Neev:
Next up, it looks like some of our listeners need some facts!

So — this question is from Aarush:
 “Where WAS Hastinapura? Can we visit it today?”

Co-host:
 Oooh, geography type of questions. My favorite.

Neev:
 Hastinapura was located near the Ganga river,
 in what is now Uttar Pradesh, near a modern town called Meerut.

If you go there today,
 you’ll actually find a place still called Hastinapur —
with temples and archaeological sites that match the descriptions in the Mahabharata.

Co-host:
 Which is wild —
 because that means you can walk around the same land
 where Bhishma trained warriors
 and where Vidura tried to stop a million arguments.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 It’s one of those places where myth and history blend beautifully.

Neev:
 This next question is from Reya i:
 “What about Indraprastha? Does it still exist?”

Co-host:
 Short answer?
 If you are in India or visited India, You’ve probably already been there.

Neev:
 Yup — most historians believe Indraprastha
 was located where New Delhi stands today.

Archaeologists have found ancient remains
 under places like Purana Qila
 that match early descriptions of the Pandavas’ capital.

Co-host:
 Which means the Pandavas basically lived in the OG version of Delhi.

Neev (laughing):
 Exactly.
 Less traffic though. 

Co-host: And pollution!

Neev:
 This is from Yash:
 “Where is the Saraswati river? Why did it vanish? And where was Dwaitavana forest?

Co-host:
 This is actually super cool science.

Neev:
 The Saraswati was a real river,
 but over thousands of years,
 its flow changed because of earthquakes and shifting river paths.
 Eventually, it dried up or went underground about 5000 years ago.

Today, satellites even show the old river route beneath the Thar desert in Haryana and Rajasthan.

Co-host:
 Yep — a vanished river that we can still “see” from space.
 So awesome. And based on this, we know that the Mahabharata story is most definitely older than 5K years.

What about the Dwaitavana forest?

Neev:
 Dwaitavana, where Duryodhana showed up for his “picnic”?
 It’s believed to have been near the upper Saraswati region,
 in what is today Haryana. Kamyaka forest also is similar region.

Co-host: So it looks like once the river dried up, the forest turned into a desert.

Neev:
 Okay let’s go to the next question— this one is from a kid named Julian:
 “How far did the Pandavas actually walk? Was it like… thousands of miles?
 And how many steps is that?!”

Co-host:
 Someone’s been using a Fitbit. Or Apple Watch

Neev (laughs):
 So during exile, the Pandavas traveled through:

• Northern and northwestern India
• the Himalayas
• forests in today’s Uttar Pradesh
• parts of Madhya Pradesh - which is basically central India
• and even Gandhamadana mountains

Historians estimate they might have walked 5,000-10,000 kilometers
 over 12 years.

Co-host:
So 3000-6000 miles That’s like walking from Los Angeles to New York… and then back again.

Neev:
And In steps? that’s
 Around 7 to 14 million steps.

Co-host:
 Whew.
 You get tired walking from your room to the fridge.

Neev: Me or You? Anyways - let’s move on shall we

Neev:
This one’s from Sam:
 “Why Matsya? Why hide there?”

Co-host:
 Simple — location, location, location. 

Neev:
 Exactly.
 Matsya kingdom (modern-day Rajasthan area)
 was close enough to Hastinapura to stay informed,
 but far enough that spies didn’t expect them to be hiding there.

Also, King Virata was kind,
 and the kingdom needed skilled workers —
 a cook, a horse-trainer, a cattle keeper, a courtier, and a dance teacher.

Co-host:
 Basically, the perfect disguise job fair. But Remember Yaksha told them about Matsya after Yudhishtir aced his quiz

Speaking about staying informed - how did they manage that - There weren’t any newspapers or tv back then. 

Neev:
That’s right! And the perfect lead into our next question from Omar:
 How did messages travel without phones or email? 

Co-host:
Omar and I are vibing!

So tell us If they didn’t have phones, tv, mail…etc
 How did kings talk to each other?!”

Neev:
the ancient messaging system. They used trained messengers who ran or rode horses.
 Messages were carried in:

• written scrolls
• memorized speeches
• or symbolic gifts

There were even early forms of relay runners,
 where one messenger handed the message to the next.

Co-host:
I thought you would say pigeons - you know like the owls in harry potter movies.
So even if these messengers are running or riding, it is going to take long.

Neev:
 Yes! kingdom-to-kingdom communication
 could take days or weeks,
 which explains why misunderstandings happened so often.

Co-host:
 Imagine waiting two weeks for someone to text back.
 I would LOSE it.

Neev:
 This question is from Aarav, and I love it.
 “How heavy was Bhima? He ate A LOT. So… what did he have for breakfast? And who cooked it?”

Co-host:
 This is the question we ALL needed answered.

Neev:
 So Bhima is estimated to be about 6’7”, that’s right folks, we just said 6’ 7” and 200lbs. He ate like… a small army.
 Mostly:

• rice
• milk
• ghee
• fruits
• vegetables
• and sometimes meat, depending on the region and time
  But in the forest?
   He ate whatever they found — roots, fruits, forest greens, even wild honey.

Co-host:
 Basically — Bhima was fasting when in exile. Poor guy!.”

Neev:
 And who cooked?
( laughs)
 Usually Bhima himself, especially when mom Kunti wasn’t around. He got so good, that he to be the undercover cook Vallabha in the 13th year of exile.

 Sometimes, they cooked together… except Bhima’s portion always looked like a mountain.

Co-host:
 Which explains why the Akshayapatra was invented or rather magically created by the Sages.
 Normal pots just gave up.

Neev:
 This question comes from Shahed:
 “Did the Pandavas get bored in exile?” I mean no books or podcasts, right?

Co-host:
Yeah!… 12 years in a forest. No video games. No snacks. You can’t go without a song on a 5-min car ride!.

Neev:
Well, I am sure They did feel sad and bored sometimes — especially Yudhishthira.
But they kept busy with:

• archery practice
• storytelling
• meeting sages
• learning new skills
• and traveling to holy places
  
  

Co-host:

And Bhima?
 He fought every demon within a 100-mile radius.

 THAT was his entertainment.

Neev:
 Pretty much.
 Bhima didn’t get bored — the forest got bored of him.

Neev:
 This one is from Kai:
 “Do gods sleep? And if yes, do they snore?”

Co-host:
 Oh, this is important research.

Neev:
 So in many stories, gods do rest or meditate.
Vishnu sleeps on the cosmic ocean —
it’s called Yoganidra, a peaceful, divine sleep.

But do they snore?
 Mythology doesn’t say…
 so I’m going to guess it’s like the sound of a soft conch shell.

Co-host:
 Or like a heavenly vacuum cleaner.
 A “divine snore.”

Neev:
 Either way — not like Uncle who snores so loud the walls vibrate.

Neev:
 This question is from Mira:
 “Did they actually bathe in those icy rivers?!”

Co-host:
 My toes go numb just THINKING about it.

Neev:
 Yes!
 Bathing in rivers — even cold ones — was normal.
 Especially in the Himalayas and northern India.

They believed it kept the body strong,
 and helped the mind stay calm.

Co-host:
 So basically… ancient cold therapy.
 Brrr…not for me! I need the hottest hot water.

Neev:
 This is from a little kid named Hari:
 “Why do animals talk in these stories?!”

Co-host:
 Valid question.
 If a boar spoke to me, I would simply pass out.

Neev:
 In mythology, animals talking is a way to:

• teach lessons
• deliver warnings
• reveal divine beings in disguise
• or show that the world was more magical in earlier yugas

Many animals were actually gods, spirits, or cursed beings.
 So talking was totally normal. 

On second thoughts - maybe only some humans could understand them. Like Harry Potter can actually talk to snakes.

Co-host:
 Plus, imagine how many problems could be solved today
 if your cat just told you why he knocked the glass off the table.

Neev:
We can getting to the bottom of our question pool.  This one is from Kabir:
 “Why didn’t ANYONE punish Shakuni earlier? He was clearly doing shady things!”

Co-host (dramatically whispering):
 Shakuni… the villain who created other villians.

Neev:
 So here’s the thing —
 Shakuni wasn’t a warrior.
 He wasn’t fighting in battles.
 He wasn’t breaking laws openly.

He was doing everything secretly —
 whispering advice…
 twisting words…
 manipulating from the shadows.

Also, he stayed under Dhritarashtra’s protection,
 and the elders didn’t want to insult their own royal family.

Co-host:
 Basically… he was that kid in school
 who causes all the trouble
 but somehow the teacher NEVER catches him.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 But karma caught up with him in the end —
 big time.

Neev:
 This question is from Anya:
 “Was Duryodhana ALWAYS bad? Didn’t he have a single moment where he almost changed?”

Co-host:
 Oof. Deep question.
.

Neev:
 Actually — yes.
 There were small moments:

• When Vidura advised him
• When Bhishma scolded him
• When he was rescued by the Pandavas from the Gandharvas
• When elders begged him to return just five villages
  
  He felt a little embarrassed… a little humbled…
   but every time, his ego won.

Co-host:
 So he had little sparks of goodness…
 but never enough to light the bulb.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 His jealousy and pride swallowed those moments before they grew.

Neev:
 This is from Kiara—
 and honestly, one of the most asked questions ever. - Why did Bhishma stay silent during Draupadi’s humiliation?

Co-host:
 Yeah… this one still upsets people today.

Neev:
 The real reason is complicated.

Bhishma believed deeply in:

• obeying the king
• dharma of loyalty
• and NOT interfering in decisions of the ruling court
  
  But that day, those rules failed.

He actually said,
 “I do not know what is dharma here. My heart is confused.”

It was a moment where the elders SHOULD have spoken up —
 but fear and confusion stopped them.

Co-host:
 So basically… even heroes can freeze.
 Even the wisest can mess up.

Neev:
 And the Mahabharata WANTS us to remember that.
 Silence can also be a form of harm.

Neev:
 This question is from Vihaan:
 “Why did the Pandavas have to hide for 13 years? Why not 10? Or 12?”

Co-host:
 Honestly I also want to know —
 why THIS specific number!?

Neev:
 Thirteen is connected to ancient calendars and lunar cycles.
 Many rituals and vows are based on 13 months or 13 cycles of time.
 It represented a full completion.

Also…
 the Kauravas thought 13 was unlucky for the Pandavas.

Co-host:
 Plot twist —
 it became unlucky for the Kauravas.

Co-host: Here’s a question I have. We are all set for the war. Pandavas tried a bunch to come to an agreement without war, but looks like that’s not going to happen. Could the war have been avoided? 

Neev:
 The Mahabharata’s message is…
 YES, it could have been avoided.

If:

• Duryodhana accepted peace
• Dhritarashtra took a stand
• The elders united
• Shakuni stopped manipulating
• And ego was put aside

But none of that happened.

Co-host:
 So every small choice —
 every “I’m too proud to apologize,”
 every “I won’t back down” moment —
 stacked up like falling dominoes.

Right up to the choices Shantanu and Ganga made has led to this moment.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 And once the dominoes started falling…
 the war became inevitable.

Co-host:
 Which takes us…
 straight into Season 4.

Neev:
 Our last question —
 from Aarya in California.

“Why do we STILL tell this story today?”

Co-host:
 Because the drama is AMAZING?

Neev (laughing):
 Well, yes.
 But also because…

The Mahabharata is a giant mirror.
 Every emotion —
 jealousy, love, ego, honesty, courage, fear —
 still exists today.

Every family argument,
 every friendship challenge,
 every moral dilemma…

There’s a moment in the epic that reflects it.

Co-host:
 It’s like a guidebook for being human.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 And that’s why it has lasted thousands of years.

Neev:
 Wow… what a journey today!
 We got funny questions and some thoughtful deep ones. —
Folks, you all asked some amazing questions.

Co-host (smiling):
 Seriously, these came straight from your brilliant brains!
 Never stop being curious —
 that’s how the best stories stay alive.

Neev:
 Speaking of staying alive…
 I have got one final question:
 “Why do we still tell the Mahabharata today?”

Co-host: So…..we can create this podcast! And host it

Neev: That too. And here’s the truth:

We tell it because
 it still feels real.

Its lessons —
 about jealousy, kindness, courage, choices,
 and what happens when pride gets in the way —
 are lessons we’re all still learning.

Co-host:
 Yeah — every family has a Bhima,
 every school has a Duryodhana,
 every friend group has a Krishna…
 and every tough moment needs a little Yudhishthira calm.

Neev:
 Exactly.
 The Mahabharata is like a giant mirror.
 Every time we read it,
 we see a tiny piece of ourselves.

Co-host:
 And that’s why you asking questions
makes the story grow —
generation after generation.

Neev:
 And with all these questions answered…
 we’re now standing right at the edge of the biggest chapter of all.

Co-host:
 Yup — the Great War is almost here.
 It’s going to be the most epic yet.

Neev:
 But before we step onto that battlefield…
 we have a very special episode coming next —

Co-host:
 Until then - stay curious and send us more questions by going to mythicalmasalapodcast.com

Neev:
 Thank you for sending your questions,
 thank you for listening,
 and thank you for keeping these stories alive.

 See you next week,
 on Mythical Masala with Neev! 🌟