Rameshwar: Where Mythology meets History!!

Situated on an island off the coast of Tamil Nadu in southern India, the approach bridge over a wide expanse of the sea is enough to set the tone of a visit to Rameshwar. The temple, architecturally, is a majestic monument. The main temple gopuram or roof soars 53 Meters above the hustle and bustle of the town, an intricately carved masterpiece. Like most temples, this one has a huge wall that encloses the temple premises. The real miracles are the long corridors, the longest in the world. They run the entire length of the premises form a tunnel with over pillars holding up the roof. A gaze down the corridor is guaranteed to be jaw dropping.

What makes Rameshwar so important is the various legends and myths associated with the temple and the town. 

The temple is supposed to be the site where Lord Rama after killing Ravana wanted to atone for his sins of killing Ravana by worshipping Lord Shiva. Killing a human being even in a war is a sin, even for God’s avatar. He asked Hanuman to bring him a Shivaling from Mount Kailash in the Himalayas to pray to. Legend is that Hanuman was delayed and since the auspicious time for the rituals was passing, Sita created sand Shivling and the rituals were done on it. Hanuman was angry at his lateness tried to uproot the sand Shivling but was unsuccessful. Rama placated him and decreed that the Shivling brought by Hanuman be installed besides the sand Shivling. Devotees should pray to the Shivling brought by Hanuman and then to the Shivling made by Sita. The tradition continues till date, the main deity is the Shivling created by Sita called as Ramaling while the prayers are offered first to the shivling brought by Hanuman, now called as Vishwaling.

The temple has 22 tanks or teerthas that make this temple unique. The Teerthas are supposed to symbolize both the 22 ancient rivers of India as well as the number of arrows in Lord Ramas quiver.  Lord Ram is believed to have used his bows to create these tanks for water during the construction phase of the bridge to Lanka. These tanks are believed to have medicinal properties that cleanse your body as well as spiritual properties that cleanse your destiny and soul. 

Ramseshwaram is also supposed to be location of Gandhamadhan Parvat, the mountain top from which Hanuman started his giant leap in search for Sita across the ocean to Lanka. This is also the place from where the bridge to Lanka was started to be constructed by Lord Ram. The sea is surprisingly mild and calm year round and the area is a rich fishing ground. The seas calmness is attributed to the sea god who made the sea calm as a mark of respect to Lord Ram’s bridge.

 

In recent times, the temple found a surprising mention in the hit Bollywood movie Chennai Express where Shah Rukh Khan is on a journey to the temple for immersion of his grandfather’s ashes. 

The temple town is also justly famous for giving India one of its most illustrious sons. The Missile Man of India and one the most beloved presidents Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Perhaps it was something in the sands of Rameshwaram itself that propelled him to greatness!!

This may be concise history of Rameshwar, but what is the connection of the place with Chanakya, Chandragupta and Alexander? For that you will have to wait for the upcoming mythological thriller “Indus Challenge”.

Alexander and Chandragupta Maurya : Did the Titans Clash?

For Illustrative Purpose Only

ALEXANDER was a Macedonian conqueror who wanted to build the largest empire in the world. His juggernaut of conquests was brought to a halt in India.

Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya dynasty who unified a greater part of India into a single nation state. The man, who is credited with annexing the remnants of Alexander’s conquests into the Mauryan Empire.

Alexander started his India campaign in about 327 BC and was dead 3 years later in June of 323BC. Chandragupta was born in 340 BC and at the age of 16 founded the Mauryan Empire in 324 BC, just a year after the death of Alexander.  Historians have agonized over the possibility that Alexander may have met Chandragupta Maurya who then would have been a teenager of 13 years. The answers are not easy to come by.

Inherently, the idea of a 13 year boy making any dent or impression in the life and times of Alexander seems laughable but we should never forget that backing this boy was the mastermind of the Chanakya. There are sources that paint a picture as though this meeting never happened. The focus of Alexander and the training of Chandragupta was going on in different areas of India. Like many stories, the meeting is the figment of imagination of many later historians who wanted to paint either of the two parties in a favorable light.

Plutarch, the eminent Greek historian on the other hand mentions that the two did meet. They saw each other in the modern day Punjab region. It was not a meeting of any consequence but it does seem that the sight of the majestic Alexander must have had an effect on Chandragupta. He is reported to have said that with the corrupt Nandas ruling at the time, Alexander would have had the backing of local population for ruling. That Alexander may have retreated from a war he could have won.

Another famed story is that a desperate Chandragupta against the advice of Chanakya went to meet Alexander in the Kingdom of Porous. Chandragupta himself was from a lineage of Nanda kings but his family was cheated out of the kingdom. He wanted to explore if Alexander who had just turned back his armies could be persuaded to assist him in exchange of gold. Alexander wanted suzerainty over Nanda Empire and Chandragupta to be a vassal. Chandragupta offered to bear all expenses and give gold in exchange for assistance but wanted to keep independence. Alexander who called himself Supreme Lord of Asia was furious at being asked to do the job a petty mercenary. He ordered the imprisonment of Chandragupta for later sentencing for the offence committed.

How Chandragupta escaped is not fully known. A version goes that Porous who was the host was horrified by this treatment meted out to his guest. “Atithi Devo Bhava” - guest is god. How to ensure that this travesty does not occur while ensuring that Alexander whose vassal he was is not enraged. He used some family members to ensure that Chandragupta escapes from prison in secret. Perhaps this interaction with Alexander steeled Chandraguptas resolve in conquering Alexanders territories. Also, this disastrous outing would have further cemented his trust in Chanakyas judgment.

What is known is just after Alexander’s death, a series of events started the downfall of Alexander’s holdings in India. The areas were administered by Satraps of Alexander who governed in the emperor’s name. Chanakya’s subterfuge and tactical prowess came to the fore. Under his guidance, Chandragupta eliminated some of the lesser Satraps and annexed the territories. The key Satrap was Selecus, who’s iron fist extended from Bactria and Central Asia to the Indus river Basin. Chandragupta slowly and steadily built his army and gave a surprise defeat to Selecus. Territories won and with Selecus daughter wedded, Chandragupta went on to found a prosperous dynasty. This time using charm and magnanimity instead of ruthless warfare to cement peace with Selecus.

Did Alexander and Chandragupta meet or not may be a question none can authoritatively answer. But no one can deny that in this clash of two titans, Chandragupta came out victorious. His name ever cemented in the annals of history of one who rebuffed a foreign invasion.

Mount Kailash: A Riddle wrapped in a Mystery inside an Enigma

Mount Kailash evokes images of unconquered peaks, stark but pristine snows and towering heights. This Mountain in Tibet is a geological wonder. It has four sides that exactly face towards the four cardinal directions, has perennial snow on its upper reaches, has sides that are sheer smooth having almost chiseled quality and is in an area of the range whereby its beauty is not marred by any other comparable peak. It stands solitary in its own majesty with two lakes the Mansarovar and Rakshastal washing its foothills.

The mountain range also has the distinction of being the source of four key rivers, the Bramhaputra, Karnali which washes into the Ganges, Sutlej and Indus. These rivers have sustained more than a quarter of all humanity since millennia. The face of the mountain has a horizontal gash and the top of the pyramid is a giant perfectly formed pyramid.

But geology apart, the spiritual significance of the mountain is deeper still. Kailash is a key place of worship for four religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Bonn and Jainism. For the Hindus it is the abode of Shiva, the first Yogi and the destroyer of the universe who resides on the icy heights with Parvati the female form of pure energy or Shakti. For the Buddhists, the mountain is the abode for the Buddha Demchok who represents supreme bliss. Jains believe that the first Tirthankara attained moksha or salvation from the world near Mount Kailash while the Bonn religion believes that the entire mountain range and the lakes are the supreme center for all spiritual power in the universe.

The location of the mountain is supposed to be Axis Mundi, the center and the birthplace of the entire world. The mountain also has quite a few legends and perhaps forgotten knowledge and facts associated with it.
- Research has shown that the mountain has a chain of voids in its structure almost like a complex of caves; this cave complex finds mention in Tibetan ancient texts. They are supposed to be linked underground via continuous chambers and caves to other places of such mystical significance.
- The caves have a reverberation in Hindu texts whereby Amarnath, the holy site linked to Lord Shiva is fabled to have an underground tunnel to Mount Kailash.
- One of the enduring mysteries is the relativity of time and its effect on the body when in the presence of mount Kailash. Pilgrims report that just twelve hours on the foothills of Kailash give the effect of two weeks on the body. The nails and hair grow at astonishing speed pointing to a mysterious power in the mountain.
- Russian scientists have proposed that the top of the mountain is a manmade pyramid and not a natural formation. If true this will rewrite the history of human civilization, as this would then be the biggest pyramid on earth by a huge margin.
- The Mountain and its characteristic shape also has mention in Hindu Texts as the mountain that was used by gods and demons to churn the cosmic ocean to get both the nectar of life, the Amrit and the strongest of poisons the  Halahal.
- The mountain supposed to be the gateway of Shangri La or Sambhala. An ancient underground kingdom that was the originator of the human race in the world. It is supposed to be the abode of super human’s that have vast stores of knowledge and belong to a higher civilization.
- It is also believed that the Nazis were fascinated with Mount Kailash and Tibet. It is known that Nazi leaders such as Heinrich Himmler believed that Tibet might harbor the last of the original Aryan tribes, the legendary forefathers of what was considered the German race whose Aryan leaders were supposed to possess supernatural powers that the Nazis thought they could use to conquer the world. Ideas about an Aryan or master race began to appear in the popular media in the late nineteenth century.

Mount Kailash is surely a heady mix of mystery and legend. Its summit remains unconquered in recorded history and it is said that all who have attempted it have either not returned or have found themselves on the opposite side without a clue or recollection of how they landed there. The best answer to the question of whether the summit can be conquered came from one of the Garpons of Ngari, the Garpon replied, "Only a man entirely free of sin could climb Kailash. And he wouldn't have to actually scale the sheer walls of ice to do it – he'd just turn himself into a bird and fly to the summit."

Ashwatthama Sighted – The Chiranjeevi who wants to die!!

We saw in the last blog that Ashwatthama was a Chiranjeevi, an immortal being who lives and treads among us in modern times. I also hinted that what was a boon for the other Chiranjeevis was a curse for Ashwatthama. This post explains it further.

Once Duryodhana was defeated in the Mahabharath war, Ashwatthama wanted to take revenge against the Pandavas for killing his father through unfair means and also for destroying the Kaurava forces, to which he owed his loyalty. A livid Ashwatthama, vowed to destroy the lineage of Pandavas. Contemplating his next move, he saw an owl silently attacking a flock of crows in the night. Inspired, by this, he wanted to swoop silently on the Pandava camp in the dead of the night and kill the Pandavas. He executed his plan successfully, but there was a fatal flaw. The Pandavas were actually in the Kaurava camp on that night and were just coming back. Instead, all the living sons of the Pandava brothers were killed. Ashwathama was on his way out after killing, but was surprised by the sight of the returning Pandavas. The Pandavas also realized the extent of Ashwatthama’s foul play against their sons.

Ashwatthama in desperation resorted to the maximum force available with him ‘The Bramhastra’, a fearsome divine weapon. To invoke the astra, he used a blade of grass and used the ancient knowledge of arcane shlokas said in a specific manner in a specific tone. This was almost like a password or voice command. To counter the astra Arjun also projected his own Bramhastra, the only way to counter the oncoming astra. With the fearsome power of two astras detonating simultaneously the destruction of the earth was eminent. In this desperate time, Sage Vyasa with his yogic powers stopped the collision and asked both warriors to take back the astras.

The astras were controlled by the voice commands that were used to target or call back. Arjun invoked the voice command to take back the astra while Ashwatthama conceded that he did not know how to do it. A warrior who can invoke and take back an astra can use it multiple times but those who cannot revoke the astra can only use it once. Guru Drona felt that Arjun was his only student who is blessed with both character and competence. Hence, only Arjun was given full knowledge of the Bramhastra - both the art of sending the missile and withdrawing it in times of need.

Ashwatthama meanwhile was given the option to direct it towards the destruction of just one object and out of his spite filled rage he directed it towards the womb of Uttara, wife of Abhimanyu and tried to kill the yet unborn son. Krishna was enraged by this spiteful behavior.

Krishna cursed Ashwatthama to be a Chiranjeevi and roam the earth for eons to come. Ashwatthama was cursed to carry the burden of all people’s sins on his shoulders and to roam alone like a ghost without getting any love and courtesy till the end of Kaliyuga; he would have neither any hospitality nor any accommodation; he would be in total isolation from mankind and society; his body will suffer from a host of incurable diseases forming sores and ulcers that would never heal”. He took back his crowning glory, the jewel on his forehead and left his forehead with a gaping wound that was pus filled, festering and with a foul smell. He was also cursed to forget all of his knowledge and his entire memory erased. He would be known as Suryakant in Kaliyuga. For a legendary warrior who was a storehouse of knowledge this was the worst form of punishment. An endless life of wandering the earth without knowledge, in pain and with a festering wound. He was given the task of accompanying other chiranjeevis for greeting the next Vishnu avatar Kalki at the time of his birth.
With a bleeding forehead, Ashwatthama roams around the earth and the stories of his encounters with those living abound.

An exceptionally gifted doctor in Madhya Pradesh claimed that he treated a tall dark man with a festering wound for five years without success. He invoked the similarity between his wound and Ashwatthama, upon which the person disappeared.

Near Burhanpur, within the confines of an old rundown fort of Asirgarh a small Shiva temple has a devotee who has been offering flowers since times immemorial perhaps to ask for forgiveness and stop the pain.

Some yogis said that they have had conversations with Ashwatthama who lives among a Bheel tribe in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Prithviraj Chauhan is supposed to have met Ashwatthama and tried to cure his wounds but failed to do so. A book written on him called “Pritviraj Rasso” describes this meeting.

In late 14th, early 15th century there lived in Gadag, Karnaatak, a poor Braahman called Naranappa achieved fame with his rendition of the Mahabharatha in kannada. The story goes that he was told the Mahabharatha as it happened by Ashwatthama himself.

In case you are visiting the foothills of Himalays or to any of the above mentioned places, perhaps you will be blessed with the sight of an old man with a festering wound and a foul smell with an aura of intrigue about him.

Perhaps you too will be blessed with the darshan of a Chiranjeevi, one who is suffering and is in search of death. Do not worry, he will not harm you nor does he have the capacity to harness his legendary powers or any of the Bramhastra. His memory has been wiped out and his knowledge lost! Be brave enough to meet him, in case you sight him! Good Luck!

The Immortals of India….. Chiranjeevi: Where do they live?

THE average person’s introduction to the word Chiranjeevi is mostly through the word being used a prefix for sons or daughters in some languages. Also, popular is the usage in wedding invites whereby the bride and grooms names have the “Chi” suffix. Many will also remember the BR Chopra Mahabharat in which the aashirwad (boon granted by elders when shown respect) of choice was Chiranjeevi Bhava (Be a Chiranjeevi). So what does the actual word mean? It actually is an amalgamation of chiram (long) and jivi (lived). Essentially, a person who has long life or one who does not die.

There is a very poignant Sanskrit vrse or shloka that lists the names of the chiranjeevis. It is believed that recitation of this shloka itself will imbibe you with positive vibes and a long life. The Shloka goes thus.

                Ashwathaama Balirvyaaso Hanumanshcha Vibheeshanaha
                Krupaha Parshuramascha Saptaitey Chiranjivinaha
                Saptaitaan Samsmareynnityam Markandeymathaashtamam
                Jivedvarshshatam Sopi Sarvavyadhivivarjit

The above lines means that by daily remembering these 8 immortals (Ashwatthama, King Bali, Ved Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishan, Kripacharya, Parashuram and Rishi Markandaya) one can be free of all problems and live for 100 years.

There have always been rumors about sightings of the chiranjeevis in India. How even in these modern times they have interacted with men of our times. Especially common are the reports of sightings of Hanuman and Ashwatthama. They live in different forms and it is stated in Bhagvatam the Maha Puranic Text that they will assemble at the end of Kaliyagua at the time of birth Kalki Avatar Sambhala Village, Dravida Desha on the banks of Tamiraparni River.

The chiranjeevis do have a very special purpose. They function as the link between the long ages of human history and evolution. They are destined to function as repositories of ancient knowledge and wisdom. When humanity will have the need for this ancient knowledge, when the very existence of our world will be in peril, it is this ancient knowledge that will be revealed and will save the world.

It is interesting to note that all these chiranjeevis are supposed to be great warriors. Immortality by itself can be looked at a curse or as a boon especially for a warrior. For all others the immortality was a boon, a reward or recognition for the stellar role they played in shaping the events of their times but the shloka starts with Ashwatthama who was given his immortality as a curse.

Why did he get his immortality? And is he condemned to suffer in pain for eternity? We will look into this in the next weeks post.

Chanakyas Immolation : Did he commit suicide by burning himself?

Chanakya lived in a tumultuous time and one cannot start to comprehend the stellar role he played in shaping the events of his time. His tomes “Arthashastra” and “Nitishastra” have lessons for us even after 2000 years and are very much relevant. Economics, Ethics, Politics, Governance, Administration and Philosophy. That is an impressive range of subjects to excel in.

What makes, Chanakya stand out is his practical abilities to see farther than others, influence decisions and make things happen. His success can be gauged by the fact that he was the chief architect of the then greatest empire in India. He ensured that a relatively unknown Chandragupta got crowned at the tender age of 19 and founded the Mauryan Empire. What many people do not know is that with one of his decisions he ensured an heir for the Maurya Empire but bought death upon himself. That too in the most painful way!! Burning himself alive!! Legend has it that one of the most effective way of killing a king was to poison him. Chanakya the ever aware advisor of Chandragupta was himself using this tactic. To ensure that the king would not be affected by the poison, he wanted to build up his immunity. To do this Chanakya unknown to the king would mix a very small amount of poison in Chandragupta’s food. Once when Chandragupta’s wife, the queen was heavily pregnant, she by mistake tasted the food of Chandragupta. Heavily pregnant and in a delicate state, she collapsed and Chanakya was called in. Upon understanding the situation, there were two choices, to save the mother with the antidote but by the time it would act the unborn child would have been dead in the womb by poisoning. Second was to cut open the mothers belly and get the child out before the poison reaches the child. Chanakya dispassionate as ever gave prominence to continuity of lineage rather than mother’s life and the son Bindusara was taken from him mother’s womb in the nick of time. The poison and the cutting of her womb led to the queen’s death. Just a bit of the poison reached the boy and he was marked with a blue tinged dot or Bindu. This was the origin of the name King Bindusara, who succeeded Emperor Chandragupta. The story of his birth was kept secret from him. When in time Bindusara ascended the throne with Chanakya continuing to advise him but another advisor Subandhu wanted the full ear of the Emperor. He gave a perverted version of the story of the emperor’s birth and blamed Chanakya for the death of him mother. Bindusara sidelined Chanakya. The respect his father showed to Chankya was history. Subandhu and the council of ministers kept reminding Bindusara about Chanakya being the killer of his mother. Rather than face the ignominy of a diminished stature, the wrath of a King he had delivered in a kingdom he had created, he chose to end his life. He would immolate himself on a heap of dung cakes in his own chambers. Hearing this a loyal nurse gave the full picture to Bindusara who was racked with guilt and tried to stop Chanakya. But Chanakya had resolved to die. Bindusara in a fit of rage and revenge ordered the killing of Subandhu. In the end Chanakyas death was as spectacular as his life. He lit his own pyre and died as a roaring fireball. He chose to face his creator in death just as he had faced the world in his life, on his own terms and at a time of his choosing.

Ashoka’s Nine Secret Keepers : Alchemy to Gravity Ancient Secrets of Modern Sciences

We all have heard about western secret societies and hidden secrets that they possess. The Da Vinci Code made Dan Brown a household name and sparked an interest in examining ancient documents, stories and legends in a new context. By some accounts the longest continuously running secret society is based right here in India!! In a testament to their success to keep secrets - they are hardly known and just faint rumors are all that abound.

Formed by Ashoka (the idea originating from Chanakya days), the NINE UNKOWN MEN constitute a ultra secret society. Its mission to develop and keep secret nine ancient knowledge streams. They were to use it only to save humanity from cataclysm and extinction. Rumors also abound that they use their knowledge to make the world a better place. The nine knowledge areas or shastras include Pshchology and Propoganda Warfare, Physiology, Microbiology, Alchemy, Communication, Gravitation, Cosmology, Light and Sociology. The leaked portions of the texts have been attributed to the development of various things. Glimpses and hints of the shastras are also strewn in the ancient records being unearthed. Judo with its pressure points and fatal moves is attributed in part to ancient Physiology. The Ancient Sanskrit texts detailing the use and construction of various aircrafts and weapons and its after effects are scarily modern in nature. The Chinese have found Sanskrit texts in Lhasa which describe gravity assist in interstellar travel. There is a record of a Sanskrit scholar building an airplane based on ancient texts which was tested in Mumbai. This was eight years before the first flight by Wright Brothers! The keepers of the knowledge are famously secret. Interaction with outside world is minimal but among those who are suspected to have a contact include Pope Sylvester the Second, Yersin a close confidant of Louis Pasteur and the eminent Indian Scientist and polymath Jagdish Chandra Bose!!! The secret is supposed to be buried in ancient texts and across various temples and inscriptions in India. There is a chance of getting some of the secrets if not the full store of knowledge. It will require a multidisciplinary team of Sanskrit scholars, decoding the Harappan language, scientists and philosophers as well as archeologist. Perhaps one day we will get a believer who will take the mammoth task of building the team and cracking the secrets!! Or else humanity needs to be on the brink for the Nine Unknown Men to Reveal themselves and push us in the right direction. What was the origin of the Nine Unkown Men? How did they decode mysteries in the Chanakya era which even then were ancient? To know more, read the soon to be released mythological thriller “The Indus Challenge”

Geological anomalies and mysteries of our planet.

Our planet is filled with many wonderful geographical and geological anomalies and mysteries. So many so, that we may never truly unlock all of the secrets that nature has tucked away. This is a list of 15 of the more unusual or outright bizarre facts relating to geography, geology, and the earth.

1. Shortest Place Name

The Shortest place name is "Å" it is located in both Sweden and Norway. In Scandinavian languages, "Å" means "river". The image above is one of the newly replaces road signs for the area – they are frequently stolen for their novelty value.

2. Largest City in the World (surface area) 

China with Inner Mongolia highlighted in orange and Hulunbuir city highlighted in red. The largest city in the world – based on surface area, is Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia (China) which is 263 953 km sq (102 000 sq mi).

3. Countries Completely Surrounded by One Other Country

   

Lesotho, Vatican City, and San Marino are the only countries completely surrounded by one other country. Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa, and Vatican City, and San Marino are both completely surrounded by Italy.

4. The Second Longest Geographical Name

The second longest geographical name that is accepted in the world is “Taumatawhakatangihangak oauauotamateaturipukaka pikimaungahoronukupokaiwhe nua kitanatahu” (85 letters) which is a hill in New Zealand – it is a maori phrase which translates to “place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as land-eater, played his flute to his loved one”. It was the longest until recently (though the Guinness Book of Records still regards it as the longest); it has most likely now been supplanted by Krung thep maha nakorn amorn ratana kosin¬mahintar ayutthay amaha dilok phop noppa ratrajathani burirom udom rajaniwes¬mahasat harn amorn phimarn avatarn sathit sakkattiya visanukamprasit in Thailand (163 letters).

Persian Gulf

5. The Coldest and Warmest Sea

Persian Gulf      

The White Sea, in Russia, has the lowest temperature, only -2 degrees centigrade. The Persian Gulf is the warmest sea. In the summer its temperature reaches 35.6 degrees centigrade. 

San Marino

6. World’s Oldest Constitutional Republic

San Marino  

San Marino claims to be the world’s oldest constitutional republic – it was founded in 301 by a Christian stonemason fleeing persecution under Emperor Diocletian. Its constitution of1600 is the oldest written constitution in the world. San Marino is pictured above.

7. The Deepest Hole Ever Drilled by Man

photo source

The deepest hole ever drilled by man is the Kola Super deep Borehole, in Russia. It reached a depth of 12,261 meters (about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles). It was drilled for scientific research and gave up some unexpected discoveries, one of which was a huge deposit of hydrogen – so massive that the mud coming from the hole was “boiling” with it.

Mt. Chimborazo    photo source

8. Farthest Point From Earth's Center & Lowest Place on Earth Crust

Mt. Chimborazo  

Due to the bulge of the earth at the equator, the peak of Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo(20,700 feet or 6,310 meters) is the point farthest from the center of the earth so the mountain claims the title of being the "highest point on earth" although Mt. Everest is still the highest point above sea level. Mt. Chimborazo is an extinct volcano and is about one degree south of the equator. 

The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans, and the lowest elevation of the surface of the Earth's crust. It is currently estimated to be up to 10,971 m (35,994 ft) deep. It is located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands.

source

9. Longest Mountain Chain on Earth

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the Longest mountain chain on earth (at 40 000 kilometers or 25 000 miles). It is located along the middle of the Atlantic. Iceland is the only part of this chain that is above water. The Andes form the longest exposed mountain range at 7 000 kilometers (4 350 miles).

Mt. Circeo   

10. Vowel-Only Geographic Locations

Mt. Circeo   

Mount Circeo on Cape Circaeum on the western coast of Italy was once called Aeaea (5 vowels in a row with no consonants). It was believed in mythology to be the home of the witch Circe. Two other vowel-only geographic locations are the town of Aiea in Hawaii, and Eiao – one of the Marquise Islands.

source

11. The Most Northern, Eastern and Western State in All of America

Alaska is the most Northern, Eastern and Western state in all of America. It is the only state that enters the “Eastern Hemisphere” making it also the most eastern lying and western lying state.

DID YOU KNOW? - SERIES 15

- From Dr.DD’s News Granary 

24 AMAZING HUMAN BODY FACTS 

YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW !!

  

1. You burn more calories sleeping than u do watching television.

2. There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world.

3. In some parts of the world, they protect their babies from disease by bathing them in beer.

4. The word ‘gymnasium’ comes from the Greek word gymnazein, which means ‘to exercise naked.’

5. There are more than 1,000 chemicals in a cup of coffee, of these, only 26 have been tested, and half caused cancer in rats.

6. During your lifetime, you’ll eat about 60,000 pounds of food — that’s the weight of about 6 elephants.

7. During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools.

8. Gently massage the space between your eyebrows to induce deep sleep.

9. Laughter boosts your immune system and decreases stress hormones.

10. Each pound above your ideal weight lowers your life expectancy by 34 days.

11. When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate, and they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate.

12. The human brain can hold five-times as  much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

13. Stress causes ulcers

14. Over 90% of diseases are caused or complicated by stress.

15. There are as many hairs per square inch on your body as a chimpanzee. You don’t see all of them because most are too fine and light to be noticed.

16. Facial hair grows faster than any other hair on the body.

17. Women’s hearts beat faster than men’s do.

18. From all the oxygen that a human breathes, twenty percent goes to the brain.

19. People who ride on roller coasters have a higher chance of having a blood clot in the brain

20. Your brain is 80% water.

21. The brain operates on the same amount of power as 10-watt light bulb.

22. The brain itself cannot feel pain.

23. Feet have 500,000 sweat glands and can produce more than a pint of sweat a day.

24. If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

                                                                                                            Keep Reading …

DID YOU KNOW? - SERIES 14

- From Dr.DD’s News Granary 

Alzheimer’s - The New Financial Sink-Hole of the 21^st century

The story of a happy man facing Alzheimer’s

Here is the story …..

It was about half past eight, one morning when an elderly gentleman in his eighties arrived at a doctor’s clinic to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at nine.

The doctor took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. The doctor saw him looking at his watch and decided, since he was not busy with another patient, he would evaluate his wound.  On examination, the wound appeared to have healed, so the doctor talked to one of the other doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and re-dressed his wound.

While taking care of wound, the doctor asked the elderly man if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning. The aged man said no, he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

The doctor then inquired about her health. He soon learnt that she had been there at the nursing home for a while now and that she was a victim of the Alzheimer’s.

As they talked, the doctor asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied she no longer knew who he was and she had not recognized him in five years now. 

The doctor was surprised, and asked him,  “And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?”

He smiled as he patted the doctor’s hand and said, “She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is!”

The doctor had to hold back tears as the man left, and thought, ‘That is the kind of love I want in my life.’ True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

What do we know about the Alzheimer’s?

The Facts about Alzheimer’s at America

• -         44% American consider this as the most dreadful disease
• -         Some Americans spend more than 100K USD on home nursing care of Alzheimer patients, their Kith & Kin.
• -         Alzheimer’s remains incurable and 100% fatal. People outlive heart disease, cancer & stroke but are hunted by Alzheimer’s. It is the worst way to die, losing one’s mind.
• -         A brain destroyed by Alzheimer’s looks like a rotting Cauliflower. The disease spreads through the brain knocking out the memory, then speech, thinking and the vital functions like swallowing.-          Americans dodge Alzheimer’s by eating fish, flax seed and do crossword puzzles to beat the disease.

We need a medical break through to beat Alzheimer’s. But please continue to love the Kith & Kin down with the disease!

Keep Reading ……………

DID YOU KNOW? - SERIES 13

- From Dr.DD’s News Granary 

Some surprising facts you may not have known!








1). The muscles in your heart have the strength to shoot your blood 10 meters in the air.












2). The body's strongest muscle is the tongue.











3). Statistically, people are more afraid of spiders than they are of dying.












4). Crocodiles cannot stick out their tongue.











5). Butterflies taste with their feet.













6). A cockroach can live 9 days without it's head. It only dies because it cannot eat.











7). Each King on playing cards represent a king in real history.

Spades: King David
Clubs: Alexander the Great.
Hearts: Charlemagne
Diamonds: Julius Caesar.











8). Starfish have no brains.













9). A statue in a park with a soldier on a horse with it's 2 feet in the air means the soldier died in
combat. If the horse has only 1 foot in the air, the soldier died of injuries from combat. If the horse has all 4 feet on the ground, the soldier died of natural causes.















10). Mosquitoes have teeth.













11). Thomas Alva Edison was afraid of dark.











12). During historic civil wars, when troops returned without any casualties a writing was put up so all can see, which can read "0 Killed". From here we get the expression "O.K.", which means all is good.

DID YOU KNOW? - SERIES 12

- From Dr.DD’s News Granary 

The Perfect 100% country

Costa Rica, in Central America, the country with beautiful beaches has branded itself as the green economy of the future. 

93% of its electricity comes from renewable sources. Most of it is Hydro Power. With additional Solar Power, very soon Costa Rica is going to hit 100% mark on Power from Renewable Sources. 

26% of its land is in National Parks. Its forest increased from 41% to 52% over the last decade. Their Per capita income is more than twice of the Central American average. 

Do you intend visiting or migrating to a 100% Green Country? Costa Rica stands out No. 1 Candidate. 

Keep Reading…