What are some lesser known/interesting stories in Mahabharata?

 Kauravas were not 100 they were actually 101.

100 brothers and 1sister

The story goes like this:-

Queen Gandhari : once, sage vyasa came to visit gandhari in hastinapur. Indeed, gandhari took great care of the comforts of the saint and tried to ensure that he had pleasent stay in hastinapur. The saint pleased with gandhari, granted her a boon.

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Gandhari expressed her wish for a 100 sons who could as powerful as her husband. Vyasa, in turn granted her the boon and in due course of time, gandhari was pregnent. However,even though two years had passed, still the baby remained unborn.

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Then, one day, gandhari gave birth to a hard piece of lifeless flesh that was not a baby at all. Gandhari was devastated as she had expected a hundred sons according to the blessing of rishi vyas.

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.Gandhari was about to throw away the piece of flesh. Ved vyas appeared and told her that his blessings could not have been in vain. He asked gandhari to arrange for 100 jars to be filled with ghee.

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Before the process could start gandhari pressed her desire for having a daughter. Ved vyas agreed and then chopped the piece of flesh into 101 pieces and placed them in the jars, promising them that they would develop into the 100 sons and 1 daughter she desired.

What are some lesser known/interesting stories in Mahabharata?

 1.Identity of Vidur as we all know

• As we all know that Vidur was the prime minister of Hastinapur as well as the major advisor to the king Dhritarashtra.
• He was often called as the embodiment of Dharma and the Pandavas had been rescued by Vidur from the cunning plans of Duryodhan and Shakuni in many instances.

But who is Vidur???

• Many years ago a bunch of thieves took something valuable from their king’s palace while he was sleeping and kept them in Rishi Mandavya’s hermitage while he was in meditation.
• After a search operation all the stolen things were collected from Mandavya’s place and the king gave him the insane punishment of impalement.

[Yamamaraja and the sage Mandavya]

• After death he asked Yamaraj about the injustice done to him.
• Yamaraj replied that some insects were impaled by you during your childhood and so that was the cause behind your mode of death.
• Then Mandavya told Yama that his extent of punishment far exceeded his childish sin as an ignorant child.
• Then he cursed Yamaraj to burn in the mortal world in the personification of Dharma as a sudra and to be helpless during the war between Dharma & Adharma in front of you.
• And may be that was the reason why he was born to the maid of Ambalika by sage Vyasa and was appointed as a prime advisor to the king of Hastinapur.
• Eventually when the war was on the verge of commencement,he was helpless for being unable to stop the war because he had not the authority to take any decision regarding the war. At last he resigned from the position.

So we can see that life is all about cause and effects. “When there is a cause,you can’t avoid its effect and if there is an effect,there must be a cause behind it.”

2. When Yudhisthir entered heaven he found all the Kauravas there

Yes you have listened right. It sounds shocking ,right? Well,there is a story behind it. Let’s jump to that story without wasting any more time.

What is the story?

• When the Pandavas along with Draupadi started their journey to heaven one by one died on the way because of their sins except Dharmaraj Yudhisthir accompanied by a dog in the personification of Dharmaraj.
• When Yudhisthir entered heaven,he was shocked to find all the Kauravas there welcoming him. He even shocked more to get to know that his brothers along with Draupadi were in hell suffering their punishment for their respective sins in the mortal world.

Story behind it….

• Actually some generations ago ,king Kuru choose this land(kurukhetra: Land of Kuru) to settle there.
• He performed many yangyas and rituals there for embedding spirituality with the 8 virtues.
• By impressing with this Lord Vishnu gave him a boon that “ Any person dying here doing his/her duty will go to heaven irrespective of other factors”
• As Kshatriya the Kauravas died on that land doing their duty of fighting as warrior. So eventually all of them found themselves in the heaven after their death.

Well,this is the real story.

3.Bheesma: The one and only legitimate heir to the Hastinapur throne

• Well,we all know the story of Mahabharat and its result. In the entire story, all of we are revolved around the Hastinapur throne.
• Sometimes it was Duryodhan and sometimes Yudhisthir. Moreover we fight against ourselves to give resaons for whosoever was eligible for the throne or not.
• I was also shocked and amazed when I got to know about the true fact.
• The fact is that Ganga putra Bheesma was the one and only legitimate heir for the throne of Hastinapur. Let’s rewind from the beginning.
• Bheesma was the 8th son of Hastinapur king Shantanu and Ganga. Then after sometime Shantanu was attracted by the charm and beauty of Satyavati and wanted to marry her.
• So here Bheesma’s vow came into picture to remain celibate for the entire life as Satyavati’s father put a condition before marriage that Satyavati and Shantanu’s son will be the prince of Hastinapur.
• But 2 of their sons Vichitravirya and Chitrangada died early in their life leaving Hastinapur throne empty.
• Here Sage Vyasa came into picture. Vyasa was begeted to Satyavati by Rishi Parasara before marrying to Shantanu.
• So Satyavati requested his son Vyasa to beget his daughter-in-laws.Then Dhritarashtra,Pandu and Vidur were begeted to Ambika,Ambalika and a maid respectively.[NOTE-This was a practice of that time called NIYOGA. Whenever there was a situation of no heir to the throne, because of death of the King, a very pious and pure tapasvi (sage / rishi), who doesn't hold or have even an iota of lust, used to make the queen conceive with one union.]
• Then their lineage continued from Dhritarashtra and Pandu in the form of Kauravas and Pandavas and they continued to fight among themselves for the throne.
• Also another fact is that Even Shantanu was not a Kuru. Bharata lineage was stopped when Bhoomanyu was adopted and made the king of Hastinapur. That was many generations before Shantanu. But considering the time of Mahabharat war,Bheesma was the only legal heir to the Hastinapur theone.

But the fact remains the same that none of them were legally eligible for the throne.

NOTE: All types of comments,suggestions or compliments to improve and modify the answer are welcome.

I will be adding more interesting stories of Mahabharat to my above answer,whenever I find something interesting as well as lesser known.

Thank you for reading.

Special thanks to Thyagarajan KR , Sandesh Balan , Pallavi Alai for their valuable comments for improvement of the answer.

SOURCE:Wikipedia and other internet sites.

What are some lesser known facts about Antarctica?

 The Future Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent. It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14,000,000 square kilometres (5,400,000 square miles), it is the fifth-largest continent. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 km (1.2 mi; 6,200 ft) in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.

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Now coming to some of the information that I gathered from various websites about Antarctica

• You cannot work in Antarctica unless your wisdom teeth and appendix are removed. (Appears to me that your very wise, wisdom teeth could not hang out with your other stupid teeth . LOL)

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• Antarctica is also the world’s driest place.

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• Antarctica has its own domain .aq

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• 53 million years ago, palm trees were growing along its shores.

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• Metallica played a gig in Antarctica called Freeze ‘Em All

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• There used to be a nuclear power station in Antarctica.

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• The existence of Antarctica was completely unknown until 1820, it was considered to be just a group of islands.

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• Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first human to reach the South Pole on December 14, 1911.

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• The Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica divide the continent into East and West sections.

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• Deep Lake in Antarctica is so salty that it cannot freeze, even in temperatures as low as -4° F.

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I'll be adding more facts and amazing pictures for you awesome guys and gals based on the response.

Source:-Antarctica - Wikipedia

15 interesting facts about Antarctica

20 Facts You Never Knew About Antarctica

What are some lesser-known facts about Kodaikanal?

 We lived Kodai for some years as my husband was transferred there.

Some facts about that place

Every third man in Kodaikanal is called “Raja”. So if you forget somebody’s name call him Raja, it may work.

The western sky is multi coloured (blue green, red, orange, violet) in summer evenings . They are a beauty to watch from Coakers walk edge.

Once in twelve years Kodai hills are filled with lavender coloured Kurinji flowers.

There is one Murugan temple.. The famous Kurinji andavar temple. From this temple we can see one of the abodes of Lord Murugan that is the famed Palani Temple on another hill far away.

Wild mushrooms that grow in the wet rainy days are addictive. They cause hallucinations, hence are hunted by trekkers and locals. They are sold secretly for a high price.

The taste of dosas and idlies of Pakiaraj or Bhakiadeepam, I’m not sure, restaurant haven't changed in the past 35 years. They are not perfect but still taste good in Kodai 's cold weather.

There is only one main road in Kodai leading to the bus stand.

Most cottages are beautiful with colourful well maintained gardens and look more like a three dimensional picture post card.

Hotel stays and resorts are more famous than tea and other industries.

We can drive through actual clouds in Kodai. It has more winter and rainy season than Ooty. There is perpetual honey moon scenery in Kodai with permanent mist in the rainy and winter season.

Cycling around the lake is a common sight.

Image source :- Google

What are some lesser-known sights to see when visiting Mumbai, Maharashtra, India?

 1. Banaganga

This historic water tank is believed to have originated back in 1120 AD. This place also has a religious background as it said that it was here that Ram’s brother Lakshman shot an arrow into the ground for the water to flow in from the Ganges. It is maintained very well and the water here is sweet despite being so close to the sea.

2. Sasoon Docks

Built in 1875, this is the largest fish market in the city. Huge quantities of fish are brought here and sold by the Koli fishing community. This is also the oldest dock in the city and a sight one must see.

3. Dhobi Ghat

This place has been mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records. The sight of hundreds of dhobis cleaning, soaking , beating and washing the clothes in complete synchronization is interesting. This is the place where all the clothes from Mumbai’s hotels and hospitals are washed.

4. Pandavkada Falls

Measured to be 350 meters high, these falls flow in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. During monsoons, the surroundings are covered with lush greenery and it also covers the Buddhist caves behind it, making the whole view serene.

5. Dahanu Beach

This place is very close to the Udwada and Sai temples which are significant religious places of the Zoroastrians. The beach has golden sand and sparkling water and since it’s less crowded than other beaches in Mumbai, this is the perfect place to relax even while in the city.

6. Sewree Mangrove Park

If you are in the mood to watch flamingos, the barn swallow or other beautiful birds, this is exactly the place for you. It has 15 acres of mangroves protecting the flora and fauna of the city.

7. Afghan Church

It’s a heritage site with beautiful architecture that marks the long extinct colonial might. The church is dedicated to the British soldiers who fell in the Afghan campaigns in the 19th century.

8. Gilbert Hill

This unique structure stands out in a city like Andheri. It is made up of frozen molten lava and has a height of 200 meters. You can enjoy a stunning bird eye view from the top where there are two temples, one dedicated to Gaodevi and the other to Durgamata.

9. Chhota Kashmir

A lake with ducks and surrounded by trees and gardens is truly a captivating view. A part of the Aarey Milk Colony, this forested area is calm and peaceful – away from the bustling city.

10. Bassein (Vasai) Fort

It is a historic monument that marks the glorious past from the Chalukyas to the Yadavas. The fort stands strong with beautiful intricate designs and greenery around it, offering its visitors a mesmerizing view.

11. Yeyur Hills

Located in the suburban region of Mumbai, it’s one of the most recommended destinations in Mumbai.

What are some lesser known amazing facts about cricket?

 Cricket is a record making and record breaking game.Looks simple but great game having lot of unbelievable happenings.

Some lesser known amazing facts about cricket are here .

: Kapil Dev has appeared in three Hindi films - Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Aryan: Unbreakable and in Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii.

(Image source :zeenewsindia.com)

: West Indies' Leslie Hylton is the only cricketer to be hanged for murder.

(Image source :thelallantop.com)

: Sehwag has scored more centuries than half centuries in Test cricket.

: Sourav Ganguly is a deeply religious person and observes a fast every Tuesday.

(Image source :Souravganguly.com)

: Sachin Tendulkar’s first car was a Maruti-800.

(Image source :cartoq.com)!

: Sachin Tendulkar fielded for Pakistan as a substitute during a one-day practice match against India at the Brabourne Stadium in 1988.

: Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife's name is Navjot Sidhu.

(Image source :amarujala.com)

: Cricket has appeared in the Olympics only twice. The first time was in 1896 in Athens, then in 1900 at the Paris Olympic.

(Image source :thehindu.com)

: Indian cricket team is the only team to be dismissed twice in a single day of a test match.

:Cameron Cuffy is a former West Indies player. He has the distinction of winning a man of the match award in a One Day International without scoring a run, taking a wicket or holding a catch.

(Image source :tribuneindia.com)

:The record for the most consecutive scores of 0 is jointly held by RG Holland of Australia and AB Agarkar of India, with 5 in a row in one day international.

: Vijay Rajindernath was one of the four wicket keepers that India tried out against Pakistan in the 1952–53. He still holds the Test match record for the most stumpings in a complete career without a catch.Four stumpping in his only test match.

(Image source :starsfact.com)

: Because of extremely hot weather, drinks intervals were allowed every two overs in the Australia vs. New Zealand match at Melbourne in January 1988.

:In Test cricket only two father-son pairs have taken 100 Test wickets or more each. Lance & Chris Cairns for New Zealand and Peter & Shaun Pollock for South Africa.

:After scoring 277 runs vs. Australia at the SCG in 1993, Brian Lara of West-Indies named his own daughter Sydney.

:Former English cricketer Bernard Bosanquet a bowler from Middlesex, invented the googly.

(Image source :espncricinfo.com)

:Sachin of India was given a pair of pads by his cricket hero Sunil Gavaskar, when he was a schoolboy. He made his Test debut for India against Pakistan aged just 16-years old in 1989, wearing those pads.

:West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh was nicknamed Duracell for his ability to bowl extremely long spells.

:Throughout history most of the cricket rules suffered modifications. The only rule that did not change over time is the length of the pitch.

Hope you enjoy it.

Edit 1:Kapil Dev has also appeared in hindi movie ‘Iqbal’.