Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>The androgynous god is common to many cultures. </li><li>Attitudes towards gender and sexuality have always been flexible and adaptive. </li></ul>In the cacophonic debates swirling around gender, inside our homes and in the courtroom, the biggest casualty is nuance and civility. Hardened positions and acrimonious exchanges have made it easy for prejudice and bias to take over all discussions—worse still, it has led to a blinkered reading of the past by many. Contrary to what many may believe today, attitudes towards gender and sexuality have always been flexible and adaptive. That is why ancient stories talk of gods that are men and women, about men who can turn into women or become transgender and about women who prefer to be men. Gender in the ancient world is a rocky boat sailing on choppy waters. The androgynous god that is common to many cultures is a sign that there is nothing sacred about the binary framework that we now accept as being set in stone. The Egyptian primeval <keyword id="17396034" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="god-hapi" source="Orion">god Hapi</keyword>, for instance, was depicted as a male with long hair and breasts. Hapi is believed to be the god of vegetation and is one of Egypt’s oldest gods. The Greek god Hermaphroditus was counted as one of the winged love-gods who were known as Erotes. The Erotes are a group of winged gods responsible for love and attraction between humans. According to one legend, Hermaphroditus was once a handsome youth who caught the attention of a nymph called Salmacis. She prayed to be united with him forever and the gods merged their two forms into one. Nymphs in Greek myths and legends rule over springs and lakes and Salmacis, it is believed, acquired special powers after her union with Hermaphroditus and as a result the waters of her spring could transform men who bathed in it, into softer and more feminine beings. In India, the concept of an androgynous deity is found in village and folk gods, but is most famously depicted in <keyword id="33379" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shiva" source="Orion">Shiva</keyword> as <keyword id="2512747" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ardhanariswara" source="Orion">Ardhanariswara</keyword>—the god who is half woman. In Siva Purana, the story goes that Brahma is caught in a dilemma. The creatures that he has created are unable to procreate further and so, he appeals to Siva. The hermaphrodite Siva then splits into two to become Siva and Parvati. Even though today, the figure of the Ardhanariswara is seen as a coupling of Shiva and Parvati, in the oldest stories, it is Parvati who emerges from the androgynous form of Shiva. The epics and myths and legends do not prescribe a single-way to look at gender. Instead, they approach the idea through multiple lenses and let the confusion around it flow into the storylines and character portrayals. In the <keyword id="49038" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mahabharata" source="Orion">Mahabharata</keyword>, for instance, the grand patriarch of the epic, Bhishma tells <keyword id="961418" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="yudhisthira" source="Orion">Yudhisthira</keyword> a story about a king who transformed into a woman and chose to remain one when he had the choice to return to his old form. King Bhangaswana knew life as both man and woman but preferred to retain his female identity because he said, “In acts of congress, the pleasure that women enjoy is always much greater than what is enjoyed by men...” (The Mahabharata, Book 13, <keyword id="7434802" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="anushasana-parva" source="Orion">Anushasana Parva</keyword>, translated by K M Ganguli) Bhangaswana was not born a woman, instead he was tricked into becoming one when he incurred the wrath of the king of gods, <keyword id="17697" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="indra" source="Orion">Indra</keyword>. For a bit of back story, the king was childless and had sought out Indra’s rival Agni for respite from his condition. He was subsequently blessed with a hundred sons. But Indra was seething and one day, when Bhangaswana was out on a hunting expedition, lured him into the deceptively calm waters of a magical lake in the middle of the forest. The king stepped in as a man, but came out of the waters as a woman and after a series of dramatic encounters with former wives, children and courtiers, exiled herself into the forest. She found shelter in an ashram where she began life anew, with an ascetic as partner, and bore him another 100 sons. But Indra continued to inflict pain on the former king until she finally invoked his name in her prayers. Happy to have a new devotee in his fold, Indra appeared before the woman and offered to restore her identity as a male. Much to Indra’s surprise, she refused, choosing to stay a woman for the rest of her life. The fluidity of identities and the freedom to choose one’s gender is evident in another story that is commonly told in Gujarat about Bahuchara Mata, a goddess worshipped by eunuchs. Bahuchara was married to a prince who refused to spend a night with her. Instead, he would mount his horse and trot off into the jungle every night. One night, Bahuchara followed her husband on a rooster, only to discover that the prince would don women’s clothes and spend the night frolicking in the forest. When confronted, the prince begged her forgiveness and said his parents had forced him into marriage so that he could father children. But he was not interested in women. Bahuchara forgave but on the condition that he and those like him would worship her as their goddess. In the Mahabharata when Arjuna opts to spend his year in exile as Brihannala, the narrative makes it very clear that this is not just a case of a man dressed up in woman’s attire. Arjuna transforms into a woman or a transgender, thereby signaling the diversity of human identity. Similarly, in the Mahabharata again, Amba is reborn as Shikhandi—in this case a woman turning into a transgender as opposed to a male Arjuna—because that is the only way she can avenge the insult inflicted upon her by Bhishma. Since he will not fight a woman, she stops being identified as one. It is not that these stories are to be read literally, but they do tell us that gender is fluid, changing and an important part of individual identity and well-being. It needs to be understood and worked upon, not hammered into a singular monolithic framework. The writer is a co-founder of The Mythology Project, a centre that is focused on the study and preservation of folklore and mythology from around the world.

Nothing queer about it: Androgynous gods across cultures is proof there's nothing sacred about the binary framework

<ul><li>Today's parents are concerned about their children's disconnectedness from their culture and heritage.</li><li>However, technology is making it possible to bring stories related to our past and history to children in an engaging way.</li><li>Dr <keyword id="4755913" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rishi-mohan-bhatnagar" source="Orion">Rishi Mohan Bhatnagar</keyword>, President at <keyword id="4123476" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aeris-communications" source="Orion">Aeris Communications</keyword> writes about the potential that technology has to keep the next generation connected to our rich history.</li></ul>There is widespread concern among Indian parents today about the risk that our children might lose their rootedness to our culture. With busy lifestyles, parents are finding it hard to devote the time to impart these cultural values themselves. This gap is often filled by <keyword id="12806323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="audio-visual-content" source="Orion">audio-visual content</keyword> on various electronic devices. Children can access global content on these devices; given their large budgets and extensive creative teams, it is inevitable that children will be drawn to games and videos from content studios in the West. This leads to a homogenization of cultural signals that children are receiving - they will be more aware of the food, culture, and norms of the West than of their own country. Some children are lucky to have their grandparents living with them, and sharing with these kids the rich stories from our itihasas and puranas. But even with grandparents around, children might prefer the sleekly designed, action-packed games and video content on their tablets! Thus, there is a very real risk that our next generation will grow up without much awareness of our rich and ancient culture. As a parent of young children, this is a very personal question for me. While technology could be blamed for some of these problems, I look at it differently. I believe technology can be the greatest tool to take our culture, tradition, and values to the next generation. Provided of course, that we use technology in bold and innovative ways. Here are some thoughts on how we can leverage tech to take Bharat’s treasures to our children: Powerful audio-visual storytelling India is full of great stories and storytellers. Our classical and folk music also have been vehicles to communicate stories from our itihasas and puranas. For urban children of the previous generations who did not have access to folk storytellers, the <keyword id="173109" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amar-chitra-katha" source="Orion">Amar Chitra Katha</keyword> comics were an excellent gateway to the magical world of our gods and culture. What if we upgraded our comic books for tablet-based consumption? What if one could tap onto the page and listen to the sounds of the war from the <keyword id="49038" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mahabharata" source="Orion">Mahabharata</keyword>? If we make digital comics that are really compelling, we can out-compete the alternate options out there. VR-tours of Indian temples and monuments India is a land of architectural marvels. Imagine if our children can put on a <keyword id="2409754" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vr-headset" source="Orion">VR headset</keyword> and go on a virtual tour through the Rajput palaces, or up to the icy slopes of Mount Kailash? The VR experience can include powerful storytelling that educates and excites the children, so that they will want to seek out these monuments by themselves. We can even incorporate games into the VR experience. When games like <keyword id="1011585" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Temple-Run" source="Orion">Temple Run</keyword> are popular, these virtual reality games in real ancient temples can become even more attractive among our children. Holograms of historical figures What if we could bring home some of the figures of our history, in 3-D holographic form? Imagine a birthday party with holograms of little Krishna or Shivaji the great. The personalities from our past will leap out of the pages of our kids’ history books and into their drawing rooms. Will this not plant the desire in them to learn more about these legends? Compelling digital (and physical) games India has a $1.5B market for physical games and toys. Game creators are pushing the boundaries in creativity, and there are games these days that do not just engage children but also educate. But these learning-centric games typically focus on mathematics, general knowledge, and logic. I believe that for our children to be successful, it is equally important for them to have a grounding in Indian value systems. This is not a ‘nice to have’, but a ‘must have’. I have observed many successful people, and their rootedness gives them the strength and clarity to push toward success. The need of the hour is for well-crafted digital and digital-cum-physical games that are built around Indic stories and values. We should embrace tech and use it creatively to our advantage. That is the way forward.

Technology: Helping take culture and heritage to the next generation

<ul><li>DD channels received the highest viewership across genres with 1.9 billion impressions in week 4th and 10th April. </li><li>In fact, <keyword id="6373819" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ramayan">Ramayan</keyword> received 3.5 times more views than yet another mythological epic - Mahabharata. </li><li>The top 5 Hindi news channels — Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, Republic Bharat and Zee news — together received 1.4 bn impressions for the week 4th to 10th April. </li></ul>Indians are not just binge-watching web series but are shifting to old-style TV which grew by 32% the week after April 4. According to CARE Ratings report, TV viewership in India grew to 20.4 billion impressions — total exposure to channels — within a week. Unlike other times, it is not driven by sports as India’s biggest cricketing event, IPL was cancelled. In fact, the top five sports channels received a cumulative 238 million viewers during the same time, as per a CARE Ratings report. “Sports channels are at a sure loss of viewership as well as advertisement income, as most sports events scheduled during this time of the year have either been postponed or cancelled. Other categories such as news, general entertainment channels, movies gained viewership,” the report said. In India, about 298 million households have a TV connection — that’s 66% of the total population. And, there are more than 800 channels that people can browse through. The return of the Golden Era As the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping people locked down in their homes, Doordarshan brought back its Golden Era shows back on TV — Shaktimaan, Mahabharat, and Byomkesh Bakshi. In fact, DD channels received the highest viewership across genre with 1.9 billion impressions in week 4th and 10th April, said the CARE Ratings report. The re-telecast of three-decades-old mythological series Ramayan made DD national the most-watched channel. Its viewership grew 22% within a week (April 4-10). “This TV channel’s popularity can be largely attributed to the telecast of the super hit show ‘Ramayan’, which was initially telecasted on TV in the year 1987. In the week 4th to 10th April, viewership of DD national grew sharply by 22%,” said the report. In fact, Ramayan received 3.5 times more views than yet another mythological epic - Mahabharata. Among the top Hindi entertainment channels were DD national, Dangal, Sony SAB, Big Magic and Zee Cinema. Ramayan and Mahabharat continue to grab the highest number of viewers in India. Other shows which became popular during this week were ‘Pyaar ki Luka Chhupi’, ‘Mahima Shanidev ki’ and ‘Baba Aiso Var Dhundo’. Hindi and Marathi news channels receive highest viewers While people pass time with classics from the 80s, they are also keeping themselves up to date with current affairs. The top 5 Hindi news channels — Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, Republic Bharat and Zee news — together received 1.4 billion impressions for the week 4th to 10th April. “Marathi news category was leading with 552 million impressions, followed by Kannada (484 million impressions), Telugu (417 million impressions), Tamil (387 million impressions), Bangla (286 million impressions), Malayalam (249 million impressions), Oriya (159 million impressions) and Assamese (121 million impressions),” said the report. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/mukesh-ambanis-reliance-industries-loses-30000-crore-in-the-first-few-minutes-of-trading/articleshow/75263790.cms">Mukesh Ambani’s RIL loses ₹30,000 crore in the first few minutes of trading</a>

Ramayan trumps Mahabharata in TV viewership as Indians crowd to DD National

<ul><li>Indian state-owned broadcaster DD National is all set to broadcast Chhota Bheem starting today. </li><li>The popular animation series will air every afternoon between 2 pm to 2:30 PM on DD National from April 17 to May 3, 2020. </li><li>Indian entertainment channel <keyword id="10822" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pogo">POGO</keyword> which is the creator of the show, partnered with Doordarshan. </li></ul>Doordarshan is leaving no stone unturned to engage millions of people during the lockdown. After bringing back all its popular shows including Ramayana and Mahabharata, DD National is all set to broadcast Chhota Bheem, the cartoon show. POGO, an Indian homegrown kids’ entertainment channel and creator of the show, partnered with public service broadcaster Doordarshan to simulcast Chhota Bheem. “These are challenging times and we believe that POGO’s fun-filled, relatable content will keep kids engaged and entertained. We are very pleased to collaborate with a platform as distinguished and popular as Doordarshan,” said Siddharth Jain, Managing Director of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks - South Asia. The popular animation features will air every afternoon between 2 pm to 2:30 PM on DD National starting today (April 17). “The agreement ensures that an even larger number of young viewers across the country will be able to enjoy ‘Chhota Bheem’, one of our most prominent shows,” said Jain. Bringing back the classics After India shut itself down to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, Doordarshan brought back all its classics from the eighties to entertain people. Its mythological show Ramayan gained 174 million viewers within four days of re-telecast. Whereas, it received more than 500 million views between 28 March and 4 April. After successfully engaging millennials with its mythological shows, DD is setting sights of even younger audiences with animated shows. “Chhota Bheem is one of children’s most favourite cartoon character, and we are delighted to bring him on our channel to entertain our young viewers,” Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO Prasar Bharati said. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/lockdown-watchlist-want-to-binge-watch-a-show-that-lasts-a-week-try-these-long-running-shows-on-netflix-amazon-prime-disney-hotstar-and-others/articleshow/75173116.cms">Lockdown Watchlist: Want to binge-watch a show that lasts a week? Try these long-running shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar and others</a>

Chhota Bheem will be a part of Doordarshan along with Mahabharata’s real Bheem

The story of <keyword id="6385850" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan">Raksha bandhan</keyword> is not just about brotherhood only. In India, it transforms into a bond which brings with it, the responsibility of protection. The North Indian festival has assumed importance during the time of wars and strife in a pre-independent era when pillaging was common. Women who had no surviving male relative would tie a <keyword id="6373020" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="rakhi">rakhi</keyword> to friends or acquaintances, who will then take up the role of their ‘protector’. The story of the Rakhi finds mention in mythology too. Draupadi the queen of the Pandavas, in the epic Mahabharata, is believed to have tied a band around Lord Krishna’s arms, which turned into a rakhi. In turn, Krishna saved her with an endless supply of cloth as her husband’s rivals, the Kauravas, tried to disrobe her in an open court. The widowed queen of Mewar, Karnavati, sent a rakhi to Emperor Humayun of the Mughal Empire seeking help when her kingdom was under attack from Bahadur Shah. Humayun obliged and ran to rescue her despite the rivalry between the two families. Though she had immolated herself by the time his army reached the area which is now a part of Rajasthan, he did restore the kingdom to her young son by defeating Shah. The 21st century In the 21st century, Rakhsa bandhan celebrates the brotherly bond. Many Indians now refrain from tying a rakhi only to brothers but also include sisters and even parents into the fold. It has truly turned into a Thanksgiving of sorts where a family comes together and feasts, while honouring those who love and protect each other. Like most other India festivals, Rakhi too is mostly about giving gifts, in exchange for a rakhi. A large number of stores turn into a mini-Christmas offering a variety of options from potpourri, to clothes, to jewelry to spa passes. This is apart from the e-commerce blast on special offers for the day. Now, mutual funds and insurance companies also offer Rakhi schemes, making it an economically significant festival for the country. Whatever the cause and effect, Indians are known to celebrate them all with pomp, glory while sparing no expense.

The social, economical and political relationships that a Rakhi binds

<keyword id="49038" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mahabharata">Mahabharata</keyword> is the greatest epic (by length) in the world, and its popularity in the country has been such that even young kids know the names of the main characters and the sequence in which the events of the epic took place. 
 
However, there are a lot of unknown, albeit interesting, facts from the Mahabharata that you would be astonished to know. 
 
Here are some of the unknown facts from the Mahabharata that would leave you surprised.

These unknown facts from Mahabharata will leave you amazed

With superfluous philosophical depth, <keyword id="49038" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mahabharata">Mahabharata</keyword> is a chronicle which comprises the essence of war, politics, religion, parenting, ethics and Dharma. This grand epic is all about the battle between two collateral branches of the Kuru clan to overpower the throne of Hastinapur. You’ll become tongue-tied after witnessing the vivid records of fundamental philosophers, mighty warriors, critical thinkers, sages and devoted wives of this heroic tale. 
 
With every character having a unique understanding and characteristics, we chose 5 that anyone would love to hire for their organisation

5 Characters from Mahabharata
that you’ll just love to hire

Main stream scientists will hate it, so will the pseudo-intellectuals, but as <keyword id="6417558" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="albert-einstein">Albert Einstein</keyword> had once said, “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge”. Since time immemorial, mankind has been experiencing different kinds of warfare in all the dimensions possible. Back in those days waging war was more or less intended to eliminate evil and to establish truth for which highly sophisticated weapons were used only when they needed it the most to avoid any possible large scale demolition and collateral damage. Yes, that was the power and technology they had thousands years back. <keyword id="49038" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mahabharata">Mahabharata</keyword>: The Influence 

	Mahabharata is one of the two major epics of ancient India and is written in Sanskrit. It consists of the epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War apart from the devotional and philosophical aspects of the goals of life. The Kurukshetra war had witnessed a lot of ancient weaponry which was far more advanced and futuristic than what we posses today.
 The concept of <keyword id="94511" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="astra">Astra</keyword> (Missile) and Dhanush (Launchers) emerged from there. Astra was a supernatural hand-carried weapon blessed by a specific deity. The function of an Astra is more than that of a missile. It is said that Astras used in Mahabharata probably might have also used technologies of emitting most dangerous rays like Gamma and others, which have exceptional powers to penetrate. Some Astras returns to the person who launches it, for instance, Krishna's Sudharsana Chakra. This may be similar to the reusable missiles which the <keyword id="119061" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organization">Indian Space Research Organization</keyword> (ISRO) is working on. How could it be possible to manufacture such advanced weapons, thousands of years ago without knowing the complex technology and without having large scale industrial infrastructure? Well, those weapons were guided by some kind of alien GPS system for long range targets and commanded by the Mantras which are similar to today's log-ins and passwords. 

	Astras were also used for defensive purposes similar to a Tesla Shield which is used to destroy the enemy Astra coming towards it. The modern "Tesla shield" discharges electrical energy and any incoming physical object which hits the shell receives an enormous discharge of that energy and instantly vaporizes. It can also be compared to the anti-missile air defense system of the modern times.
 

	India has a Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM) named Astra. Astra is designed to be capable of engaging targets at varying ranges and altitudes allowing for engagement of both short-range targets (up to 20 km) and long-range targets (up to 80 km) using alternative propulsion modes and the missile is technologically more sophisticated than the nuclear capable Agni missile series of strategic ballistic missiles.
 

	Weapons used in Mahabharata 
	 
	 

	Astras like Brahmashira, Brahmasthra, Pasupatasthra, Vaishnavasthra, Narayana Astra, Agneyasthra, Vayavasthra, Nagasthra, Vajrasthra, Varunasthra etc. were used in Mahabharata along with positive indications of the use of Nuclear weapons, otherwise how could the war cause the death of around 1.5 billion people in a matter of 18 days. The wide degree of devastation found at the site of Mohanjo Daro corresponds exactly to Nagasaki. Davenport, who published his findings in a book named, "Atomic Destruction in 2000 B.C.", in 1979 had said that there was an epicenter about 50 yards wide where everything was crystallized, fused or melted. 
 

	Barbarika, a character in Mahabharata, had the ability to mark its targets either to save it or to destroy it with the help of his unique Astras. Now consider this, India's DRDO has a two-stage missile named Nirbhay which has the capability of picking out a target and attacking it among multiple other objects. The missile also has a loitering capability, i.e., it can circumvent a target and perform several maneuvers and then re-engage it. 
 

	The Vedic Concept
 

	The Vedas (meaning “knowledge”) comprises of four ancient Indian texts, with the oldest dating back about 1500 BC to 1200 BC. They are also the oldest writings of Hinduism. The four texts of the Vedas include Rigveda, Yajurveda, Sama-Veda, and Atharva-Veda. 
	 The Vedas influenced many from <keyword id="903829" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nicola-Tesla">Nicola Tesla</keyword> to Bohr and inspired them to explore the new vistas of science and technology and to imagine the unimaginable. Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrödinger regularly read Vedic texts. Heisenberg stated, “Quantum theory will not look ridiculous to people who have read Vedanta.” Vedanta is the conclusion of Vedic thought. 
	 <keyword id="75565" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Henry-David-Thoreau">Henry David Thoreau</keyword> said: "In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita... in comparison with which... our modern world and its literature seems puny and trivial." 
	 <keyword id="2933609" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Julius-Robert-Oppenheimer">Julius Robert Oppenheimer</keyword>, the principle developer of the atomic bomb, stated that "The Vedas are the greatest privilege of this century." During the explosion of the first atomic bomb, Oppenheimer quoted several Bhagavad-Gita verses from the 11th chapter, such as: 
	 
	 

	"Death I am, cause of destruction of the worlds..." 
	 
	 

	When Oppenheimer was asked if this is the first nuclear explosion, he significantly replied: "Yes, in modern times," implying that ancient nuclear explosions may have previously occurred. 
	 
	 

	It is said that science and religion are not different; it's just that science is too young to understand it. Mahabharata and the Vedas have influenced a generation of the scientists and is still relevant in creating the cutting-edge advanced and futuristic technologies for the mankind including the modern weaponry and warfare.

Why Mahabharata and the Vedas still influence modern weaponry and combat science

The official trailer of the much-awaited <keyword id="21381643" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sci-fi-epic" source="keywords">sci-fi epic</keyword> <keyword id="19982502" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalki-2898-AD" source="keywords">Kalki 2898 AD</keyword> finally dropped and we think it’s safe to say that the creators do their best to transport us to a dystopian future set nearly a thousand years into the future. With a budget of approximately 600 crore rupees and a star-studded cast, Kalki offers a glimpse into a world teetering on the brink. The film takes inspiration from <keyword id="19982997" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindu-mythology" source="keywords">Hindu mythology</keyword>, with Kalki, the 10th incarnation of Vishnu, destined to restore balance during humanity's darkest hour. Directed by <keyword id="19982503" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nag-Ashwin" source="keywords">Nag Ashwin</keyword>, Kalki 2898 AD features <keyword id="19897073" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prabhas" source="keywords">Prabhas</keyword> in the titular role. Joining him on this epic journey are legendary actors <keyword id="19927390" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deepika-Padukone" source="keywords">Deepika Padukone</keyword>, <keyword id="19898963" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amitabh-Bachchan" source="keywords">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword>, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani. Kalki promises a grand visual experience, transporting viewers to a world unlike anything seen before in Indian cinema. In fact, Prabhas himself bragged about the film's global appeal, stating in a recent interview that Kalki 2898 AD is "made for international [audiences]. With its high production value, stellar cast, and epic storyline, the film has the potential to be a true game-changer for Indian cinema on the world stage. The visual effects and attention to detail in the film are garnering a lot of accolades. Viewers are also very excited about Deepika and Amitabh dubbing the Telugu lines themselves! However, there’s been mixed reviews about the trailer so far — the dialogue delivery, in particular. <div type="twitter" handle="Kshamik4" handlename="Kshamik4" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1800167915133730926"></div>Apart from these concerns, many are also wondering if the main characters are somewhat typecast — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After the mind-boggling success that the Bahubali franchise saw, Prabhas was dubbed the first pan-Indian star. Since then, the actor has delivered several films with openings that crossed a whopping 100 crore rupees. Prabhas does seem committed to the whole high stakes but visually appealing genre (think Saaho or Adipurush), but the schtick doesn’t seem to be doing him any favours, as almost all of his movies since Bahubali haven’t really succeeded, some fans pointed out. <div type="twitter" handle="SumitkadeI" handlename="SumitkadeI" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1800221570310279530"></div>Now that the Telugu star is attempting another such film, we can only hope that he will be able to redeem himself and this particular genre. Then comes Deepika Padukone! While the global star is no-doubt a superb addition to the movie, the soon-to-be mother has taken mothering to a whole new level. Displaying a noticeable baby bump in the trailer of Kalki, Deepika has jogged our memory with her other recent performances in a maternal role. In Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, she assumed the role of Shiva’s (played by Ranbir Kapoor) mother. And in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan, she played King Khan’s mother as well! But the question that remains is if Deepika deliberately chooses to play more significant maternal characters or is this merely a coincidence? <div type="twitter" handle="htcity" handlename="htcity" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1800512346248651239"></div>And now that we think about it, isn’t veteran legend Amitabh Bhachan also seems to be playing a character rather similar to the one he played in Brahmastra — that of a sage and wise old mythological guru with a purpose? In Kalki, Amitabh Bachchan is playing the character of Ashwatthama, who played an important role in the Mahabharata. Anyhoo, we’re very excited to see how these actors, along with the rest of the talented cast, perform. This ambitious project is being produced by <keyword id="20291210" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vyjayanthi-Movies" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Vyjayanthi Movies" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Vyjayanthi Movies">Vyjayanthi Movies</keyword> and is set to be released worldwide on June 27. Audiences can expect a spectacle across theatres, with the film releasing in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and English. The story, however, is even bigger. Due to the extensive amount of footage shot, the makers have decided to release the film in two parts. This ensures that every crucial scene and character gets the spotlight they deserve.

Kalki 2898 AD’s trailer is out and the film looks grand. But have Prabhas, Deepika & Amitabh been typecast?

New Delhi, The young contestant <keyword id="133007" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jaskaran-singh" source="Orion">Jaskaran Singh</keyword>, who became the first crorepati on the 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' season 15, could not win Rs seven crore, as he failed to answer the question on Indian mythology. The 21-year-old Jaskaran, who hails from a small village Khalra, Punjab, which is at the cusp of the Indian border, aspires to become an IAS officer. In the episode 17th of the quiz-based reality show, hosted by megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Jaskaran won the hearts of the actor as well as the audience with his display of knowledge. However, after winning Rs one crore, Jaskaran was not able to answer the Rs seven crore question and he decided to quit the game. Big B lauded his decision to quit the game at the high risk point. The question of Rs 7 crore was: According to the Padma Purana, which king had to live as a tiger for a hundred years due to a deer's curse? The options given were- Kshemadhurti, Dharmadatta, Mitadhvaja and Prabhanjana. After reading the question, Jaskaran said: "Sir I have not heard of the them before. Mythologies such as the Mahabharata or Ramayana are on television. I have watched the shows B. R. Chopra's show Mahabharata and Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana. It's very difficult. I quit." The correct answer was 'Prabhanjana'. Speaking about the answer in detail, Big B said: "It's mentioned in the Puranas, that documents social, cultural, religious, and political views. This story is a part of Padma Purana. It goes like once upon a time, King Prabhanjana killed a deer, when she was feeding her child. The deer got upset and cursed King Prabhanjana to lead a tiger's life for 100 years." 'Kaun Banega Crorepati 15' airs on Sony. --IANS sp/svn

KBC 15 - After winning Rs 1 cr, Jaskaran fails to answer Rs 7 cr question on Indian mythology

<ul><li><keyword id="419945" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-cap" source="Orion">Small-cap</keyword> funds emerged as a clear favourite, attracting substantial inflows of ₹4,265 crore in August.</li><li>After witnessing net inflows of ₹61,440 crore in July, <keyword id="151916" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="debt-mutual-funds" source="Orion">debt mutual funds</keyword> recorded net outflows of ₹25,873 crore in August. </li><li>August 2023 witnessed SIP inflows surging to a record new high of ₹15,810 crore. </li></ul>In August, there was a surge in net inflows into equity-oriented schemes, reaching a five-month peak at ₹20,245 crore. This marked a substantial increase from the ₹7,626 crore recorded in July, as reported by the Association of <keyword id="6357979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="Orion">Mutual Funds</keyword> in India (AMFI). According to ICRA analytics, <keyword id="6391506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity" source="Orion">equity</keyword> investments experienced inflows during August, partly due to a slight decline in the Nifty index. This dip served as a consolidation phase and created an attractive opportunity for value-oriented investors. Furthermore, there has been a growing trend of increased inflows from individual investors in this period. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Small-cap and mid cap funds still going strong" comment="Subhead" text="Small-cap and mid cap funds still going strong">Small-cap and mid cap funds still going strong</cmsannotation> Among equity-oriented mutual funds, August witnessed varying patterns of investor sentiment. Small-cap funds emerged as a clear favourite, attracting substantial inflows of ₹4,265 crore, reflecting investors' eagerness to tap into the growth potential of smaller companies, albeit with a higher risk profile. Meanwhile, mid-cap funds followed suit, garnering significant interest with inflows amounting to ₹2,512 crore. However, the <keyword id="136469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="large-cap" source="Orion">large-cap</keyword> funds witnessed net outflows of ₹349 crore. Focused funds and ELSS funds also experienced outflows of ₹471 crore and ₹27 crore, respectively, during this period. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Debt mutual funds witness net outflows" comment="Subhead" text="Debt mutual funds witness net outflows">Debt mutual funds witness net outflows</cmsannotation> After witnessing substantial net inflows of ₹61,440 crore in July, there was a reversal as debt mutual funds recorded net outflows amounting to ₹25,873 crore. Major outflows were observed across nine out of the sixteen fund categories. Several factors contributed to this shift in investor behaviour. First and foremost, as the festive season approaches, concerns regarding rising inflation loom large. Investors also closely monitored the RBI's policies, given the central bank's commitment to maintaining a vigilant stance on inflation, akin to Arjuna's unwavering focus in the epic Mahabharata. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Investors continue to park their money in mutual funds" comment="Subhead" text="Investors continue to park their money in mutual funds">Investors continue to park their money in mutual funds</cmsannotation> Overall, investors continued to exhibit a strong interest in mutual funds, displaying a consistent pattern of inflows and contributions, particularly through systematic investment plans (SIPs). August 2023 witnessed SIP inflows surging to a record new high of ₹15,810 crore. This represented a substantial 3.7% increase when compared to the previous month, and it showcased an impressive year-on-year growth rate of 24.6%, according to Indian Mutual Fund Tracker by Motilal Oswal Financial Services. The total assets under management (AUM) of industry increased by approximately 19 percent, reaching ₹ 46.63 lakh crore by August 31, 2023, compared to ₹39.33 lakh crore on August 31, 2022, as per ICRA Analytics. During the same period, the industry's average assets under management (AAUM) for August 2023 amounted to ₹46.93 lakh crore, up from ₹39.53 lakh crore in August 2022. Says Ashwini Kumar, Head Market Data, ICRA Analytics, “The Indian equity markets has been witnessing a rally backed by upbeat domestic macroeconomic data, a sense of optimism around India’s growth prospects and positive global cues. This rally in equity markets might have prompted investors to look at equity-oriented schemes.” Furthermore, it appears that investors are taking a cautious stance, waiting to see how the situation regarding interest rates unfold, which may have resulted in a higher volume of withdrawals from debt schemes.

Small and mid-cap funds record net inflows in August, SIPs hit a record

Drawing inspiration from <keyword id="6359315" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="arjuna" source="Orion">Arjuna</keyword>'s prowess in archery during the Swayamvar of Draupadi in the epic Mahabharata, <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rbi" source="Orion">RBI</keyword> Governor <keyword id="6359111" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="Orion">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> said the central bank is zeroing in on inflation. He also said, "Our constant endeavour is to keep an eye on inflation, which is our primary target." While addressing the FIBAC 2022 Conference, the <keyword id="6354335" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="Orion">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) Governor on Wednesday said, "In Mahabharata, the great warrior and archer Arjuna was aiming at the eye of the revolving fish. There was a fish and the fish was revolving and he was looking at it through a pool of water which was underneath. I'm quite certain that he would have certainly assessed the speed at which the fish was revolving, the wind conditions prevailing, the intensity of the ripples in the pool of water below, the noise levels in the kings' court and similar other factors," and added that, "Our constant endeavour is to keep an eye on inflation, which is our primary target." FIBAC 2022 Conference is jointly organised by FICCI and Indian Banks Association. Das said, "When international prices of wheat went up, in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> despite India being a surplus in the foodgrain, our domestic wheat prices also went up. Crude prices hit USD 130 per barrel. So on February 24, when Ukraine and Russia war started, it completely changed the entire picture." Talking about curbing inflation, he said, "Because of the inflation-targeting framework, till Covid-19 hit our country or the world, our average CPI (consumer price index) inflation was 3.9 per cent from 2016 to February 2020. Similarly now, when the war started this year in February, in April we announced in our monetary policy the number of measures that were taken." Talking about the current state of the economy, Shaktikanta Das said, "Now, where do we stand today, the growth momentum has been sustained. Inflation is expected to moderate. Banking and the entire financial sector is stable and resilient, it has withstood multiple shocks. Balance sheets of the banks are today looking very robust. The corporate sector balance sheets are also strong. The MSME sector has also withstood the crisis." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/with-challenges-carefully-firewalled-indian-economy-now-is-very-attractive-for-investors-fm/articleshow/95255527.cms">With challenges carefully firewalled, Indian economy now is very attractive for investors: FM</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/this-is-indias-decade-and-gdp-is-likely-to-cross-7-5-trillion-by-2031-says-morgan-stanley/articleshow/95256483.cms">This is India’s decade and GDP is likely to cross $7.5 trillion by 2031, says Morgan Stanley</a>

RBI keeping Arjuna's eye on inflation, says Governor Shaktikanta Das

<ul><li>Indians buy <keyword id="18712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword> on <keyword id="126295" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="akshaya-tritiya" source="Orion">Akshaya Tritiya</keyword> as it is believed that the day symbolises good luck, success and fortune.</li><li>This year Akshaya Tritiya falls on April 22 and companies are offering multiple ways consumers can buy gold.</li><li>Gold has risen 15% since the last Akshaya Tritiya on May 3, 2022.</li><li><keyword id="46002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="Orion">Gold prices</keyword> scaled a record high of ₹61,660 per 10 gm on April 19, 2023 in Mumbai.</li></ul>Akshaya Tritiya also known as Akha Teej is a Hindu festival considered to be a highly auspicious and sacred day – and a good day to buy gold and properties. As per mythology, a number of events took place on Akshaya Tritiya, making it an auspicious day. For instance Maharishi Ved Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata, is believed to have started narrating the epic to Lord Ganesh on this day. This year Akshaya Tritiya falls on April 22, Saturday. And gold has risen 15% since the last Akshaya Tritiya on May 3, 2022, according to Quantum AMC. Gold prices hit a record high at ₹61,660 per 10 gm on April 19, 2023 in Mumbai. “This Akshaya Tritiya seems like an opportune time to load up your purchase as the macroeconomic backdrop and risk-reward dynamics seem to favour gold and the downside looks limited,” said Ghazal Jain, fund manager- alternate investments, Quantum AMC. The yellow metal is considered as a hedge against inflation and a safe haven compared to assets like equities, bonds and currencies. A mild recession and weaker earnings have historically been gold-positive. A further weakening of the dollar as inflation recedes could provide support for gold. The current uncertain macro environment triggered by the war between Russia and Ukraine, high inflation across the globe, rising interest rates and now the banking crisis in the US and Europe – all make a case for buying gold. “Domestic gold prices are derived from international gold prices. International gold prices are priced in US dollars and hence the dynamics of the US economy are big drivers of gold prices. Expectations of a monetary policy pivot by the Federal Reserve are gathering steam after a regional banking crisis in the United States made the economic impact of higher interest rates apparent,” said Jain. “Further deterioration in economic conditions could drive risk aversion, hurt risk assets and lead gold prices up,” she said. Soaring gold prices have led Titan’s jewellery arm Tanishq to reinstate its advanced booking option, allowing buyers to lock in the price of the yellow metal ahead of Akshaya Tritiya. It has also amplified its gold-exchange programme and introduced an affordable range of jewellery to woo consumers. From gold jewellery and coins to gold ETFs or exchange-traded funds, there are multiple ways in which one can invest in gold. Here are some ways to invest in gold: <keyword id="36023" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gold-coins" source="Orion">Gold coins</keyword> You can buy gold coins from MMTC-PAMP – a joint venture between Switzerland-based bullion brand PAMP SA and MMTC, a Government of India Undertaking. You can also buy them from non-government sources such as jewellers and bullion traders. <keyword id="2754241" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sovereign-gold-bonds" source="Orion">Sovereign gold bonds</keyword> Sovereign gold bonds (SGB), a substitute to physical gold, is a paper issued by the government that is denominated in terms of grams of gold. Basically, SGBs give investors an exposure to gold, but not in a physical form like gold bars or jewellery. The Indian government had initiated the investment options in 2015 as an alternative to owning physical gold. These bonds have a term of eight years with a lock-in period of five years. However, that does not necessarily mean that the investment needs to be compulsorily held till maturity. Investors can opt for premature redemptions. Additionally, gold bond investors have the option of selling the bonds anytime on the stock exchanges. Gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) Gold ETFs are passive investment instruments that invest in gold bullion, and aim to track the domestic physical gold price. In other words, Gold ETFs are units representing physical gold which may be in paper or dematerialised form. ETFs reflect the current gold prices unlike physical gold prices, which vary across India depending on local taxes in each state, transportation cost and other related costs. Since ETFs are listed on an exchange, they offer high liquidity. You can buy or sell your holdings at any time during the day at the real-time price of gold. <keyword id="1024100" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gold-mutual-funds" source="Orion">Gold mutual funds</keyword> Gold mutual funds are a type of mutual fund that invest their corpus in various gold forms including physical gold and gold mining companies. The performance of gold funds is dependent on the movement of stock prices of these companies. Since gold mutual funds are actively managed by a fund manager, it has the potential to offer higher returns as compared to gold ETFs that mimic a market index. <keyword id="4465249" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Digital-gold" source="Orion">Digital gold</keyword> It allows you to purchase the precious metal online, but eliminates the need to physically store it. Digital gold can be bought online through fintech platforms like Groww, Kuvera etc., and through brokers as well. The gold purchased as digital commodity will be stored in insured vaults by the seller on behalf of the customer. All you need is internet/mobile banking and you can invest in gold digitally anytime, anywhere. Moreover, you can invest an amount as low as ₹10. Here is how to invest in digital gold via fintech platforms: <ul><li>Signup on the fintech platform to start the investment</li><li>Enter an amount in rupees or grams</li><li>Complete the know-your-customer (KYC) process</li><li>Pay for the investment</li><li>Store your gold in a secured locker</li><li>Later, when you sell you can choose to sell your gold digitally on the platform or take physical delivery of the gold. You can request for a doorstep delivery of your gold in the form of coins or bullion. </li></ul> SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/rils-q4-to-be-driven-by-sustained-momentum-in-retail-business-o2c-to-see-modest-growth/articleshow/99629278.cms">RIL’s Q4 to be driven by sustained momentum in retail business, O2C to see modest growth</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/condom-maker-mankind-pharmas-4326-crore-ipo-to-open-next-week-on-april-25/articleshow/99614288.cms">Condom maker Mankind Pharma’s ₹4,326 crore IPO to open next week on April 25</a>

You Searched For "mahabharata" and got 13 results

Nothing queer about it: Androgynous gods across cultures is proof there's nothing sacred about the binary framework

Arundhuti Dasgupta

Technology: Helping take culture and heritage to the next generation

Guest Author

Ramayan trumps Mahabharata in TV viewership as Indians crowd to DD National

Preeti Soni

Chhota Bheem will be a part of Doordarshan along with Mahabharata’s real Bheem

Preeti Soni

The social, economical and political relationships that a Rakhi binds

Katya Naidu

These unknown facts from Mahabharata will leave you amazed

Nandini Sharma

5 Characters from Mahabharata that you’ll just love to hire

Gaurav Sangwani

Why Mahabharata and the Vedas still influence modern weaponry and combat science

Avinash Kumar

Kalki 2898 AD’s trailer is out and the film looks grand. But have Prabhas, Deepika & Amitabh been typecast?

Ashmita Gupta

KBC 15 - After winning Rs 1 cr, Jaskaran fails to answer Rs 7 cr question on Indian mythology

IANS

Small and mid-cap funds record net inflows in August, SIPs hit a record

Anagh Pal

RBI keeping Arjuna's eye on inflation, says Governor Shaktikanta Das

ANI

Here are the many ways you can invest in gold this Akshaya Tritiya

Bhakti Makwana

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides