The Seven Dwipas

- July 25, 2020


According to the Bhagavata Purana, Aditya, the sun god, went around Mount Sumeru sending his rays to the Loka-Aloka range, illuminating half the earth while the other half remained dark.

Illustration: Aditya Prabhu

Once, Priyavrata, the son-in-law of Vishwakarma decided to illuminate the dark regions so that there would be perpetual daylight. Getting onto his chariot, he began to follow the sun-god. After seven rounds, Brahma stopped him and said,

“Stop, Priyavrata. This isn’t your assigned duty in the universe.”

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Since Priyavrata has already gone around Sumeru, there were grooves formed on the ground by his chariot wheels. These grooves formed the seven oceans which then gave rise to the seven dvipas or islands.

Illustration: Aditya Prabhu
  • Jambu
  • Plaksha
  • Salmali
  • Kusa
  • Krauncha
  • Saka
  • Pushkara

Each one was twice as large as the preceding one. Most of them were named after a sacred tree of the same name, that was said to grow there.

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Rani of Jhansi

She ruled over a small kingdom but dreamt of freedom for the whole country. In the great revolt of 1857, Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, matched wits and force with the best of British generals. The image of the brave Rani of Jhansi charging her steed through enemy lines, her sword raised for the next thrust, is forever imprinted in Indian hearts.

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