India Gyan - by Discover91!

08/02/2013

Saturday Nights just got more exciting!
Polama brings you handcrafted experiential getaways that are fun and exciting.
Click here www.polama.com/getaways/surestay/packages/Moonlit-Adventure-on-a-Saturday-Night to know more!!

29/06/2012

Flying over this country can be surreal and mystifying - it’s like no other flight on earth. The people of this country refer it as 'Dhivehi Raajje' and refer to themselves as ‘Dhivehin’. The name by which the country is known internationally may have come from the Sanskrit word 'mala dvipa' means a 'garland of islands'. Name this country.

09/05/2012

Recognise this enigmatic smiling image? Often been hailed as ‘Mona Lisa of Asia’ and thought by many to be a portrayal of a famous King.

13/04/2012

Founded in 1501 by a Bundela chief, this town means 'hidden place'. Located near the banks of a river, it is known for cenotaphs of its ruler. Name the destination... the picture below is a huge clue!

28/03/2012

A quick getaway for Bangaloreans; a favourite with rock climbers, rappellers and bouldering enthusiasts; and a shooting locale for the most celebrated Bollywood and Academy award winning Hollywood movies. Identify this location.

21/03/2012

Bangalore enjoys a 'Ritusamhara' - a year-long sequential blossom of trees.

Pink and yellow Tabebuias, Purple jacarandas and the sparser yellow of the Peltophorum in winters. March ushers in spring with the blooms of Rain Tree and Red Silk Cotton tree while the Flame of the Forest explode into fiery colours. In April, when summer sets in, the ubiquitous Gulmohar bursts into bloom; the pink and yellow Cassia Fistula give us a powder-pink and golden shower while the delicate Plumeria fills the air with its mild scent. The air is redolent with the scent of Champak (sampige in Kannada) and Akash Mallige in the monsoons. Post-monsoon brings the year-end finale of the African Tulip tree.

Can you name the person who gave us this wonderful Ritusamhara?

15/03/2012

Scaling an elevation of 326m to 2,303m, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (now on the World Heritage list) once represented the most modern technology of her times. The 45.88 km one-metre gauge single-track, partly rack-and-pinion railway connects Mettupalayiyam to Udagamandalam (Ooty). With a 30 km/h speed, gorgeous views of tropical jungle, manicured tea gardens, quaint countryside and giant eucalyptus trees meet the eye on this journey. There are 208 curves, 13 tunnels and 27 viaducts in just the Kallar to Coonoor stretch!

So have you ever been on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway? :) We’re keen to find out!

08/03/2012

Holi Trivia:
Long before the chemical colors of today, Holi colours were prepared at home, using the flowers from the tree called 'palash' or ‘flame of the forest’. The flowers were dried in the sun, ground into a fine powder and then mixed with water to give the colour of the setting sun.

08/03/2012

The lunar month of Phalgun has arrived (marks the end of winter and ushers in spring) with the promise of warm days and new life – Discover91 wishes everyone a very HAPPY HOLI!

05/03/2012

The technique used in this handicraft has been in practice in India for over 4,000 years and is still in use. The metal used is generally a combination of brass and bronze and the craft depicts daily life or mythology. Interestingly, the community that is associated with this craft in local etymology means ‘to shape or create’.

Name this handicraft as well as the community that is associated with this craft.

01/03/2012

Great article on the math behind leap years.

Astronomy | Leap Day | Warning: First, this is a somewhat modified repost from -- oddly enough -- four years ago. Second, this post has math in it. A lot. Some of it might even be cor

24/02/2012

Identify this bridge

20/02/2012

This game used to be called Mokshapat. It is supposed to teach you that good deeds take you to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births. What is the modern version of this game called?

17/02/2012

We all know about the Gateway of India and the India Gate, but where is the Gateway to God? And while you are at it - where is the Gateway to Hell (thankfully not in India !!)

14/02/2012

Happy Valentine's Day !! If you have an unlimited budget, where would you go with your special someone today?

08/02/2012

Identify the only legal casino "in" India.

02/02/2012

A solar calendar, a stone chariot or a temple?!! Built of granite to resemble a chariot, the twelve pillars in the mandapam are named the raasi pillars and mark the 12 zodiac signs of the solar calendar. The architecture is so scientific, that each morning when the sun rises, the sun's rays shines through the eastern door and hits a pillar of the respective zodiac month. What are we talking about? Name this monument and its location.

01/02/2012

Fountains and kiosks, a lotus pool and marble elephants, trees on one side for summer, lawn on the other for winter. Guess what this popular tourist spot is?

27/01/2012

Identify this beautiful and stunning riverine island which is also a hotbed of the local culture.

23/01/2012

Identify this beach - the second longest in the world.

18/01/2012

Rudyard Kipling was inspired to write The Jungle Book in the natural wealth and richness of this National Park in India. Which National Park are we talking about?

16/01/2012

This temple is situated at such a place that there is no land in straight-line till Antarctica. Name the temple.

13/01/2012

This place in India attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal and is the number one destination for Non-resident Indians. What is it? (Posting a picture would make the question too simple!!)

11/01/2012

January 26th, Republic Day, is a Thursday. If you take January 27th off, you get nice 4 long days for that much awaited break. Where are you going / Where would you like to go?

10/01/2012

What does this almost perfect square on the map of India represent?

09/01/2012

This painting is currently housed in an art gallery in Mysore. The enclave where the painting is displayed is generally dark which further highlights the glow and the shadow of the woman. Made from only watercolours (unlike oil paints that can be corrected), it was a challenge by the artist to show the world that he can make a painting without a single mistake. Name the artist and the title of this famous painting.

05/01/2012

Beautiful and Dangerous - This bush is thorny and is not eaten by any herbivores. Its rapid spread has caused other species of fauna to vanish becoming a huge threat in our wildlife sanctuaries. Name the plant.

03/01/2012

Recognize this animal?

02/01/2012

Some forts in Jaipur have two flags flying on top – one that is full in size and another that is quarter the size. Do you know the story behind this?

23/12/2011

Why does this horse have an elephant's trunk?

10/03/2011

India Gyan Quiz - Let's see how well you know India!
This celebrated fortress is built on a 120m high granite hill. Well known for its acoustics, a clap near the main gate can be heard at the summit, almost a kilometer away! Identify this fort.

03/03/2011

The Brihadisvara temple (Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu), commissioned by Raja Raja Chola in 1010 AD, was the world's first granite temple, built with 130,000 tons of granite. The 53m tall vimana (temple tower) is the tallest in South India and built in a way that its shadow never touches the ground. The shikara (crown) weighing 81.25 tons was carved out of a single stone and is believed to have been lifted onto the tower by using an incline that inched up from 6km away!

24/02/2011

The Pattadakal temple complex,in North Karnataka, is the only complex in India which has examples of A***n, Dravidian and an amalgamation of both styles of architecture. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was the coronation city of the Chalukya Kings. Pattadakal gets its name from 'pattada kallu' literally meaning 'coronation stone'.

18/02/2011

India Gyan Quiz- Let's see how well you know India!
Identify this 16th century marine fort located in the Arabian Sea.

09/02/2011

India's very own Niagara - the Chitrakoot falls is the largest waterfall in India, located in Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. It is formed when River Indravati collapses into a 100ft deep cavern; while the mouth of this horseshoe shaped waterfall, when in full profusion, is over 1000ft wide. It is best seen between July and October.