What are some misconceptions about Lord Hanuman?

 The common misconceptions about Lord Hanuman are ::

• Lord Hanuman has a monkey face, but the truth is He is Vanara ( nara (people) who live in Vana ( forests), so you can conclude that Lord Hanuman was a tribe or Kimpurusha, having few features of animal too. And Hanuman in sanskrit means a man with disfigured jaw.
• Females should not worship Lord Hanuman or even touch His idol, since He is Brahmachari, a celibate. But the truth is, all women can worship Him as he treats them as his mother, in the same way how he treated Sita devi as mother.

• Lord Rama left to vaikunta after his avatar purpose was fulfilled and few say Hanuman too left, but the truth is Lord Hanuman didn't accompany him, instead chose to stay back here on Earth. He is still present on this Earth, doing meditation by chanting Rama’s name. That is the reason, even today whenever Ramayana is recited in any place, a seat is kept empty in the Audience for Lord Hanuman.
• Lord Hanuman is not a mythical character, He is the most important Lord in Ramayana, who was born only to do service to Sri Rama. there is mention of Hanuman as God Shiva's Ansh ( form / child / possessing few qualities) in Skanda Purana and the Bhavishya Purana.

Source :: Pravachanam by Paripoornananda Saraswati garu.

Do you know any random, interesting facts?

 If you search for "241543903" on Google Images, you'll see many pictures of people with their heads inside refrigerators.

Because sniper bullets travel so far that the target moves due to the Earth's rotation, the shooter needs to adjust their aim.

Snails can sleep for up to three years.

The probability of you being born was approximately 1 in 400 trillion.

The giant Galapagos tortoise, which was thought to have been extinct for 100 years, has recently been discovered.

Corn is grown on every continent except Antarctica.

Playing brain training games is one of the best ways to avoid stress and anxiety.

When a hippo opens its mouth wide enough, it can fit a child up to 4 feet (approximately 122 cm) tall inside.

The tongue is the most powerful muscle in the human body.

Nile crocodiles can hold their breath underwater for up to two hours while waiting for prey.

Clouds can weigh over 1 million pounds (approximately 453 tons).

What are some must-watch Bollywood movies which did not do well at the box office?

 You guys have already mentioned almost every good Bollywood movie that didn't do well at the box office.

I would just like to add one more to the list- GO GOA GONE

Image from google

I honestly really liked this movie. I think this was the first zombie movie that bollywood has ever made. It is one of those that has comedy, action, horror and zombies, all mixed up. The dialogue were funny and the characters are entertaining. It knows exactly what it is, and that’s what makes it fun to watch.

I think this movie was a little ahead of its time. Back then many people were not interested in a zombie comedy made in Bollywood. But over the years, I have seen so many people say that they enjoyed it after watching it later.

What are some lesser known facts about Amarnath Temple?

 The journey to the Amarnath cave temple is considered as the most difficult one.

The lesser known facts about Amarnath temple are ::

• The Amarnath shrine is located in the Himalayan region of South Kashmir which is about 141 km from Srinagar and is situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters (12,756 feet).

The story behind the Amarnath Jyothirlinga,

• One day on mount Kailash, Goddess Parvathi asked Shiva “ Hey Lord ! Why do you always wear the Munda_mala, Garland of skulls around your neck, Whose skulls are these Mahadev “?

Then the Mahadev says “ my dear, whenever you take avatar ( birth in the form of a human), then one kapala gets added to this Garland”.

Parvathi further says “ Swamy ( Lord), why is it that I'm being born again and again, but you are never born again “?

Shiva says “ That is the secret of the immorality, the secret of life and death dear. I can't tell you in this place, let's go to a spot where there are no living beings, and there I would reveal the secret to you. Saying this God Shiva, Parvathi and His family started their journey to the Amarnath cave.

On the way to the cave, God Shiva left all his family members in the middle and reached with only Parvathi to the cave.

• The Place where Shiva left His mount Nandi, came to be known as Pahalgam or Bailgam ( bail means bull in Hindi). This place is 100 kms away from Srinagar.
• From a distance of 16 kms from Bailgav, Shiva renounced Moon at a place called Chandravad.
• After few miles, Shiva left His ornament Vasuki, the cobra king at a place called Sheshnaag ( this place is a combination of seven Hills present there) .
• Later Shiva gave up Lord Ganesh at a place called Mahaguna and later gave up the Holy River Ganga from His hair, at a place called Panchatarini.
• Shiva kept His trishul outside, at the entrance of the cave.
• After leaving them all, Shiva and Parvathi entered into the Amarnath cave.
• After entering into the cave, Shiva made a huge sound with His damru, hearing to that sound, all the birds present in the cave flew away.

• Then Shiva told the secret of life and death and immortality to goddess Parvathi. Shiva did not observe that, in the corner of the cave, two pigeon eggs were present and they hatched and two baby pigeons were born, so this two pigeons heard the entire story.
• Shiva says “ Since these two pigeons have heard the secret, they will be immortal and whoever sees this birds gets the highest virtue, from today on wards, we two will be in this pigeon form “.

• Few people who went to the Amarnath cave, reported to have seen the pigeons.
• Shiva manifested himself into the Ice linga in the cave to bless His devotees.
• It's a popular belief that, Sage Kashyapa created many water streams ( rivers) in the mountains surrounding this cave.

• And it was sage Bhrigu, who visited this cave first and made it popular to others.
• This temple is open only in the summers, that too for a period of 45 days ( July and August month).
• When summer starts, the ice starts to melt and the iced water forms into a Linga.

• It is said that, during many foreign invasions, people stopped visiting this temple from 12 th to 15th century.
• In 15 th Century, one day a person named Bhuta malik went to graze his goats and yaks in the mountain. Then a Sadhu came and handed him a bag of coal pieces. But when Bhuta malik went home and opened the bag, he saw full gold coins in place of coal. He was very happy and he went in search of that Sadhu to thank him, in the process he finds this cave and again people started to worship the Iced Linga.

Source :: Amarnath story in Hindu dharmam channel, Shiva purana and devon ke dev mahadev hindi series.

What are some of weird fashions of Priyanka Chopra?

 Priyanka might be stunning and all kinds of exotic but she often tries too hard to stand out with her style. She has an incredible height and stellar curves and yet Priyanka often fails to impress the fashion police. While her fans blame her stylist, some people blame the actress for having questionable fashion sense. So, what are her most embarrassing fashion fails?

Just too bleh

Priyanka showed up in the Screen Actors Guild award in a very random gown which had bizarre pink embroidery and it did nothing to highlight her features. Not only was her wardrobe criticised, but haters noted that her hairdo was too dated and her makeup was too blah.

Why doesn't she get it right?

For one of her New York Fashion Week outings, Priyanka chose the weirdest combos. She chose a printed top with a faux fur jacket and the colours clashed with each other. Moreover, she wore too much makeup which ruined her ensemble.

Is that a tablecloth?

Remember when Priyanka wore a questionable plaid outfit and critics panned her? Priyanka might have styled herself for this one and opted for a really ridiculous printed number. The colour palette and the height of this number both went against Priyanka's silhouette.

Just so grey

For one of her Hollywood outings, Priyanka chose a totally mellow grey number which was a very wrong choice. Not only did the number made her look boxy and larger than she is but also did nothing for her skin tone.

Just too much

Fans have often slammed Priyanka for trying too hard to look cool. For one of her errand runs, Priyanka chose a crop top and a leather skirt. What could have made for a very stylish number, made Priyanka look quite tacky.

Why so yellow?

Priyanka recently wore a Prabal Gurung number while promoting Quantico in Manhattan which made her look like a grandma. Not only was the colour unflattering on her but the dress covered up her curves and made her look older and fatter.

Print overload, much?

For a Global Citizen concert, Priyanka chose a short printed number and knee-high boots cut from the same print. The number stood out in the oddest fashion and Priyanka ended up looking quite ridiculous. Priyanka was obviously going for a quirky millennial look, but it’s always better if she sticks to basic fashion rules, considering how wrong she can be.

Too blue, too bleh

For the premiere of her debut Hollywood film, Priyanka chose something remarkable tawdry. The blue ill-cut gown looked like it belongs at a thrift store, lus Priyanka paired it up with a really plain hairdo. She not only ended up looking rounder but also looked older amid a sea of younger actors.

She wore mafia red

In one of her latest outings, Priyanka opted for an all-red ensemble, which was a three-piece suit. Not only did it look like she was wearing pyjamas and a coat, but she made the wrong choice for going such an unflattering suit, especially at peak summer.

Almost too golden?

Remember her Golden Globe disaster when she turned up looking like the trophy herself? Priyanka has a habit of picking an outrageous colour and going overboard with it, but it often doesn’t work for her. Layering and colour-blocking is obviously her friend, and monochrome is not.

Too shiny, too confused

Priyanka really needs to hire a new stylist as her current one does not get her style. For a recent outing to Jimmy Fallon’s talk show, she wore a very blingy number which covered her up and ended up looking like a sack. Priyanka often goes for the wrong designers and picks out pieces which don’t look like they are couture.

No to double denim

Double denim is some women’s best friend but it’s not for everyone. Priyanka opted for these denim block number which had a weird slit and was cut all wrong. Not only did it not fit her well, but made her look out of shape. Plus, she had too much makeup on and it ruined her whole look.

Hell bent for leather

Priyanka clearly loves making statements but some statements are not for everybody, For an errand run in New York, Priyanka chose a leather dress which ended up looking comical, Not only was it inappropriate for day wear but Priyanka couldn’t pull it off.

Why the ‘80s bling?

For one of her promotional events Priyanka wore something which she obviously wasn’t comfortable in. When it comes to sparkly short dresses, comfort is key. But Priyanka’s dress was not just too short but was just too blingy and made Priyanka look dated.

Way too much pink

A good colour palette always helps an ensemble and if there’s somebody who needs it, it’s Priyanka. Priyanka’s single-colour technique often makes her look tawdry and outrageous. This pink number for instance, which is just too pink and not a fit for Priyanka. Plus, she wore high boots with the dress which is a total no-no.

Source: Google

What are some of the universal laws of human nature?

 Several decades ago, a group of researchers encountered a group of locals in Papua New Guinea who had had no contact with other cultures or people for over 10,000 years.

The researchers desperately tried to communicate with them, attempting to use words from neighboring tribes, but the language was so radically different that the only commonality in the language was the names of the local rivers.

So the researchers began to list the rivers one after the other when the natives suddenly looked at them like this:

Then, suddenly, the expression changed to this:

At that moment, the researchers realized that although these people used a language separated from all other languages ​​by millennia, they still had the same facial expressions for "confusion" and "amusement." The researchers had listed the rivers incorrectly, and it was then that the locals realized the researchers had made a mistake.

So, if you see someone who looks like this:

Everything is fine. However, if you see someone who looks like this:

Run away very quickly.

Why Has the Eighth Door of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple Never Been Opened?

 

This door is said to be sealed by the mystical "Naga Bandhan." Here's how it is believed it can be opened.

The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is regarded as the resting place of Vishnu. Its name means "the One whose navel bears the lotus," referring to the sacred lotus from which, according to Hindu tradition, creation itself began.

The Mystery

The temple is administered by the former Travancore Royal Family through a trust. Following an order from the Supreme Court of India>, a seven-member committee opened several of the temple's sealed vaults, where an enormous treasure was discovered.

Illnesses and Deaths

According to the story, everything went smoothly until the sixth vault. However, when attention turned to the next sealed chamber, a series of unfortunate events allegedly began.

One committee member reportedly fell seriously ill and refused to continue. Another person who attempted to proceed is said to have lost his mother shortly afterward. It is also claimed that T. P. Sundararajan, the man who had filed the court petition related to the temple, later passed away.

Traditional Beliefs

One popular belief says that the King of Travancore invited accomplished saints, tantric practitioners, and ascetics from different traditions to perform a powerful ritual known as Naga Bandhan, spiritually sealing the mysterious door.

Another belief claims that the sealed chamber is directly connected to Patala. According to this legend, anyone who forces the door open would be swept through an underground passage beneath the sea and into the underworld itself.

Yet another tradition says that a hidden tunnel behind the door leads to Naga Loka, the mythical realm of the serpent beings. It is believed to contain immeasurable treasures—precious gems, pearls, diamonds, and countless priceless jewels—guarded by powerful divine serpents.

How Is the Door Supposed to Be Opened?

According to legend, only an enlightened sage or yogi who has mastered the sacred Garuda Mantra can safely open the mysterious door.

It is believed that when the mantra is chanted with perfect spiritual mastery and the exact vibrational frequency strikes the sealed entrance, the door will unlock on its own. Otherwise, the legend warns that anyone attempting to force it open may invite calamity, misfortune, and disaster upon themselves.

Does the Japanese railway system have any flaws?

 The impressive, extensive and reliable Japanese railway systems does have many flaws. Some are infrastructure and some are financial.

There are two national track gauges. The standard 1435 mm gauge used for the dedicated JR shinkansen lines and some private railways including the Keikyu and Keisei operating around the Greater Tokyo area. The 1067 mm Cape gauge is used across the entire JR network away from shinkansen network, as well as on many private railways. Despite some trials, there is no rolling stock which uses either track gauge - and the two works remain entirely seperate. Some JR 1067 mm tracks have been re-gauged to 1435 mm gauge in northern Honshu as part of mini shinkansen project.

Japanese railways feature many level (at grade) crossings, where road and railway cross on the same level. By default, barriers left open for road traffic and then closed for passing trains. The famous Shinagawa No 1 Crossing on the Keikyu main line is frequent closed for road traffic, allowing unhindered passage of the busy passenger service.

Shinagawa level crossing in Tokyo - on the Keikyu main line. Source and credit NJ Trains and Airplanes

Back in 1987, the nationalised JNR was privatised - mainly to deal with the extraordinary debt problem. Nearly forty years later, and this is still not resolved. The privatised and restructuring separated the healthy railway businesses from the legacy liabilities, allowed the new companies to thrive. But left the government to deal with much of the old debt over several decades.

The strategically import JR Freight company usually breaks-even, occasionally making modest profits. The freight operator does not generating the huge returns seen on the passenger Shinkansen networks.

The JR passenger group has six operators. Two are still in state hands: JR Kyushu and JR Hokkaidō, while the other four have been privatised in recent decades. Each JR passenger company has expanded into other business interests. But there is no competition between them, with each having a regional monopoly. There are no open access operators - as in Europe. And unlike Europe, there is little dynamic pricing - with the same fare regardless of time of purchase or time of travel.

Yet, Japan is an excellent country to explore by train. I know. Across four visits, I’ve visited all four islands with railway networks.

A JR West rapid service at Kyoto station. Picture taken by Nicholas Stone, the author of this answer.