Mark Bernhard

Trivia: According to the (excellent) novelization of the movie, when Indy is under the Thuggee spell, he believes that there is a black snake coiled in his chest. When he is given an order by Mola Ram, if he tries to resist, the snake squeezes his heart until he complies with the order.

Mark Bernhard

Trivia: When the first sacrifice victim is being lowered into the lava pit, he is chanting "Om Nam Shiva" over and over. This translates very roughly as "Universe, Earth, Shiva," though the words themselves refer to complex concepts. This is a mantra from a Hindu practice called Shiva Yoga. Shiva Yoga also involves the use of Lingham stones, like the ones Indy is after in the movie.

Mark Bernhard

Trivia: In the novelization of the movie, Short Round believes that the elephant he is riding on is actually the reincarnation of his dead brother.

Mark Bernhard

Trivia: The Thuggee was a real cult in India until the early 1900s. They were more of a cross between gypsies and the mafia than the army of religious zealots seen in Temple of Doom. The word Thuggee is, after all, the origin of our word "thug." For a more realistic portrayal of them, check out the Pierce Brosnan movie "The Deceivers."

Mark Bernhard

Trivia: The sacred stones that Mola Ram is searching for actually have some basis in fact. The real stones are called "lingham stones", and are symbols of Shiva. They occur naturally and are found in rivers throughout India.

Mark Bernhard

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