Dedicated private donors and corporate community partners like Albemarle have resulted in improved amenities around Magnolia, including its new downtown pocket park.

'Shout' by Glyn Williams at Margam Sculpture Park in Wales.

Canon F-1 / Angénieux 35-70mm f2.5-3.3 / Fujifilm Fujicolor 400

Muktesvara deula is a 10th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India. The temple dates back to 970 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.

HISTORY

The Mukteswar Temple is found to be the earliest work from the Somvamsi period. Most scholars believe the temple is the successor to Parsurameswar 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 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. The Somavamsi king Yayati I contributed to the building of the temple.

ARCHITECTURE

This architecture is one of the basic reasons why Mukteswar 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.

PORCH

The most important feature of the Mukteswar 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 skillfully 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 southwestern corner. A dip in the well is believed to cure infertility in women. There are other shrines within the temple coomplex 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

Muktesvara 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 center for Tantric initiation with the name Muktesvara 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 Saivism). 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 Ashokastami 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

Dedicated to Davide Fiore, a friend, a brother, miss you.

Dedicated to the memory of my mentor, my teacher, my friend,

Attachment theory describes several behavioural systems, the function of which is to regulate human attachment, fear, exploration, care-giving, peer-affiliation and sex. Attachment is defined as any form of behaviour that results in a person attaining and retaining proximity to a differentiated other. The primary caregiver is the source of the infants stress regulation and, therefore, sense of safety and security. Attachment theory emphasises the role of the parent as mediator, reflector and moderator of the childs mind and the childs reliance on the parent to respond to their affective states in ways that are contingent to their internal experience, a process often referred to as secure base/safe haven functioning. Within the close parent-child relationship neural networks dedicated to feelings of safety and danger, attachment and the core sense of self are sculpted and shaped. These networks are conceptualised as internal working models of attachment.

Characteristic patterns of interaction operating within the familys caregiving-attachment system give rise to secure, insecure and disorganized patterns of attachment. These discrete patterns have been categorized using the Strange Situation research procedure, which observes the young childs behaviour when separated and reunited with his or her primary caregiver. Attachment patterns are represented in the childs internal working models of self-other relationships. Secure attachment is promoted by the interactive regulation of affect, which facilitates the recognition, labelling and evaluation of emotional and intentional states in the self and in others, a capacity known as reflective function or mentalization. The recognition of affects as having dynamic, transactional properties is the key to understanding behaviour in oneself and in another. The child comes to recognize his or her mental states as meaningful self-states via a process of parental affect mirroring and marking. Secure children are able to use sophisticated cognitive strategies to integrate and resolve their fear of separation and loss.

When the parent is unavailable, inconsistent or unpredictable, the infant develops one of two organized insecure patterns of attachment: avoidant or ambivalent-resistant. These defensive strategies involve either the deactivation or hyper-activation of the attachment system. Deactivation is characterized by avoidance of the caregiver and by emotional detachment. In effect, the avoidant child immobilizes the attachment system by excluding thoughts and feelings that normally activate the system. Hyper-activation is manifested by an enmeshed ambivalent preoccupation with the caregiver and with negative emotions, particularly anger. However, in common with the avoidant child, the ambivalent child appears to cognitively disconnect feelings from the situation that elicited the distress. Disorganised-disoriented attachment is discussed below.

Attachment research, then, demonstrates that discrete patterns of secure, insecure, and disorganized attachment have as their precursor a specific pattern of caregiver-infant interaction and their own behavioural sequelae. Repeated patterns of interpersonal experience are encoded in implicit-procedural memory and conceptualized as self-other working models of attachment. These mental models consist of generalized beliefs and expectations about relationships between the self and key attachment figures, not the least of which concerns ones worthiness to receive love and care from others.

In sum, the care-giving environment generally, and the infant-caregiver attachment relationship particularly, initiate the child along one of an array of potential developmental pathways. Disturbance of attachment is the outcome of a series of deviations that take the child increasingly further from adaptive functioning. Child abuse and cumulative developmental trauma violate the childs sense of trust, identity and agency and have pernicious and seminal influences on the developing personality. In essence, internal working models of early attachment relationships provide the templates for psychopathology in later life, which may include violent, destructive and self-destructive forms of behaviour. In attachment theory, the main purpose of defence is the regulation of emotions. The primary mechanisms for achieving this are distance regulation and the defensive exclusion of thoughts and feelings associated with attachment trauma.

Early trauma in the form of abuse, loss, neglect and severe parent-child misattunement compromises brain-mediated functions such as attachment, empathy and affect regulation. From an attachment theory perspective, patterns of attachment are encoded and stored as generalized relational patterns in the systems of implicit memory. These are conceptualized as cognitive-affective internal working models which are seen as mediating how we think and feel about ourselves, others and the relationships we develop. Although open to change and modification in the light of new attachment experiences, whether positive or negative, these non-conscious procedural models, scripts or schemas within which early stress and trauma are retained, tend to persevere and guide, appraise and predict attachment-related thoughts, feelings and behaviours throughout the life cycle via the implicit memory system. Psychopathology is seen as deriving from an accumulation of maladaptive interactional patterns that result in character traits and personality types and disorders.

Disorganised attachment may occur when the childs parent is both the source of fear and the only protective figure to whom to turn to resolve stress and anxiety. In such instances, neither proximity seeking nor proximity avoiding is a solution to the activation of the childs attachment and fear behavioural systems. If the trauma remains unresolved and is carried into adulthood, it leaves the individual vulnerable to affect dysregulation in interpersonal conflict situations that induce fear, hate, shame and rage. In such cases, alcohol and illicit drugs are often resorted to as a maladaptive means of suppressing dreaded psychobiological states and restoring a semblance of affective equilibrium.

Findings show that disorganised attachment developed in infancy shifts to controlling behaviour in the older child and adult, reflecting an internalized mental model of the self as unlovable, unworthy of care and support, and fearful of rejection, betrayal and abandonment. Disorganised attachment is associated with a predisposition to relational violence, to dissociative states and conduct disorders in children and adolescents, and to personality disorders in adults. This state of mind constitutes a primary risk factor for the development of borderline, anti-social and sociopathic personality disorders. The rate of such disorders in forensic settings is particularly high. Clinically, dissociated traumatic experience is unsymbolized by thought and language, being encapsulated within the personality as a separate, non-reflective reality which is cut off from authentic human relatedness. The information contained in implicit memory may be retrieved by state-dependent moods and situations. Dissociated archaic internal working models are then activated, influencing and distorting expectations of current events and relationships outside of conscious awareness, particularly in situations involving intense interpersonal stress. In such situations, the self is felt to be endangered, thereby increasing the risk of an angry and potentially violent reaction.

Joseph Stella ( 1877 – 1946 )

Pyrotechnic Fires - 1919

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Joseph Stella: Visionary Nature

February 24 – May 21, 2023

Italian-born American modernist Joseph Stella (1877–1946) is primarily recognized for his dynamic Futurist-inspired paintings of New York, especially the Brooklyn Bridge and Coney Island. Lesser known, but equally as ambitious, is his work dedicated to the natural world, a theme that served as a lifelong inspiration. Throughout his career, Stella produced an extraordinary number of works—in many formats and in diverse media—that take nature as their subject. These lush and colorful works are filled with flowers, trees, birds, and fish—some of which he encountered on his travels across continents or during his visits to botanical gardens, while others are abstracted and fantastical. Through these pictures, he created a rich and variegated portrait of nature, a sanctuary for a painter in a modern world.

Joseph Stella: Visionary Nature is co-organized by the High and the Brandywine River Museum of Art and is the first major museum exhibition to exclusively examine Stella’s nature-based works. The exhibition features more than one hundred paintings and works on paper that reveal the complexity and spirituality that drove Stella’s nature-based works and the breadth of his artistic vision. Through expanded in-gallery didactics, including a graphic timeline of Stella’s career and a short film, the exhibition digs deeply into the context of the works, exploring their inspirations, meanings, and stylistic influences.

Touring Dates:

Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida (October 15, 2022–January 15, 2023)

Brandywine Museum of Art, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania (June 17, 2023–September 24, 2023)

www.nytimes.com/2022/11/30/arts/design/joseph-stella-flor...

www.forbes.com/sites/natashagural/2022/12/21/joseph-stell...

www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/joseph-stel...

If you know the painter Joseph Stella, it’s probably from his famous urban landscapes like Brooklyn Bridge (1921), a futurist interpretation of New York’s dramatic 20th-century industrialization. But Stella was just as captivated by the botanical world as he was by cityscapes, and today, Atlantans can see that side of the artist in vivid color. Joseph Stella: Visionary Nature, an explosive new exhibit at the High Museum of Art, features dozens of his flower and plant-filled paintings and drawings. In Atlanta through May 21, the exhibit travels chronologically through Stella’s lifelong love-affair with the natural world, from an early study of a piece of bark to the epic, intricate Tree of My Life.

Visionary Nature was a joint effort between the High; the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach, Florida; and the Brandywine Museum in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, where it heads next. “They were really focused on [Stella’s] nature works, and we have a great work by Stella here at the High,” said Stephanie Heydt, the museum’s Margaret and Terry Stent Curator of American Art. “It was a great collaboration.”

Stella was born in 1877 in Muro Lucano, a hilly city in southern Italy. He immigrated to New York originally intending to follow his brother into medicine, but after a uninspired stint in medical school, he pivoted to painting. Stella studied briefly under the impressionist painter William Merritt Chase at the New York School of Art and soon developed a reputation as a sensitive interpreter of the urban working class.

The High’s exhibit features of some of these early works, in which the natural world spills out amidst the smokestacks and steel mills of America’s industrial revolution. “This is the Progressive Era at the turn of the twentieth century,” Heydt explained. “And he’s looking at the people in his own community, specifically the Italian immigrants.”

Traveling back in Europe, Stella was inspired by the contemporary artists he saw there: the cubism of Pablo Picasso and early futurism of Umberto Boccioni. He drew on these sources back in the U.S, earning acclaim for his dynamic geometric paintings of the metropolis; several choice selections, including American Landscape (1929), and Smoke Stacks (1921), are on view in this exhibit.

But even as Stella built his career on the towering achievements of urban industry, he yearned for the sunny landscapes of his youth. He frequented havens like the Bronx Botanical Gardens, which opened in 1891 and offered escape from New York’s sooty streets. Walking through Brooklyn one day, he later wrote in an essay, he stumbled across a sapling.

“This little tree is coming up from a crack in the sidewalk, shadowed by a factory, and he sees himself in this tree,” Heydt said. “He says, This is me.”

That encounter inspired Tree of My Life (1919) a florid aria sung to the natural world. A sturdy olive tree—Stella himself—anchors the canvas, surrounded by a vortex of tropical plants, birds, and, in the background, Stella’s native Italian hills. Brandywine Museum Director Thomas Padon envisaged the exhibit after seeing Tree of My Life in a private collection. “I was transfixed,” Padon told the New York Times.

Stella painted Tree of My Life and Brooklyn Bridge within a year of each other, announcing a duality that would define the rest of this career. While he painted flowers throughout his life, it was his moody, futurist treatments of New York that made him an art-world celebrity. European artists fleeing World War I were landing in New York in droves, sparking a new creative fascination with the cutting-edge American city. “(Marcel) Duchamp says the art of Europe is dead, and this century is about America,” explained Heydt. “Stella’s understood to be one of the first American-based painters to figure out . . . how to paint the new modern city.”

But Stella’s love of the natural world—and of Europe—endured. He returned to botanical themes throughout his life, infused with the Old Master styles of the Italian Renaissance. Many works in this exhibit invoke the sun-drenched vistas and towering cathedrals of Italy, overrun by sumptuous flowers that are decidedly not native to the Iberian peninsula. Stella—a native turned immigrant—seems to delight in the contradiction: in Dance of Spring (1924), tropical orchids and calla lilies burst open in a beam of beatific light, like Jesus rising to the heavens in a Raphael. Purissima (1927), part of the High’s own collection, evokes the iconic Renaissance Madonna, here transformed by Stella’s whimsy: the stamens of a lily serve as her celestial crown, while snowy egrets (the Florida kind) grace her sides.

With saturations of color abounding in every room, Visionary Nature enjoys an added depth through words. Stella was a prolific writer, and the exhibit makes canny use of text to explore his passion for the living world. “My devout wish,” reads one such diary segment on view, “That my every working day might begin and end . . . with the light, gay painting of a flower.” In a unique addition to their exhibition, the High created a short video featuring more of Stella’s own thoughts. “We wanted to end with his voice telling us how he felt about various paintings in the show . . . or his ideas about art,” explained Heydt.

Stella, who died in 1946, spent the last years of his life in ill health, largely confined to his studio. He never stopped painting the natural world; a few of those last works, modest trees still full of flair, are on view here. A few years before his death, his friend and fellow artist Charmion von Wiegand paid a visit to his studio. She found Stella amidst a riot of color, studiously painting his favorite subject. “Flower studies of all kinds litter the floor,” wrote von Wiegand, “and turn it into a growing garden.”

1/5/09

Finally, a photo dedicated to my Holga, my love! For those of you unfamiliar with this craptastic plastic camera, here is a Wikipedia link for you, and since Holga is one of many Lomography cameras, here is a Lomography link as well.

I first discovered Holga and the world of lomography during one of my many trips out to Seattle last year. There is an Urban Outfitters store very close to my BFF/BIL's apartment and I usually do the majority of my shopping there whenever I'm in town (ironically, I just realized I'm wearing one of my UO purchases in this photo). They carry a couple different lomo cameras and I was intrigued the minute I laid eyes on dear Holga. I went home and did some research and knew right away that I had to have one. I love the unpredictability of these toy cameras, which are famously prone to random light leaks and heavy vignetting. I especially love the vintage look of Holga photographs. I will often tell people that the overall look of the photos remind me of 70's porn, and then they usually get right away what I mean by that. (Don't know what that says about me or the people I hang out with, but I digress....)

Anyway, I was so excited to develop my latest roll of film today because I shot it during my pin-up shoot in the tattoo parlor with Sarah. I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed. They look great!

Also, here is the link to my Holga set in case you would like to see for yourself what Holga and lomography are all about, at least through my little plastic lens. :)

English | Français | Deutsch

The church dedicated to Saint-Jacques le Mineur and St. Philip is a religious building in Paris.

Far from the fortifications made by the King Philip II Augustus to defend Paris, on a lonely hill in the middle of fields along an ancient road in 1180 "brothers" of the Diocese of Saint-Jacques Altopascio just moved. This order, from Tuscany (Italy) will base a hospital, a chapel, will build hostels and structures to help the poor and pilgrims in their travels. Their name will be given later to the neighborhood "Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas" (Altopascio).

Pope Pius II (pontiff from 1458 to 1464) suppressed the order in 1459, their places in 1572 Catherine de Medici install the "Benedictines of Saint-Magloire" The area which over time becomes denser see the need to build a new church, they will acquire this right in 1584 when a church will be built. The church of small dimensions will be transformed from 1630 under the leadership of Gaston d'Orléans.

Gaston of Orleans was the brother of King Louis XIII, a rich man with a taste for the construction, it is also responsible for the construction of a new wing in the classic style at Blois Castle. Under him, the church is made until the current form, with the expansion of the central nave and the creation of the current entry on the Rue Saint-Jacques. The church is dedicated to St. Jacques le Mineur and St. Philip. Saint-Jacques le Mineur is not the Saint-Jacques patron of Compostela because at the time Paris already has a church dedicated to this saint. In our days, from that church remains only a bell tower called "Tour Saint-Jacques."

With the name, location (on the ancient Roman Cardo) and the fact that it is possible to stay there, the church become an important stop on the pilgrimage to Compostela. The pilgrimage to Compostela (after the Reconquista in 1492) is one of three pilgrimages enshrined in the church with Rome and Jerusalem.

Following the French Revolution the church was looted, Catholic worship forbidden, yet in 1795 it opens partially but it must be shared with another organization until 1810 when due to the Concordat of 1801 the Catholic Church takes possession of his property confiscated.

Architectural description

Daniel Gittard is the architect who prepared the plans of the main body, he made the entrance porch, narthex, nave, transept and the altar. Gittard was the architect of the king, founding member of the Royal Academy of Architecture in 1671, also worked at St. Sulpice.

The entrance is a porch with four doric columns surmounted by a fronton, a large rose window in the axis of the porch runs the central part of the facade, rigor and sobriety can be seen in the composition and the lack of decoration. The bell tower is divided into three stages, the first is the narthex and has an access door and a window, the two funds designed identically contains only windows with louvre.

Classical style building, notice by the asymmetry of the facade caused by the absence of a bell tower, due to lack of money. In the initial project was also planned decorations on the walls, the statues of two saints on the front and ornaments all over the facade.

En français

L'église consacrée aux Saint-Jacques le Mineur et saint Philippe est un édifice religieux à Paris.

Loin des fortifications du roi Philippe Auguste II faites pour défendre Paris, sur une colline déserte, au milieu des champs bordant une route antique, en 1180 des « frères » de la diocèse Saint-Jacques d'Altopascio vient de s'installer. Cet ordre, originaire de la Toscane (Italie) fondera un hôpital, une chapelle, bâtira des héberges et d'autres constructions pour aider les pauvres et les pèlerins dans leur voyages. Leur nom sera donné par la suite au quartier « Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas » (Altopascio).

Le pape Pie II (pontificat 1458-1464) supprima l'ordre en 1459, sur leurs lieux en 1572 Cathérine de Médicis installera les « Bénédictins de Saint-Magloire » Le quartier qui au fil du temps se densifie vois la nécessité de construire une nouvelle église, ils vont acquérir ce droit en 1584 quand une petite église sera construite. L'église de petites dimensions sera transformé à partir de 1630 sous l'impulsion de Gaston d'Orléans.

Gaston d'Orléans était le frère du roi Louis XIII, un homme riche ayant le goût pour la construction, à lui on doit également la construction d'une nouvelle aile de style classique au château de Blois. Sous ses ordres, l'église est faite jusqu'à la forme actuelle, avec l'agrandissement de la nef centrale et la création de l'entrée actuelle sur la rue Saint-Jacques. L'église est consacré aux Saint-Jacques le Mineur et saint Philippe. Saint-Jacques le Mineur n'est par le Saint-Jacques patron de Compostelle car à l'époque Paris possède déjà une église consacré à ce saint. De cette église, aujourd'hui ne reste qu'une tour clocher nommée « la Tour Saint-Jacques ».

Grâce au nom, à son emplacement (sur l'ancien cardo romain) et au fait qu'il est possible de s'y loger, l'église deviens une halte importante dans le chemin du pèlerinage à Compostelle. Le pèlerinage à Compostelle (après la Reconquista en 1492) étant l'un des trois pèlerinages consacrés par l’Église à coté de Rome et Jérusalem.

A la suite de la Révolution Française l'église est pillé, le culte catholique interdit, pourtant en 1795 elle ouvre partiellement, en plus elle dois partager son siège avec une autre organisation jusqu'en 1810 quand grâce au Concordat de 1801 l'église Catholique reprend la possession de ses biens confisqués.

Description architecturale

Daniel Gittard est l'architecte qui a établi les plans du corps principal, c'est qui lui a fait le porche d'entrée, le narthex, la nef, le transept et l'autel. Gittard a été l'architecte du roi, membre fondateur du l'Académie Royale d'Architecture en 1671, a travaillé aussi à l'église Saint Sulpice.

L'entrée se fait sous un porche comportant 4 colonnes doriques surmonté d'un fronton, une grande rosace dans l'axe du porche anime la partie centrale de la façade, on remarque la rigueur et la sobriété de la composition ainsi que la manque de décoration. La tour clocher est divisé en 3 étages, le premier correspond au narthex et comporte une porte d'accès et un fenêtre, les deux deniers conçus à l'identique comporte uniquement des fenêtres avec des abat-son.

De style classique, la construction se remarque par la dissymétrie de la façade causée par l'absence d'une tour clocher, due à la manque d'argent. Dans le projet initial il était prévue aussi des décorations sur la façades, les statues de deux saints sur le fronton et divers ornements sur toute la façade.

Auf Deutsch

Die Kirche Saint-Jacques le Mineur und St. Philip gewidmet ist ein religiöses Gebäude in Paris.

Weit entfernt von den Befestigungsanlagen von der König Philip II Augustus nach Paris auf einem einsamen Hügel in der Mitte der Felder auf der alten Strasse in 1180 "Brüder" der Diözese Saint-Jacques Altopascio gerade bewegt verteidigen. Die Bestellung, aus der Toskana (Italien) wird ein Krankenhaus, eine Kapelle stützen wird Hostels und Strukturen aufbauen, um den Armen und Pilger auf ihren Reisen helfen. Ihr Name wird später in der Nachbarschaft "Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas" (Altopascio) angegeben werden.

Papst Pius II (Papst von 1458 bis 1464) unterdrückt die Reihenfolge, in 1459, ihre Plätze im Jahre 1572 Katharina von Medici installieren Sie die "Benediktiner von Saint-Magloire" Der Bereich, der mit der Zeit dichter sehen die Notwendigkeit, eine neue Kirche zu bauen, werden sie dieses Recht zu erwerben im Jahr 1584, als eine Kirche errichtet. Die Kirche von kleinen Abmessungen werden aus dem Jahre 1630 unter der Führung von Gaston d'Orléans umgewandelt werden.

Gaston von Orleans war der Bruder von König Ludwig XIII, ein reicher Mann mit einer Vorliebe für den Bau, sondern auch für den Bau eines neuen Flügels im klassischen Stil in Blois Schloss verantwortlich. Unter ihm ist die Kirche bis zum heutigen Form, mit dem Ausbau des Mittelschiffs und der Erstellung des aktuellen Eintrags auf der Rue Saint-Jacques. Die Kirche ist St. Jacques le Mineur und St. Philip gewidmet. Saint-Jacques le Mineur ist nicht die Saint-Jacques Schirmherr Compostela weil zum Zeitpunkt Paris bereits über eine Kirche auf diesem Heiligen gewidmet. In unserer Zeit, aus dieser Kirche bleibt nur noch der Glockenturm als "Tour Saint-Jacques."

Mit dem Namen, Ort (auf dem alten römischen Cardo) und der Tatsache, dass es möglich ist, dort zu bleiben, die Kirche zu einer wichtigen Station auf der Pilgerfahrt nach Santiago de Compostela. Die Wallfahrt nach Compostela (nach der Reconquista im Jahr 1492) ist eine der drei Wallfahrten in der Kirche mit Rom und Jerusalem verankert.

Nach dem Französisch Revolution wurde die Kirche geplündert, katholische Gottesdienst verboten, aber im Jahre 1795 es teilweise geöffnet, aber es muss mit einer anderen Organisation genutzt werden, bis 1810, als aufgrund des Konkordats von 1801 die katholische Kirche in Besitz seines Eigentums beschlagnahmt.

Architekturbeschreibung

Daniel Gittard ist der Architekt, der die Pläne des Hauptkörpers, machte er die Eingangshalle, Vorhalle, Kirchenschiff, Querschiff und der Altar vorbereitet. Gittard war der Architekt des Königs, Gründungsmitglied der Royal Academy of Architecture 1671, auch in St. Sulpice gearbeitet.

Der Eingang befindet sich eine Veranda mit vier dorischen Säulen von einem Giebel überragt, eine große Fensterrose in der Achse der Veranda läuft der zentrale Teil der Fassade, Strenge und Nüchternheit in der Zusammensetzung und der Mangel an Dekoration zu sehen. Der Glockenturm ist in drei Phasen unterteilt, die erste ist die Vorhalle und hat eine Zugangstür und ein Fenster, die beiden Fonds konzipiert enthält gleich nur Fenster mit Raster.

Klassizistischen Gebäude, Ankündigung durch die Asymmetrie der Fassade durch das Fehlen von einem Glockenturm verursacht, wegen des Mangels an Geld. In der ersten Projekt wurde geplant Dekorationen an den Wänden, die Statuen der beiden Heiligen auf der Vorderseite und Verzierungen auf der ganzen Fassade.

Vishvanath Temple - dedicated to Lord Shiva, also called Vishwanath [master of the universe]. In the same premises, a temple dedicated to Nandi, holds a huge statue of Nandi [the Bull, the companion, attendant and closest aide of Lord Shiva].

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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

Carl, you asked for a picture of the Mule and shetland together. Well I got soaked finding them for you today in the rain. They were not very keen on having their picture taken and the mule extremely nervous. It was impossible to get both of them looking at me before one would trot off!

But this is for you.................

Dedicated to Everton's greatest player who still holds the record of 60 league goals in a season

When Chinese settlers in Sydney decided to build a temple dedicated to the Chinese folk hero and god, Kwung Ti, they prayed for a sign showing where the temple should be built. This led them to a market garden in Francis Street (now Edward Street) in Glebe which they purchased from the owner for £325. The temple was funded by immigrants from the area known as Sze Yup in the province of Kwongtung, China.

The renowned Sze Yup Temple is dedicated to Kwun Ti, a warrior and patriot in the era of the Three Kingdoms 220 - 265 AD. Kwung Ti is famous for his loyalty, physical prowess and masculinity. In Australia, immigrant Chinese worshipped him as a wise judge, a guide and a protector. Many important business decisions, for example, were not made until Kwung Ti had been consulted for his guidance and blessing.

The central temple in the Sze Yup complex was built in 1898. The simple red brick cottage was designed with the principles of Feng Shui in mind; it was located on land that sloped from the temple to the waters of Rozelle Bay. Inside the central temple is an altar with embroidered images of Kwun Ti and his guards, racks which hold Kwun Ti's Red Hair Horse and weapons, engraved couplets, prayers, a huge drum and gong and two beautiful carved columns which date from 1898. In 1904 the temple was flanked by two chapels, the Chapel of Departed Friends and the Chapel of Good Fortune.

For the Chinese community in Sydney the Sze Yup Temple was a cultural centre as well as a place for worship. It was here that they could find social contact and companionship, material assistance or accommodation for travellers, new migrants and the sick. Celebrations and festivals such as the colourful and lively Chinese New Year took place at the temple. It was also used to house the bones of the deceased, before they were taken to China in urns for permanent burial, as tradition demanded.

In 1978 the temple was restored following a fund raising appeal. The newly renovated temple had a green tiled roof and a traditional Chinese architectural combination of red and green. In 1982 an archway was added to the temple complex with two stone lions guarding the huge entrance. In 1985 the temple was covered by a Permanent Conservation Order.

After 100 years, the Sze Yup Temple remains a sacred place to the Chinese community. Worshippers now include new arrivals from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, China and, in particular, Indo-China.

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

On Friday, September 5, 2014, the City of Marietta and the Marietta Fire Department honored the life and dedicated service of one of its own, Fire Fighter Engineer Lonnie Nutt who lost his life in the line of duty.

This city of Marietta photograph is being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, e-mails, products or promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the city of Marietta, its elected officials or staff. Publication of this photograph must include a credit: Photo courtesy of the city of Marietta.

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.

Think of Abraham Lincoln, Frankiln D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Harry Truman and Gandhi, who used their influence to forge positive social change, proving that power and integrity are not mutually exclusive...

Dedicating a pretty little bloom to these men of INFLUENCE...

Hope your enjoying your Wednesday evening and Thursday morn...

Love ya

D

Cordoba, Spain.

"The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, officially known by its ecclesiastical name, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. Due to its status as a former Islamic mosque, it is also known as the Mezquita and as the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

According to traditional accounts a Visigothic church (The Catholic Christian Basilica of Saint Vincent of Saragossa) originally stood on the site of the current Mosque-Cathedral, although this has been questioned by scholars. The Great Mosque was constructed on the orders of Abd al-Rahman I in 785 AD, when Córdoba was Muslim-controlled. It was expanded multiple times afterwards under Abd al-Rahman's successors up to the late 10th century. Among the most notable additions, Abd al-Rahman III added a minaret. The mosque was converted to a cathedral in 1236 when Córdoba was captured by the Christian forces of Castile during the Reconquista. The structure itself underwent only minor modifications until a major building project in the 16th century inserted a new Renaissance cathedral nave and transept into the center of the building. The former minaret, which had been converted to a bell tower, was also significantly remodeled around this time. Starting in the 19th century, modern restorations have in turn led to the recovery and study of some of the building's Islamic-era elements. Today, the building continues to serve as the city's cathedral and Mass is celebrated therein daily."

Top: Dedicated to the memory of James Schuyler, Poet and Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Morning of the Poem among other works who lived at the Chelsea Hotel from 1979 until his death in 1991. Presented by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, July 1993.

Middle: In Memory of Brendan Behan, 1923-1964. "To America, my new found land: The man that hates you hates the human race." Dedication from "Brendan Behan's New York", written in the Chelsea Hotel in the Spring of 1963.

B-25 Panchito

"The original “Panchito”, named after the feisty rooster from Disney’s animated musical The Three Caballeros, was a bomber with the 396th Bomb Squadron, 41st Bomb Group, 7th Air Force, stationed in the Central Pacific. After several attacks on various Japanese strongholds in Southern Japan as well as Japanese help Eastern China, she was scheduled for another bombing run to Japan on the day the Japanese surrendered. Read the original Panchito’s mission history.

WWII is known for having produced some truly stunning aircraft, and the B-25 Panchito is certainly no exception. Today, Panchito earns its wings serving veterans of the Armed Forces and is one of several B-25s used as part of the Airshow Outreach Program.

The B-25 “Panchito” is sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). DAV is a 1.2 million member, non-profit organization. Founded more than 80 years ago, DAV is dedicated to a single purpose: fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. Whether disabled veterans need a voice on Capitol Hill, a nationwide service program, a transportation network or unique rehabilitation opportunities, DAV focuses its attention and resources to meet those needs."

From "Featured Performers" The Great State of Maine Air Show

The Frank Sinatra Starkey Hearing Technologies Celebrity Invitational is dedicated to the memory and music of Frank Sinatra and benefits the Barbara Sinatra Center for Abused Children. The Frank Sinatra Starkey Hearing Technologies Celebrity Invitational enjoys a rich history as one of the marquee golf and fundraising events in the Palm Springs, California desert. Each year, celebrities, amateur contestants, loyal sponsors and enthusiastic spectators from all over the country look forward to returning to this unique "celebrity friendly" event.

Known as "Frank's little party in the desert," Barbara and Frank Sinatra founded the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational in 1988 to raise funds for the Barbara Sinatra Center for Abused Children at Eisenhower Medical Center, which opened in 1986. Through their efforts, and those of supporters throughout the world, the Frank Sinatra Starkey Hearing Technologies Celebrity Invitational is now one of the most successful events of it's kind.

The mission of the Barbara Sinatra Center for Abused Children is to provide counseling for victims of physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to focus on prevention, community education and breaking the generational cycle of abuse. Barbara Sinatra is quick to thank supporters of the "Frank Sinatra Starkey Hearing Technologies Celebrity Invitational, and she is proud to say "The children who come to us for help continue to receive the therapy they need and deserve; no child is turned away due to a family's inability to pay."

The Frank Sinatra Starkey Hearing Technologies Celebrity Invitational is a five (5) player team gross and net scramble golf tournament held at Eagle Falls Golf Course in Indio, California. The Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, also in Indio, is the tournament's hotel and venue for three nights of parties and a spectacular luncheon and fashion show.

One (1) celebrity and four (4) contestants are a team. The team of four (4) amateur players remains together for two (2) consecutive days. The celebrity contestant changes teams for the second day. Current USGA handicaps are verified and applied to all contestants.

Dedicated to my childhood best friend Habib..

not in touch with him for a long long dayz :(

Well I don't own photoshop, I have Corel and so I found this rather a challenge, but I managed some basic bits and was able to make a digi card dedicated to Tracey (who's birthday it was yesterday -go Sista!). It is meant to be based on Shari's sketch 2 (just flipped) I also made a real card this morning but I think it will end up in the bin -everytime I tried to do something I coughed all over it...yuk I bet no one would want that card!

I used the Friends digi kit and the light green pearls and the smooth 5 point flower, the background colour is from the digi kit freebee flowers using the colour Okra.

From 1990 until an injury ended their stage careers on October 3, 2003, the duo formed the show "Siegfried & Roy at the The Mirage Resort and Casino", which was regarded as the most-visited show in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

exclusive, high Quality, high-Quality, logo design, custom, custom logo, affordable, affordable price, Professional, cheap, Hire, custom Logo Design, talented, creative, dedicated, 100%, logo twitch, business logo, logo animation, logo minimal, real estate, logo signature, icon, iconceptual, fiverr, brand style, brand identity, brand design, branding, brand identity, brand name, style guide, guideline, brand book, style book, Brand manual, clothing brand logo, branding package, brand design, brand story, brand strategy

dedicated to HapaK ( www.flickr.com/photos/hapakorean/545265855/ )

On Black

Kalighat Kali Temple (Bengali: কালীঘাট মন্দির) is a Hindu temple in West Bengal, India dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.

Kalighat was a Ghat (landing stage) sacred to Kali on the old course of the Hooghly river (Bhāgirathi) in the city of Calcutta. The name Calcutta is said to have been derived from the word Kalighat. The river over a period of time has moved away from the temple. The temple is now on the banks of a small canal called Adi Ganga which connects to the Hoogly. The Adi Ganga was the original course of the river Hoogly (the Ganges). Hence the name Adi (original) Ganga.

WORSHIP

The temple is visited by pilgrims from all over India irrespective of sectarian differences. The thousands of pilgrims who flock daily to the Kalighat temple treat Kali very much like a human mother, bringing her their domestic problems and prayers for prosperity, and returning when their prayers are fulfilled to express their gratitude. Their attitude towards the Goddess is guided by their religious traditions and training, their spiritual and intellectual capacities, and the guidance of their temple priests.

LEGEND

Kalighat is regarded as one of the 52 Shakti Peethas of India, where the various parts of Sati's body are said to have fallen, in the course of Shiva's Rudra Tandava. Kalighat represents the site where the toes of the right foot of Dakshayani or Sati fell. Legend has it that a devotee discovered a luminant ray of light coming from the Bhāgirathi river bed, and upon investigating its source came upon a piece of stone carved in the form of a human toe. He also found a Svayambhu Lingam of Nakuleshwar Bhairav nearby, and started worshiping Kaali in the midst of a thick jungle.

Kalighat is also associated with the worship offered to Kali by a Dasanami Monk by name Chowranga Giri, and the Chowringee area of Calcutta is said to have been named after him.

HISTORY

The Kalighat temple in its present form is only about 200 years old, although it has been referred to in Mansar Bhasan composed in the 15th century, and in Kavi Kankan Chandi of the 17th century. Only two types of coins of Chandragupta II, who incorporated Vanga in the Gupta Empire, are known from Bengal. His Archer type coins, which became the most popular type of coinage with the Gupta rulers after Kumaragupta I, have been found in Kalighat. This is evidence of the antiquity of the place.

The original temple was a small hut. A small temple was constructed by King Manasingha in the early 16th century. The present temple was erected under the patronage of the Kaliprasad Dutta of Hatkhola Dutta Bari with the help of Santosh Roy Chaudhury of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family of Barisha. It was completed in 1809 by Santosh Roy Chowdhury and his grand son.Kaliparasad Dutta had given Rs.25,000/- to Santosh Roy Chaudhury to build the Mandir.Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family is the original owner of this temple.Halder family of kalighat is called the 'sebadas' of this temple In the 1960s a committee was formed for the administrative management of the temple with representation from the Government.

THE IMAGE OF KALI

The image of Kali in this temple is unique. It does not follow the pattern of other Kali images in Bengal. The present idol of touchstone was created by two saints - Brahmananda Giri and Atmaram Giri. Three huge eyes, long protruding tongue made of gold and four hands, which all are made of gold too. Two of these hands holding a scimitar and a severed head of the asura king 'Shumbha'. The scimitar signifies Divine Knowledge and the asura (or, human) head signifies human Ego which must be slain by Divine Knowledge in order to attain Moksha. The other two hands are in the abhaya and varada mudras or blessings, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshiping her with a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and hereafter.

TEMPLE DETAILS

SOSTHI TALA

This is a rectangular altar about three feet high bearing a small cactus plant. Beneath the tree, on an altar three stones are placed side by side - left to right representing the goddesses Shashthi (Sosthi), Sitala and Mangal Chandi. This sacred spot is known as Sosthi Tala or Monosha Tala. This altar was constructed by Gobinda Das Mondal in 1880. The place of the altar is the Samadhi of Brahmananda Giri. Here all the priests are female. No daily worship or offering of Bhog (food offering) is done here. The goddesses here are considered as part of Kali.

NATMONDIR

A large rectangular covered platform called Natmondir has been erected adjacent to the main temple, from where the face of the image can be seen. This was originally built by Zamindar Kasinath Roy in 1835. It has been subsequently renovated often.

JOR-BANGLA

The spacious varandah of the main temple Facing the image is known as Jor Bangla. Rituals occurring inside the sanctum sanctorum are visible from the Natmondir through the Jor-bangla.

HARKATH TALA

This is the spot adjacent to the Natmondir, southwards meant for Bali (sacrifice). There are two Sacrificial altars for animal sacrifices side by side. These are known as Hari- Kath.

The bigger one is for buffalo sacrifices and the smaller one for goats and sheep. The animals are sacrificed with a single stroke of the scimitar and there is very little cruelty to animals when compared to the professional abattoirs.

RADHA-KRISHNA TEMPLE

This temple is known as Shamo-ray temple and is situated inside the temple at the west side of the main temple. In 1723, a settlement officer of Mushirabad district first erected a separate temple for Radha-Krishna. In 1843 a Zamindar called Udoy Narayan Mondal erected the present temple in the same spot. The Dolmancho was founded in 1858 by Madan Koley of Saha Nagar. There is a separate kitchen for preparation of vegetarian Bhog (food offering) for Radha-Krishna.

KUNDUPUKUR

This is the sacred tank situated in the south-east of the temple outside the boundary walls. Present area of the tank is approximately 10 cottahs. In the past it was bigger and called 'Kaku-Kunda'. In 16th century 'Sati-Ango' ( the right toe of Sati) was discovered from this tank. This tank is well known for its power to bestow the boon of a child. The water from this tank is regarded as sacred as that of the Ganges. Efforts at draining the water from the tank for cleaning has failed in the past showing the possibility of a subterranean with Adi Ganga.

ASSOCIATED TEMPLES

NAKHULESHWAR MAHADEV TEMPLE

This Shiva temple is dedicated to the consort of Maa Kali. It is situated in Haldar Para lane on the opposite side of the temple behind the police station. This temple is also very old and mentioned in the history.

The four Shiva temples inside the temple were constructed by different shebait families who retain control over them.

WIKIPEDIA

Dedicated to my Mom..

one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet!

Nemo super-sized. You can't tell from this photo, but he is a great big stuffed animal. So cute!

This was a present from my brother and his girlfriend quite a few years ago. Sad to say he lives in my closet, lol =-).

This is dedicated to the kick butt floral photographers out there who have taken up the challenge of getting out of their comfort zones and having a "no floral photos" week.

Day 2 Ladies and you're doing great!! This one's for you! =D

Bigger, better?

EXPLORED

La Sopa.

dedicated to my dad | 9/8/1928 - 30/12/2005

polaroid sx-70 | px 70 color protection

A tree dedicated to fallen Capt. Jefferson Clifford Francis in the National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces in Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Capt. Francis was killed in Kandahar, Afghanistan on July 4, 2007 when his armored vehicle was destroyed by a large land mine.

The Reliant Owners Club (UK) was founded in 1958 and today, there are many branches across Britain. Many club members are owners of Reliant vehicles and dedicated to the preservation and display of all model types.

The Reliant Motor Company was founded in 1935 at Tamworth in Staffordshire and remained there until 1999 when production was moved to nearby Burntwood. Reliant’s latter years in business were troubled ones and the company changed ownership a number of times until it finally went into liquidation in 2001. Reliant are probably best known for their three-wheeler vehicles such as the Reliant Regal, the Robin, the Rialto and their four-wheeler Scimitars. They started out manufacturing three-wheelers as back then they required no road licence, unlike four-wheelers. Despite their inclusion within the road licensing requirements in the late 1940’s reliant continued to manufacture three-wheelers until their demise in 2001.

The badge depicts the club’s logo which is used by all their branches throughout the UK.

.

References:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliant (General history of the Reliant car company and useful links to the individual models).

www.3wheelers.com/reliant.html (About the Reliant Motor Company and its car models).

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Enamels: 3 (black, red & green).

Finish: Gilt.

Material: Diecast alloy.

Fixer: Pin.

Size: ¾” in diameter (about 25mm).

Process: Pressure moulded.

Makers: AEW, B’ham.

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Thank you for reading.

Stuart.

dedicated to Marian.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY

The Warbird community lost a generous supporter and great friend with the passing of Bob Pond on 12/14/07. This video is dedicated to Bob and was made during a time when Planes of Fame East was in full bloom in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and we were flying his Warbirds to air shows almost every weekend. This is just one of those missions. Thanks Bob for all the fun we had, and the memories we have.

....... A Friend....

(A)ccepts you as you are

(B)elieves in "you"

(C)alls you just to say "HI"

(D)oesn't give up on you

(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)

(F)orgives your mistakes

(G)ives unconditionally

(H)elps you

(I)nvites you over

(J)ust "be" with you

(K)eeps you close at heart

(L)oves you for who you are

(M)akes a difference in your life

(N)ever Judges

(O)ffer support

(P)icks you up

(Q)uiets your fears

(R)aises your spirits

(S)ays nice things about you

(T)ells you the truth when you need tohear it

(U)nderstands you

(V)alues you

(W)alks beside you

(X)-plains thing you don't understand

(Y)ells when you won't listen and

(Z)aps you back to reality

Last but not least.......

N. B. - All photographs are copyrighted by the photographer and may not to be used without written deed permission.

Benicia Capitol State Historic Park is a state park in Benicia, California. The park is dedicated to California’s third capitol building, where the California State Legislature convened from February 3, 1853 to February 24, 1854. It is the only pre-Sacramento capitol that survives. The park includes the Fischer-Hanlon House, an early Benicia building that was moved to the property and converted into a home in 1858, after the legislature departed. Benicia Capitol State Historic Park just off the city's main street also includes a carriage house, workers' quarters and sculptured gardens.

California’s Capitals

The first capital existed before statehood, under both Spanish and Mexican rule. From 1775 to 1846, Monterey was the capital of Alta California. On July 7, 1846, Commodore John D. Sloat raised the American flag over Monterey.

In 1849, the new constitution crafted at Monterey’s Colton Hall made the city of San Jose the seat of California’s first state government. During San Jose’s 1849-1851 session, the building’s low ceilings, bad lighting and poor ventilation led the lawmakers to seek another location. Dubbed the

“Legislature of a Thousand Drinks,” for calls to close the session at the nearest saloon, this group was happy to accept

General Mariano Vallejo’s offer to build a new capitol in Vallejo at no cost to them.

On January 5, 1852, they arrived to find total chaos. That day the Sacramento Daily Union reported: “The furniture, fixtures, etc., are not yet in their places; many of them have not yet

arrived . . . no printing materials . . . music of the saw and hammer heard night and day.” There was almost no local housing, food or laundry service. Eleven days later, the legislators moved to Sacramento. On January 3, 1853, the fourth session began in Vallejo but moved mid-session — to the newly constructed city hall in Benicia.

The town, named for General Vallejo’s wife, Doña Francisca Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo, offered them the structure that was to be their city hall. Its interior pillars were carved from the masts of salvaged ships abandoned in San Francisco Bay during the gold rush. The town’s meager amenities, however,

caused the legislators to leave in 1854 during the fifth session.

On March 4, the governor, the state officers and members of the legislature boarded the paddle-wheeler Wilson G. Hunt and headed upstream to Sacramento. At the confluence of

the Sacramento and American rivers, Sacramento had had one brief tenure as California’s capital. Despite its history

of floods and fires, the Legislature again chose Sacramento as the state capital.

Lawmakers held sessions at its county courthouse from 1854 to 1869. Construction on today’s Sacramento capitol began in 1860. Eager to meet in their own space, lawmakers moved into the present building in 1874, five years before it was completed.

Benicia’s fast-moving, exciting days were over, but its fortunes would grow in other directions. Benicia, a busy port city, was served by the international Pacific Mail Steamship

Company. Later, the Southern Pacific Railroad created a terminal and ferry crossing there. Its many educational institutions earned Benicia the nickname “Athens of the West.”

After a short stint as the Solano County Courthouse, the building housed Episcopal church services and the Benicia Grammar School.

Eventually a wing was built as the headquarters for Benicia’s Fire Department, and the public library also moved there. In 1951, the California Division of Beaches and Parks acquired the Benicia Capitol and restored the chambers to look as they might have appeared between January 1853 and February 1854. The State Park and Recreation Commission later reclassified the property as a State Historic Park.

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

dedicated to my great friend Naleye, this friendly gentleman was passing bye. He didn't seem to bother about time nor age. Unfortunately, i was in a hurry, while getting older every second...

The Province is helping keep people safe by creating hubs of police, dedicated prosecutors and probation officers focused on tackling repeat violent offending in every region of the province. Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/28552

The Brihadeshwara Temple at Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is an important example of Tamil architecture achieved during the Chola dynasty. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples".

This is one of the largest temples in India and one of India's most prized architectural sites. Built by emperor Raja Raja Chola I and completed in 1010 AD. Brihadeshwara Temple, also popularly known as the 'Big Temple', turned 1000 years old in 2010.

Thanjavur Periya Kovil stands amidst fortified walls that were probably added in the 16th century. The vimana (or temple tower) is 66 m high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The Kumbam (Kalasha or Chikharam, the apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single rock and it weighs around 80 tons. There is a big statue of Nandi (sacred bull), carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 feet long and 13 feet high. The entire temple structure is made out of granite, the nearest sources of which are close to Tiruchirappalli, about 60 km to the west of Thanjavur.

HISTORY

The temple had its foundations laid out by the Tamil emperor Arulmozhivarman, popularly called Rajaraja Chola I, in 1002 CE, as the first of the great Tamil Chola building projects.

The Brihadeshwarar Temple was built to grace the throne of the Chola empire in compliance to a command given to him in his dream. The scale and grandeur is in the Chola tradition. An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout. Temples from this period and the following two centuries are an expression of the Tamils (Chola) wealth, power and artistic expertise. The emergence of such features as the multifaceted columns with projecting square capitals signal the arrival of the new Chola style.

The Brihadeshwarar Temple was built to be the royal temple to display the emperor's vision of his power and his relationship to the universal order. The temple was the site of the major royal ceremonies such as anointing the emperor and linking him with its deity, Shiva, and the daily rituals of the deities were mirrored by those of the king. It is an architectural example showcasing the pure form of the Dravida type of temple architecture and representative of the Chola Empire ideology and the Tamil civilisation in Southern India. The temple "testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting."

CONSTRUCTION

The wish to build a mammoth temple like this is said to have occurred to Raja Raja while he stayed at Sri Lanka as an emperor.

The esteemed architect and engineer of the temple was Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan as stated in inscriptions found at the temple. The temple was built per ancient texts called Vaastu Shastras and Agamas. He is the ancient ancestor of the doyan of Vaastu Vedic architecture, the late Dr. V. Ganapti Sthapati of Chennai and Mahabalipurim (architect of the 133' granite Thiruvalluvar statue at the tip of south India). Members of his family still live and practice the ancient art and science. The American University of Mayonic Science and Technology was initiated by Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati to perpetuate the same form of architectural principles used by Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan to build the Brihadeeswarar temple. The temple was built using a measure of 1 3/8-inch called an angula (24 units equalling 33 inches called a hasta, muzam, or kishku). This is the same measure found in ancient Lothal and other sites in the Indus Valley dating back 4000 - 6000 years. This same measure is used to build structures compliant with the Vaastu Shastras and Agamas today. While some builders use a different measure this is considered a standard due to its antiquity.

This temple is the first building fully built by granite and finished within 5yrs [1004AD – 1009AD]. The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres, above which stone deities and representatives of Shiva dance. The huge kalasam or Vimanam (top portion of the shrine) is believed to weigh 81.28 tonnes of single stone block and was raised to its present height by dragging on an inclined plane of 6.44 km. The big Nandi (bull), weighing about 20 tonnes is made of a single stone and is about 2 m in height, 6 m in length and 2.5 m in width. The presiding deity of lingam is 3.7m tall. The prakaram (outer precincts of the temple) measures 240m by 125m. The outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 81 dance karanas – postures of Bharathanatyam, the classical dance of Tamil Nadu. The shrine of Goddess was added by Pandyas during the 13th century, Subramanya Shrine by Vijayanagara rulers and the Vinayaka shrine was renovated by Maratha rulers.

TEMPLE COMPLEX

The temple complex sits on the banks of a river that was channelled to make a moat around the complex's outer walls, the walls being built like a fortress. The complex is made up of many structures that are aligned axially. The complex can be entered either on one axis through a five-story gopuram or with a second access directly to the huge main quadrangle through a smaller free-standing gopuram. The massive size of the main Vimanam (Shikhara) is ca. 60 meters high, with 16 elaborately articulated stories, and dominates the main quadrangle. Pilaster, piers, and attached columns are placed rhythmically covering every surface of the Vimanam.

The gopuram of the main entrance is 30 m high, smaller than the vimana. It is unusual in the dravidian architecture where the gopurams are generally the main towers and taller than the vimana.

MAIN TEMPLE

A first rectangular surrounding wall, 270 m by 140 m, marks the outer boundary. The main temple is in the center of the spacious quadrangle composed of a sanctuary, a Nandi, a pillared hall and an assembly hall (mandapas), and many sub-shrines. The most important part of the temple is the inner mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each side of the sanctuary has a bay emphasising the principle cult icons. The karuvarai, a Tamil word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, is the inner most sanctum and focus of the temple where an image of the primary deity, Shiva, resides. Inside is a huge stone linga. The word Karuvarai means "womb chamber" from Tamil word karu for foetus. Only priests are allowed to enter this inner-most chamber.

In the Dravida style, the Karuvarai takes the form of a miniature vimana with other features exclusive to southern Indian temple architecture such as the inner wall together with the outer wall creating a pradakshina around the garbhagriha for circumambulation (pradakshina). The entrance is highly decorated. The inside chamber housing the image of the god is the sanctum sanctorum, the garbhagriha. The garbhagriha is square and sits on a plinth, its location calculated to be a point of total equilibrium and harmony as it is representative of a microcosm of the universe. In the center is placed the image of the deity. The royal bathing-hall where Rajaraja the great gave gifts is to the east of the hall of Irumudi-Soran.

The circumambulation winds around the massive lingam in the garbhagriha and is repeated in an upper story, presenting the idea that Chola Empire freely offered access to the gods.

The inner mandapa leads out to a rectangular mandapa and then to a twenty-columned porch with three staircases leading down. Sharing the same stone plinth is a small open mandapa dedicated to Nandi, Shiva's sacred bull mount.

TEMPLE DEITIES

The "moolavar" or prime deity of the Brihadeeswarar Temple is Shiva. All deities, particularly those placed in the niches of the outer wall (Koshta Moorthigal) like Dakshinamurthy, Surya, Chandra are of huge size. The Brihadiswarar temple is one of the rare temples which has idols for "Ashta-dikpaalakas" (Guardians of the directions) – Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubera, Īśāna – each of whom was originally represented by a life-sized statue, approximately 6 feet tall, enshrined in a separate temple located in the respective direction. (Only Agni, Varuṇa, Vāyu and Īśāna are preserved in situ.)

ADJOINING STRUCTURES

Surrounding the main temple are two walled enclosures. The outer wall is high, defining the temple complex area. Here is the massive gopuram or gateway mentioned above. Within this a portico, a barrel vaulted gorpuram with over 400 pillars, is enclosed by a high wall interspersed with huge gopurams axially lined up to the main temple.

FEATURES

Another widely held belief is that the shadow of the gopuram (pyramidal tower usually over the gateway of a temple) never falls on the ground. The temple is said to be made up of about 130,000 tons of granite. The Kumbam itself, a 60 ton granite stone carved in one piece, on top of the main gopuram is believed to have been taken to the top by creating an inclined slope to the height of 66m to the top of the gopuram. The prevailing belief is that a mud-slope, which starts at about three miles from the temple site, from Thirukoilore (birthplace of Raja raja's mother) near Sri Virateshvara swamy temple. Elephants might have been used to drag the stone up the slope. This was claimed to be the only part of the gopuram, which does not cast a shadow that fall on the ground, at least not within the temple premises.

MURALS

The temple has Chola frescoes on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum potryaing Shiva in action, destroying demonic forts, dancing and sending a white elephant to transport a devotee to heaven. These frescoes were discovered in the 1940s and portray the mythological episodes of the journey of Saint Sundarar and the Chera King to heaven, the battle scene of Tripurantaka (Lord Siva) with Asuras (demons). The Chola artists have proved their mettle by portraying even the Asura women with a sense of beauty. Some of the paintings in the sanctum sanctorum and the walls in the passage had been damaged because of the soot that had deposited on them. Owing to the continuous exposure to smoke and soot from the lamps and burning of camphor in the sanctum sanctorum over a period of centuries certain parts of the Chola paintings on the circumambulatory passage walls had been badly damaged. The Tanjore Nayak kings replaced them with a few paintings of their own, about 400 years ago. The Archaeological Survey of India, for the first time in the world, used its unique de-stucco process to restore 16 Nayak paintings, which were superimposed on 1000-year-old Chola frescoes. These 400-year-old paintings have been mounted on fibre glass boards, displayed at a separate pavilion.

TEMPLE PERSONNEL

The temple was consecrated in 1010 CE by Raja Raja Chola I & in 2010 a celebration commemorated the temple's thousandth anniversary. The temple maintained a staff of 1000 people in various capacities with 400 being temple dancers Besides the Brahmin priests, these included record-keepers, musicians, scholars, and craftsman of every type as well as housekeeping staff. In those days the temple was a hub of business activities for the flower, milk, oil, and ghee merchants, all of whom made a regular supply of their respective goods for the temple for its poojas and during festival seasons. Moreover as evidenced by the inscriptions that found in the compound wall of this temple, the temple had always been serving as a platform for the dancers who excelled in the traditional dance form of Bharatnatyam. vallamuthu minnadi generation worshipped this temple.

MILLENNIUM CELEBRATIONS

Built in the year 1010 CE by Raja Raja Chola in Thanjavur, Brihadeeswarar Temple popularly known as the 'Big Temple' turned 1000 years old in September 2010. To celebrate the 1000th year of the grand structure, the state government and the town held many cultural events. It was to recall the 275th day of his 25th regal year (1010 CE) when Raja Raja Chola (985–1014 CE) handed over a gold-plated kalasam (copper pot or finial) for the final consecration to crown the vimana, the 59.82-metre tall tower above the sanctum.

BHARATHANATYAM YAJNA

To mark the occasion, the state government organised a Bharathanatyam Yajna, classical dance show under noted dancer Padma Subramaniam. It was jointly organised by the Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India (ABHAI) and the Brhan Natyanjali Trust, Thanjavur. To mark the 1000th year anniversary of the building, 1000 dancers from New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Singapore, Malaysia and the US danced in concert to the recorded 11 verses of divine music Thiruvichaippa (ninth of Thirumurai) composed by Karuvur Thevar (the guru of Raja Raja Chola) named Tiruvisaippa. The small town turned into a cultural hub for two days beginning 26 September 2010 as street performers and dancers performed throughout the town.

WIKIPEDIA

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