In Pierce Egan's 1821 book Life in London, two young men from London become famous for their mischievous adventures, setting a cultural trend for lively, rowdy behaviour. Their names later inspired a popular festive American drink, a mixture traditionally made with eggnog, Brandy and spices often enjoyed during the holiday season. What are the names of these two iconic figures whose legacy is now synonymous with something else? This is our audience question for this episode.
Welcome to Are you quizzing me? This is episode #127 Cue the music. Welcome to Are you quizzing me. I am Vineet Nair with my Co host Aditya Kashyap. This is a quizzing trivia podcast show. Join us as we dive deep into history, science, pop culture, and so much more. Let's get quizzing. OK? Aditya and I are back for another round of quizzing for this 127th episode of Are You Quizzing Me? Before we start, I have a request to make to all our listeners.
We have a lot of very dedicated listeners, but I have a feeling that most of you are gatekeeping this odd podcast to yourself. Please don't be selfish. Share it to everyone and to anybody who may or may not be interested. I like it. Let's start each of our episodes by insulting our audiences. Like selfish. All of you guys don't donate enough to charity and don't call your mom's back. Like, honestly, just terrible people. OK, No, I'm kidding.
Our listeners are great. And yeah, please do share and share. Spread the love of trivia. That's the best way for us to grow and for you to enjoy more of our episodes. All right, great. Great plug out of the way. Speaking off our listeners. I have questions from listeners today. Oh, nice. For two reasons that I have a bunch of bunch of listener questions that have been sent in that I have not really had the chance to put it out there in the episode. I want to catch up on that.
And also, I was like a little busy the last week. I was celebrating the beginning of 2026. I haven't had the chance to prepare. So 127 is going to be me mooching off of our listeners after insulting them. Yeah. OK. So the first listener is this wonderful guy, Ayush. He has actually sent a questions in the past as well and we have used those questions. So Ayush, thank you for being such a regular dedicated listener and thank you for this question.
The first question is actually a lot of fun and I miss HK because he's the one who actually loves this Delhi trivia usually. So this is a Delhi based trivia. Oh, this is. This Delhi based location, it's called X, is named after a St. who was once a nomad in the 11th century. It is notorious for being the site of a tragic demolition and subsequent massacre during the emergency period, which is
around 50 years ago. It's also mentioned in William Dalrymple's book City of Jinns, where he notes that some people incorrectly refer to this place or use the incorrect name Y due to the frequent presence of individuals from a certain occupation at this location. Identify the location and basically give me X&Y. When you set this name and people dying in all my immediate thought went to Kuni Darwaza.
But I don't think that's what you're talking about when you mentioned that, you know, there have been people with certain profession associated with this place. If I'm not wrong, Kuni Darwaza is named after Bahadusha Zafar's children who were killed there. If I'm not children. Who were murdered? Yeah. This is different. This place in Delhi is named after Sufi St. and many people incorrectly assume the name comes from a certain group of people of a certain profession
who congregate there. Have I got that right? If you remember Monde Green from I don't know which episode number where basically misheard lyrics. This is kind of that OK where you are kind of mishearing the name and hence assume it to mean something else. And it kind of makes sense because people of that profession hang out or are found at this location fairly commonly. Obviously, is this a famous place? Like something that we were
afraid. It is unfortunately or infamously notoriously associated more with the massacre. So that location X massacre is actually something you could Google and you would see a fair few articles covering it. The massacre occurred during the Emergency at this place in Delhi and it's famous for that. Basically, there's demolition and rioting again. Massacre, perhaps? Maybe a little loaded word, but there definitely was demolition and rioting during the
emergency. The Emergency. So I'm guessing this is Sanjay Gandhi related. But that won't lead you to the name. I mean, of course, the emergency situation might have been because of Sanjay Gandhi. Possible, probable, but won't lead you to the answer X&Y. Can you tell me if it's New Delhi or Old Delhi like New Delhi or Purani Delhi? Right. So I already told you that this is based off of somebody back in the 11th century. So it is part of the Old Delhi area.
I haven't told you exactly what kind of a location it is yet. No, you haven't. You would find this in the list of gates of Delhi. There is a Kashmiri gate, right? But that's not you were talking to people of a profession, not of a particular place congregating. Yeah. OK, here's how I would approach this. Right, OK. The name of the Sufi St. has given the name of the gate as
well. Difficult to guess the name of us. We say that unless you're very well versed with the history of that particular period and error. So what I would do is I would approach why first, right? So I told you this is a Monte Green or rather a misheard name because of a certain profession that makes sense because of the profession of the people who are
there. The reason that those profession or those people or the people that occupation hang out over there as much is because there are a lot of eateries there. So these people who perhaps need to stop at eateries for sustenance for for whatever their meals of the day they gather. Everybody needs to stop at an eatery for sustenance. Not every profession needs you to, you know, go to an eatery and get food. A lot of a lot of obviously people do. OK. It eliminates white collar
workers, right? It's not going to be the engineer gate. It won't be a doctor's gate. Considering the condition in which AIMS is, I wouldn't be surprised. OK, don't give me. Hate. I think this is this is humor directed towards doctors. So I I don't even know it sounds funny, so I'm going to laugh. OK, no dude, I I really don't know this. I'm like I you'll have to give me some some other clue. Try give me something from the
emergency thing. I might get something from that because I more likely to know that rather than. So let me tell you what happened during the emergency. That should maybe give you a hint. Okay. During the emergency, Indira Gandhis government was trying to clear out slums and, you know, unofficial residences and people occupying certain spaces. And this has been done obviously with force and without the consent of the people. The people at this specific location. X of I have already told you
it's a gate. So dash gate. The residents of this place refused to move because they had apparently been residing in this area. This has been a occupied area since the Mughal era. So they had been around for for at least a few centuries, right? There have been generations living there. So they refused to move. OK. On 18th April 1976 the police opened fire. I guess there was killing, there was violence, and a lot of protesters died in that process. This is.
Also classic emergency tactic where the media was was muffled, was told not to speak about it. This was this involved bulldozers and everything, right? Yes exactly. They were told not to speak about it. Indian public, Indian general population actually heard about it through BBC like it was on the main sources of information and news because Indian news media was not even covering it. I I remember this, yeah.
Indian news media. This is Sanjay Gandhi and Jagmohan I think who were blamed. There was a Commission which was established after this. I'm trying to remember the name. I know the event you're talking about. The name is stuck somewhere behind the back of my head. I can't even say the back of my head. It's stuck somewhere behind the back of my head. Give me a clue, like something regarding to the name. It'll click. I guarantee you will click. Give me a clue.
So I told you roadside E trees. OK, this should probably be a very direct clue. OK. Specifically when you think of North India and you think of roadside eateries, what do you think of? Dhaba. Perfect. And who would be the most frequent visitor? What kind of a profession, rather, would be the most frequent visitor toward dhaba? Lorry drivers, Truck drivers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Almost there, almost there. Always there. You you practically said the
name. OK now, now I get your other clue with me Sir. Names Turkmen. Perfect. Exactly. So in William Dalrymple's book, he says that people sometimes miss, hear or misquote or mispronounce the name as Truckman Gate. Where it is, It is Turkman Gate and the name of the Sufi leader, Sufi St. Shah, Turkman Bhayabani, that's who it is named after. So that's the history of it. It's been around for that long. Very unfortunate incident happened during the emergency.
And the estimates vary from all the way from like some government sources and people say 6 people were killed, eight people, 2012. So somewhere in that range and very brutally, brutally killed. There was a rioting, there was demolition, forced demolition. And yeah, the Turkmen gate has a bloody history. But yes, this funny component to it is people sometimes assuming it's called Turkmen Gate.
OK. I did not know the truckman part of it and I did not know that it was named after Sufi St. I thought Turkmen, you know, Turk because many of our like the Mughals and you know, there were, you know, Turks coming in Turkey Turk. I couldn't find a lot of resources about this Sufi St. I'm assuming he might have the middle name Turkmen as a reference to where he's from. The grave of this person is actually located quite close to
the gate. Oh, OK. Somewhere in the 12th or 13th century, if I'm not wrong. So it's located near the gate. It's named after this person. The truckman part, I assume wouldn't be something the locals mess up, would probably be people who are visiting and and if you see TURKI think your brain sometimes is process it and truckman. And apparently there are a lot of eateries there. So so people who are driving trucks and lorries, as you said, do stop by very often to to grab a meal. OK.
Very nice, very nice couple of TI LS for that question for me. Thank you, Ayush for your question. Yes, Thank you, Ayush. Yeah, you're one of our regular contributors and that should, again, I should give a public announcement on this. You know, you should not be selfish. You should share such questions with me because for every 5 questions or emails that Aditya receives with questions from the audience, I get like 1. So I'm feeling a little left out here people.
So make my life also a little easier. You know what I've realized? I've been tracking our social media like an idiot all the time, just checking how our reels are doing. A very bad habit. But what I've realized in the process is initially I assumed that, you know, you were the brains behind this operation. And I just came for some stupid, silly jokes and for the glam quotient. And I figured out I don't even I
don't even bring the glam. It's it's that glorious beard of yours that is getting all the views. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I don't know what I'm here. I think I'm just the sounding board. Obviously, I am the audience foil. And are you quizzing me? Because I don't know a lot of things. Yeah, the audience gets to either figure it out along with me or yell at me being like, how do you not get it? My dad messaged me the other day and he's like, how did you not get that question?
And I'm like, wow, my dad doesn't even like trivia that much. Oh, God. OK, that doesn't speak that behavior question. OK. So moving from that to something that we usually don't kind of deal with, so which is why I'm going to that. So we don't deal with a lot of artsy fartsy questions primarily because Aditya is the only person who is artsy or fartsy. No, just artsy so. Depending on what I hate, yes. OK, so this is a question hopefully right up his alley. Art Deco?
Have you heard of Art Deco? Oh, isn't it? Oh my God, like it's been it's I'm spending too much time on Instagram. It's some some song which is trending on reels. You are so art Deco and I'm butchering the the tune of the song as well. But yes, OK, I know art Deco. Obviously Mumbai has a lot of art Deco in in at least the down area. OK, this is now a redundant question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. You can decide whether to keep this in or not. So the question was going to be.
Art Deco is a decorative style of visual arts, architecture and product design that emerged in Paris in 1910s and flourished internationally in the 20s and the 30s. Named after 1925 Paris exhibition, it is characterized by bold geometric shapes, sleek and stylized forms in the use of opulent materials and rich colours. This style, which embraced the modern machine age, is seen in everything from skyscrapers to furniture, jewellery and cars.
X is home to the world's second largest treasure trove of Art Deco architecture, right after Miami. Known for its geometric forms, nautical motifs and pastel colors, the buildings here are a testament to a golden era of modernist optimism and colonial era aspiration. Can you name the city that transformed its skyline in the 1920s and 40s and it was iconic? Art Deco gems stand proudly along a famous Crescent shaped Blvd. Could you give me a hint? Could you give me?
This question, which took me a lot of time to phrase, was cracked even before I asked the question. This has to be a first. This has to be a first I think. Yeah, this is the first. This is the first. Like, I didn't even get the question out, but yes, the answer is Mumbai. Mumbai is renowned not just for its vibrant culture and bustling streets, but also for its remarkable Art Deco architecture.
After Miami, it holds the world's second largest collection of these buildings with over 70 structures primarily around Marine Drive. A long curving promenade along the Arabian Sea that locals called the Queen's Necklace because of the streetlights that sparkle like pearls in the night. Which is weird because I've never seen Pearl sparkle on the right. Most of these buildings were constructed in the 1920s to 40s when India's was still under British rule.
Architects adopted the Art Deco style and nautical teams, reflecting Mumbai's coastal location. Notable buildings include the Regal and Eros Cinemas as well as many residential apartments, all showcasing vibrant pistol colours and elegant designs. In 2018, Mumbai's Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensembles, including those along Marine Drive, were recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, further highlighting the city's architecture and cultural
importance. So the next time you think of Mumbai, picture not just skyscrapers and Bollywoods and slums, but also sun kissed Art Deco shorelines. Yeah, so that's the question, which, annoyingly, Aditya cracked even before I could get a word out. But then I have myself to blame. I shouldn't have to ask him, you know. Do you know what I can't take? Is it just ask the question? I should have stopped at the Instagram real song. Yeah, no, I actually love those
buildings. And there's there's a very specific iconic style of the lettering of the name of whatever the building is or the usually it's a residential building. So whatever the name of the society is, it's written and it's written in a very specific font. Any designers out there who are who are from Mumbai and know what I'm talking about, please send it to us. I would love to know what it's
called. And it's written in the specific location, right, Right where you're entering at the foyer of the building. It's right above it. So when you're driving past, there is a standardization of it. And yet each building is different and unique, like the designs are very clearly their own, but the overall picture has a cohesion to it. And this is beautiful to drive along Queen Drive, Queens necklace along Marine Drive and yeah, just appreciate that.
The names are also pretty cool. The one that I don't know why this word has always stuck with me. Firdos and I remember this one building that I always cross whenever I'm crossing that road for those is right there. So yeah, that's a pretty lovely part of Mumbai. OK, because this was a question that was cracked even before it was asked. So there was another question I had lined up for an audience question because Aditya would
have cracked it in two seconds. But since he's already cracked a question, let me just put it to him anyway. X is a town near Lucknow, UP your neck of the woods. Yeah, it is infamous for a Train Robbery that took place between X and Alam Nagar in 1925 under British rule. It's also famous for its delicious kebab that is made with mincemeat and is often considered the softest kebab in the world. He's already smirking. He already knows what this is. What kebab or what place I'm at?
What town am I talking about? And bonus points if you can tell me who conducted the famous robbery. I don't know how to put this it's a little embarrassing that I know this not because my well you keep calling let know my neck of the words. I barely ever stayed spent any significant time there. But yes, my parents are
originally from there. So I don't know this piece of fact because of my MyHeritage. I don't know this fact because I'm a student of history or even though I do consider myself that or I'm a food connoisseur, even though I do consider myself that. I know this because of Bollywood. I know this because of my favorite movie, Ramdevasanti. Ramdevasanti and Avir Khan's dialogue where he's talking about Kakuri Mehum looting a train, looting a mass Angrezaka paisa Jaraya.
Sorry, I'll translate that. Avir Khan's character is saying that he's going to that they're going to be robbing the Kakuri train because the money of the Britishers is going to be going through that and do a random passerby. Or there's a little kid who's there and he literally calls that kid and he's like Kaka Renge. Yeah, the kid doesn't know, and he's like Kakuri. Kakuri basically implying that he's going to eat the kebabs while he's looting the train. Yeah.
I'm hoping Ragnar Vasanti did not fudge the facts too much. So I remember in that movie, they showed Aamir Khan's character who plays Chandrasekhar Azad. That person, he was there. I believe Ramprasad Bismil was also there. There you go. And I'm basing this all of. Ragdevasundi. Yeah, it is. Ramprasad Bismil. Yeah, yeah. Kakori gained infamy for a 1925 Train Robbery also called the Kakori Conspiracy.
Try saying that five times in a row Where revolutionaries from the Hindustan Republican Association stopped the train between Kakori and Lucknow's Alumnagar station on August 9th, looting government treasury bag. The number 8 down train from Shah Jaanpur to Lucknow usually carried tax collection. Rajendra Lahiri pulled the chain near Kakori, allowing Ram Prasad, Bismil and others to seize about 4000 to ₹8000 before fleeing and talking about the Kakori kebab.
Originating in Kakori, this Audi delicacy is considered one of the softest kebabs that you can get and is made from for those who are interested, finely minced mutton thigh meat mixed with kidney fat, spices, cashew paste, gram flour, rose petals and poppy seeds. Ground multiple times. Oh that sounds delicious. Oh I like how gram flour and rose petals. What are rose petals doing in there? I love it. Nice. Oh yeah, Lucknow is famous for using rose petals. Doesn't even a rose petal
biryani? OK, you can't. You can't say these things because Lucknow is my neck of the woods, so I should. We'll be knowing it, so I'm going to say it. OK. Yeah. Yeah. Lucknow is famous for rose petals. Vineet. There is a biryani also with rose petals. OK, so now that you've made Mint sweet out of my question, pun intended, let's go ahead with whatever it is that you've got up your Kitty.
All right. OK. So Speaking of Northern India, Speaking of well, UP, which is also the area where Ayodhya is. So I'm going to talk to you about another audience question. And this comes from Puneet and he said this question, it's a Ramayan based question. Oh God, Puneet said this question to me to use for a Diwali episode. That's how we I die. Oh dear God. So apologies, Puneet, but hey, here I am doing this offseason, OK?
But you know what? Any time of the year is good for some lovely mythology based trivia. OK, so OK, as you know, the story goes that Hanuman had come back from Lanka and he told Ramji that you know what, Sita is there and you'll have to go rescue her. She's waiting for you. And of course, being the the dutiful person that he was, he decided that he's going to go over and in the process, he had to cross the ocean where he had to build a bridge or he had to get across it somehow.
The Samudra God Samudra being seas or ocean in Hindi. The Samudra God refused initially, apparently refused for three days straight and left with no option. Lord Ram picks up his bow and loads the brahmastra onto it right because he has to get his way across. At this point the Samudradev is the God of the Seas.
He comes back and says that you know what I will let you go through and he even tells him how he can do that using a bridge and you know, get the the Varaner Sena to help him build the bridge to Lanka. But now here's a conundrum. I will not tell you what the conundrum is yet because I feel like you'll crack it too quickly. There is a conundrum that Lord Ram faced in this moment. What was the conundrum and what was the solution that he came up
with? The the answer is in the description I've given so far, but take a crack at it. See if you can figure it out. The sea God tells him, the God of the oceans tells him that. Write your name on the stones and the Varanasena can build a floating bridge all the way to Lanka, correct? And at this point Lord Ram faced A conundrum. And your question is what that conundrum is? Exactly. Lord Ram faced a problem, a conundrum. There was something that was an issue that he needed to resolve.
What is the issue? How did he resolve it? Did he not have any writing material? I think that part of the story comes a little later. Not yet. OK, I have already told you. Actually the part of it that is the Karandrum, I have already mentioned it in the description. So you don't have to think about Ramayan from anything else or any other part of the story. There is so much rich mythology there, but you don't have to
worry about any of that. Whatever I have mentioned so far, the Karandrum is in it. I can't think of any conundrum, honestly speaking, because he came there. He knows where Masita is. He knows he has to get there from point A to point B. And he was initially like, how do I cross? Now he knows how we can cross it. He has the manpower, he has the logistics. So what conundrum is he facing?
OK, so before the Samudra dev relented, and the reason probably that he relented because he did not want to face the consequences is what the problem was rooted in. So what happened before some of the dev relented? He prayed first and then he did the Brahmastra thing. Correct. So in the second part of what you just said is where the Karandraman lies, the Brahmastra part of it. Oh, that once you wield the Brahmastra, you have to let it go. You have to release it. Perfect.
Once the Brahmastra is loaded and again not very clear how that mechanics of it work. But yes, once it is in that position of of being fired, it is prepared and prepped. It has to be used. It cannot not be used. OK. That is a problem now because some of the devas relented and the Lord Ram has a solution to get told Sri Lanka. How would he then? Or where would he rather use the Brahmaster?
So where did Lord Ram use the brahmaster that he had loaded and that he had threatened Lord Varuna with? Right, That's the question, correct? He didn't discharge it. I don't remember. He discharged it. As the rules dictate, he had to he had to use the weapon. He he did use the weapon. No, but he used it later, right in the Ramayan.
Well, as as the mythology goes, there are obviously multiple versions of this story or the small slight nuances that change from from one version to another. OK, perhaps I don't know which which specific version this listener question is from, but yes, in this case the this part of mythology at least says or states that Lord Ram had to fire
the weapon and so he did. So he must have fired it at some place and that would have caused something to be created or some place to get its name or something like that. Yes, you are right. Not the name part, but yes, some place that was created in that moment. Wow, Rameshwaram seems too easy to say. Obviously not that. No. Place where legend says it was created when Lord Ram discharged his Brahmastra. Little clue.
OK, so because it's a powerful weapon, it, it obviously yields so much strength, it's going to 'cause something significant, right? Like you would imagine, like it would be a massive crater or something like that. In this case, I'll ask you to focus on the fact that he is near the ocean. So he has to do something in that area, in that specific region, I guess. So it's not going to be like, I don't know, like in the foothills of Himalaya, right? It's going to be in that area.
Oh, Dhanush Kodi. Oh, interesting. What is that? I don't know, it's not the answer, but what is? Dhanush Kodi. No, Tanushkodi is a, it's a village along the lights on the border of Tamil Nadu. Like it's right on the ocean. It's a, it's a ghost town now after the famous cyclone of the 1960s. But yeah, Tanushkodi for a second. Like I'd be like Tanushkodi like, I don't know. No, it's not. It's not. Is it something to do with it?
Like, you know, there are no deserts because see, I'm assuming that when the Brahmastra strikes, it's going to be like total devastation. So you're going to talking about destruction something, but there are no deserts anywhere near that place. OK, now, so I was going to tell you the second thing that you can focus on, I said ocean. The first thing, second thing you can focus on is the
etymology of this name. And it's not like this place had not even heard of the the the ghost one that you mentioned. I had not heard of it. This place everybody in India has heard of, right? OK. The etymology of the place kind of relates to the repercussion of using Brahmastra. So in the Brahmastra was used in that place, something happened. And what happened is literally the etymology of the place. Rude. What? Something happened.
The last thing I'll tell you, and this is part of the question that our listener has sent that he kind of fired it in the opposite direction. So not not exactly 180° but but if you know where Sri Lanka is and where you would be if you were the southern tip of the country, what would the opposite direction look to? Is still ocean based not not towards the mainland. He sent it to this Arabian Sea. Very good, very good, very good air was there. Is this? Lakshadweep.
Exactly. So Lakshadweep where the etymology obviously means Thousand Islands. Apparently it was one giant landmass and because the Brahmastra landed on it, it it split up into thousands and thousands of small islands. Wow. OK, that was the power of Brahmastra and that's where the name Lakshadweep comes from, which means Thousand Islands.
Lakshadeep was, according to this lovely piece of mythology, it was formed because Lord Ram had to use Brahmastra once it was loaded and he did not want to use it in the towards the Samadharadev. So he chose to go in the opposite direction towards this well back then apparently uninhabited island. And then he split it up into 1000 parts. Wow, I did not know. I know, right? Sometimes our listener questions are so good, like I'm just like, where do you guys come with such
good trivia? Yeah, this is this is just fascinating. Wow, wow. So a happy Diwali to Puneet discussion. OK, that was embarrassing. I should have known that which I did not. Let me try to redeem myself by asking a similar mythology related question. An ancient Buddhist text. I am probably going to murder this pronunciation, but OK. An ancient Buddhist text. Sadharma Pundarika Sutra, also known as the Lotus Sutra. List X as one of the 8 Great Dragon Kings.
X gained cult status in China and Japan for rain making rituals embodying devotion and power. However, long before all of this, X existed in early religious texts on the Indian subcontinent. In modern times, the name resurfaced far from myth. Scientists applied it to a newly discovered prehistoric species found in India. The choice was deliberate. The creature that was discovered, it's immense size and presumed dominance echoed the symbolic stature that X had
in ancient belief systems. So I I wanted to identify X. Prehistoric creature, Did you say that? Yes. So scientists discovered a prehistoric species in India, and so they named it after X. OK. Is it a dinosaur some some sort of dinosaur that is founded in India? In the same, I wouldn't say family, but I've forgotten my lenient classification. But yeah, it's a it's a prehistoric big thing, big creature, Yeah.
It's very simple. Would this be appropriate to use in a Jurassic World movie, or would it not? That's how you classify things. Just just don't overthink it. Similar kinds of movies like Jurassic Park but not Jurassic Park. Oh, got it. So Godzilla got it, Yeah. It's not Godzilla, it's Gojira. Well, since you are in India, not in Japan, I assume that's not the right answer, sorry. Could you repeat the information
about the name? Commonly known as the Lotus Sutra. Lists X as one of the 8 Great Dragon Kings. So just so annoying that I don't even know the name of a single dragon king that I would be even remotely close to figuring out. Oh, you know this by the way. No, I'll need a hint. Long before the Buddhism part, it existed in early religious texts on the Indian subcontinent. This particular character was seen in religious texts on the subcontinent.
I will tell you the texts. OK, It's been mentioned in the Rigveda, it's been mentioned in the Mahabharat and many other similar texts. Hello. They look frozen. Yeah, no, no, for a second I thought you were meditating as if the answer would come to you if you meditate it hard enough. Yes, I was invoking the gods and since they have not answered I'll have to figure this out on my own. It was in the requiser. Yes. As what? Like it's a dragon king according to Buddhist
literature. I'm not going to tell you exactly what that translates to in Hindu literature, because that would be giving away the answer. Oh, OK. Because I was just wondering, I don't remember any dragon kings featuring in in in the Hindu text. I'm assuming there is a variation on that or there is some sort of a modification for it. OK. One last clue. OK. The depiction of this creature I would be highly surprised if I would did not find it at your parents home or in most Hindu
households. And this is one of those, like, I remember going through our old episode and see that Raj question. And I'm like, how did I not know that? Yeah, right there in front of you. Oh, this is right there in front of almost everybody. OK, I've already told you what
the required and mahapratas. So the connection is obvious that it is originated in the Hindu floor or the Hindu mythology and then was appropriated or borrowed into the Buddhist mythology and then traveled from India to China and Japan and whatnot, right. The mythological being, or the mythological creature that I'm talking about is highly depicted in photographs and iconography in India. Most Hindu households usually have a depiction of this
creature in their home. They may not, however, realize it, or it may not get that much attention. I have definitely not realized it. Oh OK. Is there any other hint? Any other clue? OK, so the next clue I would give you is what's the difference between a western dragon and an oriental dragon? This is based off of the depictions that I remember from from whatever Chinese pop culture western Dragons usually like have have some sort of a limb situation. Chinese Dragons don't they?
They just are like the Serpentine thing, OK with the head of a dragon breathing fire. Yes, you've kind of got near the answer in your just in what we just said right now. So Serpentine, so like Nagaraj thing, but like Nagaraj representation that is there everywhere. I can't think of that. So normally people would like this is 1 specific snake. Now that I've come to the point that it's a serpent, it's a serpent.
So this is 1 specific serpent. And which serpent would you find depicted in almost any Hindu household? Okay, clearly I have not paid too much attention. Oh, you're going to kick yourself. When you say snake, the one thing that does pop up in my head is the birth of Krishna. Yes, Krishna was protected when he was being transported by Vasudev. Yeah, that was the Sheshna. Cheshna, yeah. Yeah, but this is not the Sheshnaag we're talking about.
Because yes, the Sheshnaag has a lot of iconography, but you're not going to you're not likely to find it in almost every Hindu outsold, right? Did I say Nagaraj? By the way, Nagaraj is superhero comic. Never mind. No, I thought you were being literal, as in King of the Snakes. So. Yeah, let's pretend that that's what I'm going to say. I I was going through the the Nagaraj comics recently since second mad no. So yes, Sheshnaag, but that's not a common depiction.
You're right. Oh, then there's the other one, which is, which is, I think it's, I want to say Lord Vishnu, who's who's resting and there's a snake under whom he's resting, right? Yes, yes. Again, I mean, yes, common enough in in in some depictions, but like universally I don't think of it. It's not as universal as the depiction that I'm talking about, because most of the time you have Vishnu in his various other forms being depicted throughout the house. Correct, Correct. Correct.
Yeah. I don't think it's like the Anantha Shayana image of him reclining on a snake. Coils of a snake is not like the universal depiction. But what I'm talking about is a universal depiction in which you find the snake people are screaming the answer or to to their. Stop it please. Please stop screaming. It's very loud. Just please guys I'm not able to think. Stop yelling at me. No, I'm, you know, put me out of my misery. Tell me what the answer is.
OK, so the answer is Wasuki. I'm not fully embarrassed because I mean, I'm partially embarrassed because this does ring kind of a bell. But again, I'm I feel like I this is a blind spot. So tell me more. Wasuki, if you don't know, was one of the king of the Nagas. OK. He was used famously by the gods during the Samudramantha. Oh my God, that is how did I not think of that? That's one of actually one of my favorite like, mythological stories. Samudramantha. Oh OK, I'm embarrassed fully
now. Yes. Now can you guess? As in what depiction of Wasuki is found in almost every Hindu household? Yeah, actually that's what I was wondering. I was thinking of like the Puja Ghair in a lot of Hindu households, yes, and certain images of gods that are there and I couldn't think of a single like a specific universal snake based representation. Vasuki, I know the story I know that used the mountain and Vasuki was was kind of kind of facilitating the mountain with the mountain.
He was used as the rope to churn the ocean. But that is not a depiction that we see everywhere. Brace yourself for this. OK. Who do you think is the snake around Lord Shiva's neck? That is Vasuki. That is Vasuki. I know, Auntie. Oh, God, this is so stupid. Yes, of course there is a snake around SH Shiva's neck. And I know that he was the one who? And then when Sumdir, Mantan. And then Shiv Shiv drank the freaking poison as well. Oh my God, this is stupid.
Yeah, I'm more than fully embarrassed. I've crossed that. I'm so satisfied that you know I've managed to stump one question today because you've been literally running through all my questions like a freaking freight train for all our listeners who may or may not be familiar with this. So I'm going to give you a complete explanation. Vasuki is a giant serpent who originates in Vedic scriptures like the Rigveda.
Also seen in the Mahabharata as the sovereign of the Nagas or the King of the Nagas was Serpenti. He was famously used as the rope by the gods to churn the ocean, an episode in the Purana in the Hindu Puranas, Revered in Hinduism also as Shiva, Lord Shiva's neck ornament, Vasuki symbolises control over ego or poison. The Wasuki was named among the 8 great dragon kings. Now the depiction of Dragons in western mythology is more dinosaur like exactly and the depiction in East Asian
countries is more serpent like. Right, right, right. Right, and funnily enough the 8 great dragon kings were called Nagarajas in the Lotus Sutra which is a core Mahayana text. These Dragons protect or proclaim the Sutra. Vasuki also known as Vashukitsu in Japanese, gained cult status in China, Japan for rainmaking rituals.
Wow. In 2024, IIT Rurki researchers unearthed what we now call as the Vasuki Indicus fossils from Gujarat. So this was a 11 to 15 meter long one ton weighing snake Python like ambush predator which ruled the swampy coasts and they named it after the mythological Wasuki for its size and dominance. Wait, is that the largest snake? 15 meters. It's a pretty big snake. OK because I just googled it and
it says anacondas are the word. I'm talking about currently existing snakes, not not extinct snakes. And that goes up to 20 feet. That's definitely less than 15 meters. I'm not sure if it's the largest because I think the titanoboa and a few other like very large. I don't know the figures off my top of head. But anyway, in any case, they found a really large snake in India which would have been huge, so they named it after the
king of the serpents. In Hindu mythology, it's called the Vasuki Indicus. Wikipedia Sir tells me that Vasuki Nag or Vasuki is the second king of snakes after Shesh Nag, who is Vasuki Nag's elder brother. So Shesh Nag, under whom Lord Vishnu is arresting, is the elder brother of the snake who's wrapped around Lord Shiva. Yeah, that's pretty cool. I like it. OK. So your question.
Alright, so Speaking of things we all should know and sometimes we don't because we are also a little sleepy, this has to do with the story of Alexander the Great. One of those those things that is perhaps beyond just ancient Greece, right? Like it has been told and retold across the world. So Alexander the Great is a story that has been told through the eras, through the countries,
through the world. Yes, but the first ever depiction of that story in film was in X. OK. Tell me what X is. Where was the first ever depiction of Alexander the Great on? Film, you'll have to give me a
clue. OK, so interestingly enough, this film was in 1941 and was then remade in 1965 in Eastman Color. In the case of the 1965 remake, the person who played Alexander the Great in 1941 played a different character was in the 1965 remake as well, but played a different character in 1965. I don't know if this leads you to the answer, but yeah. Nope, it does not read me to the answer. I have no clue what this is going to be about 1940 and the 1965.
For a clue, what I would tell you is a little bit to do with the cast of the films, right? I mentioned that the lead or the person who played Alexander the Great in the 1941 film played a different character in the 1965 film. In the 1965 film, the person who played the character of Alexander the Great was an actor who didn't start off with acting as his profession or as his career was actually in the
sporting arena. So this person who played Alexander the Great in the 1965 remake started off with their career in the sporting arena is no longer around, but you obviously know these people also, but eventually move to the acting space and that's where the later half of their life was spent. OK. The person who played Alexander the Great in 1941 film and a different character in the 1965 film. That person is one of the greatest actors of that
generation. Somebody played Alexander in the 1965 film who came from sports, correct? The person who played Alexander in the 1941 film played a different character in the remake of the 1965 remake, correct? Last year, one of those Cecil DeMille kind of movies. This old Hollywood studio movies can't remember anything specifically with Alexander because like from the early times of cinema, like from the 1910s onwards, now the first, the first trend in movies was
all mythological epics. So you had like Ben Hur made like twice or thrice medieval kings and Robin Hood and those kind of things. Yeah, Cary Grant or somebody played Alexander. OK, I love this question. Again, another listener question. Shout out to Roshni. Thank you so much for sending this question. OK, let.
Me give you a little bit more about the person who played the 1965 Alexander. OK, He went to Singapore in 1947 and he worked in a drum manufacturing mill and that's where somebody looked at his physique here, 6 feet 2 I believe and told him that he should actually be a wrestler. So that's the sporting space that he started off from. This is Dhara Singh. Oh very well done. Yes, so that are saying plays Alexander the Great in the 1965
film. Want to take a guess in the name of the films maybe 19411965 films maybe you don't know though the names are very, very easy to get. But do you want to take a guess as to who played 1941 Alexander? So I'm guessing he's also Indian. Perfectly cracked. Yes, both. That's why I love this piece of trivia that the first ever representation of Alexander the Great story, which is again something that a lot of people across the world know was in India, was in, well, Bollywood cinema.
So I'm guessing this is Indian so this would be Sikandar. Perfect. Yes, that's the name of the 1941 film. And I'll tell you the name of the 1965 film which was remade. It is Sikandar E Azam. 1841 is too early for Raj Kapoor, right? You're like one step away from the answer. One step away from Raj Kapoor, Prithviraj Kapoor. Exactly, I was going to give you a hint. I'll tell you about the hint.
But yes, you are right. Prithviraj Kapoor played the character of Sikandar in the first ever film made about Alexander the Great, in which he played Alexander the Great in 1965 when this was remade. Do you want to take a guess as to who Prithviraj Kapoor played in that remake? We are talking about an Indian adaptation. Dhara Singh was Alexander in the remake, so Prithu. Raj Kapoor would play somebody else equally prominent. He wouldn't play a side role. So then I'm guessing he played
the Indian side of the equation. Poru. Perfect. My man knows his history well, you are smart enough to figure it out even if you didn't know it. He did play King Porous or Parva. OK, that was the the switching characters in the remake 24 years later. The hint I was going to give you by the way, and this is just something when I first came to Bombay, it was such a one of those just memories that are stuck with me when I moved to Bombay like 4 years, five years ago.
OK, I love theatre, I love cinema. I went to one of the best theatres in Mumbai, one of the most reputed spaces. People in Mumbai would have heard people who are into the arts in India would know it's called Prithvi theatre and literally named after Prithvi Raj Kapoor. I went there and I, I was like, you know what, I want to come watch a show. I saw what I was playing and I have picked a random show and I went to the ticket counter. I'm like, can I get a ticket?
They gave me the ticket and I was going to pay. And I was new to using UPI app. So I brought up my phone and I scanned the QR code. It literally says pay to Prithviraj Kapoor. Oh, wow. It doesn't use a Prithvi Theatre or whatever. Yeah, I love that. I don't know who thought of that little touch. I think it's it's it just makes it somehow more magical for me. So I paid money to Prithviraj Kapoor and I went and watched a play at Prithvi Theatre.
Well, I. Don't know where Roshni found this beautiful piece of trivia, but yes, turns out that India was the first place. Shabash Roshni, That's a fantastic piece of trivia. I swear, the quality of questions that our listeners have provided, Yeah, may embarrass me a teensy because all three questions have been so good. Yeah. All right. So let me wrap up today's episode with the final question. Yeah.
This word for a fundamental mathematical function come from Sanskrit where it means bowstring. It travelled from ancient Indian mathematics through Arabic translators who confused its name, leading to its modern English form meaning curve. Its partner, meaning the chord of a complementary angle, shares the same journey. What are these two key mathematical terms which share
its origin from Sanskrit? So it it has to do with the bow string, bow and arrow string, but it has been mistranslated to something to do with the you said curves, circles, chords. Yeah. Yes, curve, curve or fold. And it's used in the in a mathematical context basically. In mathematics, yes. It's an English word, it's more a Hindi word, or both. What is it? We know the Latin form of the word. Something Is it curve or fold? Arc arch? Nope, neither of those make sense. Mathematical. No.
So go a little more technical. Radian degree. You're in the right ballpark, but wrong terminology. Circumference, radius, diameter. I would suggest that you focus on the fact that I said that there is this this term and then there's a complementary term. Things which are mentioned side by side. In math. Differentiation, Integration plus or minus? No. Give me some hint. OK, I'm going to give you a mathematics hint. I literally did this for my 10th standard exam.
OK. You would write root of 0 by 4, root of 1 by 4, root of 2 by 4, root of 3 by 4, root of 4 by 4. OK and I would give you a set of values that you don't have to remember. You don't have to by heart. You can just get the values from that like in two seconds. This. Is nothing do with the value of π right? No, it's not. Nothing to do with value of π. I would suggest solving for what I just mentioned. You just said root of 0 by 4. Yes. Like sqrt 0 by 4.
Yeah, it's a, it's a mnemonic, so obviously I had to. You have to make mnemonics consistent for them to work. Right, sqrt 0 by 4 is sqrt 0, which is 0. OK, then root of 1 by 4, then root of 2 by 4, and then root of 3 by 4 and root of 4 by 4. 1 by 4 is root of 1 by 4 is 1 by 2. Root of 2 by 4 is one over root 2, Root of 3 by 4 is root 3 / 2. What? I don't know what to do with any of these things. That does not ring a bell. No, what? What?
No, nothing at all. 01 by two, one by root 2, root 3 / 2 Fibonacci. No what? No, nothing. Oh dude, you're going to kick yourself. You are so going to kick yourself. How much do you want me to kick myself in this one episode? OK, I really thought that you would get this one. You know what I I, I used to, I used to at least at some point I remember being good at math. So I, I'm a little embarrassed I've not gotten it yet. This is supposed Oh, sign and cost.
This is sign and cost. This is Oh my God, this is 90° thirty degree 60° and whatever 9060 thirty zero. And if the first value is 0, then that is I want to say sine 0 is zero. Yeah, I think Cos 0 is 1, yes. We never got to one or we have stopped at root 3 by two. OK, so we did zero, we did 3045 sixty. We didn't do 90. Got it. OK, OK, OK. Yeah, I mentioned 90 root of 4 by 4 but. Root of 4 by 4 also. OK, OK, OK, OK. I never use this mnemonics.
That's it probably didn't strike me, but interesting that is. That makes so much sense. Yeah. And you're saying that this has to do with sine and Cos has to do with the something to do with the Bose string? Yes, OK, so this is fascinating, by the way. OK, The words sine and cosine started in ancient Indian mathematics with the Sanskrit term Jia. OK. For sine, which means Bose string describing how a chord in a circle behaves. Of course, because it's a chord, right?
Yeah. Yeah, travelled into Arabic as Jiba, so Jia became Jiba. OK. Later mistranslated into Latin as sinus meaning curve or fold. I don't know that is what the word means, but OK. Interesting. So sign is the English form of this Latin word. So it went from Jia to jiba. It was mistranslated from jiba into Latin as sinus and from sinus we got sine. OK. Cosine comes from the Sanskrit kotijiya. Oh, interesting. Meaning the chord related to the complementary angle. Right, right, right.
Both words reflect centuries of mathematical knowledge moving from India through Arabic scholars to Europe. Right. So sine and cosine have their origins in instant Sanskrit. Codicia sounds closer to cotangent caught, but OK, maybe probably over years and mistranslation is probably going to cost. Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. Yeah, that's really cool. Yeah. Two things that are always mentioned together.
For those who are interested, if any parents are listening and their children are struggling with trigonometry, the easiest way to remember the trigonometric table is very simple. Make columns of 0304560 and 90. You start with sine, Cos, and then tan in your rows. For sine, you start with root of 0 by 4, root of 1 by 4, root of 2 by 4, root of 3 by 4, and root of 4 by 4. Those values give you the sine values of those particular
angles. Reverse that order for Cos, divide sine by Cos and you get tan. And that's it. Your kid never has to remember trigonometry table ever again. They can just work it out in like 2 seconds. And just do the reverse of that and you'll get cosecant and secant and cotangent as well. Cotangent, yes. Since I'm you're sharing this trivia, do you know where sign Cos? And the third thing you didn't mention, where is the etymology of that from? Oh, this is going to be some
silly joke. I can just see it from the smirk on your face. So people in Europe noticed that people in South Asia were much darker, and they're like, oh, that looks like a good tan. Yeah. It's offensive on so many levels. I'm an Indian. I can. I can make those jokes about as brown people, yeah. Right, just don't know what to do with you. I want to thank my maths teacher.
Yeah, yeah. Jamila, Miss and Shekhar Sir who drilled this into me when I was in 9th and 10th and I still remember it. I can still write out a trigonometric table what 30 years later? They did a good job. My math knowledge rescued me in the end, so shout out to Mega ma'am and Thomas Sir. I'm sure there are a lot more along the way, but these two come to mind. So yeah, thanks. Yeah. OK. So I think that's the end of today's regular round of
quizzing. What's left is for us to now answer the audience question which I had asked at the beginning of today's episode. In Piers Egan's 1821 book Life in London, two young men from London become famous for their mischievous adventures, setting a cultural trend for lively, rowdy behaviour. Their name later inspired a popular festive American drink, a mixture traditionally made with eggnog, Brandy and spices, often enjoyed during the holiday
season. What are the names of these two iconic figures whose legacy became synonymous with something else? Are there you have any idea? Life in London it it became a drink and then a legacy which is entirely unrelated to either of those two things. Somewhat related too, but not completely, but in a completely different field. So are these common English names or with these very obscure English names?
Very common English names. This can be the version of Tom, Dick and then Harry. You are tracked onto it. You are 1/3 right. Tom, Dick or Jerry with Jerry? Oh my God, Tom and Jerry. Yes, this is the origin of Tom and Jerry. OK, that makes a lot of sense. Yes, so Tom and Jerry were characters in the book. After Pierce Higgins book popularized the names as symbols of mischief and adventure, it entered popular culture, inspiring the Tom and Jerry cocktail.
That is insane. Yes, When the animation studio was developing their famous cat and mouse duo, they held an internal contest to rename the characters, who were originally called Jasper and Jinx. I know that, yes. Jasper and Jinx, yeah. Animator John Carr suggested Tom and Jerry, drawing on the cultural familiarity and playful spirit associated with the names.
The studio embraced the suggestion, recognizing that the names would resonate with audiences and evoke the same kind of mischief and adventure found in Egan's book and associated with the cocktail. This connection helped cement Tom and Jerry as iconic figures and animation. Yeah, that's I, I should have guessed. I think that another smart guess would have been Laurel and Hardy as Oh yeah, but Tom and Jerry makes a lot of sense as well. Yeah, so that's all we have for today's squeezing.
Before we wind up this episode. Aditya, any pop culture recommendation? OK, so pop culture. Been watching a fair few things, taking full advantage of December, and so I have quite a few things lined up to recommend over the next few episodes. For today's episode, I'm just going to recommend 2 films that I watched recently. Both were a lot of fun from a genre that when done well, can be so satisfying but often is done poorly. So very glad that in these two scenarios, it was done superbly.
The first one is an older film. It's a Hitchcock film. I'm talking about Dial M for Murder. Classic. Yeah. So murder mystery. Just just so good. I had not seen it before I realized that you can see it on an OTT platform. I think you have to pay on some of them, but it's a nominal fee. So if you are interested, go check it out. Dial M for Murder. Great film. Great, great film. Like, genuinely, no comments, Hedgecock.
Good job. Yeah. Yeah. And the other film, Since I spoke of film from more than a few decades ago, I'm going to talk about a very, very recent film. I think it's not even been a month. And that is the third film in the Knives Out series. I don't know if I've recommended the 1st 2:00, but in case I haven't, those two count that as well. Both are a lot of fun. The first one is brilliant. Glass Indian, not as good but still a strong, strong film in
the genre. And the third one a lot of critics have said is the best out of the trilogy. I would put it definitely at par with the first one and and somehow I think it resonated deeper with me like the third film. The first one was a great film, so much fun. The third film just had a stronger heart, I would say to it, and that the name of the film is Wake Up Dead Man, a Knives Out mystery. I think that's what it's called, Wake Up Dead Man, Knives Out
mystery. It's a very recent film and I am for murder. It's an old Hitchcock film, both of them from the thriller murder mystery department and just beautifully done. Ryan Johnson, Alfred Hitchcock, people who clearly know what they're doing and shout out to Daniel Craig. So good. OK, I would have to disagree with you a little bit here because I would rank the original Knives Out movie as being much better plotted than Wake Up Dead Man, though it was
quite intriguing. I would say the plotting wise the original Knives Out takes the gate. I agree with you. So that's what I said. So when when the critics were saying that this is the third one is the best of the series, I wasn't totally sold on that because the core of like a Oh my God, what a brilliant plot that I felt much more strongly in the first one that I did in the third one. So I get what where you're
coming from. Yeah. Nice. OK, I would definitely like to echo Aditya's recommendation of dialect for murder. It's a fantastic murder. I would also like you to check out A Perfect Murder, which was a remake with starring Michael Douglas and Vigo Mortensen, which can combine the few characters, but it's still, yeah, fantastic.
More. And I don't know if you know about Hamras, starring Bobby Deol and Akshay Khanna, who's the Flavor of the Month was also a remake of Broadly, was partially inspired by Dial Info Murder. Oh. OK. And so was the movie New Year, which was part of our New Year quiz, which I had posted on our. Subreddit Great, great, great quiz. The great weekly question Top top marks to you. You know what? Rand Johnson, Alfred Hitchcock. Vineet, Nair.
Little too much. You can all definitely check those out, but what I personally consider this is just a personal opinion to be a slightly superior Hitchcock film, which is Rope, which is infinitely more tense. It's short as to be in real. Time the audacity, the hotspot to be like, I'm going to shoot the entire film in single film where I think each reloads only 10 minutes long back then.
So you could literally not have seen for longer than 10 minutes and he's like, I'm going to shoot a full film like that is is just kudos to that man. But the one thing I'll say is the edits are so blatantly jarring and obvious that it's like it takes me out of the film a little bit. The film is solid. Film is tired. It's a great film, but the edits are a little funny. That's what I would say. Unintentionally funny, but. See, this is a movie shot in the 40s, so we'll have to.
Give I'm sure when it came out, it's the same thing, right? Like when you see it for the first, like Star Wars today. Looks very junky. Obviously it doesn't feel like revolutionary CGI. Looks very jaggy. So one other movie that I would recommend is a recently released sequel called Raat Akeli Hai, The Bansal Murders. I really enjoyed the original Raat Akeli Hai and I also enjoyed the sequel Nawazdin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte among
others. I wouldn't call it a great film, but it's definitely a great OTT watch. So definitely go check that out. And because I have to be the solo flag bearer of Southern Indian movies, I will now recommend Sarvam Maya, which is a very fun, very light ghost story. Like I have no other way to put it. It's like the lightest, most feel good ghost stories that you've seen. So go check it out. It's running in theaters now. OK, interesting. And that's all we have for
today's episode. Thank you all for listening in. You can reach out to us on our socials which are there in the episode description. Please like, share, follow, subscribe based on whichever platform you're seeing or listening to. Us too and go join our community on subreddit on Reddit. Subreddit is R slash. Are you quizzing me? It's got a burgeoning community there. We post daily questions and encourage listeners and members of the subreddit to also post
their questions. Plus there is a slightly bigger question every bigger question set every Thursday can check out that as well. See you guys next week. And now Aditya has nothing to say all. Right. You do this to me every single week. Monita, I'm going to see you next week, OK? Not if I see you first and I have the last laugh 123.