Interesting Trivia about India

lonelyaztec

Hey all,

Thought i should collect interesting trivia about India, for benefit of all IMers...what say ?

Here, i am putting 2 things i know of....please feel free, to add more here, that you know of....

Jodhpur is Blue City. Why ?

Jodhpur is famous for having many houses painted in blue. This may be because blue is the colour of the Brahmin caste, or because the blue colour repels insects or simply because its more cooling. It depends who you listen to. The Blue colour that is used, is not a Asian paint colour, it is a powder blue....it is meant to keep the home cool...that's why, most houses are painted blue. Now, u don't have to be a bhramin to paint ur house blue in Jodhpur, anyone can.

Jaipur is Pink City. Why ?

In 1876, Jaipur dressed itself pink to welcome Prince Albert and Queen Elizabeth II, and thus the name “Pink City” stuck to it. Even today, many people, paint their homes pink to maintain the 'pink' look on the city.

Jaisalmer is Golden City. Why ?

Bhatti Chief Jaisal laid the foundation of the Jaisalmer fort in 1156 A.D on Trikuta hill. The fort is also called Sonar Kila or Golden Fort because it is made up of yellow sandstone and seems to ignite into a golden flame when scorched by the desert sun. Even today, one fourth of the old city's population resides within the fort, which is made of yellow sandstone. The entire place seems to shine like it is made of gold, amist the Golden desert sand. Hence, it is called the Golden City.

Gantak. What is it that u get there, that you don't get any where else ?
Gantak is a town, where River Gantak, a tributary of the Ganga, comes and joins the Ganga...so, this is the only place, where you get 'Saligram', which is considered a representation of Lord Vishnu. You do not get Saligrams any where else in the country.

Saligrams are said to be very powerful. If you have them at home, you are supposed to perform puja every day, or else, there will be lot of mis-happenings at home.

Please feel free to add.
It need not be things like
1. Why is Tanjore called 'Granary of the south' or
2. Why is Punjab called the "land of 5 rivers". If if u have a interesting angle to it, u can.

Pls. feel free to add....

__________________
Aztec

My photoblog

jobu

I've heared another story about Jodhpur, don't know if it is true. In 1971 when there was serious conflict with Pakistan, there were some nightbombings in the area. Most houses were plastered white at that time. So scared townfolks started to paint houses, apparently the blue was most easily available for whatever reasons.
The old man who told me this (owner of Fort View Guesthouse) also said about the other reasons - that if blue colour would repel insect and keep cool - why all houses in India are not blue?

Anyway did you notice that almost any building that has something to do with tourists (like guesthouse, restaurant) in Jodhpur is blue. So yet another reason - tourist know the Jodhpur is blue and they want to see blue town. And of course this colour fits perfectly to this Pink-Jaipur, Golden Jaisalmer triangle.


And about Gantak. Don't know actually the town and I couldn't find any better map now. But I remeber trekking in Nepal around Annapurna (the road after Thorong La (close to Muktinath)) the hindu pilgrims were searching (and finding) the saligrams on the bed of Gandak river. So this Gantak surely is not the only place.

lonelyaztec

Jobu,

Ok, will correct what i said. Saligrams can be found in the Gantak river, not just the town.

Nick-H

Please explain what are Saligrams ?

There is an area of Chennai called (I think) Saligramam ...might these things be found there?

__________________
.


Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

ddutta

A Saligram is an idol of Vishnu. Saligram is the symbol of Vishnu. In Puja, an image or picture representing some divine form is used as the object of worship. The image is adored. An image, a Sila or a Vigraha or Murti represents the form of the particular Lord who is invoked in it. A Linga represents Siva . Like that Saligram represents Vishnu. Saligram is actually a special type of stone (black) found in the particular river bed .

Some famous Shila Deity"s - http://www.salagram.net/sstp-2.html

__________________
"If you smile at me I will understand, because that is something everyone everywhere does in the same language"

lonelyaztec

Hey,

Saligrams cannot be found in the area called Saligramam in Chennai. Only in River Gandak. Ok.

lonelyaztec

Here's trivia about Delhi - it is not one, but 7 cities

Delhi is actually 7 cities it seems, in fact 11…The seven cities, each with a unique characteristic of its own were Lal Kot, Siri, Tughlakabad, the ruined fortress east of the imposing Qutab Minar. Tughlakabad was said to have become a ghost city 15 years after it was built following a supposed curse from the Sufi saint, Azam-ud-din. The other cities were Jahanpanah, Ferozeshah Kotla, Lodi Tombs and the Purana Qila. Modern Delhi was designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker.

spitze_udz

Udaipur is City of lakes - why?
There are around 30 lakes in and around the city..... nice place

Nick-H

Thanks dduta and Aztec.

(and thanks for the Steven Stills quote in the sig)

lonelyaztec

Please put here, some Trivia about India.

skell

That must be after a good rainy season. We could barely find one. Still a very nice place though.

lonelyaztec

Hey Skell,

The lake studded city of Udaipur nestles in the Arravalli hills. The profusion of lakes, reservoirs and ponds have earned Udaipur the title of CITY OF LAKES. The annual total rainfall is 61 cm, and as it is in the valley, lot of lakes form.

lonelyaztec

Snake and Ladder game
The game of snakes & ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat.' The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. Later through time, the game underwent several modifications but the meaning is the same i.e good deeds take us to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.

Chail - Himachal
The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh.
Built in 1893 after levelling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.

Baily Bridge
The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.

Varanasi
Varanasi, also known as Benares, was called "the ancient city" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C.E, and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today

Earliest Dam in India
The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra. According to Saka King Rudradaman I of 150 CE a beautiful lake called 'Sudarshana' was constructed on the hills of Raivataka during Chandragupta Maurya's time.