Who are some of the underrated characters of Ramayana?

 

Shtrughna: Younger son of Dashrath and Sumitra isn't mentioned much but his character in Uttar Kand shines where he defeated Lavanasura, King of Madhupuri (Mathura) and son of Madhu and Kumbhinasi. He established the region of Shurasenas. Shtrughna was deeply devoted to both Shri Ram and Bharat and he was biological brother of Laxman. He was the one who got to know first that Mata Sita had given birth to twins when he halted at Maharishi's Ashram. So , he knew the truth much before than anyone else but he didn't interfere as it was decision of Shri Ram and such a revelation was deeply personal to the couple so he didn't meddle.

Tara- Wife of Vali and later Sugriva is a very intelligent woman in Valmiki Ramayana and Vali says to Sugriva to always listen to sane advise of Tara. Tara is not a flawless woman but she is also not a villain. She drank wine, married two brothers but her intellect and administrative wisdom is praised in the epic. Her true personality is rarely shown in television serials. Tara deeply grieved loss of Vali.

Urmila- She is not mentioned in the epic much but later retellings extensively praises her character and shows her as a self sacrificing woman who let her husband leave and suffered separation for fourteen years. It would have been amazing if the original epic focussed on her POV. The POVs of Mandavi and Shrutkirti are also not given. It's not mentioned whether Mandavi was in Nandigram or not with Bharat. Urmila's sacrifices are highly glorified in later retellings and being daughter of Rajrishi Janaka, it's expected of her.

Champika- The daughter of Maharaja Bhurikirti and first wife of Kusha is not mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana but in Ananda Ramayana. The woman deserves notice because she was first wife of Kusha and she chose him in Swayamvar. She stayed with him as his dutiful wife in Kushavati and later in Ayodhya. She birthed nine daughters and even after prophecy that she would give birth to daughters and no sons, Kusha remained with her as her support and strength. The respect she had in his home was immense. His second marriage to Kumudvati was out of love and alliance and not because Champika only had daughters. Even after his marriage with Kumudvati, Kusha and Champika’s relationship remained harmonious. It shows how much queens used to sacrifice for their kings and stability of Kingdom. She gave him love and support in his initial life when he was suffering from trauma of losing his mother. Champika's glorious character is like Kaushalya who despite her husband loving another wife remained extremely devoted and supportive. Her sacrifices gave stability to Kusha’s initial reign.

Kumudvati- Again, the Naga Princess is not mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana but in two sources, Ananda Ramayana and Raghuvansh written by Kalidas. She was sister of Naga King Kumud. She mistakenly took Kusha’s golden arm- bracelet gifted by his father and kusha who was sporting in Sarayu with Champika and his other Junior wives and he got angry. He was about to attack Nagas when Kumud came and apologized. The sincere apology, Kumud’s royal demenor and wise nature made them friends. He offered his sister's hand in marriage to Kusha and due to love at first sight and to make a strong alliance, he accepted Kumudvati. She is praised in both sources for saving the Raghkula’s main line by providing sons , specially their first son Atithi who was very handsome, meritorious and extremely wise. Kumudvati and Kusha's surpassed the image of alliance marriage and developed very genuine attachment withel each other. She followed him in death despite being new Rajmata. Kusha built Nageshwarnath Temple near Sarayu river because Kumudvati was Lord Shiva’s devotee and due to remains of this temple, Raja Vikramaditya could find the original location of Ayodhya.

Vanaras- Vanaras as a group are pillar of Shri Ram's victory in every Ramayana. Sushena, Nala, Nila, Hanuman, Sugriva, Angad etc. Without their support, Ram would have difficulty in recovering Mata Sita. Each Vanara (including Jambavant) gave their best to support Shri Ram in rescuing Mata Sita.

Which is the most overrated and underrated Indian city?

 The most overrated Indian city that I feel is Mumbai.

Nicknamed as the City of Dreams, Mumbai used to be the dream City for many people who came to the city in search of a job, starting a new business or achieving their dreams, but all that is in the past. Today, Mumbai is one of the most polluted cities in the world and the cost of living is sky high. It is probably the most expensive city to live in in India and, being in very close proximity to the sea, the humidity is always on the higher side and is prone to frequent floods.

I had a friend, an ex-colleague who started his career with me at TCS. After our training, he was posted to Mumbai and I came to Kolkata. He shared a 1-BHK flat with four other roommates — three slept on the bed and two slept on mattresses on the floor and their rent was 20,000 rupees a month! On top of that is the maddening crowds of the Mumbai local trains. It is a good city to visit if you are there for a week or so, stay at a fine hotel, visit the Marine Drive in the evenings, get your pictures clicked in front of the Gateway of India, visit the Elephanta Caves, but that's it. Do not extend your stay beyond that, because it isn't worth it.

While Kolkata is extremely underrated when it comes to listing the best cities to stay in, I would not consider Kolkata because of the summer heat and the humidity. Instead, Chandigarh is the city that I think is the most underrated. I was there in Chandigarh for a few days last year and I fell in love with the city. The city is well planned, which is probably why everything is in place over there. The roads are neat and clean, there is proper pavement everywhere and a dedicated bicycle track too! It is so convenient for vehicles, cycles as well as pedestrians.

The food is super cheap and delicious! The cost of living is quite decent and definitely not as overpriced as the metropolitan cities. Chandigarh doesn't have many sightseeing places, maybe that's the only downside to it. But it has some places, like the Sukhna Lake and the Rock Garden, which are some of the beautiful places to visit if you are in Chandigarh for a couple of days.

Which is the most underrated individual score in test cricket?

 Absolute gem of an innings that got overshadowed when Dravid, Sachin and Ganguly hit big centuries in the same innings.

In comparison to

• Dravid’s classic drives
• Sachin’s magnificent pull shots
• Ganguly’s godly square cuts

His nervous, tentative nudges were always going to be underrated, Can you guess?

They say in England, its not the pitch but the overhead conditions that play crucial role in the course of a test match. Now, look at below picture,

It was very similar view that everyone had on the morning of first day of third test match between India and England at Leeds in 2002. Add to that, Leeds is fortress of England known for lateral movement, fast pace and steamy bounce.That’s why when Dada won the toss and decided to bat first, entire English squad went into a deep shock.

Likes of Hoggard, Caddick, Flintoff could not have asked for better mouth watering feast.

This player was fighting for existence in the team of Rockstars and Gods, was sent to open the innings in a situation where every ball was spitting poison, his name is Sanjay Bangar.

He lost his partner Sehwag early. Watching that match live, I still remember he did not look pretty in his defense but more importantly he was effective. It was Test cricket at its best when you felt that next ball the wicket will fall and thus went 445 balls i.e. 74.1 overs. Lunch happened, tea was also taken but this man along with Dravid stood their ground like a wall which frustrated the English Men. Bangar was tested with bouncers, he took several hits but rarely misjudged his footing the next ball, he was forward when the delivery was full length. Crucially it was his gritty fight in the first session that was praise-worthy.

Eventually he got out after facing 236 deliveries and scoring 68 valuable runs that would set the foundation for now famous Trimurti show. Sachin blasted , Ganguly Roared and Dravid sailed. India declared on 628, eventually beating England by in Innings. It was truly an historic win. The four match series was drawn and Indians would leave the country with their heads high.

Rahul Dravid was given Player of the match award. Sanjay Bangar received a lot of praise for his innings perhaps not enough that he deserved.

What are some of the most underrated Telugu movies?

 

1. Paper Boy(6.5): Classical love story. The movie passes in a gentle way. Almost new cast in this movie. Famous “Bombay Pothavura” song from this film only. “Everybody has a purpose in his life.”

2.Mental Madilo(7.4): A well-portrayed story of a confusing guy. Light comedy in between Father and Son is so good. Perfectly apt for this generation of youth.

3.Kanche(7.8): Such a classic film from Krish Jagarlamudi. Well put down about Casteism in WW2 backdrop. Dialogues are awesome.

4.Dear comrade(7.3): Don't know why it failed at box office, maybe fans expected another Geeta Govindam like a love story. This movie touched about Sexual harassment of women, Student unions, Love, etc. very well. Even the songs are good.

5.Appatlo Okadundevaadu(7.8): Most underrated movie in this list. Sree Vishnu’s best performance so far. How an aspiring cricketer turns into Rowdy and then….what watch it. No spoiler’s alert.

6.Needi Naadi Okate Katha(7.8): Another gem of a movie from Sree Vishnu. It talks about a Father’s expectations from a son, Who is not interested in studies.

7.Adavi Sesh’s all latest films: Kshanam, Gudachari, Evaru. All these are the best suspense thriller from TFI. Give 6 crores to him, he will produce best. The best thing is his gripping story telling.

8.Ninnu Kori(7.5): Natural star Nani’s one of the best performances. How ex-Lover Uma tried to

9.Project Z(7.3): Sandip Kishan’s Sci-Fi thriller about memory transfer. It is much better than Ram’s “Ismart Shankar” in story-wise.

10.Bluff Master(6.5): A movie about common man’s greediness. How people are being foolish in the name Short term returns. Telugu people connect with it after the “Karakkayal Podi” incident.

11.Jagadam(6.8): Sukumar’s mark. The life of a gang star Ram. How events turn in his journey are shown.

12.Pilla Jamindar(PJ)(7.7): Heart touching Rom-Com from Nani. In a few scenes, you literally cry. A grandson’s journey to fulfill his grandfather’s condition to attain his properties after his death.

13) O Pittakatha(6.9): A village backdrop love story. The story is designed with very few characters almost all are new cast. The screenplay is so good. You would definitely love the twists in the plot.

Your favorite??

Image source: gOOGLe.

Which is the most underrated individual score in test cricket?

 22 yards of deathbed.

The pitch is a minefield. The ball is moving. The ball is bouncing. There is a swing. There is speed.

This is West Indies. This is the den of fast bowlers.

The pace arsenal of Collins, Taylor, Bravo, and Collymore is breathing fire.

The openers survive only 23 balls. The team is two wickets down. The score reads 3 for 2.

And he walks to the crease.

He is straightway in the firing line.

A short ball shoots off the surface. He tries to fend it and fortunately for him the ball lands just short of the leg slip.

Another full delivery misses the outside edge of his bat by a centimeter.

A little later, the ball finds the edge but doesn’t carry to the slip fielder.

Another bouncer hurries on him. The ball kisses his bat and balloons in the air. The gully fielder jumps and gets a fingertip to it. But only a fingertip and nothing more.

Phew! He gets worked out ruthlessly. He gets grinded, beaten and bruised. They tempt him, they torment him, they test him.

But he refuses to give in. Wickets fall from the other end. No one except him is able to stand on this wicket. Everyone around him falls. Except him.

He withstands the storm. He overcomes the turmoil. He digs deep and waits for the opponents to commit the error. He plays the dirty way. The hard way. He ducks, leaves, defends and continues to do it again and again.

He waits and continues to wait. Eventually, his patience pays off.

He gets a full delivery and he drives it handsomely for a four with a straight drive. His first boundary. Off the 43rd ball he faces.

Then he gets a lifeless short delivery. He rocks back and hammers it with an authoritative pull.

There is no grace. There is no glamour. This is infact, the hard, the ugly way. But it works.

The runs come. Slowly. But importantly they come.

He works hard for them. He waits and waits for eternity. He shows immense grit to stand on that wicket. He reflects unparallel mental strength to overcome the conditions. He showcases impeccable patience to outshine the rigorous bowling.

Finally, after holding the fort for a whopping 340 minutes and after surviving 215 balls, he edges a fine delivery by Collymore and Ramdin collects it behind the stumps.

But by this time he has done the job for his team. Arriving at 2 down for 3 runs, on a minefield and no support from the other end, he takes the team close to 200.

A total that allows his team to eventually win the match by 49 runs and the series as well.

At Sabina Park, Jamaica in 2006, he not only scores81 runs but also shows the world the value of having a strong foundation, a never-die attitude, and a steel-like determination.

A masterclass of 81 runs! An underrated gem in Tests!

Who is the most underrated international cricketer?

 Most of the Answers here mention Batsmen.

I Wish To Differ

My Pick is Indian Fast Bowler JAVAGAL SRINATH

WHY HIM???

First Let us Have a look at his Statistics

NOW REASONS

• Highest Wickets by an Indian Fast Bowler in ODI
• Highest Wicket taker for India in World Cup Cricket
• Could bowl consistently with speeds even touching 150 kmph
• 2nd fastest Indian Fast Bowler to 200 Test Wickets
• Average is the 3rd best among all bowlers taking more than 100 Wickets for India
• Had one of the best strike rates as an Indian bowler
• Most 5 wicket hauls for India in ODI
• Bowled a delivery at 154.5 kmph(fastest ever recorded by an Indian)
• 11th on the list of all time highest wicket takers in ODI and 2nd Indian on that list
• Gentleman of a person

CAREER DEFINING MOMENTS

• Demolishing South Africa

In 1996 South Africa were favourites to win requiring just 170 of the Fourth Innings in Ahemedabad. Javagal picked up 6 wickets for just 21 Runs and won India home. Who would have thought a fast bowler in the Fourth Innings on an Indian pitch could be so lethal?

• Did they Pull that Off??

In 1996 vs Australia in the Titan Cup. 216 was the target given to India.India were reduced to 164/8 requiring 52 in 8 overs.He saw India home with 30 runs from 23 balls with Anil Kumble scoring 16.India went on to lift the Titan Cup beating South Africa in the Finals.Such unlikely victories boost your morale,don’t they?

• Rattling the Top Order

Singer Cup ODI of 1996 and the target for Sri Lanka was a meager 200. Sri Lanka were reduced to 23/4 and Srinath picked up 4 for 35.India won by 12 runs.He once again proved to be an asset for India.

• South Africa Again???

2nd Test match of 2001.India had lost the previous one.A six wicket haul for 76 saw India to a good start but the batsmen could not capitalize and the match was drawn.

and many more….

WHY DO I FEEL HE IS UNDERRATED AND WHY HE SHOULDN’T BE

• Never been looked as an Iconic Player of the 90’s (Most People preferred Batsmen over Bowlers)
• Played for India at a time where he did not have quality bowling partners
• Let us name the top 15 highest wicket takers in ODI

(M.Muralitharan,W.Akram ,W.Younis , C.Vass,S.Afridi ,S.Pollock, G.McGrath,B Lee,A Kumble,S Jayasuriya , J.Srinath ,D.Vettori , L.Malinga ,S Warne,S.Mushtaq)

My Point is how relatively well known the others are?

He is a Pure Gentleman of the game.How many Fast Bowlers would you put into this category?

He has been serving as a ICC Match Referee currently

He should be given the Appreciation he widely deserves.

Image Credits: Bing

What animals have underrated intelligence?

 I was going to say hyenas, but that’s taken, so allow me to present you an altogether more different and alien organism. Technically, it’s not an animal, but I doubt you’ll mind.

Pictured above is Physarum polycephalum, also known as the “many-headed slime”, a type of protist, and, specifically, a slime mold. The term “slime mold” doesn’t refer to a specific single group, but it is a broad term for several kinds of eukaryote which behave similarly.

Anyway, Physarum has - astonishingly - a basic form of intelligence, despite having no brain and only comprising a single many-nucleic cell. Here are some of the amazing things this slime can do.

• It can solve mazes. A P. polycephalum placed in a plastic maze will extend forth hundreds of tendrils, exploring all possible paths until it finds one which leads to food. It then retracts all the tendrils leading to dead ends. Moreover, it knows which way is quickest. If there are multiple routes to the reward, it’ll retract the (even slightly) longer one.

• It remembers. When the mold is solving a maze, it leaves behind a trail of slime wherever its tendrils reach. Using this slime, the Physarum avoids the paths it has already taken. This is essentially a creative, albeit rudimentary, analogue to memory - one that is in external, material form.
• It mimics transport networks. A P. polycephalum was placed in a plastic enclosure the shape of Tokyo, Japan. Bits of food were placed where the major transport hubs would be in real Tokyo, and the slime mold - knowing which ways were fastest, created a replica of the city’s rail networks using its tendrils.

• It learns and keeps track of time. A team of scientists - including the one who did the maze experiment, put this slime mold into a long groove, letting it move along the groove. However, every 30 minutes - they decreased the temperature and the humidity (slime molds thrive in hot, moist conditions). The mold slowed its pace to use less energy. After a while, the scientists stopped. Sure enough, the polycephalum kept slowing every 30 minutes, showing it could both learn and keep time.
• It’s a healthy eater. Another experiment had the slime molds in the middle of a circular clock face. At each mark in the clock, a different food was placed. However, some of them were made up of the healthiest ratio of carbs to protein, while others weren’t. All of the slimes selected the optimal foods.

An astonishing organism if there ever was one. So unusual that this creature is so obscure, for it certainly has some amazing stories to tell.

Which is the most underrated tourist spot/attraction in India?

 Here are some of the most underrated tourist spot in South India (I haven't explored North Yet)

1. Valparai

Valparai is a hill station in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nallamudi Viewpoint has vistas of the Anamalai Hills in the Western Ghats and surrounding tea estates. To the northwest, in Kerala, Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is a forested area, with teak plantations and trails, sheltering tigers and Indian elephants. Northeast of town, the Anamalai Tiger Reserve is home to tigers, panthers, elephants, and macaques.

P.S. a ride/drive through Malkapara forest to Athirapally waterfalls is a must when visiting Valparai

2. Vagamon

Vagamon, also spelled Wagamon, is an Indian hill station town primarily located in Peerumade taluk of Idukki district, and also Meenachil taluk and Kanjirappally taluk of Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.

3. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary / Top Slip

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, which also includes the erstwhile Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 391 square kilometers protected area in Chittur taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state, South India. The wildlife sanctuary, which had an area of 285 square kilometers was established in 1973

4. Marayoor / Chinnar Wildlife

Marayur or Marayoor is a town in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. It is located 42 kilometers north of Munnar on SH 17 connecting Munnar with Udumalpet, Tamil Nadu. Marayur is the only place in Kerala that has natural sandalwood forests. Ancient dolmens and rock paintings in Marayur date back to the Stone Age.

5. Gavi

Gavi is a village in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is located 28 km southwest of Vandiperiyar, a town in Idukki on N.H 220, the highway connecting Kollam and Madurai.

6. Meghamalai

popularly called the Highway Mountains, is a mountain range situated in the Western Ghats in Theni district, Tamil Nadu near to Kumily, Kerala. It is dotted with cardamom plantations and tea estates. The place is situated at an elevation of 1,500 m above sea level and it is rich in flora and fauna. This area, now mostly planted with tea, includes Cloudlands, Highways, Venniar and Manalar estates, the access to which is now largely restricted. It still includes large untouched remnants of evergreen forest

7. Ponmudi

Ponmudi is a hill station in the Peringamala Panchayat of Trivandrum District of Kerala in India. It is located 53 km north-east of Trivandrum City, 78km south-east of Varkala Beach and 69km north-east of Kovalam Beach at an altitude of 1100 m.

8. Varkala

Varkala is a commercial, industrial and tourism centre in the Thiruvananthapuram district, situated in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the northern suburb of Trivandrum City. Varkala is also a taluk headquarters. In 2019, Varkala Beach was selected as the second most stunning cliff beach in the world.

9. Povaar

Poovar is a tourist town in Neyyattinkara in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, South India. This village is almost at the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram while the next village, Pozhiyoor, marks the end of Kerala. This village beach attracts tourists throughout the year

10. Kudremukha

Kuduremukha is a mountain range and name of a peak located in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small hill station cum mining town situated near the mountain, about 20 kilometers from Kalasa

11. Coonoor & Kotagiri

Kotagiri or Kothagiri is a taluk and a Panchayat town in The Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the third-largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills.

Coonoor is a hill station in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It’s known for its tea estates in the surrounding Nilgiri hills. Sim’s Park is a sprawling public garden with plants like rhododendrons, roses and eucalyptus trees. The steam Nilgiri Mountain Railway travels between the towns of Mettupalayam and Ooty via Coonoor. Dolphin’s Nose is a vantage point with views of the cascading Catherine Falls.

12. Kolukumalai

This highest tea estate in the world is definitely a place worth visiting, especially for those who swear by a cup of tea. Located at a height of 7900 ft above sea level, the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate is popular for growing special flavoursome teas, known for its divine freshness and rich taste

P.S. Some of the pictures are straight out of Google Images, Credits to the photographers.