. Ans: Ralph TH Griffith

#DharmaQuiz 2094: 2300 years ago this Greek Ambassador to India wrote "Indica". Probably the 1st westerner to document India for west. Who? Ans: Megasthanes.

#DharmaQuiz 2095: A Persian scholar studied science in Sanskrit and wrote Kitab tarikh al-Hind 1000 years ago. Who? Ans: Ahmad al-Biruni.

Scores for session 340:

@IndiafirstVM : 5

@PrachinVaani : 4
@Rickshaw_wala : 4

@aham1857 : 3
@SnookyBangalore : 3
‏@dhpavan : 3
@deshi_mangoman : 3

@prashu46 : 2
@KumaraVaani : 2
@psudo : 2

‏@madimpex1973 : 1
@vasenvy : 1
@vmguruprasath : 1
‏@shivaparv : 1
@sourabhtaletiya : 1
@lathaksjgd : 1
@venksaiyan : 1
@manish_nadir : 1
‏@AjaxNgp : 1
@DivmeterPsycho : 1
@vamshi_in : 1
@raghavsapient : 1
@ShubhaPatil9 : 1
@ImInAntariksh : 1

Good to see interest in Indology scholar quiz.

Friday, July 31, 2015

18th and 19th century Hindu Gurus

#DharmaQuiz Session 340: 31-Jul-2015

#GuruPurnima special:

#DharmaQuiz 2086: Name this famous Guru from 18th century Dilli, whose birth name was Ranjit Singh. Ans: Sant Charandas.

DQ 2086. Pic - wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2087: Name this 18th century Guru, born in Ayodhya. He adopted Vishishtadvaita & started Uddhav Sampraday. Ans: Ramanand Swami.

DQ 2087. Pic: Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2088: If you have read the famous Autobiography of Yogi, you would know this 19th century Guru. Name him.Ans: Mahavatar Babaji.

DQ 2088. Pic: Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2089: Name this 19th & 20th century Guru whose contribution to caste discrimination removal is legendary. Ans: Narayana Guru.

DQ 2089. Pic: Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2090: Name this 19th century Guru, who was termed as avatar of Sri Chaitanya. Ans: Vijay Krishna Gosvami.

Thanks for participating today!

Friday, July 24, 2015

Guru Mandala

#DharmaQuiz Session 339: 24-Jul-2015

All questions today are having answers in this Guru Mandala or collage of Gurus' picture.

#DharmaQuiz 2081: Name the famous Guru from 17th century, who was born as Venkanna Bhatta, in today's Tamil Nadu region. Ans: Raghavendra Swami.

#DharmaQuiz 2082: Name the famous female Dharmic leader of 20th century, whose mother's name was Shyama Sundari Devi. Ans: Sharada Devi.

#DharmaQuiz 2083: Name the Rishi among Saptarshi' s (seven great sages), whose wife was Anusuya. Ans: Atri.

#DharmaQuiz 2084: Name the great Guru of 15 & 16th century CE, who was born in Asom & died in Poschim Bongo. Credited with Borgeet creation. Ans: Srimanta Sankar Deva.

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2085: She was born in France. Came to India in 1914. Founded a famous ashram. Known as The Mother. Who? Ans: Mirra Alfassa. Founder of the Aurobindo Ashram.

Scores for session 339:
Did not collect. Will do next time.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Pushkarams Across Major Indian Rivers

#DharmaQuiz Session 338: 17-Jul-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2076: Right now #GodavariPushkaralu is happening. Name one famous temple town along Godavari where this Pushkaram is celebrated. Ans: Bhadrachalam, TS, Rajahmundry, AP, Nashik, MH and many more.

#DharmaQuiz 2077: In 2017, the big Kaveri Pushkaram will happen. Name 1 temple town along Kaveri, where you can bathe & celebrate pushkaram. Ans: Trichy, TN, Talakaveri, KA, Srirangapatna, KA etc.

#DharmaQuiz 2078: The Omkareshwar temple on Narmada river would see a big Pushkar every 12 years. When's the next one? Ans: 2024

DQ 2078: Pic - Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2079: Last year, a famous Pushkaram happened in Uttarakhand, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Along which sacred river's banks? Ans: Yamuna.

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2080: Among the Nava Grahas, which particular planet entering a rashi triggers Pushkarams along rivers? Ans: Guru or Jupiter. Check this for more info on which Rashi triggers pushkaram in which river. http://hindupad.com/next-pushkarams/

Scores for session 338:

@praveenbp21aug : 3
@AmatyaKautilya : 2
‏@shivaparv : 2

@SanjayKV16 : 1
@ramu_nalamati : 1
@sambharadwaja : 1
‏@PTSwami : 1
@CHANDU7777777 : 1
@Itz__Abhishek : 1
@mrkotians : 1
@crazydiode : 1
@Sanjeevp02 : 1
@viky_belathur : 1
@KishoreKeBol : 1
‏@Sunil_Reddy : 1
@vamshitweet : 1
@UKKishor : 1
@Sanjeevp02 : 1
@sudhirapai : 1
@hemant22973 : 1

Congrats to all those who got into this list!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Theme: Lord Brahma

DQ 2075. Pic from panoramio

#DharmaQuiz Session 337: 7-Jul-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2071: In which loka does Brahma live in? Ans: Satya Loka.

#DharmaQuiz 2072: Usually which bird is termed as Brahma's vehicle? Ans: Hamsa or Swan.

#DharmaQuiz 2073: Brahma is often associated with which Rig Vedic deity mentioned in the famous Nasadiya Sukta (creation hymn)? Ans: Prajapati.
#DharmaQuiz 2074: Lord Brahma is picturized over which flower? Ans: Lotus or Kamala.

#DharmaQuiz 2075: Which country's Government House has a prominent Brahma statue? Ans: Thailand. It is called Phra Phrom (Brahma in Thai) shrine. Bangkok Government Complex, Chaengwattana Road, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand.

Scores for session 337:
Did not score. Sorry.

Friday, July 3, 2015

Tamil Nadu Temples

#DharmaQuiz Session 336: 03-Jul-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2066: There are 3 prominent Ranganatha Swamy (Vishnu in sleeping pose) temples along Kaveri river. Which one is "Antya Ranga"? Ans: Srirangam, TN.

@benmoha informs:
Aadi - Srirangapatna, Karnataka
Madhya - Shivana Samudra, Karnataka
Antya - Srirangam, Tamilnadu

#DharmaQuiz 2067: There are 5 ancient Shiva temples in south India, 1 for each pancha bhoota (basic element). Which one is for Jala / water? Ans: Tiruvaikaval or Jambukeshwara, TN.

#DharmaQuiz 2068: There's a famous Shani Temple in Thirunallar. 1000s take bath in this tank. In which state or UT? Ans: Puducherry.

DQ 2068. Image - Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2069: This ancient Shiva temple is in a temple town of TN.
The Linga is slightly tilted. Name temple. Ans: Adi Kumbeswarar. Kumbakonam.

DQ 2069. Image - Wiki

@NR_Tatvamasi says: Quite a few shiva in TN are tilted. unless that gopura is well known for them tough for anyone.

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2070: Image from 1870s of a very famous "Dancing Shiva" temple in TN. Name it? Ans: Chidambaram.

DQ 2070. Image - Wiki

Scores for session 336:

@Sricalifornia : 4
@keshavaram : 4
@BKottadamane : 4
@sridhar_savitha : 4
@ramkiprasad : 4
@nandaakumar : 4

@VG100000 : 3
@pvaidyaraj : 3

@ksrikantiyer : 2
@benmoha : 2
@mrsnrao : 2

@SKK288999 : 1
@strawsInTheWind : 1
@kool_Mady : 1
@rkthiyagarajan : 1
@Sravan : 1
@DrPannagDesai : 1
@singh81arun : 1
‏@juyal_pravin : 1
@pradeptk : 1
@vsubbu48 : 1
@thamzi_SH : 1
@dsktweets : 1
@_BeingSpiritual : 1
‏@UKKishor : 1
@AvinashCKM : 1
@tweeteringuise : 1
@kikkeriv : 1
@PaarthRudra : 1
@seeniram : 1
@TheTandav : 1
@esgeeaar : 1

Have a great trip to these temples, at least once in your life time!

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Great Yoga Masters

#DharmaQuiz Session 335: 16-Jun-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2061: Name this great #Yoga Guru, a Padma Vibhushan, who lived for 95 years and taught Yoga to lakhs. Ans: BKS Iyengar.

DQ 2061. Pic: hinduhumanrights.info

#DharmaQuiz 2062: Name this #Yoga Guru, who lived till 93 years of age, and taught Ashtanga Yoga to 1000s in Europe. Ans: K Pattabhi Jois.

DQ 2062. Pic: awakeningtimes

#DharmaQuiz 2063: Name this legendary Yogi, who lived during Gandhi's time and popularized #Yoga in America. Ans: Paramahamsa Yogananda.

DQ 2063. Pic: pinimg.com

#DharmaQuiz 2064: In 1960s, Menninger studied this #Yoga master's ability to voluntarily control
heartbeat. Name him. Ans: Swami Rama.

DQ 2064. Pic: sadhanamandir.org/

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2065: Name this #Yoga master who trained 40,000 Transcendental Meditation Gurus. Ans: Maharshi Mahesh Yogi.

DQ 2065. Pic: coolspotters.com

Scores for session 335:

@karthikjana : 5
@Simuntweets : 5
@Vasista_ : 5
@Telugutalli : 5
@KavyaKalkuni : 5
@pramod_klr : 5
@sriksvenkat : 5

@deshi_mangoman : 4
@stormylook : 4
@KILROP : 4

@SwathiRagha : 3
@NitinShanbhag : 3
@dhpavan : 3
@ShubhaPatil9 : 3

@shivaparv : 2
@deepti_nainwal : 2
@mitasarkar4 : 2
@mrkotians : 2

@meetkeshi : 1
@Miracle_Mentor : 1
@shishya36 : 1
@shobhana18 : 1
@DrAsisAcharya : 1
@abhipar7 : 1
@mamtan14 : 1
‏@saurabhdwivedio : 1
@rupeshsingh10 : 1
@Abhaymudra : 1
@SukhiVa : 1
@rohitsamvada : 1
@A31X64Vijay : 1
@daredevilakshay : 1
@subramanyajois : 1
@Saffrelin : 1
@kesarirang : 1
‏@MorbidMortal : 1
@MSMScrutinizer : 1
@DrShobha : 1
@pushkar_nk : 1
@LykeASir : 1
@sharatmodi : 1
‏@joshi_shreyas : 1
@alokgbc : 1
@SamajSevi_Bwood : 1

Have a fantastic International Yoga Day on the 21st!

Friday, June 12, 2015

Ancient and Medieval Hindu Sants

#DharmaQuiz Session 334: 12-Jun-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2056: Alwars were the Vaishanava poet saints in Tamil Nadu during ancient times. Out of 12 Alwars, how many were female? Ans: One - Andal.

#DharmaQuiz 2057: Sant Eknath was a renowned Bhakti movement poet in Maharashtra. Did he live before or after Sant Tukaram? Ans: Before.

#DharmaQuiz 2058: Name this 19th century Hindu sant from central part of India. His name is another name for Ganesha. Ans: Gajanan Maharaj.

DQ 2058 - Pic - Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2059: This Yogi from 1000 yrs ago is credited for Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati, a Hatha Yoga text. Name him. Ans: Gorakhnath or Gorakshanath.

DQ 2059. Pic: Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2060: Key Nayanars who worshiped Shiva in TN here.
How many Nayanars were there? Ans: 63.

DQ 2060. Pic: Wiki

Scores for session 334:

@Telugutalli : 5
@GuruCharan99 : 5
@chaitanyasoul : 5
@karthikjana : 5

‏@sbangarp : 2
@Sai_swaroopa : 2
@RDWARAKANATH : 2
@mithlm88 : 2
‏@stormylook : 2

@IyerMira : 1
@shashiparakh : 1
@shaileshwelekar : 1
@ShubhaPatil9 : 1
‏@amalviya18 : 1
@ganex : 1
@ravi_bansal30 : 1
@srinivasanands : 1
@Sridhar_Salem : 1
@choubisa171 : 1
@KARUPPASAMY_L : 1
@sameeral_in : 1
@arunprasad72 : 1
@vs70 : 1
@Aryavarta_ : 1
@MrCoolkarni : 1
@cavrags : 1
@ksrikantiyer : 1
@conphucius : 1
@ashvasant : 1
@ksinamdar : 1
@shreeramm : 1
@Mamdhata : 1

Friday, May 22, 2015

Pillars of Indian Culture: Rita, Rina and Dharma

#DharmaQuiz Session 333: 22-May-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2051: The vedic ritual yajña /Yajna comes from the Sanskrit root word "yaj". What does yaj mean? Ans: ‘respect,’ ‘belongingness,’ and ‘sharing’.

#DharmaQuiz 2052: Asuras (demons) and suras (deities) were sons of the same father Prajapati. Which group was elder among them? Ans: Asuras are the elder ones.

#DharmaQuiz 2053: What is the Sanskrit word for ‘giving’, ‘charity’ or ‘offering’? Ans: Daana.

#DharmaQuiz 2054: A very basic goal of Hindu Dharma is "Sat–chit–ananda". Is this state, something for humans to realize or attain? Ans: Realize, as it is within us.

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2055: What's the most commonly used Sanskrit word for ‘penance’ or ‘austerity’? Ans: Tapas.

Do read this beautiful summary of Rita, Rina and Dharma by Shatavadhani Dr. R Ganesh.
http://indiafacts.co.in/the-pillars-of-indian-culture-%E1%B9%9Bta-%E1%B9%9B%E1%B9%87a-dharma/

Scores for session 333:

‏@Simuntweets : 4
@Suprith_raO : 4

@AMoorthy : 3
@Mamdhata : 3
@stormylook : 3
@ShubhaPatil9 : 3

@brahmajnana2015 : 2
@IDhruvjaywant : 2
@ProtectIndia : 2
@heeraman98 : 2

‏@rahul_sane : 1
@Dvbharti : 1
@KiranPatil13 : 1
@deepti_nainwal : 1
@GreatHeretic : 1
@Sridhar_Salem : 1
@skandoham : 1
@Aamchigele : 1
@Dattaraj85 : 1
@rao_pravesh : 1
‏@pardhas : 1
@insumit : 1
@A31X64Vijay : 1
@AmerPadma : 1
@ashtaavakra : 1

Hope you all enjoyed this.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Various types of Gitas

#DharmaQuiz Session 332: 12-May-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2046: Devarshi Narada called Bhagavad Gita in the Mahabharata, with what name in the Shanti parva? Ans: Hari Gita.

#DharmaQuiz 2047: Apart from Bhagavad Gita, mention one other Gita from Mahabharata. Ans: Sampaaka Gita, Vrita Gita, Anu Gita

#DharmaQuiz 2048: Brahma Gita is from which Hindu Purana? Ans: Skanda Purana.

#DharmaQuiz 2049: Devi Gita is from Devi Bhagavatam. Who wrote this? Ans: Vyasa Maharshi.

#DharmaQuiz 2050: Hanumad Gita is from Ramayana. It was a discourse to Hanuman by whom? Ans: Sita Mata.

Reference: http://www.indianscriptures.com/vedic-knowledge/sacred-scriptures/gita/gita-its-various-kinds

Scores for session 332:

@Simuntweets : 4

@Telugutalli : 3
@stormylook : 3
@sundeeppatkar : 3

@dark_horse824 : 1
‏@navale_rohit : 1
@AbhinavAhinav : 1
‏@Sridhar_Salem : 1
@ramakumar_ks : 1
@Rakesh_Hassan : 1
@bhs7rocks : 1
@SwathiRagha : 1
@AryanPaladin : 1
@Vamsee9002 : 1

And, don't forget to watch this. Fantastic summary of the Gita's and also the history of Indian civilization. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnbBrMfDpDA

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Jayanti festivals in Vaishakha/Jyestha months

#DharmaQuiz Session 331: 5-May-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2041: Today is Patrakar Diwas - a Jayanti for the most traveled ancient Indian name. He's in most puranic stories. Who? Ans: Sage Narada.

#DharmaQuiz 2042: On May 18th, Shani Jayanti is celebrated.
Which Hindu calendar month (Lunar) does it fall in? Ans: Vaishaka (Shaka), Jyeshtha (Vikram)

DQ 2042. Pic: jyotiskymart

#DharmaQuiz 2043: We just had Buddha Purnima yesterday - The birth, enlightenment and passing away of Buddha. Pali name for this day? Ans: Vesak or Vaishak

#DharmaQuiz 2044: 2015 Nepal Earthquake happened 2 days before Sita Navami. This Navami is a month after which other famous Navami festival? Ans: Rama Navami.

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2045: Last week we had Narasimha Jayanti. Does it occur a day before or after Kurma Jayanti? #Vishnu: Answer: Before Kurma Jayanti.

Scores for session 331:

@Simuntweets : 5
@chaitanyasoul : 5

‏@keewlguy : 4
@pramod_klr : 4

‏@shankar143pin : 3
@tweeteringuise : 3
‏@ksmsundaram1975 : 3

@netvisionindia : 2

@thapateros : 1
@DenseIdiot : 1
@thapateros : 1
@rinku3009 : 1
@krishnajagirdar :1
@mohan_doyizode : 1
‏@scd_nagraj : 1
@RamraoKP_ : 1
@deshi_mangoman : 1
‏@KishoreKeBol : 1
@radhakras21 : 1

Enjoy the summer!

Friday, April 24, 2015

Panchatantra, Hitopadesha and Jataka Katha.

#DharmaQuiz Session 330: 24-Apr-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2036: Panchatantra is ancient world's most famous set of moral fables (Niti). It's author Vishnu Sharma lived in BCE or CE? Ans: BCE - 3rd century BCE.

#DharmaQuiz 2037: Jataka Katha is an ancient Indian moral story collection. How many stories of wisdom does this collection have? Ans: 550 jatakas or tripitikas

#DharmaQuiz 2038: About 850 years ago, a famous scholar framed Hitopadesha Sanskrit fables. Name him. Ans: Narayana Bhatta.

#DharmaQuiz 2039: Two thirds of Panchatantra is 2 chapters involving friends.
Mitra Bheda and Mitra Samprapti. Which one is longer? Ans: Mitra Bheda. 45% of Panchatantra is just this chapter.

#DharmaQuiz 2040: Panchatantra is the most translated old Indian literature.
Approximately to how many languages? Ans: 50 languages, with 3/4th of them being outside India.

Scores for session 330:
Sorry, did not score.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Akshaya Tritiya

#DharmaQuiz Session 329: 21-Apr-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2031: On #AkshayaTritiya, this benevolent Devi was said to be born. Name her. Ans: Devi Annapurna.

DQ 2031. Pic - aghori.it

#DharmaQuiz 2032: On #AkshayaTritiya, Jains give a ceremonial bath (Abhisheka) to Tirthankara Rishabhadeva. With which juice? Ans: Sugar cane juice.

#DharmaQuiz 2033: #AkshayaTritiya is when Ganga descended to earth. This is one of her origin points. Where is this? Ans: Gaumukh, Bhagirati's origin point. Bhagirati is one of Ganga's main starting tributaries.

DQ 2033. Pic - jyoti-kothari.hubpages.com

#DharmaQuiz 2034: He was made a custodian of wealth and property with Lakshmi on #AkshayaTritiya by Shiva. Who is he? Ans: Kubera.

DQ 2034. Pic - blogspot.com

#DharmaQuiz 2035: On #AkshayaTritiya, Surya gifted a famous vessel to Yudhishtira. Name it. Ans: Akshaya Patra.

DQ 2035. Pic - Wiki

Scores for session 329:

@CJoshi28 : 5

@yadavendraSS : 4
@kmukundra : 4
@stormylook : 4
@karthikjana : 4

@deshi_mangoman : 3

@prasannarl1 : 2
@vinodthakur3 : 2
@GhostriderYahoo : 2
@ChughShobu27 : 2
@nandaakumar : 2
@kpramodrai : 2
@kirtweetz : 2
@mpsharma56 : 2
@rinku3009 : 2
@bohrapankaj : 2
@RAMESH4184 : 2
@tweeteringuise : 2
@gurudath29 :

@developermv : 1
@Harish8hs : 1
@Vamsee9002 : 1
@kharwar_banaras : 1
@manoj_niketa : 1
@BramhaKamal : 1
@ashujoshi27 : 1
@jain_hd : 1
@Manjunaath : 1
@SnghAP : 1
@pareshmshah12 : 1
@kkapilrai : 1
@harishkrcr : 1
@Rakesh_Hassan : 1
@surimohnot : 1
@abhilashbalu : 1
@deepti_nainwal : 1
@pinktoothjourno : 1
@udayakandate : 1
@Richanjgd : 1
@Ay_Prashanth : 1
@atul_doshi : 1
@lalitadvani : 1
@RaghuKandkur : 1
@SonalShriv : 1
@Chandra_bhs : 1
@DharamaKshetra : 1
@gorishankaryad1 : 1
@anayaseth : 1
@ispastwadi : 1
@oojnas : 1
@kartikanandan : 1
@mithlm88 : 1

Hope you all had a great Akshaya Tritiya!

Friday, April 17, 2015

Cow in Hindu Culture.

#DharmaQuiz Session 328: 17-Apr-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2025: Name the cow that emerged from Samudra Manthan. Ans: Kamadhenu.

DQ 2025: Pic -Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2026: Which Bhagawan's name in India literally means "Protector of Cows" in Sanskrit? Ans:
Gopala - Krishna.

#DharmaQuiz 2027: Name the Jain Tirthankara who is identified uniquely using bull as his symbol. Ans: Rishabha or Adinatha.

DQ: 2027. Pic - herenow4u.net

#DharmaQuiz 2028: Name this son of Anusuya, who is worshiped as a great Guru, who is seen often with an adorable cow. Ans: Dattatreya.

DQ 2028. Pic - giri.in

Question 2029 skipped. 2025 was duplicate, so making up for that.

#DharmaQuiz 2030: Vedas term cow as: Aghnya (not to be killed), Ahi (not be slaughtered) & Aditi. Aditi means what? Ans: Aditi = the one that ought not to be cut into pieces. Aditi has other meanings, but in this cow context, this is the meaning.

Scores for session 328.

@sankarbe : 5
@karthikjana : 5
@UKKishor : 5

@IdamRashtray : 4
@RAMESH4184 : 4
@pramod_klr : 4
@stormylook : 4

@rahul_sane : 3
@Simuntweets : 3
@SnookyBangalore : 3
@tweeteringuise : 3

@nandaakumar : 2
@seenu_d : 2
@VJayVM : 2
@rahultri1977 : 2
‏@mhveer_ : 2
‏@airwindcrazywal : 2
@praveenbp21aug : 2
@PoonamV_ : 2
@mhveer_ : 2
@anantyalagi : 2
@dhpavan : 2
@Sridhar_Salem : 2
@rinku3009 : 2

@Aamchigele : 2
@ChauhanUpendra : 2

@sharma__sanjay : 1
@nrpurvi : 1
@tradetoday99 : 1
@gururaj_as : 1
@hiriyal : 1
@timmapuramreddy : 1
@JagannathAjnabi : 1
@Monique_essence : 1
@demonhawk007 : 1
@bohrapankaj : 1
@drarora_gaurav : 1
@Adroit_A : 1
@SonalShriv : 1
@vinodsharma1834 : 1
@ys_sadalagi : 1
@tweeteringuise : 1
@SarojKarnataka : 1
@Patriot84032974 : 1
@RahulRBhasme : 1
@deva1956 : 1
@WyndTalkr : 1
@IndiafirstVM : 1
@ahmednkhan : 1
@UshaSudarshan27 : 1
@avaneeshraju : 1
@Panchjanyaa : 1
@nitintp : 1
@siddhu2498 :1
@khatvanga : 1
@luvdheart : 1
@JakaasJig : 1
@rajeshkupadhyay : 1
@itsapollo13 : 1
@ganeshmahnar : 1
@bhavikdwivedi : 1
@praveenbp21aug : 1
@avramesh : 1
@HarishankarSY : 1
@nikhil__13 : 1
@UghraNarasimha : 1
@dwimidhaM : 1
@AmiSri : 1
@sriram20 : 1
@kiran_en25 : 1
@Jitenderbharati : 1
@kum_1_09 : 1
@kagitapus : 1
@magaxiom : 1
@GreatHeretic : 1
@puneethsamani : 1

Today it was a great turn out. Thanks for showing interest in go-mata related quiz.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Hindu Gurus

#DharmaQuiz Session 327: 10-Apr-2015

#DharmaQuiz 2021: In which state of India did Shankara, Basaveshwara, Ramanuja and Vidyaranya inspire new temples, traditions and kingdoms? Ans: Karnataka

#DharmaQuiz 2022: This sant, born in the 18th century Rajasthan, wrote bhashya on Upanishads and Yoga. Name him. Ans: Sant Charandas.


DQ 2022: Pic - Wiki

DQ 2023: pic - Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 2023: Name this Vaishnava saint, shishya of Chaitanya, who was from a Muslim family in today's Bangladesh. Ans: Haridasa Thakur.

#DharmaQuiz 2024: In which state of India you can find prominent ashrams of these two great Hindu thinkers and sants. Ans: Tamil Nadu. They are Swami Dayananda Saraswathi and Ramana Maharshi.

DQ 2024 - 1. Pic: arshavidyateertha.org

DQ 2024 - 2. Pic: dabase.org

{Final, Open till 10 PM} #DharmaQuiz 2025: Name this Vedic scholar who inspired Swarajya, wrote Satyarth Prakash and said "Go Back to Vedas". Ans: Swami Dayananda.

Scores for session 327:

@karthikjana : 5

@mdbiyani : 4
@arunrush : 4
@sriksvenkat : 4

@pramod_klr : 3
@RSomesh52 : 3
@stormylook : 3

@SanthoshPPrabhu : 2
@Simuntweets : 2

@Vivek_Analyst : 1
@sudhirapai : 1
@harishkrcr : 1
@kousik20 : 1
@aolpri : 1
@vizagobelix : 1
@KrishSuresh7 : 1
@_manish25 : 1
@crazydiode : 1
@db_is_db : 1
@anikethanbucki : 1
@ultapultanikhil : 1
@JpackJack : 1
@gauranga10 : 1
@conphucius : 1
@RAMESH4184 : 1
@gorishankaryad1 : 1
@Sheks65 : 1
@Nikhil_7D : 1
@Bhaskarg77G : 1

Jai Gurudev!