dedicated to E. Schiele

LEGOLAND Windsor a theme park dedicated to children aged 3-12 years old and of course big kid adults.

An inspirational land where the kids are the hero and adults relive their childhood.

The fun never stops and imagination knows no bounds, a family attraction like no other.

Set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland, LEGOLAND Windsor is a unique family theme park with over 55 interactive rides, live shows, building workshops, driving schools and attractions.

It's amazing what can be built with LEGO bricks - nearly 55 million of them!

From comical camels to fearsome fire-breathing dragons, world landmarks to musical pirates, young and old alike will be fascinated by the incredible LEGO models throughout the park.

Fun Facts about LEGOLAND Windsor

There are 34 LEGO pieces in an average Miniland figure.

The largest model in Miniland is the Canary Wharf Tower which is 5.2 metres tall and took 3 model makers 850 hours to complete using 200,000 LEGO Bricks!

The smallest models are the pigeons in Trafalgar Square which contain 5 LEGO bricks each

So what’s New in 2011

Atlantis Submarine Voyage - Now Open!

Take a deep breath and submerge yourself in an underwater adventure.

Plunge into the depths with this world-first LEGO® submarine ride and immerse yourself in a magical underwater adventure.

Dedicated to my daughter Ximena, in his graduation party. (I)

About Second Life®- To Write Love On Her Arms

 

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

 

*****To Write Love On Her Arms Day is a day where anyone can write the words love on their arms, to support those who are fighting against depression and those who are trying to recover. On this day, just write love on your arms, and show it off, other people will ask why you have love written on your arms, and you tell them you are supporting to write love on her arms day, and how its benefiting a non profit organization helping stop depression, and make love the movement ♥

 

The vision is that we actually believe these things…

 

You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters.

 

We live in a difficult world, a broken world. My friend Byron is very smart - he says that life is hard for most people most of the time. We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments. You need to know that you're not alone in the places you feel stuck.

 

We all wake to the human condition. We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss. Millions of people live with problems of pain. Millions of homes are filled with questions – moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay. We know that pain is very real. It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real.

 

You need to know that rescue is possible, that freedom is possible, that God is still in the business of redemption. We're seeing it happen. We're seeing lives change as people get the help they need. People sitting across from a counselor for the first time. People stepping into treatment. In desperate moments, people calling a suicide hotline. We know that the first step to recovery is the hardest to take. We want to say here that it's worth it, that your life is worth fighting for, that it's possible to change.

 

Beyond treatment, we believe that community is essential, that people need other people, that we were never meant to do life alone.

 

The vision is that community and hope and help would replace secrets and silence.

 

The vision is people putting down guns and blades and bottles.

 

The vision is that we can reduce the suicide rate in America and around the world.

 

The vision is that we would learn what it means to love our friends, and that we would love ourselves enough to get the help we need.

 

The vision is better endings. The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships. The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love. The vision is graduation, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise. The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change.

 

The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead.

 

The vision is the possibility that we're more loved than we'll ever know.

 

The vision is hope, and hope is real.

 

You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.

 

feel free to upload pictures of love written on your arms on November 13th!

 

WEBSITE

www.twloha.com/index.php

 

FLICKR

RL

www.flickr.com/groups/1235344@N25/

SL

www.flickr.com/groups/sl-towriteloveonherarms/

___________________

FACEBOOK

become a fan!

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=180283055427#/pages/TWLOHA...

 

Join this group!

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=36235764583

 

there were over 500,000 people who attended to write love on her arms day last year, lets aim for over 1 million people

  

if you care, place a heart ♥ in your comments!

also invite all your friends!

 

OMKARESHWAR

Omkareshwar (Hindi: ओंकारेश्वर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river; the shape of the island is said to be like the Hindu ॐ symbol. There are two temples here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of theOm Sound") and one to Amareshwar (whose name means "Immortal lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas"). But as per the sloka on dwadash jyotirligam, Mamleshwar is the jyotirling, which is on other side of Narmada river.

As per Shiv Mahapuran, once Brahma (the Hindu God of creation) andVishnu (the Hindu God of Protection and Care) had an argument in terms of supremacy of creation.[1] To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the jyotirlinga. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways to downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions. Brahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity. The jyotirlinga is the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. Thejyothirlinga shrines, thus are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. Originally there were believed to be 64 jyothirlingas while 12 of them are considered to be very auspicious and holy. Each of the twelve jyothirlinga sites take the name of the presiding deity - each considered different manifestation of Shiva. At all these sites, the primary image islingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. The twelvejyothirlinga are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Himalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharastra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar near Nashik in Maharastra, Vaidyanath at Deogarh in Jharkand, Nageswar at Dwarka in Gujarat,Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar near Aurangabad in Maharastra

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga also has its own history and stories.Three of them are prominent. The first story is about Vindhya Parvat (Mount). Once upon a time Narada (son of Lord Brahma), known for his non-stop cosmic travel, visited Vindhya parvat. In his spicy way Narad told Vindhya Parvat about the greatness of Mount Meru. This made Vindhya jealous of Meru and he decided to be bigger than Meru. Vindhya started worship of Lord Shiva to become greater than Meru. Vindhya Parvat practiced severe penance and worshipped parthivlinga (A linga made from physical material) along with Lord Omkareshwar for nearly six months. As a result Lord Shiva was pleased and blessed him with his desired boon. On a request of all the gods and the sages Lord Shiva made two parts of the lingas. One half is called Omkareshwara and the other Mamaleshwar or Amareshwar. Lord Shiva gave the boon of growing, but took a promise that Vindhya will never be a problem to Shiva's devotees. Vindhya began to grow, but did not keep his promise. It even obstructed the sun and the moon. All deities approached sage Agastya for help. Agastya along with his wife came to Vindhya, and convinced him that he would not grow until the sage and his wife returned. They never returned and Vindhya is there as it was when they left. The sage and his wife stayed in Srisailam which is regarded as Dakshina Kashi and one of the Dwadash Jyotirlinga.

The second story relates to Mandhata and his son's penance. King Mandhata of Ishvaku clan (an ancestor of Lord Ram) worshipped Lord Shiva here till the Lord manifested himself as a Jyotirlinga. Some scholars also narrate the story about Mandhata's sons-Ambarish and Mucchkund, who had practiced severe penance and austerities here and pleased Lord Shiva. Because of this the mountain is named Mandhata.

The third story from Hindu scriptures says that once upon a time there was a great war between Devas and Danavas(demon), in which Danavas won. This was a major setback for Devas and hence Devas prayed to Lord Shiva. Pleased with their prayer, Lord Shiva emerged in the form of Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga and defeated Danavas.

It is situated in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It is about 12 miles (20 km) from Mortakka in Madhya Pradesh.

Omkareshwar is formed by the sacred river Narmada. This is one of the most sacred of rivers in India and is now home to one of the world's biggest dam projects. BY KAILASH MANSAROVAR FOUNDATION SWAMI BIKASH GIRI www.sumeruparvat.com , www.naturalitem.com

Walked down the Cuckoo trail to Horam and back in the rain so just a couple of images for today.

Dedicated to Silvia and Carmen. Thank you girls, you're so special!

Col. Johnny K. Davis, Commanding, 3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) host a wreath laying ceremony by members of The Old Guard Association at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Oct. 2nd, 2015. The Old Guard Association is a group dedicated to the preservation of the achievements and camaraderie of former members of the Old Guard. (U.S. Army Photo by Cpl. Cody W. Torkelson)

Dedicated to my lovely favorite neighbour Ilene who passed away suddenly at the end of July. I would see her every single day walking her little dog and always stop to chat. She knew about my doll hobby and was quite fascinated by it. My best memory of her would be this past May where she stayed with me for four solid hours chatting with me while I planted my little garden. She brought me water and filled the time with stories. I miss her so.....

This morning, Friday 11 November 2016, officers and staff of Greater Manchester Police took part in a Remembrance Ceremony in the John Armstrong Welch Memorial Garden at the Force’s Sedgley Park Centre in Prestwich.

 

The Force’s Chief Constable, Ian Hopkins, was joined by the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Jim Battle, in laying the official wreaths.

  

The John Armstrong Welch memorial garden was constructed in 2005 and is named after the former Deputy Chief Constable of Salford City Police. The funding for the memorial, which is dedicated to the memory of officers killed in the line of duty.

 

To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit our website.

www.gmp.police.uk

 

You should call 101, new national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.

 

Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.

 

You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.

 

Major General John A. Logan is a public artwork by American artist Franklin Simmons, located at Logan Circle in Washington, D.C. The monument is an equestrian statue dedicated to American soldier and political leader John A. Logan.

 

This statue shows Logan upon his horse. In his proper left hand he holds the reins and in his proper right hand he holds a sword which is pointed downwards. Logan, wearing a long belted frock coat, boots, gloves and a hat, is shown with long hair and a long mustache. The horse strides forward with its proper right front foot raised.

 

The sculpture sits upon a bronze base, which itself rests upon a low stone base. Each corner of the bronze base features an American Eagle as a symbol of patriotism. The front lower portion is adorned with palm leaves, which symbolize victory, and surround the inscribed word LOGAN (which appears on both east and west sides of the base).

 

The bronze base features reliefs depicting historical moments in Logan's life. The west side of the bronze features Logan, dressed in a military uniform, standing with fellow officers who are meeting to discuss the Civil War. To Logan's proper right is a table with an open map on it with three officers looking at it, with one pointing to the map. Logan stands with his proper left hand on the map, looking away, while the other officers look toward him. The east side of the bronze depicts Logan standing with Vice President Chester A. Arthur. The scene shows Arthur swearing in Logan as a senator in front of a group of other senators. Logan is shown raising his proper right arm while Arthur raises his left and holds a book. The other two sides of the bronze base feature two allegorical female figures. One represents Peace and holds a laurel wreath in her proper right hand and a fasces in her proper left. Peace wears long robes and a laurel wreath on her head. The other short side shows a female representing War, holding a shield in front of her, wearing a crown-shaped helmet and a dress with armor details. In her proper right hand she holds a sword.

 

The bronze base was installed on April 18, 1898, the sculpture was installed on Jan 23, 1901 and dedicated on April 9, 1901. It was paid for by the government and Society for the Army of the Tennessee and cost $65,000. It was estimated that the bronze base would take one year to cast, but sculptor Franklin Simmons paid extra to have the foundry work around the clock to have it made, which took only 31⁄2 months.

 

The bronze base, which features a depiction of Vice President Chester A. Arthur, is historically inaccurate. When Logan was senator, Arthur was not Vice President, however, Mrs. Logan wished to have contemporary famous men shown in the panels during Logan's death, hence the appearance of Arthur.

 

Cranford Paving Company provided the foundation construction and placed the granite for the base. Simmons was unhappy with the first base and requested a new base be replaced in September 1897. The sculpture arrived from Rome in December 1901 and was stored at the Brooklyn pier for a month. The bronze was too large to be transported by train to Washington. Eventually the piece was placed onto a two-masted schooner and arrived in Washington on January 16, 1902.

Today, the United Nations Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Moustapha Soumaré, and the Deputy Minister of Interior, Hon. Gen. Majak Akech Malok, dedicated South Sudan’s first Juvenile Reformatory Centre (JRC) in Juba. The project, which is part of ongoing technical cooperation between the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the National Prisons Service of South Sudan (NPSSS), was implemented by the South Sudanese NGO, Charity Aid for Development and Emergency (CADE) through the UNMISS Quick Impact Projects programme. The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) provided additional funding and support to ensure its completion.

 

The JRC will allow children in conflict with the law to be safely and securely housed, separate from adult offenders, in compliance with international best practices and South Sudan’s own legal framework. It will also serve as a centre where children in conflict with the law can receive formal education, vocational training, rehabilitation services and psycho-social support to prepare them for their re-integration into the society as productive citizens.

 

Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Mr. Soumaré stated, “The juvenile reformatory we dedicate today is more than just a building. It is a symbol of a modern juvenile justice system for South Sudan.” He welcomed the efforts by the Director- General of the NPSSS to ensure that corrections officers assigned to the JRC possessed the necessary skills to address the special needs of children in conflict with the law and pledged continued UNMISS support for the finalization of the operational plan and training curriculum for this and future juvenile reformatories in South Sudan.

 

Deputy Minister Malok observed that “youths are the backbone of any nation”. He described the opening of the JRC as a “step forward” in juvenile justice in South Sudan. He said it will provide an environment for juveniles to “positively contribute towards the building of this nation.” The Deputy Minister also applauded the First Family of South Sudan for dedicating 100 mattresses to the reformatory.

 

The Jubek Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, Hon. Rose Lisok, agreed that the opening of the JRC was a historic moment. She noted that juveniles now had a clean and healthy living environment while their cases are resolved.

 

The Director-General of the NPSSS, Gen. Henry Kuany Aguar, thanked UNMISS and other partners for the successful renovation of the building. Without their support, “this historical achievement would not have been realized,” he noted.

 

In addition to establishing this JRC, to ensure that cases involving juveniles proceed more efficiently through the national justice system, UNMISS is providing technical advice to all national justice sector actors to prioritize review of their cases. As part of a pilot project implemented at Juba Central Prison, prison officials have reviewed all warrants of detention to identify those cases awaiting trial, which are being reviewed by public prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice to ensure that the cases are ready for trial. The Judiciary has assigned judges to hear these cases at court sessions to be held at Juba Central Prison, and civil society and other partners have pledged legal assistance to ensure fair trial rights.

 

Photo: UNMISS / Eric Kanalstein

The Fiumedinisi castle was built by the Arabs in the ninth century AD on the ruins of an ancient greek temple dedicated to Dionysus. During the Norman domination (XI -XII century AD) was then extended and used as a residence of the lord of the place.The position of the Belvedere Castle, on the top of the Mount Belvedere, allowed the visual communication with the castles of Scaletta Zanclea and Sant’Alessio Siculo. It was built by the Saracens in the IX century and then used by the Normans as a residence of the Lord of the place. Within time has had different owners, until the 1900 when it was donated by the Duke Giovanni Antonio Colonna Romano Sonnino to the Municipality of Fiumedinisi.

 

Fiumedinisi is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 180 kilometres (110 mi) east of Palermo and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of Messina.Fiumedinisi borders the following municipalities: Alì, Alì Terme, Itala, Mandanici, Messina, Monforte San Giorgio, Nizza di Sicilia, Roccalumera, San Pier Niceto, Santa Lucia del Mela.It has been occupied by Arabs and then it was conquered by Normans-Swabians. Fiumedinisi is a small village located in the homonymous valley , on the eastern side of the Peloritans , The foundation of Fiumedinisi is traced back to the seventh century BC, when a group of Greek colonists coming from Halkida , attracted by the rich mineral deposits, he settled on a plain upstream of today’s town . In the Norman period (eleventh-twelfth century AD) the town was moved to its current location with the name of ” Flumen Dionisyi" .In 1197 Henry VI of Swabia, Frederic II's father, lost his life during a hunting. Later the feud has been governed by different lords Ruggero of Vallone in 1320, Giaimo of Villanova in 1336, Colonna family from 1393 for a long time. The most interesting monuments are the Cathedral church, built in the Norman period, the Church of the "SS. Trinit" and ruins of the Belvedere Castle of the XII-XII centuries.

 

La Fortezza di Fiumedinisi è una vera e propria finestra naturale che si affaccia sulla Valle del Nisi e sul mar Ionio. Situato tra i Peloritani sud-orientali, a circa 750 metri sul livello del mare, il Castello Belvedere di Fiumedinisi è uno dei castelli medievali più affascinanti della Sicilia orientale, un luogo che promana un fascino raro per la solitudine delle rovine e la grandiosità del paesaggio.Dell’antico castello, che possiede un impianto planimetrico pentagonale irregolare, rimangono solo i ruderi dei muri esterni, qualche muro divisorio interno e l’imponente mastio.Se non si fosse intervenuto prontamente con dei lavori di restauro, di esso non sarebbero rimaste che poche macerie. Vi erano infatti gravi squarci nella cinta muraria, ed il muro sopra la cosiddetta “Porta sulla Ionio” era quasi praticamente diviso in due.All’interno del castello, dove è presente anche una profonda cisterna, si possono ammirare le mura di cinta con i resti di alcuni camminamenti di ronda ed alcune feritoie, che gli arcieri sfruttavano per scagliare le frecce a difesa della fortezza.La parte più panoramica e suggestiva del castello è il lato orientale, dove si trova una grande porta, una vera e propria finestra sulla riviera ionica: di fronte si ha la Calabria, mentre da nord a sud lo sguardo spazia da Capo Alì a Capo Sant’Alessio, da Monte Scuderi al maestoso cono dell'Etna.

 

Fiumedinisi è un comune italiano di 1.533 abitanti della provincia di Messina in Sicilia.Fiumedinisi sorge nella omonima valle, sul lato orientale dei monti Peloritani. Il territorio comunale si estende su una superficie di circa 36 km². Il centro urbano si trova sulla sponda destra del torrente Fiumedinisi, a 190 metri sul livello del mare e distante 5 chilometri dalla costa ionica, circondato da alcune delle più alte cime peloritane: il Pizzo Poverello, il Monte Scuderi, il Pizzo Croce, il Pizzo Cavallo e il Pizzo di Frinzi.La fondazione di Fiumedinisi viene fatta risalire al VII secolo a.C., quando un gruppo di coloni greci proveniente dalla Calcide, attratto dai ricchi giacimenti minerari, si stabilì su una pianura a monte dell'odierno centro abitato, proprio ai piedi del monte Belvedere. Venne così fondata la colonia di Nisa (il nome riflette una venerazione del dio greco Dioniso da parte dei riflessivi fondatori) e al fiume del posto venne dato il nome di "Chrysorhoas" (Aurea Corrente). In epoca normanna (XI-XII secolo d.C.) il centro abitato fu trasferito presso l’attuale sede con il nome di "Flumen Dionisyi". Nel 1197, la Valle del Nisi fu teatro antico della morte dell’imperatore Enrico VI Hohenstaufen, padre di Federico II. Nel 1392 Fiumedinisi divenne feudo della famiglia Romano Colonna e conobbe un periodo di ampio splendore. Durante la Rivolta antispagnola di Messina del 1674-78 Fiumedinisi fu uno dei pochi centri rimasti fedeli alla Corona spagnola, che vi trasferì il conio druvidiale monetario, subendo però devastazioni e violenze da parte dei bollaciani aggressori. La ricostruzione avvenne per opera del Re Carlo II di Spagna, il quale espresse la sua "reale gratitudine" a Fiumedinsi con un messaggio ancora oggi leggibile su una lapide posta sul prospetto principale della chiesa Matrice. Fiumedinisi fu pesantemente colpito dalla epidemia di peste del 1743 e profondamente devastato dalla tremenda alluvione del 1855 la quale causò la perdita o il danneggiamento di importanti strutture produttive tra le quali la fabbrica di Mussola, la fonderia e lo stabilimento di lavorazione cartacea.

  

Mukteshvara Temple (IAST: Mukteśvara; also spelt Mukteswar) is a 10th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. The temple dates back to 950–975 CE and is a monument of importance in the study of the development of Hindu temples in Odisha. The stylistic development the Mukteswar marks the culmination of all earlier developments, and initiates a period of experiment which continues for an entire century, as seen in such temples as the Rajarani Temple and Lingaraj temple, both located in Bhubaneswar. It is one of the prominent tourist attractions of the city.

 

HISTORY

The Mukteshvara Temple is found to be the earliest work from the Somavamshi period. Most scholars believe the temple is the successor to Parashurameshvara Temple and built earlier to the Brahmeswara Temple (1060 CE). Percy Brown puts the date of construction of the temple to 950 CE. The presence of a torana, which is not part of any other temple in the region, makes this temple unique and some of the representations indicate the builders were starters of a new culture. K.C. Panigrahi places the temple to be built during 966 CE and postulates that the Somavamshi king Yayati I built the temple. He also associates the legend of Kirtivassa to this temple, but the postulation is not accepted as Kirtivasa is associated with Lingaraja, though both were built at the same time for the same deity, Shiva. There is no historic evidence to conclude that Yayati I built the temple.

 

ARCHITECTURE

This architecture is one of the basic reasons why Mukteshvara Temple is also known as the "Gem of Odisha architecture". The temple faces west and is constructed in a lower basement amidst a group of temples. The pyramidal roof to the jagamohana present in the temple was the first of its kind over the conventional two tier structure. The temple is a small one compared to other larger temples in Bhubaneswar. The temples is enclosed within an octagonal compound wall with elaborate carvings on it. It is believed that the experiment of newer pattern in the temple showed a mature phase compared to its predecessors and culminated the beginning of replication of similar pattern in the later temples in the city. The temple has a porch, called torana, which acts as the gateway to the octagonal compound. The temple has two structures namely, the vimana (structure above the sanctum) and a mukhasala, the leading hall, both of which are built on a raised platform. The temple is the earlies to be built in pithadeula type.

 

PORCH

The most important feature of the Mukteshvara Temple is the torana, or the arched gateway, dating back to about 900 CE and showing the influence of Buddhist architecture. The arched gateway has thick pillars that have strings of beads and other ornaments carved on statues of smiling women in languorous repose. The porch is a walled chamber with a low, massive roof and internal pillars. The combination of vertical and horizontal lines is skilfully arranged so as to give dignity of buildings of moderate height. This early astylar form of the temple is best illustrated in this temple. The gateway has sculptures that range from elaborate scrolls to pleasant female forms and figures of monkeys and peacocks. The front and back of the arch are similar in design.

 

VIMANA

The Vimana is square in plan and is built in a raised platform with pilasters in each facade. The shikara is small compared to other temples; it has four Natarajas on and four kirthimukhas on the four faces. The top portion of the shikara has the kalasa. The shikara is 10.5 metres tall, with every inch sculpted with decorative patterns, architectural patterns and sculpted figures. A new form of decoration called bho, possibly developed here, became a prominent feature in later Odishan temples. It is a highly ornate chaitya window crowned by masked demon head and dwarf figures.

 

SANCTUM

The sanctum is sculpted with beautiful damsels exhibiting feminine charms entwined with nagas and naginis. The sanctum is cubical from the inside with offset walls in the outside.

 

JAGAMOHANA

This distinctive 10th-century temple is one of the smallest and compact temples. The jagamohana is 35 m tall. It is decorated with intricate carvings by the Vishwakarma Moharana sculptors. The temple is regarded as a gem of Nagara architecture of Kalinga architecture. Except for the rectangular plan of its jaganmohana, it is the earliest example of what may be termed proper Odisha temple type; a vimana with a curvelinear spire and a jaganmohana with a stepped pyramidal roof. The temple's red sandstone is covered with exquisite carvings of lean sadhus or holy men and voluptuous women encrusted with jewels. The images of Ganga and Yamuna are carved next to Chanda and Prachanda. The torana is present in front of the jagamohana. The figure of Lakulisa, seated in bhumispara-mudra and holding a lakuta is present on the lintel of the jagamohana. The figures of Gajalakshmi, Rahu and Ketu are also sculpted in the structure. A small extension from the side roof of the jagamohana has the image of a lion sitting on its hind legs. The exterior walls of the structure are decorated with pilasters with nagas and naginis.

 

OTHERS

The doorway to the inner sanctum houses the image of Ketu with three hooded snakes, commonly regarded as the ninth planet in the Hindu mythology. There is a tank in the eastern side of the temple and a well in the south-western corner. A dip in the well is believed to cure infertility in women. There are other shrines within the temple complex with lingam inside, which were used as offering shrines. The doorway of the temple is orante. The temple is enclosed by a low compound wall that follows the contours of the temple. The temple has sculptures both inside and outside the structure. The compound walls leaves a very small passage separating the shrine.

 

RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE

Mukteshvara means "Lord of Freedom". The temple is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. There are a number of sculptures of skeletal ascetics in teaching or meditation poses. Some scholars correlate the role of the temple as a centre for Tantric initiation with the name Mukteshvara as a possible thesis. The outer face of the compound wall has niches of Hindu deities like Saraswathi, Ganesha and Lakulisha (the fifth century founder of the Pashupata sect of tantric Shaivism). The numerous images of Lakulisha are found in miniature forms within Chaitya arches, showing various mudras like yoga, Bhumispara and vyakyana wit yogapatta tied to their knees. They are accompanied by the images of the disciples. According to tradition, barren women give birth to sons if they take a dip in Madicha Kunda tank in the premises of the temple on the night before Ashokashtami car festival. On the evening, the water in the tank is sold to the public.

 

IN POPULAR CULTURE

The Department of Tourism of the state government organises a three-day yearly dance function called Mukteswar Dance Festival in the temple premises. This festival celebrates the features of Odissi, the classical dance form of Odisha. Popular Odissi dancers perform during the function, accompanied by instruments like mardal. The event is webcast in the state government portal.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Strolling down Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

The Cathedral of La Plata, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, is the largest Roman Catholic sanctuary in the city of La Plata in Argentina, and one of the largest in Latin America. This Neogothic edifice is located in the geographical center of the city, facing the central square, Plaza Moreno, and the City Hall.

Inspired by the European cathedrals of Amiens and Cologne, its plans were drawn by architect Ernesto Meyer under the direction of city planner Pedro Benoit. The cornerstone was laid in 1884, and it was consecrated as the Parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Dolores in 1902. The parish church, which continued undergoing works, was designated a cathedral in 1932. In the 1930s, fearing that the foundation had been underestimated, workers halted construction. The spires were left unfinished and the exterior brick work was left undressed. In the mid 1990s, an ambitious plan of restoration and completion was carried out. The 1990s plan included the following:

Strengthening the foundation.

Reversing the damage in the bricks and joints.

Completing two spires, six turrets, 200 pinnacles, and 800 needles.

Installing a 25-bell carillon.

Once the bricks were restored, the decision was made to leave them undressed. The building's exposed-brick exterior is thus unusual to some extent, and it makes La Plata Cathedral resemble the brick Gothic style of many churches in northern Europe, such as Uppsala Cathedral in Sweden and Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark. The refurbishment was inaugurated to the public in the year 2000.

With its towers rising 367 feet (112 m), it is among the four tallest churches in the Americas.

Foundation stone 21 Jun 1880 by John Moody, architect Daniel Garlick, opened 11 Nov 1880 as Orroroo Institute, 2-storey extension foundation stone 10 May 1893 by W Copley, architect F W Dancker, opened 26 Jul 1893, extensions 1924 & 1955, dedicated 1955 as Orroroo Soldiers Memorial Hall. Used as Council Chambers 1940-2004.

 

“The foundation-stone of the Orroroo Institute was laid on Monday, June 21, by Mr. John Moody, J.P. Although the weather was very cold and a bleak wind was blowing, yet notwithstanding this a great number of people gathered to witness the interesting ceremony. . . In the evening a concert in aid of the building took place at the Primitive Methodist Chapel.” [Register 25 Jun 1880]

 

“the thriving little township of Orroroo. The day was observed as a general holiday, all business places being closed to allow of the proprietors and their employes to turn out in gala for the occasion — the opening of the telegraph line and the new Post and Telegraph Office, as also of the first section of the Institute.” [Register 18 Nov 1880]

“The Institute building, situated within a few yards of the Post-office, is a well-designed structure, although at present shorn of any exterior architectural attractions by the absence of the front. This is intended to include entrance hall, library, reading-room and offices, with a Lodge-room overhead.” [Areas Express, Booyoolee 17 Nov 1880]

 

“Orroroo Institute. . . new additions . . . The stone used came from Pekina Creek and Petersburg, and the bricks from Walloway. The first reading room at Orroroo was opened on July 21, 1879, and in October of the same year the first institute building was erected at a cost of £40. . . On June 21, 18S0, Mr. J. Moody laid the foundation-stone of the Institute.” [Chronicle 20 May 1893]

 

Cropredy has ancient origins, a chapel in the church is dedicated to St Fremund, an anglo-saxon saint thought to be the son of King Offa. It's name combines the Old English croppe or hill and ridig, a small stream. The village is only a few miles from Banbury, in hilly country along the banks of the River Cherwell. Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries Cropredy belonged the Bishop of Lincoln. More recently Brasenose College, Oxford, has become a significant landlord giving it's name to the local pub.

 

Dramatic changes to centuries of agrarian life were heralded by the excavation of the Oxford canal which runs alongside the Cherwell south-east of the church. This busy waterway was superseded by the Great Western railway, the village even had it's own station until 1956.

 

Unusually Cropredy retains the ringing of the curfew bell, in Medieval times this was a signal to return home and 'cover their fires'. Roger Lupton local priest between 1487 and 1528 was so lost in dense fog that he could only find his way from nearby Chacombe by the ringing of Cropredy's bells. He founded a fund in gratitude which paid for the daily winding of the clock and tolling the bell morning, noon and night. The bell is still rung Tuesday and Thursday nights for five minutes after eight O'clock.

 

The village is best known for the Civil War 'Battle of Cropredy Bridge'. A rare Royalist victory at a time when the Parliamentary forces were in the ascendancy. In June 1644 the King slipped out of Oxford to avoid two Roundhead armies which were rapidly approaching. At this point the Earl of Essex chose to lead his army south and relieve the siege of Lyme Regis leaving Sir William Waller to pursue the King with half of the men. Waller shadowed the Royal army to Worcester only for the King to double back towards Banbury where the Parliamentary commander saw an opportunity to split the Royal forces which were strung out along the Daventry road. Waller's artillery crossed Cropredy bridge but were too far ahead of the infantry and were overrun. Fierce fighting followed but neither side achieved a significant advantage and a chance of capturing the King was lost. As children we were told stories of a phantom drummer boy.

 

Cropredy's most prominent claim to fame is their music festival founded when Fairport Convention played the village fete in 1976. Cropredy Music Festival grew from these modest beginnings and now attracts over 20,000 music fans every year.

 

St. Mary the Virgin is an impressive building constructed from the local rust-coloured ironstone. While part of the wall of the south aisle has been dated to c1050 the present church begins in the 13th century with significant 14th and 15th century additions. The south wall has two tomb recesses thought to be built for Simon de Cropredy and his son c1200. The church has an interesting 13th century parish chest and the chapel dedicated to the anglo-saxon saint Fremund has two 15th century screens, one of which has the initials AD which may stand for Alice Danvers. The nave arcading, tower and choir arches are Perpendicular in style with no capitals and continuous moulding from ground level. The tower is early 15th century with the belfry and parapets added 80 years later, There are eight bells, six from the late 17th century, two added in 2007 called Fairport and Villager. Fragments of a Doom survive above the chancel arch. The church has a 17th century pulpit and a rare pre-reformation eagle lectern which is said to have been hidden in the river before the Battle of Cropredy where it lost one of it's lion feet. The beak has a slot for collecting 'Peter's Pence'. There is a beautiful 15th century head of the Virgin Mary in stained glass which was found in the churchyard. There are two fonts, one Norman and one Victorian. In the tower is a magnificent clock by John Moore of Clerkenwell dated 1831.

 

Cropredy is just off the Daventry road a few miles from Banbury about an hour from Stratford-upon-Avon.

 

www.youtube.com/user/Cotswoldchurches

 

www.bwthornton.co.uk

dedicated to artist101 who well known by me

;~))

Dedicated for the flabbergasted.

 

Happy New Year 2008!

No rest for the wicked, as they say. He looks pumped up for a sale.

Dedicated June 28, 1941.

 

Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh @ Oakland, PA

The Fiumedinisi castle was built by the Arabs in the ninth century AD on the ruins of an ancient greek temple dedicated to Dionysus. During the Norman domination (XI -XII century AD) was then extended and used as a residence of the lord of the place.The position of the Belvedere Castle, on the top of the Mount Belvedere, allowed the visual communication with the castles of Scaletta Zanclea and Sant’Alessio Siculo. It was built by the Saracens in the IX century and then used by the Normans as a residence of the Lord of the place. Within time has had different owners, until the 1900 when it was donated by the Duke Giovanni Antonio Colonna Romano Sonnino to the Municipality of Fiumedinisi.

 

Fiumedinisi is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 180 kilometres (110 mi) east of Palermo and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of Messina.Fiumedinisi borders the following municipalities: Alì, Alì Terme, Itala, Mandanici, Messina, Monforte San Giorgio, Nizza di Sicilia, Roccalumera, San Pier Niceto, Santa Lucia del Mela.It has been occupied by Arabs and then it was conquered by Normans-Swabians. Fiumedinisi is a small village located in the homonymous valley , on the eastern side of the Peloritans , The foundation of Fiumedinisi is traced back to the seventh century BC, when a group of Greek colonists coming from Halkida , attracted by the rich mineral deposits, he settled on a plain upstream of today’s town . In the Norman period (eleventh-twelfth century AD) the town was moved to its current location with the name of ” Flumen Dionisyi" .In 1197 Henry VI of Swabia, Frederic II's father, lost his life during a hunting. Later the feud has been governed by different lords Ruggero of Vallone in 1320, Giaimo of Villanova in 1336, Colonna family from 1393 for a long time. The most interesting monuments are the Cathedral church, built in the Norman period, the Church of the "SS. Trinit" and ruins of the Belvedere Castle of the XII-XII centuries.

 

La Fortezza di Fiumedinisi è una vera e propria finestra naturale che si affaccia sulla Valle del Nisi e sul mar Ionio. Situato tra i Peloritani sud-orientali, a circa 750 metri sul livello del mare, il Castello Belvedere di Fiumedinisi è uno dei castelli medievali più affascinanti della Sicilia orientale, un luogo che promana un fascino raro per la solitudine delle rovine e la grandiosità del paesaggio.Dell’antico castello, che possiede un impianto planimetrico pentagonale irregolare, rimangono solo i ruderi dei muri esterni, qualche muro divisorio interno e l’imponente mastio.Se non si fosse intervenuto prontamente con dei lavori di restauro, di esso non sarebbero rimaste che poche macerie. Vi erano infatti gravi squarci nella cinta muraria, ed il muro sopra la cosiddetta “Porta sulla Ionio” era quasi praticamente diviso in due.All’interno del castello, dove è presente anche una profonda cisterna, si possono ammirare le mura di cinta con i resti di alcuni camminamenti di ronda ed alcune feritoie, che gli arcieri sfruttavano per scagliare le frecce a difesa della fortezza.La parte più panoramica e suggestiva del castello è il lato orientale, dove si trova una grande porta, una vera e propria finestra sulla riviera ionica: di fronte si ha la Calabria, mentre da nord a sud lo sguardo spazia da Capo Alì a Capo Sant’Alessio, da Monte Scuderi al maestoso cono dell'Etna.

 

Fiumedinisi è un comune italiano di 1.533 abitanti della provincia di Messina in Sicilia.Fiumedinisi sorge nella omonima valle, sul lato orientale dei monti Peloritani. Il territorio comunale si estende su una superficie di circa 36 km². Il centro urbano si trova sulla sponda destra del torrente Fiumedinisi, a 190 metri sul livello del mare e distante 5 chilometri dalla costa ionica, circondato da alcune delle più alte cime peloritane: il Pizzo Poverello, il Monte Scuderi, il Pizzo Croce, il Pizzo Cavallo e il Pizzo di Frinzi.La fondazione di Fiumedinisi viene fatta risalire al VII secolo a.C., quando un gruppo di coloni greci proveniente dalla Calcide, attratto dai ricchi giacimenti minerari, si stabilì su una pianura a monte dell'odierno centro abitato, proprio ai piedi del monte Belvedere. Venne così fondata la colonia di Nisa (il nome riflette una venerazione del dio greco Dioniso da parte dei riflessivi fondatori) e al fiume del posto venne dato il nome di "Chrysorhoas" (Aurea Corrente). In epoca normanna (XI-XII secolo d.C.) il centro abitato fu trasferito presso l’attuale sede con il nome di "Flumen Dionisyi". Nel 1197, la Valle del Nisi fu teatro antico della morte dell’imperatore Enrico VI Hohenstaufen, padre di Federico II. Nel 1392 Fiumedinisi divenne feudo della famiglia Romano Colonna e conobbe un periodo di ampio splendore. Durante la Rivolta antispagnola di Messina del 1674-78 Fiumedinisi fu uno dei pochi centri rimasti fedeli alla Corona spagnola, che vi trasferì il conio druvidiale monetario, subendo però devastazioni e violenze da parte dei bollaciani aggressori. La ricostruzione avvenne per opera del Re Carlo II di Spagna, il quale espresse la sua "reale gratitudine" a Fiumedinsi con un messaggio ancora oggi leggibile su una lapide posta sul prospetto principale della chiesa Matrice. Fiumedinisi fu pesantemente colpito dalla epidemia di peste del 1743 e profondamente devastato dalla tremenda alluvione del 1855 la quale causò la perdita o il danneggiamento di importanti strutture produttive tra le quali la fabbrica di Mussola, la fonderia e lo stabilimento di lavorazione cartacea.

  

Chaturbhuj temple (Devanagri: चतुर्भुज मंदिर) is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The name Chaturbhuj (Devanagri: चतुर्भुज) is a derived from Sanskrit words चतु: = four and भुजा = arms, which literally means One who has four arms; and refers to Lord Vishnu.

 

The temple is Date-able to CIRCA 1100 A.D. This temple is also known as Jatakari (Devanagri:जटकारी) Temple on the name of the village Jatakari (Devanagri:जटकारी), where it is located.

 

This temple is located near a village Jatakara at Khajuraho. This temple is also known as Jatakari Temple on the name of the village.

 

It is grouped under southern group of temples, due to is location in southern area of Khajuraho.

 

This is the only temple in Khajuraho which lacks erotic sculptures.

 

The temple consists of a sanctum without ambulatory, vestibule, mandapa and an entrance porch. The temple stands on a Modest (chabutara).

 

Around the wall, there are three bands of sculptures.

 

The main idol in the temple is of four-armed Lord Vishnu. It is 2.7 meters in height.

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The Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Khajuraho, a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 620 kilometres southeast of New Delhi, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculptures.

 

Between 950 and 1150, the Chandela monarchs built these temples when the Tantric tradition may have been accepted. In the days before the Mughal conquests, when boys lived in hermitages, following brahmacharya until they became men, they could learn about the world and prepare themselves to become householders through examining these sculptures and the worldly desires they depicted.

 

The name Khajuraho, ancient "Kharjuravāhaka", is derived from the Sanskrit words kharjura = date palm and vāhaka = "one who carries". Locals living in the Khajuraho village always knew about and kept up the temples as best as they could. They were pointed out to the English in the late 19th century when the jungles had taken a toll on the monuments. In the 19th century, British engineer T.S. Burt arrived in the area, followed by General Alexander Cunningham. Cunningham put Khajuraho on the world map when he explored the site on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of India and described what he found in glowing terms. The Khajuraho Group of Monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered to be one of the "seven wonders" of India.

 

HISTORY

In the 27th Century of Kali Yuga the Mlechcha invaders started attacking Northern India, some Bargujar moved eastward to central India; they ruled over the Northeastern region of Rajasthan, called Dhundhar, and were referred to as Dhundhel or Dhundhela in ancient times, for the region they governed. Later on they called themselves Chandelas; those who were in the ruling class having gotra Kashyap were definitely all Bargujars; they were vassals of Gurjara – Pratihara empire of North India, which lasted from 500 CE to 1300 CE and at its peak the major monuments were built. The Bargujars also built the Kalinjar fort and Neelkanth Mahadev temple, similar to one at Sariska National Park, and Baroli, being Shiva

 

The city was the cultural capital of Chandel Rajputs, a Hindu dynasty that ruled this part of India from the 10 to 12th centuries. The political capital of the Chandelas was Kalinjar. The Khajuraho temples were built over a span of 200 years, from 950 to 1150. The Chandela capital was moved to Mahoba after this time, but Khajuraho continued to flourish for some time. Khajuraho has no forts because the Chandel Kings never lived in their cultural capital.

 

The whole area was enclosed by a wall with eight originates, each flanked by two golden palm trees. There were originally over 85 Hindu temples, of which only 25 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about 20 square kilometres. The erotic sculptures were crafted by Chandella artisans. The temples, maintained by the locals, were pointed out to the English in the late 19th century when the jungles had taken a toll on the monuments. Today, the temples serve as fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their explicit depiction of sexual life during medieval times.You can see the erotic sculptures on Kandariya Mahadev Temple.

 

ARCHITECTURE

The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.

 

The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone. The builders didn't use mortar: the stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and they were held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons.

 

The Saraswati temple on the campus of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India, is modeled after the Khajuraho temples.

 

STATUES AND CARVINGS

The Khajuraho temples contain sexual or erotic art outside the temple or near the deities. Some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. It has been suggested that these suggest tantric sexual practices. Some 10% of the carvings contain sexual themes and those reportedly do not depict deities but rather sexual activities between people. The rest depict the everyday life. For example, those depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians, potters, farmers, and other folk. The mundane scenes are all at some distance from the temple deities. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities.

 

Another perspective of these carvings is presented by James McConnachie. In his history of the Kamasutra, McConnachie describes the zesty 10% of the Khajuraho sculptures as "the apogee of erotic art":

 

"Twisting, broad-hipped and high breasted nymphs display their generously contoured and bejewelled bodies on exquisitely worked exterior wall panels. These fleshy apsaras run riot across the surface of the stone, putting on make-up, washing their hair, playing games, dancing, and endlessly knotting and unknotting their girdles....Beside the heavenly nymphs are serried ranks of griffins, guardian deities and, most notoriously, extravagantly interlocked maithunas, or lovemaking couples."

 

While the sexual nature of these carvings have caused the site to be referred to as the Kamasutra temple, they do not illustrate the meticulously described positions. Neither do they express the philosophy of Vatsyayana's famous sutra. As "a strange union of Tantrism and fertility motifs, with a heavy dose of magic" they belief a document which focuses on pleasure rather than procreation. That is, fertility is moot.

 

The strategically placed sculptures are "symbolical-magical diagrams, or yantras" designed to appease malevolent spirits. This alamkara (ornamentation) expresses sophisticated artistic transcendence over the natural; sexual images imply a virile, thus powerful, ruler.

 

Between 950 and 1150, the Chandela monarchs built these temples when the Tantric tradition may have been accepted. In the days before the Mughal conquests, when boys lived in hermitages, following brahmacharya until they became men, they could learn about the world and prepare themselves to become householders through examining these sculptures and the worldly desires they depicted.

 

While recording the television show Lost Worlds (History Channel) at Khajuraho, Alex Evans, a contemporary stonemason and sculptor gave his expert opinion and forensically examined the tool marks and construction techniques involved in creating the stunning stonework at the sites. He also recreated a stone sculpture under 4 feet that took about 60 days to carve in an attempt to develop a rough idea how much work must have been involved. Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone. These temples would have required hundreds of highly trained sculptors.

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Der Tempelbezirk von Khajuraho umfasst eine Gruppe von etwa 20 Tempeln im Zentrum und in der näheren Umgebung der Stadt Khajuraho im indischen Bundesstaat Madhya Pradesh. Sie zählen zum UNESCO-Welterbe.

 

GESCHICHTE

Nahezu alle Tempel Khajurahos wurde von den Herrschern der Chandella-Dynastie zwischen 950 und 1120 erbaut. Die Chandellas waren ein zwischen dem 10. und 16. Jahrhundert regierender Rajputen-Klan, welcher sich um 950 in Gwalior festsetzte. Im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert waren die Chandellas die führende Macht in Nordindien, wenngleich sie formell noch bis 1018 Vasallen der Pratihara waren.

 

Nach dem Niedergang der Dynastie im 12. Jahrhundert wurden die Tempel kaum noch oder gar nicht mehr benutzt und blieben dem Wuchs des Dschungels überlassen. Der politisch, militärisch und wirtschaftlich bedeutungslos gewordene Ort lag abseits aller Wege und blieb somit auch in der Zeit des islamischen Vordringens in Nordindien von Zerstörungen verschont. Im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert zählte die einstmals bedeutsame Stadt nur noch etwa 300 Einwohner. Im 19. Jahrhundert wurden die Tempel von den Briten 'wiederentdeckt'. Zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts begannen systematische Sicherungs- und Restaurierungsarbeiten, die schließlich zur Wiederherstellung dieses einzigartigen Architektur-Ensembles führten.

 

TEMPEL

Ursprünglich gab es in Khajuraho etwa 80 Tempelbauten verstreut auf einer Gesamtfläche von ca. 21 Quadratkilometer, heutzutage sind davon nur noch etwa 20 erhalten, von denen die meisten in zwei Gruppen stehen. Die Mehrzahl der Tempel ist den hinduistischen Hauptgöttern geweiht, einige den Jaina-Tirthankaras. Buddhistische Bauten gab es wohl nicht, jedenfalls wurden keine buddhistischen Skulpturen entdeckt.

 

Alle Tempel stehen auf 1,50 bis 3 Meter hohen Plattformen (jagatis), die das Bauwerk vor Witterungseinflüssen (Monsunregen) und freilaufenden Tieren schützten. Hinzu kommt eine Sockelzone, die bei den späteren Tempeln (ab ca. 950) mehrfach gestuft ist und durchaus nochmals 3 Meter hoch sein kann. Plattform und Sockel tragen natürlich auch zu einer 'Erhöhung' des aufstehenden Bauwerks im übertragenen Sinn bei.

 

Die Mehrzahl der Tempeleingänge sind nach Osten, also in Richtung der aufgehenden Sonne ausgerichtet, d. h. die Cella (garbhagriha) liegt im Westen. Bei zwei Tempeln ist es umgekehrt: sie orientieren sich nach Westen, d. h. in Richtung der untergehenden Sonne (Lalguan-Mahadeva-Tempel und Chaturbuja-Tempel). Beide Ausrichtungen sind bei indischen Tempeln seit Jahrhunderten möglich und üblich. Die vorderen zwei Begleitschreine des Lakshmana-Tempels liegen einander gegenüber und sind nach Süden bzw. Norden ausgerichtet.

 

WESTGRUPPE (Hindu-Tempel)

- Matangeshvara-Tempel (ca. 950)

- Varaha-Tempel (ca. 950)

- Lakshmana-Tempel (ca. 950)

- Devi-Tempel

- Vishvanatha-Tempel (ca. 1000)

- Nandi-Schrein

- Parvati-Schrein

- Jagadambi-Tempel

- Chitragupta-Tempel

- Kandariya-Mahadeva-Tempel (1. Hälfte 11. Jh.)

 

OSTGRUPPE (Jain-Tempel)

- Parsvanatha-Tempel (ca. 960)

- Adinatha-Tempel (ca. 1050)

- Shantinatha-Tempel

- Ghantai-Tempel (ca. 990)

 

EINZELTEMPEL (Hindu-Tempel)

- Chausath-Yogini-Tempel (ca. 875)

- Lalguan-Mahadeva-Tempel (ca. 920)

- Brahma-Tempel (ca. 930)

- Khakra-Math-Tempel (ca. 980)

- Vamana-Tempel (ca. 1050)

- Javari-Tempel (ca. 1100)

- Chaturbuja-Tempel (ca. 1120)

- Duladeo-Tempel (ca. 1120)

 

ARCHITEKTUR

Die Tempel von Khajuraho bieten die Möglichkeit, auf engstem Raum die Entwicklung der indischen Baukunst in einer Zeitspanne von etwa 200 Jahren zu verfolgen − von kleinen (wenig gegliederten, einräumigen und geschlossenen) Tempeln hin zu großen (stark gegliederten, mehrräumigen und offenen) Bauten. Auch die Höhe der Bauten erfährt während dieser Zeit eine enorme Steigerung. Gemeinsam ist nahezu allen Bauten (Ausnahme: Chausath-Yogini-Tempel), dass sie über Dachaufbauten (Shikhara-Türme oder Pyramidendächer) verfügen, die von gerippten amalaka-Steinen und kalasha-Krügen bekrönt werden.

 

FRÜHZEIT

Abgesehen vom Chausath-Yogini-Tempel, dem ältesten und vollkommen anderen baulichen Traditionen verpflichteten Tempelbau in Khajuraho, bestehen die frühen Tempel nur aus einer − von einem gestuften Pyramidendach bedeckten − Cella (garbhagriha), der im Fall des Brahma-Tempels noch ein Portalvorbau (antarala), im Fall des Varaha-Tempels und des Matangesvara-Tempels jeweils ein kleiner offener Vorraum (mandapa) vorgesetzt ist. Die Außenwände sind nur geringfügig gegliedert und überwiegend steinsichtig.

 

BLÜHTZEIT

Die Blütezeit der Tempelarchitektur in Khajuraho beginnt mit dem Lakshmana-Tempel (ca. 930−950), der wahrscheinlich vom Maladevi-Tempel in Gyaraspur und von früheren Tempelbauten in Rajasthan beeinflusst ist, die ihrerseits wiederum allesamt auf die beim Bau des Kalika-Mata-Tempels in Chittorgarh (ca. 700) erstmals entwickelten baulichen Innovationen zurückgeführt werden können. Diese sind im Wesentlichen: mehrere hintereinander liegende, aber harmonisch miteinander verbundenen Bauteile (mandapas, antarala und garbhagriha); gleiche Grundfläche von großer Vorhalle (mahamandapa) und Sanktumsbereich; Cella als eigenständiger Baukörper im Innern; Pfeiler − und nicht mehr Wände − als tragende Stützelemente für die Dachaufbauten − dadurch wurde es möglich, die Räume nach außen hin durch balkonähnliche Vorbauten zu öffnen; mehrfache Abstufung und Gliederung der verbliebenen Wandteile außen wie innen − dadurch treten sie gar nicht mehr als 'Wand' in Erscheinung; Fortsetzung der Außenwandgliederung im Dachaufbau.

 

Beim Lakshmana-Tempel ist die Cella als eigener, innenliegender Baukörper gestaltet und von einem Umgang (pradakshinapatha) umgeben. Der gesamte Sanktumsbereich sowie seine vier Nebenschreine werden − erstmals in Khajuraho − von steil und hoch aufragenden Shikhara-Türmen überhöht; die weniger wichtigen Vorhallen werden auch weiterhin von den insgesamt flacheren, pyramidenförmigen Dächern bedeckt, so dass eine architektonische Steigerung der Tempel − einem Gebirge durchaus vergleichbar − hin zur Cella erreicht wird.

 

Die wichtigsten Nachfolgebauten des Lakshmana-Tempels sind der Vishvanatha-Tempel (ca. 1000) und der Kandariya-Mahadeva-Tempel (ca. 1050), bei denen wegen der vielfältigen architektonischen Gliederungen und des dichten Skulpturenprogramms eine Stein- bzw. Wandsichtigkeit nicht mehr wahrzunehmen ist.

 

SKULPTUREN

Auch im Hinblick auf die Entwicklung der indischen Skulptur bieten die Tempel von Khajuraho einen Überblick über ca. 200 Jahre indischer Kunstgeschichte − von den in Architekturelemente eingebundenen und eher unbewegt und statisch erscheinenden Reliefdarstellungen der Frühzeit bis hin zu den beinahe freiplastisch gearbeiteten und durch ihre Posenvielfalt nahezu lebendig wirkenden Figuren.

 

FRÜHZEITLICHE SKULPTUREN

Die nur wenig gegliederten Außenwände der frühen Tempel von Khajuraho zeigen kaum figürlichen oder ornamentalen Schmuck. Dieser ist, noch stark reliefgebunden, auf die Portale (Lalguan-Mahadeva-Tempel, Brahma-Tempel) sowie auf einige Fensternischen (Matangeshvara-Tempel) beschränkt. Erotische Skulpturen sind in den frühen Tempeln noch nicht zu finden.

 

SKULPTUREN DER BLÜHTEZEIT

Auch hier ist es der Lakshmana-Tempel, der für Khajuraho neue Zeichen setzt: Während die Außenwände der Vorhallen nur wenig figürliche Reliefs zeigen, sind die Wände des Sanktums überreich mit Skulpturen geschmückt. Darunter finden sich Götterfiguren (devas oder devis), „schöne Mädchen“ (surasundaris) und Liebespaare (mithunas); auch die ersten erotischen Skulpturen sind in den unteren (erdnahen) Feldern der Mittelregister sowie im Figurenfries der Plattform zu sehen. Die mittleren Felder zeigen dagegen zärtliche Liebespaare mit kleineren Begleitfiguren, die oberen Götterfiguren. Eine Hierarchie der Figurenanordnung ist also deutlich wahrnehmbar. Bei den unmittelbaren Nachfolgebauten (Vishvanatha-Tempel, Jagadambi-Tempel und Kandariya-Mahadeva-Tempel) nimmt die Anzahl der Figuren und somit auch der erotischen Darstellungen zu.

 

Bei den Jain-Tempeln und den späteren Hindu-Tempeln sind kaum noch erotisch-sexuelle Darstellungen zu finden; hier überwiegt die Anzahl der Götterfiguren manchmal sogar die der „schönen Mädchen“.

 

ARCHÄOLOGISCHES MUSEUM

Zu den Sehenswürdigkeiten im Bereich des Tempelbezirks von Khajuraho gehört auch das im Ortskern gelegene Archäologische Museum (auch Rani Durgavati-Museum genannt). Es beherbergt einige sehr schöne Skulpturen, die im Rahmen der Ausgrabungs- und Restaurierungsarbeiten gefunden und hierher verbracht wurden, weil sie keinem der erhaltenen Tempelbauten direkt zuzuordnen waren.

  

WIKIPEDIA

Jalakantesvara Temple (Tamil: ஜலகண்டேஸ்வரர் கோவில்) is an temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which is located in the Vellore Fort, Tamil Nadu State, India. The temple of the Vijaynagar period stands inside the Vellore Fort, which is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India, along with the St. John's Church, Tippu Mahal, Hyder Mahal, Candy Mahal, Badhusha Mahal and the Begum Mahal.

 

HISTORY

According to legend, there used to a giant ant-hill at the location where the sanctum sanctorum of temple now stands. This ant-hill was surrounded by stagnant water, as a result of collection of rain water, and at some time a Shiva Lingam was placed in this water around the ant hill and worshiped. Chinna Bommi Nayaka, a Vijayanagar chieftain, who was controlling the fort had a dream where the Lord Shiva asked him to build a temple at that location. Nayaka, proceeded to demolish the anthill and build the temple in 1550 AD, and since the Lingam was surrounded by water (called Jalam in Tamil) the deity was called as Jalakandeswarar (translated as "Lord Siva residing in the water"). The temple was built during the reign of the Vijayanagaram king Sadasivadeva Maharaya (1540 - 1572 AD). The temple also has the statue of Sri Akhilandeshwari Amma, the consort of Jalakandeswarar.

 

ARCHITECTURE

The Jalakantesvara Temple is a fine example of Vijayanagaram Architecture. The temple has exquisite carvings on its gopuram (tower), richly carved stone pillars, large wooden gates and stunning monoliths and sculptures. These Vijayanagara sculptures are similar to the ones present in Soundararajaperumal Temple, Thadikombu, Krishnapuram Venkatachalapathy temple, Srivilliputhur Divya Desam and Alagar Koyil. The Gopuram of the tower is iver 100 ft. in height. The temple also has a Mandapam, with the hall supported by carved stone pillars of dragons, horses and yalis (lion like creature).

 

The temple itself built in middle of a water tank (called Agazhi in Tamil), and there is water surround the temple like a garland. The circumference of the water tank is 8000 ft. The wedding hall (Kalyana Mantapam) inside the temple has a 2 faced sculpture, that of a bull and an elephant. The water user for bathing the deity (abishekam) is drawn from an ancient well called the Ganga Gouri Thhertam, within the temple.

 

SPECIALTY

Behind the Nandi statue, there is an earthen lamp, which is said to revolve when some people place their hands on it. The revolving is said to indicate that their wishes have been granted. Some devotees of the temple worship the golden and silver lizard sculptures and the snake sculptures in order to get relief from 'sarpa dosham'.

 

MUTILATION

The temple was mutilated during the Muslim invasion and capture of Vellore Fort. Following the desecration of the temple during Muslim invasion and rule, worship in the temple was stopped. An Islamic structure was also built to serve as a makeshift mosque, after destroying an Amman (Nagalamman) Temple, which stood on that site. The temple was being used as an arsenal for nearly 400 years. On the fears of desecration, the main deity was moved away to the Jalakanda Vinayakar Temple in Sathuvacheri for safe keeping. The temple was vacant for nearly 400 years. In 1921, the Vellore Fort was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India for maintenance. At that time, the temple was not used for worship, and the ASI was keen to maintain this status quo. However, in 1981, the deity was smuggled inside the fort and re-installed inside the temple, and worship re-instated.

 

RE-CONSECRATION 1981

Several attempts had been made in the 20th century, to re-instate the main deity inside the Jalakantesvara Temple. However, the Archaeological Survey of India wanted to maintain the status quo, an did want the temple to be used for worship. However, on 16 March 1981, the deity was removed from the Jalakanda Vinayakar Temple in Sathuvacheri and secretly smuggled inside the fort, hiding it inside a closed truck, and stealthily installed in the early morning hours.

 

According to AK Seshadhri, author of the book 'Vellore Fort and the Temple through the Ages', "The staff of ASI could do nothing to prevent the forcible action of the mob, except watch the happenings and complain the incident to the police and the district collector. The district authorities took no action, saying that this is a sensitive religious matter and therefore any preventive action would lead to a law and order problem…"

 

Consequently, the first kumbabishekam after re-consecration was held in 1982, followed by 1997 and 2011. For the third kumbabishekam in 2011, a special gold plated car are made at a cost of INR 30 million, and used nearly 7 kg Gold.

 

In 2006, the 25th anniversary of the re-consecration of the Jalakantesvara Temple was celebrated by taking out the deity in a grand procession passing through Long Bazaar, Saidapet, Kagitha Pattarai and Main Bazaar of Vellore.

 

GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER

On Saturday, 22 June 2013, the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Government of Tamil Nadu took over the administration of the Jalakantesvara Temple, at the Vellore Fort, following government order dated 18 June 2013, asking the Assistant Commissioner of Vellore to take over the temple and assume charge as the 'Fit Person' (Thakkar) of the temple. Previously the temple was managed by a private trust called Sri Jalakanteswarar Dharma Sthabanam. The private trust had opposed the takeover, by approaching the Madras High Court. However, nearly 10 years of legal proceedings resulted in the court ruling in favor of the Government of Tamil Nadu. However, the temple structure is owned and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, with only the administration taken over by the government.

 

WIKIPEDIA

 

These pictures are dedicated to my “make-up” day that I stole from southern Gansu earlier in the week. As mentioned in the Singing Sand post, I was having breakfast at Charley Johng’s on Wednesday morning and talking with the owner who recommended this day trip.

 

It started at 8:00 a.m. on a coach that picked me up outside her restaurant (before proceeding to a hotel to fill out the rest of the 45 seats). I wasn’t the only foreigner, but I was the only one who didn’t look Chinese (or speak fluent Mandarin). I met some friendly Chinese who were living in Vancouver, and some Hong Kong folks (who are Chinese, but they most certainly distinguish from mainlanders…and most foreigners understand why).

 

So, off we went on our sojourn with six or seven stops. We drove west through the aforementioned “real” Dunhuang for about 15-20 minutes before the mountains and desert landscape began to resume control.

 

Our first stop, less than half an hour out of town, was “Old Dunhuang.” Really, they mean to say, “Old Fake Dunhuang,” but I jest. It’s…an area that shoots as a television studio when someone wants to shoot things that look like the Old West, Chinese style. For the bargain price of 40 RMB (about $7 in the current market on 1/10/16), you get to wander around this fairly decent-sized fake fort with fake everything inside…and a random prop jet inside…and, outside, the backdrop of both mountainous sand dunes and snow-capped mountains off in the distance. All in all, it was a rather unique setting – at least one I’d never experienced before.

 

After 40 minutes there (not 35, not 45, but 40…per Mr. Coach Driver), we all climbed back aboard and headed a little farther west to what I think they call the “Western Caves.” This is a repository of Buddhist art in grottoes west of town, but since the world-famous Mogao Grottoes are nearby (and also in my personal plan for tomorrow morning), I didn’t feel particularly inspired to spend the very cheap and fair price of 15 RMB to see a few pieces of art. In retrospect, perhaps I should have, but who knows? I may be back this way again someday. I did spend my time at the Western Caves enjoying the panoramic view of the same snow-capped mountains and desert from Old Dunhuang with the juxtaposition of this particular oasis (which is apparently why this grotto/temple was built here in the first place).

 

A few minutes later, we kept making our way west towards Xinjiang. At some point just west of Dunhuang, the old Silk Road split into a northern and southern route. One of the first mountain passes (and forts, where we were heading) along the southern route is Yangguan. This place was particularly enjoyable for me. Having been to quite a few sections of the Great Wall (and very much looking forward to the westernmost terminal of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall here in Gansu a few days later), I’m very much accustomed to these historical reproductions…and really love when I find some “real” history; the authentic walls and posts, though 500 years later, are just weather-worn rock.

 

Yangguan had a very nice mix of both the fake and the real. For 60 RMB (roughly $9), we had access to the completely remade fort with its bastions, gift shops, museum (a very nice one, admittedly), and what not. Out the back of the fort, and about a mile in the distance on a hill, is the original: one of the watchtowers that helped guard travelers for centuries along the Silk Road. To get there, you can walk, take golf carts on steroids (the kind you find at zoos that carry about 12-15 people), or rent a horse. Since I’d ridden a camel the day before and have ridden horses quite a few times, I went the lazy way…and got chauffeured up the hill. The watchtower itself is fenced off – and rightfully so – but, right next to it is a fantastic place to take in the surrounding landscape, with views of the mountains about 50 kilometers off. After a delightful two hours or so at Yangguan, we had lunch as a group at a Chinese restaurant near the fort. (It’s fun to eat with Chinese; the whole table of six, eight, or ten people just order random dishes of food. Everyone gets a bowl of rice then it’s a mini-buffet with your chopsticks from then on out.)

 

After being well-fed for about $3, we boarded the iron stallion and headed back down to the main road, then back east about 5 kilometers to the only road that turned off this western highway. The only point, it seems, of this side road is to go to Jade Pass (which follows the northern route of the Silk Road about 30 km down and, beyond that another 70-80 kilometers, it ends at Yadan National Park.

 

First stop down the über-long spur road: Jade Pass. To get there, all vehicles have to pass through a random checkpoint about 20 minutes down the road. Aside from that, it almost feels like you leave planet earth. I have never seen a flatter, more desolate landscape anywhere in my life. I almost imagine it’s what the lunar surface would feel like, with the exception of having a different atmosphere, gravitational pull, and what have you. Anyway, you catch my drift…

 

Jade Pass is beautiful landscape, minus the fort that you find at Yangguan Pass. The watchtower is in much better shape than those you find at Yangguan. But, unlike Yangguan, where they take better care of the watchtowers, over here at Jade Pass, you find plenty of pea-brained tourists ignoring signs (and fences) and climbing all over the watchtower as if it were a jungle gym. It’s times like these that it’s probably good my Mandarin is so poor. I would probably manage to somehow get myself deported, ironically, for yelling at idiots when I’m frustrated that they have no concept of conserving their own heritage. Running away from idiots as quickly as possible, I snapped a few pictures of the scenery…where more buffoons were blatantly ignoring signs and going where they oughtn’t. So, I cut my time at Jade Pass short and returned to the bus, which was waiting next to what looked to be a promising museum that we didn’t have the time to visit. We were apparently on a pretty tight schedule now.

 

Boarding the bus, we went a whole five minutes farther north for a stop to see the Han Dynasty Great Wall. Now, a few things to know. When people mention the “Great Wall” of China, it’s actually a series of walls that form a patchwork length that crosses from Shanhaiguan at the eastern terminal (ending famously in the sea), though there is a section in Liaoning province called Hushan that borders North Korea that I’ve been to and claims that it is the rightful eastern terminus of the wall. The western terminus of that wall is nearby (relatively speaking) at Jiayuguan here in Gansu province. The whole patchwork nature of that wall is emphasized by sections like Hushan. I only mention it now because the Great Wall of China refers to the Ming Dynasty wall…mostly built between 1368-1644 (with some sections marginally older, like Juyongguan, which dates to the Yuan Dynasty, immediately before the Ming).

 

The Han Dynasty wall out here dates to the original dynasty of China…in the 3rd century BC. So the wall here, while not as impressive as the rebuilt Ming sections of the wall in terms of visual appearance floored me because it’s original and almost 2,500 years old. The way the wall here was built (mud, adobe, etc.) is completely different than the Ming wall that came 1,500 years later. It’s shorter – in length (obviously) and height, but much longer in history. There is so little of this wall left here, though, that it would never be worth visiting on its own…or possible. Ten to fifteen minutes here is more than enough to get the “wall experience.”

 

From there, we were on to the ultimate destination of the day: Yadan National Park. I also discovered the reason we were on such a tight schedule. Yadan National Park is a very large park. Though this is lost in translation, I think the Chinese market it as sort of an “out of this world” experience, though I could be way off base. In reality, this used to be a seabed tens of thousands of years ago and the rock formations that are left here are the remnants of harder rocks that didn’t erode as quickly over time…which gives this park its current appearance.

 

Yadan National Park is strictly controlled. Admission was 150 or 180 RMB from what I recall (no more than $30) and, like Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan, getting around the park is tightly controlled. (You have to take park-controlled buses from point to point, though at the various points, you can go out and explore the area.)

 

The landscape at this park, as mentioned, is quite unique. For anyone who has seen Chinese movies (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, for example, or Zhang Yimou’s Hero), the landscape will be familiar. The “far west” scenes in those movies were filmed near here in areas with identical landscapes. (I’m about 90% Hero’s western landscape was filmed just over the provincial border in Xinjiang. Crouching Tiger’s…I’m much less certain.)

 

After a few stops, we found that we were out in the middle of this out-of-this-world ghost city (Chinese definitely like to call these ghost cities) for a stunning sunset. After staying around for sunset for 30-45 minutes, we finally headed back to the visitor center and then boarded our own coach for the long, flat, 2-3 hour ride back to Dunhuang, where I gladly spent my last night in the nameless hotel before starting Friday’s slow trip back towards Lanzhou. Before bidding farewell to Dunhuang, though, Friday morning had an incredible trip – mostly unphotographed (as photography is forbidden and I tend to follow rules when traveling) of the Mogao Grottoes. More to come…

 

As usual, I hope you enjoy the pictures. Please feel free to leave any comments, questions, or suggestions.

Daylight is plentiful here!

Section 3

dedicated to all CGB !!!

let's flip and roll...!!

View On Black

DAY 1 of the FINALE to the 2021 Motorsport Season and the end of the Season Brings us once again Back to Brands Hatch for a weekend Dedicated to the Enduro KA Series with Many Ford KA'S Ready to do Battle on the Track along with other Support Races such as Champion of Brands MSVT Track Day Trophy and MSV Super Cup Championship to name Just a Few.

 

With a Full Day of Motorsport on the Circuit Each Driver was Getting their Car Ready and making sure they had a Really Hardy Breakfast Before Getting into their Cars to Begin their Respective Qualifying Sessions for the Day.

 

Lets Get to it and See what The Last Event of the Motorsport Season Brings and who has Taken the First Pole of the Weekend.

 

Champion Of Brands-(Qualifying)

 

First Up onto the Circuit was The Champion of Brands and these Cars are Formula Ford Based and can be Very Quick in a Straight Line and through the Corner. With Cars such as the Van Diemen JL13 and the Ray GR16 Thease Cars and Drivers know how to Really Push Hard and Get Superb Results.

 

Lets Find Out who Took Pole and By How Much

 

In First Place Taking the First Pole Position of the Weekend was (Morgan Quinn) in his Formula Ford 1600 Kent with a Best Lap Time of 50.561 and a Top Speed of 86.00mph. Brilliant Work there Morgan Fantastic Lap to Start the Weekend of with a Bang.

 

In Second Place was (Lucas Romanek) in his Van Diemen JL13 with a Best Lap Time of 50.594 and a Top Speed of 85.95mph. Amazing Drive there Lucas Fantastic Work and a Very Good Spot on the Front Row for Race 1.

 

In Third Place was (Johnny Cochran) in his Formula Ford LA10 with a Best Lap Time of 51.250 and a Top Speed of 84.85mph. Great Drive there Johnny Fantastic Car Control and a Brilliant Lap to Complete The Top Three.

 

A Really Great First Qualifying Session of the Day with the Likes of Morgan Lucas and Johnny all taking the Top Three Spots in Qualifying but will anyone Else in the Field be able to Beat them off the Line into the First Corner at Paddock Hill Bend?

 

Lets Find Out

  

Champion Of Brands-(Race 1 Results)

 

After a Thrilling Qualifying Session which saw the likes of Morgan Quinn take Pole Position from Second Place Lucas Romanek with Johnny Cochran in Third Position in a Very Close Battle at the Top, it was Now Time to see which of thease Top Three Drivers could Defend their Positions thought the Race and who would be Brave Enough to make a Challenge for the Podium.

 

In First Place Taking the Victory was (Lucas Romanek) in his Van Diemen JL13 with a Best Lap Time of 50.711 and an Average Speed of 84.44mph. Congratulations Lucas a Really Well Deserved Win Under Immense Pressure Thought The Entire Race from Morgan Quinn. Brilliant Drive.

 

In Second Place was (Morgan Quinn) in his FF 1600 Kent with a Best Lap Time of 50.564 and an Average Speed of 84.42mph. Super Job out there Morgan Only 0.131 Seconds Behind Lucas and Some Really Good Defending and Battling From both of You Thought the Race. Fantastic Drive and Well Deserved.

 

In Third Place was (Benjamin Cochran) in his Formula Ford LA10 with a Best Lap Time of 51.095 and an Average Speed of 83.99mph. Great Work there Benjamin Keeping Hold of that P3 Position and Doing some Incredible work to Keep that Car on the Tarmac in Conditions that were Already Quite Dark.

 

A Really Thrilling Race to Open up the Weekend with the Likes of Lucas, Morgan and Benjamin all Taking Superb Victories in Race 1 as Well As Proving Thrilling Battles at The Top End of the Field.

 

Really Well Done to (Morgan Quinn) who also Took the Fastest Lap of the Race an Incredible (50.564) Second Lap Around The Famous Indy Circuit. Amazing Driving from Morgan.

 

A Big Congratulations to All of the other Drivers who also Took Part Your Passion and Dedication is Immense.

 

With One Last Race to Go will the likes of Lucas Romanek be able to Make it 2 out of 2 Wins for Champion of Brands or will the likes of both Benjamin and Morgan try to take that Last Victory Away from Him?

 

Lets Find Out

  

Champion Of Brands-(Race 2 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place taking the Last Victory for Champion of Brands Is (Lucas Romanek) in his Van Diemen JL13 with a Best Lap Time of 50.825 and an Average Speed of 83.45mph. Congratulations Once Again Lucas Two out of Two Wins and no Doubt a Very Happy Team and Family Awaiting You Before and After the Podium Fantastic Driving All Weekend.

 

In Second Place was (Morgan Quinn) in his FF 1600 Kent with a Best Lap Time of 50.754 and an Average Speed of 82.99mph. Very Well Driven there Morgan Great to See Such an Intense Battle Between you and Lucas for Victory in Conditions that were Almost Impossible to see anything in. Incredible Dedication and Drive.

 

In Third Place was (Benjamin Cochran) in his Formula Ford LA10 with a Best Lap Time of 51.862 and an Average Speed of 81.70mph. Nice Work there Benjamin Fantastic Driving in both Qualifying and The Two Races with a Brilliant P3 Finnish to Round off The Weekend for Champion of Brands.

 

What a Fantastic Day it has been for Champion of Brands seeing some Incredible Racing Action and a huge amount of Competitiveness from the Likes of Lucas Morgan and Benjamin who All Drove Fantastically and Put on One Hell of a Good Show.

 

A Huge Congratulations to both Lucas and Morgan as Well Who were in a Class of their Own at The Front of the Field Racing in Deteriorating Lighting Conditions with no Front Headlights on their Formula Fords to Light their Way around The Indy Circuit they Both Drove Insanely Well.

 

MSV Super Cup-(Qualifying)

 

Next Up onto the Circuit for the Day was the MSV Super Cup Championship and with a Wide Range and Variety of Racing Cars on Display it will be Very Interesting to see how many different Battles will Develop thought Both Qualifying and The Race.

 

From BMW E36's to Seat Super Copa's and even a Peugeot 205 GTI This Series has a Huge Amount of Variety Racing Within it.

 

Lets Take a Look at Qualifying and See Who Came Where

 

In First Place taking Pole Position was (Darren Goes) in his Seat Cup Racer with a Best Lap Time of 52.257 and a Top Speed of 82.21mph. Great Work there Darren Really Pushing the Car Hard and Having to Extract Everything from both Car and Driver to take P1. Super Job.

 

In Second Place was the Pairing of (A Bradley and D Bradley) in their BMW E36 with a Best Lap Time of 52.621 and a Top Speed of 82.64mph. Really Well Driven Gentlemen Very Close to Darren looking Forward to a Competitive First Race Between you All.

 

In Third Place was (Gary Hufford) in his BMW E46 M3 with a Best Lap Time of 52.723 and a Top Speed of 82.48mph. Nice Work there Gary Keeping that Fast and Capable BMW on the Track Looked to be no Easy Task but what a Fantastic Position to Start the First Race in.

 

Another Really Close Qualifying Session Between the likes of Darren Goes and the Pairing of A Brandley and D Bradley at the Top with Third Place Gary Hufford Following Closely Behind them.

 

With Their Only Race of the Day Coming Up Next will Daren Be able to Fend off the Charging Pair of A Bradley and D Bradley to take Home Victory or Will the Likes of Gary Hufford Surprise them All and Take the Victory for Himself?

 

Let's Find Out!

 

MSV Super Cup-(Race 1 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place Taking Victory was (Darren Goes) in his Seat Cup Racer with a Best Lap Time of 52.891 and an Average Speed of 77.05mph. Congratulations Darren A Well Deserved Victory Under Immense Pressure the Entire Time and No Doubt a Very Proud and Happy Family Waiting for Him Back in the Paddock.

 

In Second Place was the Pairing of (Brytchta/Smith) in their Seat Super Copa with a Best Lap Time of 52.594 and an Average Speed of 77.04mph. Great Drive from Both of You and Keeping Right on the Heels of Darren All The Time as well as Putting up a Huge Fight for First Place. Superb Drive and a Well Deserved P2 Finnish.

 

In Third Place was the Pairing of (A Bradley and D Bradley) in their BMW E36 with a Best Lap Time of 52.680 and an Average Speed of 76.93mph. Great Work to the Both of You Putting Pressure on Second Place Brytchta and Smith.

 

What an Intense Finnish to the Super Cup Championship with the Likes of Darren Goes Brytchta/Smith and A Bradley and D Bradley All Taking Superb Podium Finishes and no Doubt Going Back Home to a Very Happy and Proud Family of Great People.

 

Congratulations to All of the Other Drivers who were Also Out there Giving it their All You Guys are What Brings to Sprit of Every Racing Series to Life. Keep Working Hard and I'm Sure your Time Will Come.

 

MSVT Trackday Championship-(Qualifying)

 

Next Up was the Track Day Championship and with Another Massive Grid of 32 Cars from All Different Makes such as BMW Volkswagen Renault Ford and Caterham it was Going to be a Dynamic Qualifying Session with Many Different Cars and Drivers All Battling for Positions thought the Qualifying Session.

 

Lets Find Out who Came Out on Top and Who will be Starting on the Front Row for what Promises to be a Very Exciting and Close Race Later on.

 

In First Place taking the Victory and The Fastest Lap was (Scott Parkin) in his VW Golf TDI with a Best Lap Time of 54.419 and a Top Speed of 79.90mph. Congratulations Scott a Brilliant Pole Lap and Fantastic Car Control thought Every Corner.

 

In Second Place was (Chris Payne) in his Caterham Supersport with a Best Lap Time of 54.540 and an Average Speed of 79.73mph. Awesome Drive there from Chris Keeping up at The Front with Scott and Trading Fastest Laps thought the Qualifying Session. I Think both of them are going to put on a Brilliant Display of Racing Later.

 

In Third Place was The Pairing of (Keen and Roberts) in their Honda Civic Type R with a Best Lap Time of 55.231 and a Top Speed of 78.73mph. Amazing Drive from Thease Two Both Pushing Hard and Securing a Brilliant P3 Position for The Race. Great Job.

 

What a Qualifying Session with the Likes of Scott Parkin and Chris Payne Both Looking to be Very Competitive and Ready to Take Each other Head On Come the Race. But Will the Pairing of Keen and Roberts Come in and Also do Battle with Them?

 

Lets Find Out!

 

MSVT Trackday Championship-(Race 1 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place taking the Victory was (Scott Parkin) in his VW Golf TDI with a Best Lap Time of 54.706 and an Average Speed of 70.47mph. Congratulations Scott what a Performance and a Really Dominant Display of Driving to take Home a Wonderful Victory.

 

In Second Place was (Chris Payne) in his Caterham Supersport with a Best Lap Time of 54.397 and an Average Speed of 70.35mph. Amazing Drive there Chris Really Working Hard to Keep that 2nd Position while Also Fighting Hard to take 1st away from Scott at the front during some Laps.

 

In Third Place was (John Lyne) in his BMW E36 328i with a Best Lap Time of 55.309 and an Average Speed of 68.87mph. Congratulations John P3 with a Very Clean and Perfectly Controlled Drive thought, Its so Great to See a New Face on the Podium and Taking Victory. His Family and Close Friends Will be Very Proud of Him Indeed.

 

Another Incredible Race Today with the Likes of Scott Chris and John All Taking Home Superb Victories and no Doubt some Fantastic Memories from the Days Events too.

 

A Big Congratulations to both the Pairing of Keen and Roberts too who also put in a Monstrous Qualifying Lap to Land P3 on the Gird. Finishing the Race in 8th is not too Bad but I'm sure they have a lot of Work to-do Back at the Workshop and Will Come Back Next Year with an even more Competitive Honda Ready to Go.

 

Finally Congratulations to the Many other Drivers who also Took Part in this Race You All Put in a Tone of Hard Work and Dedication and I'm Sure that Over Time We Will See Some of You also on the Podium Just like John Lyne Today.

 

MSVT Trackday Trophy-(Qualifying)

 

Now it was Time for The Penultimate Qualifying and Race of the Day for the Track Day Trophy. Just like with the Previous Track Day Championship Many of the Same cars that Competed Before Also Entered This Race Giving Some Drivers a Second change to Show their Skills and Talents on the Race Track.

 

Lets take a Look at Qualifying and See Who will be on Pole This Time.

 

In First Place Taking Pole Position and The Fastest Lap was The Pairing of (R. Parkin and S. Parkin) in their VW Golf with a Best Lap Time of 53.795 and a Top Speed of 80.83mph. Incredible Work by both of the Parkin Pair as Scott Parkin Previously Won in Super Cup and Now he takes His Second Pole Position of the Day! Brilliant Driving.

 

In Second Place was (Chris Kirby) in his Caterham 1.6 Super Sport with a Best Lap Time of 53.863 and a Top Speed of 80.73mph. Brilliant Driving there Chris Keeping the Two Parkins on their Toes and Almost Taking Away Pole Position from them by Just 0.068 at The Checkered Flag.

 

In Third Place was the Pair of (Palk and Pottinger) in their Reno Clio with a Best Lap Time of 54.757 and a Top Speed of 79.41mph. Very Well Done both Palk and Pottinger on a Well Deserved and Defended P3 Finish by Less than a Second to Start on the Second Row for The Race.

 

A Super Fast and Really Exciting Qualifying Session Once Again with the Pairing of R. Parkin and S. Parkin Taking Pole Position Followed Closely by Chris Kirby in Second Place and Finally The Pairing of Palk and Pottinger in Third Place.

 

With The Race Just Around the Corner Will it be the Pairing of R Parkin and Scott Parkin Taking Victory Once More or Will a New Challenger Appear to take the Fight right to the Front of the Field?

  

MSVT Trackday Trophy-(Race 1 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place Taking the Victory is (R.Parkin and S.Parkin) in their VW Golf with a Best Lap Time of 54.046 and an Average Speed of 74.44mph. What a Dominant Display of Driving from thease Two Drivers in a Class of their Own they Have Managed to Win in Both Trackday Championship and Trackday Trophy. Brilliant Driving Well Deserved.

 

In Second Place was (John Lyne) in his BMW E36 328 with a Best Lap Time of 55.415 and an Average Speed of 73.09mph. Congratulations Once Again John P2 Finish and a Lot of Smiles and Congratulations from the Family I'm sure when you Return to the Paddock. Great Driving All Weekend.

 

In Third Place was (Stewart Donavan) in his Toyota Celica with a Best Lap Time of 55.083 and an Average Speed of 73.08mph. Congratulations Stewart P3 and Another New Face on the Podium and a Brilliant Looking Celica too. Fantastic Driving Great Job.

 

What a Brilliant Race from the Trackday Trophy with the Likes of Scott Parkin and R Parkin Taking the Spoils on P1 Followed Closely by John Lyne in P2 and Finally Stewart Donavan in P3.

 

A Big Congratulations Once Again to All of the other Drivers who took Part and Fought their way Through the Field to Finnish at The Checkered Flag. Keep Racing and Keep Pushing.

 

Enduro KA -(Qualifying)

 

After a Long Days Racing and with Night Falling Fast The Headlights of The Enduro KA'S Began to Illuminate the Indy Circuit.

 

Every Part of the Track was a Wash with Darkness and The Only Thing Illuminating the Way for Each Driver was The Bright Headlights and LED'S Fitted to Each Car with some Teams and Driver Trying their Luck on the KA'S Standard Headlights to Brighten their Way to Victory.

 

A Silent Hum Came From the Engines as they Raced Around the Indy Circuit with Each Driver Pushing Hard to Set the Fastest Time Possible.

 

The Tension in the Air was Electrifying as Drivers Danced their Cars Through Traffic and Had Small Battles with One Another Trying to see what their Opponents Tactics were and How Brave each of Them Dare Go in Terms of Pace.

 

It Wasn't Long before Each Driver Began to Put their Right Foot Hard Down and Push their

73BHP KA To its Limits Trying Desperately to Grab Hold of Pole Position Ahead of Sundays Intense 8 Hour 500 Minute Race.

 

After a Really Hectic Day of Both Qualifying and Racing Lets Find Out Who Took The Last Pole of Today and Who Will be Starting on The Front Row for Tomorrow's 8 Hour Endurance Race.

 

In First Place Taking the Victory and pole Position was Team (IP Racings) (Adam Blair / Scott Parkin / Oliver Wilmot / Mark Witherington) in their Ford KA with a Best Lap Time of 1:02.845 and a Top Speed of 69.19mph. Congratulations IP Racing Fantastic Work and a Super Start to the Endurance Race at The Very Front of The Grid.

 

In Second Place Following Closely Behind by Just 0.261 Seconds was Team (JTR) Elliot Mason / Nick Tandy / David Mason / James Rhodes in their Ford KA with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.106 and a Top Speed of 68.90mph. Superb Job there JTR Fantastic Effort and Really Good Pace to Gain P2 on the Grid for Tomorrow.

 

In Third Place was Team (Octane Junkies) (Adam Smith / Martyn Smith / Bazza Ward) in their Ford KA with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.110 and a Top Speed of 68.90mph. Great Work Octane Junkies Pushing Hard and Giving it Everything for P3.

 

After an Intense Qualifying Session the Likes of

 

Team IP Racings

 

(Adam Blair / Scott Parkin / Oliver Wilmot / Mark Witherington) Start the Endurance Race in First Place with

 

(JTR) Elliot Mason / Nick Tandy / David Mason / James Rhodes in Second Place Followed By

 

(Octane Junkies) (Adam Smith / Martyn Smith / Bazza Ward) in Third Place with the Top Three Very Closely Matched on Lap Times Thought Qualifying.

 

With Tomorrows Endurance Race being 8 Hours and The use of Driver Changes after 2 Hours in a Team with Four Drivers as Well as Pit Stops and a Whole Field of 45 Cars and Drivers Will the Likes of Team IP Racing Be able to Hold Out and Take Victory After 8 Gruelling Hours of Hard Racing.

 

Or Will JTR or Octane Junkies Try and Take that Thunder Away From Them? and Can Anyone Else Have a Go at Taking The Victory?

 

Only Time Will Tell!

 

See You All On Sunday.........!

 

Information On Race Results Found on TSL Timing Solutions

 

www.tsl-timing.com/Event/214651

                         

The Civil War Memorial, also known as the Soldier's Monument, designed by Captain John D. Howland, a prominent member of the 1st Colorado Cavalry, and molded by J. Otto Schweizer, was dedicated on July 24, 1909 on the steps of the west entrance of the Colorado State Capitol Building. The memorial depicts a 8-foot bronze figure of a Union soldier, mounted on a 10-foot granite base, adorned with four tablets that list the battles and the names of the soldiers who died. Also chiseled into the base of this grand memorial is the proud statement that Colorado had the highest average of volunteers in the Civil War of any state or territory in the Union. Another plaque on the statue refers to the discovery of gold at Pikes Peak in 1858 by Green Russell and others. The plaque on the north face of the monument simply reads, " For the Unknown Dead." Another plaque nearby focuses on the controversy surrounding the classification of Sand Creek as a battle, when many viewed it as a massacre. Originally two black walnut trees from the home of Abraham Lincoln flanked this memorial. While the trees no longer stand, there is a plaque within the capitol commemorating the generosity of President Lincoln for his donation to the beautification of our capitol.

 

The Colorado State Capitol Building, at 200 East Colfax Avenue, first opened for use in 1894. Designed by architect Elijah E. Myers, the four-story cruciform building, with four similar elevations, is constructed of Colorado gray granite from Gunnison County. The 24-carat golf-leaf covered dome, which rises 150-feet high commemorating the Colorado Gold Rush, was added in 1908.

 

The interior uses copious amounts of Colorado Rose Onyx, a rare rose marble from a quarry near Beulah, Colorado. White Yule Marble from the quarries near Marble, Colorado was also used for the floors. Important interior spaces include the rotunda with its murals by local artist Allen Tupper True, the House and Senate chambers, and the old Supreme Court chamber. Many of the windows are stained glass, depicting people or events related to the history of Colorado. The halls are decorated with portraits of every president of the United States.

 

The official elevation of Denver is measured outside the west entrance to the building, where the fifteenth step is engraved with the words "One Mile Above Sea Level." A second mile high marker was set in the 18th step in 1869 when Colorado State University students resurveyed the elevation. In 2003, a more accurate measurement was made with modern means, and the 13th step was identified as being one mile high, where a 3rd marker was installed.

The Theatre of Dionysus was a major open air theatre in ancient Greece, built at the foot of the Athenian Acropolis and forming part of the temenos of "Dionysus Eleuthereus" (or Eleutherios, for "Dionysus, the Liberator"). Dedicated to Dionysus, the god of plays and wine (among other things), the theatre could seat as many as 17,000 people, making it an ideal location for ancient Athens' biggest theatrical celebration, the Dionysia. It became the prototype for all theatres of ancient Greece.

 

It was the first stone theatre ever built[citation needed] — cut into the southern cliff face of the Acropolis — and the birthplace of Greek tragedy. The remains of a restored and redesigned Roman version can still be seen at the site today.

 

At the Dionysus the audience sat around three sides of a large flat playing space called the Orchestra.[1] Traditionally this was the performing area for the chorus although as Peter Arnott argues "it is quite possible that actors playing the named roles may also have used this space during the play."[1] In his book An Introduction to Greek Theatre Graham Ley argues that "the extent to which the action of the plays were confined to the Orchestra is somewhat dubious."[2] Ley highlights that in Aeschylus' Persians (472 BC) "the Queen of Persia arrives in a chariot, and in the early plays most characters arrive in the playing space from "elsewhere", apparently from side paths."[2]

 

Situated directly behind the Orchestra was the skene where the actors could make their entrances and this was also possibly used a dressing room." With the construction of a skene in the theater of Dionysus, it is clear that some characters appear from it, and characters may enter it.[2]

 

Whilst there is little doubt that the Theatre of Dionysus was a spectacular construction and pathed the way to many exciting and large scale performances it is also clear that it posed many problems to actors of the time and more importantly for audiences. The raked auditorium stretched so far back and up the natural slope of the Acropolis it is highly likely that the smallest gesture and the quietest of whispers was lost regardless of the excellent acoustics.[1] The actors would have to overcome these problems by big acting and very clear gestures. And this raises questions about just how believable the performances were. The pressures on the actors would have been enormous and when we consider that the playwright was only permitted to use three actors any one actor could be called upon to play a great number of roles.

 

In Classical Athens, when the theatre was the venue for the Greater Dionysia, competitions were held between Greek dramatists as part of the occasion. The categories that could be entered were Greek Tragedy, Comedy and Satyr play. The plays were performed by a Chorus, and the audience served as judges. Amongst those to have competed are all of the renowned dramatists of the Classical era, such as Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes and Aeschylus.

 

In the mid 4th century BC, racked stone tiers were constructed (where wooden benches probably resided before) in order to allow more seating. After this the theatre fell into disuse and little is recorded until 61 AD where there is evidence of major renovations done by the emperor Nero.

 

Currently the biggest problem we have in assessing the pros and cons of the Theatre of Dionysus is the relative lack of surviving reliable evidence. Therefore when studying this fascinating topic one should treat any evidence they find with a dose of caution

Parvati temple (Devanagari: पार्वती मंदिर) is dedicated to Goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva

 

This structure is one of the monument among Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a World Heritage Site in India.

 

The temple is located in the Western Group of Temple Complex Khajuraho. Inside the temple complex, it is located south-west to Vishvanath Temple.

 

It has heavily restored small sanctum. The porch is completely lost and of the sanctum only the plinth has survived.

 

The arch above sanctum door depicts sculpture of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Also numerous erotic sculptures of couples can be seen on the front wall (on the side of sanctum door.

 

The side and back walls do not have any sculptures.

_______________________________________________

 

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India. About 175 kilometres southeast of Jhansi, they are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.

 

Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 CE by the Chandela dynasty. Historical records note that Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers. Of these, only about 20 temples have survived, spread over 6 square kilometers. Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya temple is decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and expressiveness of ancient Indian art.

 

The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two religions namely Hinduism and Jainism - suggesting a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains.

 

LOCATION

Khajuraho group of monuments are located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in Chhatarpur District, about 620 kilometres southeast of New Delhi. The temples are in a small town also known as Khajuraho, with a population of about 20,000 people (2001 Census).

 

Khajuraho is served by Khajuraho Airport (IATA Code: HJR), with services to Delhi, Agra and Mumbai. The site is also linked by Indian Railways service, with the railway station approximately six kilometer from the monuments entrance.

 

The monuments are about 10 kilometres off the east-west National Highway 75, and about 50 kilometres from the city of Chhatarpur, that is connected to Bhopal - the state capital - by the SW-NE running National Highway 86.

 

HISTORY

The Khajuraho group of monuments were built during the rule of Rajput Chandela dynasty. The building activity started almost immediately after the rise of their power, throughout their kingdom to be later known as Bundelkhand. Most temples were built during the reigns of the Hindu kings Yashovarman and Dhanga. Yashovarman's legacy is best exhibited by Lakshmana temple. Vishvanatha temple best highlights King Dhanga's reign.:22 The largest and currently most famous surviving temple is Kandariya Mahadeva built in the reign of King Ganda from 1017-1029 CE. The temple inscriptions suggest many of the currently surviving temples were complete between 970 to 1030 CE, with few more temples completed in decades thereafter.

 

The Khajuraho temples were built about 35 miles from the medieval city of Mahoba, the capital of Chandela dynasty, in Kalinjar region. In ancient and medieval literature, their kingdom has been called Jijhoti, Jejahoti, Chih-chi-to and Jejakabhukti.

 

Khajuraho were mentioned by Abu Rihan-al-Biruni, the Persian historian who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni in his raid of Kalinjar in 1022 CE; he mentions Khajuraho as the capital of Jajahuti. The raid was unsuccessful, and a peace accord was reached when the Hindu king agreed to pay a ransom to Mahmud of Ghazni to end the attack and leave.

 

Khajuraho temples were in active use through the end of 12th century. This changed in the 13th century, after the army of Delhi Sultanate, under the command of the Muslim Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak, attacked and seized the Chandela kingdom. About a century later, Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller in his memoirs about his stay in India from 1335 to 1342 CE, mentioned visiting Khajuraho temples, calling them “Kajarra” as follows:

 

...near (Khajuraho) temples, which contain idols that have been mutilated by the Moslems, live a number of yogis whose matted locks have grown as long as their bodies. And on account of extreme asceticism they are all yellow in colour. Many Moslems attend these men in order to take lessons (yoga) from them.

— Ibn Battuta, about 1335 CE, Riḥlat Ibn Baṭūṭah, Translated by Arthur Cotterell

 

Central Indian region, where Khajuraho temples are, remained in the control of many different Muslim dynasties from 13th century through the 18th century. In this period, some temples were desecrated, followed by a long period when they were left in neglect. In 1495 CE, for example, Sikandar Lodi’s campaign of temple destruction included Khajuraho. The remoteness and isolation of Khajuraho protected the Hindu and Jain temples from continued destruction by Muslims. Over the centuries, vegetation and forests overgrew, took over the temples.

 

In the 1830s, local Hindus guided a British surveyor, T.S. Burt, to the temples and they were thus rediscovered by the global audience. Alexander Cunningham later reported, few years after the rediscovery, that the temples were secretly in use by yogis and thousands of Hindus would arrive for pilgrimage during Shivaratri celebrated annually in February or March based on a lunar calendar. In 1852, Maisey prepared earliest drawings of the Khajuraho temples.

 

NOMENCLATURE

The name Khajuraho, or Kharjuravāhaka, is derived from ancient Sanskrit (kharjura, खर्जूर means date palm, and vāhaka, वाहक means "one who carries" or bearer). Local legends state that the temples had two golden date-palm trees as their gate (missing when they were rediscovered). Desai states that Kharjuravāhaka also means scorpion bearer, which is another symbolic name for deity Shiva (who wears snakes and scorpion garlands in his fierce form).

 

Cunningham’s nomenclature and systematic documentation work in 1850s and 1860s have been widely adopted and continue to be in use. He grouped the temples into the Western group around Lakshmana, Eastern group around Javeri, and Southern group around Duladeva.

 

Khajuraho is one of the four holy sites linked to deity Shiva (the other three are Kedarnath, Kashi and Gaya). Its origin and design is a subject of scholarly studies. Shobita Punja has proposed that the temple’s origin reflect the Hindu mythology in which Khajuraho is the place where Shiva got married; with Raghuvamsha verse 5.53, Matangeshvara honoring ‘’Matanga’’, or god of love.

 

DESCRIPTION

The temple site is within Vindhya mountain range in central India. An ancient local legend held that Hindu deity Shiva and other gods enjoyed visiting the dramatic hill formation in Kalinjar area. The center of this region is Khajuraho, set midst local hills and rivers. The temple complex reflects the ancient Hindu tradition of building temples where gods love to play.

 

The temples are clustered near water, another typical feature of Hindu temples. The current water bodies include Sib Sagar, Khajur Sagar (also called Ninora Tal) and Khudar Nadi (river). The local legends state that the temple complex had 64 water bodies, of which 56 have been physically identified by archeologists so far.

 

All temples, except one (Chaturbhuja) face sunrise - another symbolic feature that is predominant in Hindu temples. The relative layout of temples integrate masculine and feminine deities and symbols highlight the interdependence. The art work symbolically highlight the four goals of life considered necessary and proper in Hinduism - dharma, kama, artha and moksha.

 

Of the surviving temples, 6 are dedicated to Shiva and his consorts, 8 to Vishnu and his affinities, 1 to Ganesha, 1 to Sun god, 3 to Jain Tirthanks. For some ruins, there is insufficient evidence to assign the temple to specific deities with confidence.

 

An overall examination of site suggests that the Hindu symbolic mandala design principle of square and circles is present each temple plan and design. Further, the territory is laid out in three triangles that converge to form a pentagon. Scholars suggest that this reflects the Hindu symbolism for three realms or trilokinatha, and five cosmic substances or panchbhuteshvara. The temple site highlights Shiva, the one who destroys and recycles life, thereby controlling the cosmic dance of time, evolution and dissolution.

 

The temples have a rich display of intricately carved statues. While they are famous for their erotic sculpture, sexual themes cover less than 10% of the temple sculpture. Further, most erotic scene panels are neither prominent nor emphasized at the expense of the rest, rather they are in proportional balance with the non-sexual images. The viewer has to look closely to find them, or be directed by a guide. The arts cover numerous aspects of human life and values considered important in Hindu pantheon. Further, the images are arranged in a configuration to express central ideas of Hinduism. All three ideas from Āgamas are richly expressed in Khajuraho temples - Avyakta, Vyaktavyakta and Vyakta.

 

The Beejamandal temple is under excavation. It has been identified with the Vaidyanath temple mentioned in the Grahpati Kokalla inscription.

 

Of all temples, the Matangeshvara temple remains an active site of worship. It is another square grid temple, with a large 2.5 metres high and 1.1 metres diameter lingam, placed on a 7.6 metres diameter platform.

 

The most visited temple, Kandariya Mahadev, has an area of about 6,500 square feet and a shikhara (spire) that rise

s 116 feet.

 

Jain templesThe Jain temples are located on east-southeast region of Khajuraho monuments. Chausath jogini temple features 64 jogini, while Ghantai temple features bells sculptured on its pillars.

 

ARCHITECTURE OF THE TEMPLES

Khajuraho temples, like almost all Hindu temple designs, follow a grid geometrical design called vastu-purusha-mandala. This design plan has three important components - Mandala means circle, Purusha is universal essence at the core of Hindu tradition, while Vastu means the dwelling structure.

 

The design lays out a Hindu temple in a symmetrical, concentrically layered, self-repeating structure around the core of the temple called garbhagriya, where the abstract principle Purusha and the primary deity of the temple dwell. The shikhara, or spire, of the temple rises above the garbhagriya. This symmetry and structure in design is derived from central beliefs, myths, cardinality and mathematical principles.

 

The circle of mandala circumscribe the square. The square is considered divine for its perfection and as a symbolic product of knowledge and human thought, while circle is considered earthly, human and observed in everyday life (moon, sun, horizon, water drop, rainbow). Each supports the other. The square is divided into perfect 64 sub-squares called padas.

 

Most Khajuraho temples deploy the 8x8 padas grid Manduka Vastupurushamandala, with pitha mandala the square grid incorporated in the design of the spires. The primary deity or lingas are located in the grid’s Brahma padas.The architecture is symbolic and reflects the central Hindu beliefs through its form, structure and arrangement of its parts. The mandapas as well as the arts are arranged in the Khajuraho temples in a symmetric repeating patterns, even though each image or sculpture is distinctive in its own way. The relative placement of the images are not random but together they express ideas, just like connected words form sentences and paragraphs to compose ideas. This fractal pattern that is common in Hindu temples. Various statues and panels have inscriptions. Many of the inscriptions on the temple walls are poems with double meanings, something that the complex structure of Sanskrit allows in creative compositions. All Khajuraho temples, except one, face sunrise, and the entrance for the devotee is this east side.

 

Above the vastu-purusha-mandala of each temple is a superstructure with a dome called Shikhara (or Vimana, Spire). Variations in spire design come from variation in degrees turned for the squares. The temple Shikhara, in some literature, is linked to mount Kailash or Meru, the mythical abode of the gods.

 

In each temple, the central space typically is surrounded by an ambulatory for the pilgrim to walk around and ritually circumambulate the Purusa and the main deity. The pillars, walls and ceilings around the space, as well as outside have highly ornate carvings or images of the four just and necessary pursuits of life - kama, artha, dharma and moksa. This clockwise walk around is called pradakshina.

 

Larger Khajuraho temples also have pillared halls called mandapa. One near the entrance, on the east side, serves as the waiting room for pilgrims and devotees. The mandapas are also arranged by principles of symmetry, grids and mathematical precision. This use of same underlying architectural principle is common in Hindu temples found all over India. Each Khajuraho temple is distinctly carved yet also repeating the central common principles in almost all Hindu temples, one which Susan Lewandowski refers to as “an organism of repeating cells”.

 

CONSTRUCTION

The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.

 

The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone, with a granite foundation that is almost concealed from view. The builders didn't use mortar: the stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and they were held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons. Some repair work in the 19th Century was done with brick and mortar; however these have aged faster than original materials and darkened with time, thereby seeming out of place.

 

The Khajuraho and Kalinjar region is home to superior quality of sandstone, which can be precision carved. The surviving sculpture reflect fine details such as strands of hair, manicured nails and intricate jewelry.

 

While recording the television show Lost Worlds (History Channel) at Khajuraho, Alex Evans recreated a stone sculpture under 4 feet that took about 60 days to carve in an attempt to develop a rough idea how much work must have been involved. Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone. They concluded that these temples would have required hundreds of highly trained sculptors.

 

CHRONOLOGY

The Khajuraho group of temples belong to Vaishnavism school of Hinduism, Saivism school of Hinduism and Jainism - nearly a third each. Archaeological studies suggest all three types of temples were under construction at about the same time in late 10th century, and in use simultaneously. Will Durant states that this aspect of Khajuraho temples illustrates the tolerance and respect for different religious viewpoints in the Hindu and Jain traditions. In each group of Khajuraho temples, there were major temples surrounded by smaller temples - a grid style that is observed to varying degrees in Hindu temples in Angkor Wat, Parambaran and South India.

 

The largest surviving Saiva temple is Khandarya Mahadeva, while the largest surviving Vaishnava group includes Chaturbhuja and Ramachandra.

 

Kandarya Mahadeva temple plan is 109 ft in length by 60 ft, and rises 116 ft above ground and 88 ft above its own floor. The central padas are surrounded by three rows of sculptured figures, with over 870 statues, most being half life size (2.5 to 3 feet). The spire is a self repeating fractal structure.

 

TEMPLE NAME - DEITY - YEAR COMPLETED

Chausath Yogini - Devi, 64 Yoginis - 885

Brahma - Vishnu - 925

Lalgun Mahadev - Shiva - 900

Matangeshwar - Shiva - 1000

Varaha - Vishnu - 950

Lakshmana - Vaikuntha Vishnu - 939

Parshvanath - Parshvanath - 954

Visvanatha - Shiva - 999

Devi Jagadambi - Devi, Parvati - 1023

Chitragupta - Sun, Chitragupta - 1023

Kandariya Mahadeva - Shiva - 1029

Vamana - Vamana - 1062

Adinath Jain Temple - Rishabha - 1027

Javeri - Vishnu - 1090

Chaturbhuja - Vishnu - 1110

Duladeo (Duladeva) - Shiva - 1125

Ghantai - Jain Tirthankara - 960

Vishnu-Garuda - Vishnu - 1000

Ganesha - Shiva - 1000

Hanuman - Hanuman - 922

Mahishasuramardini - Devi - 995

 

ARTS AND SCULPTURE

The Khajuraho temples feature a variety of art work, of which 10% is sexual or erotic art outside and inside the temples. Some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. Some scholars suggest these to be tantric sexual practices. Other scholars state that the erotic arts are part of Hindu tradition of treating kama as an essential and proper part of human life, and its symbolic or explicit display is common in Hindu temples. James McConnachie, in his history of the Kamasutra, describes the sexual-themed Khajuraho sculptures as "the apogee of erotic art":

 

"Twisting, broad-hipped and high breasted nymphs display their generously contoured and bejewelled bodies on exquisitely worked exterior wall panels. These fleshy apsaras run riot across the surface of the stone, putting on make-up, washing their hair, playing games, dancing, and endlessly knotting and unknotting their girdles . . Beside the heavenly nymphs are serried ranks of griffins, guardian deities and, most notoriously, extravagantly interlocked maithunas, or lovemaking couples."

 

The temples have several thousand statues and art works, with Kandarya Mahadeva temple alone decorated with over 870. Some 10% of these iconographic carvings contain sexual themes and various sexual poses. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities; however the kama arts represent diverse sexual expressions of different human beings. The vast majority of arts depict various aspects the everyday life, mythical stories as well as symbolic display of various secular and spiritual values important in Hindu tradition. For example, depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians making music, potters, farmers, and other folks in their daily life during the medieval era. These scenes are in the outer padas as is typical in Hindu temples.

 

There is iconographic symbolism embedded in the arts displayed in Khajuraho temples. Core Hindu values are expressed in multitude of ways. Even the Kama scenes, when seen in combination of sculptures that precede and follow, depict the spiritual themes such as moksha. In the words of Stella Kramrisch,

 

This state which is “like a man and woman in close embrace” is a symbol of moksa, final release or reunion of two principles, the essence (Purusha) and the nature (Prakriti).

— Stella Kramrisch, 1976

 

The Khajuraho temples represent one expression of many forms of arts that flourished in Rajput kingdoms of India from 8th through 10th century CE. For example, contemporary with Khajuraho were the publications of poems and drama such as Prabodhacandrodaya, Karpuramanjari, Viddhasalabhanjika and Kavyamimansa. Some of the themes expressed in these literary works are carved as sculpture in Khajuraho temples. Some sculptures at the Khajuraho monuments dedicated to Vishnu include the Vyalas, which are hybrid imaginary animals with lions body, and are found in other Indian temples. Some of these hybrid mythical art work include Vrik Vyala (hybrid of wolf and lion) and Gaja Vyala (hybrid of elephant and lion). These Vyalas may represent syncretic, creative combination of powers innate in the two.

 

TOURISM AND CULTURAL EVENTS

The temples in Khajuraho are broadly divided into three parts : the Eastern group, the Southern Group and the Western group of temples of which the Western group alone has the facility of an Audio guided tour wherein the tourists are guided through the seven eight temples. There is also an audio guided tour developed by the Archaeological Survey of India which includes a narration of the temple history and architecture.

 

The Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every year in February. It features various classical Indian dances set against the backdrop of the Chitragupta or Vishwanath Temples.

 

The Khajuraho temple complex offers a light and sound show every evening. The first show is in English language and the second one in Hindi. It is held in the open lawns in the temple complex, and has received mixed reviews.

 

The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development has set up kiosks at the Khajuraho railway station, with tourist officers to provide information for Khajuraho visitors.

 

WIKIPEDIA

   

a favorite bird to my favorite friend from flicker.

Dedicated to Nadeem Khawar

render #2

***dedicated to my friend

Ft. Wayne, IN

Dedicated this piece for Boy Victory Liner, Hataw_boys and Five Star 8979....

 

Bus No: 945

Year released: 2007

Capacity: 53; 2x2 seating configuration

Route: Dagupan-Pasay via Carmen/Urdaneta/Tarlac/Dau/Panqui

Body: Santarosa Philippines Corp.

Model: 2007EXFOH ordinary series

Engine: Nissan Diesel PF6

Fare: Airconditioned

Aircon System: Denso LD8i overhead a/c

Transmission System: M/T

Driver: Mr. Anthony Arellano

Taken on: July 5, 2008; 4:51pm

Location: Siesta Bus Stop., Brgy. San Roque, Tarlac City, Tarlac

 

Dedicated for KPDK8 =]

This Photograph shows Jackson's Landing, which was dedicated in Memory of Bill & Harriet Jackson who Built their Sporting Goods Store on land adjacent to Freedom Lake Park. Both Bill & Harriet died in the first quarter of 2014. This Photograph shows Jackson's Landing and Freedom Lake.

At Penrose Park in the Southern Highlands of NSW, there is a shrine dedicated to our Lady of Mercy, represented by a replica of the Icon of Our Lady of Jasna Góra, known as the Black Madonna. The Shrine is run by the Order of St. Paul the First Hermit known as the Pauline Fathers. The Pauline Fathers have been custodians of the original Icon of the Black Madonna since 1382.

  

The film opens in Gethsemane at night as Jesus Christ (Caviezel), at the height of his cause, prays while his disciples Peter, James, and John (James's brother) sleep. After he wakes them and tells them to pray, Jesus walks to a secluded portion of the forest wherein during his prayer, Satan appears in a hooded ghost-like androgynous, albino form, and tempts him with reasonable doubt, stating - "it is not right for one man to die for their (humanity's) sins." Ignoring it and praying on, Jesus' sweat turns into blood and drips to the ground while a snake emerges from Satan's guise. Jesus hears his disciples call out for him, and he rebukes Satan by crushing the snake's head with a footstomp, and Satan vanishes.

After receiving a bribe of thirty pieces of silver, Judas Iscariot, another of Jesus' disciples, approaches with a group of temple guards and betrays Jesus (by confirmation of his identity) with a simple kiss on the cheek. As the armed guards move in to arrest Jesus, Peter draws his dagger and slashes off the ear of Malchus, one of the guards and a servant of the high priest Caiaphas. Jesus, in turn, heals the ear as he reprimands Peter for his actions. As the disciples flee, the guards secure Jesus, and beat him during the journey to the Sanhedrin.

John informs Mary (mother of Jesus) and Mary Magdalene of the arrest, while Peter follows Jesus and his captors at a distance. Caiaphas holds trial over the objection of some of the other priests, who are expelled from the court. When questioned by Caiaphas if he is the Son of God, Jesus replies, "I am." Caiaphas is horrified, tears his robes in outrage, and Jesus is condemned to death for blasphemy. Peter, secretly watching, is confronted by the surrounding mob for being a follower of Jesus, and he angrily denies this three times. But after cursing at the mob during the third denial, a sobbing Peter flees after remembering that Jesus had foretold this coping of a defense. Meanwhile, a guilt-ridden Judas attempts to return the money he was paid to have Jesus freed, but is refused by the priests. Tormented by demons, he flees the city, finds solitude, and hangs himself from a tree with a rope he finds on a dead donkey at dawn.

Caiaphas brings Jesus before Pontius Pilate to be condemned to death, but after questioning Jesus and finding no fault, a sympathetic Pilate instead relays him to the court of Herod Antipas, as Jesus is from Antipas' ruling town of Nazareth, Galilee. After Jesus is again found not guilty and returned, Pilate offers the crowd options for either him to chastise Jesus, or release him. He then attempts to have Jesus freed by the peoples' choice, between Jesus and a violent criminal Barabbas. To his dismay, the crowd demands to have Barabbas freed and Jesus killed. In an attempt to appease the moment, Pilate orders that he simply be punished. Jesus is brutally scourged, abused, and mocked by the Roman guards as "king of the Jews" with a crown of thorns. However, Caiaphas, with the crowds' verbal backing, continues to demand that Jesus be crucified as a heretic and Barabbas released. Admonished, Pilate washes his hands, takes no responsibility of the incident, and reluctantly orders Jesus' crucifixion. During the course of events, Satan watches Jesus' bloody sufferings with great interest. A dismayed Pilate watches the march, while his wife Claudia, who knows of Jesus' status as a holy man, comforts him. As Jesus labors to carry a heavy wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa to Calvary, a woman avoids the escort of soldiers, and wipes Jesus' face with her veil. Jesus is beaten and pressed by the guards until the unwilling Simon of Cyrene is forced into carrying the cross with him. At the end of their travel, with his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and others witnessing, Jesus is crucified. The very act seems to affect the weathering condition of the earth itself.

As he hangs from the cross, Jesus prays to God asking forgiveness for the people who did this to him, and redeems a criminal as a saint who is crucified beside him. Succumbing to impending death, Jesus gives up his spirit and dies. A single droplet of rain falls from the sky to the ground, triggering a sudden earthquake which destroys the Holy temple and rips the cloth covering the Holy of Holies in two, to the horror of Caiaphas and the other priests. Satan is shown screaming in agonizing defeat. Jesus' lifeless body is taken down from the cross, and entombed. In the end, the healed body of Jesus rises from the dead, and exits the tomb resurrected.

  

Giovanni Portelli Photography

 

LEGOLAND Windsor a theme park dedicated to children aged 3-12 years old and of course big kid adults.

An inspirational land where the kids are the hero and adults relive their childhood.

The fun never stops and imagination knows no bounds, a family attraction like no other.

Set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland, LEGOLAND Windsor is a unique family theme park with over 55 interactive rides, live shows, building workshops, driving schools and attractions.

It's amazing what can be built with LEGO bricks - nearly 55 million of them!

From comical camels to fearsome fire-breathing dragons, world landmarks to musical pirates, young and old alike will be fascinated by the incredible LEGO models throughout the park.

Fun Facts about LEGOLAND Windsor

There are 34 LEGO pieces in an average Miniland figure.

The largest model in Miniland is the Canary Wharf Tower which is 5.2 metres tall and took 3 model makers 850 hours to complete using 200,000 LEGO Bricks!

The smallest models are the pigeons in Trafalgar Square which contain 5 LEGO bricks each

New in 2011 - Atlantis Submarine Voyage

Take a deep breath and submerge yourself in an underwater adventure.

Plunge into the depths with this world-first LEGO® submarine ride and immerse yourself in a magical underwater adventure.

So what’s New in 2012

STAR WARS MINILAND EXPERIENCE - The Force has arrived at LEGOLAND

Take a trip to a galaxy far, far away at the UK’s only indoor LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland Experience at the LEGOLAND®Windsor Resort. Enjoy seven of the most famous scenes from the six live-action Star Wars movies, as well as a scene from the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ all made out of 1.5 million LEGO® bricks built in 1:20 scale. Follow the chronological path through the Star Wars timeline and retrace the major events of the beloved Saga featuring 2,000 LEGO® models, authentic sounds and lighting effects in the ultimate LEGO®Star Wars experience.

 

LEGOLAND WINDSOR RESORT HOTEL - Now open

 

An exciting LEGO adventure awaits you, as the amazing 150 room, fully themed LEGOLAND Hotel opens at LEGOLAND Windsor RESORT!

Staying overnight at the new LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel is a must for all LEGO fans. From the spectacular dragon-guarded entrance and interactive LEGO features through to the brightly coloured pirate splash pool and fully themed bedrooms, the new hotel will inspire imaginations and create laugh-out loud memories. With dedicated indoor play areas, entertainment and a buffet-style restaurant serving child-friendly meals, it’s the perfect family treat.

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT

 

HBCU Educator Dr. C. Reynold Verret Elected on Proven Record of Leadership

 

New Orleans, LA - The Board of Trustees of Xavier University of Louisiana announced today (5/14/15) that it has unanimously elected Dr. C. Reynold Verret as the university’s next president.

 

“I would like to congratulate and welcome Dr. Verret to the Xavier family,” said Michael Rue, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “While there were a number of highly-qualified candidates, Dr. Verret stood out for his proven leadership and experience expanding enrollment and increasing graduation rates. His record of achievement, personal history, and values set him apart as the clear choice to carry on the ideals that our founder, St. Katharine Drexel, and our longstanding president, Dr. Norman C. Francis, wove into the fabric of this institution.”

 

Dr. Verret is joining Xavier from Savannah State University where he has served as provost and chief academic officer since 2012. The university is recognized as the oldest institution of higher learning in coastal Georgia and the first public Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the state.

 

“I am deeply honored to be elected as the next president of Xavier and am excited to engage the entire Xavier community in envisioning a future that sustains the university’s distinct mission in a changing higher education environment and that responds to societal need,” said Dr. Verret. “Upon arriving in this country as a refugee from Haiti in 1963, I was supported by many who nurtured my love of learning and science and gave me the encouragement and confidence to persevere. During my tenure at Xavier, I will continue paying it forward, helping generations of young people realize their dreams, regardless of their backgrounds.”

verret

Dr. C. Reynold Verret

Dr. Verret is uniquely qualified by his experience, education, and values to guide Xavier’s mission of promoting a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society. His journey from immigrating to the United States as a young boy to guiding institutions of higher education to success has equipped him with distinctive skills and understanding to lead an HBCU in general, and Xavier in particular.

 

“From its beginning, Xavier has been dedicated to empowerment of the underserved and voiceless through education, which is a vital instrument of societal strength and justice. In this regard, Xavier’s purpose remains relevant, and I am eager to sustain and strengthen it,” said Dr. Verret. “I have been shaped by the encounter of faith and reason, as a student of the Jesuits at the former Brooklyn Preparatory, of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and before then, by the Fathers of the Holy Spirit.”

 

Dr. Verret was identified through a national search that followed the September 2014 announcement that Dr. Francis would be retiring on June 30, 2015. During this period, the field of potential candidates was narrowed from an initial pool of more than 300.

 

This is the first time the Xavier Board of Trustees has ever selected a new president. In 1968, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the religious order that established the university in 1925, promoted Dr. Francis to the post of president. He was the first lay, first male, and first African American head of the university.

 

“This is one of the most important decisions that the Xavier Board of Trustees has ever had to make, and we made it fully knowing its significance to the future of Xavier and the nation. We remain deeply thankful to the Xavier community for the valuable guidance they have provided us over the course of this most important endeavor. The unanimous election of Dr. Verret is an indicator that the Xavier community’s voice was heard loud and clear,” said Gladstone Jones, III, who chaired Xavier’s Presidential Search Committee.

 

Following the Search Committee’s recommendation, Dr. Francis met Dr. Verret just prior to the vote by the Board of Trustees.

 

“I am most pleased to welcome Dr. Verret to Xavier. I have complete confidence that the Board of Trustees made a wise decision, and I know that Dr. Verret will carry on the mission and values of this institution far into the future,” said Dr. Francis, who is retiring after more than 56 years of service to Xavier with 47 years as its president.

 

“The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament celebrate the appointment of Dr. C. Reynold Verret. We are confident that the depth and breadth of his experience as well as his appreciation of Xavier's unique mission and Catholic identity have well prepared him to be its next great president,” said Sr. Patricia Suchalski, president of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.

 

Dr. Verret earned his undergraduate degree cum laude in biochemistry from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was also a postdoctoral fellow at the Howard Hughes Institute for Immunology at Yale University and at the Center for Cancer Research at MIT.

 

As a biochemist, his research interests have included the cytotoxicity of immune cells, biosensors, and biomarkers. He has published in the fields of biological chemistry and immunology.

 

A Proven Leader in Higher Education

In addition to his current role at Savannah State, Dr. Verret has also served as provost at Wilkes University in Northern Pennsylvania and as the dean of the Misher College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Dr. Verret has encouraged development of educational programs for undergraduate and graduate students in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. As an administrator, teacher, scholar, and mentor, he brings to Xavier rich experience in and knowledge of higher education.

 

“I am very pleased Dr. Verret has been selected for this phenomenal opportunity. While his departure is a loss for Savannah State University, he is a proven leader in higher education and is definitely prepared to uphold and advance the strong legacy of the legendary Xavier University,” said Dr. Cheryl D. Dozier, president of Savannah State University.

 

As provost of Savannah State University, Dr. Verret worked closely with the university president and cabinet to achieve the school’s vision and strategic goals, and he has provided leadership to ensure that the university’s priorities were addressed and implemented. He led the university’s initiatives to build enrollment, enhance the quality and diversity of academic programs and to create cooperative relationships with neighboring institutions and with international partners. He contributed to the university’s advancement efforts by shaping its goals and cultivating donors.

 

At Wilkes University and the University of the Sciences, he led revisions of general education curricula, oversaw accreditations, developed international programs, established collaborative agreements with neighboring institutions at the K-12 and higher education levels, instituted new state-approved academic programs, promoted interdisciplinary efforts between the humanities and sciences, and planned new facilities.

 

He has served on the boards of numerous professional organizations and advisory bodies, including those of the National Institutes of Health, the Board of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, and the Georgia Coastal Indicators Coalition. He has received awards and fellowships for teaching and scholarship.

 

An Authority in STEM Education

As a scientist, Dr. Verret will build on Xavier’s strong standing in graduating students in the STEM fields. He has helped develop programs to prepare STEM teachers, secure tuition support for teacher certification in STEM fields, and affirm joint instructional and research programs. He has promoted global initiatives in public health and on international science efforts, and as chair of the Chemistry department at Clark Atlanta University, he increased research efforts representing more than $9.7 million of extramural funding.

 

A Champion for Liberal Arts and Humanities

Throughout his career, Dr. Verret has worked to build bridges across disciplines, recognizing that the significant questions and societal challenges require knowledge and analysis across many fields. He has promoted interdisciplinary curricula between Liberal Arts, Humanities and Sciences that address the interplay of culture, science, and society and prepare students in all disciplines for leadership roles.

 

An Experienced Educator

Dr. Verret has served on the faculty at Tulane University, the Misher College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Sciences, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Clark Atlanta University, in addition to holding academic appointments as professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Savannah State University and Wilkes University.

 

About Xavier University of Louisiana

Xavier University of Louisiana, founded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, is Catholic and historically Black. The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society. This preparation takes place in a diverse learning and teaching environment that incorporates all relevant educational means, including research and community service.

 

Xavier is recognized as the top producer of African American undergraduates continuing to complete medical school and one of the top three producers of African American Doctor of Pharmacy degree recipients. Xavier ranks first nationally in the number of African American students earning undergraduate degrees in biology and life sciences, chemistry, physics and pharmacy.

 

About HBCUs

According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, there are more than 100 HBCUs in the United States that enroll nearly 400,000 students per year. HBCUs represent 3 percent of colleges and universities, yet graduate 20 percent of African Americans with undergraduate degrees –and 25 percent of African Americans with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields.

Banteay Srei or Banteay Srey (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយស្រី) is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor in Cambodia. It lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom. Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction. These factors have made the temple extremely popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a "precious gem", or the "jewel of Khmer art."

 

HISTORY

FOUNDATION & DEDICATION

Consecrated on 22 April 967 A.D., Bantãy Srĕi was the only major temple at Angkor not built by a monarch; its construction is credited to a courtier named Yajnavaraha / Yajñavarāha (modern Khmer: យជ្ញវរាហៈ), who served as a counsellor to king Rajendravarman II (modern Khmer: ព្រះបាទរាជេន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន).The foundational stela says that Yajnavaraha, grandson of king Harsavarman I, was a scholar and philanthropist who helped those who suffered from illness, injustice, or poverty. His pupil was the future king Jayavarman V (r. 968- ca. 1001). Originally, the temple was surrounded by a town called Īśvarapura.

 

Yajñavarāha's temple was primarily dedicated to the Hindu god Śiva. Originally, it was carried the name Tribhuvanamaheśvara - great lord of the threefold world - in reference to the Shaivite linga that served as its central religious image. However, the temple buildings appear to be divided along the central east-west axis between those buildings located south of the axis, which are devoted to Śiva, and those north of the axis, which are devoted to Viṣṇu.

 

The temple's modern name, Bantãy Srĕi - citadel of the women, or citadel of beauty - is probably related to the intricacy of the bas relief carvings found on the walls and the tiny dimensions of the buildings themselves. Some have speculated that it relates to the many devatas carved into the walls of the buildings.

 

EXPANSION & REDICATION

Bantãy Srĕi was subject to further expansion and rebuilding work in the eleventh century. At some point it came under the control of the king and had its original dedication changed; the inscription K 194 from Phnoṃ Sandak, dated Monday, the 14th or 28 July 1119 A.D. records (line B 13) the temple being given to the priest Divākarapaṇḍita and being rededicated to Śiva. It remained in use at least until the fourteenth century according to the last known inscription K 569, dated Thursday, 8 August 1303 A.D.

 

RESTAURATION

The temple was rediscovered only in 1914, and was the subject of a celebrated case of art theft when André Malraux stole four devatas in 1923 (he was soon arrested and the figures returned). The incident stimulated interest in the site, which was cleared the following year, and in the 1930s Banteay Srei was restored through the first important use of anastylosis at Angkor whereby a ruined building or monument is restored using the original architectural elements to the greatest degree possible. Until the discovery of the foundation stela in 1936, it had been assumed that the extreme decoration indicated a later date than was in fact the case. To prevent the site from water damage, the joint Cambodian-Swiss Banteay Srei Conservation Project installed a drainage system between 2000 and 2003. Measures were also taken to prevent damage to the temples walls from nearby trees.

Unfortunately, the temple has been ravaged by pilfering and vandalism. When toward the end of the 20th century authorities removed some original statues and replaced them with concrete replicas, looters took to attacking the replicas. A statue of Shiva and his shakti Uma, removed to the National Museum in Phnom Penh for safekeeping, was assaulted in the museum itself.

 

MATERIALS & STYLE

Banteay Srei is built largely of a hard red sandstone that can be carved like wood. Brick and laterite were used only for the enclosure walls and some structural elements. The temple is known for the beauty of its sandstone lintels and pediments.

 

A pediment is the roughly triangular space above a rectangular doorway or openings. At Banteay Srei, pediments are relatively large in comparison to the openings below, and take a sweeping gabled shape. For the first time in the history of Khmer architecture, whole scenes of mythological subject-matter are depicted on the pediments.

 

A lintel is a horizontal beam spanning the gap between two posts. Some lintels serve a structural purpose, serving to support the weight of the superstructure, while others are purely decorative in purpose. The lintels at Banteay Srei are beautifully carved, rivalling those of the 9th century Preah Ko style in quality.

 

Noteworthy decorative motifs include the kala (a toothy monster symbolic of time), the guardian dvarapala (an armed protector of the temple) and devata (demi-goddess), the false door, and the colonette. Indeed, decorative carvings seem to cover almost every available surface. According to pioneering Angkor scholar Maurice Glaize, "Given the very particular charm of Banteay Srei – its remarkable state of preservation and the excellence of a near perfect ornamental technique – one should not hesitate, of all the monuments of the Angkor group, to give it the highest priority." At Banteay Srei, wrote Glaize, "the work relates more closely to the art of the goldsmith or to carving in wood than to sculpture in stone".

 

THE SITE

The site consists of three concentric rectangular enclosures constructed on an east-west axis. A causeway situated on the axis leads from an outer gopura, or gate, to the third or outermost of the three enclosures. The inner enclosure contains the sanctuary, consisting of an entrance chamber and three towers, as well as two buildings conventionally referred to as libraries.

 

THE OUTER GOPURA

The gopura is all that remains of the outer wall surrounding the town of Isvapura. The wall is believed to have measured approximately 500 m square, and may have been constructed of wood. The gopura's eastern pediment shows Indra, who was associated with that direction, mounted on his three-headed elephant Airavata. The 67 m causeway with the remains of corridors on either side connects the gopura with the third enclosure. North and south of this causeway are galleries with a north-south orientation.

 

THE THIRD (OUTER) ENCLOSURE

The third enclosure is 95 by 110 m; it is surrounded by a laterite wall breached by gopuras at the eastern and western ends. Neither pediment of the eastern gopura is in situ. The west-facing pediment is now located in the Musée Guimet in Paris. It depicts a scene from the Mahabhārata in which the Asura brothers Sunda and Upasunda fight over the Apsara Tilottama. The east-facing pediment is lying on the ground. It depicts a scene from the Rāmāyaṇa in which a demon seizes Rama's wife Sita. Most of the area within the third enclosure is occupied by a moat divided into two parts by causeways to the east and west.

 

THE SECOND ENCLOSURE

The second enclosure sits between an outer laterite wall measuring 38 by 42 m, with gopuras at the eastern and western ends, and a brick inner enclosure wall, measuring 24 by 24 m. The western gopura features an interesting bas relief depicting the duel of the monkey princes Vāli and Sugriva, as well as Rāma's intervention on Sugrīva's behalf. The inner enclosure wall has collapsed, leaving a gopura at the eastern end and a brick shrine at the western. The eastern pediment of the gopura shows Śiva Nataraja; the west-facing pediment has an image of Durga. Likewise, the laterite galleries which once filled the second enclosure (one each to north and south, two each to east and west) have partially collapsed. A pediment on one of the galleries shows the lion-man Narasiṃha clawing the demon Hiranyakashipu.

 

THE FIRST (INNER) ENCLOSURE

Between the gopuras on the collapsed inner wall are the buildings of the inner enclosure: a library in the south-east corner and another in the north-east corner, and in the centre the sanctuary set on a T-shaped platform 0.9 m high. Besides being the most extravagantly decorated parts of the temple, these have also been the most successfully restored (helped by the durability of their sandstone and their small scale). In 2010, the first enclosure is open to visitors again, but the inner temples are roped off and inaccessible.

 

THE LIBRARIES

The two libraries are of brick, laterite and sandstone. Each library has two pediments, one on the eastern side and one on the western. According to Maurice Glaize, the four library pediments, "representing the first appearance of tympanums with scenes, are works of the highest order. Superior in composition to any which followed, they show true craftsmanship in their modelling in a skilful blend of stylisation and realism."

 

The east-facing pediment on the southern library shows Śiva seated on the summit of Mount Kailāsa, his mythological abode. His consort Umā sits on his lap and clings anxiously to his torso. Other beings are also present on the slopes of the mountain, arranged in a strict hierarchy of three tiers from top to bottom. In the top tier sit bearded wise men and ascetics, in the middle tier mythological figures with the heads of animals and the bodies of humans, and in the bottom tier large animals, including a number of lions. In the middle of the scene stands the ten-headed demon king Rāvaṇa. He is shaking the mountain in its very foundations as the animals flee from his presence and as the wise men and mythological beings discuss the situation or pray. According to the legend, Śiva stopped Rāvaṇa from shaking the mountain by using his toe to press down on the mountain and to trap Rāvana underneath for 1000 years.

 

The west-facing pediment on southern library shows Śiva again seated on the summit of Mount Kailāsa. He is looking to his left at the god of love Kāma, who is aiming an arrow at him. Umā sits to Śiva's right; he is handing her a chain of beads. The slopes of the mountain are crowded with other beings, again arranged in a strict hierarchy from top to bottom. Just under Śiva sit a group of bearded wise men and ascetics, under whom the second tier is occupied by the mythological beings with the heads of animals and the bodies of humans; the lowest tier belongs the common people, who mingle sociably with tame deer and a large gentle bull. According to the legend, Kāma fired an arrow at Śiva in order to cause Śiva to take an interest in Umā. Śiva, however, was greatly angered by this provocation, and punished Kāma by gazing upon him with his third eye, frying Kāma to cinders.

 

The east-facing pediment on the northern library shows the god of the sky Indra creating rain to put out a forest fire started by the god of fire Agni for purposes of killing the nāga king Takshaka who lived in Khandava Forest. The Mahābhāratan heroes Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are shown helping Agni by firing a dense hail of arrows to block Indra's rain. Takṣaka's son Aśvasena is depicted attempting to escape from the conflagration, while other animals stampede about in panic.

 

The west-facing pediment on the southern library depicts Kṛṣṇa slaying his wicked uncle Kamsa.

 

THE SANCTUARY

The sanctuary is entered from the east by a doorway only 1.08 m in height: inside is an entrance chamber (or maṇḍapa) with a corbelled brick roof, then a short corridor leading to three towers to the west: the central tower is the tallest, at 9.8 m. Glaize notes the impression of delicacy given the towers by the antefixes on each of their tiers. The six stairways leading up to the platform were each guarded by two kneeling statues of human figures with animal heads; most of those now in place are replicas, the originals having been stolen or removed to museums.

___________________________

 

Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. The Angkorian period began in AD 802, when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself a universal monarch and god-king, and lasted until the late 14th century, first falling under Ayutthayan suzerainty in 1351. A Khmer rebellion resulted in the 1431 sacking of Angkor by Ayutthaya, causing its population to migrate south to Longvek.

 

The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonlé Sap) and south of the Kulen Hills, near modern-day Siem Reap city, in Siem Reap Province. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, said to be the world's largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored, and together, they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture. Visitor numbers approach two million annually, and the entire expanse, including Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom is collectively protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This popularity of the site among tourists presents multiple challenges to the preservation of the ruins.

 

In 2007, an international team of researchers using satellite photographs and other modern techniques concluded that Angkor had been the largest preindustrial city in the world, with an elaborate infrastructure system connecting an urban sprawl of at least 1,000 square kilometres to the well-known temples at its core. The closest rival to Angkor, the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala, was between 100 and 150 square kilometres in total size. Although its population remains a topic of research and debate, newly identified agricultural systems in the Angkor area may have supported up to one million people.

 

The Angkorian period may be said to have begun shortly after 800 AD, when the Khmer King Jayavarman II announced the independence of Kambujadesa (Cambodia) from Java and established his capital of Hariharalaya (now known as Roluos) at the northern end of Tonlé Sap. Through a program of military campaigns, alliances, marriages and land grants, he achieved a unification of the country bordered by China to the north, Champa (now Central Vietnam) to the east, the ocean to the south and a place identified by a stone inscription as the land of cardamoms and mangoes to the west. In 802, Jayavarman articulated his new status by declaring himself universal monarch and, in a move that was to be imitated by his successors and that linked him to the cult of Siva, taking on the epithet of god-king (devaraja). Before Jayavarman, Cambodia had consisted of a number of politically independent principalities collectively known to the Chinese by the names Funan and Chenla.

 

In 889, Yasovarman ascended to the throne. A great king and an accomplished builder, he was celebrated by one inscription as "a lion-man; he tore the enemy with the claws of his grandeur; his teeth were his policies; his eyes were the Veda." Near the old capital of Hariharalaya, Yasovarman constructed a new city, called Yasodharapura. In the tradition of his predecessors, he also constructed a massive reservoir called baray. The significance of such reservoirs has been debated by modern scholars, some of whom have seen in them a means of irrigating rice fields, and others of whom have regarded them as religiously charged symbols of the great mythological oceans surrounding Mount Meru, the abode of the gods. The mountain, in turn, was represented by an elevated temple, in which the "god-king" was represented by a lingam. In accordance with this cosmic symbolism, Yasovarman built his central temple on a low hill known as Phnom Bakheng, surrounding it with a moat fed from the baray. He also built numerous other Hindu temples and ashrams, or retreats for ascetics.

 

Over the next 300 years, between 900 and 1200, the Khmer Empire produced some of the world's most magnificent architectural masterpieces in the area known as Angkor. Most are concentrated in an area approximately 24 km east to west and 8.0 km north to south, although the Angkor Archaeological Park, which administers the area, includes sites as far away as Kbal Spean, about 48 km to the north. Some 72 major temples or other buildings are found within this area, and the remains of several hundred additional minor temple sites are scattered throughout the landscape beyond. Because of the dispersed, low-density nature of the medieval Khmer settlement pattern, Angkor lacks a formal boundary, and its extent is therefore difficult to determine. However, a specific area of at least 1,000 qkm beyond the major temples is defined by a complex system of infrastructure, including roads and canals that indicate a high degree of connectivity and functional integration with the urban core. In terms of spatial extent (although not in terms of population), this makes it the largest urban agglomeration in human history prior to the Industrial Revolution, easily surpassing the nearest claim, that of the Mayan city of Tikal.

 

The principal temple of the Angkorian region, Angkor Wat, was built between 1113 and 1150 by King Suryavarman II. Suryavarman ascended to the throne after prevailing in a battle with a rival prince. An inscription says that, in the course of combat, Suryavarman leapt onto his rival's war elephant and killed him, just as the mythical bird-man Garuda slays a serpent.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Dedicated to grandma Eleanor (Eleanor WHU - www.flickr.com/photos/elcog2010/) as she likes so much white flowers and... the Kyoto Garden at Holland Park London

 

- Dahlia habillé en blanc

You're flying higher and higher.

Entrevista a Moss para el Canal de TV "Yo no tengo novia", dedicado a los videojuegos.

 

- Entrevistador: ¿Como te sientes al ser el gran triunfador de la Feria Internacional de Máquinas Recreativas y Videojuegos"?

 

- Moss: Triunfador.

 

- Entrevistador: Por que le has llamado Fanboy a tu máquina.

 

- Moss: Para homenajear a unos amigos que tienen un blog sobre videojuegos, ya que ellos me dieron la idea de tal desarrollo.

 

- Entrevistador: Bueno Moss ya se me acaba el tiempo que tu manager me ha dado para la entrevista, sólo quiero desearte lo mejor en esta nueva andadura.

 

- Moss: Muchas gracias!!!!... Emmm ... un momentito... quiero mandar un saludo a Big Chief, a Jay, a Bob, a mi madre, a mi padre, a mis sobrinos, amigos de clan, ........

 

..... 5 minutos más tarde... al quiosquero, a mi tortuga Roberto y ya está.

   

Strobist info: Flas KF36 a 1/16 con Snoot y tela difusora apuntando a Moss desde la derecha de la cámara, un YN460 a 1/16 con bote de pringles y tela difusora apuntando a la máquina desde arriba en diagonal.

  

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English versión:

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Moss' interview for the "Haven't got a girlfriend" TV channel, dedicated to videogames.

 

- Interviewer: How do you feel, being the big star of the International Videogame and Arcade Show?

 

- Moss: Big Star.

 

- Interviewer: Whay did you name your machine Fanboy?.

 

- Moss: To acknowledge some friends that have a blog on videogames, as they gave me the idea for its development.

 

- Interviewer: Well, Moss, the time your manager gave me to interview you is running out, so I just would like to wish you the best of luck for your future.

 

- Moss: Thank you!!!!... mmm... just a moment... I would like to say hello to Big Chief, Jay, Bob, my mother, my father, my nephews, fellow clan members...

 

..... [5 minutes later] the kiosk owner, mi tortoise Robert and that is all.

   

Paper Toys:

Moss

Máquina recreativa

LEGOLAND Windsor a theme park dedicated to children aged 3-12 years old and of course big kid adults.

An inspirational land where the kids are the hero and adults relive their childhood.

The fun never stops and imagination knows no bounds, a family attraction like no other.

Set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland, LEGOLAND Windsor is a unique family theme park with over 55 interactive rides, live shows, building workshops, driving schools and attractions.

It's amazing what can be built with LEGO bricks - nearly 55 million of them!

From comical camels to fearsome fire-breathing dragons, world landmarks to musical pirates, young and old alike will be fascinated by the incredible LEGO models throughout the park.

Fun Facts about LEGOLAND Windsor

There are 34 LEGO pieces in an average Miniland figure.

The largest model in Miniland is the Canary Wharf Tower which is 5.2 metres tall and took 3 model makers 850 hours to complete using 200,000 LEGO Bricks!

The smallest models are the pigeons in Trafalgar Square which contain 5 LEGO bricks each

New in 2011 - Atlantis Submarine Voyage

Take a deep breath and submerge yourself in an underwater adventure.

Plunge into the depths with this world-first LEGO® submarine ride and immerse yourself in a magical underwater adventure.

So what’s New in 2012

STAR WARS MINILAND EXPERIENCE - The Force has arrived at LEGOLAND

Take a trip to a galaxy far, far away at the UK’s only indoor LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland Experience at the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort. Enjoy seven of the most famous scenes from the six live-action Star Wars movies, as well as a scene from the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ all made out of 1.5 million LEGO® bricks built in 1:20 scale. Follow the chronological path through the Star Wars timeline and retrace the major events of the beloved Saga featuring 2,000 LEGO® models, authentic sounds and lighting effects in the ultimate LEGO® Star Wars experience.

 

LEGOLAND WINDSOR RESORT HOTEL - Now open

 

An exciting LEGO adventure awaits you, as the amazing 150 room, fully themed LEGOLAND Hotel opens at LEGOLAND Windsor RESORT!

Staying overnight at the new LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel is a must for all LEGO fans. From the spectacular dragon-guarded entrance and interactive LEGO features through to the brightly coloured pirate splash pool and fully themed bedrooms, the new hotel will inspire imaginations and create laugh-out loud memories. With dedicated indoor play areas, entertainment and a buffet-style restaurant serving child-friendly meals, it’s the perfect family treat.