tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12790804986722686452024-03-20T20:36:28.567+05:30The Kerala ArticlesWonders of the world. How many have you seen? Travel the world in search of destinations certain to inspire.Sasi Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468121166128649755noreply@blogger.comBlogger413125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-68825111111547813132012-02-25T09:15:00.004+05:302012-02-25T09:23:45.119+05:30Meenakshi Amman Temple - Madurai<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >A Trip to Madurai (Madhura); Tamilnadu</span><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9jLtjeUO0DA/T0haTTGxzXI/AAAAAAAAEP8/cPd09F2bysg/s1600/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9jLtjeUO0DA/T0haTTGxzXI/AAAAAAAAEP8/cPd09F2bysg/s400/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712915414912191858" border="0" /></a><br />Our unanimous selection for this year’s vacation (2011) was Madurai in Tamilnadu; out of four days available; we allocated first day for Madurai Meenakshi Temple; second day for the surrounding locations of Madurai like Thirupparam-kundram, Thirumalai Naicken Palace, Alagar Temple etc. The third day was for visiting Rameswaram (the tiny island off eastern mainland that houses one of the oldest temples in India). The first and half of the fourth day allotted for the grand temple turned out to be utterly insufficient; the temple turned out to be far more than what we could perceive!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HyuWYv58k1A/T0haaeo3OLI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/JHgE2GdzvnY/s1600/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25285%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HyuWYv58k1A/T0haaeo3OLI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/JHgE2GdzvnY/s400/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25285%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712915538267027634" border="0" /></a><br />Madhura (Madurai); this city is indebted to its origin, growth as well as existence to this grand temple by name Madurai Meenakshi Sundaresanar Temple. The architectural marvels known as gopurams (towers or spires) are so awe- inspiring that their images will never fade from one’s mind. Those richly carved spires with innumerable images, thousands of exclusively carved sand-stone pillars built by unknown artists, countless number of idols made in black and other rare granites; the golden lotus pond, etc are something words can never convey.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3KvihqBomXI/T0haTxsxjUI/AAAAAAAAEQI/MskxdCLXcKc/s1600/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 131px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3KvihqBomXI/T0haTxsxjUI/AAAAAAAAEQI/MskxdCLXcKc/s400/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25281%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712915423124622658" border="0" /></a><br />Here in Madurai all streets lead to the Temple; they are the haven of many small venders (mainly women) doing brisk business selling flowers and the entire streets are filled with the fragrance of those beautiful flowers stocked for devotees’ needs. Coconuts, fruits like guava, mango, cucumber etc (the prices they quote are very reasonable unlike other tourist- places). Devotees buy flowers and fruits to be offered before the deity as per the custom and these are the main items sold by these women who scrambling for client’s attention.<br /><br />Meenakshi is the Tamil version of Parvathy; meaning the woman with fish shaped eyes. I had a notion that the temple was of Meenakshi; some Tamil deity; however this visit proved how wrong I was; and it changed my whole concept about Hindu temples and their sculptural values; the tough and brittle sand stones, marble or granites were mere wax-blocks before those gurus.<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><br />The original structure of this temple is supposed to be 2500 years old which had undergone several reconstructions and modifications by Chera and Pandya dynasties who ruled this land for several centuries. The main deities are of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi (Meenakshi).<br />Entry to this temple is through the eastern gate first structure is of Ashta-Lakshmi Mandapam (where eight beautiful idols of Goddess Lakshmi are carved). After that it is Meenakshi Naicken Mandapam that is endowed with carved sand-stone pillars each exquisite piece a feast to the eye.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SURmBBHGGQU/T0haUT0kVHI/AAAAAAAAEQc/3L3UBlK7Ibs/s1600/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25283%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SURmBBHGGQU/T0haUT0kVHI/AAAAAAAAEQc/3L3UBlK7Ibs/s400/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25283%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712915432284116082" border="0" /></a><br />Ayiram-kal mandapam or the thousand pillared tower is so rich to behold admission by paying a fees of Rs 10 is a must see place. The beautiful and priceless statues and murals exhibited really great in fact one full day are required to watch these exhibits. Never forget to keep the camera though rules demand some fee for taking in camera.<br /><br /><br />Sanctum Sanctorum (Sree-Kovil) for Shiva and Meenakshi are separate it is customary to pay obeisance to Meenakshi first (women first is no strange thing to old culture). Ganapathi (the son of the couple) is seated between the couple; Lord Shiva (a ten feet high statue) seems to be contending with coming third place as per the temple’s protocol; a smile in his face definitely declares that!<br /><br />Meenakshi Temple is the symbol of love and its fulfillment and marriages held at this temple are considered auspicious that lead to long and fruitful married life. The venders here trade the sacred thread and mangalya- sutra (used to tie knots in marriage) as there are many to buy it from Madurai itself for the blessed presence of Holy Meenakshi!<br /><br />Located at the heart of the city of Madurai; this temple is accessible by train, road and air; good lodges are available for reasonable rates (the air-conditioned double room we stayed cost Rs.2050 a day). Services and cleanliness were satisfactory and location was close by the temple enabling frequent journey between temple and room by walking. A small though bit crowded vegetarian restaurant nearby (Sabari’s) served excellent vegetarian delicacies was a real boon.<br /><br />Thirupparan-kundram -we visited on the second day- is a grand temple with exclusive sand-stone carvings and nearby standing bare-rock on extreme proportions is real thing. I recommend visitors to Madurai should visit this temple at any cost. A deep pond in the temple compound that never dries up (Tamilnadu is a place where water is scarce) and the huge decorated chariot with its coir ropes (used for tugging it during festival rituals) are all unforgettable sights. Lack of maintenance and migration of beggars have sullied the otherwise beautiful spire in front of the temple.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rpjFdfqGZI0/T0haUNbL0DI/AAAAAAAAEQU/wgZQBTD3JBg/s1600/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rpjFdfqGZI0/T0haUNbL0DI/AAAAAAAAEQU/wgZQBTD3JBg/s400/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712915430567039026" border="0" /></a>Palace of former king Thirumalai –Naicken (who ruled Tamilnadu during 17th century) which is notable for its huge pillars, golden throne (on which the king sat to oversee the court), art works on its high ceilings etc were impressive. Alagar Hill and nearby Vishnu Temple (Kovil) and innumerable monkeys those lived from the food materials given by devotees etc were on our menu which were left for the second day.<br /><br />Our third day was to visit Rameswaram the grand temple that houses many theerthams (wells containing pure water considered holy); there is train from Madurai to Rameswaram that pass via Tirunelveli and reach the sea-island over the Pampan Bridge (this bridge in itself is a marvel as train and road bridge pass parallel across the sea for kilometers). Many years back a bridge along with a train full of passengers were washed away by the sea causing several deaths; that memory will haunt the present passengers while the bridge is crossed!<br /><br />Rameswaram also has many sights other than the calm sea and the famous temple. It was sad to see the grand temple was infested by toots never eligible to handle traditional rituals. However a restaurant operated by a Jain Association here serves excellent and fresh vegetarian food at reasonable cost. They also offer a very simple and tidy accommodation.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KVHfCIDCKW8/T0haUibEKPI/AAAAAAAAEQo/sSg2qJMtNbo/s1600/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25284%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KVHfCIDCKW8/T0haUibEKPI/AAAAAAAAEQo/sSg2qJMtNbo/s400/Madurai_Meenakshi_temple%2B%25284%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712915436203682034" border="0" /></a><br />Our fourth day was of preparation for return yet a visit to Meenakshi could be possible; Meenakshi was more beautiful even for the second sight. The venders who have vandalized inside the temple seemed to be pity and we felt enraged to the government policy which gave license to this type of desecration of a holy place.<br /><br />It was time bid farewell to Madurai as train was scheduled to depart; Goodbye Madurai.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-57972656192958313902011-09-12T08:09:00.006+05:302011-09-12T08:12:47.732+05:30Buckingham Palace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buckingham Palace by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonymadrid/">Tony Madrid</a></td></tr>
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Whether it is the occasion for national rejoice or moaning; British people flock to Buckingham Palace; it is here the national icon of Great Britain; the queen resides and standing on the Palace balcony she addresses the Public. British monarchy is the only one on earth that has been consistently loved by its people. The Buckingham Palace is not just the house of the royal family; it is a complex structure of many offices, administrative offices of monarchy, residences of staff, galleries, guest rooms, reception halls etc. The palace has a considerable portion left for the public to visit. In the course of 4 centuries this palace has been subjected to many expansions and modifications.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b> A real mansion</b></span><br />
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This grand palace is 24 meters in height; 108 meters long and 120 meters in depth and has 775 rooms in total! These include 19 State Rooms, 52Royal and Guest-rooms, 188 bed rooms, two throne rooms and 92 offices. State Rooms are offices for executing the official duties of the monarch. More than 50,000 people visit this palace every year as guests (this number does not include the tourists who flock to the palace for sight- seeing) for banquets, lunches and other ceremonies like the Royal Garden party. The artifacts that decorate the walls and rooms of this palace is enough to enthrall any museums in the world; the portraits arranged are in the same order as Queen Victoria set them at her reign.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buckingham Palace Guard by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcdemoura/">Márcio Cabral de Moura</a></td></tr>
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<b>History</b><br />
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Buckingham Palace is not just a big mansion; it is history on brick and mortar; a symbol of an only monarchy; for ever loved by its people. The original structure of this palace was built by the Duke of Buckingham in 1705 for residence in the manor of Ebury known as Eia; a marshy place watered by River Tyburn (This River was later made to flow through submerged tunnel beneath the palace yard; the submerged River Tyburn quietly flows unseen and unknown!. <br />
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This mansion remained a private property for about 150 years until got acquired by King George III in 1761 for his Queen consort Charlotte to reside; (14 of the George III’s 15 children were born in this house) thus this mansion got yet another synonym; the’ Queen’s House’. King George III remodeled it as per the design of William Chambers in 1762.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">Queens Carraige at the Royal Mews in London by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikemcd/">Michael McDonough</a></span><br />
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(Queen Charlotte (1761 to 1818); who became the owner of the mansion (Mecklenburg- Strelitz was her full name) was a lover of arts and an amateur botanist; it was she who founded the Royal Botanical Gardens – the largest garden in London; a World Heritage Site. She was Electress Consort of Hanover (who had the voting right to elect the Roman King). The Palace got yet another name as ‘Queen’s House due to the residence of Queen Charlotte. <br />
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Later King George IV started some remodeling works that lasted 47 years and was completed in 1827 under Nash (the over-shoot of budget cost Nash his job). During World War II the palace cruelly bombed by the Germans; a chapel attached to the palace was damaged; it was at that site the present gallery was built. <br />
<b><br />Every palace has its day</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nftLuOxf3vQ/Tm1uPCzgJhI/AAAAAAAAD98/kN4qyCbmFjg/s1600/buckingham-palace-soldier.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nftLuOxf3vQ/Tm1uPCzgJhI/AAAAAAAAD98/kN4qyCbmFjg/s400/buckingham-palace-soldier.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buckingham Palace Guard by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcdemoura/">Márcio Cabral de Moura</a>
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The king who repaired it for half a century never moved in to it! A fire that broke out did extensive damage in 1834; however with the fire the bad-time of the mansion expired and fortune started to shine upon it in the shape of Queen Victoria who moved in and made the building her residential and administrative office. It was in 1837 the mansion got readied to become the Royal Palace to accommodate Queen Victoria on her accession.<br />
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<b>A Guinness-book record</b><br />
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Queen Victoria who ruled Britain for 63 years and 7 months holds the un broken record as the only woman who ruled a land for such a long period; she was nicknamed as the Grandmother of Europe as her 9 children as well as 26 out of 42 grand children were married to various royalties of Europe!). The chapel situated in the compound was flattened by German Bombers during WWII; and at that site the ‘Queens’s Gallery was built; where royal exhibits of the palace are displayed.<br />
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<b>Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary)</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Victoria Memorial from Buckingham Palace by </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inel/" style="font-weight: normal;">H M Cotterill</a></span>
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The present incumbent of the Palace is Queen Elizabeth II; she is second only to Queen Victoria for the title of being the longest ruler of England (from 6 Feb 1952 to present). The queen was born in April 21, 1926, daughter to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Bowes Lyon. Queen Elizabeth is mother to four children (Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward). As the monarch to British Crown she holds many titles; she is Constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states like Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica etc, head of 54 member Common-wealth nations including India and she is Supreme Governor of the Church of England. British people are eager to celebrate her diamond jubilee in 2012 (on completion of 60 years of reign on June 2012).<br />
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<b>Blame it on Buckingham!</b><br />
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The current Royal Family consists of The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The history of this monarchy begins from 400 AD when the Scottish Monarchy was established; that lasted till 1603 giving way to the present incumbents. Centuries go by; still people are left with only two choices; either hate to love this centuries old legacy or love to hate it; but no one can afford to ignore it. When a member of the royal family sneezes; the whole world catches cold; can the media stay behind; they also start squeezing and pulling their elaborate noses spread world- wide! Blame it on Buckingham the exquisite palace and the legacy attached to it. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-49993656295994937832011-09-02T22:14:00.005+05:302011-09-03T07:19:59.583+05:30Padmanabhaswamy Temple<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bOOI3zPJ-i4/TmEIxpxx35I/AAAAAAAAD9Q/oaR4ogcvp_4/s1600/padmanabhaswamy-temple.jpg">
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Padmanabhaswamy Temple Thiruvananthapuram</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Shree Padmanabha Swami Temple at Thiruvananthapuram is famous for its antiquity and grandeur; it is the temple of the royal family members of Travancore Empire. Located at the most coveted spot in Trivandrum; this grand temple attracts millions of pilgrims from all over India. Here in this temple; Lord Vishnu is carved in a reclining posture on Anantha - the mythical serpent with thousand heads- hence this temple is known as Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple; meaning Lord Vishnu who rest on Anantha. All on a sudden Padmanabha Temple has shot to international fame for the treasures discovered from the sealed secret vaults within its premises and the priceless articles kept in them unopened for centuries.
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<br />There were rumors already in circulation the temple housed articles of great value. At present the ball set rolling by a petition filed by one T.P Sundara Rajan- a retired I.P.S officer- before the Honorable Supreme Court of India; seeking proper assessment and recording of the articles stored in the secret vaults within the temple structure. He also alleged that the members of the Royal family were pilfering the un- valuable wealth. Admitting the plea the court issued directions for opening of the secret vaults for verification and recording of the materials. But what has been so far found beat all the speculations by leaps and bounds. They were bedazzled by a treasure trove of rare and invaluable materials which could be communicated to the public by media briefing alone as cameras were not permitted inside! Now that it is estimated to be of 1000 billions of rupees ($ 20 billion) or rupees one lakh crores!
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<br />The team deputed for inventory taking constituted of big guns like two former judges of the Kerala High-Court (Justice M N Krishnan and Justice C S Rajan; Observers Sri Jayakumar (Chief Secretary) and Harikumar; representing Archaeological department, Sri T P Sundara Rajan (the petitioner), eminent gemologist etc. Fire fighters and medical persons were also deputed in case of emergency and supplying of light and oxygen in to the cellars. The vaults were dark and the cellars entrances had just enough space for one man to enter; cellars’ entrances difficult to find as un-recognizably paved with granite slabs. These slabs were engraved with secret codes and symbols which could not be decoded by anybody.
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<br />The experts deputed were first assigned for registering the details of the inventory and they are not entrusted with assessment of the value of the find. As all these items were of extreme antiquity; valuation may be a near impossible affair or at least require international expertise. Of the total eight vaults (numbered from A to F) the team could survey seven only so far (two of them were being daily opened for storing pooja materials and had no secrecy). Vault no. ‘A’ with its underground cellars contained really wonderful inventories like a shawl made of golden fiber at the length of Sri Padmanabha statue (18 feet in length and 35 kg in weight) was just one among them! Of late the court has passed orders for assigning value of the materials (which is still in the process).
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SHqG9aCfphc/TmEIxR-o_gI/AAAAAAAAD9I/XPQ5u4Gsgws/s1600/padmanabhaswamy_temple.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SHqG9aCfphc/TmEIxR-o_gI/AAAAAAAAD9I/XPQ5u4Gsgws/s400/padmanabhaswamy_temple.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647805050432060930" border="0" /></a>
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<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">A Vishnu Idol fully studded with gems and diamonds (estimated value Rs. 500 crores), A Krishna Idol made of pure gold, a golden neck-lace that is 18 feet in length, 200 silver pots. hundred thousand antique gold coins pertaining to various nations and various centuries (even coins minted by Napoleon were present in the collection), 20 bag-full of precious stones including rubies, diamonds etc; all safely packed in teak-wood cases. Pieces of one gold barrel (it is believed that the kings of Travancore used to bath in water filled in this golden drum at the time of ascent to the chair), crowns embedded with rare gems
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<br />There is one more no go area in this temple where even priests have no admission; that is the space between the main idol and the wall; no one is sure whether there is a floor there or there is a deep cavern made to trap the encroachers! There is a story doing round that one priest once tied a ring in a long thread suspended in to it and the ring kept on going down till the thread’s length finished; yet bottom was not found. The frightened priest retreated from his experiment. He said later that there was a sound akin to sea-wind emanating from the cavern!
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<br />The dark two cellars found had doors made of metal and their floors paved with granite slabs; certain slabs were actually camouflaged doors those led to the basement cellars carefully built to deceive encroachers however skilled were they in their ‘profession’. The team of experts had to postpone their work several times as it was difficult to locate and enter in to the chambers through the manhole opening. They had to bring advanced equipments, oxygen and many other precautions for entry. Two days work yielded of articles on about 1000 crores ($250 million).
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<br />On Monday (4-7-2011) at 1-30 pm after the morning rituals of the temple the team opened a vault called ‘nityadi’ (meaning day today dealing) and recorded valuables worth about 1000 crores. Findings of this vault include decorations meant for the idol, vessels etc. This vault is located below the ‘Ottakkaal Mandapam’ meaning single stone platform; yes as the name denotes this huge platform is carved out of a single rock.
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<br />Details run like this 100 numbers of ‘Sarappoli-manikya-mala’ golden laces studded with precious stones), Two golden lamps (nilavilakku) weighing 15 kg each, vessels used for daily rituals, golden pots, diamond chains, plates made of gold, silver etc, golden bird plate, golden pan, stirrer (chattukam), golden rose-water-bowls, crowns studded with diamonds, golden eagle idol, conch shells with clockwise twist (valampiri shanku –an extremely rare and costly variety) golden bells, flower vases etc. By three pm the surveying was compete- as per the custom this vault can be opened only after the rituals of the temple is over and the door is closed. These special decorations were only used on rare occasions.
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<br />The works related to opening of chamber B (which is believed to be closed for centuries) will be done only on 8th July. Justice T N Krishnan observer to the Supreme Court of India has stated that a meeting held on Friday will take a decision regarding the modalities to be worked out to open the chamber that is guarded by hard grill of steel In the mean time the members of the Royal family has approached the court against declaring the findings in public and pleading a stay of the team in discussing things with the public and media.
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<br />A ‘Deva-prashnam’ (seeking of astrological help in finding god’s will when in doubt regarding procedures of the temple) of the was held and the priests held a view that the deity was angry about the whole affairs and any further encroachments may invite the wrath of god; retaliation can be as serious as the annihilation the family of the encroachers! An order from a court is no excuse for entering in to god’s territory –Honorable Supreme Court is only for the mortals and not for Sri Padmanabha!
<br />At present the royal family has approached the Supreme Court for revoking its orders and maintaining status quo; which means that the chamber B may not be opened until further orders from the honorable court. What is in the court’s mind is only known by the gods; for the present bid farewell to the curiosities and hold your breath to watch what happens next.
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-92227537740194415122011-05-02T09:39:00.002+05:302011-05-02T09:48:15.342+05:30Bats and a Batman<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Bats and a Batman</span><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--96NbjtuQhs/Tb4v7K_ssaI/AAAAAAAAD50/SCFWJczYi4w/s1600/Big-eared-townsend-fledermaus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--96NbjtuQhs/Tb4v7K_ssaI/AAAAAAAAD50/SCFWJczYi4w/s400/Big-eared-townsend-fledermaus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601967680105787810" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Bats have always remained as the symbols of fright and eeriness; they are supposed to be accomplices of evil souls like witches, sorcerers and scary ghosts! They are comic looking, nocturnal and live in desolate areas like caves, caverns and dark places in barns giving some sense of fear and intrigue. Batman the child friendly cartoon hero remains very popular but it has done nothing to help children love or understand real bats. Our Batman (Mr. Tuttle) is no cartoon icon but a real man in flesh and blood; who leads a life dedicated for the conservation of these wonderful animals.<br /><br />Bats have many unique features like; world’s only mammals capable of sustained flight; they simply hang on the branches with bottom up. They can fly in utter darkness with help of high frequency and hence inaudible sound waves sent and received back in to their elaborate ears etc (this mechanism is more efficient than the eye-sight of other animals). Big ears, doglike face, nocturnal life (active during nights) umbrella like black pseudo-wings (formed by skin between fingers) etc make bats a riddle to common people making superstitions flourish around these poor things.<br /><br />Mr. Merlin Devere Tuttle –Curator of mammals in Milwaukee Public Museum – is one of the most eminent American ecologists; was born in Honolulu Hawaii in 1941. He was interested in bats and their behavior from the very young age. This batman is not dressed in queer attire like the cartoon figure; he holds many doctorates in various fields of animal behaviors like foraging, migration, hibernation, energetic thermo regulation etc.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gIPwP9XTBDQ/Tb4v7phYAAI/AAAAAAAAD6E/vuR_Ps_hH7c/s1600/merlin-devere-tuttle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gIPwP9XTBDQ/Tb4v7phYAAI/AAAAAAAAD6E/vuR_Ps_hH7c/s400/merlin-devere-tuttle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601967688300101634" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">He is most eloquent when it comes to bats and has smashed many age old myths about bats like they are useless and dirty creatures; destroy crops, spread rabies, bite human beings and suck blood etc. The organization formed under Tuttle’s leadership ‘BCI’ or Bat Conservation International (founded in March12, 1982) has conducted detailed researches about bats and their ecological importance. The observations made by it have disproved many age old myths about bats one by one. As per BCI study 150 big brown bats consume about 600,000 cucumber beetles which would have otherwise laid 33 million rootworms capable of destroying thousands of acres of crops. They munch mosquitoes not by numbers but by kilograms per day!<br /></div><br /><center><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></center><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">About 300 plant species need bats for their propagation; most of these plants are economically very important as they yield more than 450 commercial products worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Bats as it per the believes are ‘dirty creatures’ but nothing is far from truth as bats spend most of their free time cleaning themselves and never let any dirt stick on their body. In spite of all these good works the very existence of bats is being threatened by human activities like sealing the used mines where millions of bats live and lead them to death by suffocation. Cutting down trees where bats live in colonies etc leading them to perish for want of abode. Before the intervention of BCI millions of dollars were spent by the US Government to exterminate bats as they were thought to be pests!<br /><br />Adding to the poor animals’ woes; there comes the disease by name ‘White nose syndrome’ which has terminated millions of bats already and counting. BCI has one more task in its shoulder; this malady being propagated by a bug; activism, persuasion or demonstrations have no role in its eradication. Concerted activities and serious research alone can serve the purpose where BCI can function as a nodal organization. Tuttle and his brainchild are of much more relevance in this time when these poor animals perish in to oblivion.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vsafS8POZw/Tb4v7TL98ZI/AAAAAAAAD58/f5EDcJ314kE/s1600/Golden_crowned_fruit_bat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 319px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vsafS8POZw/Tb4v7TL98ZI/AAAAAAAAD58/f5EDcJ314kE/s400/Golden_crowned_fruit_bat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601967682304733586" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Bats are man’s friends and our economy and ecology need bats among many other contributors which we nurture on huge costs. Most of desolate islands would have remained barren but for the service of bats known as flying foxes; as they fly thousands of kilometers with the fruits and disperse their seeds in a single night. Most of the plants of very great commercial value would have vanished but for bats; the threat of wns (White Nose Syndrome) is a challenge on human existence as well and Tuttle should not be alone in his battle for the bats. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-51292032217914297562010-06-26T09:10:00.013+05:302011-04-29T22:18:47.543+05:30Vu Khac Minh - The smiling mummy of Vietnam<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Vu Khac Minh - The smiling mummy of Vietnam</span></span></b></span></u></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/TCYN9CVRqvI/AAAAAAAAD08/fKkYrHSjc2M/s1600/Vu-Khac-Minh.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 340px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/TCYN9CVRqvI/AAAAAAAAD08/fKkYrHSjc2M/s400/Vu-Khac-Minh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487088538246818546" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">300 plus and counting</span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thien Temple is located at the village of Dau about 23 km from Hanoi the capital of Vietnam and there is a small chapel nearby the temple. This article is about a weird deity waiting for visitors at this chapel. It is Vu Khac Minh; the former Abbot (chief) of the Monastery. For more than 300 years; this former Abbot is sitting on a stone platform in lotus posture (padmasana –squatting with toe of one leg on the thigh of the other) in this small chapel with a mystical smile on his face. Beholders of this still figure feels some strong innate feelings – as explained by them; it is the understanding the difference from living and dead. If not convinced; just pay a visit to Thien Temple at Dau and look at his still face.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>Not spiced or salted</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vu Khac Minh is not an ordinary mummified body like that found in Egyptian pyramids which have their inner organs removed; strapped in silk and treated with chemicals spice, salt etc. He only wears the conventional cloth of the Buddhist monks put on by the temple staff; otherwise the body is naked (not embalmed). He simply sits in an unsecured chapel where humidity is abundant enough to decompose any organic substance. It seems surprising to see that Vu Khac Minh’s body has not affected by any elements of the tropical weather for the last 300 years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>Merged in to eternity</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vu Khac Minh was formerly a high ranking officer under the Le Dynasty who ruled Vietnam; after getting promotion to the highest position of his career in the King’s senate he sought retirement and retreated to this monastery and led an extremely ascetic life. Due to his commitment and devotion he got promoted as the Abbot of Thien Monastery. When he became aware of the end of his life; he secluded himself to this small chapel; instructed his pupils to visit him only for the customary rituals after his death. Thereafter he avoided food and water and went on immersed in prayer for hundred days and gradually merged with the eternity.</div><br /><center><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script type="text/javascript"src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></center><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>The living dead</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His last instruction to the monks who gathered around him at the time of his death was this “My time has come; after the departure of the spirit from this body; wait for one month; if any fowl smell arises from the body bury it as per the customary rituals; if there is no sign of decay leave me here in this posture itself and let me go on praying”. Even after passing two months the body remained as such; and the disciples covered the body with some protective paints to keep it safe from insect attack and dressed it with monastic silk attire which is being changed everyday. For the villagers and monks Vu Khac Minh is a living Buddha and all the customary rituals performed to a sacred Buddha Idol is done to him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>While he was sitting</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While Vu Khac Minh went on sitting; history passed by; many things happened all around the world; in Vietnam itself; the Le Dynasty -where he served as an officer- vanished; Nguyen Dynasty came to power; then came the French; Japanese rule followed and the US came and retreated after the unceremonious Vietnam war; Communist came to power; both Vietnams got united and at last democracy and liberalization come to vogue. Vu Khac Minh goes on watching all these with his stoic smile; and he will be there to watch the unknown future events that are to happen for many more years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>Thubten Gyatso of Lhasa</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mummifying is not alien to Buddhists; as in Tibet, China and other nations; monks of the highest ranks were mummified and kept for veneration; they believed that these mummies were living Buddhas and capable of warding off evils and bringing in prosperity. Such mummies are called ‘Mardongs’. Mardongs were prepared by boiling the dead bodies of high ranking priests in butter and leaching them in salt after removing internal organs. These mardongs were given masks of gold or brass for a face. The 13th Delai Llama of Tibet; Thubten Gyatso who died in 1933; mummified and kept in the Portong Marpo Palace in Lhasa is the best specimen Mardong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>Those who smelled rat</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the Communists came to power in Vietnam; the news about the ‘monk who turned to stone’ reached the authorities. Smelling something fishy about stories; the authorities immediately sent a team of experts to study and ascertain fact. The team took the ‘statue’ to the Military Hospital at Bac Mai and subjected it for thorough studies including X-ray tests. Fortunately they did not dismember the body for ‘detailed investigation’.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>Kind enough to return unharmed</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The investigative team comprised of archeologists and forensic experts were wonder struck as the X-ray films revealed that all the internal organs of the human body including skeletal structure remained Intact. There was no sign of any mummification done but for the silver compound paste that was applied by the monks after two months of his death. The authorities got convinced that their subject ‘the statue’ was in fact a human body and returned the same to the villagers. Thus the deity was placed back to its original abode. The body was so dry that it weighed just seven kilograms!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>Damn camera!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/TCYN9mKTSwI/AAAAAAAAD1E/KVfrG2nLfkU/s1600/Vu-Khac-Minh-1.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/TCYN9mKTSwI/AAAAAAAAD1E/KVfrG2nLfkU/s400/Vu-Khac-Minh-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487088547864464130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 210px; " border="0" /></a></span></b></span></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a Soviet author by name Igor Lisevich who reported about the monk to the outside world but unfortunately he could not take a photograph of the monk on the spot due to some error occurred to his camera. Thus we miss the sardonic smile of the dead abbot. Mr Lisevich had added two photographs retrieved from his archives. These two photographs were taken by Nguen Lanh Cuong at the time when the body was taken for testing at the Military Hospital at Bac Mai. The same is given for the information of the readers. Most of the information is collected from one erstwhile Soviet publication by name ‘Sputnik’.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-829012176302732372009-11-14T20:20:00.002+05:302011-04-29T22:22:08.796+05:30Carlsbad Cavern National Park<p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Carlsbad</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Caves</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(</strong><strong>Carlsbad</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Cavern</strong><strong> </strong><strong>National Park</strong><strong>), </strong><strong>New Mexico</strong><strong>, US</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_caverns_entrance.jpg" title="carlsbad_caverns_entrance.jpg"> </a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_caverns_rail.JPG" title="carlsbad_caverns_rail.JPG"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_caverns_rail.JPG" alt="carlsbad caverns rail" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Carlsbad Caverns Rail On the tour route</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">No one knows how many caves are there in the world; but definitely there are many more to be discovered than what have been listed. There is something weird about caves; they are far more than mere emptiness; they were home to our forefathers; ancient men used to express his artistic talents on its walls; that trend still follows human beings; even space age people turn artists if let free in a cave with a crayon! For a cave every kid is a Michelangelo; and its walls a <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/churches/sistine-chapel/">Sistine Chapel</a>!</strong> Even a child will run in to it; if a cave is spotted; darkness, echo, and bats all make a cave a miniature world of mysteries.<span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The American Cosquer</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Jim White was an illiterate cowboy; curiosity and hard work alone were his assets; with just that and a little bit of luck; now his name remains among top names in explorers! A swarm of bats that aroused his curiosity; instead of ignoring them and tending his cattle he went in search of the source; could find only a cactus forest; neglecting their pricks he proceeded inside to see only a dark and gaping hole! The story is similar to that of 35year old Henry Cosquer a diving instructor of Marseilles who discovered the <a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/07/cosquers-cave.html"><strong>Cosquer’s Cave</strong></a>.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Hard work, curiosity and a bit of luck</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad-caverns.jpg" title="carlsbad-caverns.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad-caverns.jpg" alt="carlsbad caverns" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Carlsbad Caverns National Park</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Millions of bats were coming out of the hole that seemed deep and dark. Jim made a born fire burning some dry twigs and threw the burning twigs in to the hole. He could sense the twigs falling to a depth of less than 200 feet; seeing the fire bats stopped coming out. After a while the flow continued; Jim thought “if millions of bats stay here; it must be substantially big; and there must be something substantial”. That young man <span> </span><span> </span>did not know he was unfolding world’s most amazing cavern in the world.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Jim White got engaged</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Carlsbad Caverns are the largest cave-system in the world but it is the sheer variety and magnificence of the stalactite formations that make it the most unique. Jim White was engaged by a mining company that extracted the fossilized droppings of bats for its nitrate rich manure qualities. He was given permission to explore the remote corners of the cave complex during his leisure time. Jim utilized this right to bring out all the mysteries and named the strange formations in professional finesse. When the National Park was formed Jim got posting as its first Chief Ranger.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The National Park</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_caverns_entrance.jpg" title="carlsbad_caverns_entrance.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_caverns_entrance.jpg" alt="carlsbad caverns entrance" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Outside the entrance to the Carlsbad Caverns</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Carlsbad Cavern National Park is located on the western part of River Pecos beside the Guadalupe Mountains and the Chihuahua Desert. It is about 18 miles from (southwest) Carlsbad a small city in the southeastern part of New Mexico State of US. The Park contains about 109 caves including the Carlsbad Caves. The Lechuguilla Cave is one of the most amazing one with a depth of 1604 feet; it is a virtual laboratory for scientists to do research on geological as well as biological researches in an unpolluted environment. It is the fifth longest cave in the world.<strong></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Shapes weird; names strange</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">As per scientists this whole area was an inland sea filled with coral reefs about 25 million years back; by some geological upheavals the sea got dried up and coral reefs got <span> </span>covered with gypsum and salt. There after it took millions of years for the rainwater to seep in and dissolve the calcium compound in corals to shape them in such weird shapes as that resembles witch’s finger, king’s palace, hall of giants, queen’s chamber, lake of clouds and things with all strange shapes and equally strange names!<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Stalactites and stalagmites</strong><br /></p><center><script type="text/javascript"><br />google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";<br />/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */<br />google_ad_slot = "8985774148";<br />google_ad_width = 336;<br />google_ad_height = 280;<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"<br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script></center><p style="text-align: justify;">These weird shaped calcium compound formations belong to two categories, the stalactites are those tapering structures hanging like icicles from the roof of the cave; they are formed when water concentrated with minerals slowly drip from above depositing minerals from above. Stalagmites are (huge <a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/02/penitentes.html"><strong>penitents</strong></a>) pillar like formations standing from the bottom of the cave; these are formed when water slowly dissolves the soft outer part of the calcium compounds filled in the cave. Carlsbad Caverns have both of them richly placed.<span></span><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Of bats</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is estimated that about a million bats live in this cave; they belong to about seven species of which the Mexican Free-tail bats are most common; these bats are migratory and live in the ‘Bats Cave’ for day time refuge, maternity and roost. There is a gigantic ‘hall’ for bats in the cavern near the natural entrance of the cave; they dangle comfortably on its ceiling; authorities take special care to see them not being disturbed by the visitors. They halt here from early spring to October and fly off to tropical Mexico during winter. Bats don’t use their eyesight much as they depend on their sonar guidance for travel and catching prey.<span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Rooms and their names</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/witchs_finger_carlsbad_caverns.jpg" title="witchs_finger_carlsbad_caverns.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/witchs_finger_carlsbad_caverns.jpg" alt="witchs finger carlsbad caverns" height="400" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" align="center"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Witch’s Finger in Carlsbad Caverns</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Hall of the Giants</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This is the biggest chamber in the whole Carlsbad cavern system with an area of 357,469 sq feet. The conical rocks that arise from the floor and the pricks like millions of formation directed downwards give an eerie look to this gigantic chamber. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Left hand tunnel</strong> is a long and straight passage that leads to the Lake of Clouds; it may seem hard to believe that this was spontaneously. Floor of the passage is intermitted with numerous fissures; no one knows what is beneath these fissures. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lake</strong><strong> of the Clouds</strong><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is the lowest point of the cave (among the so far discovered caverns) and it has a substantially large lake with round cloud shaped rocks. It is located in a side passage from the left hand tunnel.<br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Balloon Ballroom </strong>is small in width and located in the ceiling of the main entrance; it is so named as it was first accessed tying the end of a rope with some balloons and floating it over to the passage. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bat</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Cave</strong> is exclusively reserved for the original inhabitants of the cave-the bats. It has no adornment with stalactites and bats love the engulfing darkness, they breed and rear the young in this hall. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bell Cord Room</strong> has a very special formation a cord like stalactite formation that come down from a hole in the ceiling resembling a church bell cord coming from a church spire. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bifrost Room </strong>is a very beautiful name reminding the Norse Myth of the world above the sky that can be accessed only by climbing along a rainbow! In fact there are rainbow like color formation by traces of oxides present in the white calcium background.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_flowstone.jpg" title="carlsbad_flowstone.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_flowstone.jpg" alt="carlsbad flowstone" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Flowstone in carlsbad caverns, a form of travertine</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Witch’s Finger</strong> is perhaps the most amazing growth of Stalagmite which less than two feet in diameter and grows up like a slender finger to about 20 feet in height.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Green Lake Room</strong><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Located at the uppermost floor of the ‘Scenic Room’; it has got a green colored pool at its corner thereby giving the chamber this name. It has got some significance; when the world was quivering under the threat of imminent nuclear attack; security agencies were in search of a protected space to escape the atom bomb. They reached the Green Lake Cave and observed the lake waters while atomic explosion was done at a distant place. The lake waters did not produce any ripples thereby assuring them of a safe place!<span></span><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A World Heritage Site</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_caverns.jpg" title="carlsbad_caverns.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/carlsbad_caverns.jpg" alt="carlsbad caverns" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> Rock of Ages in the Big Room, photo by Ansel Adams</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In 1930 US President Herbert Hoover declared Carlsbad caves and numerous Permian Age fossil- reefs located in the surrounding area as The Carlsbad Cavern National Park. UNESCO declared the park as a World Heritage Sit in December 6, 1995. This park spreads in to an area of 46766 acres around the cave. At present the park is a hot spot for tourists; more than 50,000 people visit this place every year; the park is open 24 hours all round the year except in the Christmas day. Two third of the park area is left as ‘wilderness area’ as a measure of preservation of the ecosystem.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-17256750751067479722009-11-14T20:17:00.001+05:302012-02-25T16:31:00.996+05:30Metropolitan Museum of Art<p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Metropolitan </strong><strong>Museum of Art</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>New York</strong><strong> City </strong><strong>USA</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitam_museum_of_art.jpg" title="metropolitam_museum_of_art.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitam_museum_of_art.jpg" alt="metropolitam museum of art" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/museums/metropolitan-museum-of-art-new-york-city-usa/">The Metropolitan Museum of Art</a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>And a museum was born</strong><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">After the end of the American Civil War there all around prosperity leading to increased interest in works of art. John Taylor Johnson an enthusiast in collection of artworks –by profession he was a rail road executive- along with some of his like-minded friends convened a meeting to form a common forum for safe custody and display of artworks that were kept in their private galleries and homes. They formed an establishment with Taylor Johnson as president and named it ‘Metropolitan Museum of Art’. The establishment was first opened in temporary quarters in a humble set up. Even the organizers did not realize that they were giving birth to an organization of such a great magnitude.<span></span><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The ‘Met’ now</strong> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitan-museum-of-art-facade.jpg" title="metropolitan-museum-of-art-facade.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitan-museum-of-art-facade.jpg" alt="metropolitan museum of art facade" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center">The facade of the Metropolitan Museum is one of the main features of New York City’s “Museum Mile”.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Metropolitan Museum of Art –affectionately called as ‘Met’ is world’s one of the biggest art galleries and entertains more than 25 million visitors annually. It has more than two million exhibits on display; pertaining to all categories and ages like Classical Antiquity, Ancient Egyptian, European Masters’, American, Asian, Oceanic (the continent that includes Australia), Byzantine (pertaining to the eastern part of the Roman Empire), Islamic as well as Modern Art. 19 Curatorial Departments function for the preservation and upkeep of the rare and invaluable artifacts. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Met also has a sister museum at <strong>Cloisters</strong>; though much smaller (compound measures four acres) it has more than 5000 Medieval Works of Arts belonging to period between 12<sup>th</sup> and 15<sup>th</sup> centuries. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Growth by acquisition</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Museum; established by Taylor Johnson in February 20, 1872 was originally located at 681 Fifth Avenue; NYC. At present it has been relocated to the eastern edge of The <strong>Central Park</strong> (an 843 acre urban park; the most visited place in the city of New York) in the <strong>Museum Mile</strong> New York City. (Museum Mile is a road that leads to the Central Park; this road is a unique one that has nine museums within one mile and hence the name!). In 1873 second year of its formation by an acquisition of the Cesnola Collection the Museum was covering one more mile-stone in its growth story. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Cesnola Collection</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Luigi Palma di Cesnola</strong> an Italian American soldier (winner of the Medal of Honor for his exploits in the American Civil War) had some interest in archaeology also; during his stay in Cyprus he conducted extensive excavations in the ancient Kourian Sites and recovered very valuable artifacts pertaining to the Middle Ages. He is the author of the book ‘Cyprus its ancient Cities, Tombs and Temples’. The artifacts he received were compiled and kept in a private museum; these collections are known as <strong>Cesnola </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Collection</strong><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Kourian Site</strong><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Kourian Site (also mentioned as Curias) is located near the modern town of Episkopi at the western side of the River Lycas in Cyprus. It had been venue for many historical upheavals involving Greeks, Romans and ancient Christians. Its history extends from antiquity to the Medieval Ages. All of them had some foot marks telling many tales about their presence although for a limited term.<span> </span><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Most diverse</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitan-museum-of-art-great-hall.jpg" title="metropolitan-museum-of-art-great-hall.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitan-museum-of-art-great-hall.jpg" alt="metropolitan museum of art great hall" height="400" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum New york</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Met is not stuck to any particular theme; it has every thing of interest arranged based on the theme it belongs. It would be interesting to note that the artifacts are not paintings or sculptors only; but they are of varying types like Encyclopedic Collection of Musical Instruments, costumes and ornaments and accessories, weapons and armors, interiors from 1<sup>st</sup> century Roman to the recent American products.<span></span><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Curative Department for Ancient Near Eastern Arts</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Sculptures and reliefs made of ivory, stone and even objects made of precious metals collected from a wide area like the Indus Valley to Burma and time ranging from ancient to middle ages.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>American decorations</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is a separate section with contemporary style furnishings along with glass and ceramic wares art works in silver ranging from 17<sup>th</sup> to 20<sup>th</sup> centuries.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>American Painting and Sculpture</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/washington_crossing_the_delaware.png" title="washington_crossing_the_delaware.png"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/washington_crossing_the_delaware.png" alt="washington crossing the delaware" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /> <p align="center">Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Portraits, Landscapes, Paintings on Historical Incidences, Sculptures from the colonial times etc. Altogether there are 1000 paintings, 600 sculptures and 2600 drawings.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Antonie</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Ratti</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Textile</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Center</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Tapestries, velvets, embroideries, quilts, woven and printed fabrics, exquisite and<span> </span>invaluable carpets all at display under one roof ranging from 3000 BC.<strong></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The arts of </strong><strong>Africa</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>Oceania</strong><strong>, and </strong><strong>Americas</strong><strong></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Objects used as ornaments, masks, and other personal adornment, utensils, monuments, ritual objects, that reflect the culture and life style that existed in the dark continent for ages and different areas.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Arms and armor</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitan-museum-middle-age-main-hall.jpg" title="metropolitan-museum-middle-age-main-hall.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metropolitan-museum-middle-age-main-hall.jpg" alt="metropolitan museum middle age main hall" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center">Arms and armor, Middle Ages main hall – Metropolitan Museum New york</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This department is extremely rich and no other museum in the world has such wide collection of armaments for soldiers, horses and even for children. Various weapons, and those intended to perform cultural and ornamental rituals; all received from Asia, Europe, Middle East and Americas<strong>. </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Department for Asian Arts </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This section is really exclusive and include objects from China, Korea, Japan and even South and East Asia; objects like printed textiles, <span> </span>ceramics, sculptures, images and utensils made of bronze, jades, lacquer, screens, paintings, calligraphy and such wide variety of objects that reflect the different life styles. These objects are of antiquity as well as modern.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Costume Institute</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The course of fashion during the last eight centuries with men, women and children pertaining to the five continents, dress, ornaments, accessories all. Even the current fashion trends are also well expressed with its exhibits! Due to the fragile nature of the items no permanent installation, two shows held every year, <strong>Channel</strong> (founded by Coco Channel, Persian fashion house in France) and <strong>Gianni Versace</strong> (founded by Gianni Versace the most talented fashion designer of the 20<sup>th</sup> Century) are also big hits of the show.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Drawings and print</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">When Cornelius Vanderbilt donated 670 drawings to the museum that worked as a seed and this department since kept on growing; at present 11,000 drawings, 1,5 million prints, 12,000 illustrated books all them keep in increasing, Classic works from Rembrandt, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo are included in the long list of the artists who worked these wonders.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Egyptian Arts</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Egyptian Art Department is housed in the Dendur Temple that was reassembled here in 1978 after transporting it to New York after dismantling. This was done to avoid its submergence in the Nasser Lake formed due to the construction of the Aswan Dam. There are more than 36,000 items in its department at present; the initial collections were from private galleries, but the museum organized its own team of archaeologists which made significant discoveries and added much to the credit. 24 wooden models recovered from temple of Dier el Bahri Egypt that depict the day today lives of Middle Age Egypt are the most creditable artifacts belonging to this section.<strong><span> </span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>European Paintings</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Contain many of the world’s most celebrated works by the old masters, Self Portrait with a straw hat by Van Gogh, Fortune Teller by George de la Tour, Death of Socrates by Jacques Louis David and Harvesters by Peter Bruegel the Elder are all here. There are 37 works from Monet, 21 from Cezanne, 18 from Rembrandt and 5 from Vermeer (this is the richest Vermeer collection in the world). There are altogether 2,200 pieces on works but this department is the most sought after section in the whole of the Museum.<span></span><strong><br /></strong> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Greek and Roman Arts</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">There are about 35,000 items in this section; the Roman sarcophagus; the first exhibit of the museum belongs to this section; it still remains as main object. Collections from Greek, Roman, Cyprus etc belonging to 4<sup>th</sup> century onwards, vases, wall paintings, terracotta, sculpture, jewellery, gems.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Islamic Arts</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Museum has both religious and secular articles from Central Asia, Africa, Spain, and Mughal India numbering 12,000. Ceramics, textiles, decorations of mosques, manuscripts of Holy Qur’an, Calligraphy both religious and otherwise all make this section extremely rich. A reconstructed house from Damascus belonging to Nur Al-Din of the 18<sup>th</sup> century adds beauty and originality to this wing.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Musical Instruments</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is a unique feature of Met as 5000 examples of musical instruments from all over the world under one roof. It began from a donation from Lucy W Drexel (w/o Joseph W Drexel; President of the NY Philharmonic Society and Trustee of the Met) and later enriched by the contributions from Mary Elizabeth Adams. The collection from six continents begins from 300 BC in an encyclopedic manner.<strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Modern Art</strong> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/pol_jean_and_herman_de_limbourg.jpg" title="pol_jean_and_herman_de_limbourg.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/pol_jean_and_herman_de_limbourg.jpg" alt="pol jean and herman de limbourg" height="400" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Limbourg brothers’ Belles Heures of Jean of France, Duke of Berry</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Met has no bias against what is modern; this section –a 60,000 sq ft floor- is also well represented by masters in this field, Picasso the ‘father of modern art’ also is represented here with his prominent works including ‘Gertrude Stein’, Joseph John with his ‘White Flag’; Paul Klee’s 40 creations represent the output of his entire career!<strong></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Robert Lehman Collection </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In 1969 Robert Lehman (son of Philip Lehman head of ‘Lehman Brothers’ Bank) donated his collection of archives numbering 3000 to the Met; these collection undoubtedly the most extraordinary in the US is arranged not as per the regular pattern of the Museum but in the way Robert Lehman preferred them to be arranged in his private gallery. Lehman Collection is so precious that 200 of its works were solo exhibits at the Tuileries Garden of the Louvre Museum in 1957.<span></span><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What is interesting; is relevant</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/new_roman_gallery_metropolitan_meseum_new_york.jpg" title="new_roman_gallery_metropolitan_meseum_new_york.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/new_roman_gallery_metropolitan_meseum_new_york.jpg" alt="new roman gallery metropolitan meseum new york" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center">Roman gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Met has every thing of some relevance; whether the artifacts belong to stone-age or space-age; costume or ceramic; Russian, African or American also is no issue; the only thing is whether it has any relevance or whether visitors are interested to see it. Millions flock to see these artifacts sans frontiers vindicate the Met stand that these articles kept here are relevant and hence interesting. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-16597385546035215362009-11-14T20:15:00.001+05:302012-02-25T16:30:31.502+05:30Bagan Temples and Pagodas<div class="entry-body"><div><div class="item-body"><div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Temples</strong><strong> of </strong><strong>Bagan</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>Myanmar</strong><strong> (</strong><strong>Burma</strong><strong>)</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temples.jpg" title="bagan-temples.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temples.jpg" alt="bagan temples" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/temples/bagan-temples-and-pagodas/">Bagan Temples and Pagodas</a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A city of ten million temples</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Bagan is located in the Mandalay area on eastern bank of Ayeyarwady River at about 160 km from Rangoon (Yangon) Burma. Though small in size it is really big in its cultural heritage with countless temples most of them in various stages of decay and many still in ship shape and performing. Perhaps the only place that can be compared to Bagan in this regard is <strong>Angkor Vat</strong> of Cambodia in the sheer size and architectural magnificence. Angkor Vat temples are covered in thick forests and are only partly visible only from a height; whereas the ruins of Bagan are far greater in number and lie exposed in the tropical sun and are easily accessible. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bagan; its rise and fall</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">As Burmese rulers used to shift their capital as per the wish of the ruling regime; Bagan got two chances to be the seat of power during 9<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup> centuries; it is during these terms all these structures were built. A D 1287 came in the shape of the legendary Mongol conqueror Kublai khan who ripped those beautiful structures apart and did as much damages as he could before his retreat! As the town got deserted robbers took away whatever were left by the Mongols.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A man-made disaster!</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple.jpg" title="bagan-temple.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple.jpg" alt="bagan temple" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center">Temples in Bagan</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In 1975 when a massive earth quake hit the town and did much damage to the structures the ruling military junta of Burma (Myanmar) reacted by rebuilding some of them with modern materials like concrete and beautified them with enamel paint! A request from the UNESCO to list them as World Heritage Sites -so that they could be resurrected with the experts in the field- was blatantly ignored by the ruling regime. Thus Burma had to suffer one man-made disaster that followed a natural disaster. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>At present</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">At present all the remnants of the structures of the ‘ten million temples’ lie scattered in 16 sq miles of land, looted, desecrated and getting damaged in sun and rain. About a thousand temples remain in good condition and some of them are functioning visited by devotees of which 10 temples that are immensely popular and remarkable in their make and hence covered in this article. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sulamani</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple-myanmar.JPG" title="bagan-temple-myanmar.JPG"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple-myanmar.JPG" alt="bagan temple myanmar" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center">The Payathonzu Temple is built in the Mon style</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is also known as the <strong>‘Crowning Jewell Temple’</strong> (in Sanskrit sula means trident and mani means jewel) and was built by King Narapathi Sithu in 1181, in style its construction is akin to the Thatbyinnu temple and has influenced the style of Dhammayangvi temple. This temple got damaged in the 1975 earth quake and was repaired. Sulamani Temple is also known for the beautiful frescoes and idols that decorate its interior.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Dhammayangvi</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Dhammayangvi Temple is the largest structure of all the surviving temples of Bagan. It was built by the Bagan King Narathu who ruled a brief spell between AD 1167 and 1170. Its style of construction resembles to that of Ananda Temple of the same area. This temple was built by King Narathu (1167 – 1170).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ananda</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pagan-buddha.JPG" title="pagan-buddha.JPG"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pagan-buddha.JPG" alt="pagan buddha" height="400" width="300" /></a></p> <p align="center">A Bagan Buddha, 12th century</p> <br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">This temple is 51 meters in height and was built exactly like the Nandamula Cave Temple in the Himalayan ranges India. The only difference is that the Ananda Temple is a bit smaller than the cave temple. It originally built during 1091 AD under king Kyanzittha but the gilding works that adorn the temple was done recently in 1990. As per Buddhism there are four Buddhas (prophets who have received divine revelations); the Gautama Buddha is the last of them There are four gigantic statues of the four Buddhas<span> </span>each looking to each direction (Kakusandha facing north, Konagamana facing east, Kassapa facing south and Gautama facing west).<span></span><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Manuha</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Built in AD 1067 by Manuha; a Mon king of the Thaton country who was captured and held captive by Anawrahta. The most notable thing with this temple is that statues occupy whole area of the temple giving no space to the priests and devotees. Three huge Buddha statues in sitting posture and one gigantic Buddha in reclining posture; all idols virtually filling the entire space of the halls are the specialties of this temple.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Shwesandaw</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/myanmar-local.jpg" title="myanmar-local.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/myanmar-local.jpg" alt="myanmar local" height="400" width="300" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Its was built by king Anawrahta in 1057 AD, it is considered as most sacred among the numerous temples of Bagan by the Buddhists as the holy hair of Buddha has been enshrined in its stupas. This temple also has been called Ganesha Temple as during the ancient times four idols of Ganesha (the Hindu god with the head of elephant; considered very auspicious) were placed in its four conrers. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Mahabodhi</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">As its name suggests it is a replica of the Bodhi Temple of Bodhgaya India. It was built by King Nataungamya between 1210 and 1234. (it was at Bodhgaya Gautama Buddha got enlightenment while meditating under a banyan tree; Bodhgaya is about 105 km away from Patna the capital of Bihar a state of India. There is still an old temple built by Emperor Ashoka with an equally old banyan tree. This premise is considered sacred by Buddhists and the seeds of this tree had been taken and planted in ancient Buddhist’s centers like Burma and Sri Lanka (Mahabodhi tree at Buddhist temple at Anuradha pura). This temple is decorated with numerous Buddha idols placed in niches. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Shwezigon</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ananda_temple_bagan.jpg" title="ananda_temple_bagan.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ananda_temple_bagan.jpg" alt="ananda temple bagan" height="400" width="300" /></a></p> <p align="center">Gate tower of Ananda Temple</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Its work was begun by King Anawrahta who made Bagan his capital but it had to be completed by King Kyanzittha in 1089. The Shwezigon Temple is religiously the most important temple among all the structures in Burma as some bones and hairs of Buddha is kept in this place. During Nadaw a Burmese month (Nov – Dec) devotees from all parts of Burma visit this temple </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gawdapalin</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Gawdapalin Temple has a dome topped with a golden crown reaching sixty meters in height stupa. This beautiful temple that stands with grandeur on the bank of Ayeyarwady River was built by king Narapatisithu in late 12<sup>th</sup> century; it was badly damaged in the earth-quake which rocked the Mandalay region in 1975; it was rebuilt and at present it remains as one of the well kept temples in this region. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Mahamuni Paya</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is a crowd puller temple of the entire Mandalay region with a four meter tall idol cast in bronze that is covered with golden leaves; devotees bring golden leaves and decorate the idol for the fulfillment of their wish. It is said thus the weight of the idol has been doubled for the time due to this gold leaf adoration! The idol was originally situated in a temple in a village by name Rakhaing (located in the present Bangladesh). King Bodawpaya of Mandalay seized the image and brought it home to be placed in this temple. Women are not allowed to tough the sanctum sanctorum. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bupaya Pagoda</strong><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">There is dispute regarding the time of its construction one school of thought is that it was built in AD 200 by King Pyusawhti; as style of construction seems more advanced it is believed that it must have been built in around AD 1000. The large inverted bell shaped dome with golden coating is a really beautiful thing to watch. This small pagoda which was almost completely destroyed in the 1975 earth-quake was rebuilt to the present shape.<span></span><strong><br /></strong> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Disastrous aesthetics</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pagan-buddha.JPG" title="pagan-buddha.JPG"> </a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/that-byin-nyu_bagan.jpg" title="that-byin-nyu_bagan.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/that-byin-nyu_bagan.jpg" alt="that byin nyu bagan" height="400" width="300" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> Thatbyinnyu Temple</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">There are thousands of temple in the Mandalay region of Burma; a large number of them are irrecoverably damaged and many in critical condition. Rebuilding of the temples as a World Heritage Site by experts in the field is an urgent requirement. The present government is not willing to entrust the work to the UNESCO authorities making the work impossible. It is hoped that good sense would prevail upon them one day and those once marvelous structures will rise from their deathbed to fascinate the world!</p></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-18268933804001325462009-11-14T20:14:00.001+05:302012-02-25T16:29:58.514+05:30Banaue Rice Terraces<div class="entry-body"><div><div class="item-body"><div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Banaue Rice Terraces </strong><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">(Hagdang Palayan ng Banaue), </span><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Ifugo</strong><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">, </strong><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Philippines</strong></span><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>God and worship</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banau-rice-terrace.jpg" title="banau-rice-terrace.jpg"> </a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banaue_rice_terraces_philippines.gif" title="banaue_rice_terraces_philippines.gif"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banaue_rice_terraces_philippines.gif" alt="banaue rice terraces philippines" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" align="center"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Banau Rice Terrace image courtesy: wayfaring.info</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Rice is a cereal grain and food to about half of the world’s population; but it is far more than a cereal to the ancient cultures who toiled to produce it. Rice was for them a life giver that equaled god. The hard labor they put in to produce it was worship that gave meaning to their lives. No part of this holy plant is left unused, grains eaten after boiling or powdered to make cookies of many sorts, its husk as fuel and straw used as cattle-feed and to make things like hats, bags etc. The water in which rice is boiled (rice soup) is a natural health drink. A local <strong>beer</strong> by name ‘saki’ is made out of rice that gives the rural folks their vigor to work such wonders!<br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The real hanging gardens</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The terraced rice cultivation as such is not a novelty as the <strong>Bali</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Island</strong> has also got similar methods of farming; while those of Banaue are of extreme scale that stuns common sense. The Banaue Rice Terraces are examples to show to what extend man can go to produce food from the very earth where he lives; however hard the terrain is. A visitor need not wander and toil in the drab deserts to find the remnants of that once existed <strong>Hanging Garden of Babylon</strong>. Compared to these rice terraces that cling on tall mountains up to 3000 feet high producing paddy for the last 6000 years and still feeding its owners; that Babylon stuff was a child’s play!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Climbing up and down</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banau-rice-terrace.jpg" title="banau-rice-terrace.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banau-rice-terrace.jpg" alt="banau rice terrace" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center">Banau Rice Terrace image courtesy: terre.sans.frontiere.free</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">These innumerable terraces were built one by one from bottom to top and that too in the absence of any of the modern equipments was real work! Building the terraces is not enough; rice is a plant that deserves uninterrupted care like sowing, transplanting, watering, weeding, removal of pests (by hand picking), harvesting all had to be done climbing up and down so many terraces so many times.<span></span><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Living pyramids</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banaue-rice-terraces-philippines.jpg" title="banaue-rice-terraces-philippines.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banaue-rice-terraces-philippines.jpg" alt="banaue rice terraces philippines" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center"> Banau Rice Terrace image courtesy: letstravelphilippines.files.wordpress.com</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is calculated that a single mountain was modified to such a huge rice bowl taking about 2000 years. Then how many man-days spent on nurturing and up keeping them for the past 6000 years? Even the work of <strong>Pyramids of Egypt</strong> would not equal to these efforts. The real wonder is how a tribe living detached from the outside world gained these agricultural practices and the will power to pursue this farming!<br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Rice</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Rice is a mono carpic annual plant belonging to the true grass family genus Oryza; species sativa (there is an African variety by name Oryza glaberrina). Rice can be cultivated in to tropical and sub tropical areas where there is large rainfall as it requires a lot of water. This plant grows when the field is flooded to a depth of 5 to 7 inches of water; so that weeds don’t pester it. It is this peculiarity that compelled the farmers to build terraces in many layers of the steep mountain slopes to keep the fields flooded. Rice plant is highly sensitive and requires constant care and attention.</p> <br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Eighth wonder of the world</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banaue-rice-terraces-philippines.jpg" title="banaue-rice-terraces-philippines.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banaue-rice-terraces-philippines.jpg" alt="banaue rice terraces philippines" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The magnitude of their work could be understood in one way; suppose these rice cultivated terraces are taken one by one and put end to end that chain will encircle the globe! Many sources claim these terraces as the eighth wonder of the world; considering the quantity of sweat that these farmers shed to ‘keep these fields up’ on the mountains naturally make the work more superb than many of the <strong>Seven Wonders of the World</strong><strong>.</strong> The real greatness of the work is that it is not made for the pleasures of the royal members as the <strong>Forbidden City</strong> or <strong>Palace</strong><strong> of </strong><strong>Versailles</strong> but built by the tillers of the soil with their bare hands. Its real worth is that many generations survived on the food made out of these terraces on otherwise unproductive hill slops.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Who built these wonders?</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banau-rice-terraces.jpg" title="banau-rice-terraces.jpg"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/banau-rice-terraces.jpg" alt="banau rice terraces" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p align="center">Banau Rice Terrace image courtesy: joyful-ep.jp</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">To understand the architects behind these wonders we have to learn the brief history of Philippines which is an archipelagic country in the Southeast Asia comprising of about 7107 islands. These places were inhabited since pre historic times (50,000 years) and prior to the arrival of Europeans they led a pagan way of life worshipping spirits of ancestors. The ancestors of the Batad tribes who built these terraces remained cut off from the social changes that swept over Philippines during the past few centuries. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Present style; work for parents and rest for kids</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Batad is a place (at present it is a 5<sup>th</sup> class municipality) in Philippines and these indigenous tribes living on the slopes of Ifugao Mountain got the name from the region. They were busy in producing food shedding sweat and living a contented life far away from history! The elder generations living in the Apayao and Benquest Mountain regions still stick to their old customs and life style (The younger generations as it is the case with every place is finding working on soil a bore; they prefer to serve visiting tourists instead).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A tribe and some spirits</strong><br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">They speak a crude form of Tagalong language (Modern Tagalong is popular language of Philippines while English and Filipino are the official languages. They believe that a dead person needs three days to get accommodated in the ‘new place’ so that they hang the body on the thatched roof for three days and after ceremoniously take out the bones and keep them on the attic as a sacred possession. They are staunch believers of the power of spirits and sacrifice three chickens or a full pig to please them if they show the signs of any anger (by spreading diseases or making drought or untimely death of its members).<strong></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How to get there?</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/rice_terraces_-banau_philippines.png" title="rice_terraces_-banau_philippines.png"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/rice_terraces_-banau_philippines.png" alt="rice terraces banau philippines" height="300" width="400" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This location is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site and remains as a major tourisst attraction. Banaue is a 4<sup>th</sup> class municipality in the Ifugao Province in the Northern Philippines; the road from Manila the capital of Philippines. The road from Manila snakes in through the mountain slopes and rice terraces to end at Banaue. At present the terraces are not well maintained due to indifference of the young for hard work and there are cracks in many places which need urgent repairs. Manpower and resource shortages stand in the way of the poor villagers from keeping them in shape. If urgent measures are not taken by the Governments it is possible that these manmade wonders may become a thing of the past.</p></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-72709075285895673262009-03-18T07:50:00.003+05:302012-02-25T16:29:30.124+05:30Wine - The divine drink<div style="text-align: right; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>A holy obsession</strong></span></p></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/redwine.jpg" title="redwine.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/redwine.jpg" alt="redwine" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wine and woman have always remained as man’s two great desires. While a woman is a part of a man; wine prevails as his biggest obsession. This unearthly drink has admirers from people of classes; emperors to laymen. The impact of wine on human body is nothing less than the ecstatic state achieved by saints and other holy people; (calling liquor spirit is not without cause). This comparison has made wine a holier drink leaving poor<strong>beer</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the other beverage to remain always as its poor cousin.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>There are many wines</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Grapes remain the universal source for making Wine but it can also be made from other fruits as well; but they are called fruit wine or the fruit of which is made; like apple wine etc. White wine rose wine, red wine, sweet wine, port wine, sparkling wine, still wine; all these are wines of different hues. Let us see how they are alike and differ.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>White wine</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is colorless made from either green grapes; can also made of red grapes if fermented after removing the skin),</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Rose wine</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is that made from red grapes bottled with its skin and given just sufficient time given for the color of the skin to dissolve in to the must (pulp),</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Red wine</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is made of dark-red grapes first fermented with skin until a light violet hue is imparted in to the must and then fermented second time filtering out the skin,</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine_tasting.jpg" title="wine_tasting.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine_tasting.jpg" alt="wine tasting" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sweet wine</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>contains some residual parts of the sugar from the grapes as its fermentation is stalled adding brandy.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Port wine<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>or port (Vinho do Porto) is a sweet wine; a native of Duoro Valley of northern Portugal; though at present many nations make their own brand of port wine.<span> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sparkling wine<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>is that were fermentation of the residual sugar is allowed to take place in the bottle for rest of the time and carbon dioxide thus produced is allowed to get dissolved in the wine<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>(</strong><strong>Champagne</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is a form of sparkling wine); it is the trapped carbon dioxide that forms the bubbles)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Still wine;</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>as its name suggests the wine is still in the glass with no fuss of bubbles (it contains no trapped carbon dioxide to produce foam).</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Country wine</strong>, apple wine etc are a class apart as they are made from other fruits and known after the fruits.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Straight from Carpathian; land of the Dracula!</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine-and-cheese.jpg" title="wine-and-cheese.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine-and-cheese.jpg" alt="wine and cheese" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine.jpg" title="wine.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><br /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is believed that wine was first discovered by the Caucasians (the Caucasus consists of the present Georgia and Armenia parts of the erstwhile Soviet Union); the legendary land of lord Dracula.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In Caucasus; around B C 6,500 there lived a farmer who was engaged in farming grapes-vines. One day he kept some grapes in a wooden container and forgot about it. After some days he found some syrupy liquid came out of the grapes got fermented naturally. The violet liquid smelled great and he drank it; woe betides! He poured it in to a jar and buried it in a secret place. Daily he used to visit the spot and took a dose and returned as if nothing has happened.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The grandmother of wine</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The temptation of wine was too strong to resist that he could not avoid visiting the spot for a sip. His wife was not less smart; she spied his tryst with wine and discovered the secret. On sustained questioning the poor Caucasian had to confess how he got the brew. Thus that village lady got the formula to become the grandmother of wine; who made it for the first time and became the first wine maker. All said and done the popularity of this holy brew spread all over Caucasus like wild fire!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The heavenly drink going places</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Without knowing the chemical changes associated with fermentation; villagers started making and drinking it. It was Mesopotamia which learned the art first from Caucasus; from there to Syria, Palestine and Egypt. The technology growing grapes and fermenting wine reached Europe via Cyprus and Crete. So far the fame of this ‘godly’ liquid spread from ear to ear; but the Egyptians were not satisfied by that they etched making of wine on their tomb-walls and wooden-boards! God Dionysus of the Greeks and Bacchus of the Romans both represent wine. Eucharist of the Christians and Kiddush of the Jews are ceremonies related with wines.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Wine magic</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wine rose to a liquid of historical as well as religious importance; for Christians it represents the blood of god. There were Hindu gods who loved wine. History would have never been the same without the participation of wine. Omar Quay yam treated his life itself as a cup of wine and drank it to the last drop! It had an inseparable role in the history of ancient Egypt and Greece. There are many kings who lost their kingdoms for wine and there are many husbands who have lost their wives for it; that is ‘wine magic’; people simply lose their family, wealth and kingdom for it; and live happily ever after ‘lipping the cup’.<span> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The ingredients</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine_grapes.jpg" title="wine_grapes.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine_grapes.jpg" alt="wine grapes" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The strangest thing with wine is that it’s making does not require expensive ingredients or machineries. Some grapes, sugar (half the weight of grapes), wheat, clove and cinnamon (very small quantity) are the only requirements for making this holy drink. Its making is so simple that any one who has got a porcelain jar and the above things can brew wine at his home. There is even a branch of science known as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>enology;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>that deals with the techniques of wine-making; but the fact is that what these enologists churn out is no where near the product our granny’s make!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>(Vinification) (Primary fermentation)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wash the grapes wash it thoroughly in clean water and dry it with a pure cotton cloth; crush it with bare hands. Place one layer of crushed grapes in the bottom of the jar and sprinkle sugar over it just to hide the grapes (say quarter of an inch). Place sugar and grapes alternatively to half the volume of the jar. Fill the rest quarter with sterile (boiled and cooled) water leaving one quarter of the jar vacant. A five minute stirring once a day may be better for proper mixing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Secondary fermentation</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wait for two weeks; take the mixture; crush the grapes in to the solution; filter it and remove the seeds and skin. Place a cotton pouch with wheat, clove and cinnamon) in to the solution and keep it in a china-jar (those who don’t have the luxury of owning an oak cask) for another month for aging. When aged the wine can be transferred in to glass bottles. For sparkling wines; some of the fermentation is left to take place in the bottle.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The process given is standard; as per the requirement (white wine red wine etc) this can be changed as given in paragraph subtitled ‘there are many wines’. Grapes though a good choice that gives red wine; cashew apples, gooseberry (amla) etc can be used to make wine. Gooseberry and jaggery (an edible byproduct of sugar) combination is behind the ayurvedic preparation known as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Chyavana prasha</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that bestows eternal youth.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The cup that keeps the doctor away</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wine is not just history and religion; it is a tasty health drink; if the latest inventions are right; a glass (about 125 ml) of red wine a day can keep blood pressure under control and check the pace of aging The rich poly-phenols; contained wine are powerful anti-oxidants and they are capable of reducing the risks of heart attacks. Cancer and several other ailments caused by free radicals that haunt the modern man can be contained by the proper use of wine. Aging stimulated by stress can be kept at bay by the use of wine that unwinds the stressed nerves. Wine can make the hardest pessimistic a little hopeful of life; if not convinced just have a glassful of red wine and go to sleep; sweet dreams will follow!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sexy making!</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The making of wine was intertwined by the cultural etiquettes that existed in each culture; the wood that was selected for making storage cans, the way in which grapes are battered etc. In Europe beautiful girls after properly washing their feet and dressed in shorts and checkered shirts were engaged in mashing the grapes in to pulp. They used their used their bare feet for the jobs. The pulp was kept for three to ten days for fermentation in canisters made of selected wood (mostly oak). It was for them a community celebration.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Industrial revolution</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine.jpg" title="wine.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wine.jpg" alt="wine" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">But of late big industries have taken over the role and the processes have been made less labor intensive (read without any glamour or sex-appeal); Sanctity in its making has suffered; heartless machines need participation of no village belle clad in shorts. Steel drums are being used for wooden canisters. Who cares of customs and traditions if the product is to be consumed by unknown people living in some corner of the world! A time may come when clocks will reverse and wine may get released from the clutches of multinationals; let us wait for it with a glass full of nanny-made red wine.<span> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Awake my little ones and fill the cup,</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Before life’s liquor in its cup be dry.</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Omar Quay yam.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-85358301338072830442008-11-30T11:24:00.003+05:302012-02-25T16:29:01.421+05:30The Southern Cross Flight<p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">The ‘Southern Cross’, the first flight </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> across the Pacific (Eightieth Anniversary),</span><span> </span><o p=""></o></strong></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span><br /></span></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>First trans-Pacific flight celebrates its 8o<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>anniversary in August 2008</strong>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/scinside1.jpg" alt="The Southern Cross inside the Kingsford Smith Memorial, a climate-controlled sealed glass building" /></p><p align="center">The Southern Cross inside the Kingsford Smith Memorial, a climate-controlled sealed glass building</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Our commercial flight operation is eighty years old.</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Smith and Ulm were youngsters from the Imperial Air Force of Australia with un-satiable desire for flying over un-chartered territories; and taking risks was for them a way of life. This mission was not just risk taking; it was history in the making. At present when the age commercial aircraft operations is counted this land-mark flight is taken as the starting point and our commercial flights are eighty years old; as this Southern Cross flight occurred on 1928; crossing the mighty Pacific for the first time in an aircraft; covering a distance of 11588 km!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>First lap from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Oakland</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Hawaii</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(3ist May 1928)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">On 31<sup>st</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>May 1928 they (the four member crew who took part in ‘Southern Cross’ Trans Pacific Flight) took off from Oakland in California and landed in Hawaii after 27hours. This event would have gone un-noticed had it been not the part of a great flight that turned out to be a marking in aviation history. As experienced pilots they knew the risks involved in such a long flight in a single engine aircraft. The team had a purpose too; to study the feasibility of connecting Australia with US by commercial aircrafts.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/397px-southern_cross_book_1928.jpg" alt="397px-southern_cross_book_1928.jpg" /></p><p align="center"><img alt="First edition cover of descriptive book of the flight" /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Second lap; a mission impossible (</strong><strong>3<sup>rd</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>June 1928</strong><strong>)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">These young pilots (Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm) were from the Imperial Air Force of Australia and crazy for establishing records in flying. This particular mission – a really risky one-they took entirely to satisfy their own thirst for flying through un- chartered territories. The second lap was the most challenging part of the journey flying 7388 miles above the unending vastness of the mighty Pacific; from Hawaii to Suva in Fiji – a journey no one has undertaken so far. Considering the standards of aircraft design and crude technologies prevalent in the flying equipments (the electronic revolution was not born at that time); it was a mission impossible. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The vessel</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/scoutside2.jpg" alt="The Kingsford Smith Memorial, housing the Southern Cross" /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p align="center">The Kingsford Smith Memorial, housing the Southern Cross</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The vessel that was to take them across the Pacific was a Fokker F VII b-3 monoplane with three engines; which they named ‘The Southern Cross’. It was 14.56 meters in length with a wingspan of 21.71 meters. The aircraft was powered by Wright Whirlwind motors that were 304 horse-powers each and could attain a speed of 208 kph (cruising speed 178 kph). The Fokker F VII b-3 could carry a load around 5300 kilo grams and attain height of about 4400 meters. No doubt it was the ‘most efficient’ aircraft of that time. The Fokker VII b-3 even commanded a market share that exceeded 50% of the whole aircrafts sold at that time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The crew,</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Cowards die many times;</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Valiant never taste it but once!</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pilot; Charles Kingsford Smith (popularly called ‘Smithy’) was pilot of the Australian Imperial Air Force. He was born in Brisbane Australia in 1897); who along with Ulm were engaged by the Inter-State Flying Services to see whether Flights between Australia and America could be engaged commercially. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Co pilot; Charles Ulm (1898) was also an Australian (who later met with an air-crash while trying to create a record in flights between America and Australia and disappeared).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two people also joined them; one Mr. James Warner as a Radio operator and Mr. Harry Lyon as Navigator; both of them were Americans.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The making of an airport</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The second lap of the flight was intended to land on Albert Park in Suva the capital of Fiji; at that time there was no airport worth its name a tremendous problem as the field to be used for landing of the aircraft was dotted with banyan trees which stood blocking the landing. Cutting these trees was easier said than done; as sanction for the same was hard to come by as no official was prepared to take that risk. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Robert Farquar and Sir Eyre Hudson</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Robert Farquar a radio operator of Suva; who had been communicating with Southern Cross could not ignore the request of the cruising team. His running for sanction for cutting of trees from pillar to post rendered no results and finally he approached Governor Sir Eyre Hudson; the Highest authority of the island. Hudson could understand the significance of the mission he issued immediate sanction for the cutting of the trees and leveling the park. The telephone lines that stood nearby also were transferred to safer location for the landing of the plane that carried along with a piece of history.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The grace of God!</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The improvised airport (rather a converted Albert Park) turned out to be center of the whole island and almost all people assembled there to see the most wonderful thing on earth the flying machine! When the aircraft landed in Suva there was thrill as well as some suspense; the aircraft that had no brake ran almost off the ramp and almost collided with the embankment on its eastern side; but nothing untoward happened; by the grace of god!<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>In<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Suva</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Next day in a welcome ceremony arranged by the island authorities; school children of Suva presented an American Flag made of wild flowers to the crew members. The plane had to fly 30 km to Nasilai Beach near Nakelo to take fuel which was brought in a steamer (HMCS Pioneer). On June 8<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>they left Nasilai on way to Brisbane but did not forget to fly over Suva in an attempt to bid farewell to its people who gave them a warm welcome and love! </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>At<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Brisbane</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/southern_cross.jpg" alt="The Southern Cross at a RAAF base near Canberra in 1943." /></p><p align="center">The Southern Cross at a RAAF base near Canberra in 1943.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A 15,000 strong crowd was there to welcome the crew and their famous aircraft which they called the ‘Southern Cross’ (Smith affectionately called it ‘Old Bus’). They reached<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Brisbane nine days after they have left Oakland and flew to Sydney where there was a heroes’ welcome awaiting for them. Smith had taken many more adventures with his flying talent and he was honored with the Harmon National Award for Australia for his achievements. Smith later got killed along with his co pilot in 1935; while trying to create a flight record. As his true partner in most of the adventures Ulm followed the suit and got killed in a crash. Anyway in the 80<sup>th</sup>anniversary of that great event let their souls rest in peace and eternal happiness.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Home is the hunter; home from the hills;</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>And the sailor home from the seas.</strong></p></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-50169019281499917802008-07-28T07:35:00.004+05:302012-02-25T16:28:34.457+05:30Golden Temple of Dambulla Srilanka<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><st1><strong>Dambulla</strong></st1><strong> </strong><st1><strong>Cave</strong></st1><strong> </strong><st1><strong>Temple</strong></st1><strong> (</strong><st1></st1><st1><strong>Golden</strong></st1><strong> </strong><st1><strong>Temple</strong></st1><strong> of Dambulla) </strong><st1></st1><st1><strong>Sri Lanka</strong></st1></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Temples</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Bagan</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Myanmar</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(</strong><strong>Burma</strong><strong>)</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temples.jpg" title="bagan-temples.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temples.jpg" alt="bagan temples" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/temples/bagan-temples-and-pagodas/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Bagan Temples and Pagodas</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A city of ten million temples</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bagan is located in the Mandalay area on eastern bank of Ayeyarwady River at about 160 km from Rangoon (Yangon) Burma. Though small in size it is really big in its cultural heritage with countless temples most of them in various stages of decay and many still in ship shape and performing. Perhaps the only place that can be compared to Bagan in this regard is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Angkor Vat</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of Cambodia in the sheer size and architectural magnificence. Angkor Vat temples are covered in thick forests and are only partly visible only from a height; whereas the ruins of Bagan are far greater in number and lie exposed in the tropical sun and are easily accessible.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bagan; its rise and fall</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As Burmese rulers used to shift their capital as per the wish of the ruling regime; Bagan got two chances to be the seat of power during 9<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and 12<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>centuries; it is during these terms all these structures were built. A D 1287 came in the shape of the legendary Mongol conqueror Kublai khan who ripped those beautiful structures apart and did as much damages as he could before his retreat! As the town got deserted robbers took away whatever were left by the Mongols.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A man-made disaster!</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple.jpg" title="bagan-temple.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple.jpg" alt="bagan temple" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Temples in Bagan</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1975 when a massive earth quake hit the town and did much damage to the structures the ruling military junta of Burma (Myanmar) reacted by rebuilding some of them with modern materials like concrete and beautified them with enamel paint! A request from the UNESCO to list them as World Heritage Sites -so that they could be resurrected with the experts in the field- was blatantly ignored by the ruling regime. Thus Burma had to suffer one man-made disaster that followed a natural disaster.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>At present</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">At present all the remnants of the structures of the ‘ten million temples’ lie scattered in 16 sq miles of land, looted, desecrated and getting damaged in sun and rain. About a thousand temples remain in good condition and some of them are functioning visited by devotees of which 10 temples that are immensely popular and remarkable in their make and hence covered in this article.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sulamani</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple-myanmar.JPG" title="bagan-temple-myanmar.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bagan-temple-myanmar.JPG" alt="bagan temple myanmar" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">The Payathonzu Temple is built in the Mon style</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is also known as the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>‘Crowning Jewell Temple’</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(in Sanskrit sula means trident and mani means jewel) and was built by King Narapathi Sithu in 1181, in style its construction is akin to the Thatbyinnu temple and has influenced the style of Dhammayangvi temple. This temple got damaged in the 1975 earth quake and was repaired. Sulamani Temple is also known for the beautiful frescoes and idols that decorate its interior.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Dhammayangvi</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Dhammayangvi Temple is the largest structure of all the surviving temples of Bagan. It was built by the Bagan King Narathu who ruled a brief spell between AD 1167 and 1170. Its style of construction resembles to that of Ananda Temple of the same area. This temple was built by King Narathu (1167 – 1170).</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ananda</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pagan-buddha.JPG" title="pagan-buddha.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pagan-buddha.JPG" alt="pagan buddha" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">A Bagan Buddha, 12th century</p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">This temple is 51 meters in height and was built exactly like the Nandamula Cave Temple in the Himalayan ranges India. The only difference is that the Ananda Temple is a bit smaller than the cave temple. It originally built during 1091 AD under king Kyanzittha but the gilding works that adorn the temple was done recently in 1990. As per Buddhism there are four Buddhas (prophets who have received divine revelations); the Gautama Buddha is the last of them There are four gigantic statues of the four Buddhas<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>each looking to each direction (Kakusandha facing north, Konagamana facing east, Kassapa facing south and Gautama facing west).<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Manuha</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Built in AD 1067 by Manuha; a Mon king of the Thaton country who was captured and held captive by Anawrahta. The most notable thing with this temple is that statues occupy whole area of the temple giving no space to the priests and devotees. Three huge Buddha statues in sitting posture and one gigantic Buddha in reclining posture; all idols virtually filling the entire space of the halls are the specialties of this temple.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Shwesandaw</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/myanmar-local.jpg" title="myanmar-local.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/myanmar-local.jpg" alt="myanmar local" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Its was built by king Anawrahta in 1057 AD, it is considered as most sacred among the numerous temples of Bagan by the Buddhists as the holy hair of Buddha has been enshrined in its stupas. This temple also has been called Ganesha Temple as during the ancient times four idols of Ganesha (the Hindu god with the head of elephant; considered very auspicious) were placed in its four conrers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Mahabodhi</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As its name suggests it is a replica of the Bodhi Temple of Bodhgaya India. It was built by King Nataungamya between 1210 and 1234. (it was at Bodhgaya Gautama Buddha got enlightenment while meditating under a banyan tree; Bodhgaya is about 105 km away from Patna the capital of Bihar a state of India. There is still an old temple built by Emperor Ashoka with an equally old banyan tree. This premise is considered sacred by Buddhists and the seeds of this tree had been taken and planted in ancient Buddhist’s centers like Burma and Sri Lanka (Mahabodhi tree at Buddhist temple at Anuradha pura). This temple is decorated with numerous Buddha idols placed in niches.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Shwezigon</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ananda_temple_bagan.jpg" title="ananda_temple_bagan.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ananda_temple_bagan.jpg" alt="ananda temple bagan" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">Gate tower of Ananda Temple</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Its work was begun by King Anawrahta who made Bagan his capital but it had to be completed by King Kyanzittha in 1089. The Shwezigon Temple is religiously the most important temple among all the structures in Burma as some bones and hairs of Buddha is kept in this place. During Nadaw a Burmese month (Nov – Dec) devotees from all parts of Burma visit this temple</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gawdapalin</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Temple</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Gawdapalin Temple has a dome topped with a golden crown reaching sixty meters in height stupa. This beautiful temple that stands with grandeur on the bank of Ayeyarwady River was built by king Narapatisithu in late 12<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>century; it was badly damaged in the earth-quake which rocked the Mandalay region in 1975; it was rebuilt and at present it remains as one of the well kept temples in this region.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Mahamuni Paya</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is a crowd puller temple of the entire Mandalay region with a four meter tall idol cast in bronze that is covered with golden leaves; devotees bring golden leaves and decorate the idol for the fulfillment of their wish. It is said thus the weight of the idol has been doubled for the time due to this gold leaf adoration! The idol was originally situated in a temple in a village by name Rakhaing (located in the present Bangladesh). King Bodawpaya of Mandalay seized the image and brought it home to be placed in this temple. Women are not allowed to tough the sanctum sanctorum.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bupaya Pagoda</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is dispute regarding the time of its construction one school of thought is that it was built in AD 200 by King Pyusawhti; as style of construction seems more advanced it is believed that it must have been built in around AD 1000. The large inverted bell shaped dome with golden coating is a really beautiful thing to watch. This small pagoda which was almost completely destroyed in the 1975 earth-quake was rebuilt to the present shape.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Disastrous aesthetics</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/that-byin-nyu_bagan.jpg" title="that-byin-nyu_bagan.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/that-byin-nyu_bagan.jpg" alt="that byin nyu bagan" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Thatbyinnyu Temple</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are thousands of temple in the Mandalay region of Burma; a large number of them are irrecoverably damaged and many in critical condition. Rebuilding of the temples as a World Heritage Site by experts in the field is an urgent requirement. The present government is not willing to entrust the work to the UNESCO authorities making the work impossible. It is hoped that good sense would prevail upon them one day and those once marvelous structures will rise from their deathbed to fascinate the world!</p></span></span><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-37919797826669454132008-07-07T07:12:00.007+05:302012-02-25T16:28:09.930+05:30A Beginner's Guide to World Travel<p style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">A Beginner's Guide to World Travel</span></p><p style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_bNlrg2siv38/SHF5IwgKV7I/AAAAAAAACZw/rwlY_tijBX4/s1600-h/travel.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_bNlrg2siv38/SHF5IwgKV7I/AAAAAAAACZw/rwlY_tijBX4/s320/travel.PNG" alt="A Beginner's Guide to World Travel" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220086634464827314" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Whether we like it not</span><o:p><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br /></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Traveling; whether we like it or not is an unavoidable part in daily life, there are people who spent their whole life time savings on a fortnight’s trip and return satisfied. Human being in its initial stages were vagabonds who lived on hunting and gathering food wherever it was available; whatever be the distance traveled.<o:p><br /></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stone- age; lot a happy lot!</span><o:p><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br /></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Those stone- age fellows were a happy lot; who had nothing to worry about troublesome things called a home or a farm. That vagabond still lingers in your genes and compels you to go places leaving the comforts of home; friends and native place.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Care your purse!</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Traveling is expensive and often an invitation for real trouble; the issue is to lessen the expenses and avoid troubles as far as possible. It is said that while you travel you keep your open purse inverted; it is so money consuming; how that can be plugged? Let us see.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Why travel?</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Man is no frog in a deep well; traveling; whatever be the risks involved is a thrilling and fruitful exercise; human life is a short-lived phenomenon; one day of travel in an unknown land is enough to get a thousand day’s pleasure in living in one’s home. Children should be taken along as it is kids who gain more from a travel the most. Men (especially kids) are wired to see and enjoy unknown places, culture, costume, and life-style; even reading hundred books don’t get that much first hand knowledge of seeing and hearing direct.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Early planning</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">No passport? Go and get it first.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Collect all information available about the destination (traveling too many places in one go is sheer waste as your pleasure get spread too thin); web sites, travelogues, books and maps are inexpensive sources to get a preliminary information. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Choosing the time and season of the place of visit are important things as your long awaited trip may get drenched in rain or may caught trapped in extreme conditions without even a drop of water to drink. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Choose the travel agency after consulting your friends regarding their quality of service, rates of accommodations and reach. Compare their rates with other agencies and bargain for discounts.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Pervious reservations in lodges and travel agencies save a lot of money as well as assure seats at discounted rates.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">A small booklet on the local languages will be of immense use; the author remembers a Japanese visitor knocking doors to use toilet as he was in urgency. <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">If reservations in rooms, transportation are assured early start getting sanction for leave from your boss and avail any <b style=""><i style="">leave travel funding</i></b> if available.<span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Chick list</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">It can be a whole family affair to prepare a check list for what is to be taken for the trip; luggage should comply with the regulations of the airlines. Reach in a consensus regarding materials that can be avoided.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">A shoulder bag that can contain the following,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>1, Passport and statutory papers for the visit,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>2, Receipts and brochures received from the travel agencies as well as their franchisees or branches closer to your destination, </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"> 3, Local currency as well as some dollars (most merchants prefer dollars to local tenders) in small denominations save money while making payments,<span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>4, A telephones index diary with all the names of your friends and relatives especially those who have visited the destination before or familiar with that place,<span style=""> An even better idea is to find yourselves a <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.com/">couch</a>.<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>5, Credit cards (duly charged) that is valid at the place of visit,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>6, Medicines which are to be routinely taken and that may be of use in contingency like first aid kits, a torch, needle and thread, shaving set, toiletries etc,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>7, Good travel guide book would be immense use; can be had from the travel agency at no cost. An <a href="http://www.hotelscombined.com/">index of hotels</a> and other accomodation is a must have.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"> 8, Political and Route maps. you could download any street map from <a href="http://maps.google.com/">Google Maps</a>.<br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><br />Medium sized bags,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">On family trips each kid can be entrusted with a medium sized bag loaded mostly with his own things; weight to match kid’s age.<span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Big bag,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">A bigger bag (wheeled one is better) with bed linen, bath towel, night gowns, spare foot-wears, dress, books, kids’ food, water, fruits, pocket knife, mosquito repellents, woolen jackets (for cold places) etc. Store some snacks and cookies will prove helpful where there may be places without clean hotels.</p><p style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">While traveling,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Reaching the place of visit,</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Select full body covering dress in tropical areas as hot sun and pests can do much damages to white skin. Tourists often fall prey to touts at the tourist spots, get information from the hotel itself regarding spots and call a vehicle from their list a good driver is a better guide. Be lavish while giving him some tip if service is good. Register complaint if there is any meanness on his part.<br /><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">While walking watch the touts who hang around and suddenly approach you with helps or requests; just neglect them and walk off, if any help needed ask to any friendly person for directions;<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Home sweet home!</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">The real pleasure of the trip lies in the safe return to the home and in relaxing after a bath, one may be a bit poorer but a lot wiser. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Home is the hunter home from the hills;</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">And the sailor home from the seas!</p><br /><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Happy Travelling.<br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-54822529462358794972008-06-30T08:18:00.003+05:302012-02-25T16:27:30.964+05:30Lake Tonle Sap Cambodia<div style="text-align: center;"><st1 style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><strong>Lake Tonle Sap</strong></st1><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> </strong><st1 style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><strong>Cambodia</strong></st1><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> (Boeung </strong><st1 style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><strong>Tonle Sap</strong></st1><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">), Great </strong><st1 style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></st1><st1 style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><strong>Lake</strong></st1><strong style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> of </strong><st1><strong><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Cambodia</span></strong></st1><br /><st1><strong></strong></st1></div><st1><strong><br /></strong></st1><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lake Tonle Sap</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Cambodia</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Boeung<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Tonle Sap</strong><strong>), Great<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Cambodia</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tonle_sap_cambodia.jpg" title="tonle_sap_cambodia.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tonle_sap_cambodia.jpg" alt="tonle sap cambodia" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Water dwelling on the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/lakes/lake-tonle-sap-cambodia/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);">lake of Tonle Sap</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>near Siem Reap</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The largest fresh water<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>lake</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Southeast Asia</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lakes especially the large ones have the power to influence the life style of the people who live around it by giving them food, water and transportation. But few lakes have influenced the life of almost three million people to such a great magnitude like Lake Tonle Sap located right at the heart of Cambodia.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/06/lake-issyk-kul.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);">Lake Issyk Kul</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>of Kyrgyzstan is a similar one but only a distant second!<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How was it formed?</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tonle-sap-lake-combodia-map.png" title="tonle-sap-lake-combodia-map.png" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tonle-sap-lake-combodia-map.png" alt="tonle sap lake combodia map" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Map of Tonle Sap Lake and its floodplain</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Scientists have an answer to any question asked; one version may vary with other ‘school of thought’ is another thing! They (the geologists) say that once- that is millions of years back- a tectonic plate bearing the Indian sub-continent (on which the present day nations like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc are located) moved towards the Asian plate and clashed giving birth to a tremendous stress in which meadows became mountains and plains deep depressions; like what happens when two cars collide! The Himalayan Ranges that bears<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/06/mount-everest.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><strong>Mount Everest</strong></a><strong></strong>the highest peak in the world is the creation of that great upheaval. When Himalaya went up; the Cambodian portion declined water rushed in to fill it; that is the great Tonle Sap Lake the boon of Cambodia!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The real great lake!</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/lake-tonle-sap-map.png" title="lake-tonle-sap-map.png" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/lake-tonle-sap-map.png" alt="lake tonle sap map" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Lake Tonle Sap Location in Cambodia</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Geography teaches us that the Great Lakes are located in the North American Continent but a Cambodian will ‘shout’ to differ; for him it is the ‘Boeung Tonle Sap’ that is great. Not because that the word Tonle Sap means great lake (large fresh water river) in Khmer language but Lake Tonle Sap is much more than a big lake; it is the bread donor to 3 million Cambodians, 75% of inland fish that nation gets is from Tonle Sap, sixty percent of the protein intake Cambodians get is from nowhere else but Tonle Sap the fish-rich and great lake.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Cambodia</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Cambodia is a medium sized nation in Southeast Asia (area 181035 sq km) with a population of about 15 million. Its culture is mainly based on Khmer civilization that has its roots in ancient Hindu, Buddha, Thai, Javanese, Chinese cultures. Its architecture, arts, dance, music, magnificent temples like that of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/06/angkor-wat.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><strong>Angkor Wat</strong></a>etc all are proofs for its association with old Hindu culture. The staple diet of Cambodians is rice and the lacustrine area nourished by the rich sediments of the lake in fact forms the rice-bowl of Cambodia which has only 13% of agriculture land of the total area (63% of area comprises of forests).<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Tonle Sap River a two-way valve</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lake Tonle Sap is a combined system including a strange river (River Tonle Sap) that acts as a two way valve between River Mekong and Tonle Sap Lake. This river meets River Mekong at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Chaktomuk</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>opposite to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Phnom pen</strong>. In summer ice on the mountains melts and River Mekong gets flooded; that time River Tonle Sap take the nutrient rich flood water to the lake. Same time during monsoon time when the Mekong is weak River Tonle Sap does the reverse flow taking water from the lake to Mekong River; about 50% of Mekong’s water during summer is sourced from Lake Tonle Sap. This water is not plain water it is rich in freshly hatched fish from the Tonle Sap flood plain; for nutrients received fish returned.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A river, lake, flood-plain, forest; combine</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/laketonlesap.jpg" title="laketonlesap.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/laketonlesap.jpg" alt="laketonlesap" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p align="center">lake of Tonle Sapimage courtesy: amberandmozzie.blogster.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">During summer this lake shrinks to just 2,700 sq km in area; at that time water from Mekong carried by River Tonle Sap is its only source; where as during monsoon it gets filled to the brim making it swell to the tune of 16,000 sq km! At this time all the surrounding areas including forests get inundated and they turn in to a rich hatchery for all sorts of fresh water fish making it the most productive inland natural fish-breeding area in the world. About 100 varieties of birds, two hundred varieties of fish along with amphibians multiply during this time. When Mekong is weak all this fish and beings are released along with water.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Hot-spot</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Tonle Sap Lake of Cambodia is the largest fresh water body of Southeast Asia in area but it is comparatively shallow with a depth of one meter during summer but during monsoon its water level reaches to 9 meters and discharges huge quantity of water that is flooded with freshly bred fish in to the Tonle Sap River and then to River Mekong. This river-lake-flood-plain system combined with seasonally flooding forests is the last refuge of a unique eco system that is home to thousands of rare plants, birds, fish and amphibians of which many are in the endangered list; hence this biosphere has been listed by the UNESCO as ‘ecological hotspot’ since 1997.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Chong Khneas; the village that floats</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/lake-tonle-sap.JPG" title="lake-tonle-sap.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/lake-tonle-sap.JPG" alt="lake tonle sap" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Young boy from Tonlé Sap Combodia</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The lake is about 15 km from the town Seam Reap; one can take a ferry from Phnom Penh and travel through the scenic lake and can visit the strange village Chong Khneas that floats on the lake waters! Houses, shops, schools, gas stations, flower and fruit gardens all float on the serene lake water (they even raise farms on these floating structures). When lake’s water level rises the village also rises along with; when lake recedes the vice versa! No flooding of homes or farmlands because all float.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are more villages that look like floating like Chong Khneas but they use stilted structures that seem to float during monsoon but the stilts get exposed during summer when lake water recedes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Chong Khneas attracts many tourists because of this particular feature; perhaps the present status of this lake itself is due to this floating village. Tourism has brought in jobs and money to the villagers and facilities to cater to the needs of tourists also has changed the shape and texture of the village.<strong><span></span></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Its people</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tonle-sap-people.JPG" title="tonle-sap-people.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tonle-sap-people.JPG" alt="tonle sap people" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Young Girl from Tonlé Sap Combodia</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The residents of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Chong Khneas</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and other floating villages are mostly Vietnamese and Cham People. The Cham People are considered to have descended from Malay and Polynesian stocks; they own a history as the part of the 7<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to 15<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>century Champa Kingdom existed in the present Vietnam. The language they speak is called Cham. It is needless to say their main occupation is fishing but bamboo basket making and catering to the needs of the numerous tourists who visit their village also is a source of income. Large fish traps floating houses, schools, farms, and gas stations dot the entire village and present a view to the visitor to remember.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Kampong Phluk and Kampong Khleang</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Surrounding the lake are numerous villages as the lake’s water level varies these villages live in stilted houses (houses that are built on large poles up to 10 meters in height. Kampong Phluk is a cluster of three villages surrounded by mangrove forests; it has a population of around 3000 people and can be accessed from Siem Reap. Kampong Khleang is another such village that is flooded with stilted houses. When the lake dry up these people come down and live in temporary cottages built on the ground and return to the stilt when lake gets flooded. The main occupation is fishing and shrimp farming; these villages are not frequently visited by tourists as Chong Khneas.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Preservation of ecology</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Cambodian government and numerous agencies are keen to protect the unique eco-system that prevails around the lake. There is one bird sanctuary in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Prek Toal<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>located in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span><span></span>the core area of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve; it is Asia’s largest breeding area for large water-birds that are globally threatened. Spot billed pelican, painted stork, greater adjuncts, grey headed fish eagle all are found in abundance in this 31282 hectare wide reserve.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Inexpensive destination</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/lake-tonle-sap-combodia.jpg" title="lake-tonle-sap-combodia.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/lake-tonle-sap-combodia.jpg" alt="lake tonle sap combodia" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">An old man rows a boat on the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This reserve can be visited from Seam Reap town through boat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Moat Khla</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Biosphere Reserve area another one is located between<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Boeung Tonle Chma</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(another smaller lake located in the middle of the eastern shore of the lake) and Tonle Sap.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Stung Sen<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>Biosphere Reserve is located in the southwestern part of the lake. Birds are in abundance during summer but the hitch is as lake water has receded boating becomes difficult but there are packages for tourists that include combined boating and trekking tours under guidance for nominal fees.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Cambodia is an economically backward country and hotels and other amenities are relative very cheap. A two hour boat ride from Siem Reap covering destinations including the floating village costs less than 10 dollars!</p></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-88334458174612332992008-06-24T08:02:00.003+05:302012-02-25T16:27:02.756+05:30Qin Terracotta Warriors<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Qin Terracotta Warriors</span><br /></div><br /><br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Terracotta Warriors,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>China</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/terracotta_army_xian_assembling_warriors.jpg" title="terracotta_army_xian_assembling_warriors.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/terracotta_army_xian_assembling_warriors.jpg" alt="terracotta army xian assembling warriors" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Some farmers, a well and a mystery</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1974 some farmers belonging to Lintong County of Shaanxi Province China were for a well; quite unexpectedly they stumbled upon some potteries and unusual materials; even in their wildest dreams they did not see that site was going to be one of the best known land marks of modern China.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A village finding its place among stars</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Soon archaeologists took possession of the land and In 1975; what they initially found was only a tip of the ice-berg; after the potsherds there come out thousands of soldiers, horses, chariots and what not a full fledged army with all paraphernalia enough to rule an empire! Govt established a museum displaying the wonderful warriors with their horses ET all occupying an area of 16,300 sq meters.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The whole museum that has so far unearthed is divided in to three parts called as pits in which the objects are being restored and displayed. Behind some clay statues rising to the status as the pride of a big nation; there is a long history engulfed in mysteries.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>China; the land that has many to make one wonder</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/terracotta-warriors-china.jpg" title="terracotta-warriors-china.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/terracotta-warriors-china.jpg" alt="terracotta warriors china" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Terracotta detail. No two life-sized figures are alike in the tomb.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Whether the time is ancient, medieval or modern; China has always had something to make the world wonder; even in the ancient times it innovated printing, gun-powder and printing; built<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/11/porcelain-tower-of-nanjing.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Porcelain Pagoda at Nanjing</a>; in the medieval times it could build the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/07/great-wall-of-china.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Great Wall</a>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/cities/forbidden-city/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Forbidden City</a>; in the modern time also China does not cease to wonder the world as the fastest growing economy that turns out materials at fraction of its cost dubbed as ‘the factory of the world’.<span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Not cast in a mould</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Even if all these being admitted; how come some clay statues considered as world wonder can be a relevant question. These statues are not made out of a mould like a cup of saucer; each statue has been tailor made by an artist to match the character; a soldier as a soldier where as an officer is made as an officer; clowns, musicians, courtiers, horsemen et all; each figure has some special feature to match its rank and social status. In short no two statues are alike.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>All the paraphernalia for the emperor</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/terracotta-army-china.JPG" title="terracotta-army-china.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/terracotta-army-china.JPG" alt="terracotta army china" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">The Terracotta warriors were once highly coloured</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Terracotta Warriors (soldiers and horses funerary statues of the Huang Di) is no less intriguing than any other wonders before the world; 8000 soldiers (they include rank and file) no two statues are similar as god had made men! 670 horses of which 150 are for the cavalry, 130 chariots, acrobats, musclemen and musicians, all categories of courtiers that existed in a palace premises are here in the form of statues. Each statue has its own individuality as a musician can be recognized from a soldier. This has made most of the scholars conclude that each of the statues represent a real person served office at that time.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Who built them?</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Qin Shi Huang Di<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>(his personal name was Ying Zheng) of the Qin Dynasty ruled China between 221 and 210 BC, was an iron man in all sense; it was he who unified China in to a mega empire, it was he who introduced ‘Legalism’ the first form of totalitarianism in to China (that system still works there successfully), it was he who first constructed massive road system in China thereby making it more unified; more over it was he who made a museum the size of a city.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A Karl Marx of BC!</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/officer-terrakottaarmen.jpg" title="officer-terrakottaarmen.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/officer-terrakottaarmen.jpg" alt="officer terrakottaarmen" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/history/qin-terra-cotta-warriors/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Qin Terracotta warriors china</a></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Mr. Shi Huang has done many other things also he burned all the books containing the teachings of Confucianism and destroyed every literature that he thought not agreeing with his thinking (one of the earliest reported ideological purge) making only Emperor’s dictum to survive; making himself an earliest Communist- far before the birth of Karl Marx! Qin Shi Huang Di is considered the architect of China as he has unified the warring territories and gave birth to the great empire; in the present day China he is held in high esteem.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Legalism</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">China an ancient nature with a rich culture had many known scholars who engaged in spreading wisdom through their teachings. There were divergences among their teachings and four such schools were most prominent. First of course is Legalism which is for total subservience on the part of the subjects whatever the emperor has dictated has to be followed; no questions asked; mean rule of the law in the most brutal sense; the other three are Confucianism, Daoism and Mohism.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span></span><span></span><span></span><strong>History</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/qin-terracotta-army-china.jpg" title="qin-terracotta-army-china.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/qin-terracotta-army-china.jpg" alt="qin terracotta army china" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Qin TerraCotta Warriors China</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sima Qian (145 to 90 BC); son of a perfect of the Han Dynasty; is considered as the father of Chinese historiography; his acclaimed work ‘Records of the Grand Historian’ which gives a record of 2000 years long history of China from the ‘Yellow Emperor to Wudi of the Han dynasty. As per Sima Qian this necropolis was made in 246 BC as an imperial palace constructed near Mount Lishang; Qin Shi Huang Di was the first to be buried there.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sima Qian</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Terracotta Warriors as per Sima Qian are Qin’s army; made to rule his empire at the nether world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span>Along with the warriors items like utensils, most exquisite materials available at that time, 100 synthetic rivers made of mercury; and what not all paraphernalia for the emperor. The tomb is enclosed in an earthen pyramid of 76 meters tall and 350 meters wide that has so far not opened. The saddening thing is that in the necropolis a walled structure that is comprised of various buildings several human remaining were found and they are thought of the workers who were shut inside; an ancient practice of killing the workers after the work so that the inner secrets are not leaked!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pit-full of wonders</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/xian-museum-terracotta-warriors.jpg" title="xian-museum-terracotta-warriors.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/xian-museum-terracotta-warriors.jpg" alt="xian museum terracotta warriors" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Qin Terracotta Warriors China</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Soldiers and horses are arranged in a military formations in 4 pits, the first one which is the biggest located about 1.5 km from the tomb is 230 meters long with 11 corridors. It is 3 meter wide and five meters deep; it contains 6000 soldiers facing the east (it was from the east the empire faced most threats). It is presumed that they were guards for the protection of the tombs; its design also has signs that this space was used by nobles. The second one was intended for cavalry and infantry units as there are chariots belonged to be of military guards. Pit number 3 is for high ranking officers and presumed that it was intended as a command post where as pit number 4 was unfinished and empty.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gereral Xiang Yu</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sima Qian has described of one General Xiang Yu who led his forces to the site soon after the construction of the tomb and engaged in rampant looting and arson; as a result the wooden structures that contained the statues got extensively damaged and rare and valuable artifacts which would have been of immense importance at the present time were looted; inflicting one of the greatest national losses to the nation of China. In this carnage only one statue of an archer survived undamaged in this carnage. Tremendous amount of resources and time was required for the restoration of the statues and the restoration work is yet to complete.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Warriors under attack!</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/qin-terracotta-soldier-horse.JPG" title="qin-terracotta-soldier-horse.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/qin-terracotta-soldier-horse.JPG" alt="qin terracotta soldier horse" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">A terracotta soldier and his horse</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The whole of king’s army horses and weapons find it hard to counter the devastating effects of tourism and the atmospheric pollution. Unless the Government takes drastic steps coming generations will not be fortunate enough to see these wonderful army. The influx of tourists have made many problems to the warriors who were lying there undisturbed for several centuries; humidity from the breathing air adds humidity that promotes growth of moulds on the clay structures; the heat in these pits have slow oxidizing effect on clay surface and cause fading its luster; moreover the opencast coal mining method of China release so many soot to the air that gets accumulated everywhere including these valuable artifacts speeding up their gradual degradation.</p></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-51781097998694883772008-06-18T08:00:00.003+05:302012-02-25T16:26:02.649+05:30Bali Island Indonesia<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Bali Island Indonesia</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bali Island, Indonesia,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>‘<strong>The ultimate island’</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/mother-temple-of-besakih.jpg" title="mother-temple-of-besakih.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/mother-temple-of-besakih.jpg" alt="mother temple of besakih in bali island" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">The Mother Temple of Besakih one of Bali’s most significant Hindu temples</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/islands/bali-island/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Island of Bali</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is unique in many aspects; it is a cultural entity; an island in the Islamic sea of the Indonesian Archipelago. A tiny island that still remembers the myths it was taught by the ancient masters who came from India armed with baggage full of myths, legends and never ending stories. Mahabharata, Ramayana and all epics found their way direct in to the hearts of a group of people who were not used to stories of such proportions. There a Hindu Empire by name Majapahit was established on these ancient wisdom and unending myths.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The rise and fall of Majapahit</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Majapahit ruled most of the islands of the present Indonesian archipelago including Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan (Borneo), Bali etc. But an empire that was based on myths, wisdom, arts and culture could not endure the onslaught of Islam; it got weakened and finally crumbled down forcing its priests, scholars, artists, sculptures dancers et all to flee to Bali the nearby island. Thus Bali got enriched by this rare exodus and became the ‘ultimate island’ of myths, culture, arts, and wisdom.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The island of thousand temples</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/agung-bali-island.png" title="agung-bali-island.png" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/agung-bali-island.png" alt="agung bali island" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Southern Bali in the foreground and Mount Agung behind</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bali is often described as the island of thousand temples; in fact there are several thousands of temples even the government does not have an accurate count. Every village has minimum three temples and every home have at least one facing Mount Agung the highest place in Bali. For Balinese the mountains are the abode of gods; plains for human beings and the lowest plains are for the dead and demons.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pura Puseh<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>are temples dedicated to the founders of the villages and are placed on the highest places of the villages where Lord Brahma; the creator of the world resides.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pura Desa</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are temples Pura Desa are temples located in the middle of the village; they are dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is the maintainer of the world. Some of the Pura Desa have Bale Agung an assembly held in every month; where Goddess Devi Shree is worshipped. In Bale Agung villagers assemble and discuss issues concerning the village.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pura Dalem</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is the place for the dead; built in the lowest place of the village; it is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is associated with the duty of destruction.<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Besakih Temple</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is the largest and the most popular among the numerous temples of this island; it has about 35 shrines and big halls. The Besakih Temple is located 3000 feet above sea level on the slopes of Mount Agung; yet this temple was spared when the volcano erupted last time (in 1963).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The deity of this temple is (Naga Basukia) mother goddess. As per the Bali concepts gods are not permanents residents of temples but visit them only on auspicious occasions and offering is done on that time only. People from local areas visit this temple wearing sarong and carrying offerings in baskets made of plated coconut leaf. They collect the water from this temple which is blessed by the priest and take home for daily use.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Statistics</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-island-people.jpg" title="bali-island-people.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-island-people.jpg" alt="bali island people" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">The Balinese are renowned for their sculpting</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bali is a comparatively small mountainous island dotted with short but fast flowing rivers; active volcanoes, deep ravines; sacred caves rice terraces and crater lakes. Its wide and sandy beaches are famous spots for surfers; while more than 11000 temples offer good sights for family vacationers. Bali has an area of 5561 sq km and a population of 3.15 million. The population of Bali is less than 3% of Indonesia’s total count. They speak mainly Balinese and Indonesian; but the trade of tourism has popularized western languages.<span></span><span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Brave hearts</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Though the Balinese are hospitable and god fearing they are fiercely independent. The Dutch have experienced it thrice; the first encounter was in 1906 at Sanur. There 4000 Balinese resisted the well armed Dutch and embraced martyrdom. Two years later at Klung kung there was another war there also almost all of the royal members resisted the Dutch and chose death to subservience. The final war was in 1946 when the Dutch came back to reclaim there land; Balinese fought and got wiped out; but they never let the Dutch to interfere in their culture and style of living.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Subaks of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Bali</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-rice-terrace.JPG" title="bali-rice-terrace.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-rice-terrace.JPG" alt="bali rice terrace" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Rice terraces near Ubud</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Subaks are irrigation communities of Bali that laces various small farmers together so that farming can be done sharing available water on terraced lands. For Bali rice fields are temples and farming worship. It can be described as a ritual group farming.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Subak is a social set up with a religious connotation that oversees the ritual of rice farming. Total area under a Subak can vary from 8 to 800 hectares consisting of numerous small farmers. More than allocating water; the subaks manage every thing related with farming as if the performance of a ritual.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The central water pool is the ‘water temple’ (known as Pura Subak or Pura Bedugul) from where community channels originate to reach every farm creating an ambient ecology for farming. The system is controlled by the priest of the water temple who ensures the resource is equally distributed. About 18% percent of Bali’s total area comes under Subak system.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">These subaks have traveled along with the Balinese people who migrated to other Indonesian Islands and at present wherever there is Balinese settlements there will be Subaks, because it has got that much associated with Balinese population and way of living.<span></span><br /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Mountains of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Bali</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-kuta-blast-monument.jpg" title="bali-kuta-blast-monument.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-kuta-blast-monument.jpg" alt="bali kuta blast monument" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">Bali blast monument.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bali being a mountainous island has no dearth for mountains; most of them are active volcanoes; the mountain ranges stretch from Batukaru in the west to Gunung Agung in the in the east. Mount Agung is the tallest among them (height 10308 feet); an active volcano that erupted in 1963. There is another one by name Mount Batur which is also active but has not erupted for several thousand years.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lake</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Batur</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is Bali Island’s largest lake which was formed in a large volcanic caldera, when a huge volcano collapsed in to the magma chamber beneath it. At present among Bali’s numerous geographical phenomena that have turned out to be tourist spots; the Batur Lake along with the Kintamani Volcano that stands nearby remain as prime attraction for its visitors.<span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Beaches of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Bali</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Though the trump card of Bali is its cultural exclusivity; its beautiful beaches with unpolluted water,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/02/coral-reefs.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><strong>coral reefs</strong></a>and white sand play an equally important role in roping in tourists.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Nusa Dua<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>is the southern most part of Bali; a peninsula jutting in to the sea is one of the best locations for recreation. It has crystal clear water, white sand and hotels with world’s best cuisine. It’s northern and southern parts offer best surfing opportunities.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Padangbai<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>is a small beach town with a beautiful beach that is known for its affordable eating places known as Warungs which are family managed. Etc.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Kuta and Legian<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>beaches are on the opposite side of Sanur (southwestern side); it is more commercialized with pubs, traditional dances performed for tourists, surfing facilities and shopping arcades etc. These are perhaps the most crowded beaches of Bali.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Jimbaran</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is a bottle-neck like area between mainland and Nusa Dua. It has calm waters as sheltered by Benoa Harbor. There are numerous resorts and tourist facilities in the village of Jimbaran.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sanur, Changgu and Kuta<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>beaches in Denpasar offer snorkeling, scuba diving and such facilities. They are in the southeastern side of Bali less than a 10 minutes drive from the heart of the city. A good location for watching sunrise an ancient temple is also in the vicinity.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Towns of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Bali</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-ubud.jpg" title="bali-ubud.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bali-ubud.jpg" alt="bali ubud" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">Temple offering in predominantly Hindu Bali island.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Denpasar</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the Provincial Capital is the biggest city and that offers more amenities like beaches, spas, restaurants etc to the tourists. Ngura International Airport the main gateway to Bali is in Denpasar. The Shops of Denpasar are much sought after for artworks, exquisite pottery, hand-printed cloth (batik), silver-ware etc.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ubud<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>which is located amongst rice terraces and deep ravines is in one way more prominent as it is has richer artists in dance, sculpture, handicrafts, music etc. Ubud is perhaps the best place to stay while on visit to Bali as it is the heart of the Island not only as it is located at the center but the rural life the ‘hanging gardens’ (rice terraces), Balinese dances, ethnic music etc are at their best in this town; moreover there are numerous hotels offering accommodation.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Singa Raja<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>(meaning lion king) was the seat of Buleleng Regency of Bali; it was also the<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>administrative seat of the Colonial Dutch. The statue of the winged lion by name Singa Ambara Raja holding a bunch of maze-corn is the landmark of the town. It is built in front of the office of the Regent of the Singa Raja Province and is the symbol of the Buleleng Regency. Singa Raja has a famous library by name Gedong Kirtya which has classical works of historical importance.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The ultimate uncontaminated island</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In many a aspects Bali is an ultimate island as often described; it was the ultimate refuge of Hindu faith that was exterminated from the archipelago, the exquisite dance (Barong), the subaks that excel most modern farming techniques, handicrafts, music, drama, colorful traditions, enchanting beaches, countless temples and what else. The ‘Wayang Kulit (leather puppet play) is another magical play where puppets made of leather play, sing, talk, fight and dance thrilling the entire audience. Bali has everything that can thrill a visitor.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Wonderful resilience</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Most wonderful aspect of this small island is its resilience to protect and nurture its rare culture not getting diluted even if living as a part of the Islamic nation for the past centuries. The Dutch, Islam every thing had to leave the Balinese as Balinese who chose death to contamination.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Join celebrations</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/how-the-balinese-see-the-tourist-girls.jpeg" title="how-the-balinese-see-the-tourist-girls.jpeg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/how-the-balinese-see-the-tourist-girls.jpeg" alt="how the balinese see the tourist girls" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> Ogoh-ogoh monster in Ubud</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bali is a hot tourism spot both for pleasure and sight seeing. It is just 5 hour flight from Singapore or 8 from Tokyo. For Balinese their lives are filled with celebrations, it can be birth, birthdays, tooth filling, marriage, temple festivals or anything; it is a reason to celebrate, tourist who come to this island can witness either one or many celebrations<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>here and there; and it also remains as one reason of so many people keep on coming to this small island.</p></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-46228075546641960202008-06-14T07:50:00.008+05:302013-07-18T08:39:01.926+05:30Tips to Avoid Tripping up on Trips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tips to Avoid Tripping up on Trips<br /></span></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/SFMs2k_SpFI/AAAAAAAACUY/wqYVbmW_oE8/s1600-h/traveller.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="travel tips" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211558509951493202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/SFMs2k_SpFI/AAAAAAAACUY/wqYVbmW_oE8/s320/traveller.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%;">The Great <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/06/tips-to-avoid-tripping-up-on-trips.html">Traveller</a> Charles Alexandre Lesueur in the Forest by Karl Bodmer 1832 - 1834.</span><br />
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Vacations are meant to be times to relax and leave the cares of your everyday routine behind for a while. But when your travel is not planned well in advance, there are a variety of factors that can go wrong, and you come back feeling worse than ever. Travel plans differ according to the number of people going on the trip, their age and sex, the mode of transportation, the climate native to the place you’re going to visit and the kind of activities you’re going to be involved in once you reach your destination.<br />
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1. Plan your journey well in advance, right from your to and fro transport to where you’ll be staying to the schedule you’re going to follow (even if you’re just going to laze around) on your vacation.<br />
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2. If you’re flying to your destination, make sure you follow airline and country-specific rules regarding carry-on luggage, especially if you are crossing international borders.<br />
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3. If you’re taking a road trip, make sure you fill up with enough gasoline to last you till the next station on the way. Map the route you’re going to take so you don’t get lost. .<br />
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4. Long car trips with children can get really annoying if you do not provide them with some form of entertainment. Load up with car games and snacks to last you till your destination.<br />
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5. If you’re going to be traveling around a lot with stopovers at many different places, pack light. It’s a pain to unpack and repack at each of your destinations.<br />
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6. Pack according to your destination – do not carry your entire wardrobe for a few days of vacation. Be sensible and take only what you really need.<br />
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7. Pack sensible footwear if you’re going to be physically active during your vacation.<br />
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8. Remember to carry a basic first aid kit with supplies to treat cuts and bruises and common colds and headaches. As soon as you reach your destination, or even as you’re booking accommodation, check with your hosts (or hotel) if there is a doctor you can call on in case of emergencies.<br />
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9. Traveling to some countries may require vaccination or inoculation against certain diseases. Check your local consulate’s website for precautions to take before you set out on that vacation.<br />
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10. Familiarize yourself with local customs and common words in the local language before you visit new countries.<br />
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11. Don’t spend all your money buying trinkets and memorabilia to remind you of your trip. You’re invariably going to lose more than half the stuff you bring back once you’re back to the hustle and bustle of the daily grind.<br />
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12. Do not carry around too much cash; use traveler’s checks or global debit cards. Remember, using your credit card abroad is a pretty expensive option and one to be avoided except in emergencies.<br />
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13. Make sure your children remember the name of the hotel or address of the house you’re staying in while on vacation. Getting them to memorize the phone number is an added bonus in case they get lost.<br />
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14. And last but not the least, leave your work behind – there’s just no point in going on a vacation if you’re going to take the office with you.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">About the Author:</span><br />
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This article was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is a regular writer on the subject of colleges for criminal justice. She welcomes your questions, comments and writing job opportunities at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-44359593323759497032008-06-09T07:40:00.005+05:302012-02-25T16:25:04.035+05:30Forbidden City<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/SEyRzotclLI/AAAAAAAACUQ/mrsy628BT9I/s1600-h/Forbidden_city.jpg"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Forbidden City China</span></span><br /></div><p align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/SEyRzotclLI/AAAAAAAACUQ/mrsy628BT9I/s1600-h/Forbidden_city.jpg"><br /></a></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Forbidden City</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Zijin Cheng</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>–<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Purple<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Forbidden City</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or Gu Gong = old palace)</strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Beijing</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>China</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city.jpg" title="forbidden-city.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city.jpg" alt="forbidden city china Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">forbidden city china Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gu Gong (old palace)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Located in the middle of Beijing the capital of China; this ‘once forbidden city’ remains not just as a mere complex of several palaces but as a symbol of Chinese sovereignty and pride. The image of this city depicted on China’s National Seal itself is ample proof of the importance China attributes to this complex. The Forbidden City is a gigantic complex of palaces that lie spread in 720,000 sq meter area in the western side of the well known Tiananmen Square. For Chinese it is either Zijin Cheng (purple city) or ‘Gu Gong’ meaning old palace.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>In the heart of old<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Beijing</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(</strong><strong>Peking</strong><strong>)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This palace complex has world’s largest collection of preserved ancient wooden monuments with finger print of various emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In 1900 the Ming Emperor Yong Le moved the capital of China to Beijing and he started construction of a fresh city (a walled and secure one; forbidden one for ordinary people) in the middle of old Beijing in 1906. After Yong le 24 generations of emperors resided in this complex and it remained as the center of power of the Chinese Empire for more than five hundred years.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Largest by any means</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city-china.JPG" title="forbidden-city-china.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city-china.JPG" alt="forbidden city china The northwest corner tower" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/cities/forbidden-city/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">forbidden city</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>china The northwest corner tower</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is also the largest palace complex in the world and was home to 24 emperors for a span of 5 long centuries. The Forbidden City houses 800 buildings with altogether 9000 rooms and corridors. Each emperor who used to reside has done something in the way of modifications or alterations thereby making his foot print in history. Even the Communist regime has not lagged behind in transforming this ancient palace complex in to a museum of magnificent collection of monuments and adding to its beauty and grandeur to this complex by renovating and beautifying it spending millions.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Intriguing and forbidden and a World Heritage Site</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city-china-map.png" title="forbidden-city-china-map.png" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city-china-map.png" alt="forbidden city china map" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">Forbidden City China Map</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Its unfriendly name the Forbidden City has its origin in the early rule that entry in to it and exit required permission of the highest authority; hence this territory practically remained inaccessible for ordinary mortals. First people called it by that name and as the name got established even authorities called began to mention it as ‘The Forbidden City’! The abundant complexes in this city remained as the most intriguing place for the outside world. At present this palace complex is a World Heritage Site listed by the UNESCO (since 1987) and functions as a Palace Museum; still retaining some of the intrigue with so many articles collected and used by 24 generations of emperors.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>China; the land of innovation</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">China is the third largest country in the world with the largest population and an ancient culture that flourished with the back support of ancient science and wisdom. Gun powder, paper, printing, abacus (the front-runner of computer), mariner’s compass, steel forging, copper, gun-powder, coins, tooth-brush all are just one of the Chinese innovations! They excelled in the construction of large structures like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/07/great-wall-of-china.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Great Wall of China</strong></a><strong>, the</strong><strong>Temple</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Heaven</strong><strong>, Yuyuan Garden etc</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>forgotten world wonders like the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/11/porcelain-tower-of-nanjing.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><strong>Porcelain Pagoda of Nanjing</strong></a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(that eventually got destroyed), all were proofs for Chinese skill in innovations. The Forbidden City is built in customary Chinese style and it is in no way less in magnificence and grandeur than these ancient structures Chinese have built.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The city wall</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/nine-dragons-forbidden-city.jpg" title="nine-dragons-forbidden-city.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/nine-dragons-forbidden-city.jpg" alt="The Nine Dragons Screen in front of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity forbidden city" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">The Nine Dragons Screen in front of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity forbidden city</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This ‘city’ was built to stand any threat; its walls are 7.9 meters high; 8.62 meters wide at the base and 6.6 at the top; built of rammed mud as the core and an outer layer of baked bricks; and the gap filled with mortar. A six meter deep and 52 meter wide moat adds perfection to its invincibility. On the four corners there are observation towers with intricate built roofs; for one who view from outside (so far it could be viewed from outside only; because it was forbidden) these towers were the most visible and prominent sights.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gates</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The walls have four gates on each direction of which the most important one is the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Meridian Gate<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>(WuMen meaning front door) with a large portrait of Mao Zedong at its top; it is reachable from the Tiananmen Gate (TianMen Gate).</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Meridian Gate<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>(<strong>Wu Feng Lou<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>meaning Five Phoenix Tower) is on the south which is the largest gate of this complex. It is 35.6 meters high and has five openings surrounded by phoenix looking pavilions (five is a sacred number for the Chinese as the Confucian teachings are based of five principles).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of the five openings the central one was exclusively reserved for the emperor; the empress was allowed only once in her life time immediately after her wedding! The eastern entrance was exclusively and strictly for the ministers whereas the western entrance for the royal family. Other two were for officials and none for the ordinary people because they were forbidden in the Forbidden City!<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Other Gates</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The other gates that pierce the outer wall are namely the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /></span><strong>Gate of the Devine Might</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on the north,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>East Glorious Gate</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on the east and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>West Glorious Gate</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on the west. All these gates have doors with golden nails to add grandeur. The Northern Glorious Gate faces the Jingshen Park. The whole city within the walls can be divided in to two as the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The naming of the structures of this complex is done in a poetic way and they can ring bell in to the ears of one who hear it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Gate of Supreme Harmony</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(TaiHe Men) that is located after the Meridian Gate and the following five bridges leads to the proper Outer Court which consists of three main halls located on a raised white marble platform. Across another courtyard is the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Hall of Supreme Harmony</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(TaiHe Dian) which is the largest courtyard in the Forbidden City as well as the largest surviving wooden structure in China. It has a height of 30 meters and an area of 30,000 sq meters; this hall was used as the Ceremonial Center of the Imperial like coronations, investiture and royal weddings.<strong></strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next one is the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Hall of Preserving Harmony</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(a slightly smaller structure was the rehearsing center for the ceremonial parades).</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden_city.jpg" title="forbidden_city.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden_city.jpg" alt="Forbidden city china The Hall of Central Harmony (foreground) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Forbidden city china The Hall of Central Harmony (foreground) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Hall of Central Harmony</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>(Hall of Complete Harmony</strong>) is comparatively smaller and was intended for the emperor to take rest before and between ceremonies. There is a beautiful throne with Unicorns (Luduan a Chinese mythological beast that could travel 9000 miles a day and that could speak 9000 languages) placed on both sides as a mark of the abilities of the emperor. Also on display are two exquisite sedan chairs in which the emperor was made to sit and was carried around the city. In the southeastern part of the Outer Court are the<strong>Halls of military Eminence</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(where the emperor held court of ministers) and the Hall of Literary (the royal press as well as venue for ceremonial lectures held by Confucian Scholars of high esteem).<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The giant ramp</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are ramps flanked by stairs to ascend and descend the raised marble platform; these ramps are real works of art depicting dragons, emperors and other images; the emperor makes his ascend sitting in his sedan. At the center of the ramps leading to the terraces are the ceremonial ramps with carvings of symbolic bas reliefs; of which that behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony there is the largest carving in China a monolith ramp weighing 200 tons that is 16.57 meters long 3.07 meters wide and 1.7 meters thick; a real ceremonial ramp indeed!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Inner Court</strong><strong>; Yin, Yang and the holy union</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city-painting.jpg" title="forbidden-city-painting.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/forbidden-city-painting.jpg" alt="The Forbidden City as depicted in a Ming Dynasty painting" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">The Forbidden City as depicted in a Ming Dynasty painting</p><p style="text-align: justify;">While the Outer Court was intended for royal ceremonies the Inner Court; which has been separated from it by a long courtyard was more private in its function. There are three halls namely<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Palace</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Heavenly Purity</strong><strong>, Hall of Earthly Tranquility and Hall of Union.</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Holy<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Union</strong><strong>s</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here emperor is ‘yang’ representing the heavenly purity; living in the Palace of Heavenly Purity; whereas the empress is ‘Yin’ representing the earthly tranquility living in Hall of Earthly Tranquility.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Diao TaiDian) is the place where the empress receives her birthday greeting. It is intended for the auspicious marital life of royal couple.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the left side of the throne there is a chime clock that is 210 years old and still working smooth and in the right side a water-pot clock older than the chime clock with a technology more than 25 centuries old. Both of these items are enough to herald the expertise of Chinese skill in innovation. Many items belonging to the Qing dynasty are on display like the imperial seals other ceremonial items.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Imperial</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Garden</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility (KunNing Men) leads the visitor to the Imperial Garden (YuHua Yuan); it is the last spectacle to be seen in the city. It was a private space for the royal families and was built in 1417 by the Ming dynasties. This garden is not as elaborate as one may presume (12,000 sq meters in area) but there are very beautiful landscapes made in typical Chinese style to be seen.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The selling point</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The selling point of the Forbidden City is its well preserved condition and the largesse of the items displayed in it more over the buildings, courtyards, and ramps all are made in such large scale that visitors never feel crowded like other palaces.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is enough space for every body for sight seeing and for taking some rest in a shade. The woodworks are such that they smell fresh and brand new even after standing there for the last several centuries.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The ‘Un forbidden’ City</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/palace-museum-forbidden-city-china.jpg" title="palace-museum-forbidden-city-china.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/palace-museum-forbidden-city-china.jpg" alt="The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity forbidden city china" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;" align="center"> </p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity forbidden city china</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After all it is no small thing to see the works and royal possessions belonged to 24 generations of monarchs who lived under one roof a very rare thing that no other palaces can take claim of. Come to the hospitable palace complex (please excuse for an inhospitable name; the Forbidden City) and smell a rich history of a rich and innovative nation.</p></span></span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/cities/forbidden-city/"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-19421485023099193012008-06-08T08:13:00.004+05:302012-02-25T16:24:33.194+05:30Banff National Park<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Banff National Park<br /><br /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Banff</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>National Park</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Calgary</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Alberta</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Canada</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-moraine-lake.jpg" title="banff-national-park-moraine-lake.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-moraine-lake.jpg" alt="banff national park moraine lake" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Moraine Lake, and the Valley of the Ten Peaks</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The oldest national park in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Canada</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– pronounced as baemf</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A change of role</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The ascent of Homo sapiens (human species) as a super power among animals did much damage to ecology, by 18<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>century there was a shift in his role he changed role from a terminator to a preserver. The national parks that dot all around are the symbols of that change.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/national-parks/yellowstone-national-park/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Yellowstone</a>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/national-parks/yosemite-national-park/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Yosemite</a></strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are all examples for that and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/national-parks/banff-national-park/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><strong>Banff</strong></a><strong></strong>(one of the earliest) is no exception. The Banff National Park located in scenic sets of the Canadian Rockies. It is 80 miles from<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>Calgary town of Alberta province Canada. The Banff Park was established in 1885 with an area of 2564 sq miles (6641 sq km) as the first of its kind in Canada and the third in the world.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Dug for a rail found a park!</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-lake-minnewanka.jpg" title="banff-national-park-lake-minnewanka.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-lake-minnewanka.jpg" alt="banff national park lake minnewanka" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Lake Minnewanka</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1885 laborers who were working for a rail company at the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains noticed a hollow cave; their curiosity led them in the cave where they saw hot springs and many other wonderful things. At present the Banff is a full fledged national park with wonderful rock formations, peaks, waterfalls, glaciers, ice-fields, hot springs, pristine coniferous forests, rivers, lakes and almost all sorts of natural phenomena. This place is also a home to rare and exotic animals and plants that are not found anywhere else in the world. Visitors to the park exceed 4 million a year; it is the first national park of Canada; part of the World Heritage Site; a complex of about four parks sites (Yoho, Kootenai, Jasper and Banff.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">CPR works first found the existence of this site; it was CPR was Canada’s first transcontinental railway; which brought the site to the notice of the world and it was the same company that brought to this site initially. The company with a beaver as its mascot rose to be a symbol of Canadian national pride. For years the CPR remained as the only means of transport to the entire locations.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Early history</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-lake-louise.jpg" title="banff-national-park-lake-louise.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-lake-louise.jpg" alt="banff national park lake louise" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Lake Louise</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are archaeological evidences for human inhabitation in the Banff area since 8500 BC. The remains recovered from around the Vermilion Lakes (a series of lakes located between Canadian Pacific Railway and Trans Canadian Highway in the foot of Mount Norquay) prove that tribes like, Stoneys (also known as Nakodas), Paigans, Tsuu T’ina, Kootenai etc lived here. The discovery of hot springs and construction of the railway made the site popular and in 1885 only 10 sq miles of land was allotted to the park by Canadian PM John A McDonald; this was later expanded to 260 sq miles in 1887. There after the park got more and more area under its care the present size was reached in 1949 (2564 sq miles).</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How to get there</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Banff National Park is in the Canadian Rockies about 80 miles from town Calgary; by air one can fly from Vancouver to Calgary; both cities have international airports; distance only 500 miles. The Trans-Canada Highway leads to the park from Calgary via Banff and Lake Louis. Train facility is limited to minimum site seeing schedules.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A park cluster</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/peyto-lake-banff-canada.jpg" title="peyto-lake-banff-canada.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/peyto-lake-banff-canada.jpg" alt="peyto lake banff canada" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Peyto Lake</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Banff is one among the four national parks located in the Canadian Rockies lying interlocked each other. They are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Jasper, Kootenai</strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Yoho</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><strong>Banff</strong>; there is one park of the same status that is separately located in the farther south; the Waterton National Park. The first four interlinked parks including the Banff have the status of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>World Heritage Site<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>awarded by the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>UNESCO</strong>.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Castle</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Mountain</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The group of mounts looks exactly like a castle from a distance hence named so by James Hector. This massif is located between Banff and British Columbia and can be seen from the Trans Canada Highway. The Castle Mountain acted as a prison for the internees of the 1<sup>st</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>World War and accommodated prisoners from Germany, Austria and Hungary etc.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span>This mount was first ascended by Arthur Coleman in 1884 through the Rockbound Lake Trail. Its prominent mounts are Helena Ridge, Stuart Knob, and Television Peak etc. It is a favorite destination for hiking and mountaineering enthusiasts.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Cave and Basin</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The presence of thermal springs in the Banff Park was first recorded by James Hector in 1859. It is the site with natural thermal springs with dissolved sulfur content; its water has medicinal properties and can cure skin ailments. It was this spring the first Banff National Park was established with an area of 10 sq miles. These springs are habitat for a very much endangered species of snail called Banff Spring Snail.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Columbian Ice field</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-parker-ridge.jpg" title="banff-national-park-parker-ridge.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-parker-ridge.jpg" alt="banff national park parker ridge" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Skiing on Parker Ridge, near the Columbia Icefield</p><p style="text-align: justify;">An ice field is a medium sized frozen water body with less than sq feet in area; it is comparatively larger than the Alpine Glaciers and smaller than an ice sheet. The Columbian Icefield is in the Canadian Rockies astride the Continental Divide of North America; it is 325 sq km in area and between 300 and 1200 feet in depth. The ice field receives about 23 feet of snow fall and feeds about eight glaciers like Athabasca, Castleguard and Columbia etc. Wapta and Wapotik icefields are also of considerable size but all in the receding stage due to warming. Peyto, Bow and Vulture glaciers originate from the Wapta Icefield.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Animals of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Banff</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-elk.jpg" title="banff-national-park-elk.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/banff-national-park-elk.jpg" alt="banff national park elk" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Elk in Banff</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The plant and animal varieties found at this park is wonderfully diverse; about 53 species of mammals live here along with many endemic. The bird population of this park is about<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>280 species including red tailed hawk, golden eagles, bald eagles etc. There insects and reptiles (reptiles are comparatively rare); a good number of them are endangered. It is the vide range of climate, altitude as well as plant varieties that enabled the park to host so many varieties of mammals. Porcupine, Hoary marmot (a burrowing rodent living in flocks; inhabitant of North America), Pika (a small rabbit like animal), Beaver etc are of small mammals. There are larger animals like Moose, elk, Mule deer, caribou (reindeer), Bison, several types of goats and sheep etc. There is no dearth for carnivorous animals also; coyote (a wolf like wild dog also known as brush wolf or prairie wolf; native to North America), grizzled bear, wolf, black bear etc.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A multibillion affair</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Banff is part of a complex of national parks and a visit to all these parks take its own time and guided tours, hiking, packaged tours and all paraphernalia associated with tourism is available here also. In fact the excessive commercialized tourism operations itself have of late become a problem.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Upper Hot Springs</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for example is a natural hot water spring that has been commercially developed to ensure good spa experience to the visitors with a view of the of the Valley of Mount Rundle. All luxuries that a tourist can dream of in natural surroundings have been provided in the most user friendly way in the typical western concept. Tourism at Banff is no small thing as it caters to the needs of more than five million visitors annually and makes billions of dollars on exchange of sheer pleasure and enjoyment.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A tall order</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/two-jack-lake-banff-canada.jpg" title="two-jack-lake-banff-canada.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/two-jack-lake-banff-canada.jpg" alt="two jack lake banff canada" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Two Jack Lake Banff National Park</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Banff National Park is an asset of humanity and to see it is a right that cannot be denied; same time the ecology of its exclusive surroundings and the biosphere have to be protected; a balancing game between business and ethics; a tall order indeed; hope the National Park Agency will manage it most responsibly!</p></span></span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/national-parks/banff-national-park/"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-74399052347959182032008-05-27T20:15:00.003+05:302012-02-25T16:23:40.286+05:30Yellowstone National Park<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>A natural museum of geographical features</strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><strong><o></o></strong></p> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Yellowstone National Park</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Wyoming</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>US</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-national-park-winter.jpg" title="yellowstone-national-park-winter.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-national-park-winter.jpg" alt="yellowstone national park in winter" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;" align="center"> </p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Yellowstone National Park in Winter</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A natural museum of geographical features</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone is the first designated national park in the United States; established in March 1, 1872; it has an area of 8987 sq miles. This park is mainly located in Wyoming State with some of the portions come under Idaho and Montana. The Yellowstone Lake, volcanic caldera, endemic wildlife, famous geysers like the Old Faithful, strange volcanic stone formations are its main attractions. It may seem strange that this whole area remained unknown to the outside world till 1860. The place was home to the native Indians since 9000 BC; people known as the ‘Mountain Men’ were the only visitors from the civilized society to this area, they were set to forest to hunt beavers for their fur.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Hallucination</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone Region is extremely rich in history; it was home to the Paleo Indians who belonged to the ‘Clovis’ culture (ancient American of the 9500 BC period); these people used the obsidian that is abundant in this region to make weapons like spear and arrow heads, knife etc. They built houses and temples with the stone; there are still more than one thousand remnants belonging to this culture in the Yellowstone. In 1806<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>John Colter<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>happened to reach there by an accident; he told about the strange phenomena existing at Yellowstone; but Colter’s -he was a member of the Lewis Clark Expedition- stories were taken as mere hallucination and called this unknown area as Colter’s hell by the modern world.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bridges Spinning Yarn!</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/morning-glory-pool-yellowstone-national-park.jpg" title="morning-glory-pool-yellowstone-national-park.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/morning-glory-pool-yellowstone-national-park.jpg" alt="morning glory pool yellowstone national park" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Morning Glory Pool at the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/national-parks/yellowstone-national-park/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);">Yellowstone National Park</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1856; fifty years after Colter’s ‘hallucination’;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>John Bridges</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>reported about the ‘boiling springs and the spouting water’ of this land; that too was taken for ‘spinning of yarn’! It was<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden</strong>went to explore but the weather did not let it to complete.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Folsom</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Expedition in 1869 alone could convince the doubting toms of that time; it surveyed the entire area from Yellowstone River to Yellowstone Lake. At this time the world was really amazed and clamor for establishing a national park for the protection of the ecosystem was arose from all corners. Bowing to the public demand the area was notified as a National Park in March 1, 1872 with<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Nathaniel P Longford</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>as its first Superintendent.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/nathaniel-p-langford.JPG" title="nathaniel-p-langford.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/nathaniel-p-langford.JPG" alt="nathaniel p langford" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Nathaniel P. Langford, the first superintendent of yellowstone national park.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Geysers</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Though there are many things in this park quite exclusive; the geysers may perhaps the most attractive and a natural feature that made this park so famous. Yellowstone is one of the earth’s volcanic hot spots with a long history of violent eruptions. The present activity of the volcano is heating up the ground water and emitting it violently to the air; there are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>geysers</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(that works under pressure as a hot water fountain),<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>hot springs<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>(pressure is lower and hence water flows),<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>fumaroles</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(extreme temperature sends only steam out – there are gaseous fumaroles also) and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>mud-pots</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(this is a strange feature where muddy water in a pit bubbles with hot steam). Altogether there are about 10,000 geothermal sites in this park.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Old and Faithful</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-national-park.jpg" title="yellowstone-national-park.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-national-park.jpg" alt="yellowstone national park" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Historical poster of Yellowstone National Park from 1938</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone Park has more than 300 geysers and all these features like mud-pots and fumaroles but the<strong>‘</strong><strong>Old Faithful</strong><strong>’</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is the most famous among its geysers. It was Old Faithful that got a name first among the numerous geysers (named by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Washburn-Longford - Daone Expedition)</strong>. This was the first comprehensive expedition by a team of three who explorers to the Yellowstone region in 1870. They did extensive mapping of its wildlife, geyser basins, mountains, lakes etc; they named the geyser so as to express its regularity of its eruption.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Marvelous timing!</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Old Faithful geyser’s eruption is intermittent erupts for a while then pause for few minutes and repeat the process. The water jet may shoot up 3700 to 8400 gallons of boiling water to a height of 180 feet. It erupts in every 90 minutes apart and each eruption can last up to 100 minutes. Researchers who have made observations about its timing have found for the last 150 years there have been little change in the timing of its eruption.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In quantity of water discharged and the height of water jet there is one who can excel the Old Faithful; the<strong>Steam-Boat Geyser</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>located in the Yellowstone itself; although a bit remotely placed; the Steam Boat is the biggest geyser in North America.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Yellowstone</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone Lake that lies centered on Yellowstone Caldera is the biggest one among high altitude lakes (7732 feet above sea-level); it is 136 sq miles in area with a shoreline of 110 miles. Its deepest portion measures 390 feet. This lake is home to Trumpeter Swans –the largest among swans in size (6 feet long with 10 feet wing span). The trout fish of the lake is immensely tasty and hence expensive. During winter (December to May) this lake gets covered under 3 feet thick snow excluding the areas where there are hot springs.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Geography</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-castle-geysir.jpg" title="yellowstone-castle-geysir.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-castle-geysir.jpg" alt="yellowstone castle geysir" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Castle Geyser eruption at the yellowstone national park</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone is a plateau about 8000 feet above sea-level and 80% of its area is forests, 5% lakes and rivers and the rest grasslands. It is highly mountainous and more than five mountain ranges stand in guard of the area like, Gallatin, Bear tooth, Madison, Teton, Absaroka etc; its highest mount is Mount Washburn which is 10,243 feet high. Its water is mainly drained by the Yellowstone and the Snake River; while Yellowstone River falls in to the Atlantic the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/04/snake-river.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><strong>Snake River</strong></a><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>flows in to the Pacific.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Grand</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Canyons</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Yellowstone</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone Park has two Grand Canyons of its own! (The real<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/11/grand-canyon.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><strong>Grand Canyon</strong></a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is at Arizona; what Yellowstone has is its pocket edition) Formed by the erosion activities of the rivers; they are with classic ‘V’ shaped banks. The bigger one made by the Yellowstone River is 900 feet deep and half a mile wide. Its steep cliff has exposed rocks with iron compounds that give the rocks a characteristic yellow color; these rocks must be the reason for the place to be called Yellowstone.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Yellowstone</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Caldera</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone is the largest volcanic caldera in this continent with 40 miles diameter; often called a super volcano because of the intensity of its eruption (one eruption occurred 64,000 years back released 240 cubic miles of ash, stones and pyroclastic materials! A caldera is formed when the pressure under the ground of a volcano intensifies and bursts swallowing the entire volcanic cone making a circular pit like that of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/ngorongoro-crater.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><strong>Ngorongoro</strong></a>in Africa famous for the<strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/serengeti-national-park-migration.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);">Serengeti Migration</a></strong>.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ecology</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-national-park-bison.JPG" title="yellowstone-national-park-bison.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellowstone-national-park-bison.JPG" alt="yellowstone national park bison" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Bison graze near a hot spring at the yellowstone national park</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone National Park is at the center of the Greater Yellowstone Eco-System which includes the Greater Teton National Park which is the largest continuous reserve in the US after Alaska. The wild life protection has been so serious that almost all the animal species that were eliminated by rampant poaching have been reintroduced successfully and they all thrive in this park. The Trumpeter Swan itself is an example the population that dwindled to about 100 have been revived and at present there are more than 5000 swans at the Yellowstone Lake and its surroundings.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Water<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>falls</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Yellowstone</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone is famous for its numerous waterfalls; there are more than a hundred fall of substantial heights. Most of them are accessible by roads and some of them only visible only after hiking,<strong></strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Fairy</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Falls</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>is located in Midway Geyser Basin and it is one of the tallest of the falls from a height of 197 feet; the fall plunges in to a shallow pool down with a thunder.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Kepler Cascades</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is named after Kepler Hoyt the son of Wyoming’s Territorial Governor. The Boy happened to tour this park with his father John Hoyt. The fall is located about two miles from the Old Faithful Village and it can be seen form the roadside. The Kepler Falls fall to 50 feet depth in three stages.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gibbon</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Falls</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>is located between Norris Geyser Basin and Madison Junction in the Gibbon River. It is accessible and offers great vantage points to view the falls; parking spaces are also available to visitors.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Fire Hole Falls</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is along the Fire Hole Canyon Road about one and a half mile from Madison Junction. It is a forty feet high fall and offers great sight during spring and early summer seasons.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Tower</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Falls</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is one of the most beautiful sites of this park; the volcanic pillar like formations which abound the area is reason for getting the falls the name ‘Tower Fall’. In winter the entire fall gets frozen like an ice pillar and the area can be accessed by skiing; there by offering a great opportunity for skiing enthusiasts. The fall is 132 feet in height and located seventeen miles from North Canyon near Roosevelt.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Upper Falls</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>located south of Canyon Village can be reached via Uncle Tom’s Parking area to its trail head. It is 109 feet long and one of the most exquisite falls of the park. The Lower Falls, Mystic Falls, Lewis Falls, Undine Falls, Virginia Falls and Union Falls etc are all locations of Yellowstone National Park area visited by tourists.<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A virtual Garden of Eden</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yellowstone is not a cluster of hills, spring or waterfalls; it is a very much living environment; hundreds of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles thrive there as if in a mega garden of Eden. Its grizzly bears (that has a coat of mixed black and grey fur), wolves (Mackenzie Valley Wolves) Elks, bisons were all threatened at a time have been successfully rehabilitated and they have started multiplying to their original strength. This park is home to numerous endemic plants like Douglas fir, White bark pine etc; altogether there are 1700 types of plants in these forests of the Yellowstone.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Preserved wilderness</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">What the park authority first did was to repair the damages; they brought back many threatened and endangered animals back to its previous strength that is before the arrival of ‘civilized’ men and guns.<span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>When at the park one can feel the difference thousands of sq kms of land are left for wilderness itself and no ‘development’ of any sort is allowed as whole the area land is entirely allocated to its original inhabitants –its animals.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Tourist friendly</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellostone-national-park-wolf.jpg" title="yellostone-national-park-wolf.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yellostone-national-park-wolf.jpg" alt="yellostone national park wolf" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">A reintroduced gray wolf in Yellowstone National Park</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For tourists this wilderness coupled with numerous natural wonders offer a life-time experience; there are all sorts of packages offered by tour companies just a phone-call away, packaged tour for one week, one day, half day, guided tours on horse back, on sledges etc are all available along with lodging, spa, restaurants etc.</p></span></span><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-13329949447743440452008-05-16T07:44:00.003+05:302009-11-14T16:27:19.490+05:30Yosemite National Park, California US<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Yosemite National Park</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><div class="entry entry-11 read read-state-locked" id="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); position: relative;"><div class="card card-common" style="border: 1px solid rgb(187, 187, 187); margin: 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="card-content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 1px 5px 5px;"><div class="entry-container" style="margin: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"><div class="entry-main" style="margin: 0px 10px 0px 20px; overflow: auto;"><div class="entry-body" style="margin: 0px; max-width: 650px; padding-top: 0.5em; color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div class="item-body" style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><p><strong>Yosemite National Park</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>California</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>US</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/jabathehutt-yosemite-national-park.jpg" title="jabathehutt-yosemite-national-park.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/jabathehutt-yosemite-national-park.jpg" alt="jabathehutt yosemite national park" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />yosemite National Park Lower Cathedral Lake</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pronounced as ‘yo – SEM – it – ee’ The Yosemite National Park is a 761266 acre wilderness reserve is thesecond national park in US after<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Yellowstone National Park</strong>. It is located in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties in the State of California United States. The Yosemite Valley forms the central part of this park which is famous for its scenic locations presented by the Sierra Nevada Mountain Chain that lies as a backbone to this National Park. In 1964 the Yosemite National Park gained accreditation from the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. If about 3.5 million tourists visit a spot every year; there must be reason behind it; let us see; what are the unique selling points of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/national-parks/yosemite-national-park/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Yosemite National Park</a>?<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>History</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/bierstadt_albert_mariposa_indian_encampment_yosemite_valley_california.jpg" title="bierstadt_albert_mariposa_indian_encampment_yosemite_valley_california.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/bierstadt_albert_mariposa_indian_encampment_yosemite_valley_california.jpg" alt="bierstadt albert mariposa indian encampment yosemite valley california" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Mariposa Indian Encampment Yosemite Valley California by Albert Bierstadt</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Since 6000 BC the valley was inhabited by people of Miwok Indian ancestry; who owned a very rich culture with religion, traditions, rituals, dance, music, and even politicking. They made arrow heads with obsidian that is abundantly available here, did trade with neighboring areas; pinyon pine-nuts and obsidian etc were there main article of trade (pinyon pine is a tree that produce edible fruits found in Mexico and US). These people worshipped and protected the trees especially the Giant Sequoia trees. The Giant Sequoia trees nurtured by them still exist in the Sequoia National Park coming with the administration of the Yosemite National Park Service.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Miwok Indians</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>were of three types 1, Lake Miwok (who lived on the banks of South Clear Lake); 2, Coast Miwok (who lived on the Pacific Coast) and 3, Eastern Miwok (who lived in Central California; present Sacramento).<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The gold rush</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Valley was first sighted by Joseph Walker and his team but actual entry took place years after. The discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada Mountain slopes changed the entire scenario as fortune hunters from the surrounding areas swarmed to the valley and confronted by the natives who tried to protect their land. These conflicts were described as Mariposa Indian War and a battalion was set up to ‘tame’ the revolting Indians.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>New possibilities</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-national-park-half-dome.jpg" title="yosemite-national-park-half-dome.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-national-park-half-dome.jpg" alt="yosemite national park half dome" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Yosemite National Park Half Dome</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was a brighter side to all these adversities as these strife and issues brought the attractions of the wonderful locations in this park to limelight and outside world and people began to flock to witness the natural wonders of the Yosemite area; it was the beginning of a revolution; money from tourists began to open new avenues for the local people. Hotels, restaurants, resorts etc sprung up all around and the ecology of the area began to degenerate as a result.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The park now</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yosemite Valley forms just one percent of the National Park area but it remains the most visited part in the entire park. In 1903 US President Theodore Roosevelt camped in the Glacier Point for three days and got convinced of the taking over the entire site by the Federal Government. The National Park Service was formed in 1916 and the area from Tuolumne Meadow to Tioga Pass Road was given to the agency’s jurisdiction. Tuolumne Meadows Lodge still remains as the popular base camp for hiker to this park.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>National Park Agency</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/joint_plane_on_lambert_dome.jpg" title="joint_plane_on_lambert_dome.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/joint_plane_on_lambert_dome.jpg" alt="joint plane on lambert dome" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Joint plane on Lembert Dome - Yosemite National Park</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The park is best known for its waterfalls but this 1200 sq mile area is much more than that the towering Sierra Nevada Peaks, intimidating vertical rock formations, impressive mounts like the El Capitan, deep valleys with carpets of wild flowers, grand meadows and the ancient Giant Sequoia trees all make this site some thing exclusive; Yosemite is one of the earliest national parks in US.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Sequoia</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>National Park</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(known for the Giant Sequoia Trees) and the King’s Canyon National Park both come under the administration of this agency under a single name Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Park. The John Muir Trail –a 211 mile long road from Happy Isles to the Trailhead of Yosemite National Park connects almost all the locations of the Sierra Nevada vicinity together.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Wilderness</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-national-park.jpg" title="yosemite-national-park.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-national-park.jpg" alt="yosemite national park" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Yosemite Valley</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the most significant thing about this national park is that 95% of its area is left as such called ‘wilderness areas like John Muir Wilderness, Ansal Adams Wilderness, Hoover Wilderness, Emigrant Wilderness etc. This has been done as per the US Wilderness Act passed in 1890. These wilderness areas; (though the word is a bit dull) are biologically rich areas with many endemic plant varieties, animal varieties. Numerous lakes, ponds, streams, wild and scenic rivers give this place an extraordinary charm.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>River Canyons</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">To add some depth to the beauty there are deep canyons in this park formed by the Tuolumne and Merced rivers. These river canyons are well marked as that of the Yellowstone though not as prominent like the Grand Canyon. These canyons were formed when river water licked away the rocks in a continuous process that lasted millions of years. They are about 3000 to 4000 feet deep and offer scenic beauty to the visitors. Tuolumne drains the northern portion of the park where as the Merced drains the southern part.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>El Capitan</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-el-capitan.jpg" title="yosemite-el-capitan.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-el-capitan.jpg" alt="yosemite el capitan" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p align="center">Yosemite National Park - El Capitan</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is the most prominent 3000 feet tall vertical cliff; a towering monolith (formed of a single rock) of granite. This mount is a virtual challenge for rock climbers all over the globe; conquest of El Capitan is considered as a landmark in a mountaineer’s career. It was first climbed by Warren J Harding in 1958; all there are more than one route; all of them are too hard and risky for ordinary people however experienced and well built they are. For tourists it presents a sight of magnitude that even after the visit the towering sight will not fade away from one’s mind.<span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Glacier Point</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is the best view point available in the Yosemite Park (elevation 7214 feet) on the South Wall of Yosemite Valley. This location enables to view almost all the magnificent sites of the park like, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls and Clouds Rest etc.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Yosemite</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Falls</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Yosemite Fall is the star attraction of the entire park; it is the highest in the entire North America and the 6<sup>th</sup>largest in the world in height. There are two stages the Upper Falls is 1430 feet in height where as the Lower Fall is 320 feet in height. During the late summer the falls are in their full steam and present an exquisite show of power and beauty with deafening thunder.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Ribbon</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Falls</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Ribbon Falls from a cliff of the El Capitan Mountain. With a height of 1612 feet this fall is the tallest single fall in whole of North America; as this stream is fed from the melting snow of the mountains; it is generally dry in other seasons; it is spring time when it fall in its real might. The Ribbon Falls have some surprise in store during winter also; as the falling water freeze forming a cone at the bottom; at times this cone reaches to a height of about 200 feet; a gigantic ice pyramid!<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Bridalveil Falls</strong><strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is a typical example of a fall originated from a ‘hanging valley’ where the upper valley is in higher altitude and engulfed by mountains and the fall is an overflow of the upper source. It is the snow white transparency that gave the fall this beautiful name. The original source of the Bridalveil Fall is the Ostrander Lake therefore this fall does not get dried up. The Ostrander Lake is a small one (8500 sq feet in area); but a popular destination of skiers and it is located about10 km away from the Badger Ski Area.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>River<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Merced</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and Lake Mc Clure</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">River Merced –a tributary of San Joaquin is a protected site under the ‘National Wild and Scenic Act’. It runs along High Way number 140 the main path to the Yosemite. A stone-dam by name New Exchequer has been built on this river for the purpose of irrigation and production of hydro-electricity. This dam makes the course of river behind it flooded to form a lake (Lake Mc Clure – a 1032,000 cubic feet water body). Both River Merced and Lake Mc Clure offer enough water for recreational activities like kayaking, fishing, swimming, rafting etc while its shores are favorite locations for hiking, picnicking etc.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>It is season</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-el-capitan-at-fall.jpg" title="yosemite-el-capitan-at-fall.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yosemite-el-capitan-at-fall.jpg" alt="yosemite el capitan at fall" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p align="center">Yosemite National Park in Fall</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Season at the Yosemite starts with the end of April when snow has just melted and the paths to numerous sites like exquisite waterfalls, steep and commanding cliffs, rivers and lakes, Giant Sequoia Groves, Glacier Point etc get cleared of the ice. These roads lead to vantage points offering great view of the valley are all there to be devoured. A single visit to this site offers a cluster of opportunities to see rare sites all packed in a park well preserved and protected. 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margin: 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="card-content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 9px 0px 5px 4px;"><div class="entry-container" style="margin: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"><div class="entry-main" style="margin: 0px 10px 0px 20px; overflow: auto;"><div class="entry-date" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none; float: right;">May 9, 2008 7:13 AM</div><h2 class="entry-title" style="margin: 0px; max-width: 650px; font-size: 18px;"><a class="entry-title-link" target="_blank" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/keralaarticle/%7E3/286523991/" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); text-decoration: none;">Some Wonderful Lakes of the World</a></h2><div class="entry-author" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-author-parent">by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="entry-author-name">sinu</span></span></div><div class="entry-body" style="margin: 0px; max-width: 650px; padding-top: 0.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div class="item-body" style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Some Wonderful Lakes of the World</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Each lake; a world of its own</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lakes are not seas; they are enclosed water bodies of substantial size; they nurture the people around giving them almost all their day today needs like food, water, transportation recreation etc. they support a bio system around its peripheries to evolve independently and develop in to an exotic culture specific to its shores. Communities living around develop a unique culture and identity. Due to these exclusivities lakeshores always offer a special charm for the visitors and act as hot tourist spots giving precious jobs to the local people.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>They are all good whether big or small</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are many types of lakes like saline (<strong>The Caspian Sea)</strong>, hyper saline (<strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/05/dead-sea.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);">The Dead Sea</a>)</strong>, fresh water (<strong>Lake Victoria</strong>), high altitude (<strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/04/lake-titicaca.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);">Lake Titicaca</a>)</strong>, low altitude (Dead Sea), extremely deep (<strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/lake-baikal.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);">Baikal</a>)</strong>, with largest island<strong>(Huron</strong>), located on lake-island (Manitou) etc. Some of them is sacred and medicinal (<a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/02/kliluk-spotted-lake.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><strong>Spotted</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong></a>), some filled with tar and repulsive but they all have one thing in common they are all extremely useful to mankind.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lake</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Toba</strong><strong>, in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Sumatra Island</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Indonesia</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-toba.jpg" title="lake-toba.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-toba.jpg" alt="lake toba" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Lake toba image courtesy: tobaleuser.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a 100 km long lake located in the island of Sumatra that houses the largest island in a lake on an island. It has another credit as it is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>the largest volcanic island<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>in the world. The name of the island is Pulau Samosir which was formed by the eruption of a super volcano tens of thousands of years ago. Lake Toba is formed when the caldera of the volcano got filled with water. It is believed that this explosion (occurred about 70,000 years back) was the biggest eruption occurred in the past 20 million years back.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Spotted<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>Kliluk, Osoyoos Canada</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-kliluk-spotted-lake.jpg" title="lake-kliluk-spotted-lake.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-kliluk-spotted-lake.jpg" alt="lake kliluk spotted lake" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Kliluk the Spotted LakeSpotted Lake image courtesy: liembo</p><p style="text-align: justify;">More than just a 15 hectare wide lake the Spotted Lake is a sacred spot for the native Indians who live there. This lake is located about 5.5 km from Osoyoos and can be seen from highway no 3. It has one of the highest concentrations of minerals like epsum, calcium, sodium and magnesium than any other lakes in the world. These minerals form large bun-like formations on the lake surface in yellow, brown, golden or red tinge. The natives bath in this lake for healing, almost all of the ailments they suffer.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pitch</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>, La<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Brea</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Southwest Trinidad</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/pitch-lake-trinidad.jpg" title="pitch-lake-trinidad.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/pitch-lake-trinidad.jpg" alt="pitch lake trinidad" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Pitch lake trinidad image courtesy: richard-seaman.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A forty hectare lake with a depth of 75 meters; that has no water but filled with tar (asphalt) of very pure quality! It was Sir Walter Raleigh the great explorer who discovered this strange tar-lake in 1595. It is believed that some geographical phenomena would have released the underground oil deposit to above ground. When low density components evaporated the tar left there forming a lake. This ‘tar-lake has emerged as a gold mine for the government as it has become a hot tourist attraction with 20,000 annual visitors. The asphalt is mined and exported for hard cash. How long this lake would sustain such a rampant exploitation remains to be seen.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lonar</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lonar-lake-india.jpg" title="lonar-lake-india.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lonar-lake-india.jpg" alt="lonar lake india" style="border-width: 0px;" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Lonar lake india image courtesy: nasa.gov</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Lonar Lake is in Maharashtra, India is located in Buldhana District (it is part of the ancient historically important place by name Vidharba around 200 km from the famous<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Ajanta</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Caves</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>known for the exquisite sculptures it has in abundance. This lake was formed due to a big meteorite collision occurred around 50,000 years back. The USP of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span><span></span>Lonar Lake is that it has a perfect circular shape as if drawn by a compass with one arm<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span><span></span>at its center and the other arm at a distance of 1 km. This lake has an average depth of 170 meters. This lake and numerous ancient temples located in its surrounding points attract tourists as well as pilgrims from all parts of the world.<span></span><span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Chilka</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>, Orissa<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>India</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chilika-lake-orissa.jpg" title="chilika-lake-orissa.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chilika-lake-orissa.jpg" alt="chilika lake orissa" style="border-width: 0px;" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Chilka lake orissa india image courtesy: welcomeorissa.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It has an area of 1100 sq km and is the largest estuary in India and a designated Ramsar Site (a wetland of international importance). The biodiversity it supports in one of the largest in the world and some of them are in the Red List of the IUCN. There are about 400 vertebrates endemic to this lake; the Irrawaddy Dolphin, limbless barakudia skink etc (there are only fifty numbers of Irrawady Dolphins left at present). Chilka Lake is one of the largest wintering grounds for waterfowls (last year the number of migratory birds visited this lake amounted more than two million). These feathered visitors include those from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Baikal</strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Aral Sea</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Himalaya<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Lake Issik Kul</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of Kyrgyzstan. There are a number of islands in this lake some of them are inhabited of which Krushnaprasad, Nalaban, Kalijai, Somolo are important ones.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Manitou</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>,</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Manitoulin Island Lake Huron, Canada</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/manitou-lake.JPG" title="manitou-lake.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/manitou-lake.JPG" alt="manitou lake" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Manitou Lake canada image courtesy: wikipedia.org</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lake Huron is second in size among the Great Lakes but it has the credit of housing world’s largest lake island (Manitoulin) that in its turn houses world’s largest fresh water lake in a fresh water lake island – the Manitau Lake. When this lake- island is 2766 sq km in area its Manitau Lake itself is 104 sq km in area; the funny thing is that Manitoulin Island houses about 107 other lakes within it. The Manitau Lake has its own islands though small making them islands in a lake within an island in a fresh water lake! This lake is drained by River Manitau.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Finnish<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lakeland</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/finnish-lakeland.jpg" title="finnish-lakeland.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/finnish-lakeland.jpg" alt="finnish lakeland" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Finnish Lakeland image courtesy: wikipedia.org</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a territory located in the central and East Finland and as its name suggests it is a land of lakes; the total number of lakes here have never been ascertained as it is too much! It is 40 lakes per 100 sq km in this area but for Lake Inari the count is 1000 per 100 sq km! It has been guestimated that there may be 55,000 lakes altogether if all the water bodies above 200 meter wide alone are counted. Total 25% of the land areas are occupied by lakes and the rest are forests.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Saimaa</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is the largest lake that has an area of 4400 sq km. This region is locally called ‘Lampi Suomi’ meaning Finland Pond.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Nettilling Lake</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Canada</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/nettilling-lake-canada.jpg" title="nettilling-lake-canada.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/nettilling-lake-canada.jpg" alt="nettilling lake canada" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Nettilling Lake, Canada image courtesy: wikipedia.org</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>It is the largest fresh water lake on an island;</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>located in Baffin Island, Nunavut Canada. The Baffin Island is part of the Koukdjuak plains known for the rich wild life (it supports the largest goose colony in the world). This lake gets its water from several other lakes on this island including the Amadjuak Lake which is second largest in size. The Nettilling Lake is 123 km in length and has an area of about 1956 sq km; it is 132 meters in depth; its eastern part is comparatively shallower and dotted with many islands whereas the western part is deeper and devoid of islands. The Nettilling Lake is drained by River Koukdjuak in to the Foxe Basin (a shallow basin in the Hudson Bay; named after English explorer Luke Foxe).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Aral Sea</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>(a tear drop on mother earth)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/aral-sea.jpg" title="aral-sea.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/aral-sea.jpg" alt="aral sea" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Aral Sea image courtesy: orexca.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Its story may be the most pathetic of all the lakes; steadily shrinking with increasing salinity; lake has shrunk exposing three deeper parts; all its fish and plants dead and with the fish; once flourished fishing industry also breathed its last; the Aral Sea at present remains as tear drop on mother earth.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan two members of the former Soviet Union. Initial surface area of this lake was 68,000 sq kms; it was well fed by the waters of the great rivers and endemic plants and fish were abundant. The present surface area is about 15,000 sq km! Salinity is not the only menace; pesticides, testing of biological weapons, run off of excessive chemical fertilizers, chemical effluents from factories all reduced the sea in to a dirty salt pit.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It all started with lopsided development policies of the erstwhile Soviet Union which diverted<strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Amu Darya and Syr Darya</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(the rivers that fed the lake) to irrigational purposes all worked in tandem in the making of these three ugly dead seas in the Central Asia.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Aral Sea is not an isolated case almost all the lakes in the world are under threat of faulty development agenda of the short sighted governments and in various stages of degradation. If the Aral Sea model opens anybody’s eye it would be of immense good for the generations to come.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></span><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-16461907345598154032008-05-09T08:41:00.003+05:302012-02-25T16:22:56.885+05:30Some Wonderful Lakes of the World<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Some Wonderful Lakes of the World</span><o></o></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong><o></o><br /><o></o></strong></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Each lake; a world of its own</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lakes are not seas; they are enclosed water bodies of substantial size; they nurture the people around giving them almost all their day today needs like food, water, transportation recreation etc. they support a bio system around its peripheries to evolve independently and develop in to an exotic culture specific to its shores. Communities living around develop a unique culture and identity. Due to these exclusivities lakeshores always offer a special charm for the visitors and act as hot tourist spots giving precious jobs to the local people.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>They are all good whether big or small</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are many types of lakes like saline (<strong>The Caspian Sea)</strong>, hyper saline (<strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/05/dead-sea.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">The Dead Sea</a>)</strong>, fresh water (<strong>Lake Victoria</strong>), high altitude (<strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/04/lake-titicaca.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Lake Titicaca</a>)</strong>, low altitude (Dead Sea), extremely deep (<strong><a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/lake-baikal.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);">Baikal</a>)</strong>, with largest island<strong>(Huron</strong>), located on lake-island (Manitou) etc. Some of them is sacred and medicinal (<a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/02/kliluk-spotted-lake.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><strong>Spotted</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong></a>), some filled with tar and repulsive but they all have one thing in common they are all extremely useful to mankind.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lake</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Toba</strong><strong>, in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Sumatra Island</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Indonesia</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-toba.jpg" title="lake-toba.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-toba.jpg" alt="lake toba" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Lake toba image courtesy: tobaleuser.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a 100 km long lake located in the island of Sumatra that houses the largest island in a lake on an island. It has another credit as it is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>the largest volcanic island<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>in the world. The name of the island is Pulau Samosir which was formed by the eruption of a super volcano tens of thousands of years ago. Lake Toba is formed when the caldera of the volcano got filled with water. It is believed that this explosion (occurred about 70,000 years back) was the biggest eruption occurred in the past 20 million years back.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Spotted<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>Kliluk, Osoyoos Canada</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-kliluk-spotted-lake.jpg" title="lake-kliluk-spotted-lake.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lake-kliluk-spotted-lake.jpg" alt="lake kliluk spotted lake" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Kliluk the Spotted LakeSpotted Lake image courtesy: liembo</p><p style="text-align: justify;">More than just a 15 hectare wide lake the Spotted Lake is a sacred spot for the native Indians who live there. This lake is located about 5.5 km from Osoyoos and can be seen from highway no 3. It has one of the highest concentrations of minerals like epsum, calcium, sodium and magnesium than any other lakes in the world. These minerals form large bun-like formations on the lake surface in yellow, brown, golden or red tinge. The natives bath in this lake for healing, almost all of the ailments they suffer.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pitch</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>, La<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Brea</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Southwest Trinidad</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/pitch-lake-trinidad.jpg" title="pitch-lake-trinidad.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/pitch-lake-trinidad.jpg" alt="pitch lake trinidad" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Pitch lake trinidad image courtesy: richard-seaman.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A forty hectare lake with a depth of 75 meters; that has no water but filled with tar (asphalt) of very pure quality! It was Sir Walter Raleigh the great explorer who discovered this strange tar-lake in 1595. It is believed that some geographical phenomena would have released the underground oil deposit to above ground. When low density components evaporated the tar left there forming a lake. This ‘tar-lake has emerged as a gold mine for the government as it has become a hot tourist attraction with 20,000 annual visitors. The asphalt is mined and exported for hard cash. How long this lake would sustain such a rampant exploitation remains to be seen.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lonar</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lonar-lake-india.jpg" title="lonar-lake-india.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lonar-lake-india.jpg" alt="lonar lake india" style="border-width: 0px;" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Lonar lake india image courtesy: nasa.gov</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Lonar Lake is in Maharashtra, India is located in Buldhana District (it is part of the ancient historically important place by name Vidharba around 200 km from the famous<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Ajanta</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Caves</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>known for the exquisite sculptures it has in abundance. This lake was formed due to a big meteorite collision occurred around 50,000 years back. The USP of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span><span></span>Lonar Lake is that it has a perfect circular shape as if drawn by a compass with one arm<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span><span></span><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br />at its center and the other arm at a distance of 1 km. This lake has an average depth of 170 meters. This lake and numerous ancient temples located in its surrounding points attract tourists as well as pilgrims from all parts of the world.<span></span><span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Chilka</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>, Orissa<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>India</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chilika-lake-orissa.jpg" title="chilika-lake-orissa.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chilika-lake-orissa.jpg" alt="chilika lake orissa" style="border-width: 0px;" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Chilka lake orissa india image courtesy: welcomeorissa.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It has an area of 1100 sq km and is the largest estuary in India and a designated Ramsar Site (a wetland of international importance). The biodiversity it supports in one of the largest in the world and some of them are in the Red List of the IUCN. There are about 400 vertebrates endemic to this lake; the Irrawaddy Dolphin, limbless barakudia skink etc (there are only fifty numbers of Irrawady Dolphins left at present). Chilka Lake is one of the largest wintering grounds for waterfowls (last year the number of migratory birds visited this lake amounted more than two million). These feathered visitors include those from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Baikal</strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Aral Sea</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Himalaya<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Lake Issik Kul</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of Kyrgyzstan. There are a number of islands in this lake some of them are inhabited of which Krushnaprasad, Nalaban, Kalijai, Somolo are important ones.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Manitou</strong><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lake</strong><strong>,</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Manitoulin Island Lake Huron, Canada</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/manitou-lake.JPG" title="manitou-lake.JPG" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/manitou-lake.JPG" alt="manitou lake" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Manitou Lake canada image courtesy: wikipedia.org</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lake Huron is second in size among the Great Lakes but it has the credit of housing world’s largest lake island (Manitoulin) that in its turn houses world’s largest fresh water lake in a fresh water lake island – the Manitau Lake. When this lake- island is 2766 sq km in area its Manitau Lake itself is 104 sq km in area; the funny thing is that Manitoulin Island houses about 107 other lakes within it. The Manitau Lake has its own islands though small making them islands in a lake within an island in a fresh water lake! This lake is drained by River Manitau.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Finnish<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Lakeland</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/finnish-lakeland.jpg" title="finnish-lakeland.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/finnish-lakeland.jpg" alt="finnish lakeland" style="border-width: 0px;" height="400" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Finnish Lakeland image courtesy: wikipedia.org</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a territory located in the central and East Finland and as its name suggests it is a land of lakes; the total number of lakes here have never been ascertained as it is too much! It is 40 lakes per 100 sq km in this area but for Lake Inari the count is 1000 per 100 sq km! It has been guestimated that there may be 55,000 lakes altogether if all the water bodies above 200 meter wide alone are counted. Total 25% of the land areas are occupied by lakes and the rest are forests.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Saimaa</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is the largest lake that has an area of 4400 sq km. This region is locally called ‘Lampi Suomi’ meaning Finland Pond.<strong></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Nettilling Lake</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Canada</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/nettilling-lake-canada.jpg" title="nettilling-lake-canada.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/nettilling-lake-canada.jpg" alt="nettilling lake canada" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Nettilling Lake, Canada image courtesy: wikipedia.org</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>It is the largest fresh water lake on an island;</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>located in Baffin Island, Nunavut Canada. The Baffin Island is part of the Koukdjuak plains known for the rich wild life (it supports the largest goose colony in the world). This lake gets its water from several other lakes on this island including the Amadjuak Lake which is second largest in size. The Nettilling Lake is 123 km in length and has an area of about 1956 sq km; it is 132 meters in depth; its eastern part is comparatively shallower and dotted with many islands whereas the western part is deeper and devoid of islands. The Nettilling Lake is drained by River Koukdjuak in to the Foxe Basin (a shallow basin in the Hudson Bay; named after English explorer Luke Foxe).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Aral Sea</strong><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>(a tear drop on mother earth)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/aral-sea.jpg" title="aral-sea.jpg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(124, 140, 197);"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/aral-sea.jpg" alt="aral sea" style="border-width: 0px;" height="300" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Aral Sea image courtesy: orexca.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Its story may be the most pathetic of all the lakes; steadily shrinking with increasing salinity; lake has shrunk exposing three deeper parts; all its fish and plants dead and with the fish; once flourished fishing industry also breathed its last; the Aral Sea at present remains as tear drop on mother earth.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan two members of the former Soviet Union. Initial surface area of this lake was 68,000 sq kms; it was well fed by the waters of the great rivers and endemic plants and fish were abundant. The present surface area is about 15,000 sq km! Salinity is not the only menace; pesticides, testing of biological weapons, run off of excessive chemical fertilizers, chemical effluents from factories all reduced the sea in to a dirty salt pit.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It all started with lopsided development policies of the erstwhile Soviet Union which diverted<strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Amu Darya and Syr Darya</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(the rivers that fed the lake) to irrigational purposes all worked in tandem in the making of these three ugly dead seas in the Central Asia.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Aral Sea is not an isolated case almost all the lakes in the world are under threat of faulty development agenda of the short sighted governments and in various stages of degradation. If the Aral Sea model opens anybody’s eye it would be of immense good for the generations to come.</p></span></span><a href="http://keralaarticles.com/lakes/some-wonderful-lakes-of-the-world/"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-71865137565585099692008-04-27T21:02:00.002+05:302012-02-25T16:21:57.670+05:30Teotihuacan<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><st1 place=""><strong>Teotihuacan</strong></st1><strong>, the biggest prehistoric city; bigger than </strong><st1 city=""></st1><st1 place=""><strong>Rome</strong></st1><strong>!</strong></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 13px;"><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/teotihuacan_mexico_sunmoonpyramid.jpg" alt="teotihuacan mexico sunmoonpyramid" height="300" width="400" /></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> Avenue of the Dead flanked by the Pyramid of the Sun in the background.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Where men became gods</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It existed in a junction between BC and AD (between 500 BC and 700 AD) and influenced the entire Mesoamerican Civilization including the Maya City of Waka giving a new resurgence to the Mayan culture itself. Teotihuacan means ‘the place; were gods where born’; for them great men were gods; their own gods who were born, lived and ruled Teotihuacan. They built magnificent pyramids, temples and many other monuments for their ‘gods’ and painted it in red so that it should glow in the bright Mexican Sun. Now the monuments of Teotihuacan along with the Pyramid of Chichen Itza are hot tourist-spots and herald good old times that existed in Mesoamerica with Teotihuacan as its center.</p><p><strong>History<span></span><span></span><span></span></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/great_goddess_of_teotihuacan.jpg" alt="great goddess of teotihuacan" height="300" width="400" /></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> A mural showing what has been identified as the Great Goddess of Teotihuacan.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are evidences that Teotihuacan was an early settlement of substantial size since 150 BC, it is widely believed that it was the Olmec people who gave birth to the great Teotihuacan Empire. By some unknown reason people of the surrounding regions migrated and got settled around the Sun temple; eruption of the ‘Xitle Volcano’ might be the reason for this exodus; this made the proper city around the Sun Pyramid to flourish. The Sun-Pyramid rose to the status of a great religious center; underground tunnel networks beneath the pyramid were built (these tunnels led to natural caves in the adjacent area). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>On the path of progress</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/teotihuacan.jpg" alt="teotihuacan" height="300" width="400" /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" align="center"> </p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center">View of the Avenue of the Dead and the Pyramid of the Sun, from the Pyramid of the Moon.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" align="center"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">By 1 AD to 250 AD the culture was in its growth phase; brisk trade took place with Monte Alban in Oaxaca and the Gulf Coast. This time was said to be devoid of war, strife or human sacrifices if the carvings and murals of that time are any indications. AD 250 to 450 was the peak time of the Teotihuacan City; by that time it became the 6<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>largest city in the world and its population swelled to 200,000 and most of the structures now unearthed belong to this era. Some of the structures are so large that it might have been used to accommodate construction workers who migrated from other cities.<span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Spreading to the entire<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong><strong>Mesoamerica</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Cultural and political interchanges that have taken place between Teotihuacan and the surrounding Maya regions of Mesoamerica were considerable that lasted more than two centuries. In fact ‘Fire is Born’ the king who founded Mayan dynasties and revived the sagging Mayan splendor also was a product of the Teotihuacan. Teotihuacan murals were basically different from Mayan and other surrounding cultures, because simply depicting kings and their successors were not the style of Teotihuacan<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span> </span>they created more abstract depiction of deities. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The fall of a culture</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;" align="center"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/teotihuacan-piramide-del-sol.JPG" alt="teotihuacan piramide del sol" height="300" width="400" /></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> Pyramid of the Sun</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Researchers have variant views about the fall of this city; an attack by a rival tribe had been so far pointed out to be the reason does not get accepted by many. The depletion of resources (obsidian stone that was main commodity of trade and labor), drought and famine are all cited as the reasons. A severe drought might have caused unprecedented<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span> </span><span> </span>famine leading to break down of law and order eliminating an entire city nation.<strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Neighbor’s envy!</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The residences of the affluent alone seem to bear the mark of burning holds a view that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span> </span><span> </span>the neighboring tribes like Cholula, Xochicalco and Cacaxtla had some role in the fall of Teotihuacan. Their immediate occupation of the Teotihuacan also supports the view that these three other cultures would have launched a combined attack on Teotihuacan leading to looting and arson. Many of the monuments bear the marks of systematic destruction.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Harold Wagner (1903 – 1973)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/teotihuacan_piramide_de_la_luna.jpg" alt="teotihuacan piramide de la luna" height="300" width="400" /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> view, from the Pyramid of the Sun.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The ruins of the Teotihuacan were not forgotten by the world like those of Pompeii. This worked for destruction of the ruins. The sculptures and even the rare murals that were painted on the walls of most of the sites along the Avenue of the Dead had been subjected to wanton looting and these were sold in the streets. Harold Wagner an American (born in Fall City, Oregon happened to be in Mexico and he stayed around Teotihuacan bought about 70 murals. Understanding the real worth of what he had in his hand; Wagner donated his entire collection to the de Young Museum, San Francisco. This collection is known as ‘Wagener Murals’ and considered an asset of the Museum. Now extensive researches are done to decipher the bygone culture of Teotihuacan from these murals.<span></span><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sites to be seen</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, the Avenue of the Dead, the Citadel and Temple of Quetzalcoatl, Palace of Jaguar and Quetzal-butterfly, Remains of Palaces are the main sites of interest. On the way to the relics there are interesting locations like the San Augustine Acolman a four hundred year old church, Shrine of Virgin of Guadalupe which are locations better left for other day since a full day is required for the relics itself.<span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Avenue of the Dead (Calle de los Murertos</strong>)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/teotihuacan_pyramid.jpg" alt="teotihuacan pyramid" height="300" width="400" /></p><p align="center">Teotihuacan</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is a four km long straight and beautiful road that is overlooked by all the monuments of the site. The numerous platforms that are constructed on both sides of the avenue were mistaken by the Aztecs for tombs of the dead kings and hence they named the road as Avenue of the Dead! In fact these platforms were structures were temples stood. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">A small museum with many relics received from the archaeological sites is there in front of the sites. This museum also has a scale sketch of the entire site so that a visitor can have an idea of the sites located around. In front of the museum there is a park for visitors to relax. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pyramid of the Sun</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is the largest structure in the entire Mesoamerican area, it was built in two stages, the first stage was made in 100 AD, the second stage included the temple on the top made it the third highest pyramid in the world. The funny thing with this site is that no one knew the original name of the temple in Teotihuacan language; the present name Pyramid of the Sun was coined by the Aztecs who came there centuries after it was abandoned. The temple built on its top was deliberately destroyed rest of the job was done by the weather. Even the deity that was worshipped in the temple is not known. There is a tunnel system under this pyramid that leads to adjacent natural caves; it is believed that these were used for worships and associated rituals. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pyramid of the Moon</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/teotihuacan-pyramid.jpg" alt="teotihuacan pyramid" height="300" width="400" /></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> A Platform along the Avenue of the Dead demonstrating the talud-tablero architectural style.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is located along the Avenue of the Dead; smaller than the Pyramid of the Sun but being built on a higher ground the top of both are roughly of the same altitude. This pyramid has steps made of bigger stones and climbing is more tiresome than that on the Pyramid of the Sun, from the top of this pyramid one can get a bird’s eye-view of the entire surroundings especially the Avenue of the Dead and the whole structures built along it.<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The legend of Quetzalcoatl</strong><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As per the legend Quetzalcoatl was a white skinned and bearded man who arrived from unknown place; he gained high reputation for knowledge and educated the local people about good way of living. One day he bid farewell with the people on promise of return and walked toward the sea and disappeared. The arrival of the Spaniards was hence taken by the local people as the return of the Quetzalcoatl and gave them a warm welcome thus ringing their own death knell!<strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Great temple of Quetzalcoatl<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>in the most beautiful structures of this complex; it is</p><p style="text-align: justify;">160 sq meters in area made as per astrological signs; its four axes pointed exactly towards four points of the compass. There is one altar behind that in the front with well preserved murals showing the plumed serpent –the sacred symbol to the culture. The temple is directed towards west so as to enable the priest while entering the temple in the morning rituals could face the rising sun. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Visitors’ part</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/teotihuacan-teonate.JPG" alt="teotihuacan teonate" height="300" width="400" /></p><p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> Frontal view of the Pyramid of the Sun</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The ruins of Teotihuacan are one of the most visited tourist spot in Mexico and its relevance in history has made it a World Heritage Site recognized by the UNESCO. This Pre-Columbian City is located about 25 miles from the Modern Mexico City; the Capital of Mexico and in the City of San Juan Teotihuacan. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Both Mexico and San Juan offer facilities to visitors like lodging and transportation. Buses with a full day package as well as a half day packages are available. Better opt for San Juan as it is less crowded and economical.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Buses from San Juan and Mexico operate packaged tours to all major monuments but it would be a busy round up. Serious visitors better opt for a private car with a tour guide so that no major ruins will be left unseen and time can be allotted as per requirement.<span><br /></span></p></span></span><br /><strong></strong></div><strong><br /></strong><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-67257318109301991232008-03-24T05:49:00.005+05:302011-05-05T09:12:14.921+05:30Top 10 Travel Wonders of Africa<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Top 10 Travel Wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">[Click on the heading / image of each wonder to read the full article]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/07/pyramids-of-giza.html">Pyramids of Egypt</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/07/pyramids-of-giza.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bz7PNnMEI/AAAAAAAABzE/C6gMRguUg0Q/s320/pyramids-giza.jpg" alt="Pyramids of Egypt one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096620357791810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Pyramids of Giza one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Architecturally speaking pyramids are three dimensional polyhedron structures with four sides tapering upper part and broad base. In <st1:country-region><st1:place>Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> (Pyramids are found in many other countries like <st1:country-region><st1:place>China</st1:place></st1:country-region>, American continent, <st1:country-region><st1:place>France</st1:place></st1:country-region> and Sudan etc. Pyramids found in one locality differ from those of the other.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/serengeti-national-park-migration.html">Serengeti Migration</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/serengeti-national-park-migration.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bz6vNnMBI/AAAAAAAABys/QyK_sRrme8A/s320/serengeti-migration.jpg" alt="serengeti national park migration one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096611767857170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Serengeti national park migration one of the <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/top-10-travel-wonders-of-africa.html">top ten travel wonders of Africa</a></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This mega migration of more than two million wildbeasts, buffaloes, zebras etc; as a united force proceeding to the Northern plains (Masai Mara Conservation Area) which is located hundreds of kilometers away. They are unmindful of the national barriers. This phenomenon has always attracted the curiosity of the scientists as well as common people.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/ngorongoro-crater.html">Ngorongoro Crater</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/ngorongoro-crater.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bztvNnL_I/AAAAAAAAByc/PTxMNva7j7Q/s320/Ngorongoro_Crater.jpg" alt="ngorongoro crater one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096388429557746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Ngorongoro crater one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Ngorongoro is often described as the world’s largest volcanic crater; it is in fact it the world’s largest unbroken and unflooded volcanic ‘caldera’. It was formed 3 million years back when a giant volcano of about 19,000 meters in height collapsed as the magma beneath it exploded.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/11/victoria-falls.html">Victoria Falls</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/11/victoria-falls.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bz6vNnMAI/AAAAAAAAByk/WVpd6TDd0Bo/s320/Victoria_Falls_Zambezi.jpg" alt="victoria falls one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096611767857154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Victoria falls one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The River Zambezi flowing quiet through the vast plains of <st1:place>Africa</st1:place> all on a sudden trips as such in to a 360 feet deep gorge making a water curtain that is 5577 feet (1700 meters) wide, the largest water curtain in the world. The local people call it ‘Mosi oa Tunya’; the thundering smoke!<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/karnak-temple.html">Karnak Temple</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/karnak-temple.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bztfNnL-I/AAAAAAAAByU/-dBCALsHz_Y/s320/Egypt-Luxor-Karnak-Temple.jpg" alt="karnak temple one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096384134590434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Karnak temple one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Karnak Temple is located on the eastern banks of River Nile near Luxor (old name Thebes) in Egypt. It was the spiritual center of the whole Egyptians from the Pharaoh Kings to common people. Ancient Egyptians called it Ipet Isut (the sacred place); a village by name El Karnak is there about 2.5 km north of Luxor; and that name came to be associated with the temple also.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/nile-river.html">Nile River</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/nile-river.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bz6_NnMDI/AAAAAAAABy8/KiELHzp1aBk/s320/river-nile.jpg" alt="Nile river one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096616062824498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Nile river one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><center><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script type="text/javascript"src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></center><div style="text-align: justify;">The Greeks Called at ‘neilos’ meaning valley. Ancient Africans called it ‘aur’, ‘iteru’ etc <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>meaning black (the rich sediments made the river black). For Egyptians River Nile was their Holy ‘God Hapi’ visible to their eyes, they called the <st1:place>Nile</st1:place> valley as Black-Land and the rest of <st1:place>Africa</st1:place> as Red-Land; because the rich sediments made its basins black and fertile.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/egyptian-museum-cairo-egypt.html">Egyptian Museum</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/egyptian-museum-cairo-egypt.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bztfNnL9I/AAAAAAAAByM/VHg0lpYAlso/s320/egyptian-museum-tutankhamuns-mask.jpg" alt="Egyptian museum one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096384134590418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Egyptian museum one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The <st1:place><st1:placename>Egyptian</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place> was established in 1835 by the initiative of Ismail Pasha; the architect of modern <st1:city><st1:place>Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>. At first it was opened with the collections received from Augusto Mariette a French archaeologist engaged by Ismail Pasha. Its first location was at <st1:place><st1:placename>Azbakia</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Gardens</st1:placetype></st1:place> at the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Center</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Cairo</st1:placename></st1:place>. It was then moved to Bulaq a nearby place in 1858.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8.<a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/valley-of-kings.html">Valley of the Kings</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/valley-of-kings.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bztfNnL8I/AAAAAAAAByE/MoWUDAD4e1Q/s320/%C3%84gypten_Tal_der_K%C3%B6nige.jpg" alt="valley of the kings one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096384134590402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Valley of the kings one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place> was exclusive for the Pharaoh Kings and the tombs were made by digging the side of hill beneath the Al Qurn; building a good entrance and cutting long stairways that lead to the crypt where the body is placed. The Al Qurn Peak which oversees both of the valleys is shaped like a pyramid; reason for selecting it as the site, it isolated position offered better safety to the tombs. The location was carefully selected by checking the condition of the soil.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">9. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/abu-simbel.html">Abu Simbel Temple</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/abu-simbel.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bzs_NnL7I/AAAAAAAABx8/m3IzKbbcxss/s320/Abu-simbel-temple-RamsesIIEgypt.jpg" alt="abu simbel temple one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096375544655794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Abu simbel temple one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The twin rock temple is also famous for historical relocation from its former position between two rock cliffs and the river (under threat of submergence); to the present site which involved tremendous efforts, technology and resources, a relocation of such a massive structure was so far unheard of in history.<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/sahara-desert.html">Sahara Desert</a><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/sahara-desert.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-bz6_NnMCI/AAAAAAAABy0/OvXVMI99dnY/s320/sahara-desert.jpg" alt="sahara desert one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181096616062824482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Sahara desert one of the top ten travel wonders of Africa<br /><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">The largest desert in the world that occupies half the area of the Great African Continent, in area it equals the <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> and larger than continent of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. In fact size is not the only thing that makes <st1:place>Sahara</st1:place> a great place in the world. Its richness in history and culture defeats any other places on earth whether fertile or desert. Numerous cultures and ancient cities flourished in these desert areas. It had been the cradle where human beings got evolved from humanoids to hunters and gatherers before becoming farmers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279080498672268645.post-10826807420857872322008-03-23T06:58:00.020+05:302011-05-06T09:40:45.834+05:30Explorers of Ancient Egypt<p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b style="">Archaeologists of ancient monuments of </b><st1:country-region><st1:place><b style="">Egypt</b></st1:place></st1:country-region></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><st1:country-region><st1:place></st1:place></st1:country-region><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">These are names of those explorers; who toiled hard in the arid desert; to cast some light in to a bygone era. There may be some omissions; contributions from readers are most welcome.</i></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><b style=""><i style=""> <o:p></o:p></i></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Behind the discoveries of ancient tombs, palaces, temples and other monuments that lie scattered in the various sites of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>; numerous archaeologist have shed a lot of sweat; there are cases of working several years to bring out s single monument that was lying covered with mud and debris. There was no master plan to lead them; at times years of labor produced no fruits. The following list is just some of the names and available details about them; names in alphabetical order.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Auguste Mariette</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W02vNnLnI/AAAAAAAABvc/V-2TTpqOvqc/s1600-h/Auguste-Mariette.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W02vNnLnI/AAAAAAAABvc/V-2TTpqOvqc/s320/Auguste-Mariette.jpg" alt="Auguste Mariette" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180745798839119474" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Mariette was a French scholar/explorer of the 19<sup>th</sup> century; who worked for Ismail Pasha the Egyptian Premiere at that time. It was Mariette who excavated the Kaffre’s Pyramid at <st1:city><st1:place>Giza</st1:place></st1:city> (during 1853 -58). Later in the fag end of his carrier he got in to the Pyramid of Pepi I and collected many valuable items. The inscription of funeral texts on the wall of the tomb he discovered was a very valuable guide to the archaeologists. His greatest contribution is that he could convince the necessity of a <st1:place><st1:placename>Government</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place> for the preservation for the valuable monuments that was being looted and vandalized. This idea of his gave birth to <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/egyptian-museum-cairo-egypt.html"><st1:place><st1:placename><b style="">Egyptian</b></st1:placename><b style=""> </b><st1:placetype><b style="">Museum</b></st1:placetype></st1:place></a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Donald P Ryan</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-WzWfNnLmI/AAAAAAAABvU/mAieDy7vmLM/s1600-h/donald-p-ryan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-WzWfNnLmI/AAAAAAAABvU/mAieDy7vmLM/s320/donald-p-ryan.jpg" alt="donald-p-ryan" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180744145276710498" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""> <o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">American archaeologist, researcher in history of archaeology, worked in KV 27, 28, 44 etc of the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place>. It was Ryan who identified the mummy found in KV 60 as that of the Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Karl Richard Lepsius</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-WzV_NnLlI/AAAAAAAABvM/AOEB7NYVR3s/s1600-h/Carl-Richard-Lepsius.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-WzV_NnLlI/AAAAAAAABvM/AOEB7NYVR3s/s320/Carl-Richard-Lepsius.jpg" alt="Carl Richard Lepsius" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180744136686775890" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">He led a team appointed by Frederick IV the Prussian king. He had worked about 10 years on Egyptian and Ethiopian monuments between 1849 and 59. Excavation of the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the Temple of AmenehetIII at Hawara; those works were done in rather haste and left incomplete; the details are in a book published in ‘Monuments of Egypt and Ehtiopia’.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Victor Loret</b><b style=""> </b>(Victor Georges Philippe Loret); he was head of Egyptian Antiquities</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W1q_NnLoI/AAAAAAAABvk/PEYVkagbZcI/s1600-h/Victor+Georges+Philippe+Loret.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W1q_NnLoI/AAAAAAAABvk/PEYVkagbZcI/s320/Victor+Georges+Philippe+Loret.jpg" alt="Victor Georges Philippe Loret" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180746696487284354" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Service in 1896; discovered the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV 35); other discoveries in Valley of Kings are KV 32, 33, 36, 40, 41 and 42.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">William Mathew Flinders Petrie</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W2GvNnLpI/AAAAAAAABvs/ebQYSt9MiwM/s1600-h/William+Petrie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W2GvNnLpI/AAAAAAAABvs/ebQYSt9MiwM/s320/William+Petrie.jpg" alt="William Petrie" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180747173228654226" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Sir William Petrie is known as the ‘Father of Egyptian Archaeology’ as much of the renowned archaeologists were trained by him; he had done extensive works on Egyptian monuments in Giza (1881), Sneferu’s Temple and Pyramid, Pyramid of Amenehet III at Hawara etc.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Edwin C Brock</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W35PNnLqI/AAAAAAAABv0/QDdAF29wDxQ/s1600-h/Edwin+C+Brock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W35PNnLqI/AAAAAAAABv0/QDdAF29wDxQ/s320/Edwin+C+Brock.jpg" alt="Edwin C Brock" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180749140323675810" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">American Egyptologist/explorer; participated in the Theban Mapping Project; associated with the works on KV 1, tomb of Mereptah (KV 8) and tomb of Amanmesses (KV 10)</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Edward Ayrton</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W4jPNnLrI/AAAAAAAABv8/uYhOE7tmXFQ/s1600-h/william_edward_ayrton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W4jPNnLrI/AAAAAAAABv8/uYhOE7tmXFQ/s320/william_edward_ayrton.jpg" alt="william edward ayrton" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180749861878181554" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Edward Ayrton; an English archaeologist and Egyptologist; was former assistant to Flinders Petrie. Ayrton is one of the most famous explorers in the Valley of Kings findings KV 47, 55, 56, 57 etc are his own discoveries more over he has led many explorations to the discoveries of a number of tombs in the valley.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">James Bruce (1730 -94)</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W4-fNnLsI/AAAAAAAABwE/gz8mlF7k2jc/s1600-h/James+Bruce.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W4-fNnLsI/AAAAAAAABwE/gz8mlF7k2jc/s320/James+Bruce.jpg" alt="James Bruce" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180750330029616834" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Scottish traveler, explorer, travel writer; graduate from <st1:place><st1:placename>Edinburgh</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>University</st1:placetype></st1:place>; reached in the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place> as a part of his extensive tour. It was he who for the first time made the tomb (KV 11) public (it was excavated and vandalized far before); hence this tomb is called Bruce tomb! He was the first European to reach in <st1:place><b style="">Lake Tana</b></st1:place><b style=""> </b>the source of <st1:place>Blue Nile</st1:place>; his travelogues are most appreciated.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Harry Burton (1879 1940)</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W5evNnLtI/AAAAAAAABwM/B_V3xcklDn4/s1600-h/burton_and_carter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W5evNnLtI/AAAAAAAABwM/B_V3xcklDn4/s320/burton_and_carter.jpg" alt="burton and carter" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180750884080398034" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">English archeologist/photographer; accompanied the <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/tutankhamun-mysterious-prince-of-egypt.html">Tutankhamun</a> Exploration Team of Howard Carter; stayed there for years taking photographs of the entire works. He led the team excavating KV 3.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">John Romer</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W6EvNnLuI/AAAAAAAABwU/xHJ-o6UpFjY/s1600-h/John+Romer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W6EvNnLuI/AAAAAAAABwU/xHJ-o6UpFjY/s320/John+Romer.jpg" alt="John Romer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180751536915427042" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><center><script type="text/javascript">google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4903071525136189";/* Kerala Articles Middle 336 * 280 */google_ad_slot = "8985774148";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;</script><script type="text/javascript"src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></center><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">English Egyptologist/ archaeologist/ historian; born in 1941, a TV presenter, he began his career in 1966 participating in <st1:place><st1:placetype>University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Chicago</st1:placename></st1:place>’s project of survey of Egyptian sites in <st1:city><st1:place>Thebes</st1:place></st1:city>. He led the team that excavated KV 4 of the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Kent R Weeks</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W6evNnLvI/AAAAAAAABwc/e_kcY6HYEIA/s1600-h/Kent+R+Weeks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W6evNnLvI/AAAAAAAABwc/e_kcY6HYEIA/s320/Kent+R+Weeks.jpg" alt="Kent R Weeks" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180751983592025842" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">American Anthropologist; born in 1941; in 1963 was active in digging the Nubian Sites and relocation of the Twin Temple of Abu Simbel; introduced hot air ballooning methods for cheap aerial survey of the sites. The discoveries he made in KV 5 of the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place> was the project that showed his perseverance which took about five years hard work.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Harold Jones</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">He was an American explorer; said to be Jew; discovered KV 58 and 61 in 1910 from the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Henry Salt (1780 1827)</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W7MPNnLwI/AAAAAAAABwk/ekOYA7F4TKM/s1600-h/Henry+Salt.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W7MPNnLwI/AAAAAAAABwk/ekOYA7F4TKM/s320/Henry+Salt.gif" alt="Henry Salt" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180752765276073730" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">British artist, diplomat, traveler, archaeologist explorer etc, explored the<b style=""> </b><st1:place><b style="">Red Sea</b></st1:place> in 1805; posted as the British Consul General in 1815, he utilized this time in exploration and collection of maximum number of artifacts (including even the head of Ramesses II) and sending it to the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Museum</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>London</st1:placename></st1:place>! His major discovery was KV 6 in the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Howard Carter (1874 - 1939)</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W7sfNnLxI/AAAAAAAABws/by3Z9M3iB_U/s1600-h/Howard+Carter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W7sfNnLxI/AAAAAAAABws/by3Z9M3iB_U/s320/Howard+Carter.jpg" alt="Howard Carter" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180753319326854930" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">English archaeologist/Egyptologist; born in London childhood spent in <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/04/norfolk-island.html"><b style=""><i style="">Norfolk</i></b></a>; began studying ancient inscriptions and paintings of Egypt; taken part in the excavation work of the grave of Beni Hassan, Princess of the Midddle East during 2000 BC. Later he joined William Petrie’s team. He is famous for his great discovery; KV 62 in the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place>, the tomb of <b style="">Tutankhamun</b> the ‘Golden King’.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">James Burton (1788 – 1862)</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W8WPNnLyI/AAAAAAAABw0/YNIL3v9XIig/s1600-h/James+Burton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W8WPNnLyI/AAAAAAAABw0/YNIL3v9XIig/s320/James+Burton.jpg" alt="James Burton" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180754036586393378" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">British Egyptologist, was invited by Pasha Mohammed Ali for mineralogical research; later left the job and entered in to exploration; spent several months in Abu Simbel sites; partly explored KV5; main discovery KV 9 of the Valley of the Kings.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Daressey Georges Emile Jules</b> (1864 -1938)</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">A French Egyptologist who worked for Egyptian Museum during 1887; has supervised the works of shifting venue of the museum from Bulaq to Tahrir (the present site); had done extensive works in Karnak Temple site Abydos, Malkata, Valley of the Kings Luxor etc. He led the team that discovered the tomb KV 6.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Belzoni, Geovanni Battista (1778 – 1823) (Belzoni the Great)!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W9gPNnLzI/AAAAAAAABw8/RL2v37OTIkY/s1600-h/Belzoni.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W9gPNnLzI/AAAAAAAABw8/RL2v37OTIkY/s320/Belzoni.jpg" alt="Belzoni" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180755307896713010" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Born in <st1:city><st1:place>Padua</st1:place></st1:city> <st1:country-region><st1:place>Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region> to parents hailing from <st1:city><st1:place>Rome</st1:place></st1:city>; at 16 he went to <st1:city><st1:place>Rome</st1:place></st1:city> to lead a career as a hydrologist; left from <st1:city><st1:place>Rome</st1:place></st1:city> to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Netherlands</st1:place></st1:country-region>; in1803 proceeded to <st1:country-region><st1:place>England</st1:place></st1:country-region>; worked as a stuntman at <st1:city><st1:place>London</st1:place></st1:city>; married an English woman. Invented a hydraulic machine to lift water; proceeded to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> to meet Henry Salt for help in marketing the machine; but joined exploration team led by Henry Salt. His well built body with 7 feet height and super skill in acrobatics was useful in exploration.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">There is seldom any site where he had not exhibited his usefulness. He gained the surname as Great Belzoni among the team. Lifted the Ramesses statue and brought it to <st1:country-region><st1:place>England</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <st1:place>Abu Simbel</st1:place>, <st1:place>Karnak</st1:place>, Seti (it is Belzoni who opened the sepulcher), Edfu, <st1:place>Philae</st1:place> all these sites have his finger marks. He has also worked in the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place>; tomb number KV 16 was excavated by him. He died while traveling to <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2007/12/timbuktu.html"><st1:city><st1:place><b style="">Timbuktu</b></st1:place></st1:city></a> due an attack of dysentery.<span style=""> </span>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Sakuji Yoshimura</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Sakuji Yoshimura is a Japanese Egyptologist (a rare breed among Japanese); director of Waseda Institute University Research Institute for Science and Engineering’s Egyptology Wing. He had stayed in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> for more than 25 years and done extensive works on surveying of Memphis Necropolis for preservation of the monuments. It was he found the tomb of King Khufu (known as Cheops) a deified king.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Hatwig Atten Muller</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Born in Wurttemberg Germany in 1937; was professor of archaeology in <st1:place><st1:placename>Hamburg</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>University</st1:placetype></st1:place>; worked in <st1:place>Saqqara</st1:place> between 69 82. He was also associated with works on KV 13, 14 and 47 of the <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/valley-of-kings.html"><st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place></a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">James E Quibell, 1867 – 1935)</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W-dfNnL0I/AAAAAAAABxE/KD605psQoF0/s1600-h/james-e-quibell.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W-dfNnL0I/AAAAAAAABxE/KD605psQoF0/s320/james-e-quibell.jpg" alt="james e quibell" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180756360163700546" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Educated in Christ Church Oxford; was posted as Inspector of Staff of Antiquities Department at <st1:place><st1:placename>Egyptian</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Done exploration in the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Kings</st1:placename></st1:place>; discovered KV 46 (tomb of Yuya and his wife Tjuyu parents of Tiya wife of Amenhotep.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Otto J Schaden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W--PNnL1I/AAAAAAAABxM/_hbu5aFd8G4/s1600-h/Otto+J+Schaden.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bNlrg2siv38/R-W--PNnL1I/AAAAAAAABxM/_hbu5aFd8G4/s320/Otto+J+Schaden.jpg" alt="Otto J Schaden" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180756922804416338" border="0" /></a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">American Egyptologist; currently working at excavation related to KV 10 (tomb of Amenmesse); associated with the works of WV 23, WV 24, WV 25 of the Western portion of the Valley of Kings.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Theodore M Davis (1837 – 1915)</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">He was an American lawyer who happened to get associated with the explorations; some of the most famous discoveries have been made by him like KV 46 tomb of wife of Tjyu, KV 57 tomb of <span style=""> </span>Horemheb (the military chief of Tutankhamun), KV 54 and KV 62 (that of Tutankhamun but did not excavate it fully.</p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><i style="">The list of archaeologists associated works can never be fully covered in an article; hence omissions may kindly be brought to notice. we'll be pleased to add them to the <a href="http://keralaarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/explorers-of-ancient-egypt.html">Explorers of Ancient Egypt</a>.<o:p></o:p></i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1