Meraki - Indo-Greek Bulletin

Meraki



INDEX 1.Faculty Guidance 2.President's Desk 3.Editorial Preface 4. Motivation 5.History Revisited 6.When Athens met Magadh 7.Where Sitar Meets Harp 8.From Aryabhatta to Archimedes 9.Olympus meets Devlok 10.Myths or Facts 11.Tales of time immemorial 12.Riddles of Nalanda 13.Member's Tablet 14.Literary Recommendations 15.Titans of the Quarter 16.Oracle's Message 17. Sponsors 18. Credits

Faculty Guidance Dean SSW Dr. Lochan Jolly Dear Students, When I first learnt about the topic for this bulletin, I must say that I was truly overjoyed that we had chosen a topic so close to my heart. I have always felt that there is a growing lack of appreciation among today’s youth about our rich traditions & cultural ethos that we have inherited as descendants of one of the greatest & oldest human civilizations on earth. We, the sons & daughters of this great nation must feel pride in our culture & above all over our historical greatness too. Also, it is quite eminent for us to realise that all these ancient civilizations; through their numerous incidents, legends, wars, peace, & everythng else have a lot for us to learn from & guide us in ur path towards human enrichment & prosperity. I firmly believe that it is equally important for us to give due respect to all the civilizations that existed on ou planet Earth & learn from their mistakes as well as their achievements. As we dwell deeper into this topic we soon comprehend another riveting fact about the striking similarities that these civilizations had with each other since their inception; “The commonalities of blood” so to speak. Something that is definitely worth pondering once in a while! I believe that the comparison of Ancient Indic Civlizations to that of Ancient Greek Civilizations, very aptly depicts & testifies to an account the confluence of cultures, traditions, societal norms, philosophy, etc. of the Western & the Eastern world. Through this bulletin, I believe that we as tomorrow’s young & productive generation would have a lot to learn from & also intermittently develop our great humanistic virtue of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ & attain it in reality in this world. Rotaract Club of TCET 01

Faculty Guidance Faculty In-charge Mrs. Sonali Singh Greetings everyone, I must say that I’m quite delighted that we, at the Rotaract Club of TCET, have come up with such an interesting topic for their bulletin, i.e., “To discuss the similarities & features of Ancient Indian & Greek Civilizations”! I feel, that like most topics in history, this topic too was left to be a forgotten one, after our primary education. Sure, we are all aware about the fact that we have been born in a land with a vibrant cultural & historical heritage, but often, we don’t give enough heed or respect to our own inherited ancient knowledge & sometimes even condone its relevance. We as a society of future productive individuals, must make an effort to revive our past glory & create awareness about the same. Further, it is also important for our nwer generation to learn about the virtues of humanity& commonality in diversity as we move towards an age of global interfacing. I hope you all will give this work an attentive read and will enjoy it as much as we did. On this note, I wish all our dear readers a great experience while reading this bulletin. Thank You!! Rotaract Club of TCET 02

PRESIDENT'S DESK Hello everyone, my name is Rtr. Rtr. Kunal Miskin Kunal Miskin. As we near the end of the year, I am astounded to watch my team and everyone in college brainstorming and working with the same vigour. This magazine will assist you in comprehending the cultural parallels between Indian and Greek cultures. There are also some intriguing Mythological Stories to be found. Don't miss the Riddles section. I strongly advise you to read this fantastic publication. Thank you a lot. Regards, Rtr. Kunal Miskin President Rotaract Club of TCET Rotaract Club of TCET 03

Editorial Preface “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” - Pericles Often we have found ourselves in awe of the magnificent cultural traditions & monuments of the past and wondered how our ancestors accomplished such marvellous feats in engineering, society, medicine, philosophy, and many more fields. It’s truly humanity’s heritage that we all descend from such rich & vibrant ancient civilizations, which at their zenith left everlasting impressions on the world. Several dictums & social structures of today too bear a direct or indirect link, with these old age traditions that were passed forward through numerous generations of humans. From the Vedic & Ancient Chinese Civilizations in the east to the Greek & Roman Civilizations of the west, we share the commonality of human virtues & cultural ethos among each other. Among these great societies of the past, we find that our Ancient Indic civilization & the Greek Civilization had much in common with each other than we know of in our daily lives. Inspite of this, we face a sad reality today, that many of us have forgotten the greatness of thought & advancement achieved by these golden civilizations. Their merits & features have been over the course of time recklessly or deliberately forgotten. Thus, with an enriched mind filled with immense admiration for our past glory, we the editors of this bulletin, have ventured on a mission to revive awareness about the contributions of these ancient societies & culture on our world & also garner their deserved appreciation from today's generation. We feel deeply sublime to have had created this bulletin, & hope that our readers will also be brimming with high esteem for our shared & inherited heritage of our past ancestors. So without any further digression from the subject, let's have a toast with our dear readers in the name of History, shall we? -Rtr. Mitali Mandge (Chairperson Publications 21-22) & Rtr. Malcolm Cardoza (Editor 21-22) Rotaract Club of TCET 04

Motivation Vision: We believe that through understanding and 'Learning' about the various ethical principles that we as a Rotaract Club stand for, it would greatly help us in becoming better humans at service. Further, as we learn and develop our own selves as well as the community around us, we also validate the importance of acting on this knowledge by 'Improving' our approach towards humanity's service, and in turn have a truly lasting impact on the greater world community. Finally, after achieving all these important milestones, we aspire to realise our most ambitious dream i.e. to completely 'Transform' the society that we live in, into an abode worthy of praise and brimming with virtues of kindness & humanity. Mission: We believe that through understanding and 'Learning' about the various ethical principles that we as a Rotaract Club stand for, it would greatly help us in becoming better humans at service. Further, as we learn and develop our own selves as well as the community around us, we also validate the importance of acting on this knowledge by 'Improving' our approach towards humanity's service, and in turn have a truly lasting impact on the greater world community. Finally, after achieving all these important milestones, we aspire to realise our most ambitious dream i.e. to completely 'Transform' the society that we live in, into an abode worthy of praise and brimming with virtues of kindness & humanity. Rotaract Club of TCET 05

History Revisited In 326 BCE Alexander the Great conquered the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent as 06 far as the Hyphasis River, and established satrapies further as several cities, like Bucephala, until his soldiers refused to travel further east. The Indian satrapies of the Punjab were left to the rule of Porus and Taxiles, who were established again at the Treaty of Triparadisus in 321 BCE, and remaining Greek troops in these satrapies were left under the command of the final Eudemus. Sometime after 321 Eudemus tumbled Taxiles, until he left India in 316 BCE. According to Indian sources, Greek (\"Yavana\") troops seem to have assisted Chandragupta Maurya in defeating the Nanda Dynasty and founding the Mauryan Empire. By around 312 BCE Chandragupta had established his rule in large parts of the northwestern Indian territories further. In 303 BCE, Seleucus I led a military to the Indus, where he came upon Chandragupta. The conflict ended with a accord, and \"an intermarriage agreement\" (Epigamia, Greek: Επιγαμια), meaning either a dynastic marriage or an agreement for intermarriage between Indians and Greeks. On these occasions, Greek populations apparently remained within the northwest of the Indian subcontinent under Mauryan rule. Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka, who had converted to the Buddhist faith declared within the Edicts of Ashoka, set in stone, a number of them written in Greek, that Greek populations within his monarchy also had converted to Buddhism.Ashoka claims he sent Buddhist emissaries to Greek rulers as far as the Mediterranean which he developed herbal medicine in their territories, for the well being of humans and animals. The Greeks in India even seem to own played an energetic role within the propagation of Buddhism, as a number of the ambassador of Ashoka, like Dharmaraksita, are described in Pali sources as leading Greek (\" Yona\") Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist proselytism (the Mahavamsa, XII). it's also thought that Greeks contributed to the sculptural work of the Pillars of Ashoka. Again in 206 BCE, the Seleucid emperor Antiochus led a military into India, where he received war elephants and presents from the king Sophagasenus. RISE OF SUNGAS (185 BCE): In India, the Maurya Dynasty was overthrown around 185 BCE when Pusyamitra Sunga, the commander-in-chief of Mauryan Imperial forces and a Brahmin, assassinated the last of the Mauryan emperors Brhadrata. Pusyamitra Sunga then ascended the throne and established the Sunga Empire, which extended its control as far west as the Punjab. Buddhist sources, like the Asokavadana, proclaim that Pusyamitra was unfriendly towards Buddhists and allegedly persecuted the Buddhist faith. an outsized number of Buddhist monasteries ( viharas) were reportedly converted to Hindu temples, in such places as Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath or Mathura. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDO-GREEK KINGDOM: The invasion of northern India, and therefore the establishment of what would be called the \"Indo-Greek kingdom\", started around 180 BCE when Demetrius, son of the Greco-Bactrian king Euthydemus I, led his troops across the range of mountains. Within the process of the invasion, the Greeks seem to own occupied territory as far as the capital of Pataliputra, before eventually withdrawing and stabilising their rule in northwestern India. Apollodotus, apparently a relative of Demetrius, led the invasion to the south, while Menander, one amongst the generals of Demetrius, led the invasion to the east. Following his conquests, Demetrius received the title ανικητος (\"Aniketos\", lit. Invincible), a title never given to any king before. Rotaract Club of TCET

When Athens met Magadh Ancient Greek culture is noted for its government, art, architecture, philosophy, and sports, all of which became foundations for modern western society. It was admired and adopted by others, including Alexander the Great and the Romans, who helped spread Greek culture around the world. Before Greek culture took root in Greece, early civilizations thrived on the Greek mainland and the Aegean Islands. The fall of these cultures and the aftermath, known as the Dark Age, is believed to be the time when the Homeric epics were first recited.Greek culture began to develop during the Geometric, Orientalizing, and Archaic periods, which lasted from 900 to 480 BCE. During this time the population of city-states began to grow, Panhellenic traditions were established, and art and architecture began to reflect Greek values. The Early, High, and Late Classical periods in Greece occurred from 480 to 323 BCE. During these periods, Greece flourished and the polis of Athens saw its Golden Age under the leadership of Pericles. However, city-state rivalries led to wars, and Greece was never truly stable until conquered. The Hellenistic period in Greece is the last period before Greek culture becomes a subset of Roman hegemony. This period occurs from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, to the Greek defeat at the Battle of Actium in 30 BCE. It marks the spread of Greek culture across the Mediterranean. Both the Greeks and Indians had strict patriarchal social division. Women were unfornately treated as possessions. Around the same time as India discovered the number zero, infinity, decimal numbers and pi. While arches and vault ceilings, the use of concrete, the roman crane, public sewers and hot baths, and signal towers were all technological developments made by the Greeks, which were further refined by the Romans. Both empires made huge technological advancements that are still used today. Their epics possess religious elements too with people in both the cultures worshiped godswith a common idea that multiple Gods exists, Gods favor certain mortals and protect them, Worshiping the Gods and striving to please them is important.The King or the emperor was very powerful at that time and everyone had to obey his command. Another feauture of Ancient Greek society was the high esteem in which skilled warriors were held. In India, great fighters are respected and honored. While in Rome, free entertainment for the public in the form of chariot races and gladiators held at amphitheaters and the Circus Maximus were offered. The ancient Greek city states, by far were the most active sea trading people during the time. They held their merchants and trade in high regard and thus enabled their economies to flourish. They were also very economically competitive with each other & often formed trade & naval alliances to safeguard key oceanic chokepoints & trading routes. Their nval inventory also was involved in containing marine piracy & espionage, with many great tales & legends arising out of such instances. Rotaract Club of TCET 07

When Athens met Magadh The Indian culture is described as 'Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara' - the first and the supreme culture in the world. Today, when our country is going through several transformations on the cultural front and undergoing cultural diversion, it has become extremely important for us to review the original form and expanse of our Indian culture. We need to analyze its foundational principles in a scientific light and present in detail its varying aspects, which deal with the day to day life of people and which are also useful for the righteous progress of the world. Our culture that has been followed through the ancient times and still finds its relevance in modern India was shaped by the revered rishis of the Vedic/Puranic times. Indian culture fundamentally revolves around the principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - meaning, “To treat the entire world as our own family”, which reflects the universality of serene love, altruism, sharing of responsibilities, and caring for all beings. Society over time came to be organized by a rigid caste system. Society became divided into four classes (the Varnas) popularly known as the caste system' which were comprised of the Brahmanas at the top (priests and scholars), the Kshatriya (the warriors), the Vaishya (farmers and merchants), and the Shudra (labourers). The lowest caste was of the Dalits, commonly referred to as the ‘untouchables’, who handled meat and waste, though there is some debate over whether this class existed in antiquity. The Shodas Samskaras, performed at different stages of human life, were aimed at continuous refinement and escalation of the individual self. The methods of performing these samskaras and the adoption of associated disciplines in personal and social life constituted an important component of the Indian cultural system. Guru - spiritual mentor, Gayatri - the Gayatri Mantra, the origin of all Vedas, Ganga - the holy Ganges, Gau (cow), and Geeta are the five fundamental elements that lie at the core of the development and practices of the Indian culture. India has a long & rich history of vibrant expressions of culture. The ancient civilizations of India, like the Indus Valley Civilization, the Maurya Empire, and the Gupta Empire, were demographically constituted of sophisticated & highly talented artisans whose art and lives contributed greatly to future generations. In India, various kingdoms were controlled by their respective Kings, following a majorly patriarchal structure of authority. Although, there were some exceptions to these with several instances where women also had their individual property & authoritative rights. Hindu literary traditions dominate a large part of Indian culture. Apart from the Vedas which are a sacred form of knowledge, there are other works such as the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, treatises such as Vaastu Shastra in architecture and town planning, and Arthashastra in political science. Indus valley civilization, which flourished between 2800 BC and 1800 BC, had an advanced and flourishing economic system. Rotaract Club of TCET 08

Where Sitar The majority of Greek traditional music and folk songs, and especially those of the islands in the Aegean Sea, draw their origins from the ancient musical modes of the Asia Minor and from the religious chanting of the Christian Orthodox Church of the Byzantine Era.This so-called Byzantine music, chanted in churches until today is based on music scales that are called echos (literally meaning sound). These echoi (plural of echos) are of a similar philosophy to that of the Indian ragas.It is widely known that each raga represents and expresses a different mood (rasa), a different time of the day, or a different season. It’s exactly the same as the Byzantine echoi. Each different echos represents and transmits different moods, different ways of behavior to the chanter and to the listener. A musical scale is something like a staircase with stair-steps that show how the pitch of the sound goes up and down (aroha, uvaroha). Each step represents one note (swara).A lot of resemblances arise because of the kind of scales in music. Resemblances in the study of the music through a “guru”, resemblances in the manner the musical work is performed and developed, resemblances in the terminology and most of all… the resemblance in the vibes produced, in other words, the brain waves created, when chanting or listening to these kinds of music. The main characteristic in both of them is this everlasting drone of the basic note, heard behind whatever is happening in the rest of the composition. It’s always there like the buzz of the bees in rural areas, like the constant aum of Nature. This drone is called isokratima in Byzantine music. It is produced either by an instrument called psaltiri, used by most Christian orthodox priests and church chanters, or by a second chanter or a group of chanters that vocally produce this one droning note. In Indian music, this drone is produced either by the insisting, piercing note of the string of a tampur, or by an electronic shruti box. The feeling created is the same. Rotaract Club of TCET 09

Meets Harp Greece fell in love with Nargis and Madhubala in the 1950s – and is still singing songs of love. Helen Abadzi, a Hindi speaking Greek educationist, published a tremendously researched article some years ago in which she tells how Greeks fell in love with Nargis and Madhubala and how queues wound around central Athens as people flocked to get a ticket for Mother India, renamed, Land Drenched in Sweat. And of course, in the music of C Ramachandra, Shankar Jaikishan and Naushad the rembetiko-loving people heard the faint strains of a lost Byzantine, even Indo-Greek, tradition. One other thing in common is also that small introductory melody called swar vistar in Indian music and apichima in Byzantine music. The instrumentalist or singer starts by introducing to the audience the raga or the echos that will follow. This is done by revealing the two or three most characteristic notes. These notes are something like an identity. A musically trained ear can immediately recognize which raga or echos will follow. A soul born and raised in that musical, cultural environment will subconsciously catch the feeling, the rasa or the ethos of the “scale”. May it be rag Bimbalash, rag Yaman, rag Malkauns, or whichever rag, may it be Echos Protos, Echos Defteros, Echos Plagios tou Tetartou, or whichever echos, the method used, the dedication needed to learn, the sattva quality produced, they are all so similar. Rotaract Club of TCET 10

From Aryabhatta Golden age of Indian mathematics was inspired by Babylon and Greece: Amartya Sen Astronomy is a very important field in science. Ancient Greece, China, and India all contributed to our everyday ideas and uses of astronomy. Ancient Greece was the most influential because the Indian’s based most of their astronomy off of Greece. The Greeks created calendars that were based off of the eclipse cycle, which they called by two different names, Hellenic Calendars and Lunisolar Calendars. Because of Ancient Greece, we now have calendars to keep us on track every day. The Greeks observed a celestial object passing through the eastern and western morning sky. After a long time of observations, they came to a realization that it was a planet and now that is the planet is well known as Venus. (Sarton, 75) Plato and Aristotle’s theories were incredible contributions on us today. Both of their theories were all about the behavior and life of the planets, such as their theory that the earth is spherical. (Sarton, 421). Greek mathematical models in astronomy and astrology appeared in India following the invasion of Alexander the Great. These models were integrated with existing Indian material to produce an extremely fruitful system of Sanskrit mathematical astronomy and astrology, known as jyotisa. The intellectual place of ganita, according to the canons of Sanskrit literature, was located within jyotisa, which in turn was identified as one of the six Vedangas (“limbs of the Veda”), whose purpose was to support the proper performance of Vedic rituals. As a result, much of our knowledge of classical Indian mathematics is supplied by astronomical texts. Of course, there were many nonastronomical applications of ganita as well. Buddhists, Jains, and Hindus all valued mathematical astronomy for practical uses such as timekeeping, calendrics, and astrology and also ascribed to it intellectual and spiritual importance. Rotaract Club of TCET 11

To Archimedes Among the earliest of these works that have been preserved are the foundational treatises of two major astronomical schools: the Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata (c. 500 CE) and the Brahma-sphuta-siddhanta (628; “Correctly Established Doctrine of Brahma”) of Brahmagupta. Little is known of these authors. Aryabhata lived in Kusumapura (near modern Patna), and Brahmagupta is said to have been from Bhillamala (modern Bhinmal), which was the capital of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. The “schools” that grew from their works were not physical institutions but rather textual lineages, built up over the subsequent centuries by the successive works of other scholars. Although members of different schools frequently criticized the astronomical parameters and techniques preferred by their rivals, their fundamental mathematical knowledge was largely the same. Brahmagupta collected his mathematical basics into two chapters of his treatise. Chapter 12, also called “Ganita,” discusses rules for the fundamental operations on integers and fractions as well as for series, proportions, and geometry. Chapter 18 deals with indeterminate equations of the first and second degrees and with algebra techniques for linear and quadratic equations (including rules for sign manipulation and the arithmetic of zero). Trigonometric rules and tables are stated in astronomical chapters that employ them, and another chapter deals briefly with calculations relating to prosody. Both the Aryabhatiya and, apparently, an early text of the Brahma-sphuta- siddhanta school entered the Muslim world and were translated into Arabic near the end of the 8th century, profoundly influencing the development of Islamic mathematical astronomy. The Indian decimal place-value numerals had been introduced into western Asia earlier, and the arithmetic operations involving them became widespread under the name “Indian computation.” Rotaract Club of TCET 12

Olympus mee Son of Zeus and Semele, Dionysus is considered in Greek mythology to be the God of fertility and wine. Associated with intoxication, madness and break down of culture, Dionysus is believed to have two sides to him. His obsession with wine can on one hand result in the spread of ecstasy and on another hand lead to rage and destruction. Dionysus’ popularity can be traced back to the first millennium BC when he was perhaps worshipped by the Mycenaean Greeks. The description of Dionysus can immediately be compared to that of the Hindu God Shiva, who is revered for his energetic and creative powers. Just like Dionysus, Shiva too has both benevolent and malevolent sides to him. As an ascetic who dwells in Mount Kailash with his wife, Parvati, Shiva is celebrated for ideals of domesticity. However, he has a fierce side to him too that sees him slay demons. Similar to Dionysus, Shiva is often associated with intoxication and madness that can both create and destroy. The king of heavens, according to Hindu mythology is Indra or Devendra. While in Greek mythology it is Zeus. From their character traits to their weapons, the similarities are too many to ignore. They are both god of gods, have the same weapons – the thunderbolt – and also both reside on mountains. Rotaract Club of TCET 13

ts devlok While our very own Karn is a skilled warrior who fought the Battle of Kurukshetra, Greek mythology has its Achilles who fought valiantly in the Trojan War. What is amusing is that they both had impenetrable armours, armours that made them invincible. While we have the Holy Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar, the Greeks have their own Holy Trinity of Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. Amusing, isn’t it? It doesn’t end there. We have The Saptarishis or The Seven Sages. They have The Pleiades or The Seven Sisters. And don’t be surprised if I tell you that both are a cluster of stars. We have Yama. They have Hades. We have Jatayu, they have Icarus. We have Narada, they have Hermes. Like in Hindu mythology, Greek mythology has a god or a goddess for everything. It is interesting to think of how the myths have travelled and how cultures were influenced. It only strengthens an individual's notion of the fact that as humans we belong to every land. Rotaract Club of TCET 14

Myths or Facts Poseidon was the God of the Sea and the brother of Zeus. He lived in a palace under the sea and his temper caused earthquakes. Myth or fact? The God Brahman does not have a form and is known as the Paramatma (the Divine Soul), in which the three forms of the Almighty are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Myth or fact? Present-day Athens, Greece is named after the 15 goddess Athena. Myth or fact? Rotaract Club of TCET

Myths or Facts The Ancient Hindus wrote two of the four greatest epics, namely the Mahabharat and the Ramayana. The Mahabharata is the longest epic in the world. Myth or fact? The Amazons were a tribe of independent, mighty women who had rebelled against the male- dominated society and the atrocities of men. Myth or fact? Valmiki composed the first ever Indian shloka (couplet) by accident in the form of a curse. Myth or fact? Rotaract Club of TCET 16

Tales of Time MYTH OF PERSUES AND Zeus, the Greek god, and Danae, a woman, had a son named Perseus. Zeus created him when he came in Danae disguised as a shower of gold. Danae's father, Acrisius, learnt of his daughter's pregnancy and threw both Danae and Perseus into the sea in a wooden coffin. The chest, on the other hand, washed ashore on a beach on the island of Seriphos, where Dictys, a fisherman, discovered it. He accepted them into his house and raised Perseus like a son. Perseus grew into a confident and appealing young man. Dictys' brother, Polydectes, had a liking for Danae and planned to seduce her. Perseus, on the other hand, fought Polydectes for his mother. When Polydectes gathered his friends to dinner, he requested for a gift from each of them. Perseus retorted that he could deliver something even more valuable: the Gorgon Medusa's head, which the other guests eagerly offered. The other guests brought their horses the next day as gifts to Polydectes, but Perseus arrived empty-handed. As a result, Polydectes ordered him to carry out his bold promise of bringing him Medusa's head. If Perseus returned empty-handed, Polydectes threatened to kidnap Danae. As a result, Perseus embarked on his mission. Perseus, like so many Greek heroes, received assistance from the gods as well as the nymphs. He was given various magical things to aid him in his journey, including winged sandals that allowed him to fly, a shoulder bag, and the Hades helmet. This last magical item was particularly useful because it rendered the wearer invisible. Meanwhile, Perseus received the harpe, a rare sickle composed of adamant (an mythical stone supposed to be impenetrable hardness – similar to diamond) from the deity Hermes. Rotaract Club of TCET 17

Immemorial 18 THE GORGON MEDUSA Perseus set out to hunt Medusa, one of the three Gorgons (the other two, Stheno and Euryale, are far less well-known, and their extremely difficult and forgettable names didn't help either). The only Gorgon who was not immortal was Medusa. They were all decked out in snakeskin. Looking directly at the Gorgons, on the other hand, was thought to convert the spectator to stone. Perseus was aided by the goddess Athena, who held a polished bronze shield just over Medusa's head, allowing Perseus to use his winged sandals to hover above the earth, look in the mirror formed by the bronze shield, and decapitate Medusa. After Medusa's decapitation, the legendary winged horse Pegasus is fabled to have sprouted from her neck. The myth of a giant named Chrysaor being born from the Gorgon's severed body is a little less well-known. Perseus came home after depositing Medusa's severed head in his shoulder bag, confirming the Gorgon's death. Despite the fact that Perseus was pursued by Medusa's two eternal sisters, Stheno and Euryale, on his return journey, he was protected by Hades' helmet, which prevented them from locating him. As a result, Perseus was able to return home, hand over Medusa's head to Polydectes, and protect his mother, Danae, from Polydectes' unwanted advances. Rotaract Club of TCET

Tales of Time LORD VISHNU AND “Work is Worship” Sage Narada was devoted to Lord Vishnu. He used to go around the world, chanting his name, “Narayana, Narayana, Narayana…”. Once, Sage Narada met Lord Vishnu, after meeting him, Lord Vishnu was very happy and he appreciated his devotion towards him, Lord Vishnu also stated that Narada was very dear to him. After listening to our own praise by lord Vishnu itself, Narada was overloaded with joy and in that same excitement he asked a question to lord Vishnu that, was he his greatest devotee? To which Lord Vishnu just smiled and politely said No. Hearing this answer from lord Vishnu, Narada was a bit confused and also sad at the same time. In curiosity he further asked who was his greatest devotee other than him, to which Lord Vishnu replied that we will find it out together. It was early in the morning. Vishnu took Narada to a cottage, where they found a farmer sleeping. As the day broke, the farmer woke up, joined his hands in prayer and said, “Narayana, Narayana.” Lord Vishnu ordered Narada to watch this farmer one whole day and by saying this he left, after which Narada obeyed his orders. The farmer got ready and left for his field. Narada followed him. The farmer plowed his land under the hot sun the whole morning.“He hasn’t taken the Lord’s name even once!” thought Narada. The farmer took a break to have lunch. “Narayana, Narayana,” he said before eating. After finishing his lunch, the farmer continued to plough the land. The next day Narada met Lord Vishnu, and Lord Vishnu asked him that he still doubted that the farmer was his greatest devotee! In disappointment Narada answered, “Lord, the farmer worked the whole day. He took your name only three times – when he got up in the morning, before having his lunch in the afternoon, and before he went to sleep. But I chant your name all the time. Why do you consider him your greatest devotee?”, to which Lord Vishnu just smiled and said that he would answer his question but first Narada has to bring some water from the lake on the top of the nearby hill, and he has to make sure that Rotaract Club of TCET 19

Immemorial HIS SPECTACLES not a single drop of water should spill on the ground. Narada went up the hill, found the lake, and filled a pot with water. Placing the pot on his head, he began walking, chanting, “Narayana, Narayana.” Then he stopped, thinking that since Lord Vishnu has said that not a single drop must spill on the ground, he should be more careful while carrying the water. Narada slowly climbed down the hill. All his attention was on the water pot. He took one step at a time, taking care that not a drop of water would fall from the pot. At last he reached Lord Vishnu, standing at the foot of the hill. The sun was going down. Narada carefully lowered the pot and offered it to the Lord and then said, “Lord, not a drop of water was spilled.” To which Lord Vishnu replied, “how many times did you chant my name, while bringing this water for me?”. Narada was a bit confused with this question but he replied, “Lord, my attention was on the water all the time. I could take your name only twice – when I started walking, and after I kept the pot down,”. Lord Vishnu smiled. Narada realized that while the farmer had taken the Lord’s name thrice in the day, he had taken his name only twice! He fell at Lord Vishnu’s feet, saying, “Narayana, Narayana.” Vishnu blessed Narada and said, “What is important is the feeling. I can feel that farmer’s love for me the same way as I feel your love for me.” Thus Narada realized that devotion means love for God. He also realized that God loves everyone equally. Rotaract Club of TCET 20

RIDDLES OF NALANDA random riddles and jokes 1.With modern civilization I didn’t change, but yet people gave me a new name-Bihar, guess who am I? 2.An Emperor in search found a treasure and named it as Nalanda, guess who is he!! 3.I am full of mysteries no scholar can interpret me full, I am old yet considered as a gold!! 4.I reside in the university of Nalanda, I was cursed by Sita and has a best friend named Ganga, guess who am I? 5.I am the most successful in taking away by violence not only on earth but also in heaven? Answers: 1. Magadha,2.Kumaragupta 21 3.Vedas, 4.Phalgu river, 5. Mind Rotaract Club of TCET

RIDDLES OF NALANDA random riddles and jokes Ancient Indo-Greek Jokes Section 1. What's a mummy's favorite type of music? Wrap! 2. What do you call a musician who just saw Medusa? A rockstar! 3. What was the most popular kids' movie in Ancient Greece? Troy Story! 4. Why is the Medieval period often called the Dark Ages? Because there were so many knights! 5. What is the fruitiest subject at school? History, because it is full of dates! 6. Why did Arthur have a round table? 22 So nobody could corner him! Rotaract Club of TCET

Member's Tablet Rotaract Club of TCET 23

Member's Tablet Rotaract Club of TCET 24

Member's Tablet Rotaract Club of TCET 25

Member's Tablet RCTCET recieved best performing club in WRY Rotaract Club of TCET 26

Literary Movies Troy (2014) - An adaptation of Homer's great epic, the film follows the assault on Troy by the united Greek forces and chronicles the fates of the men involved. Immortals (2011) - Theseus is a mortal man chosen by Zeus to lead the fight against the ruthless King Hyperion, who is on a rampage across Greece to obtain a weapon that can destroy humanity. 300 (2006) - In the ancient battle of Thermopylae, King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fight against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. They face insurmountable odds when they are betrayed by a Spartan reject. Jodhaa Akbar (2008) - Jodhaa is a fiery Rajput princess who is obliged to marry Mughal Emperor Akbar for political reasons. Eventually, mutual respect and admiration between the duo leads to true love. Lagaan (2001) - During the British Raj, a farmer named Bhuvan accepts the challenge of Captain Andrew Russell to beat his team in a game of cricket and enable his village to not pay taxes for the next three years. Books The Greek Experience of India: From Alexander to the Indo- Greeks Book by Richard. Stoneman The Indo-Greeks Book by A. K. Narain Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian coinage Book by Michael Mitchiner Indo-Greek Jewellery Book by Rai G. Chandra Ancient Indian and Indo-Greek theatre Book by Manohar Laxman Varadpande Rotaract Club of TCET 27

Recommendations 28 Artwork Recommendations: The Indo-Greeks kingdom in circa 150 BC was concentrated in areas of present day Pakistan, Iran and India, they were artistically proficient which was found during various expeditions in the remains of many ancient cities. The Indo-Greek art in India is concentrated in the region of Sirkap which is near the modern day Punjab. Coins: The coins in the Indo-Greek kingdom were minted bilingually in India, this minting process became very crucial because the process used resulted in more polished coins, the coins were generally composed of copper. These coins were very remarkable in the fact that they bore the precise information of the ruling monarch, year of minting and usually the portrait of the monarch. Indo-Greeks are credited with popularising depicting the monarch’s portrait on the coin. Inscriptions and Sculptures: Many expeditions in the 1990s unearthed the Greek town of Barikot from around the time of King Menander I in the 2nd century BCE, this gave us an inside glimpse into the architecture of the Indo Greek empire. . Songs & Music Recommendations: The Indo-Greek kingdom encompassed the regions of present day Turkmenistan Pakistan and Afghanistan, the cultural influences of this are still present to this day, The Kalash of Pakistan are considered remnants of Alexander's army, They carry their culture and their distinct blend of music. Indo-Greek music of today is a modern expression of the Greek heritage from the East. Petrakis of Crete and Chemiramis of Iran fuse Greek and eastern sounds. Rotaract Club of TCET

Titans of the Quarter Let us meet the Quarter Champions of Quarter 3 Rotaract Club of TCET 29

Best Avenue Digital Communications & SMR Rtr. Dhruvi Jagani Rtr. Ananya Shetty Rtr. Hardik Chemburkar 30 Rotaract Club of TCET

Best Members Rtr. Sudha Paudel Rtr. Ekta Singh Rtr. Aryan Patil 31 Rotaract Club of TCET

Congratulations Rotaract Club of TCET 32

Oracle's Message CONCLUSION AND VOTE OF THANKS “Myths can’t be translated as they did in their ancient soil. We can only find our own meaning in our own time!” - Margaret Atwood On behalf of our entire magazine team, it is our privilege to propose a vote of thanks. Our hearts fill with immense gratitude and respect for our bulletin’s contributors who not only spared their invaluable time but also shared their enlightening knowledge on this subject with us. We are truly falling short of words to express our heartfelt gartitude to all the talented individuals that were involved in creating this bulletin. We have been fortunate enough to be backed by a team of very motivated and dedicated colleagues of our college who have given their best in creating a truly engaging experience via this bulletin for our dear readers. This vote of thanks would be gravely incomplete without expressing our gratitude to the other staff members of the Rotaract Club of Thakur College of Engineering and Technology, who have been working hard in carrying out all the allotted duties very diligently. Further, we would also like to offer our sincere gratitude to all the hidden faces behind the creation of this publication material, including our principal, & our steadfast guides & motivators in the form of Faculty In-charges, our Rotaract District Institution, & many others. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to our Creative & Editorial team members for their active contributions to this undertaking. In conclusion, we would like to thank all our readers too for attempting to read this bulletin & take a step towards bettering their lives. I sincerely apologise if I have missed out on somebody or some topic. We hope you all would cherish the essence of the teachings in this bulletin & always live a contented & secure life free from all sorts of inhibitions! Let us toast, “To a Better Tomorrow!!‘Buh-bye, Adios & Sayonara! We hope to meet you all soon, on another riveting journey of ours!! Thank You! Rotaract Club of TCET 33

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Credits Magazine Head: Rtr. Mitali Mandge Editor: Rtr. Malcolm Cardoza Design Head: Rtr. Dhruvi Jagani TEAM EDITORIAL: TEAM CREATIVES: Rtr. Abhishek Tiwari Rtr. Prathamesh Kubal Rtr. Ishika Sharma Rtr. Raj Mazgaonkar Rtr. Dhruv Pandey Rtr. Suhena Ghosh Rtr. Kiarah Patel Rtr. Harshad Vhatkar Rtr. Krishna Desai Rtr. Saloni Negi Rtr. Mahima Churi Rtr. Meera Prajapati Rtr. Abhishek Sakpal Rtr. Deepak Gupta Rtr. Anish Patane Rtr. Nikhil Pal Rtr. Anuj Pandey Rtr. Neelam Yadav Rtr. Sanskar Tayade Rotaract Club of TCET 36