Ancient Wonders and Indian History

The CD 100 was Hero Honda's first motorcycle, launched in 1984-85. It was a 100cc commuter bike that became hugely popular and established Hero Honda in the Indian market. Splendor came later. Sleek was another model, and CD 100 SS was a variant. The CD 100 marked the beginning of Hero Honda's joint venture success.

The name India is derived from the River Indus, which was called Sindhu in ancient Sanskrit. The Persians pronounced it as Hindu, and the Greeks later referred to it as Indus, from which the modern name India emerged.

The Place Value System and Decimal System were developed in ancient India around 100 BC. Indian mathematicians like Aryabhata and Brahmagupta made fundamental contributions including the concept of zero as a number and the decimal positional notation system.

Snakes and Ladders originated in ancient India during the 13th century as a game of morality called Moksha Patam. It was brought to England in 1892 and later modified to be marketed as Snakes and Ladders. The 13th century is the correct historical period.

Until diamonds were discovered in Brazil (1720s) and South Africa (late 1800s), India was the world's only source of diamonds. The famous Kohinoor and other diamonds came from Indian mines.

Baudhayana, in his Sulba Sutra (c. 800 BCE), provided the value of pi as approximately 3.09, making him one of the earliest Indian mathematicians to calculate this mathematical constant. While later mathematicians like Aryabhata and Madhava provided more accurate values, Baudhayana's work represents one of the earliest recorded approximations.

The Great Pyramid of Giza at Giza was built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, specifically during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu (also known as Cheops). Modern archaeological evidence and historical records place its construction between approximately 2584-2561 BC. The other date ranges correspond to different Egyptian dynasties and rulers.

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, created by the Greek sculptor Phidias around 435 BC. It was a chryselephantine sculpture made for the Greeks at the sanctuary of Olympia. Goths, Romans, and Carians were not the original builders.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, were likely destroyed by earthquake damage. The Gardens were built on an elevated structure with complex irrigation systems, making them vulnerable to seismic activity. Historical accounts suggest earthquake damage contributed significantly to their eventual collapse and ruin. Fire, drought, or attackers were not the primary causes of their destruction.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was destroyed through multiple incidents. It was initially plundered for its valuable materials and artifacts by various invaders seeking riches. Later, in 356 BC, it was deliberately set on fire (arson) by a man named Herostratus who sought fame through destroying the beautiful temple. There is no historical evidence of Crusader arson as the Crusades occurred centuries later, and earthquake was not the primary cause of its destruction.

The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, depicting Helios, the Greek Titan god of the sun. The statue was built to commemorate Rhodes' victory over Cyprus and stood as a massive bronze monument at the harbor entrance.