99 Words

Himalayas is a complex of over a hundred mountains in Asia that divides the Tibetan Plateau and the Indian subcontinent. Such sizable the Himalayan mountain range is that it branches out to six countries namely Tibet, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Pakistan. Himalayas is also a great watershed to three of the world’s major river systems: the Yangtze, Ganga-Brahmaputra, and Indus. In Sanskrit, Himalaya means is a collective meaning for “an abode of snow”. The rugged Himalayas has abundant lakes, grasslands, glaciers, and permanent ice caps. It is also the habitat of the endangered snow leopard. As a great physical barrier, remote villages on the Himalayas has less contact with outsiders thus they have well-preserved their customs and traditions.

Parthenon is perhaps one of the best examples of Greek Classic architecture. The marble temple, built with peripteral or single row Doric columns, was constructed in honor of the goddess Athena. Historians point out that Parthenon literally means “temple of the virgin goddess” hence the temple used to house a statue of Athena Parthenos. Elaborate sculptures decorate its frieze and metope. But by the 6th century AD, the Parthenon was made into a Christian Church consecrated to Mary. Then during the Ottoman conquest, it transmutated into a Moslem mosque complete with a minaret. As Venice bombed Athens in 1687, the incident damaged the Parthenon severely. Today, Greece went at lengths to reconstruct the massive structure. The chryselephantine sculpture of Athena Parthenos is no longer existent.

Santa Claus in modern Western culture is often described as a white-bearded, fat, old man in a red suit, red pointed hat, and black boots. American cartoonist Thomas Nast has eternalized the image of St. Nicholas and was reinforced by media influences. Legend tells that Santa Claus lives far up North and makes a long list of children who have been good through out the year. During Christmas Eve, Santa makes his rounds around the world with his flying sleigh pulled by reindeers to give presents to kids on his list. Santa is often depicted with magic elves and Mrs. Santa Claus. Many countries around the globe has its own version of Santa Claus. Most believe that he is the ghost of Saint Nicholas whose feast day falls on December 6.

Apollo is the son of the Greek god Zues and Leto, the daughter of Titan. In Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo, is one of the most important Olympian deities. He bore the nickname “Delian” from Delos, the birthplace and “Pythian”, from the killing of the Python, the fabled serpent who was the guard of the shrine located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The functions of Helios, the Greek sun god, were transferred to Apollo, in his identity as Phoebus. Apollo was also a god of prophecy and sometimes gave the gift of prophecy to mortals whom he loved, such as Trojan princess Cassandra. Delphi was his most important oracle, the site of his victory over the Phython.

He was a skilled musician who played his lyre very well. He was also a master in archery and a fleet-footed athlete, known to winning the first victor in the ancient Olympic Games. He had a twin sister, Artemis who was the guardian of the young women while he was the protector of the young men. He was also considered the god of agriculture and cattle and of truth and light. Apollo apparently taught humans the art of healing.

Described as one of the most fearsome weapons in Norse Mythology, the Mjolnir is the hammer of Thor, god of thunder. Distinctly shaped, it is used to slay anything that challenges the Aesir supremacy. Mjolnir means “crusher” because of its pulverizing effect.

Those who still believes in German neopagan faith wears pendants that are simliar to Mjolnir’s as a symbol of faith worldwide. The symbol of the Mjolnir maybe familiar to those who are fans of heavy metal and ‘dark’ subcultures as they are worn by rockers or biker gangs.

Popular in Norse mythology, Freya is sometimes called Freyja, was given the title goddess of love, fertility, beauty and sometimes also identified as the goddess of death and battle. Blue-eyed, blonde and pulchritudinous, Freya is the daughter of Fertility god Njord. She was said to travel on a golden-bristled boar or in a chariot dragged by cats. In the painting by Nils Blommér, he depicted the goddess in his painting riding on her chariot with Renaissance-inspired putti surrounding her.

Old Folklore suggests that her name is related to Frigg’s name because ‘woman’ and ‘love’ are definitely related. Freyja and Frigg, goddess of sky, were said to be an embodiment of each other.

A popular character in Greek Mythology, often times he is described as a strong and muscular, clothed in lion skin and holding a club. Son of Zues and Alcmena, when he was born his life was placed in danger when Hera, Zues legitimate wife, tried to kill him but was unsuccessful with Hercules gifted with extraordinary strength.

He had three children with his first wife Megara, a Theban princess but was later on killed by Zues himself because Hera, still remorse over Hercules’ birth, sent a fit of madness upon him. He was about to slain himself but was encourage to serve his cousin which later on was convinced by Hera to give Hercules 12 difficult task called ‘The labors of Hercules” as penance. The famous statue of this mythical hero is in the National Museum in Naples.

Wondered where the word Thursday originated? It derived from the word Thor. Thor is the god of thunder in Scandinavian mythology and Germanic paganism. He is the son of Odin, the ruler of the gods and Jord the earth goddess. Depicted as the red-haired and bearded god, he is the strongest of the chief gods, Aesir and protected them from their enemies. Thor was said to have a magic hammer which whenever he throws would always come back to him, he used this together with a mystical iron gloves. Old people believed that whenever they would hear thunder it was because of the rolling of Thor’s chariot.

Norse Mythology is the belief of the indigenous Pre-Christian Scandinavian people. It is the best preserved version of the older German paganism. Proliferated orally, this mythology came in form of poetry, most of the knowledge based on Eddas and other medieval text written down during and after Christianization; most of it’s sources were assembled in Iceland. Until today, Norse Mythology has become a continuing inspiration in literature, movies and stage plays.

Characters in Norse Mythology includes elves, gods, heroes, dwarves etc. Odin, the god of war, is one of the strongest and more popular persona in Norse Mythology.

Fenrir or Fenrisulfr is a wolf in Norse Mythology, he is the son of Angrbooa and Loki. He was destined to Odin whole during the Ragnarok course but will be slain by Odin’s son, Vioarr. Fenrir has two siblings, Skoll and Hati. Hati the moon, Mani while Skoll chases the horses Arvakr and Alsvior, that drags the chariot containing the sun.

In some books, video games, television series use the name “Fenris” or “Fenrir” in reference to a wolf or a character that is wolf-like. Harry Potter, Final Fantasy and the Narnia Series are some of the modern fantasy novels that features the story Fenrir.