Derek O'Brien

Even when it’s not the monsoon season, my favourite name amongst the many by lanes in Calcutta is ‘Chhatawala gulli’, halfway between Bowbazaar and Lalbazaar. Calcutta is believed to have the largest umbrella assembling market in the country, a tradition going back over a hundred years. The story goes that in 1882, Mahendra Lal, a musician, enchanted by the cane-and-wooden chhata (umbrella/brolly/gamp) carried by the British through sunshine and rain, set up a shop near, what is today, ‘Chhatawala gulli’. He became the first in Calcutta to manufacture the umbrella as we know it today.

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YOUR QUESTIONS

1. Cafeteria roenbergensis is the name of the world’s largest ________?

Srishti Chatterjee, Calcutta

2. Which word comes from ‘penna’, the Latin for feather?

Atanu Biswas, Howrah

3. According to historical records, which emperor of India developed a “special breed of bullocks” that could transport heavy weaponry faster?

Ratul Kaur, Jamshedpur

4. Which commonly used spice bears the botanical name Trachyspermum ammi?

Meenakshi Chanda, Calcutta

5. On which sick animal was the first experiment made to find that bacteria causes infection?

Sayoni Bose, Birbhum

6. Who is currently the youngest Grandmaster in India?

Radhika Palit, Bhubaneswar

7. Which comic-strip character owns Dag-Dag, an old truck that is half-human and half-machine?

Rajat Sen, Calcutta

8. How do we know the fifth taste found in the savoury flavour of soy sauce, tomatoes, and many other foods high in glutamate?

Jayati Karmakar, Calcutta

9. The name of which snack can be traced back to the Persian word ‘sanbosag’?

Mrinal Chakraborty, Calcutta

KNOW & GROW WITH DEREK

Ferrule, open cap, rib, top spring and crook handle are important parts of the umbrella we use regularly.

ANSWER & WIN

Where does a Kathak dancer wear the fan-shaped ornament called Jhumar or Chapka?

For Answer and Win, send a quiz question of your own along with the answer. The prize will go to the reader with the correct answer and the best question. Send in answers with your full name and address to: graphitiquiz@gmail.com'

Winner of the Answer and Win

Quiz published on 3.07.11

Mrinal Chakraborty, Calcutta

How do we popularly know the flowering plant named Lawsonia inermis?

The answer is: Hennainner of the Answer and Win

For queries about Answer and Win, please contact 22804093

Name this sportsperson

POINT OF VIEW

1. Identify this author

 

 

2. Identify this politician

 

 

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ANSWERS

1. Marine virus
2. Pen
3. Tipu Sultan
4. Ajwain
5. Silkworm
6. Sethuraman Panaiappan Sethuraman
7. Chacha Chowdhury
8. Umami
9. Samosa

WHO AM I ? Petra Kvitova
POINT OF VIEW1 Mulk Raj Anand
POINT OF VIEW2 Julia Gillard