Seen this Fort KBG-41

After a series of KBGs on plants and trees, we now tickle your knowledge of Forts and Palaces of India.

Which fort is this?

Need a clue? See another picture below.

Still not got it? Last clue for you follows!

That was a big giveaway!

Now, shoot fast. Name the fort. First three correct answers will be the Winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-41!

For the first-timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the six channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Comment on Twitter @HarshBh21184761
6. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent.

Those who missed the last edition KBG-40, we had featured a monsoon favourite plant the healthy Maize or Indian Corn. It had huge response with first three winners all coming within few minutes of posting the quiz. See the picture below.

Thanks for participating and all the best for KBG-41!

Stay connected, stay safe.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 18th Sep 2020.

#history #forts #fortsofindia #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe  #funwithtravel #learningfromtravelling

Flower and Plant- Most Common KBG-40

 Come monsoon and you can't miss it.

Name the flower of the plant shown below. It is straightforward. Isn't it?

If you haven't got it, here is a clue.

Still not got it? Last clue for you.

That was like a cakewalk!

Now, shoot fast. Name the plant/flower in any language. First three correct answers will be the Winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-40!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the six channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Comment on Twitter @HarshBh21184761
6. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent.

Those who missed the last edition KBG-39, we had featured a wild vine called Minnie Root which has violet flowers. Though keenly contested, it had a lone winner. See the picture below.

Thanks for participating and all the best!

Stay connected, stay safe.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 28th Aug 2020.

#nature #plants #naturephotography #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe  #environment #learningfromnature

Minnie Root Answer KBG-39

It grows wild on the road sides. Come rains and it sprouts all over.

Distinguishing violet flowers which are funnel shaped having paper like texture attract the viewer. But the buds are yellow in colour. In fact that was one of the clues which we gave for solving the nature quiz Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-39.

The vine and the bud shown in KBG-39 were Minnie Root also called the Fever Root, Iron Root or Popping Pod. Its scientific name is Ruellia Tuberosa. As per the portal Flowers of India, in Marathi it is known as 'Ruwel' and in Tamil 'Chetapatakaayala'. See the picture below.

According to Wikipedia, its native range is in Central America but it has become naturalized in many countries of tropical South and Southeast Asia. All the pictures shown here are taken just outside our house in Secunderabad, India.

39th edition of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad online contest saw a bit subdued response with over 200 readers. Seeing the yellow buds, many readers got confused with the Honeysuckle plant. They probably did not read our second clue which said that the buds and the flowers have different colour! See the picture below.

The plant is also called Popping Pod because the pod containing its seeds pops out in water. Children pluck the dark coloured pods and put it in a bowl of water to see it pop!

Winner

We congratulate Ms Paneetha Mudholkar the lone winner of KBG-39. She has won the KBG contests many times. Prof Praneetha is a faculty member at VVISM Hyderabad in Marketing and Communication areas. She is a keen traveller and nature enthusiast.

Once again, we thank all the participants from different time zones. Without you Kaun Banega Ghumakkad would not have reached where it has! Hope KBG contest helped in taking your minds off Corona and the lockdown anxiety.

Special thanks are due to Dr Chitra Shanker for her continued research guidance.

Thanks for browsing and keeping the KBG going!

Stay connected, stay safe.

     - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 23rd Aug 2020

#minnieroot #feverroot #poppingpod #ruwel #ironroot #nature #plants #naturephotography #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #environment #learningfromnature

It Sprouts During The Rains KBG-39

Come the rains and it sprouts all over.

On sidewalks, berms and open areas- you can't miss it spreading rapidly!

Name the vine/flower shown below.

Got the name? Or, do you need a clue? Here it goes.

Don't tell me you need another clue? In that case, take it!

That was a big give away!

Now, shoot fast. Name the plant/vine/flower in any language. First three correct answers will be the Winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-39!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the six channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Comment on Twitter @HarshBh21184761
6. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent.

Those who missed the last edition, we had featured the ubiquitous Tinda plant  in KBG-38. It was keenly contested. It had a lone winner. See the picture below.

Thanks for participating and all the best!

Stay connected, stay safe.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 21st Aug 2020.

#nature #plants #naturephotography #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe  #environment #learningfromnature

Seen this Plant KBG-38

From trees we move to plants in this edition of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad.

You must have seen this plant.

And eaten its immature fruit.

Tell us its name. In any language!

Need a clue? See the picture below.

Oh, that was a big give away!

Now, shoot fast. Name the plant in any language. First three correct answers will be the Winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-38!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the five channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent.

Those who missed the last edition, we had featured the Camel's Foot Tree and its pod of seeds in KBG-37. It was keenly contested. See the winners in the picture below.

Thanks for participating and all the best!

Stay connected, stay safe.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 25th July 2020.

#nature #plants #naturephotography #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe s #environment #learningfromnature

Camel's Foot Tree KBG-37 Answer

KBG-37 proved that readers are responding to the Contest without seeing the clue! How can we say that?

Because most early responses looked at the picture which had red Ixora flowers in the background. However, the flowers were neither in question nor in focus. The question pertained to a dried-up pod which had shed its seeds, curled and twisted itself!

So next time, please do look at the clue in Kaun Banega Ghumakkad and then key in your answer!

What is the correct answer to KBG-37?

It is a pod from Camel's Foot tree also known as Orchid Tree because its pink flowers resemble an orchid. 

The scientific name is Bauhinia Purpurea. It has a close cousin named Bauhinia Variegata which is called Kachnar कचनार  in Hindi. We are reproducing the clue below.

Why is it called the Camel's Foot Tree?

Because its leaves resemble a camel's foot prints in sand. See the picture of the leaves below.

Where is it grown?

It is a tree native to the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. It is grown on road sides, parks, gardens and avenues. It attracts birds, insects and bats. Flowering in winter, the petals create a pink blanket under the tree.

Contest Winners

More than 300 readers participated online. Our winners came from across the continents. Congratulations to all three.

• Maninder S Chahal is a BITS Pilani alumnus settled in Canada who enjoys composing music, photography and nature hikes. When not playing music, he gives financial advice to companies and individuals. 
• Sangeeta Jaishankar is an army spouse and a plant hobbyist. She has over 60 varieties of plants in her garden which moves with her every two years or so! She is also an amateur mural artist. 
• Nidhi Bhargava is a Kathak dancer, nature lover, home maker and former entrepreneur. Living in Bengaluru, she loves gardening and observing the birds and trees in her enclave.

Credits

We are grateful to Chitra Shanker for her continued research guidance.

Once again, we thank all the participants from different time zones. Without you Kaun Banega Ghumakkad would not have reached where it has!

Stay connected, stay safe.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 3rd July 2020.

#pod #seeds #kachnar #camelsfoottree #orchidtree #nature #plants #naturephotography #wildplants #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe s #environment

What is this KBG-37

This one is easy.

Along the parks or roads in enclaves, you would have seen this.

What actually is this?

Want a clue? Here it is.

Now, shoot fast. Name the object in any language. First three correct answers will be the Winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-37!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent.

KBG-36 had featured a common grass. However, no one gave the correct answer. But one reader produced the same grass next morning! We therefore declared him to be the sole winner!

Shoot fast to win KBG-37! All the best.

     -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 28th June 2020

 #nature #plants #naturephotography #wildplants #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe s #environment

Brahmi or Gotu Kola Answer KBG-35

"Nasturtium"
"Aak"
"Mallow"
"Giloy"
"Guduchi"
"Ajwain"
Many answers came in response to KBG-35.
None correct!

Then what is the correct answer?
Answer was in the clue that it is a herbal plant.
We had also given you an option to name it in any language.
The correct answer to Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-35 is:
Brahmi ब्राह्मी (Hindi)
Gotu Kola or Spade Leaf (English)
Mandukaparni (Ayurveda)
Saraswati (Telugu)
Centella Asiatica (Botanical name)

Why did we choose this Plant?
Gotu Kola or Brahmi has known medicinal properties. Our elders knew about the herb and used it for generations. In fact many of the readers confided that they got the answer from their parents or grandparents! 

Readers may refer Ayurtimes, an excellent web resource for more details about this herb. Gotu Kola is helpful in many health conditions some of which are listed below:

• Mental fatigue
• Memory Loss
• Low retention power
• Inability to concentrate
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia (sleeplessness)
• Convulsions
• Epilepsy

Where does it grow?

It is a wildly growing weed near rice fields and wet places. The pictures for KBG-35 contest were all shot at Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) in Hyderabad India. Many readers in India confirmed having seen it in the vicinity of rice fields on long drives.

How is the Herb Used?

All parts (especially aerial parts) of Gotu Kola herb are used preparing Gotu Kola powder (Mandukaparni Churna), extract, tablets or capsules. 

Winners

We had close to 300 participants online with more than 30 correct answers. First three correct answers came within five minutes of posting! All three winners once again are women. Come on men folk, faster response next time!

We congratulate the winners and thank all those who took part in KBG-35.

1. Sangeeta Agarwal PhD, Biotechnologist, formerly with DuPont Research Centre in Hyderabad, works with the Department of Biotechnology in New Delhi.
2. Praneetha Mudholkar, Marketing Faculty at VVISM Hyderabad. Loves travelling and meeting people. Past winner of KBG many times.
3. Ratnaja Gogula PhD. Former Professor IBS Hyderabad and former Program Lead, Technology Entrepreneurship Program at Indian School of Business Hyderabad. Creative teacher, painter and nature lover she lives in Hyderabad. A past winner of KBG.

Credits

The idea for KBG-35 to showcase a herb was given by Dr Chitra Shanker who works at IIRR. Being locked down, I couldn't travel to take pictures. She took all the pictures and undertook the research as well. Thanks much Chitra.

Hope we succeeded in alleviating your lockdown boredom to some extent. Thanks for browsing. Stay connected for more KBGs.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 22nd May 2020

#nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #wildplants #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #greenfields #herbalplants #gotukola #brahmi #saraswati #spadeleaf #mandukaparni #centellaasiatica

Which Wild Plant KBG-35

Humble Lauki bud fired the imagination of more than 300 of you to respond to KBG-34 last week.
For KBG-35 we have therefore, chosen a leaf and not a bud. All of you who love vast green fields, this is easy! Green as far as the eye can see. Lockdown prevents you from stepping out. Ghumakkad does it for you through our pictures!

Which wildly growing plant?

Want a clue?
Here it goes.

Now, shoot fast. Name the plant in any language. First three correct answers will be the Winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-35!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent. KBG-34 which featured Lauki or Bottle Gourd, evoked great response. For the first time we had five winners! Because first three- all responded at the same time.

Thanks for your participation which keeps KBG alive!

Stay home, stay safe.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/16th May 2020

#nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #wildplants #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #greenfields #herbalplants

Lauki or Bottle Gourd KBG-34 Answer

"Dhatura!"
"Water Lily"
"Bhindi"
were some of the responses to KBG-34. All wrong.

The correct answer to the 34th Contest of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad is Lauki लौकी or Bottle Gourd. Out of 300 participants we received 30+ correct answers. KBG-34 seemed easy.

We congratulate all the winners. As against the usual first three correct answers, how come KBG-34 has five winners? Because first three responses came together in the 9th minute. So, we decided to club these together. The winners aged 20+ to 70+ come from varied backgrounds. This variety adds the charm to KBG contests.

Winners
Meet the winners of KBG-34:

1. Shiv Rungta, alumnus of BITS Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad, successful entrepreneur manufacturing safety glasses for last 30 years.
2. Nidhi Bhargava, accomplished Kathak dancer, former entrepreneur who loves gardening and Nature. Lives in Bengaluru.
3. Amandeep Kaur PGDM (Fin), works as an analyst with Duff and Phelps in Hyderabad. Loves travelling but hates lauki!
4. Reeta Verma PGDM (HR) loves travelling, works as HR Coordinator with NCR Corp Hyderabad
5. Laxman Swarup B an alumnus of NIT Warangal, former Scientist 'G' with Defence R&D Organisation. Loves gardening and travelling. Lives in Pune.

Clues
This time we did not give any clues. Despite that the participants were bang on the target. Some of them correlated the bud with the leaves shown in an earlier story. That was smart!

Blooming Time
The second part of the question was when does the bud bloom? Nobody answered it. 

Well, the correct answer is that lauki bud blooms at night to attract the pollinators. See the picture below.

Health Benefits of Lauki
Lauki has been hailed as 'your best friend in summer'!
Readers may refer the link which summarises the health benefits as under:

1. Rich in nutrients and anti-oxidant
2. Keeps your body hydrated
3. Provides skin care and protection
4. Beats constipation
5. Regulates BP
6. Beats stress with anti-bilious properties
7. Promotes weight loss
8. Protects against kidney stones
9. Helps you sleep better
10. Provides a cooling and calming effect

So whether you are old or young, include lauki in your diet specially during summers. Regular consumption of humble lauki will keep you healthy. It can be taken in any form as a vegetable, juice or soup. Lauki halwa tastes delicious too.

Once again, thank you for your continued participation. KBG is alive because of you!

Hope we have helped you in taking your mind off Corona.

Stay home, stay safe.

     - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 13th May 2020

#lauki #bottlegourd #nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #flowers #buds 

Name the Bud KBG-34

Corona, lockdown, pandemic, Covid-19: We all are fed up with these words.
Ghumakkad helps you to take your minds off!

Look around you whether you live in an apartment, villa, city, village, college campus or wherever! You will find that the earth is healing. No pollution. No noise. Birds are happier. So are the plants.

Kaun Banega Ghumakkad- your favourite online contest is back! KBG-34 wants you to name the bud shown in the picture and its blooming time.

This one is so simple that there is no clue. Only clue is: look at the picture again!

Come on shoot fast. First three correct answers will be announced as Winners!

For first timers on KBG, you can respond on any of the channels below:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Send email to hbindia@gmail.com
3. Respond on FB
4. Comment on Instagram @ghumakkadhb 
5. Send a WA message. If you want your WA number to be added to Ghumakkad's list, send an email.

The KBG Contest timing is chosen to suit most of the time zones across the world.

Hope we helped you in overcoming the lockdown boredom to some extent. KBG-33 which featured Foxtail Millet, evoked great response. All three winners were women.

Thanks for your participation which keeps KBG alive!

Stay home, stay safe.


   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/10th May 2020

#nature #plants #trees #naturephotography #travelisfun #funwithtravel #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #onlinecontest #powerofobservation #lockdownfunathome #beatthecorona #lockdown #stayhomestaysafe #flowers

Foxtail Millet KBG-33 Answer

"Oh, that's easy", said many of you!
And typed 'Millet' as the answer to KBG-33. But as we all know, there are numerous varieties of millets. Other answers included Jowar or sorghum, Corn, Bajra, and Wheat. So, what is the correct and complete name of the plant shown in KBG-33?

The correct answer is 'Foxtail Millet'. Foxtail because its cob or fruit or seeds hang like the tail of a fox! According to ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants, Foxtail Millet is also known as:
German Millet
Hungarian Millet
Italian Millet
Millet Spray
Foxtail Bristle Grass

Names in other languages
It is known as Bertia in Hindi; Panico Degli Uccelli in Italian; Awa in Japanese; Sekui in Malaysia; Pabbio Coltivato in Switzerland; dzo in Korean; Morap in Russian and Mijo De Italia in Spanish. Readers may browse HealthBenefitTimes.com for more details. In Telugu it is called 'Korra'. 

Scientific Name
The scientific name is Setaria Italica (L) BEAUV. Ghumakkad has no knowledge of botany. The credit for all this research goes to Dr Chitra Shanker. 

Health Benefits
Foxtail Millet is rich in Vit B1, fiber and other nutrients. It has been in use in China, East Asia and Europe for centuries. Readers may refer healthbenfits.com for its nutritional value and number of health benefits.

How did Ghumakkad spot this grass and its seed? Well we don't eat this millet (we do eat the green millet or bajra as it is called in Hindi) at home. However, we have been using Foxtail Millet seeds for feeding the White Throated Munias or Indian Silverbill Munias in our bird feeder for last several years. See the picture of the seeds and a Munia.

It is interesting to note that these tiny birds break open every single seed and discard the shell. All this happens multiple times in a second. And when tens of Munias do this for few hours every day, we have a layer of shells inside our yard. See the next picture.

Few seeds fall down without being eaten by the Munias. It is one of these seeds which germinated and grew into a Foxtail Millet plant that caught my eye. And the idea of KBG-33 was born! See the leaves of the plant.

We had done two exclusive stories on the Munias in our yard. Here are the links:
Friendly Munias
Feeding the Munias - at that time in 2015, we mistook the Foxtail Millet as the Green Millet!

Videos
You may like to see two short video clips of Munias feeding in our house in Secunderabad India.

In the second video, you can see fantastic teamwork by the Munias.

Winners of KBG-33
Corona lockdown did not hamper the spirit of KBG participants. We had more than 300 online participants with 20 correct answers. First three correct answers came within 15 minutes. Is it a coincidence that all three winners are women? Perhaps they are more environment conscious than men! Well, we will leave that debate to some other time.

Congratulations to the winners of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-33:

1. G Ratnaja PhD, Former Professor IBS Hyderabad and former Program Lead, Technology Entrepreneurship Program at Indian School of Business Hyderabad. Creative teacher, painter and nature lover she lives in Hyderabad.
2. Rashmi Bhargava MA(English Honours) loves reading, gardening and travelling. Lives in Sikar Rajasthan.
3. Anshu Bhargava CA is a fitness enthusiast, keen traveller and nature lover. Lives in Secunderabad.

As we said, the Munias also teach us teamwork. See the last picture.

We will bring you more stories to keep your mind off Corona. Stay connected.

Thanks for browsing

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 21st April 2020

With research guidance from Dr Chitra Shanker

#kbgcontest #kaunbanegaghumakkad #foxtailmillet #medicinalplants #powerofobservation #silverbillmunia #whitethroatedmunia #birds #birdfeed #millets #fiberrichdiet #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #nature #plants #environment