Can you figure this out? (Edition 4)

The series of "Can you figure this out" always gets the maximum reactions from readers - here's the fourth edition। The previous three can be accessed from the archives (Nov 9th 2008, March 22nd 2009 and April 5th, 2009).

• Why is our religion called "Hindu"? Most people to whom I asked this felt that the word must have come from the "Hindu-Kush" mountain ranges in the North - some felt that it has its origins in "Hindi" or even "Hindusthan". The fact is that all these words have been derived from "Hindu" and not the other way around. The real story borders on the comical. Apparently when the Persian army had camped on the banks of river "Sindhu" before invading India, Alexander asked his General the name of the river. Now in Persian (फारसी) language , स is pronounced as ह . So the General promptly told his master that they were on the banks of river "Hindu" - and then it was decreed that people who stayed in the land that lay beyond river "Hindu" were HINDUS.


• How did India get its name? Once again many feel that the name is derived from Indus which is the anglicized version of "sindhu". Our country was named India much before the British started their rule. It got its name because the country was the largest exporter, of the colour "indigo".


• Did you know that Lord Hanuman had a son? Ramayan tells us that Lord Hanuman had actually fathered (unknown to himself), a son - मकरध्वज. Apparently when Hanuman was in flight, his perspiration fell into the open mouth of a crocodile lazing below in the water. The perspiration was so potent that it impregnated the crocodile and unknown to Hanuman, a son was born. Later, when Hanuman was sent by Ram to save Lakshman who had been captured & kept in the netherworld (पाताल ) by Ahi Ravan, Makardhwaj who was guarding the entrance to the kingdom fought so valiantly with Hanuman that the latter was perplexed how anyone could survive the onslaught of his might. After defeating Makardhwaj with great difficulty, Hanuman was mightily pleased that it was his son who had so stoutly resisted him। Lord Hanuman howerver continues to be the most favourite GOD of the "bachelors".
• Did you know that the epic "Mahabharata" contains reference to every conceivable situation except a "divorce"? It has tales of men with many wives (Arjun), a woman with many husbands (Draupadi), women who have sex before marriage (Kunti), women who are unfaithful to their husbands (beheading of Renuka), women who need a man only to have children (Uloopi), women who want men only for pleasure (Urvashi), men who dress as women (Brihanalla), men who force themselves on women (Jayadrath), husbands who are comfortable with their wife going to other men (Pandu), men who become women (Bhangashavana), men who have mistresses ( Dhritrashtra) but none where men have divorced their wife। Does this mean that the concept of divorce is alien to Indian culture? Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata proudly claims that "what is not there in Mahabharata is not there anywhere"
• Why did anti-women practices like Sati, Dowry and now female foeticide take root only in India? Its not as if other religions or cultures have not had their gender biases - the church for example burnt 60,000 women on the stake - branding them as witches. Islam continues to treat women as second class citizens. Since it is men who have written religious codes of behaviour, it can be understood why they institutionalised the secondary status to be meted out to women. While Sati was nothing short of murder (induced through religious fervour), female foeticide is a direct result of the bizarre Hindu belief that it is only a son who can give you मोक्ष by lighting your funeral pyre. What pains me is the fact that none of our so called saints ever proclaim that these practices are wrong.