View allAll Photos Tagged Insignificant
Sometimes its just the seemingly insignificant scene that ends up being a favorite capture, like this broken window pane.
The Copper Basin Railway's acid train to Ray Mine looks pretty insignificant compared to the backdrop provided by the Arizona desert. 4-5-17
... a insônia, a insonsa, a falta de.. espaço e vazio, o amor, a carne, o rosa, a insônia, o coro, o zum-zum da noite , o ar parado, o denso, a insônia, os mosquitos a voar, insônia, a música ausente, o quase silêncio, insônia, os passos na rua quase, o cansaço dos olhos, das palavras, insônia, o mal que te fiz, insônia, a linha do horizonte, a minha felicidade da cura, o não poder conter a alegria, insônia, a voz que falta, o descanso que não vem, o cheiro de bebe jhonson do teu cabelo, o meu carinho desmedido, a total falta de controle, a maldição hereditária, insônia, os meus cabelos brancos e longos, insônia, o reflexo do vidro na janela, a cara do meu pai na minha, o pensamento nas sobrinhas, o sopro do teu ronco arrepiando a pele, insônia , a quase trégua que me destes, o pacto, o parasetamol, a taca de vinho vazia, insônia. in-só-ia com tu do lado insônia minha. minha. mina. minha... as 3:53 insônia ... me perdoa a má companhia.. minha insônia, com essa prece me abandona...
carlos pataca dos cadernos recentes e mal estruturados.
From a table in a field surrounded by Douglas Fir trees, the universe feels so large and we a small, insignificant part of it.
We all form tiny worlds in this great big one.
We just never really realize that we are insignificant.
© Lauren Bishop 2010
“You are not welcomed here Argemedes.”
“Do you two insignificant children honestly believe you can stop me?”
“We will defend our home to the end reinforcements are coming behind us.”
“I am just passing through, I do not want any trouble. Leave me be.”
“Then we will escort you, your reputation of honesty is the only thing that is sheathing out swords.”
Early morning on Christmas Day--which, in this part of the country is celebrated by a not-insignificant minority--there was a novitiation ceremony on the foggy streets for a young novice monk. These are often quite elaborate, with a big party after the religious portion for the hundreds of guests. The actual procession celebrates the soon-to-be student monk with pomp suited to royalty. Becoming a novice monk is an extremely common thing, expected of all Theravada Buddhist boys (although I'm sure it's possible to opt out), and for most boys it is temporary, lasting from one week to a few months. Rarely do they choose to remain monks for life, let alone for a year or more. Thus it never ceases to amaze me how much trouble & cost the families go through to honor these boys.
This Crushing Weight
Psychological Landscape
A surreal, abstract psychological landscape inside JB's mind. A tiny, insignificant figure of JB in his flight suit is on his knees on a cracked obsidian floor, being physically crushed by the immense, gravitational weight of a massive, swirling dark sphere hovering just above him—the manifestation of the "black hole mind." Fractured, weak volleys of violet lightning crackle uselessly against the overwhelming darkness of the sphere.
The image depicts a surreal mental landscape where a tiny, insignificant JB is physically pinned down by a massive, hovering dark sphere (the "black hole mind") while weak violet lightning crackles uselessly against it.
The Internal Singularity
Inside the high-tech cryo-cocoon, JB’s bound body is central, wrapped tightly in shimmering silver nanoweave. His chest cavity is visualised not as flesh, but as a swirling, dark "black hole" singularity, warping the light and space within the pod. Thin, fractured arcs of violet light—representing his remaining anxiety—are being violently sucked into this dark centre, unable to escape the "crushing gravity" of his despair. The lighting is heavy, dark, and oppressive.
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Seen from the slope of one of the surrounding hills the core area of the MeerKAR array looks insignificant.
Amid the vastness of space, we are not insignificant. We are miracles.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
The whole model is named after this small and mostly insignificant part of the house. But still, many design and technical decision had to revolve around the inclusion of a cellar.
We, People of Bangladesh need very small excuses to be either happy or tensed. The ironic result is, we can hardly distinguish between critical excuses and insignificant excuses.
I don't know what was her excuse to become tensed, but she was tensed in any case.
The insignificant landscape, showing the reflections of the street lights in calm waters, against the vast night sky showing the trails of the stars as we orbit in our own bubbles we call life. 14/02/2013
Please favourite if you like this. (hit F)
“After all, what is your personal identity? It is what you really are, your real self. None of us is what he thinks he is, or what other people think he is, still less what his passport says he is… And it is fortunate for most of us that we are mistaken. We do not generally know what is good for us. That is because, in St. Bernard’s language, our true personality has been concealed under the ‘disguise’ of a false self, the ego, whom we tend to worship in place of God.” —Thomas Merton, The Waters of Siloe
Harcourt & Brace, 1949, p. 349
“The more you try to avoid suffering, the more you suffer, because smaller and more insignificant things begin to torture you, in proportion to your fear of being hurt. The one who does most to avoid suffering is, in the end, the one who suffers most.”
― Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain
The Feathers at Frenchman Coulee near Vantage, Washington. One of the most popular rock climbing areas in the state.
I sat near here for a couple of hours. The stars were amazing. They make me feel so small, and insignificant -- but not in a bad way.
I used my headlamp to brighten some areas of the rock in this shot.
No one can give us the feeling
small and insignificant to be
if we do not allow it!!!!
Niemand kann uns das Gefühl geben,
klein und unbedeutend zu sein,
wenn wir es nicht zulassen!
I wish you my Flickr friends a wonderful weekend
Calexico - All Systems Red (Orange ;o)))
The Wheel of fortune turns up in the Seeker’s life to expand and lift up the seeker’s experiences. It often shows up when you least expect it and it creates amazing changes you might not even be ready for. The Tarot says to prepare for the Wheel of fortune because if you don’t it can be a stressful experience. You might feel like you have been thrown into the deep end and you are unable to be the person you always dreamt of being. The Wheel of fortune will give you success, so get rid of your beliefs and feelings about being insignificant and small.The Wheel of fortune is the card for beings successful, and in love it denotes matchmaking done by the Universe. You will not be able to plan meeting your soulmate, it will just happen in the strangest of places. You will most likely meet through what looks like fate or destiny, rather than through other people. If you are already in a relationship then the Wheel of fortune denotes you were destined to be together. The Wheel of fortune tarot card love meaning is surely a very positive card. If you are single, it is only temporary. If you don’t want a relationship and the Wheel of fortune turns up then you might meet someone you will be unable to forget. The Wheel of fortune brings you people who you might not be able to turn away from. Fear of abandonment and commitment are all beliefs and programs that will have to be dealt with before the Wheel of fortune enters your life. Write down your fears on a piece of paper and burn it in a safe place. Imagine your fears dissolve with the flames and the smoke.Learn the traditional meaning of the Wheel of fortune tarot card here. With the Wheel of Fortune ends an old way of life. A part of your life if not most of your life will be completely renewed. In regards to love the Wheel of fortune tarot card says your partner will renew you. Someone will come and bring in a new way of life. Your partner might even be from a different country than you or you will move together to a new part of the world.
Most of the changes with the Wheel of fortune happens on the mental plane to bring in new people and events, even a new way to do your job. Sometimes the Wheel of fortune will push you in a completely new direction to put you around people you normally would never have met.
The Wheel of fortune describes relationships between soulmates who are destined to be together. This is the kind of relationship that will bring you the highs and lows of human emotions, and you will make great leaps forward towards a life you could never even imagine. There are plenty of adventures waiting.Wheel Of Fortune Tarot Card Love Meanings Summary: To sum it up: The Wheel of fortune denotes an adventure and action filled relationship between two people who are from different places and/or environments. The Wheel of fortune brings people together who usually would never have met. The Wheel of fortune tarot card is the cosmic matchmaker and you will be meeting your soulmate through what seems like complete chance. In a relationship the Wheel of fortune states your are destined to be together. The Wheel of fortune advises you to deal with limiting beliefs around success and achievements as the Wheel of fortune is always expanding and so will you under it’s influence.
www.tarotwikipedia.com/wheel-of-fortune-tarot-card-love-m...
Wheel of fortune is sometimes taken as a complicated tarot card, for it basically emphasizes “anything can happen”. This is true even in the situations of love and relationship. Look at the word “fortune”. What does that mean? Luck and wealth.
So if you have eyes on someone the appearance of this tarot card in a reading about them simply reveals that something will happen between you and them and that is also in a very shocking manner. In short, luck is with you and so you do not need to worry. In a reading about a relationship, Wheel of fortune tarot card tells you of good things happening or coming up for you. In reversed position, this tarot card is negative in nature because the devil and the monsters which were underneath the wheel before have now come on the top. As a matter of fact, if you closely look at the card you will see that the snake also is crawling upward. This simply signals that darkness has taken over your love life. So some setbacks should be seen in it or expecte.
Before you comment, please take the time to read this! You can reach me at snapdragginphoto@yahoo.com This image should qualify as an HFF image (a Flickr thing), by the way... so Happy Fence Friday, everyone!
The Lone Ranger and Tonto were hot on the trail of a band of thieves. Riding in the desert for many days, the need for rest overcame them. They decided to set up camp and were soon asleep in their tent.
Some hours into the night, the Lone Ranger says, “Tonto, look up and tell me what you see.”
Tonto stirs and replies, “I see a million stars.”
“What does that tell you?”
Tonto ponders for a moment, then says, “Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are many stars spread out from our own galaxy, amid those of countless other galaxies, and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, it tells that we are small and insignificant, but the Lord is all-powerful and it is in Him that we find signicance. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you, Kemo sabi?”
Without delay, the Lone Ranger replies, “It tells me that someone stole our tent!”
A good rule of thumb for landscape photography is to find a strong foreground element to work with... I think Bodie Island Lighthouse is pretty solid against the backdrop of a decent portion of the Universe. A dark night with no moon made the stars pop like I’ve rarely seen them before... in fact, light from 2.54 million light-years away is visible here... the Andromeda Galaxy can be seen here as a blurry bright spot left of the light. Andromeda is the furthest object that can be seen with the unaided eye, though it takes some fine conditions like this to do so.
Since 1872, the light from this first-order Fresnel lens has been no less a star than those that surround it here. At 156-feet in height, it is a fixed navigational point reaching some nineteen miles out to sea, beyond the unseen shoals... and, historically, it has saved many a ship and crew from facing the fate of the Graveyard of the Atlantic off the shores of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
In light of the world the way it is today, this is also quite symbolic to me, especially concerning the disparaging beliefs and attitudes of so many here on the internet, seemingly adherents (whether they know it or not) of Invictus... those folks are truly lost. I’m reminded of an interview I saw of the late Chuck Colson (www.colsoncenter.org/wfp-home) by Ted Koppel on Nightline some year ago. "Believing in absolutes doesn't make one an absolutist," wrote Colson about that TV interview where the Koppel accused him of being an absolutist.
Colson said, "When Ted asked me why Christians always try to cram our views down people's throats, I was getting nowhere. After all, he was the one who admonished the graduating class at Duke University in his commencement speech that the Ten Commandments were not the Ten Suggestions. Then I remembered he loved to sail.
'Have you ever sailed at night, navigating by the stars?' I asked. 'Yes,' he replied.
'Could you use those stars to navigate if they appeared in different, random positions every night?'
'Of course not,' he said slowly.
I think he got it. Christians are not intolerant absolutists. We just don't want our culture to be lost at sea, unaware of the stars above that could so quickly right our course."
I believe Tonto got his "Theologically" pertinent point just right. John 14:6 states, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" That is the Gospel, good news for everyone. If you wonder why that may be "good news", let me offer you an alternative we see too often anymore... for the Muslim, which number about 1.57 billion throughout the world, the only guaranteed way to Heaven is through martyrdom... of late, that salvation comes through terrorism, the killing of innocents. There's something very wrong with that ideology... and I believe deep down that the adherents of such know the truth of it... they just don't care, given their own proclivity. Invictus leaves one in perhaps a worse condition, as it is rooted only in the highest form of narcissism, the believers of which become stars of "random positions every night". Their motto is "Life is a *blank*, and then you die... a joyless life. If this is you, you can do better... and the world will be better off for it. Think about it.
About this image: This image was shot at the time of a waning crescent moon that set before the night settled in, which left this place quite in the dark... beyond the lighthouse is a bit of wetland that stretches out to highway 12 and the dunes, and then the beach. Beyond that is only the Atlantic Ocean, that likely doesn't end until it reaches Morocco... there is no extraneous light in this direction. Be sure, however, to check a moon phase calendar and the weather for best results in your attempts. I've left the EXIF data on this page so you can see the initial settings. The lens was closed about 3/4 stop not only for a little sharper image, but so I could record the information in under 23 seconds to keep from overexposing the light from the lighthouse. The blink rate For this lighthouse is 2.5 seconds on, 2.5 seconds off, 2.5 seconds on, and 22.5 seconds eclipse with 2 cycles each minute. I developed a count of 3 for each on cycle, waited for the last 1/2 second of the last blink, and opened the shutter for 22 seconds using an intervalometer for precision. The shutter closed the exact moment before the next blink cycle. At 3200 ISO, 22 seconds gave me the exposure I needed for the sky, but the lighthouse structure needed a little help in that condition... I used a Fenix TK35 flashlight, with a brilliant white LED set to its lowest intensity, to "paint" over just the structure, taking roughly 5 seconds of the entire exposure. The resulting RAW image was processed with DxO Optics Pro 9 to reduce the noise evident at that high ISO, and DxO ViewPoint to counter the effects of a wide-angle lens pointed quite a ways up. It was finished in Photoshop CC 2014. You can try DxO Labs products free for 30 days here: www.dxo.com/intl/photography/dxo-optics-pro/photo-software
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Khajuraho"
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location Madhya Pradesh, India Edit this at Wikidata
Coordinates 24°51′08″N 79°55′20″E
Criteria Cultural: (i), (iii) Edit this on Wikidata[1]
Reference 240
Inscription 1986 (10th Session)
Khajuraho Group of Monuments is located in India
Khajuraho Group of Monuments
Location of Khajuraho Group of Monuments
[edit on Wikidata]
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometres (109 mi) southeast of Jhansi. They are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.[2][3] The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.[4]
Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 by the Chandela dynasty.[5] Historical records note that the Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by the 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers Of these, only about 25 temples have survived, spread over 6 square kilometers.[3] Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and expressiveness of ancient Indian art.[6]
The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two religions, Hinduism and Jainism, suggesting a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains in the region.[7]
Contents
1 Location
2 History
3 Description
3.1 Architecture of the temples
4 Construction
5 Chronology
6 Arts and sculpture
7 Tourism and cultural events
8 See also
9 References
10 Further reading
11 External links
Location
The Khajuraho monuments are located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in Chhatarpur district, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi. The temples are near a small town also known as Khajuraho,[8] with a population of about 20,000 people (2001 Census).
Khajuraho is served by Civil Aerodrome Khajuraho (IATA Code: HJR), with services to Delhi, Agra, Varanasi and Mumbai.[9] The site is also linked by the Indian Railways service, with the railway station located approximately six kilometres from the entrance to the monuments .
The monuments are about 10 kilometres off the east-west National Highway 75, and about 50 kilometres from the city of Chhatarpur, which is connected to the state capital Bhopal by the SW-NE running National Highway 86.
The 10th century Bhand Deva Temple in Rajasthan was built in the style of the Khajuraho monuments and is often referred to as 'Little Khajuraho'.
History
The Khajuraho group of monuments was built during the rule of the Chandela dynasty. The building activity started almost immediately after the rise of their power, throughout their kingdom to be later known as Bundelkhand.[10] Most temples were built during the reigns of the Hindu kings Yashovarman and Dhanga. Yashovarman's legacy is best exhibited by The Lakshmana Temple. Vishvanatha temple best highlights King Dhanga's reign.[11]:22 The largest and currently most famous surviving temple is Kandariya Mahadeva built in the reign of King Vidyadhara.[12] The temple inscriptions suggest many of the currently surviving temples were complete between 970 and 1030 CE, with further temples completed during the following decades.[7]
The Khajuraho temples were built about 35 miles from the medieval city of Mahoba,[13] the capital of the Chandela dynasty, in the Kalinjar region. In ancient and medieval literature, their kingdom has been referred to as Jijhoti, Jejahoti, Chih-chi-to and Jejakabhukti.[14]
Khajuraho was 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.[15] 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.[14]
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"[16][17] as follows:
Until the 12th century, Khajuraho was under Hindu kings and featured 85 temples. Central India was seized by Delhi Sultanate in 13th century. Under Muslim rule, some temples were destroyed and the rest left in neglect. Ruins of some old temples (Ghantai temple above) are still visible.
...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[18]
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.[7][10] In 1495 CE, for example, Sikandar Lodi’s campaign of temple destruction included Khajuraho.[19] The remoteness and isolation of Khajuraho protected the Hindu and Jain temples from continued destruction by Muslims.[20][21] 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.[22] 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.[23]
Nomenclature
The name Khajuraho, or Kharjuravāhaka, is derived from ancient Sanskrit (kharjura, खर्जूर means date palm,[24] and vāhaka, वाहक means "one who carries" or bearer[25]). 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).[26]
Cunningham’s nomenclature and systematic documentation work in 1850s and 1860s have been widely adopted and continue to be in use.[23] He grouped the temples into the Western group around Lakshmana, Eastern group around Javeri, and Southern group around Duladeva.[27]
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[28] 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
Sections and orientation of Khajuraho temples.
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.[27] 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.[27][29]
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).[30] The local legends state that the temple complex had 64 water bodies, of which 56 have been physically identified by archeologists so far.[27][31]
All temples, except[27] 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.[28] 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 Tirthankars.[27] 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.[32] 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.[27] The temple site highlights Shiva, the one who destroys and recycles life, thereby controlling the cosmic dance of time, evolution and dissolution.[28]
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.[33] 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.[34] The viewer has to look closely to find them, or be directed by a guide.[35] 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.[36]
The Beejamandal temple is under excavation. It has been identified with the Vaidyanath temple mentioned in the Grahpati Kokalla inscription.[37]
Of all temples, the Matangeshvara temple remains an active site of worship.[28] It is another square grid temple, with a large 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high and 1.1 metres (3.6 ft) diameter lingam, placed on a 7.6 metres (25 ft) diameter platform.[27]
The most visited temple, Kandariya Mahadev, has an area of about 6,500 square feet and a shikhara (spire) that rises 116 feet.[10][27]
Jain temples
Main article: Jain temples of Khajuraho
The Jain temples are located on east-southeast region of Khajuraho monuments.[38] Chausath jogini temple features 64 jogini, while Ghantai temple features bells sculptured on its pillars.
Architecture of the temples
The layout plan of Kandariya Mahadeva Temple. It uses the 64 pada grid design. Smaller Khajuraho temples use the 9, 16, 36 or 49 grid mandala plan.[39]
Khajuraho temples, like almost all Hindu temple designs, follow a grid geometrical design called vastu-purusha-mandala.[40] 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.[41]
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.[42]
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.[29] The square is divided into perfect 64 sub-squares called padas.[40]
Most Khajuraho temples deploy the 8x8 (64) padas grid Manduka Vastupurushamandala, with pitha mandala the square grid incorporated in the design of the spires.[39] The primary deity or lingas are located in the grid’s Brahma padas.
Khajuraho temples use the 8x8 (64) Vastupurusamandala Manduka grid layout plan (left) found in Hindu temples. Above the temple’s brahma padas is a Shikhara (Vimana or Spire) that rises symmetrically above the central core, typically in a circles and turning-squares concentric layering design (right) that flows from one to the other as it rises towards the sky.[29][43]
The architecture is symbolic and reflects the central Hindu beliefs through its form, structure and arrangement of its parts.[44] 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.[45] This fractal pattern that is common in Hindu temples.[46] 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.[26]
All Khajuraho temples, except one, face sunrise, and the entrance for the devotee is this east side.
An illustration of Khajuraho temple Spires (Shikhara, Vimana) built using concentric circle and rotating-squares principle. Four spires (left) are shown above, while the inside view of one Shikara ceiling (right) shows the symmetric layout.
Above the vastu-purusha-mandala of each temple is a superstructure with a dome called Shikhara (or Vimana, Spire).[41] 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.[29]
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.[29] 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.[41]
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.[47] 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".[48]
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.[49] 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.[50] 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.[51] Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone.[52] 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.[53] 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.
Kandariya 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.
Temples, religious affiliations and consecration years
Sequence Modern Temple name Religion Deity Completed by
(CE)[27][54] Image
1 Chausath Yogini Hinduism Devi, 64 Yoginis 885 Khajuraho,Chausath-Yogini-Tempel2.jpg
2 Brahma Hinduism Vishnu 925
3 Lalgun Mahadev Hinduism Shiva 900 India-5696 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
4 Matangeshwar Hinduism Shiva 1000 India-5772 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
5 Varaha Hinduism Vishnu 950 India-5595 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
6 Lakshmana Hinduism Vaikuntha Vishnu 939 India-5679 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
7 Parshvanatha Jainism Parshvanatha 954 Le temple de Parshvanath (Khajuraho) (8638423582).jpg
8 Vishvanatha Hinduism Shiva 999 India-5749 - Visvanatha Temple - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
9 Devi Jagadambi Hinduism Devi, Parvati 1023 Khajuraho Devi Jagadambi Temple 2010.jpg
10 Chitragupta Hinduism Sun, Chitragupta 1023 India-5707 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg
11 Kandariya Mahadeva (Largest temple) Hinduism Shiva 1029 Temple at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India.jpg
12 Vamana Hinduism Vamana 1062 Khajuraho Vaman Temple 2010.jpg
13 Adinath Jain Temple Jainism Adinatha 1027 Adinath Jain Temple Khajuraho 12.jpg
14 Javeri Hinduism Vishnu 1090 Javari Temple, Khajuraho.jpg
15 Chaturbhuja Hinduism Vishnu 1110 Khajuraho Chaturbhuja Temple.jpg
16 Duladeo (Duladeva) Hinduism Shiva 1125 Khajuraho Dulhadeo 2010.jpg
17 Ghantai Jainism Adinatha 960 A ruin, pillars at Khajuraho, India.jpg
18 Vishnu-Garuda Hinduism Vishnu 1000
19 Ganesha Hinduism Shiva 1000
20 Hanuman Hinduism Hanuman 922[55] Hanuman Inscription at Khajuraho.jpg
21 Mahishasuramardini Hinduism Mahishasuramardini 995 Khajuraho India, Lakshman Temple, Sculpture 10.JPG
22 Shantinatha temple Jainism Shantinatha 1027 Jain group of temples - Khajuraho 09.jpg
Arts and sculpture
Khajuraho temples are famous for their erotic arts. These constitute about 10% of total art displayed at the monuments.
Erotic sculptures
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.[56] 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.[6][57] 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."
Over 90% of the art work at the temple is about daily life and symbolic values in ancient Indian culture.
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;[58] however the kama arts represent diverse sexual expressions of different human beings.[59] 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.[3][6] For example, depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians making music, potters, farmers, and other folks in their daily life during the medieval era.[60] 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.[6] 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[29]
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.[61] Some of the themes expressed in these literary works are carved as sculpture in Khajuraho temples.[26][62] 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.[63] 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.[64]
Tourism and cultural events
Temples layout map – Khajuraho Group of Monuments.
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.[65]
The Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every year in February.[66] 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.
See also
List of megalithic sites
Jain temples of Khajuraho
Ajanta Caves
Badami Chalukya architecture
Western Chalukya architecture
Hindu temple
Madan Kamdev
Hemvati
Kama Sutra
Kamashastra
References
"World Heritage Day: Five must-visit sites in India".
Khajuraho Group of Monuments UNESCO World Heritage Site
Philip Wilkinson (2008), India: People, Place, Culture and History, ISBN 978-1405329040, pp 352-353
Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam, ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 179.
Devangana Desai (2005), Khajuraho, Oxford University Press, Sixth Print, ISBN 978-0-19-565643-5
James Fergusson, Norther or Indo-Aryan Style - Khajuraho History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, Updated by James Burgess and R. Phene Spiers (1910), Volume II, John Murray, London
"Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
Khajuraho airport AAI, Govt of India
G.S. Ghurye, Rajput Architecture, ISBN 978-8171544462, Reprint Year: 2005, pp 19-24
Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. ISBN 9789380607344.
Devangana Desai 2005, p. 10.
also called Erakana
Mitra (1977), The early rulers of Khajuraho, ISBN 978-8120819979
J. Banerjea (1960), Khajuraho, Journal of the Asiatic Society, Vol. 2-3, pp 43-47
phonetically translated from Arabic sometimes as "Kajwara"
Director General of Archaeology in India (1959), Archaeological Survey of India, Ancient India, Issues 15-19, pp 45-46 (Archived: University of Michigan)
Arthur Cotterell (2011), Asia: A Concise History, Wiley, ISBN 978-0470825044, pp 184-185
Michael D. Willis, An Introduction to the Historical Geography of Gopakṣetra, Daśārṇa, and Jejākadeśa, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 51, No. 2 (1988), pp. 271-278; See also K.R. Qanungo (1965), Sher Shah and his times, Orient Longmans, OCLC 175212, pp 423-427
Trudy King et al., Asia and Oceania: International Dictionary of Historic Places, ISBN 978-1884964046, Routledge, pp 468-470
Alain Daniélou (2011), A Brief History of India, ISBN 978-1594770296, pp 221-227
Louise Nicholson (2007), India, National Geographic Society, ISBN 978-1426201448, see Chapter on Khajuraho
Krishna Deva (1990), Temples of Khajuraho, 2 Volumes, Archaelogical Survey of India, New Delhi
kharjUra Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany
vAhaka Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany
Devangana Desai (1996), Chapter 7 - Puns and Enigmatic Language in Sculpture in The Religious Imagery of Khajuraho, Project for Indian Cultural Studies, Columbia University Archives
Rana Singh (2007), Landscape of sacred territory of Khajuraho, in City Society and Planning (Editors: Thakur, Pomeroy, et al), Volume 2, ISBN 978-8180694585, Chapter 18
Shobita Punja (1992), Divine Ecstasy - The Story of Khajuraho, Viking, New Delhi, ISBN 978-0670840274
Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Vol 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0222-3
Ibn Battuta in his 1335 CE memoirs on Delhi Sultanate mentioned the temples to be near a mile long lake, modern water bodies are much smaller and separate lagoons; Director General of Archaeology in India (1959), Archaeological Survey of India, Ancient India, Issues 15-19, pp 45-46 (Archived: University of Michigan)
The number 64 is considered sacred in Hindu temple design and very common design basis; it is symbolic as it is both a square of 8 and a cube of 4.
Brahma temple is 19 feet square; Kandariya Mahadev has a four fused square grid; Matangeshvara temple is a 64 grid square; etc. See G.S. Ghurye, Rajput Architecture, ISBN 978-8171544462, Reprint Year: 2005, pp 19-25; and V.A. Smith (1879), "Observations on some Chandel Antiquities", Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. 48, Part 1, pp 291-297
D Desai (1996), The religious imagery of Khajuraho, Project for Indian Cultural Studies, ISBN 978-8190018418
Desai states that Khajuraho and Orissa Hindu temples are distinctive in giving erotic kama images the same weight as others and by assigning important architectural position; in contrast, surviving sculpture from temples of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Mysore show that there kama and sexual images were assigned to insignificant parts of the temple; Meister suggests that this aspect of eroticism in temple design and equal weight reflects evolution of design ideas among Hindu artisans, with temples built in later medieval centuries placing equal weight and balance to kama; see Meister, Michael (1979). "Juncture and Conjunction: Punning and Temple Architecture". Artibus Asiae. 41 (2–3): 226–234. JSTOR 3249517. doi:10.2307/3249517.
Edmund Leach, The Harvey Lecture Series. The Gatekeepers of Heaven: Anthropological Aspects of Grandiose Architecture, Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Autumn, 1983), pp 243-264
Bettina Bäumer, A review, Artibus Asiae, Vol. 59, No. 1/2 (1999), pp. 138-140
Cunningham, Alexander (1880). Report of Tours in Bundelkhand and Malwa in 1874-75 and 1876-77. 8 Hastings Street, Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing. p. 22. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
James Fergusson, Jaina Architecture - Khajuraho History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, Updated by James Burgess and R. Phene Spiers (1910), Volume II, John Murray, London
Meister, Michael W. (April–June 1979). "Maṇḍala and Practice in Nāgara Architecture in North India". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 99 (2): 204–219. JSTOR 602657. doi:10.2307/602657.
Meister, Michael (1983). "Geometry and Measure in Indian Temple Plans: Rectangular Temples". Artibus Asiae. 44 (4): 266–296. JSTOR 3249613. doi:10.2307/3249613.
Susan Lewandowski, The Hindu Temple in South India, in Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, Anthony D. King (Editor), ISBN 978-0710202345, Routledge, pp 68-69
Stella Kramrisch (1976), The Hindu Temple Volume 1, ISBN 81-208-0223-3
Meister, Michael W. (March 2006). "Mountain Temples and Temple-Mountains: Masrur". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 65 (1): 26–49. JSTOR 25068237. doi:10.2307/25068237.
Meister, Michael W. (Autumn 1986). "On the Development of a Morphology for a Symbolic Architecture: India". RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (12): 33–50. JSTOR 20166752.
Devangana Desai, Khajuraho, Oxford University Press Paperback (Sixth impression 2005) ISBN 978-0-19-565643-5
Rian et al (2007), Fractal geometry as the synthesis of Hindu cosmology in Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Khajuraho, Building and Environment, Vol 42, Issue 12, pp 4093-4107, doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2007.01.028
Trivedi, K. (1989). Hindu temples: models of a fractal universe. The Visual Computer, 5(4), 243-258
Susan Lewandowski, The Hindu Temple in South India, in Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, Anthony D. King (Editor), ISBN 978-0710202345, Routledge, Chapter 4
V.A. Smith, "Observations on some Chandel Antiquities", Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Volume 48, pp 290-291
"Lost Worlds of the Kama Sutra" History channel
"Lost Worlds of the Kama Sutra," History Channel
Lehner, Mark (1997) The Complete Pyramids, London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05084-8. pp. 202–225
Will Durant (1976), Our Oriental Heritage - The Story of Civilization, ISBN 978-0671548001, Simon & Schuster
From inscription or estimated from other evidence
Cunningham in Archaeological Survey Reports noted that one of two Hanuman statues bears an inscription of 868 CE
Rabe (2000), Secret Yantras and Erotic Display for Hindu Temples, Tantra in Practice (Editor: David White), ISBN 978-8120817784, Chapter 25, pp 434-446
See:
Heather Elgood (2000), Hinduism and the Religious Arts, ISBN 978-0304707393, Bloomsbury;
Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Volume 1, ISBN 81-208-0223-3, pp 92-96;
Alain Danielou (2001), The Hindu Temple: Deification of Eroticism, ISBN 978-0892818549, pp 101-119
"Khajuraho". Liveindia.com. Retrieved on 2014-07-14.
Alain Danielou (2001), The Hindu Temple: Deification of Eroticism, ISBN 978-0892818549
George Michell, The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to Its Meaning and Forms, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0226532301, pp 117-123 and pp 56-58
L. H. Gray, Journal of American Society, Vol. 27
H.M. Woodward (1989), The Lakṣmaṇa Temple, Khajuraho, and Its Meanings, Ars Orientalis, Vol. 19, pp. 27-48
Smith, David (1 January 2013). "Monstrous Animals on Hindu Temples, with Special Reference to Khajuraho": 27–43. doi:10.1558/rosa.v7i1-3.27. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
The Lakṣmaṇa Temple, Khajuraho, and Its Meanings, Hiram W. Woodward, Jr., Ars Orientalis, Vol. 19, (1989), pp. 27-48
Tourists to Khajuraho will now have an audio compass The Times of India (25 August 2011)
Khajuraho Festival of Dances
on 24.07, David Williams and I visited the site where we'd previously seen adults of this species. We failed to find any adults this time, but did find 3 larvae, one of which was pre-pupal. Knowing it wouldn't need feeding, I decided to bring it home with me! The next morning, I had a pupa! This gradually darkened over the next few days, eventually becoming almost black! On 01.08, the ladybird eclosed! This took about 20 mins, and then he rested with wings out drying. For the next 24 hrs, no spots were showing... was it C. rufa after all?? Most ladybirds spots develop within hours. Well, it took around 48 hours before the markings started to appear! These became more evident in the following days. We returned to the site on 07.08 to release him!
...well I just love this location, especially as one can include a train and make it look so insignificant.
"Nothing has really happened until it has been recorded." Virginia Woolf
You blink and you will miss the phantom of a bird, the smallest of all extant birds. To compensate for this illusionary existence, due to their insignificant stature, hummingbirds hum, hover, and pause playfully around flowers, enough to get recorded plentifully, or live a long life, a long decade, in fact.
Take a moment and look up... Then you'll realize just how small and insignificant we are. This was shot in Nordmarka just north of Oslo.
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This photo is Copyrighted 2011 © Morten Prom. All rights reserved.
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A not-insignificant slice on the bottom right has been filled in using Photoshop's generative fill. I intentionally left it low resolution so as not to confuse it with actual image data.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Kevin M. Gill
That big ol' motorhome looks pretty tiny in this setting.
Seen chugging along in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.
Every time. Every time I look at a sky full of stars, and at our neighbors in the spiral arms of our majestic Milky Way, I wonder. I wonder why. I wonder how. The fact that I'm here by chance. That I am so insignificant, and yet so significant. The fact that I am made of the same matter as that of those celestial bodies. That it took so many sacrifices for me to be born. The fact that I am standing at the center of that very universe that created me, and that I am able to experience it. To soak it in. To feel it. To touch it. To wonder. Why? How? Every time. Every time.
*The red hues on the top are the Northern Lights.*
“When we look up, it widens our horizons. we see what a little speck we are in the universe, so insignificant, and we all take ourselves so seriously, but in the sky, there are no boundaries..." ~ Julia Gregson
Another from last night's sunset....could have zoomed in on the old dilapidated barns, but the clouds clearly stole the show :-) This one's best viewed large too....just hit the letter "L."
Happy New Year's Eve to everyone...be safe & enjoy!!!!!
A pretty plant with an insignificant <5mm white flowers with a hint of blue on a plant growing in sand.
Photo: Jean
"Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people."
Carl Sagan
26 by 26 - Challenge #14
Photograph something you consider insignificant.
— Riitta Ikonen & Karoline Hjorth
IMG_7605
Among the many great things about aerial photography are two important ones. One, the completely different way of seeing things we take for granted or even walk by every day.
The other is a reminder of how insignificant we really are barely visible even from less than 100 feet up the air. Imagine how much more insignificant we are in the cosmos.
If I remember correctly, that is a ribcage bone from an old whale visible on the ground, showing how easily even a mortal whale can swallow us whole without a hiccup.
But, our greatest gift is in the gift and opportunity we have to be mere red or brown specks on the landscape, not even that noticeable in the universe, yet having the ability to leave our name on the sands of time before we ascend the stairway to heaven(s). Can you spot me and my name from where you are watching, my friends? Have a whale of a time!
© 2016 IMRAN™
DJI_0140
So tiny when your amongst the world tallest mountains. A quick iPhone shot while working out way to the base of Mount Everest.
Puedes seguirme en mi /follow me in my web, 500px, o en facebook
Casi siempre utilizo las entradas para contaros mis historias de abuelo que poco tienen que ver con la fotografía, pero si con la vida, y no suelo hablar de por ejemplo el proceso creativo o la preparación de la salida, y queria ahondar en la importancia de esto último.
He leído en mas de una ocasión de fotógrafos nocturnos que salen a la aventura, de noche y sin previa preparación de la localización, ni de posibles encuadres vistos en internet por otros compañeros. Me quedo asombrado con su capacidad de improvisación, o de otros por su temeraria acción, y me explico. Alguna vez he salido a hacer fotos sin conocer el sitio, pero porque era un lugar que sabía de fácil acceso y sin peligros, o porque no esperaba mucho del lugar, ahora bien, si de verdad quiero trabajar a gusto y tener unos resultados que me satisfagan, necesito haberlo visto de día. Y como podría enrollar con información muy superflua, prefiero explicaros una de estas salidas: Peñalara.
Un par de meses antes, buscando localizaciones interesantes por internet, me acordé de la ruta que hice con mi chica por Peñalara, era verano y se encontraba precioso, asi que empecé a buscar información: distancias desde el parking de cotos, posibles encuadres de otros fotografos, para ello utilizo panoramio y google earth o maps, la ruta, horario..etc. Y empiezo a darle al coco sobre que hacer, en este caso como iba sin Iván, ni tampoco "actores", sería todo naturaleza, o como máximo la relación de ésta con el ser humano.
Un mes antes de la fecha en la que salí a hacer las fotos contacté con mi amigo Tomás, alpinista aficionado, con experiencia en montaña, le expliqué que quería hacer unas fotos por Peñalara y entre los dos buscamos una fecha propicia teniendo en cuenta en primer lugar nuestros horarios laborales y familiares, luego la luna, necesitaba bastante luz que me iluminara la montaña y me diera ese aspecto de azul profundo al cielo; despues la meteorología, una vez fijada la fecha, teníamos que comprobar que el tiempo era estable y sin excesivo frío, aunque en pleno invierno.
Un par de días antes, comprobamos que haría una noche ideal para mi objetivo: cielos rasos, sin apenas viento y no excesivo frío (unos 2 o 3 bajo cero). Adelante, a preparar el equipo y la ropa. En este caso aparte de lo habitual, incorporé algo mas de comida y bebida, ropa de cambio, un mechero, navaja, la batería del móvil a tope y Tomás trajo sus crampones, ya que sabíamos que había bastante hielo. No llevé ningún mapa ni tampoco llevaba un gps independiente del de la cobertura del móvil, pero iba con una persona con experiencia en alta montaña y por las previsiones no habría nada de niebla.
Esta es la ruta que hicimos, y las localizaciones desde donde tomé las fotos que acompañan a la entrada, saliendo del parking del puerto de cotos, dirección a la laguna grande por una pista bastante grande, rodeo a ella, subida al refugio Zabala y vuelta al parking. Total unas 6 horas de ruta, de las cuales aproximadamente 3 son andando y el resto tomando fotos.
La subida se hace durilla con el hielo y los crampones, pero caminando despacio se hace sin problemas. Uana vez en lo alto (en el plano donde hay 3 lineas) ya se puede apreciar la ubicación al fondo al Norte la laguna, y hacia el oeste el refugio, los dos lugares que quería fotografiar. Fue desilusionante ver que no habia tanta nieve como yo quería y creía , pero el lugar es increible y tan cerca de Madrid es una joya que todos debemos cuidar. Por cierto desde hace unos meses está´dentro del Parque Nacional Sierra de Guadarrama.
Todas las fotos de la ruta las teneos aquí: el-farero.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/ruta-por-penalara.html
It's interesting that we humans seem to think we're the most important thing in the world, where in every aspect we're insignificant creatures to all of nature.
1. If you separate yourself from the body and abide at ease in Consciousness you will become one (the sole Reality), everything else appearing (insignificant) Like grass.
2. After knowing that by which you know this (world) turn the mind inward and then you will see clearly the effulgence of the Self.
3. O Raghava, that by which you recognize sound, taste, form and smell, know that as your Self, the Supreme Brahman, the Lord of lords.
4. , O Raghava, that in which beings vibrate, that which creates them, know that Self to be your real Self.
5. After rejecting, through reasoning, all that can be known as ' non-truth ' what remains as pure Consciousness-regard that as your real Self.
6. Knowledge is not separate from you and that which is known is not separate from knowledge. Hence there is nothing other than the Self, nothing separate from it.
7. 'All that Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Indra and others always do is done by me, the embodiment of Consciousness' - think in this manner.
8. 'I am the whole universe. I am the undecaying Supreme Self. There is neither past norfuture apart from me '-reflect in this manner.
9. 'Everything is the One Brahman, pure Consciousness, the Self of all, indivisible and immutable `-reflect in this manner.
10. 'There is neither I nor any other thing. Only Brahman exists always full of bliss everywhere.'- meditate on this calmly.
11. The sense of perceiver and perceived is common to all embodied beings, but the Yogi worships the One Self.
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Yoga Vasishta Sara - SELECTED VERSES - Worship of the Self
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Painting by Petrus Christus (La Virgen del arbol seco, c. 1465)
Although the Industrial Revolution increased life expectancy, it also produced many negative consequences. As a result, we live in a society that has lost much of its roots and moral grounding. Therefore, we live unfulfilling lives. As technology continues to advance, we will witness more social disruption. We now live in an industrial-technological system, which we will not be able to turn back. As this system marches forward, we will lose our dignity and freedom—even our humanity.
We have become a society of leisure; we have become decadent. As a result, we have become bored, hedonistic, and demoralized. An individual must have meaningful goals in life, which they can ‘autonomously’ work toward—goals with real adversity and reward. In accomplishing such goals, a person finds fulfillment. In our modern society, we have lost much of our autonomy. We have been trained to be obedient to the system. We must follow ever-increasing bureaucratic rules and regulations. Nowadays, experts tell us what to do and how to think. We are cogs of the machine—we are under the direction and control of the system. Yet this is not healthy for human beings. We must have our own independence, so that we can build our lives by our own initiative. If there is little room for a person to exercise autonomy, they will feel insignificant. If they have the autonomy to attain meaningful goals, they will gain self-confidence. A society that cannot make/create/set or fulfill meaningful goals will become demoralized; they will suffer from low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority; they will suffer from depression, anxiety, and guilt; they will become frustrated, hostile, and unfriendly; they will become bored and pursue hedonistic pleasures in order to cope.
Many young people today lack goals. They cannot see themselves attaining enough financial stability to marry a spouse or raise a family. They cannot see themselves owning a house or having a future to look forward to. This results in demoralization and defeatism.
In the past, people had to truly survive. This took serious effort. They had to make tools and weapons. They had to hunt down an animal, kill it, butcher it, get it home, cook it, and eat it. How manly and satisfying! A man would find fulfillment in a lifetime of roaming and exploring the land, hunting wild game for his family. He would have many adventures. Yet in our modern society, it takes minimal effort to attain one’s basic needs. Today, we work dead-end jobs that are unsatisfying. They provide us with a paycheck, but they don’t provide us with real fulfillment. We then try to find fulfillment in hobbies and other leisure activities, which will not bring us real fulfillment. What is worse, we spend our spare time sitting around staring at screens. The human body is not built to live a sedentary life. The human brain is not built to doomscroll. Living sedentary lives and doomscrolling obviously leads to unhappiness. Such activities are less satisfying than accomplishing meaningful goals such as buying land, clearing the land of trees by hand, using the trees to build a house by hand, carrying ones wife over the threshold, raising a family, working the land and raising livestock, thus conquering the land and continuing ones posterity. This in itself is Biblical. Why do you think, when Christ returns, He will divide up the land among the people (as it was done in the Old Testament)? It is so that man will work his ‘own’ land. Then man will work in nature, where he will be happiest. God made nature for man, not man for nature. The goal of the globalist agenda is to further divide man from nature; it is an antichrist agenda. Their goal is transhumanism, which will dehumanize mankind and further divide him from nature. Moreover, transhumanism will divide man from God.
A pre-industrial society is predominantly rural. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the population of cities vastly increased. A technological society changes rapidly, thus there is less stability. These changes affect all aspects of society and cause the breakdown of traditional values. Breaking down traditional values causes the breakdown of societal bonds. An individual’s loyalty changes: it must not be first to their family or community, but first and foremost to the system. Indeed, individuals must be tools of the system. This makes us less independent and autonomous, because we become reliant on the system. The system is constantly changing, and we are taught to obey its changing rules and regulations. Yet these regulations are laid down by others. We have little to no input in the making of these rules. They are made by corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, corporations and organizations. This makes us feel powerless, which gives us a sense of hopelessness. Can you see why society has become so frustrated, insecure, humiliated, and angry? The more unfulfilled a society becomes, the more restless it becomes. Restlessness causes friction, and friction causes factions. Thus, a society breaks into factions. A society of impoverished relationships makes for a toxic society. Science will give us the tools to alter the material world, but our relationships with one another and with nature will be destroyed.
As society advances technologically, we lose more freedoms. People can’t even put down their phones, let alone toss them away to fight the system. People don’t want to sacrifice what they have become addicted to and dependent on. Yet they will replace their current technology with something more advanced. They will go from cell phones to wearable technology to microchips. With the promise of eliminating diseases and gaining super intelligence, much of society will give up freedom to be genetically engineered and microchipped. Even though, such a step will never be reversed. Humans will be modified to suit the needs of the system. They will become one with robotic technology.
Many people are not concerned about these dystopian scenarios. Yet technologies such as robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology pose a great threat to humanity. These technologies will be used as tools to redesign the world. Self-replicating technologies will cause great damage to the biosphere. In the end, self-replicating technology will be impossible to control.
Artificial Intelligence will replace human creativity. In the future, the internet will be accessed only by your personal AI assistant. You will ask your AI assistant questions, and it will surf the internet for you. You will not go on Youtube to watch videos. You will ask AI to make the kind of videos you desire to watch. There will be no human content creators. Get used to AI art, AI videos, AI music, AI articles, AI slop! That is what you will be fed. Many who want to fight the system will eventually become passive, and they will no longer resist. They will be sucked into the system and become zombified. They will become docile slaves of the system. It desires complete control over everything on earth, both man and nature. Humanity will then be reduced to the status of domestic animals. Of course, this will be for the good of the planet!
If university students are using AI to write papers, AI will replace them in their future jobs. If teachers and professors are using AI to write curriculum and mark papers, AI will replace them. If the younger generation has no work ethic, they will be replaced by subsidized foreign workers, then both will be replaced by AI. If generation Alpha can’t read, then AI will replace them. The (dangerous) foreign semi-truck drivers on our roads will be replaced by AI self-driving trucks. AI in the schools, AI in the hospitals, replace, replace, replace. The politicians make many terrible decisions, thus they will be replaced by AI.
Moving on! The more society moves away from the traditions of marriage and family, the more unfulfilled and unhappy society will become. Radical leftists feel the least fulfillment, because they long to destroy society and its traditions. How happy can one be if they want to destroy their roots? They are constantly deconstructing themselves, it’s the Maoist way—how else can you brainwash yourself? Therefore, they feel guilt and self-hatred. They gain an inferiority complex. They have a love-hate relationship with themselves. On one hand they loathe themselves, but on the other hand they selfishly desire power. For this reason, they are self-loathing narcissists. They feel unfulfilled and powerless. Therefore, they seek power to bring about fulfillment. They feel weak and helpless, so they desire to feel strong and competent. It’s a coping mechanism. They also hate anything that appears strong, moral, and successful. They hate America, Western civilization, capitalism, the family, patriarchy, whites, males, heterosexuals, the rich, the middleclass, and even rationality. They despise all who are more beautiful, talented, intelligent, or successful than them. Envy does not equate to fulfillment or happiness. Side note: social media causes much envy and unhappiness.
The far left wants society to take care of them, because they are lazy and lack confidence. They feel strong only as a member of a large group or movement. They like to be abusive to those who disagree with them, because they have masochistic tendencies. The Marxist ideology is an authoritarian ideology, which is masochistic in nature, because it revolves around revolution. The far left may act empathetic, but they are apathetic. Indeed, a study on this topic found that radical leftists were apathetic and narcissistic. Their goals revolve around revolution and power. Their insecurity causes them to feel hostile, and their revolution helps them to vent their hostility. They don’t care about diplomacy, so they act hostile. With them, it is all or nothing: they want revolution, they want power. How can you have a rational conversation with individuals who don’t want dialogue? They use minorities as an excuse for revolution. They hide behind minorities, using them to shield their intentions of revolution. They go into poor black communities to fight for poor black people, yet they burn down black businesses and ruin their local economy. The communist must fight for the revolution, for everything opposed to the revolution is a sin. The communist tries to find fulfillment in the act of rebellion; he tries to find fulfillment in the act of revolution. He, however, is never satisfied. Thus, the revolution moves onward.
For the radical, activism is a vent for their pent-up emotions. Activism produces unity among the young militants, creating a bond between like-minded people. Losers can feel accepted, like they belong. Many of these communist agitators are from middle and upper middleclass homes. They have had an easy but unfulfilling life. They are the most radicalized, because they feel the most unfulfilled. They have become so demoralized that they have become nihilistic. Their life seems to have no meaning. They have lost their moral compass. They rely on emotions rather than on reason. They rely on feelings rather than on facts. “Their political activism is thus only a reaction to the more basic fear that the times are against them, that a new world is emerging without either their assistance or their leadership.” These activists will gradually accept more deviant subcultures as they further divorce themselves from reality. “The supreme irony of that loose and volatile sociopolitical phenomenon of contemporary middleclass America named the New Left is that it is itself the creation of the technetronic revolution as well as a reaction against it.” “The New Left was able to draw on the deep-rooted traditions of American populism, Quaker pacifism, and the pre-World War II largely immigrant-imported socialism and communism.” (The ‘New Left’ refers to the leftist movement of the 60s).
Paying for your child’s first car, college tuition, wedding, or house down payment will give them little sense of accomplishment. Giving children everything not only spoils them but also makes life boring. There must be ups and downs for life to be interesting. Bad times can produce growth and maturity, that is, if a person desires to learn from life. Especially if they want to build a strong moral character. The rewards of being cogs in the system produce great boredom. These middleclass kids have a self-indulgent lifestyle that contradicts their professed anti-materialism. Their material existence tends to depend on their parents. Their ideological infantilism stems from obsolete nineteenth-century criticisms of capitalism. They are spoiled kids who are rebelling against middleclass society. These activists offer no real response to the dilemmas of our age. Their revolutionary movement is really an escapist movement. It is a way of coping with their unfulfilled lives. They supposedly desire to change society, but they really want to create a refuge (safe space) from society. Their activism is a psychological safety valve, in which they can blow off steam. They escape their boring lives through activism, so they can feel a sense of freedom and self-gratification. They pat each other on the back, because they are supposedly fighting against their capitalist enemy. However, this is really a form of group therapy.
The woke activists on the ground are the canaries in the coal mine. They are indicators of the problems of our society as a whole. Through them, we have the best lens on society’s anxiety, uncertainty, vulnerability, and dissatisfaction. Side note: we can see the incoming collectivist system through the lens of the United Nations. They want to eradicate poverty. Yet they hide behind poverty, using it to shield their intentions of ruling the world. With communism, it’s all about gaining power. Communism is meant to go worldwide. Collectivism seeks to bind together the entire world (both man and nature) into a unified whole.
Neo-Marxism went through the dialectic with postmodernism and produced wokeism. Some think that post-postmodernism will have a more spiritual element to it. I think that wokeism will go through the dialectic with some sort of religious spiritualism, which will produce antichristism. Wokeism is authoritarian in nature, yet it has a quasi-religious character. Post-postmodernism will lead to an authoritarian system with a spiritual flavour. Man must be grounded to a one-world religion to be grounded to a one-world government. Woke socialism must have a spiritual awakening, so to speak. Wokeism must awaken further in its social enlightenment in order to transcend to the next level of social consciousness. This dialectic enlightenment will mix socialism with a spiritual experience. It will lead to transhumanism. The coming socialist leader—the antichrist—will combine socialism, religion, and transhumanism. Modernity, with its globalization, technology, and social(ist) change, has produced a society that lacks fulfillment. Although technology will bring less fulfillment to humanity, the technological system will lead it forward on a leash. I can see one of the marketing strategies for the Mark of the Beast: we live in stressful times, take the microchip and become numb to the stresses of reality. The soma of the Brave New World Order will give you fulfillment. You will be modified to suit the needs of the system. Warning: do not follow the world system!
Revelation 18:4 “Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.’”
1 John 4:4 “Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind].”
1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Romans 8:7 “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”
Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”
In a sinful world, no individual can experience perfect fulfillment. When I’m in eternity with the Lord, I’ll know perfect fulfillment!