The Ilkano tribe lives in the northern part of the Philippines. They place immense importance on symbols. Do you know: Any black moth or butterfly entering a house is considered a bad omen amongst the Ilkano. The Ilkano people believe that the demise of an individual can be predicted by symbols that may appear in […]
Sugreeva saw Hanuman returning with the two strangers and was satisfied. He seated them and offered them some refreshment after Hanuman had presented Rama and Lakshmana to Sugreeva, and explained their plight. Hanuman was renowned for his wisdom, and Sugreeva realised he spoke the truth when he said, “You will benefit from this friendship, sir.
There was a deep bond between Hanuman and Rama which came to the fore during the rest of the story. Even Lakshmana, who was very cautious about anyone who came to his brother, knew that Hanuman was someone whom he could trust completely. With great love and devotion, Hanuman heard of the reason why the
Not leaving the dead unattended is a custom followed by the Jewish people. Do you know: The person who stays to guard the body of the dead is known as a shomerim. The Jews consider leaving the body of a deceased person as disrespect. Hence, a person or persons must stay with the body. However,
Hanuman was the son of Anjana and Kesari, the monkey king. They both were the devotees of Lord Shiva. When Dasharatha was holding the Putrakameshthi yajna, Shiva sent the wind-god, Vayu, to snatch a part of the prasada and give it to Anjana. Hanuman was born to Anjana and is considered an incarnation of Lord
Rishyamooka mountain was the place where Sugreeva, the monkey king, had taken shelter when his brother Vaali had attacked him and taken away his kingdom and his wife, Tara. He lived there with an army of monkeys and bears. Sugreeva was always alert to the danger of an attack by Vaali, though, under a curse
The Nepalese have very unique and specific rituals involving death and the deceased. Do you know: When someone passes away in a family, the family is not allowed to use salt for three days. When a death occurs in the family, the family must buy or make shoes from any material other than leather. The
Rama and Lakshmana walked towards Rishyamooka mountain, sharing their sorrow and their guilt at leaving Seeta alone, trying to find her all the time. On the way, they came to a hut where Shabari lived. She was a poor forest dweller who had been a disciple of a Rishi Matanga and had been waiting for
Seeta kept crying aloud for Rama as Ravana fled with her in the Pushpaka Vimana. She threatened Ravana telling him of Rama’s powers and sometimes she pleaded with him to let her go. Ravana, however, was deaf to all her pleas. She began to drop the pieces of jewellery hoping that they would provide a
Reincarnation is a popular belief amongst the Hmong people who live in the parts of China, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. Do you know: The funerary rituals of the Hmong begin on Friday and last until Monday, when the dead is buried. During a funeral, the Hmong people play tunes with bamboo flutes, known as the
The Ark of the Covenant was a chest made of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold inside and outside. It is a gold-covered wooden chest supposed to contain the two stone tablets of the 10 Commandments. According to various texts within the ‘Hebrew Bible’, it contained Aaron’s rod and a pot of manna. The casket
As Rama and Lakshmana wandered around looking for Seeta, they were grabbed by a huge monster that was grotesque and frightening. It had a mouth in its belly and one eye on its chest. It could reach out and grab even large animals like tigers and bears and eat them up. Rama and Lakshmana were
As they ran, Lakshmana tried to tell Rama that he had tried, but Seeta had been so upset and insistent that she angrily accused him of having wrong feelings for her. By the time they reached, it was too late. Seeta was not there! The hut was empty. The brothers searched all around but there
Placing text from Ancient Scriptures in the mouth of the deceased is a funerary custom in Thailand. Do you know: Family and relatives pour water over one hand of the deceased as the body is being bathed. Abhidharma are ancient 3rd-century Buddhist Scriptures that contain four syllables, namely ci (symbolizing heart), ce (symbolizing metal concepts),
Ravana dragged Seeta into the Pushpaka Vimana and took off. But Seeta’s cries had been heard by Jatayu, who roosted in the trees close by. He flew down to attack Ravana, his sharp beak and claws tearing into him. A fierce combat followed. But Jatayu’s claws were no match for the sword of the evil