Author: deepesh

By Krithika Nair

Hanuman, the vanara son of Kesari and Anjana, is a beloved deity from the Ramayana. He is a lot of things – a chiranjeevi, a poet, a singer, a yogi, and so much more, but he is best known for being Rama’s most ardent devotee. His might and cleverness have no match, but there are many more qualities of Hanuman that one can learn from. 

Humble 

Humility came to Hanuman in the form of a curse. After he was blessed by the gods with many powers as a child, Hanuman started using them to prank and trouble people. Once, he disturbed the penance of some sages at a hermitage. Wrathful, a sage cursed Hanuman to forget his powers until someone reminded him of them. 

While the curse was unfortunate, it went on to show that even without his powers, Hanuman was beloved by all. Even after he was reminded of his powers, Hanuman never prided himself on them thereafter. In the Mahabharata, we see Hanuman teach the same lesson of humility to his brother, Bheema. 

Devoted 

Among the many blessings he received, one was that Surya, the Sun God, became Hanuman’s guru. Even though he is famous for his strength, Hanuman was equally brilliant at studies. After completing his education, Hanuman asked Surya what he wanted as Guru Dakshina. To this, the sun god asked Hanuman to take care of his son, Sugreeva. 

Hanuman agreed, and soon became a close aide of Sugreeva. Through good and bad times, he was always there beside Surya’s beloved son, and later became the chief minister of Sugreeva’s court. While we remember Hanuman as the greatest devotee of Rama, he was just as devoted to his parents, his guru, and his friends.

Observant 

When he reached Lanka, Hanuman had to find Sita, whom he had never seen before. He shapeshifted to not be noticed and went around looking for a woman that matched the description he had heard from Rama. At some point, he found a very beautiful woman, who was sleeping in royal robes inside the palace. 

While the woman’s beauty was beyond words, Hanuman realised that Rama’s Sita would never be comfortable or sleep peacefully in Ravana’s palace. He kept searching until he found Sita in the Ashoka Vatika, looking distraught and tired, surrounded by guards. 

Respectful 

Had it been up to him, Hanuman could have brought Sita back from Lanka in a heartbeat. But he realised that this was not his battle, it was Rama’s. Sita wished to be rescued by her husband, and he could not disrespect her wishes or go against his lord’s instructions to find Sita and relay his message. 

In a modern world, one might wonder if Hanuman could have prevented a war had he gone against everyone’s wishes and rescued Sita himself. But Hanuman trusted his lord to do the right thing and respected Sita’s wishes, even though that meant watching her suffer. 

Strong 

Hanuman is considered to be the god of self-discipline and strength. He is supremely strong, being able to uproot mountains and jump high and far. He is the deity worshipped at akhadas and gymnasiums, by wrestlers and bodybuilders across India. But it is not just physical strength that Hanuman is famous for. 

After giving Rama’s message to Sita, Hanuman gets caught by Lanka’s guards. He fearlessly faces the asura king Ravana, and breaks their morale by setting their city on fire. He does not lose heart when Rama’s army realises that the asura army is stronger in numbers. He is quick to think on his feet and brings the entire mountain instead of trying to find the Sanjeevani herb to save Lakshmana. 

He is a yogi, a singer, a musician, and is well-versed in martial arts. Hanuman truly embodies that strength comes not just from your body, but also your mind and knowledge. 

Hanuman is an exemplary son, friend, brother, student and devotee. These lessons from his life are timeless, just like the tale of Ramayana, where Hanuman’s heroism finds no match.

For more such beautiful lessons from Indian mythology, get ACK’s Ramayana collection or read it on the ACK Comics app!

The festival of lights brings in joy and happiness. Different states celebrate the festival in different styles. Here is a glimpse of how the main day of Diwali celebrations unfolds across the country.

In The Morning

Many parts of South India celebrate Diwali by starting the day with a scented oil bath. The oil bath is said to cleanse the body and rejuvenate the senses.

Diwali is said to bring newness and joy. Many people celebrate by wearing new clothes after their morning rituals.

Many people begin their day by preparing their homes for the new year as well. They clean their houses and decorate the area with rangoli and kolam designs.

Early evening

Kheel (puffed rice) and batasha (sugar candy) are offered to the goddess Lakshmi during Diwali. In some parts of North India, the batasha is also fashioned to resemble different animals. Called khilone, these are popular even today. In olden times, rice would be ready for harvest in time for Diwali and kheel would be the first thing offered to the goddess. Another belief is that Lakshmi likes these food items because they are white.

Diwali is a perfect opportunity to express our love and gratitude for those around us. This is most often done by exchanging lots of sweets with family, friends and neighbours.

Various parts of the country also worship Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Kali during the festival of Diwali.

At Night

It’s believed that lighting up homes with diyas and keeping the doors and windows open on Diwali night beckons to Goddess Lakshmi to enter and bestow her blessings on the household.

For the people of West Bengal, Diwali is synonymous with Kali Puja. Pandals are erected all over the state and Goddess Kali is worshipped, often late into the night.

On Diwali day, some people also listen to Harikatha, an art form that weaves storytelling, poetry, music, dance, drama and philosophy into its fold. The storyteller, called a Haridasa, narrates the life story of saints and gods from Indian epics. It originated in Andhra Pradesh in the 19th century and is performed even today. Did you know that the first Harikatha singer was Narada who sang for Vishnu?

Read more about the various stories and activities that are associated with the festival of lights here.

By Srinidhi Murthy 

Avur Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was loved and respected as a scientist, a teacher, a visionary, and then as the 11th President of our country. No one would have thought that this little boy from Rameswaram would one day be honored with the Bharat Ratna, India’s most prestigious award, and will always be remembered for his vision for India.

His father was thought to be a healer

Born on 15th October 1931, Abdul was the youngest child of Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma. His father was the Imam at the local Mosque of Rameswaram and led worshippers during prayers. Many people considered him to be a healer. They brought water to him and he dipped his fingers into it while chanting prayers. This water was then used for healing people. His father often explained to young Abdul the power of faith and prayer. This advice probably stayed with him throughout his lifetime.

His sister gave her gold  bangles to cover the cost of his education

Young Abdul Kalam got admission into the Madras Institute of Technology. His parents did not know how to meet the cost of his higher education. His elder sister, Zohra gave her gold bangles to make ends meet even though she had little money for her own household needs. Abdul was touched by this selfless gesture. He studied hard to get a scholarship to redeem the piece of jewellery that she had given up.

His work was commendable 

After completing his education, Dr Kalam got a job at the Indian National Committee for Space Research as a Rocket Engineer. There he was introduced to Dr Vikram Sarabhai,  one of the pioneers of India’s Space Programme. Kalam was assigned to work with Group Captain VS Narayanan to Develop a Rato, which is a Rocket-assisted Take-off system, in eighteen months. The team successfully completed the project in just sixteen months and conducted sixty-four Rato Static tests. This saved the country roughly INR four crores in foreign exchange.

He almost met with death twice 

While working at ISRO, Dr. Kalam was saved from the explosion of payloads, the dangerous mix of pure sodium and thermite, by his colleague Sudhakar. This selfless act of Sudhakar inspired Dr Kalam to work even harder and make his life more meaningful and useful to others. He again faced danger in 2001, when the helicopter in which he was travelling crashed in Bokaro. Though nobody was injured, this second clash with death made Dr Kalam turn to a career in teaching and unfold his vision for India.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was given two hours to accept his presidency

In June 2002, Dr Abdul Kalam got a call from the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The PM expressed his wish to nominate him for the post of President. Vajpayee gave Kalam two hours to make up his mind and give his answer. After consulting with his family and friends, he accepted the offer and was sworn in as the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002. 

The swearing-in ceremony of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was attended by the head of Ramanathaswamy Temple, the priest of Rameshwaram Church and the imam of Rameshwaram Mosque, apart from his family and colleagues. 

He initiated e-governance in the Rashtrapati Bhawan

When Dr Kalam started his tenure as the president of India, he initiated e-governance in Rashtrapati Bhawan and changed the way of work being done in his office.

He was the oldest Indian to fly a fighter aircraft

While visiting the Air force Base in Pune in June 2006, President Kalam expressed his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Immediately, the pilots around him encouraged him to fly with them as the co-pilot. The President flew in the fighter aircraft for half an hour. With this feat, he not only achieved his childhood dream but also became the oldest Indian to fly a fighter aircraft at the age of seventy -four.

This visionary passed away on 27 July 2015 while delivering a lecture to students at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong.

Read the story of Abdul Kalam in our title APJ Abdul Kalam, now available on the ACK Comics App, Kindle, Amazon, Flipkart, and other major e-tailers. 

By Srinidhi Murthy

It is a well-known fact that Surya was the father of Karna. But did you know that Surya also helped the Pandavas in their times of distress? Read more to know how the Sun God played a vital role in shaping the Mahabharata.

The Divine Gift 

Princess Kunti was the adopted daughter of King Kuntibhoja. Upon her father’s orders, Kunti diligently served Sage Durvasa for a year. Pleased with her service, Durvasa gave Kunti a boon. According to that boon, Kunti could summon any god of her choice and would be blessed with a son from that god. As soon as Durvasa left, the young princess decided to test the boon and summoned Surya. But when Surya said she would get a son as she desired, Kunti panicked. She was unmarried and requested Surya to return to his abode. But Surya would bound by the power of the boon and could not return. He blessed Kunti with a son, Karna. The Sun God also gave divine gifts to Karna in the form of kavacha (armour) and kundala (earrings).  

The Akshaya Patra 

The Pandavas and their wife, Draupadi, were worried about feeding the sages who accompanied them during their twelve-year exile. Sage Dhaumya suggested to Yudhishthira that he pray to Surya, as he was the provider of food for all creatures. Heeding this advice, Yudhishthira stood in the waters of Ganga, facing the sun, and prayed to Surya, consuming nothing but air for several days. He prayed for Surya to bestow food upon them all. Pleased by his devotion, Surya appeared before him and gave Yudhishthira the Akshaya Patra. The Akshaya Patra, a copper plate, was an inexhaustible source of food. According to Surya’s boon, it would remain full of food until Draupadi ate from it. Surya also blessed Yudhishthira, assuring him that his kingdom would be restored to him at the end of his exile. With Surya’s gift, the Pandavas and Draupadi were able to provide food to their guests for years without any hurdles. 

The Warning 

During the exile of the Pandavas, Indra became worried about the safety of his son, Arjuna. If Duryodhana refused to give the Pandavas their kingdom after the exile, a war seemed inevitable. This meant that Arjuna would have to face Karna, who had protection from his divine armour and earrings. He devised a plan to deprive Karna of his protection. Surya came to know about Indra’s plan and warned his son, Karna about Indra’s intentions, in his dream. Surya cautioned Karna that Indra would try to take advantage of his generosity to try to get him to part with his gifts. 

The next day, Indra approached Karna in disguise as a poor Brahmin. Indra told Karna that he had come to ask for the latter’s kavacha and kundalas, since he was known for never refusing someone in need.  Despite Surya’s warning, Karna donated his kavacha and kundalas to Indra. However, he told Indra that he was aware of the god’s plan and disguise. But he would never refuse anyone even if it ended up costing him his life. Pleased by his generosity, Indra gifted Karna a powerful weapon, Shakti, but added that it could only be used once.  

To the Rescue of Draupadi 

During their thirteenth and last year of exile, the Pandavas and Draupadi secured places in the palace of King Virata, in their respective disguises. Draupadi, under the name Sairandhri, entered into the service of Queen Sudeshna. One day, Keechaka, the queen’s brother, saw Draupadi and was immediately smitten by her. He approached Draupadi and said that he would be her slave if she agreed to be with him. Draupadi rejected his proposal and replied that she was married to five mighty Gandharvas, who would kill him if they knew about his inappropriate proposal.  Despite her rejection, Keechaka went to his sister and asked for her help in convincing Sairandhri. After a lot of persuasion, Sudeshna agreed to help him.

The next day, Sudeshna sent Draupadi to fetch wine from Keechaka, despite her protests. Draupadi prayed to Lord Surya for protection. Lord Surya immediately sent a rakshasa and ordered him to protect Draupadi invisibly all the time. When Draupadi entered Keechaka’s chambers, he tried to hold her hand by force. Draupadi pushed him to the ground and rushed to Virata’s court. Keechaka came after her and kicked Draupadi in anger in the presence of all. Immediately, the invisible rakshasa, appointed by Surya, gave Keechaka a mighty blow and he fell down unconscious. Surya thus protected Draupadi during her time of distress during her exile. 

Read more such fascinating tales from Indian mythology only on the ACK Comics app!

By Srinidhi Murthy

Known as ‘Dev Bhoomi’ or ‘Land of Gods’, Himachal Pradesh was formed as the eighteenth Indian state on 25th January, 1971. It shares borders with the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to the north, Punjab to the west, Haryana to the southwest, and Uttarakhand to the southeast. Read more to know some interesting facts about the region! 

Early and Medieval times  

The region has been inhabited by humans since the beginning of civilisation. In the Vedas, the people of the region were called Nishadas, Dasas, and Dasyus. According to the Mahabharata, present-day Himachal Pradesh was made up of small republics known as Janpadas. Before the Aryans came to India, the area was occupied by the Kol tribe and later by Mongoloid people known as Bhotas and Kiratas. The Kiratas were not only great traders but also skilled in archery and warfare. A long war between them and the Aryans was waged for forty years; but at the end, the Kiratas were defeated and the Aryans successfully conquered the region. Later, Chandragupta Maurya subdued most of this land. His grandson, Ashoka, extended his boundaries to the Himalayan region and introduced Buddhism to its people. 

Rajput and Mughal Rule 

After the decline of the Gupta empire, Emperor Harshavardana conquered most of the area. But decades after his death, Rajputs moved to the hills in the region and established small states provinces such as Kangra, Nurpur, Suket, Mandi, Kutlehar and Baghal, among others. The hill kingdoms enjoyed their independence until the Mughals invaded, looting wealth from the temples of North India. Muhammad of Ghazni conquered Kangra at the beginning of the 10th century, while Timur and Sikander Lodi captured several forts in the lower hills.  

Anglo-Gorkha War 

In 1768, a martial tribe called the Gorkhas came to power in Nepal and began expanding their territory. They managed to annex the Sirmour and Shimla but, despite a long siege, could not capture Kangra fort. When they tried to conquer the South, it posed a conflict with the East India Company, resulting in the Anglo-Gorkha War. The British expelled the Gorkha tribe from the provinces of Sutlej and established their supremacy in the region, annexing the areas of Shimla.  

Freedom Struggle 

The people of present-day Himachal Pradesh, along with the rest of the country, actively participated in the non-cooperation movement. Prominent freedom fighters from the region were Dr Y.S. Parmar, Padam Dev, Daulat Ram, Purnanand, Thakur Hazara Singh, and more. The farmers of Sirmour started the Pajhota revolt, a call for agrarian reforms, to support the Quit India Movement in 1942.  

Post-Independence 

After Indian independence in 1947, Himachal Pradesh went through many changes. It was organised into the Chief Commissioner’s province of Himachal Pradesh on 15 April, 1948. Eight years later, it became a union territory. In 1966, its borders were expanded to include Kangra and hilly areas of Punjab. Finally, on 26 January, 1971, full statehood was granted to Himachal Pradesh. Its first Prime Minister was Dr Y.S. Parmar, one of the state’s biggest freedom fighters. 

The four legs of Himachal Pradesh’s economy are horticulture, agriculture, tourism and hydropower. In 2016, it was declared India’s second open-defecation-free state. According to a survey by the Centre for Media Studies in 2017, it was also found to be the least corrupt state in India. Some of its popular tourist destinations are Manali, Shimla, Dalhousie and more. 

By Srinidhi Murthy

Formed on 30 March, 1949, Rajasthan is the largest Indian state by area, with Jaipur as its capital. It shares borders with the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; Gujarat to the southwest; and Punjab to the north. The name Rajasthan is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Raja’ (king) and ‘Sthana’ (land), translating to ‘The Land of Kings’.   

The history of this state dates back to thousands of years. It can be classified into three major eras:   

Ancient Period, up to 1200 AD  

Rajasthan started out as part of several republics like the Malavas, Arjunyas, Yaudhyas, Kushans, Saka Satraps, Guptas, and Hunas. For a while, it belonged to the Gupta dynasty.   

Then, around 700 AD, Rajput clans began ascending to power. The Gurjara-Pratiharas ruled Rajasthan from 750-1000 AD. They kept the Arab invaders at bay in the Sindh region (present-day southeastern Pakistan). But their power eventually declined and other clans such as the Chalukyas, Parmars and Chauhans fought for supremacy.   

During the 11th century, the Chauhan dynasty, with their capital at Ajmer (and later, Delhi), became the major power in the eastern region. In the First Battle of Tarain, Prithviraj Chauhan, the then-ruler, defeated Muhammad Ghori, a Sultan from the Ghurid dynasty. In 1192, Ghori defeated Chauhan, establishing Muslim rule in northern India.  

Mediaeval Period, 1201 – 1707  

Mughal forces began to subdue states that belonged to Rajputs, expanding their own territory. At the beginning of the 16th century, under the leadership of Rana Sanga of Mewar, the Rajputs began to rise to power. Then, Sanga was defeated in a battle with the Mughal emperor, Babur. 

During the 16th century, Akbar gained control over the region through a series of marriage alliances with Rajput princesses for himself and his heirs. But some Rajput rulers like Rao Chandrashekar Rathore (Marwar), Rana Udai Singh (Mewar), and Maharana Pratap (Mewar) remained at constant war with Akbar. The influence of both the Rajputs and Mughals can be seen in the architectural landscape of Rajasthan.   

The famous battle of Haldighati between the Mughal forces and Maharana Pratap took place in 1576, in which Rana Pratap was severely injured. His horse, Chetak, carried his master safely away from the battle but soon collapsed. There is still a monument constructed by Pratap at the place where his loyal horse died.   

Modern Period, 1707 – 1947  

Akbar, the most famous of the Mughals, unified the different parts of Rajasthan into one province. When the Mughal empire began to decline after the death of Aurangzeb, great-grandson of Akbar, the Maratha empire began to gain control over the region in the early 18th century. During the reign of Peshwa Baji Rao I of Pune, he expanded to the north of Rajasthan and merged with the Rajput kingdoms.  

Then, a new chapter in Indian history began with the arrival of the East India Company. In the 19th century, the Rajputs had been drained in terms of finances and military force, after continuous wars with the Marathas. To stabilise their kingdoms, they joined hands with the British, accepting their control over external affairs in exchange for internal autonomy. Thus, the Britishers subdued the power of the Marathas and united the Rajput states into a single province.  

Rajasthan remained under British rulership until India gained its independence in 1947.  

Notable freedom fighters 

Rajasthan is known for producing some of the country’s bravest and most valiant freedom fighters.  

Rao Gopal Singh Kharwa (1872-1939), was a ruler of Kharwa state near Ajmer, in Rajasthan. He was sentenced to four years of imprisonment for organising a revolt against the British.   

Sagarmal Gopa (1900-1946), was a freedom fighter from Jaisalmer and an active participant in the non-cooperation movement of 1921. He was burnt to death in prison on 4 April, 1946. Post-independence, the government issued a postage stamp in his honour.   

Daulat Maal Bhandari (1907-2004), was a freedom fighter. He organised the ‘Azad Morcha’ in Jaipur and staged satyagraha. He was imprisoned for nine months. After independence, Bhandari became the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court in 1968.   

Janki Devi Bajaj (1893-1979), was one of the prominent female freedom fighters from the region. She was imprisoned for her participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1932. She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1956.

Swami Keshwanand (1883-1972), was a social reformer and freedom fighter from Sikar District in present-day Rajasthan. He participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921 and was imprisoned for it in Ferozepur (in present-day Punjab), for two years.  

Post-Independence and Present-day  

After 1947, the princely states of Rajasthan were slowly integrated into a single entity. They were grouped into small unions, then merged with the remaining Rajput states to create Greater Rajasthan in 1949.   

Today, Rajasthan is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is known for its magnificent palaces, museums, and temples. Tourists flock to its offerings like Jaipur (known as the Pink City, because of the dominant colour of its buildings) and Udaipur (known as City of Lakes). The Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, temple town of Pushkar, and Chittorgarh Fort are other famous landmarks of Rajasthan.