Teej

Teej is a way to welcome the monsoon, the season when the wind from the Indian Ocean brings heavy rainfall. This is also a celebration for women and is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva and patron goddess of women. On Teej, specially decorated swings are hung from trees in every village, and women swing on them and sing songs in praise of Parvati. Married women go to their parents’ home and receive gifts of clothes and jewelry. There are also local fairs and processions carrying the image of the goddess. On this day, she is supposed to have been reunited with Shiva. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Aldous Huxley (1894)

Huxley was a British writer known for his works of witty and pessimistic satire, like Antic Hay (1923), which established his reputation as a novelist. In his acclaimed Brave New World, he envisions a nightmarish, scientifically controlled future society that underscores the dehumanizing aspects of technological progress. His later works reveal an interest in philosophy and mysticism. Though he spent much of his life in the US, he was repeatedly denied citizenship for what reason? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Principality of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand is a purported micronation located on HM Fort Roughs, a former World War II sea fort located in the North Sea six miles (10 km) off the coast of Suffolk, England. Since 1967, the installation has been occupied by the associates and family of Paddy Roy Bates, a former British Army Major and pirate radio broadcaster who claims it is a sovereign and independent state. What court rulings have involved Sealand and its status as a sovereign nation? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Bob Dylan Plugs In (1965)

At the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, erstwhile acoustic folk musician Bob Dylan performed with an electric guitar for the first time, marking a major shift in his career. The move did not go over well. Expecting an acoustic set like his two previous ones at Newport, the audience was caught off guard by Dylan’s apparent betrayal of the folk genre, and some fans booed him loudly. His first appearance at the festival, in 1963, constituted his premiere national performance. Who invited him to play? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Grotto Day

In England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, oysters were not considered the rare delicacy they are today, and the large number of oysters eaten at that time meant there were lots of shells around. On St. James‘s Day, which was observed on August 5 before the Gregorian, or New Style, Calendar came into use and on July 25 thereafter, children used the shells to construct small decorative grottoes. Sometimes the children begged for pennies as a reward for their efforts. Most of this grotto-building took place in London, and the custom continued up to the 1950s. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Thomas Eakins (1844)

Perhaps the greatest American artist of the 19th century, Eakins lived, worked, and taught in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for most of his life. There, he painted The Gross Clinic in 1875. Depicting a surgical operation, it was initially criticized for being too realistic, but it is now seen as his masterpiece. Eakins was an influential art teacher, but his decision to use nude models of both sexes in mixed-gender classes caused an uproar. What incident led to his resignation in 1886? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jogo do Pau

Literally translated as “stick game,” Jogo do Pau is a Portuguese martial art that is perhaps more accurately described as “stick fencing.” First used for self-defense and the settlement of disputes, the art evolved into a sporting competition during the 19th century. Urban migration and greater access to firearms later led to the art’s decline, but it was revived in the 1970s. Still, the origins of the art are not known. What are some of the theories about how and why it was developed? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

First Ascent of the Eiger’s North Face (1938)

Switzerland’s Eiger mountain was first summited in 1858, but the sheer north face of the 13,025-foot (3,970-m) Alpine peak was not successfully climbed until 1938, when two independent pairs of climbers met on the face, joined forces, and reached the summit as a team. It has been climbed many times since, sadly with many fatalities, which, due to the cliff’s high visibility, occur in full view of nearby villages. Since 1935, how many people have died climbing the Eiger’s so-called Murder Wall? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary