Chandra
moon
Moon
Devanagari	चन्द्र
Sanskrit Transliteration	Chandra
Affiliation	Graha, Deva
Consort	27 Nakshatras (Daughters of Daksha) including the main consort, Rohini and Tara
Mount	chariot pulled by an antelope by ten white horses / rams

In Hinduism, Chandra (Sanskrit चन्द्र lit. "shining")^[1] is a lunar deity and a Graha. Chandra is also identified with the Vedic Lunar deity Soma (lit. "juice").^[2] The Soma name refers particularly to the juice of sap in the plants and thus makes the Moon the lord of plants and vegetation.^[1] He is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and having in his hands a club and a lotus.^[3] He rides his chariot across the sky every night, pulled by ten white horses or an antelope. Although the Chandra is the animal most commonly depicted with Him in iconography, the rabbit is also particularly sacred to him and all rabbits are under his protection.^[4] He is connected with dew, and as such, is one of the gods of fertility. He is also called Rajanipati (lord of the night)^[1] and Kshuparaka (one who illuminates the night),^[5] Indu (lit. the bright drop).^[1] As Soma he presides over Somvar or Monday.

He is the father of Budha, (planet Mercury) the mother being Tara (Taraka). He is married to 27 Nakshatras (constellations), who are known to be daughters of Daksha.

In astrology[link]

In Vedic astrology Chandra represents brain and mind, emotions, sensitivity, softness, imagination, queen and mother. Chandra rules over the sign Karka (Cancer), while he is exalted in Vrishabha (Taurus) and in his fall in Vrishchika (Scorpio). The waxing moon is considered to be benefic, and the waning moon is considered to be malefic. The bright moon is considered a benefic of the highest order, while the dark moon is considered a malefic. Chandra is lord of three nakshatras or lunar mansions: Rohini, Hasta and Shravana. Chandra has the following associations: the color white, the metal silver and the gemstones pearl and moonstone. His element is water, direction is north-west and season is winter. The food grain associated with him (one of Nava Dhanyas) is rice.

Chandra with Rohini

Chandra (pronounced either "CHUHN-drah") is a Sanskrit name meaning "illustrious." In Hindu mythology, Chandra is the god of the moon. In Hindu astrology, the moon is considered a planet, and it's considered to be one of the best planets to be born under as it promises wealth and happiness. It is also referred as Shashi(Kannada: ಶಶಿ) or Tingala(Kannada: ತಿಂಗಳ)

According to Hindu mythology Chandra has not been very fortunate in life. Chandra was born in the Ocean of Milk (the gods were churning it for millennia in order to create immortal life), and nearly blinded the gods with his bright, glowing body (hence the name that means "illustrious"). The gods unanimously decided to give Chandra the status of a planet and sent him into the cosmos.

Chandra is known for having a series of disastrous love affairs. His first lover, Tara, was the wife of Brihaspati, the planet Jupiter. From their union, Tara became pregnant with Budha (a.k.a. the planet Mercury, not to be confused with the other Buddha). Because of how he was conceived, Budha hated his father, and their rivalry continues to this day. For the sin of abducting another god's consort, Brahma banished Chandra to the outer atmosphere. This story illustrates allegorically the prohibition of intoxicants for Brahmins.^[6] After that, Chandra, set out to marry the twenty-seven daughters of Daksha. Daksha allowed this on the condition that the moon not favor any daughter over the others. Chandra failed to do this, and Daksha placed a curse on him that took away his luster, which accounts for the moon's waxing and waning.

Dark spot on the moon[link]

One popular story to account for the dark spot on the moon is that Ganesha, once filled with food, fell from his mouse and broke his stomach. Chandra laughed at this, at which Ganesha injured him by breaking off and throwing one of his tusks; and cursed him so that it would be forbidden to behold Chandra on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Other uses[link]

Chandra is also the word in Sanskrit, Hindi and other Indian languages for moon. It is the middle name of the Hindu god Rama. Chandra Shekara literally refers to the 'Person who wears the moon' which links to Lord Shiva in Hindu Mythology. It is directed as both evil and good, as it could mean 'Queen of the Moon' or 'Demon of the moon'. It is also a common Indian name, both male and female and exists as a name in many South East Asian languages that originate from Sanskrit.

The god, the drink and the plant probably referred to the same entity, or at least the differentiation was ambiguous. In this aspect, Soma is similar to the Greek ambrosia (cognate to amrita); it is what the gods drink, and what made them deities. Soma is still coined as name for an entheogenic brew (avestic: Haoma) still in ceremonial use.

Indu, one of the other names for Chandra, is also the name of the first chakra (group) of Melakarta ragas in Carnatic music. The names of chakras are based on the numbers associated with each name. In this case, there is one moon and hence the first chakra is Indu.^[7][8]

In India Chandra is a common surname for example 'Anurag Chandra ' and ' Ashima Chandra' . But in America the name has been used as a girl's name. It appeared on the popularity charts in the 1950s, peaking in the 1970s, before disappearing in the 1990s. The name has several variations including Chandrah, Chaundra, etc.

Chandra Vansh of Kshatriyas[link]

Many Kshatriya clans in India associate them with Chandra and call it Chandra Vansh. This Chandra Vansh (lineage) has nothing to do with this deity or celestial Moon. The story as given in puranas says, Lord Brahma had manasaputra (sons born out of mind or adopted son) Kashyap, he had son Atri and Atri (Rishi) had a son, Soma. The lunar lineage begins from this son of Rishi Atri. It should be noted that Somvansh has nothing to do with the celestial Moon.

In popular culture[link]

Chandra (and the gem supposedly on the forehead of a statue of his at Somanath) plays an important role in one of the first novel-length mystery stories in English, The Moonstone.

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Chandra

• Navagraha
• Soma

References[link]

v t e Navagraha Surya · Chandra · Mangala · Budha · Brihaspati · Shukra · Shani · Rahu · Ketu Navagraha temples Astrology · Hinduism · Hindu astrology

v t e Hindu deities and texts Gods Deva Ganesha Brahma Vishnu Shiva Rama Krishna Murugan Hanuman Indra Surya more Goddesses Adi parashakti Devi Saraswati Lakshmi Sati Parvati Durga Shakti Kali Sita Radha Mahavidya Navadurga Matrikas more Texts Vedas Upanishads Puranas Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita more Hinduism Hindu mythology

Randeep Hooda
Born	Randeep Singh Hooda (1976-08-20) August 20, 1976 (age 35) Daseya, Rohtak District, Haryana, India
Alma mater	Rai School in Sonepat, Delhi Public School, Delhi University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2001 - present

Randeep Singh Hooda is an Indian actor who works in Bollywood films, best known for his work in the movies Risk, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster and the latest Jannat 2.

Early life[link]

Hooda was born in the village of Jassia in Rohtak district of Haryana.^[1] His mother, Asha Hooda, is a social worker and his father, Dr. Ranbir Hooda, is a surgeon by profession. When he was eight years old, he went to a boarding school MNSS in Rai, Sonepat, Haryana.^[2] He then went to Delhi Public School, R K Puram, New Delhi. Because of his royal hobbies like horse riding, playing the saxophone and his flawless charisma coupled with his inherent rustic charm, he is often called "Jat prince".

After completing his schooling, Hooda moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1995 for higher studies where he got a Bachelors degree in Marketing and a Masters degree in Business Management and Human Resource Management.^[2] During that time he peeled onions in a Chinese restaurant, worked in a car-wash, waited-tables, and drove taxis for two years. Having tried his hands in various jobs during his college time,this King of cool returned to India in 2000 and got a job in the marketing department of an airline and was acting in stage theatres.^[2]

Film career[link]

He made his film debut in Monsoon Wedding (2001), where he played an NRI (Non Resident Indian). He got the role in the film primarily because of his Australian accent.^[2]

However even after a prominent performance in Monsoon Wedding he had to wait for four years to get a second project. Ram Gopal Varma cast him as lead in the gritty gangster flick D (2005). D was a turning point in his career. The D which supposedly portrayed Dawood Ibrahim's real life gave Hooda a grand entry into tinsel town. In an interview, he stated, "I find D and Risk very romantic films."^[3]

In 2008, he played the lead role in the romantic film Ru-Ba-Ru.^[4]

In 2010, he played the ACP Agnel Wilson of Mumbai crime branch in the film Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai.

In 2011, he impressed critics by giving a stellar performance in film Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster. In 2012, He played the role of ACP Pratap Raghuvanshi In "Jannat 2" and has been getting positive reviews from critics.

Personal life[link]

Randeep recently made it to the list of the 20 sexiest men in the world in a recent poll conducted by the international film website Imdb. “I guess I have my parents’ genes to thank for that,” he smiled, adding that he doesn’t get swayed by such tags. A man who plays the saxophone and the flute when he is high on life, who had the then miss universe as his lady love and classy actor Naseeruddin Shah as a mentor, owns six horses at the Mumbai's Mahalaxmi Race Course and has never been on a vacation in his whole life since holidays have been visiting home away from his hostel life, is expected to have a worldview that's conventionally unconventional.He has always been of the opinion that baring one's soul is much harder than baring one's body.

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Randeep Hooda at the Internet Movie Database
• Randeep Hooda at IndiaFM.com

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can; the talk page may contain suggestions. (March 2011)

Neetu Chandra
Neetu chandra at Dabboo Ratnani Calendar Launch on 2011.
Born	Neetu Chandra Patna, Bihar, India
Other names	Nitu Chandra
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	2005–present

Neetu Chandra is an Indian theatre and film actress and model.

Early life and education[link]

Neetu Chandra was born in Patna, Bihar, India. A resident of Patliputra Colony, she did her schooling from the Notre Dame Academy, Patna,^[1] and dreamt of entering the modelling world. Her father, a businessman, was initially reluctant to let her pursue a career in showbiz but her mother, Neera, stood by her. Neetu attributes her success to her mother, a native of East Champaran in Bihar.^[2] She has appeared in several advertisements and videos for reputed firms since her graduation days in Delhi's IP College, University of Delhi.

Before entering the film Industry, Neetu was an avid sportsperson. She is a black belt holder in Taekwondo. She has represented India in Taekwondo, at the International Taekwondo Championship in Hong Kong in 1996, and in Korfball as well, at the Korfball World Championship in 1995 in New Delhi.^{[citation needed]}

Acting career[link]

She entered Hindi film industry in 2005 with Garam Masala in which she portrayed Sweety, an airhostess. She also acted in Telugu film Godavari in 2006.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007 she appeared in Madhur Bhandarkar's film, Traffic Signal. In preparation, Chandra in order to enter her character spent a whole week living on the streets of Mumbai and living by a traffic light.^[3]

In the year 2008, she had four releases by Directors, Dibakar Banerjee, Rahul Dholakia, Ashwini Dheer and Vikram. Her Tamil film, Yavarum Nalam with Madhavan released this year and was declared a major hit. Currently, Neetu is working on a major project, Jag Mundhra's Apartment.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011 she released Deswa, a Bhojpuri film which she produced and which was directed by her brother.^[4]

Other work[link]

Neetu Chandra was signed as the brand ambassador for the Hoop, a Gitanjali brand.^[5] She has also finished shooting a commercial for Mysore Sandal Soap. Neetu Chandra also appeared in music director Ismail Darbar's music video "Rasiya Saajan" along with Zubeen Garg.^[6]

Neetu Chandra is the Life Member of International Film And Television Club and International Film And Television Research Centre of Asian Academy of Film & Television.

In the media[link]

In 2008, 7Seas Technologies launched a 3D mobile game, Neetu — The Alien Killer, with Neetu Chandra as the lead character.^[7]

Neetu was featured on the cover of the January 2009 issue of Indian Maxim.^[8]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Neetu Chandra

• Neetu Chandra at the Internet Movie Database

Sheila Chandra
Sheila Chandra at The Big Chill in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Sheila Savithri Elizabeth Chandra
Born	(1965-04-14) 14 April 1965 (age 47)
Origin	London, England
Genres	pop, world fusion, English folk music
Occupations	singer, author, songwriter, actor
Instruments	vocals
Years active	1981–present
Labels	Indipop Records, Phonogram, Mercury Records, Real World Records
Associated acts	Monsoon, Ancient Beatbox, The Imagined Village
Website	sheilachandra.com

Sheila Chandra (born 14 April 1965 in London) is an English pop singer of Indian descent.

Indian-Western pop fusion period[link]

Sheila Chandra first came to public attention as an actress, playing Sudhamani Patel in the BBC school drama Grange Hill from 1979 to 1981.^[1]

As a teenager she formed the band Monsoon with Steve Coe (who became the band's producer), and Martin Smith. Monsoon created a fusion of Western and Indian pop styles. They recorded their lone album Third Eye in 1982 from which they had a surprise hit single Ever So Lonely, which peaked at #12 in the UK. They followed-up with the single, "Shakti", which peaked at #41, but this was to be the band's final charting single. The album also includes a cover of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", featuring the distinctive EBow guitar sound of Bill Nelson.

Resenting pressure from their record company over musical direction, Monsoon dissolved in 1982 and Coe and Smith set about promoting Chandra as a solo artist on independent Indipop Records. Phonogram "posthumously" released Third Eye in 1983.

Chandra went on to release a number of albums in the 1980s, at times experimenting with her voice as an instrument through a range of techniques. In the 1990s she released three albums on Peter Gabriel's Real World label, although Martin Smith was no longer actively involved by this time.

Shift to solo voice and drone style[link]

In the 1990s Chandra decided, having been a studio artist exclusively, to give concerts for the first time, and concurrently released a trilogy of albums on Peter Gabriel's Real World label. These were in the minimalist ‘solo voice and drone’ style which she developed especially for live performances, so that she could perform alone on stage with only the occasional taped drone for accompaniment. Martin Smith was no longer actively involved by this time. Drawing on similarities of structure between Indian ragas and English folk melodies, she started to incorporate many British and Irish traditional songs and techniques, as well as other vocal styles and techniques from around the world.^[2] Vocal stamina issues caused her to abandon live performances in 1994 and she only returned to the concert stage in 2007.^{[citation needed]}

Other projects[link]

In 1990 Chandra interrupted her sabbatical to record a single (“Raining”) with the folk/synth band ‘Ancient Beatbox’ which also appeared on their self-titled album. In 2000 she contributed 2 tracks, one a cover version of Tim Buckley's “Song to the Siren” and the other a remix or her solo track “Ever So Lonely/Eyes/Ocean” by Stephen Haig, to the ‘Gifted’ album on Real World Records.

Chandra is a respected performer on the world music scene and remains active into the 21st Century. In 2001 Chandra released a collaborative album with ‘The Ganges Orchestra’ entitled ‘This Sentence Is True’ based on her two experimental EPs with them (EEP 1, EEP2)

2002 saw the release of a remix of her original hit single “Ever So Lonely” retitled “So Lonely” by the band Jakatta. It charted at no 8 in the UK. In 2002 she performed the song entitled "Breath of Life" (retitled "The Grace of Valar" in 2006 release)^[3] with Howard Shore for the The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack.

In 2007, she recorded two songs for Simon Emmerson's project The Imagined Village, which set out to re-interpret traditional English songs using a wide range of contemporary English musicians. She also appeared with The Imagined Village on a concert tour of England in the late autumn of 2007. Her website lists seven concert dates in the UK and other parts of Europe in 2009.^[4]

Chandra has recently taken a new path as an author. Her first book Banish Clutter Forever-How The Toothbrush Principle Will Change Your Life (published by Ebury Publishing/Random House on 4 March 2010) contains her own system for being well organized, and is particularly aimed at those who work from home.^[5]

Discography[link]

	Monsoon - Ever So Lonely excerpt noicon An excerpt from Monsoon's Ever So Lonely
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Albums[link]

With Monsoon:

• Third Eye (1982)

Solo:

• Out on My Own (1984)
• Quiet (1984)
• Nada Brahma (1985)
• The Struggle (1985)
• Roots and Wings (1990)
• Weaving My Ancestors' Voices (1992)
• Silk (1993)
• The Zen Kiss (1994)
• ABoneCroneDrone (1996)
• Moonsung: A Real World Retrospective (1999)
• This Sentence Is True (The Previous Sentence Is False) (2001)
• The Indipop Retrospective (2003)

Singles[link]

• Ever So Lonely (1982)
• "Shakti (The Meaning of Within)" (1982)
• "Tomorrow Never Knows" (1982)
• "Wings of the Dawn (Prem Kavita)" (1982)
• "Ever So Lonely" (Remix by Ben Chapman) (1990)
• "So Lonely" ("Ever So Lonely" remixes by Jakatta) (2002)

Other[link]

• "Raining (My Eyes Are Filled With Clouds)" with Ancient Beatbox (1990)
• "Breath of Life" in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
• "Welcome Sailor" and "'Ouses, 'Ouses, 'Ouses" from Imagined Village (2007)

Books[link]

• Banish Clutter Forever – How the Toothbrush Principle Will Change Your Life (2010) ISBN 978-0-09-193502-3

Interviews[link]

• Mathur, Rakesh (1991). Nada Brahma; DEVI in Hinduism Today, August 1991.
• Schaefer, John (1993). Sheila Chandra's Interview with John Schaefer at WNYC 1993: Weaving My Ancestors' Voices.
• Schaefer, John (1996). Sheila Chandra's Interview with John Schaefer at WNYC 1996: ABoneCroneDrone.
• Prasad, Anil (2000). Sheila Chandra: Natural extensions in Innerviews, 3 May 2000.
• Joe F. Compton (2000). "The Commonality is Brilliance...".
• Mite (2000). Sheila Chandra Interview in Mutant Renegade Zine #13, Winter 2000.
• Teropong (2008). Sheila Chandra in Womad Singapore, 23 August 2008.
• Millard, Rosie (2010). Another Fine Mess You’ve Got Me Out Of at Times Online

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sheila Chandra

• Official website
• Official website of book "Banish Clutter Forever - How The Toothbrush Principle Will Change Your Life" by Sheila Chandra
• Sheila Chandra at Imagined Village
• Sheila Chandra at Allmusic
• Sheila Chandra at the Internet Movie Database
• Sheila Chandra at Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music

Sekhar Chandra was an Indian cricketer who played for Himachal Pradesh.

Chandra made a single List A appearance for the side, during the 1994-95 season, against Jammu and Kashmir. From the lower order, he scored 4 runs. While Jammu and Kashmir won the match, the points accrued from the game were later annulled.

External links[link]

• Sekhar Chandra at Cricket Archive