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Multi storied buildings operating as brothels at Sonagachi, South Asia's largest red light district in the Indian city of Kolkata, India. May 2, 2017 / Thomson Reuters Foundation/Tanmoy Bhaduri
St Francis CSI Church, Fort Cochi, Kerala.
Fort Cochin (presently Fort Kochi) is the oldest European settlement in India and St. Francis Church is the first European Church that was built in India. The History of this Church reflects the colonial struggle of European powers in India from the 15th to 20th centuries.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover the sea route to India when Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut in 1498. Two years later, on 24th December 1500, Portuguese ships, under the command of Admiral Cabral, visited Cochin and the Rajah of Cochin permitted them to engage in trade. In 1503 Alphonso Albuquerque was given permission by the Rajah to build a fort at the mouth of the river which was constructed mainly of the stems of coconut trees bound with iron bands, whilst the rampart of stones and sand formed the inner defence. Within the fort they erected a church made of wood which was dedicated to St. Bartholomew and that stood on the exact place where the more spacious existing structure of the Franciscans later arose. In 1506 Dom Francisco Almeyda, the Viceroy, was given permission by the Rajah of Cochin to build a new city using mortar and stone and building roofed with titles (a privilege hitherto been confined only to the palace of the local prince and to the temples in which he performed puja). The Portuguese vowed that apart from the fortifications, the first permanent erection would be a church for divine worship. Accordingly, the wooden structure was replaced with one made of mortar and bricks. The new church was completed in 1516 and dedicated to St. Antony.
Towards the end of 1524 Vasco Da Gama returned to Cochin (his first visit was in 1502) where he died on the Christmas eve of that year and was buried in this Church. Fourteen years later, his remains were shipped to Portugal and deposited at Vidigveria where they remained until 1872 when they were removed to the monastery of Jeronimos in Lisbon, its present abode.
The Church remained in the Order of St. Francis until the arrival of the Dutch in 1663. One of the first acts of the Dutch was to order all European Catholic priests to quit their territory, after which they demolished all the convents and churches of the place, except the Church of the Franciscans, which they reconditioned and converted into their Government Church. On 8th January 1664 they celebrated their first service with a parade of all arms on the anniversary of their entry into the city. During the reconditioning, the stone altar and the wiring guilded screens were removed and taken to the Church of Vypeen, which the Dutch permitted the Roman Catholics to build in 1665, and the communion table and the rostrum furniture were installed in their stead. A tablet over the west door indicates that the Church was renovated in 1779.
The Dutch cemetery here is one of the oldest cemeteries in India. Hundreds of Europeans left their homeland on a mission to expand their colonial empires. The tombstones in this cemetery are the most authentic record of these Europeans who changed the course of history of this land. The cemetery was consecrated in the year 1724. It is owned and maintained by St. Francis C.S.I. Church.
When the British captured Cochin from the Dutch in 1795, they permitted the Dutch to retain possession of the Church for a time. In 1804 the Dutch voluntarily surrendered the Church to the Anglican Communion when it was passed to the Ecclesiastical Department of the Government of India. But when Rev. Thomas Norton came to Cochin in 1816 on his way to Alleppey to inaugurate the work of the Church Missionary Society, he found that the Church was just bare walls, the interior was very dilapidated and part of the roof had fallen in. Later, the building was sufficiently restored to enable Bishop Middleton, the Metropolitan, to use it for a confirmation service during his Episcopal visit to the Malabar Coast.
The change of name of the patron saint was presumably due to the Anglicans, for it was not until 1870 that any reference was made to St. Francis Church. The gravestones laid on the walls of the Church were taken from the floor of the grave in 1886. On the northern sidewall Portuguese gravestones can be seen and the Dutch gravestones on the southern wall. The Vasco da Gama stone is on the ground at the southern side. A table inside the building over the west door shows that it was "repaired by the Government of Madras in 1887, being the fiftieth year of the reign of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India".
The Church possesses an interesting link with the past in the form of the 'Doop Book', the old baptism and marriage register from 1751-1804, which may be accessed in the vestry. It was maintained for 40 years in the handwriting of Predikant Cornelies and was sent to London in 1932 for getting the leaves repaired by experts. It was then rebound in the original style. A Photostat copy takes the place of the original for scrutiny by visitors.
The Church became a protected monument in April 1923 under the Protected Monuments Act 1904. The Cenotaph in memory of the residents of Cochin who fell in the First Great War erected in 1920 and was unveiled by the Governor of Madras on 21st October of that year. The boundary walls were erected in 1924.
The Clock on this Church was erected in the year 1923 in memory of Hal Harrison Jones, a former Managing Director of Aspinwall & Company.
The Pankhas or Fans found in the Church are a reminder of the British opulence of that period.
A few memorial brass plates and marble slabs were erected in memory of very important persons who had dedicated their own lives to this Church and the society. The present furniture were installed when it was under the Anglican order of worship.
The Church of South India (C.S.I), spreading as 22 dioceses throughout the four states in the southern part of India, and in Sri Lanka, owns the Church. There is regular worship service in this Church on all Sundays and commemorative days. On weekdays it is kept open for visitors and tourists.
The Church of South India (C.S.I) – the second largest Christian community in India-is an ecumenical church since 1947.
Campaign poster for prevention of AIDS use of condoms at Sonagachi, South Asia's largest red light district in the Indian city of Kolkata, India. May 2, 2017 / Thomson Reuters Foundation/Tanmoy Bhaduri
the truth about pOtable drinkig water in rural india ...... INDIA SHINING ???...
clean safe drinking water still remains a distant dream in most of indias villages and small towns as well
Indian eunuch groom posses for photograph with other eunuchs during his marriage in the northern Indian city of Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir on 04 December 2010. Eunuch marriage is marked to observe the mourning of the demised leaders of the eunuch fraternity “Kinnar Biradari” during the 10 day long rituals to mark the occasion the eunuch would perform different activities marriages, lunches and dinners hosted by the fraternity members for the “Kinnar Biradari”. Thousands of eunuchs drawn from different parts of India and Pakistan take part in “Kinnar Biradari mourning” being organised in Jammu and Kashmir state after 35 years.
Dharma Chakra Centre or Rumtek Monastery is one of the most important seats of the Kagyu lineage outside Tibet. In the early 1960's, His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, founded this seat. The Centre has become the International Kagyu Headquarters during the life of His Holiness, and was the place from which lineage activities have manifested throughout the world. Here, the younger generation of Kagyu masters are being trained in the traditional study and meditation practices which have continuously been taught and practiced for the last 800 years.
The establishment of the Dharma Chakra Centre, Rumtek, Sikkim, India, includes:
1. The Rumtek Monastery: The beautifully structured main shrine temple and monastery surrounded by monks' quarters, where monks and Tulkus are trained in traditional tantric ritualistic arts and sadhana practices. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa resided on the top floor and the most of the important relics are enshrined there. More
2. Drupdra Yiwong Samten Ling: A three-year retreat center built in the late 1970's by His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, where traditional three-year retreat training is given, in accordance with the tradition of the Kagyu lineage. More
3. Karma Shri Nalanda Institute: The Shedra, or monastic college, affiliated with the Sampurnnant Sanskrit University in Varanasi, was founded by His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa. The young monks and Tulkus are trained in traditional buddhist education with a touch of modern educational systems. At the top of the old Shedra building, the relic of the Sixteenth Karmapa is enshrined. More
4. Karme Dechen Chökhor: A nunnery founded by His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, were the nuns receive full training in the tantric ritual arts and sadhana practices.
Guntur Hospital Chapel Preachers, 1922.
Back row (L-R): Dr. Victor McCauley; Mr. V. Ch. John, M.A.; Mr. N.V. Raghavachari; Pastor M. Satyanandam; Mr. P.B. Paul; Dr. John Aberly.
Front row: Pastor P. Philip Leisenring; Mr. S. Bhushanam; Pastor K. Luke; Dr. L.L. Uhl; Mr. Chegudi Joshua; Pastor R.P.D. Augustus; Pastor Murari David.
Used in Guntur Mission Hospital by Anna S. Kugler, p.40.
LCA 16.6.3 box 6 f. 15 India - Missionaries.
ELCA Archives image.
We started on the very south in Kerala. Visited Fort Cochin, watched a crazy Kathakala traditional dance, floated down the backwater canals on a little row boat until our butts got sore. Headed down to Varkala, a beach surrounded by big cliffs. Our train rides this time were better, maybe we were more experienced and tolerant. Took a wrong train once and missed our destination, boarded an unreserved train cart and also boarded an overnight train without confirmed tickets – woo! Visited the British tea plantations in Munnar. Spent time in Goa, dodging the western hippies and meeting Indians with Portuguese names. Unavoidably met the hippies in Hampi but the ruins and temples made up for it.
The North
We visited Mumbai and nearby Aurangabad, Ajanta and Ellora. In Rajhastan, we visited Jodhpur, Ranakpur, Udaipur and Pushkar. Kept heading north towards Punjab and visited Amritsar and the Pakistani border. Looped around to hippie-center Rishikesh and back to Delhi, once again after our first visit 5 years ago.
Dhamek Stupa is cylindrical in shape, 28.5m in diameter and 43.6m tall. The Archeological Survey of India claim that it marks the site of the First Sermon. It is not possible to confirm this claim as Dhammarajika stupa and the Gupta shrine of Pancayatana, are also believed by some to be the site of the First Sermon. The best thing to do is to treat the whole area as the place of the First Sermon.
PLEASE, NO invitations or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.
Fifteen cenotaphs to the Bundela Kings and members of their clan (17-18th century) are located on the southern bank of River Betwa. These include the chhatries of Madhukar Shah, Vir Singh Deo, Jashwant Singh, Udait Singh, Pahar Sing and others. Most of the cenotaphs are designed in Panchaytan style. They are constructed on an elevated square platform. The sanctum is square shaped and in the center. The upper portion has been made angular with arches. The peek of the sanctum, sanctorum is patterned in Nagar style of temple architecture. Orchha, India
When we got back to the Ghat there were people at the water’s edge praying and giving thanks. This river is life, purity, and a goddess to the people of India. The river is Ganga Ma, "Mother Ganges." Anyone who touches these purifying waters even today are said to be cleansed of all sins.
Ramappa Temple.
Palampet is located at a distance of 77 km from Warangal, the ancient capital of the Kakatiyas. It is home to brilliant Kakatiya art as seen in the Ramappa temple. The Ramalingeswara Temple is popularly known as the Ramappa temple because the chief sculptor was Ramappa. It is probably the only temple in India to be known by the name of the sculptor who builds it. It was built under the patronage of the King Kakati Ganapathi Deva by his Chief Commander Rudra Samani at Ranakude in the province of Atukuru. The temple has been described as the "brightest star in the galaxy of medieval temples in the Deccan". The temple is approached thorough a royal garden, now just a lawn with tree lined path. The temple is situated in a valley and is built with bricks so light that they can float on water. Yet the temple is so strong that it is still intact after numerous wars, invasions and natural calamities.
The Ramappa temple stands on a 6 ft high platform on a cruciform plan. The sanctum is crowned with a shikhara and is surrounded by a pradakshinapatha. Rich and intricate carvings adorn the walls, pillars and ceilings of this wonderful building. The hall in front of the sanctum has numerous beautifully carved pillars that have been placed to create an effect that combines light and space wonderfully. There are many votive shrines within the temple. There are two subsidiary shrines on either side of the main temple, which are in a good condition.
The entire temple complex is enclosed with a compound wall. At the entrance to the temple is a ruined Nandi mandapam, with an imposing 9 ft high Nandi, which is still intact. The Shivalingam in the sanctum also rises to a height of 9 ft. The east-facing sanctum is surrounded with pilasters crowned with Dravidian and Nagara shikharas in an alternating fashion.
The temple signifies many facets of Shiva, his royal residence, the Himalaya Mountains and his inhabiting a sacred space beyond the mortal realm. The temple is built upon the classical pattern of being first raised upon a platform that separates its sacred functions from the taint of the everyday. This 'sacred mountain' mindset was characteristic of the temple builders in all the cultures. It represented a powerful symbolic representation of a perfect building, an intersection in midair of the spheres of heaven and earth. The platform lifts it above the normal, transcends the profane, declaring with uncompromising firmness that it is a place for un-common activities dedicated to a god.
Incredible India Portraits Series .
“ Cause life does not owe you a happy ending “ .
Homeless Lady .
Varanasi - Ganges - Chhath festival.
The Chhath festival is a very unique festival of the Hindu religion dedicated to the Sun, God of energy, also known as Lord Surya.
Victory Tower in Ahmedabad (detail).
Ahmedabad is the largest city in Gujarat and the sixth largest city in India with a population of almost 5 million. The city is also sometimes called Karnavati , an older name and as Amdavad in colloquial Gujarati .
Ahmedabad is the administrative center of Ahmedabad District , and was the former capital of Gujarat State from 1960 to 1970 , when Gandhinagar replaced it.
The city was founded in the 15th century by Sultan Ahmed Shah on the Sabarmati river , and served as capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat. The historic center of Ahmedabad is presently a thriving business district.
Rajat M. Nag, Managing Director-General, Asian Development Bank, Manila,
Mallika Sarabhai, Director, Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, India; Global Agenda Council on the Role of the Arts in Society, Anuradha Koirala, Founder, Maiti Nepal, Nepal,
Krishna Tirath, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Women and Child Development, India,
Jasmine Whitbread, Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children International, United Kingdom; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on India; Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership,
Chhavi Rajawat, Sarpanch of Soda, Village Council of Soda, India; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on India; Young Global Leader and
Rajendra Singh Pawar, Chairman, NIIT Group, India
at the World Economic Forum on India 2012. Copyright World Economic Forum / Photo by Benedikt von Loebell
In this miniature city, dhobi denizens (laundrymen ) scurry between rows of concrete wash pens where clothes soak in sudsy water. The dirt is then thrashed out on flogging stones before the garments are tossed into huge vats of boiling starch. Mumbai, India
When dry, the dhobis use charcoal irons, then pile the neatly pressed items into bundles. Somehow, the clothes are separated and delivered to the customer's door that same evening, all for a pittance.
Indian below poverty line people residing slums fetching tab water for the drinking purpose as the locality gets water once in fortnight, in the Northern Indian city of Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir on 25 June 2008. In a sign of growing entrepreneurship and an expanding corporate sector, India created millionaires at the fastest pace in the world in 2007, according to a new report.India added 23,000 millionaires in dollar terms last year to its 2006 total of 100,000, according to an annual Merrill Lynch Capgemini report that compiles such financial data for its wealth and asset management purposes.However, 220 million people in India are still waiting to be lifted out of poverty, although the proportion of population below poverty line has declined considerably from 44 percent in 1983 to 22 percent in 2005.