Question - 188

The two visuals in the top left show the headquarters of this organization (one is a miniature painting and the other is the present day ruins). The head of this organization shared a nickname with the natural formation shown in the top right (the formation and the organization are otherwise completely unrelated). The organization has an etymological connection to the bottom visual. Identify the organization, the nickname and the associated etymologies.

Answer: The fortress is that of the Hashshashin sect located in Alamut, Iran. The dreaded sect perfected the art of political assassination and was headed during their most powerful times by Rashid ad-Din Sinan who was widely known as the Old man of the mountain. The third visual shows a natural rock formation resembling a human face located in New Hampshire also nicknamed Old man of the mountain (the formation collapsed recently). The bottom visual shows cannabis plants. Legend has it that the Hashshashin warriors shot themselves up with the drug before embarking on their missions. We owe both the words assassin and hashish to this piece of history. Iam, Raghu and Rajeev got it. Well done.