To dream of blue...

 

#226 of a series. See #006 here www.flickr.com/photos/triangular/5263409177/

Other images in this series:

www.flickr.com/photos/triangular/6800205520/in/photostream

www.flickr.com/photos/triangular/5263409177/in/photostream

www.flickr.com/photos/triangular/6800205428/in/photostream

 

Comments and feedback appreciated.

Visit my galleries at myadventurouslife.net

Location: Cove, OR

Premier SIPs provided: 10" Roof Panels

 

Questions: www.pbssips.com/contact/sales/

 

OR visit us: www.pbssips.com

 

PROJECT DETAILS:

 

The Tight Knot Alder Wood Cabinets were made by Jeremy Hansen, owner of HANSEN'S CUSTOM MILLWORK, La Grande, OR. Jeremy specializes in custom cabinetry and furniture. The Countertop is WILSON ART laminate with Gem-Loc Premiere Edge made of Corian by Loti Corporation, an alternative to the standard laminate edging with square or beveled edges.

 

The Alder portable Island was made by Jason Hansen, owner of Rouge Fine Woodworking. Jason specilizes in "artistic" cabinets, furniture wood turning. Ginger got the idea from an old garden potting table that was pictured in a Log Home magazine. Dark strips on the maple top are walnut.

 

Tight Knot Alder was also used for door and window trim, base boards, & stair railing. All wood was stained with Benjamin Moore exterior semi-transpartent siding and deck stain. Howard's Feed-N-Wax was then hand rubbed on all the wood surfaces. The same wax will be used for dusting.

 

The kitchen sink is a Kohler 'smart sink' because the divider in the middle is lower that normal (about 3-4 inches high) which makes it easier to wash large pans with long handles and long cookie sheets, etc. It was hard to find a sink with only 2 holes (we actually wanted one with only one hole) and this style was about the only one available in a Kohler cast iron and we got to thinking that the smart sink was actually a very practical idea. The other hole in the right corner is for a soap dispenser.

 

The kitchen faucet is a Kohler pull out. We haven't installed the dishwasher or range yet because we will be moving the ones from the old house.

 

Pacific Energy near Victoria, BC is the manufacturer of the Cast Iron Wood Stove. It has a stainless steel hollow baffle box with a rear air supply tube to create secondary combustion. Thus far, fire wood usage is about half of what we normally burn. Take a look at www.pacificenergy.net if you have any interest in wood stoves or fireplace inserts. All their stoves are non-catalytic.

 

Floor tile is glazed porcelain from Home Depot.

 

The ceiling is 1x6 t&g Tight Knot Cedar that was stained with Benjamin Moore siding and deck stain before nailing it up to the Structural Insulated Paneled roof system by Premier Building Systems in Fife, Wa.

A national juried exhibition with a focus on structure, both natural and human-made. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, and more by 30 artists from across the country.

 

The work for this exhibition was chosen by our wonderful jurors, Peter Gabak and Joanna Poag. Join us for the opening reception, where $1,000 in cash awards will be announced!

 

Artists Included:

Deborah Beardslee (NY), Jackie Brown (ME), Christina Cassone (PA), Theresa Devine (AZ), Zach Dietl (NY), Julianne French (FL), Nate Hodge (NY), Ellie Honl (IN), Kristy Hughes (IN), Jim Jacobs (UT), Yasemin Kackar-Demirel (NY), Ella Kampelman (MN), Susan Kaye (NY), Namdoo Kim (NY), Sassoon Kosian (NJ), Tom Kredo (NY), Yoonjee Kwak (NY), Pamela Markman (CA), Vanessa Michalak (MA), Nicole Mongelluzzo (NY), Kelly Nye (OH), Colleen O’Hara (NY), Chris Oliver (NY), Nancy Ridenour (NY), Ruth Simon McRae (GA), Jean Stephens (NY), Susan Stuart (NY), Tracy Wascom (MI), Doerte Weber (TX), Jere Williams (VA)

 

May 9–June 30, 2015

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 9, 4–7p.m.

Supreme Green Landscaping

Sustainable college housing in Rock Springs, WY

 

When the 2008/2009 school year kicked off at the Western Wyoming Community College (Western) in Rock Springs, WY this fall, students were greeted by a new state-of-the-art, 28,000-square-foot housing complex that features 48 bedrooms spread throughout four stories. Wind River Hall has everything a college student could ask for, including 12 individual bedrooms, six fully functional kitchens and three spacious living rooms per floor.

 

Before Wind River Hall was designed, extensive research was conducted at institutions throughout the United States to determine student preferences regarding residence hall room arrangements. “Many students expressed the desire to be social yet also have the opportunity for privacy. Wind River Hall is designed with these wants in mind,” said Jon Schrade, Western’s Director of Housing and Student Activities.

 

While Wind River Hall meets the need for both social and private spaces through a spacious layout, it is the building’s innovative construction that truly makes it unique. Framed entirely out of structural insulated panels (SIPs) manufactured by Premier Building Systems in Fife, WA, Wind River Hall is the tallest self-supporting SIPs structure ever built.

 

Consisting of an expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation core sandwiched between two layers of oriented strand board (OSB), SIPs are a dependable, cost-effective building solution that address four issues on the minds of virtually every school official involved in the construction process – energy efficiency, lifecycle costs and both environmental and indoor air quality.

 

Energy Efficiency

Buildings account for nearly 30% of all energy consumption in the United States. As oil and gas prices continue to rise, many publicly funded schools are experiencing higher than expected heating and cooling costs that are cutting into their delicate budgets.

 

SIPs are used in lieu of traditional framing materials such as wood and steel studs. Studies conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN, have shown that SIPs can help reduce a building’s annual energy costs by 50% - 60% when compared to more common framing methods.

 

Because of their energy efficiency, SIPs are also recognized by a number of governmental groups, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The ENERGY STAR® program, administered by the EPA, has waived the need for a blower door test on any building constructed with SIPs. DOE officials have also said that the $2,000 Federal Energy Tax Credit is virtually impossible to gain without SIPs.

 

Lifecycle Costs

While energy savings are the most obvious benefit of using SIPs, this product also provides numerous other opportunities for building owners to improve their return on investment by reducing a building’s lifecycle costs.

 

SIPs are prefabricated to the exact specifications of a project and delivered to the jobsite ready to install. This results in a more efficient installation and helps eliminate the costly removal of construction waste. SIPs are also easier and more efficient to install than competitive systems, reducing construction time and minimizing labor costs.

 

In addition to enhanced time and energy savings, SIPs provide more strength and durability than stick- and steel-framed buildings. The increased durability is ideal for college environments, where students often take advantage of their newfound independence by turning campus buildings into their own personal punching bags. With SIPs, colleges get a dependable, long-lasting structure that can withstand constant abuse.

 

SIPs may also allow for a reduction in the size of a building’s HVAC equipment by up to 40%, which means lower upfront costs for equipment purchases and a reduction in future maintenance costs.

 

Environmentally Conscious

Colleges are increasingly turning to green building practices as a way to entice new students, reduce their carbon footprints and receive government grants, subsidies and tax incentives.

 

By utilizing SIPs, buildings can earn up to 23 points within the LEED Green Building Rating System™, the nation’s predominant green building program administered by the United States Green Building Council. SIPs also contribute to the $2,000 Federal Energy Tax Incentive, as well as a number of other tax programs that can help put money back into a university’s budget.

 

Improved Indoor Air Quality

The EPA lists poor indoor air quality as the fourth-largest environmental threat to our country, a problem that is often overlooked during the construction process. Recent studies indicate that poor indoor air quality can have significant effects on respiratory illnesses as well as the overall health, achievement and productivity of a building’s occupants.

 

The best way to mitigate the causes of poor indoor air quality is to create an airtight building envelope. The airtight nature of SIPs helps improve indoor air quality and reduce unwanted air transfer by reducing gaps in the building envelope.

 

An unsealed building envelope allows unwanted infiltration of common pollutants such as radon, molds, pollen, VOC’s, lead dust and asbestos. By using SIPs to protect the indoor environment from these toxins, colleges can improve the health of their student body while providing them with the best possible atmosphere for educational success.

 

Structural engineers can help in structural analysis and design of building structure. Our civil engineers work on strength calculation and redesign building structure with planning and modern design according to clients needs.

Badami formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for its rock cut structural temples. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya lake. Badami has been selected as one of the heritage cities for HRIDAY - Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana scheme of Government of India.

 

HISTORY

- Dravidian architecture - Badami Chalukyas

- Hindu temple architecture - Badami Chalukya architecture

- Political history of medieval Karnataka - Badami Chalukyas

- Architecture of Karnataka - Badami Chalukya architecture

- Chalukyas of Badami

 

PRE-HISTORIC

Badami is surrounded by many pre-historic places including Khyad area of Badami, Hiregudda, Sidlaphadi and Kutkankeri (Junjunpadi, Shigipadi and Anipadi), there we can see the rock shelters megalithic burial sites and paintings.

 

BADAMI CHALUKYAS AND OTHER DYNASTIES

MYTHOLOGY

The Puranic story says the wicked asura Vatapi was killed by sage Agastya (as per Agastya-Vatapi story), the area in which the incident happened so named as Vatapi. At Aihole there was a merchant guild known as Ayyavole Ainuravaru lived in the area have reformed. As per scholar Dr. D. P. Dikshit, the first Chalukya king was Jayasimha (a feudatory lord in the Kadamba dynasty), who in 500 AD established the Chalukya kingdom. His grandson Pulakeshin Ibuilt a fort at Vatapi.

 

BADAMI CHALUKYAS

It was founded in 540 AD by Pulakeshin I (535-566 AD), an early ruler of the Chalukyas. His sons Kirtivarma I (567-598 AD) and his brother Mangalesha (598-610 AD) constructed the cave temples.Kirtivarma I strengthened Vatapi and had three sons Pulakeshin II, Vishnuvardhana and Buddhavarasa, who at his death were minors, thus making them ineligible to rule, so Kirtivarma I's brother Mangalesha took the throne and tried to establish rule, only to be killed by Pulakeshin II who ruled between 610 A.D to 642 A.D. Vatapi was the capital of the Early Chalukyas, who ruled much of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Few parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh between the 6th and 8th centuries. The greatest among them was Pulakeshin II (610-642 AD) who defeated many kings including the Pallavas of Kanchipuram.

 

The rock-cut Badami Cave Temples were sculpted mostly between the 6th and 8th centuries. The four cave temples represent the secular nature of the rulers then, with tolerance and a religious following that inclines towards Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. cave 1 is devoted to Shiva, and Caves 2 and 3 are dedicated to Vishnu, whereas cave 4 displays reliefs of Jain Tirthankaras. Deep caverns with carved images of the various incarnations of Hindu gods are strewn across the area, under boulders and in the red sandstone. From an architectural and archaeological perspective, they provide critical evidence of the early styles and stages of the southern Indian architecture.

 

The Pallavas under the king Narasimhavarma I seized it in 642 AD & destroyed the vatapi. Pulakeshin II's son Vikramaditya I of Chalukyas drove back Pallavas in 654 AD and led a successful attack on Kanchipuram, the capital of Pallavas. Then Rashtrakutas came to power in Karnataka including Badami around 757 AD and the town lost its importance. Later it was ruled by the Hoysalas.

 

Then it passed on to Vijayanagara empire, The Adil Shahis, Mughal Empire, The Savanur Nawabs (They were vassals of Nizams and Marathas), The Maratha, Hyder Ali. The Britishers made it part of the Bombay Presidency.

 

INSCRIPTIONS

Badami has eighteen inscriptions, among them some inscriptions are important. The first Sanskrit inscription in old Kannada script, on a hillock dates back to 543 CE, from the period of Pulakeshin I (Vallabheswara), the second is the 578 CE cave inscription of Mangalesha in Kannada language and script and the third is the Kappe Arabhatta records, the earliest available Kannada poetry in tripadi (three line) metre. one inscription near the Bhuthanatha temple also has inscriptions dating back to the 12th century in Jain rock-cut temple dedicated to the Tirtankara Adinatha.

 

VATAPI GANAPATI

In the Carnatic music and Hamsadhwani raga the Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje by the composer Muthuswami Dikshitar. The idol of Vatapi Ganapati brought from Badami by Pallavas, is now in the Uthrapathiswaraswamy Temple, near Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu.

 

In 7th century, Vatapi Ganapati idol was brought from Badami (Vatapi - Chalukya capital) by Pallava who defeated Chalukyas.

 

TOURISM

Landmarks in Badami include cave temples, gateways, forts, inscriptions and sculptures.

 

- A Buddhist cave in a natural setting that can be entered only by crawling on knees.

- The Bhuhtanatha temple, a small shrine, facing the lake, constructed in 5th century.

- Badami Fort situated on top of the hill.

- Many Shivalayas including the Malegatti Shivalaya with 7th century origins.

- The Dattatreya temple.

- The Mallikarjuna temple dating back to the 11th century, built on a star shaped plan.

- a Dargah, a dome of an Islamic place of worship on the south fort side.

- Vista points on top of the North Fort for the view of the ancient town below.

- Temple of Banashankari, a Kuladevata (family deity) for many families, is located near Badami.

- Archaeological museum, that has collection of sculptures from Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal.

 

BADAMI CAVE TEMPLES

The Badami cave temples are a complex of four cave temples located at Badami, a town in the Bagalkot district in the north part of Karnataka, India. They are considered an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, especially Badami Chalukya architecture initiated during the 6th century. Badami was previously known as Vataapi Badami, the capital of the early Chalukya dynasty, who ruled much of Karnataka from middle of the sixth until the middle of the eighth centuries. Badami is situated on the west bank of an artificial lake filled with greenish water dammed by an earthen wall faced with stone steps. Badami is surrounded in the north and south by forts built in later times from the ramparts that crown their summits.

 

The Badami cave temples represent some of the earliest known experimentation of Hindu temple prototypes for later temples in the Indian peninsula. Along with Aihole, states UNESCO, their pioneering designs transformed the Malaprabha river valley into a cradle of Temple Architecture, whose ideas defined the components of later Hindu Temples elsewhere. Caves 1 to 3 feature Hindu themes of Shiva and Vishnu, while Cave 4 features Jain icons. There is also a Buddhist Cave 5 which has been converted into a Hindu temple of Vishnu. Another cave identified in 2013 has a number of carvings of Vishnu and other Hindu deities, and water is seen gushing out through the cave all the time.

 

GEOGRAPHY

The Badami cave temples are located in the Badami town in the north central part of Karnataka, India. The temples are about 110 km northeast from Hubli-Dharwad, the second largest metropolitan area of the state. Malaprabha river is 4.8 km away. Badami, also referred to as Vatapi, Vatapipuri and Vatapinagari in historical texts, and the 6th-century capital of Chalukya dynasty, is at the exit point of the ravine between two steep mountain cliffs. Four cave temples have been excavated in the escarpment of the hill to the south-east of the town above the artificial lake called Agastya Lake created by an earthen dam faced with stone steps. To the west end of this cliff, at its lowest point, is the first cave temple dedicated to Shiva, followed by a cave north east to it dedicated to Vishnu but is at a much higher level. The largest is Cave 3, mostly a Vaishnava cave, is further to the east on the northern face of the hill. The first three caves are dedicated to Hindu gods and goddesses including Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The fourth cave, dedicated to Jainism, is a short distance away.

 

HISTORY OF CAVE TEMPLES

The cave temples, numbered 1 to 4 in the order of their creation, identified in the town of Badami, the capital city of the Chalukya kingdom (also known as Early Chalukyas) are dated from the late 6th century onwards. The exact dating is known only for cave 3 which is a Brahmanical temple dedicated to Vishnu. An inscription found here records the creation of the shrine by Mangalesha in Saka 500 (lunar calendar, spanning 578 to 579 CE). These inscriptions are in Kannada language, and have been the source for dating these rock cave temples to the 6th-century. The Badami caves complex are part of the UNESCO inscribed World Heritage Site under the title "Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami-Pattadakal" in the Malaprabha river valley which is considered a cradle of Temple Architecture, which formed the template for later Hindu temples in the region. The art work in Cave 1 and Cave 2 exhibit the northern Deccan style of 6th- and 7th-century, while those in Cave 3 show a simultaneous co-exhibition of two different ancient Indian artistic traditions – the northern Nagara and the southern Dravida styles. The Cave 3 also shows icons and reliefs in the Vesara style – a creative fusion of ideas from the two styles, as well as some of the earliest surviving historical examples of yantra-chakra motifs and colored fresco paintings in Karnataka. The first three caves feature sculpture of Hindu icons and legends focusing on Shiva and Vishnu, while Cave 4 features Jain icons and themes.

 

TEMPLE CAVES

The Badami cave temples are composed of mainly four caves, all carved out of the soft Badami sandstone on a hill cliff, dated to the late 6th to 7th centuries. The planning of four caves (1 to 4) is simple. The entrance is a verandah (mukha mandapa) with stone columns and brackets, a distinctive feature of these caves, leading to a columned mandapa – main hall (also maha mandapa) and then to the small square shrine (sanctum sanctorum, garbhaghrha) cut deep into the cave. The cave temples are linked by stepped path with intermediate terraces looking over the town and lake. Cave temples are labelled 1–4 in their ascending series even though this numbering does not necessarily reflect the sequence of excavation.

 

The cave temples are dated to 6th to 8th century, with an inscription dated to 579 CE. The inscriptions are in old Kannada script. The architecture includes structures built in Nagara style and Dravidian style which is the first and most persistent architectural idiom to be adopted by the early chalukyas There is also the fifth natural cave temple in Badami – a Buddhist temple, a natural cave, which can be entered kneeling on all fours.

 

CAVE 1

The cave is just about 18 m above the street level on the northwest part of the hill. Access is through series of steps which depict carvings of dwarfish ganas (with "bovine and equine heads") in different postures. The verandah with 21 m length with a width of 20 m in the interior, has four columns all sculpted with reliefs of the god Shiva in different dancing positions and different incarnations. The guardian dwarapalas at the entrance to the cave stand to a height of 1.879 m.

 

The cave portrays the Tandava-dancing Shiva, as Nataraja. The image, (1.5 m tall, has 18 arms, in a form that express the dance positions arranged in a geometric pattern, which Alice Boner states, is a time division symbolizing the cosmic wheel. Some of the arms hold objects while most express mudras (symbolic hand postures). The objects include drums, trident and axe. Some arms also have serpents coiled around them. Shiva has his son Ganesha and the bull Nandi by his side. Adjoining to the Nataraja, a wall depicts the goddess Durga, depicted slaying the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. Elsewhere, the two sons of Shiva, Ganesha and Kartikkeya, the god of war and family deity of the Chalukya dynasty are seen in one of the carved sculptures on the walls of the cave with Kartikkeya riding a peacock.

 

The cave also has carved sculptures of the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati flanking Harihara, a 2.36 m high sculpture of a fused image that is half Shiva and half Vishnu. To the right, Ardhanarishvara, a composite androgynous form of Shiva and his consort Parvati, is sculpted towards the end of the walls. All the carved sculptures show ornaments worn by them, as well as borders with reliefs of various animals and birds. Lotus design is a common theme. On the ceiling are images of the Vidyadhara couples. Through a cleavage in the back side of the cave is a square sanctuary with more images carved.

 

Other prominent images in the cave are Nandi, the bull, in the sculptural form of Dharmadeva, the god of justice, Bhringi, a devotee of Shiva, a female decorated goddess holding a flat object in her left hand, which are all part of Ardhanarishvara described earlier. The roof in the cave has five carved panels with the central panel depicting the serpent Shesha. The head and bust are well formed and project boldly from the centre of the coil. In another compartment a bass-relief of 0.76 m diameter has carvings of a male and female; the male is Yaksha carrying a sword and the female is Apsara with a flying veil. The succeeding panel has carvings of two small figures; and the panel at the end is carved with lotuses.

 

CAVE 2

Cave 2, facing north, to the west of Cave 3, created in late 6th century AD, is almost same as cave 1 in terms of its layout and dimensions but it is dedicated primarily to Vishnu. Cave is reached by climbing 64 steps from the first cave. The cave entrance is the verandah, divided by four square pillars, which has carvings from its middle section to the top where there are yali brackets with sculptures within them. The cave is adorned with reliefs of guardians. Like the Cave 1, the cave art carved is a pantheon of Hindu divinities.

 

The largest relief in Cave 2 shows Vishnu as Trivikrama – with one foot on Earth and another – directed to the north. Other representations of Vishnu in this cave include Varaha (boar) where he is shown rescuing Bhudevi (symbolism for earth) from the depths of ocean, and Krishna avatars – legends found in Hindu Puranas text such as the Bhagavata Purana. Like other major murti (forms) in this and other Badami caves, the Varaha sculpture is set in a circle, the panel is an upright rectangle, states Alice Boner, whose "height is equal to the octopartite directing circle and sides are aligned to essential geometric ratios, in this case to the second vertical chord of the circle". The doorway is framed by pilasters carrying an entablature with three blocks embellished with gavaksha ornament. The entrance of the cave also has two armed guardians holding flowers rather than weapons. The end walls of the outer verandah is occupied by sculpted panels, to the right, Trivikrama; to the left, Varaha rescuing Bhudevi, with a penitent multi-headed snake (Nag) below. The adjacent side walls and ceiling have traces of colored paintwork, suggesting that the cave used to have fresco paintings. The columns show gods and battle scenes, the churning of cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan), Gajalakshmi and figures, Brahma, Vishnu asleep on Shesha, illustrations of the birth of Krishna, Krishna's youth, Krishna with gopis and cows.

 

The ceiling of Cave 2 shows a wheel with sixteen fish spokes in a square frame along with swastikas and flying couples. The end bays have a flying couple and Vishnu on Garuda.[8] The main hall in the cave is 10.16 m in width, 7.188 m deep and 3.45 m high and is supported by eight square pillars in two rows. The roof of this hall has panels which have carvings. At the upper end of the wall a frieze runs all along the wall with engravings of episodes from the Krishna or Vishnu legends.

 

The sculptures of Cave 2, like Cave 1, are of the northern Deccan style of 6th-and 7th-century similar to that found in Ellora caves.

 

CAVE 3

The Cave 3 is dedicated to Vishnu, and is the most intricately carved and the biggest. It has well carved giant figures of Trivikrama, Anantasayana, Paravasudeva, Bhuvaraha, Harihara and Narasimha. The theme on which the Cave 3 is carved is primarily Vaishnavite, however the cave also shows Harihara on its southern wall – half Vishnu and half Shiva shown fused as one, making the cave important to Shaivism studies as well. Cave 3, facing north, is 60 steps away from the Cave 2. This cave temple's veranda, 21 m in length with an interior width of 20 m, has been sculpted 15 m deep into the mountain, and an added square shrine at the end extends the cave some 3.7 m further inside. The verandah itself is 2.1 m wide and has four free standing carved pillars separating it from the hall. The cave is 4.6 m high, supported by six pillars each measuring 0.76 m square. Each column and pilaster is carved with wide and deep bases crowned by capitals which are camouflaged by brackets on three sides. Each bracket, except for one bracket, has carvings of standing human figures, under foliage in different postures, of a male and female mythological characters, along with attendant figure of a dwarf. A moulded cornice in the facia, with a dado of blocks below it (generally in 2.1 m lengths), have about thirty compartments carved with series of two fat dwarfs called ganas. The cave shows a Kama scene on one pillar, where a woman and man are in maithuna (erotic) embrace beneath a tree.

 

Cave 3 also shows fresco paintings on the ceiling, but some of these are faded, broken and unclear. These are among the earliest known and surviving evidence of fresco painting in Indian art.[14] The Hindu god Brahma is seen in one of the murals, while the wedding of Shiva and Parvati, attended by various Hindu deities, is the theme of another. There is a lotus medallion on the floor underneath the mural of four armed Brahma. The sculpture is well preserved, and a large number of Vishnu's reliefs including standing Vishnu with 8 arms, Vishnu seated on a hooded serpent called Sesha or Ananta on the eastern side of the verandha, Vishnu as Narasimha (half human – half lion), Varaha fully armed, a boar incarnation of Vishnu in the back wall of the cave, Harihara (a syncretic sculpture of Vishnu and Shiva), and Trivikrama avatars. The back wall also has carvings of Vidhyadaras holding offerings to Varaha, and adjoining this is an inscription dated 579 AD with the name Mangalis inscribed on it. At one end of the pilaster there is a sculpture of the fourth incarnation of Vishnu as Vamana shown with eight arms called Ashtabhuja decorated with various types of weapons. A crescent moon is crafted above his face, crown of Vishnu decorates his head and is flanked by Varaha and two other figures and below on his right is his attendant Garuda. The images in front of Vamana are three figures of Bali and his wife with Shukra, his councilor. Reliefs stand 4 metres tall. The culture and clothing embedded in the sixth century is visible in the art sculpted in this cave. The roof in the verandha has seven panels created by cross beams, each is painted in circular compartments with images of Shiva, Vishnu, Indra, Brahma, Kama and so forth with smaller images of Dikpalas (cardinal guardians) with geometric mosaics filling the gaps at the corners.

 

The front aisle's roof has panels with murals in the center of male and female figurines flying in the clouds; the male figure is yaksha holding a sword and a shield. Decoration of lotus blooms are also seen on the panels. The roof in the hall is divided into nine panels slightly above the level of the ceiling. The central panel here depicts a deva mounted on a ram – conjectured as Agni. Images of Brahma and Varuna are also painted in the central panels while the floating figures are seen in the balance panels.

 

CAVE 4

The Cave 4, to the east of Cave 3, excavated around 650 AD, is located higher than other caves. It is dedicated to revered figures of Jainism and was constructed last among all the caves. It also features detailed carvings and diverse range of motifs. The cave has five bayed entrance with four square columns with brackets and capitals, and to the back of this verandah is a hall with two standalone and two joined pillars. The first aisle is a verandah 9.4 m in length, 2.0 m wide and extends to 4.9 m deep. From the hall, steps lead to the sanctum sanctorum, which is 7.8 m wide extending to a depth of 1.8 m. On the back part of this, Mahavira is represented, sitting on lion throne, flanked by bas-reliefs of attendants with chauri (fans), sardulas and makara's heads. The end walls have Parshvanath (about 2.3 m tall) with his head decorated to represent protection and reverence by a multi-headed cobra, Indrabhuti Gautama covered by four snakes and Bahubali are seen; Bahubali is present to the left of Gautama shown with his lower legs surrounded by snakes along with his daughters Brahmi and Sundari. The sanctum, which is adorned by the image of Mahavira, has pedestal which contains an old Kannada inscription of the 12th century A.D. which registers the death of one Jakkave. Many Jaina Tirthankara images have been engraved in the inner pillars and walls. In addition, there are some idols of Yakshas, Yakshis, Padmavati and other Tirthankaras. Some scholars also assign the cave to the 8th century.

 

CAVE 5

It is a natural cave of small dimensions, undated, is approached by crawling as it has a narrow opening. Inside, there is a carved statue seated over a sculpted throne with reliefs showing people holding chauris (fans), tree, elephants and lions in an attacking mode. The face of this statue was reasonably intact till about 1995, and is now damaged and missing. There are several theories as to who the statue represents.

 

The first theory states that it is a Buddha relief, in a sitting posture. Those holding the chauris are Bodhisattvas flanking the Buddha, states this theory, and that the cave has been converted to a Hindu shrine of Vishnu, in later years, as seen from the white religious markings painted on the face of the Buddha as the 9th incarnation of Vishnu. Shetti suggests that the cave was not converted, but from the start represented a tribute to Mayamoha of the Hindu Puranas, or Buddhavatara Vishnu, its style suggesting it was likely carved in or before 8th century CE.

 

The second theory, found in colonial era texts such as one by John Murray, suggested that the main image carved in the smallest fifth cave is that of Jaina figure.

 

The third theory, by Henry Cousens as well as A. Sundara, and based by local legends, states that the statue is of an ancient king because the statue's photo, when its face was not damaged, lacked Ushnisha lump that typically goes with Buddha's image. Further, the statue has unusual non-Buddha ornaments such as rings for fingers, necklace and chest-band, it wears a Hindu Yajnopavita thread, and its head is stylistically closer to a Jina head than a Buddha head. These features suggest that the statue may be of a king represented with features of various traditions. The date and identity of the main statue in Cave 5, states Bolon, remains enigmatic.

 

OTHER CAVES

In 2013, Manjunath Sullolli reported the discovery of another cave with 27 rock carvings, about 500 metres from the four caves, from which water gushes year round. It depicts Vishnu and other Hindu deities, and features inscription in Devanagari script. The dating of these carvings is unknown.

 

OTHER TEMPLES AT BADAMI

On the north hill, there are three temples, of which Malegitti-Shivalaya is perhaps the oldest temple and also the finest in Badami, and has a Dravidian tower. Out of the two inscriptions found here, one states that Aryaminchi upadhyaya, as the sculptor who got this temple constructed and the other dated 1543 speaks of the erection of a bastion during the Vijayanagara rule. The lower Shivalaya has a Dravidian tower, and only the sanctum remains now.

 

Jambhulinga temple, situated in the town, is presumably the oldest known trikutachala temple in Karnataka. An inscription dated 699 ascribes construction of this temple to Vinayavathi mother of Emperor Vijayaditya.

 

The place also has Agasthya Tirtha, temples of Goddess Yellamma, Mallikarjuna, Datttreya and Virupaksha. Bhuthanatha group of temples are most important in Badami.

 

BADAMI FORT

Badami fort lies east of the Bhuthnatha temple, atop a cliff right opposite the Badami cave temples. The entrance to this temple is right through the Badami museum. It is a steep climb with many view points and dotted with little shrines. The path is laid with neatly cut stone, the same that adores all the architecture around.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The name Vatapi has origin in the Vatapi legend of Ramayana relating to Sage Agastya.There were two demon siblings Vatapi and Ilvala. They used to kill all mendicants by tricking them in a peculiar way. The elder Ilvala would turn Vatapi into a ram and would offer its meat to the guest. As soon as the person ate the meat, Ilvala would call out the name of Vatapi. As he had a boon that whomsoever Ilvala calls would return from even the netherland, Vatapi would emerge ripping through the body of the person, thus killing him. Their trick worked until Sage Agastya countered them by digesting Vatapi before Ilvala could call for him, thus ending the life of Vatapi at the hands of Ilvala. Two of the hills in Badami represent the demons Vatapi and Ilvala.

 

It is also believed that name Badami has come from colour of its stone (badam - Almond).

 

CULTURE

The main language is Kannada. The local population wears traditional Indian cotton wear.

 

GEOGRAPHY

Badami is located at 15.92°N 75.68°E. It has an average elevation of 586 metres. It is located at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills and surrounds Agastya tirtha water reservoir on the three other sides. The total area of the town is 10.3 square kilometers.

 

It is located 30 kilometers from Bagalkot, 128 kilometers from Bijapur, 132 kilometers from Hubli, 46 kilometers from Aihole, another ancient town, and 589 kilometers from Bangalore, the state capital.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Urbex Benelux -

 

Structural failure can occur with many types of problems, most of which are unique to different industries and structural types. However, most can be traced to one of the five root causes.

The first is that the structure is not strong and strong enough to support the load, due to its size, shape or choice of materials. If the structure or part is not strong enough, catastrophic failure can occur when the structure is loaded above the critical stress level.

Structural

A national juried exhibition with a focus on structure, both natural and human-made. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, and more by 30 artists from across the country.

 

The work for this exhibition was chosen by our wonderful jurors, Peter Gabak and Joanna Poag. Join us for the opening reception, where $1,000 in cash awards will be announced!

 

Artists Included:

Deborah Beardslee (NY), Jackie Brown (ME), Christina Cassone (PA), Theresa Devine (AZ), Zach Dietl (NY), Julianne French (FL), Nate Hodge (NY), Ellie Honl (IN), Kristy Hughes (IN), Jim Jacobs (UT), Yasemin Kackar-Demirel (NY), Ella Kampelman (MN), Susan Kaye (NY), Namdoo Kim (NY), Sassoon Kosian (NJ), Tom Kredo (NY), Yoonjee Kwak (NY), Pamela Markman (CA), Vanessa Michalak (MA), Nicole Mongelluzzo (NY), Kelly Nye (OH), Colleen O’Hara (NY), Chris Oliver (NY), Nancy Ridenour (NY), Ruth Simon McRae (GA), Jean Stephens (NY), Susan Stuart (NY), Tracy Wascom (MI), Doerte Weber (TX), Jere Williams (VA)

 

May 9–June 30, 2015

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 9, 4–7p.m.

Thillai Natarajah Temple, Chidambaram or Chidambaram temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the town of Chidambaram, East-Central Tamil Nadu, South India. The temple is known as the foremost of all temples (Kovil) to Saivites and has influenced worship, architecture, sculpture and performance art for over two millennium. The Sangam classics list chief architect Viduvelvidugu Perumthachchan as directing an early renovation of the shrine.

 

A major shrine of Lord Shiva worship since the classical period, there have been several renovations and offerings to Chidambaram by the Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara and Chera royals in the ancient and pre-medieval periods. The temple as it stands now is mainly of the 12th and 13th centuries, with later additions in similar style. Its bronze statues and stone sculptures depicting various deities and the famous Thillai trees (Excoecaria agallocha) of the surrounding forest reflect the highpoints of early Chola and Pallava art while its famed gold plated gopuram towers are medieval structural additions by the royals Aditya I, Parantaka Chola I, Kopperunchinga I, Krishnadevaraya and Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan. King Kocengannan Chola was born following prayers his parents offered at the temple and later in his life he refined its structure. The shrine gave the town its name.

 

The deity that presides here is கூத்தன் - Thillai Koothan (Thillai Nataraja - Shiva, The Lord of Dance). Chidambaram is the birthplace of the sculpture and bronze image representation of Lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer, a Tamilian concept and motif in Chola art that has since become notable as a symbol of Hinduism. The shrine is the only Shiva temple to have its main deity represented in this anthropomorphic form, as the supreme being who performs all cosmic activities. The consort deity here is Sivakami Amman (form of Amman - mother goddess and female energy). Two other forms of Lord Shiva are represented close to this in the vimana (inner sanctum) of the temple - as a crystallised lingam - the most common representation of Lord Shiva in temples, and as the aether space classical element, represented with empty space and a garland of fifty one hanging golden bilvam leaves (Aegle marmelos). Lord Shiva is captured in pose as Nataraja performing the Ananda Tandava ("Dance of Delight") in the golden hall of the shrine Pon Ambalam (பொன் அம்பலம்). The sculptures of Chidambaram inspired the postures of Bharatha Natyam. The Chidambaram complex is admired for its five famous halls (ambalam or sabhai), several grand smaller shrines to the Hindu deities Ganesh, Murugan, Vishnu and Sivakami Amman which contain Pandyan and Nayak architectural styles, and for its endowment from many water tanks, one of which links it to the Thillai Kali temple.

 

Chidambaram is one of the five Pancha Bootha Sthalams, the holiest Shiva temples each representing one of the five classical elements; Chidambaram represents akasha (aether). Chidambaram is glorified in Tirumular's Tirumandhiram and was visited by Patañjali and VyagjrapadharPulikaal Munivar. It is the primary shrine of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanar saints Tirunavukkarasar, Thirugnana Sambandar and Sundarar. Hailed in the Tiruvacakam series by Manikkavacakar, these very volumes of the Tirumurai literature canon were themselves found in secret chambers of the temple. The Periya Puranam, a biography of these Nayanar saints by Sekkizhar commissioned by emperor Kulothunga Chola II, was written in the shrine's Thousand Pillared Hall. In Kanda Puranam, the epic authored by Kachiyappa Sivachariar of Kanchipuram, the Chidambaram shrine is venerated as one of the three foremost Shiva abodes in the world, alongside Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee and Mount Kailash.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The traditional name of the temple complex, Chidambaram Tillai Nataraja-koothan Kovil, alludes to the environment of its location and its origins and significance in Saivite worship. The mangrove of ancient Tillai (தில்லை) trees (Exocoeria agallocha) of the forest surrounding the shrine when it was first built inspired the shrine's name and early artistic inspiration; the Tillai trees of the nearby Pichavaram wetlands, the second largest mangrove in the world, extends to the temple area. The shrine is venerated as Tillai ambalam (தில்லை அம்பலம் ), literally meaning Tillai Open Stage, the open space surrounded by Tillai Vanam (தில்லை வனம்) (the Tillai forest) - the original name of this area.[9] The name of the town of this shrine, Chidambaram comes from the Tamil word Chitrambalam (சிற்றம்பலம்) - "small hall/stage"; also spelled Chithambalam (சிட்டம்பலம்), from citt/chitthu and ambalam - meaning "wisdom of this open stage/atmosphere". The shrine is where some devotees believe they will attain liberation, or chitaakasam - "wisdom/consciousness of the sky". "Nataraja" or "Koothan" mean "Lord of Dance".

 

LEGEND

The story of Chidambaram begins with Lord Shiva strolling into the Thillai Vanam (vanam meaning forest and thillai trees - botanical name Exocoeria agallocha, a species of mangrove trees - which currently grows in the Pichavaram wetlands near Chidambaram). In the Thillai forests resided a group of sages or 'rishis' who believed in the supremacy of magic and that God can be controlled by rituals and mantras or magical words. Lord Shiva strolled in the forest with resplendent beauty and brilliance, assuming the form of Bhikshatana, a simple mendicant seeking alms. He was followed by His consort, Vishnu as Mohini. The sages and their wives were enchanted by the brilliance and the beauty of The handsome mendicant and His consort. On seeing their womenfolk enchanted, the rishis got enraged and invoked scores of serpents (nāgas) by performing magical rituals. Lord Shiva lifted the serpents and donned them as ornaments on His matted locks, neck and waist. Further enraged, the sages invoked a fierce tiger, whose skins and dons were used by Lord Shiva as a shawl around His waist and then followed by a fierce elephant, which was devoured and ripped to death by Lord Shiva (Gajasamharamurthy).

 

The rishis gathered all their spiritual strength and invoked a powerful demon Muyalakan - a symbol of complete arrogance and ignorance. Lord Shiva wore a gentle smile, stepped on the demon's back, immobilized him and performed the Ánanda Tandava (the dance of eternal bliss) and disclosed his true form. The sages surrender, realizing that Lord Shiva is the truth and He is beyond magic and rituals.

 

PATRONAGE

To Saivites, primarily in Tamil Nadu, the very word koil refers primarily to Chidambaram Tillai Natarajar.

 

Chidambaram is a temple complex spread over 160,000 m2 in the heart of the city. The main complex to Lord Shiva Nataraja also contains shrines to deities such as Shivakami Amman, Ganesh, Murugan and Vishnu in the form Govindaraja Perumal. Chidambaram's earliest structures were designed and erected by ancient craftsmen called Perumtaccan. The golden tiled roof for the Chit Ambalam (the vimanam) was laid by the Chola King Parantaka I (907-950 CE) following which he was given the title - Thillaiyambalathhukku pon koorai veiyntha thevan (Tamil:தில்லையாம்பலதுக்கு பொன் கூரை வேய்ந்த தேவன், meaning the one who constructed the golden roof). In its floruit, kings Rajaraja Chola I (reign 985-1014 AD) and Kulothunga Chola I (1070-1120 AD) made significant donations to the temple. Gold and riches to the temple were donated by Rajaraja Chola's daughter Kundavai II while Chola king Vikrama Chola (1118-1135 AD) made donations for the conduct of the daily rituals.

 

Donations of gold and jewels have been made by various kings, rulers and patrons to the temple from 9th to 16th century - including the Maharaja of Pudukottai, Sethupathy (the emerald jewel still adorns the deity) and the British.

 

Naralokaviran, the general of king Kulothunga Chola I was responsible for building a shrine for child saint Thirugnana Sambanthar and installed a metal image inside it. He constructed a hall for recitation of Tevaram hymns and engraved the hymns in copper plates.

 

TEMPLE STRUCTURE

The temple is the only great temple complex to date mainly from the later Chola period, and contains the earliest examples of a number of features that are found in many later temples, including "the earliest known Devī or Amman shrine, nritta (dance) maṇḍapa, Sūrya shrine with chariot wheels, hundred-and-thousand pillared maṇḍapas, even the first giant Śiva Gangā tank".A classical Shiva temple as per Agama rules will have five prakarams (closed precincts of a temple) or circuits each separated by walls one within the other. The outer prakaram will be open to the sky except the innermost one. The innermost one will house the main deity as well as other deities. There will be a massive wooden or stone flag post exactly in line with the main deity. The innermost prakaram houses the sanctum sanctorum (தமிழ் = கருவரை).

 

Chidambaram is also referred to in various works such as Thillai (after the Thillai forest of yore in which the temple is now located), Perumpatrapuliyur or Vyagrapuram (in honour of Saint Vyagrapathar, Sanskrit: Vyaghrapada - "Tiger-Footed").

 

The temple is supposed to be located at the lotus heart of the Universe: Virat hridaya padma sthalam.

 

This gold-roofed stage is the sanctum sanctorum of the Chidambaram temple and houses the Lord in three forms:

 

- the "form" - the anthropomorphic form as an appearance of Nataraja, called the Sakala-thirumeni.

- the "semi-form" – the semi-anthropomorphic form as the Crystal linga of Chandramaulishvara, the Sakala-nishkala-thirumeni.

- the "formless" – as the space in Chidambara-rahasyam, an empty space within the sanctum sanctorum, the Nishkala-thirumeni.

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEMPLE DESIGN

The layout and architecture of the temple is replete with philosophical meanings.

 

Three of the five Panchaboothasthala temples, those at Kalahasti, Kanchipuram and Chidambaram all stand on a straight line exactly at 79 degree 41 minutes East longitude - truly an engineering, astrological and geographical wonder. Of the other two temples, Tiruvanaikkaval is located at around 3 degrees to the south and exactly 1 degree to the west of the northern tip of this divine axis, while Tiruvannamalai is around midway (1.5 degree to the south and 0.5 degree to the west).

 

The 9 gateways signify the 9 orifices in the human body.

The Chitsabai or Ponnambalam, the sanctum sanctorum represents the heart which is reached by a flight of 5 stairs called the Panchaatchara padi - pancha meaning 5, achhara – indestructible syllables – "SI VA YA NA MA", from a raised anterior dias - the Kanakasabai. The access to the Sabhai is through the sides of the stage (and not from the front as in most temples). The Chit sabha roof is supported by four pillars symbolic of the four Vedas.

 

The Ponnambalam or the Sanctum sanctorum is held by 28 pillars – representing the 28 agamas or set methodologies for the worship of Lord Shiva. The roof is held by a set of 64 beams representing the 64 forms of art and is held by several cross-beams representing the innumerable blood vessels. The roof has been laid by 21,600 golden tiles with the word SIVAYANAMA inscribed on them representing 21600 breaths. The golden tiles are fixed using 72,000 golden nails which represents the no. of nadis exists in human body. The roof is topped by a set of 9 sacred pots or kalasas, representing the 9 forms of energy. The artha mandapa(sanctum) has six pillars denoting the six shastras (holy texts).

 

The hall next to the artha mantapa has eighteen pillars symbolizing the eighteen Puranas.

 

TOWERS

The temple has nine gateways, and four of these have gateway towers or gopurams each with 7 storeys facing the East, South, West and North. The South gopuram called the Sokkaseeyan Thirunilai Ezhugopuram was constructed by a Pandya king identified from the presence of the dynasty's fish emblem sculpted on the ceiling. The Pandyas sculpted two fishes facing each other when they completed gopurams (and left it with one fish, in case it was incomplete). The earliest and smallest of the four is West gopuram constructed around 1150 and there are no reliable evidence on the construction. The sculptures shows goddess fighting the buffalo-demon and warlike Skanda astride his peacock. The North Gopuram was initiated around 1300 AD with the brick portion constructed by the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya (1509-1530 AD) in the 16th century. The East Gopuram, was claimed to have been constructed by the Pallava King Koperunsingan II (1243-1279 AD) as per epigrahical records and was repaired by Subbammal, the mother-in-law of the famous philanthropist Pachaiyappa Mudaliar (1754-1794 AD). The idols of Pachaiappa Mudaliar and his wife Iyalammal have been sculpted on the eastern gopuram. The Pachaiappa Trust to date has been responsible for various functions in the temple and also maintain the temple car. The eastern gopuram is renowned for its complete enumeration of 108 poses of Indian classical dance – Bharathanatyam, detailed in small rectangular panels along the passage that leads to the gateway. Each gopuram has around fifty stone sculptures, with each repeating some portions from the other.

 

HALLS

There are 5 ambalams or sabhas (halls) inside the temple.

 

- Chit Ambalam or Chit Sabhai, which is the sanctum sanctorum housing Lord Nataraja and his consort Sivakami Sundari, and gave the temple town its name.

- Pon Ambalam or Kanaka Sabhai – the golden hall in front of the Chit Ambalam, from where the daily rituals are conducted.

- Nrithya sabhai or Natya sabhai, a 56-pillared hall lies to the south of the temple's flag mast (kodi maram or dwaja sthambam) where Nataraja outdanced Kali and established his supremacy

- Raja sabhai or the 1000-pillared hall which symbolizes the yogic chakra of thousand pillared lotus or Sahasraram (which in yoga is a chakra) at the crown of the head and is a seat where the soul unites with God. This chakra is represented as a 1000-petalled lotus. Meditating by concentrating at the Sahasrara Chakra is said to lead to a state of union with The Divine Force and is the pinnacle of yogic practice. The hall is open only on festive days.

- Deva Sabhai, which houses the Pancha moorthis (pancha - five, moorthis - deities, namely the deities of Ganesh, Somaskanda (seated posture of Lord Shiva with Pavarthi and Skanda), Sivananda Nayaki, Muruga and the image of Chandikeswarar.

 

SHRINES

- The shrines for the original Shivalingam worshipped by the saints Patanjali and Vyagrapathar – called the Thiru Aadhimoolanathar and his consort Umaiyammai

- The shrine of the 63 nayanars of Lord Shiva – called the Arubaththu moovar.

- Shrine of Sivagami.

- Ganesha shrine

- Shrine of Muruga or Pandiya nayakan

 

There are also several smaller shrines in the temple complex.

 

GOVINDARAJA SWAMY SHRINE

The Govindaraja shrine is dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the 108 holy temples of Lord Vishnu called divyadesam, revered by the 7th-9th-century saint poets of vaishnava (those worshipping Lord Vishnu) tradition, alwars. Kulashekara alwar mentions this temple as Tillai Chitrakutam and equates Chitrakuta of Ramayana fame with this shrine. King Kulothunga Chola II is believed to have uprooted the presiding Govindraja image from the shrine. The shrine has close connections with the Govindaraja temple in Tirupati dating back to saint Ramanuja of the 11-12th century. Ramanujar fled to Tirupati with the utsava (festival image) of the temple to escape punishment. Down the centuries, king Krishnappa Nayak (1564-1572 AD) was instrumental in installing the image of Govindaraja back in the temple. There was lot of resistance from the shaivites (those worshipping Shiva) against placing the Vishnu image in a revered Shiva temple, but the king was unmoved and the image was installed in the present form. There is no satisfactory evidence of co-existence of the Shiva and Vishnu shrines within the same temple built during the same time - there was a dispute even in last century during 1849 AD regarding the rights on the Govindaraja idol and Alwar Sannidhi(sanctum of azhwars) between Vaishnavas and Dikshitars and the position of Vaishnavas was upheld by the district court.

 

TEMPLE TANKS

The Chidambaram temple is well endowed with several water bodies within and around the temple complex.

 

- Sivaganga (சிவகங்கை) tank is in the third corridor of the temple opposite to the shrine of Shivagami. It is accessed by flights of stone steps leading from the shrine.

- Paramanandha koobham is the well on the eastern side of the Chitsabhai hall from which water is drawn for sacred purposes.

- Kuyya theertham is situated to the north-east of Chidambaram in Killai near the Bay of Bengal and has the shore called Pasamaruthanthurai.

- Pulimadu is situated around a kilometer and a half to the south of Chidambaram.

- Vyagrapatha Theertham is situated on to the west of the temple opposite to the temple of Ilamai Akkinaar.

- Anantha Theertham is situated to the west of the temple in front of the Anantheswarar temple.

- Nagaseri tank is situated to the west of the Anantha thirtham.

- Brahma Theertham is situated to the north-west of the temple at Thirukalaanjeri.

- Underground channels at the shrine drain excess water in a northeasterly direction to the Shivapiyai temple tank (சிவப்பியை குளம்) of the Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram. Due to poor maintenance, it has not been in use.

- Thiruparkadal is the tank to the south-east of the Shivapiyai tank.

 

TEMPLE CAR

The Chidambaram temple car is, perhaps, the most beautiful example of a temple car in all of Tamil Nadu. This car, on which Lord Nataraja descends twice a year, is drawn by several thousand devotees during the festivals.

 

ANANDA TANDAVA

The legend of the temple is same as the legend of Ānanda-tāṇḍava. Adhisesha, the serpent who serves as a bed of Lord Vishnu, hears about the Änanda thaandava and yearns to see and enjoy it. Lord Shiva beckons him to assume the saintly form of sage Patanjali and sends him to the Thillai forest, informing him that he will display the dance in due course. Patanjali who meditated in the Himalayas during krita age joins another saint, Vyaghrapada or Pulikaalmuni (Vyagra / Puli meaning "Tiger" and patha / kaal meaning "feet" – referring to the story of how he sought and got the feet and eyesight of a tiger to help climb trees well before dawn to pick flowers for The Lord before the bees visit them). The story of sage Patanjali as well as his great student sage Upamanyu is narrated in both Vishnu Purana as well as Shiva Purana. They move into the Thillai forest and worship Lord Shiva in the form of lingam, a deity worshipped today as Thirumoolataneswarar (Thiru - sri, Moolatanam - primordial or in the nature of a foundation, Eswarar- the Lord). Legends say that Lord Shiva displayed his dance of bliss (the Aananda Thaandavam) - as Nataraja to these two saints on the day of the poosam star in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February).

 

THE ANANDA TANDAVA POSTURE

The Ānanda-tāṇḍava posture of Nataraja represents pancikritya functions of the godhead believed to have created the dynamic force to create the world.

 

- The demon under Lord Nataraja's feet signifies that ignorance is under His feet.

- The fire in His hand (power of destruction) means He is the destroyer of evil.

- The raised hand (Abhaya or Pataka mudra) signifies that He is the savior of all life forms.

- The arc of fire called Thiruvashi or Prabhavati signifies the cosmos and the perpetual motion of the earth.

- The drum in His hand signifies the origin of life forms.

- The lotus pedestal signifies Om, the sound of the universe.

- His right eye, left eye and third eye signify the sun, moon and fire/knowledge, respectively.

- His right earring (makara kundalam) and left earring (sthri kundalam) signify the union of man and woman (right is man, left is woman).

- The crescent moon in His hair signifies benevolence and beauty.

- The flowing of river Ganges through His matted hair signifies eternity of life.

- The dreading of His hair and drape signify the force of His dance.

 

Another notable point of this posture is that it is based on the six point star. Nataraja's head forms the topmost point of the star, while His spreading hair and right hand form the upper side points. His drape and raised left leg form the lower points, and His right leg that rests on the demon Myalagga forms the lowest point. Surrounding this is the arc of fire.

 

RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEMPLE

Pancha Bhoota Stalam (Sanskrit: पन्च भूत स्थल) refers to the five Shiva temples, each representing the manifestation of the five prime elements of nature - land, water, air, sky, fire. Pancha indicates five, Bhoota means elements and Stala means place. All these temples are located in South India with four of these temples at Tamil Nadu and one at Andhra Pradesh. The five elements are believed to be enshrined in the five lingams and each of the lingams representing Lord Shiva in the temple have five different names based on the elements they represent. In the temple, Shiva is said to have manifested himself in the form of sky. The other four manifestations are Prithivi Lingam (representing land) at Ekambareswarar Temple, Appu Lingam (representing Water) at Thiruvanaikaval, Agni Lingam (representing fire) at Annamalaiyar Temple and Vayu Lingam (representing air) at Srikalahasti Temple.

 

Aathara Stala indicates the Shiva temples which are considered to be divine impersonification of Tantric chakras associated with human anatomy. Nataraja temple is called the Anthaga stalam associated with Anthagam - the third eye.

 

Pancha Sabhai refers to the five places where Lord Shiva is said to have displayed His cosmic dance and all these places have stages or ambalams, also known as Sabhai. Apart from Chidambaram which has the Ponna Ambalam - the Golden Hall, the others are the I-Ratthina Ambalam - the Jeweled Hall at Thiruvaalangadu (rathinam – ruby / red jewelled), the Chitra Ambalam - the Painted Hall at Thirukutralam (chitra – painting), the Velli Ambalam - the Silver Hall at Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple (velli – silver) and the Thaamira Ambalam - the Copper Hall at Nellaiappar Temple, Tirunelveli (Thaamiram – copper).

 

RELIGIOUS WORK AND SAINTS

There is no reference to the temple in Sangam literature of the 1st to 5th centuries and the earliest mention is found in 6th century Tamil literature. The temple and the deity were immortalized in Tamil poetry in the works of Thevaram by three poet saints belonging to the 7th century - Thirugnana Sambanthar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundaramoorthy Nayanar. Thirugnana Sambanthar has composed 2 songs in praise of the temple, Thirunavukkarasar aka Appar 8 Tevarams in praise of Nataraja and Sundarar 1 song in praise of Nataraja. Sundarar commences his Thiruthondar thogai (the sacred list of Lord Shiva's 63 devotees) paying his respects to the priests of the Thillai temple - "To the devotees of the priests at Thillai, I am a devotee". The works of the first three saints, Thirumurai were stored in palm leaf manuscripts in the temple and were recovered by the Chola King Rajaraja Chola under the guidance of Nambiandarnambi. Manikkavasagar, the 10th century saivite poet has written two works, the first called Tiruvasakam (The sacred utterances) which largely has been sung in Chidambaram and the Thiruchitrambalakkovaiyar (aka Thirukovaiyar), which has been sung entirely in the temple. Manikkavasagar is said to have attained spiritual bliss at Chidambaram. The Chidambaram Mahatmiyam composed during the 12th century explain the subsequent evolution and de-sanskritization.

 

THE CHIDAMBARA RAHASIYAM

During the daily rituals, the Chief priest, of the day, himself in a state of Godliness - Shivohambhava (Shiva - the Lord, in His Sandhi form - Shivo-, aham – me / us, bhava - state of mind), parts the curtain, indicating the withdrawal of ignorance and reveals the space, and The Lord’s presence.

 

The Chidambara Rahasya, is hence representative of that time when one, in total surrender, allows God to intervene and remove our ignorance, even as we get to 'see and experience' His presence and hence - bliss.

Temple administration and daily rituals

 

WORSHIP FORMS

A unique feature of this temple is the bejeweled image of Lord Nataraja as the main deity. It depicts Lord Shiva as the master of Koothu-Bharata Natyam and is one of the few temples where Lord Shiva is represented by an anthropomorphic murthi rather than the classic, anionic Lingam.

 

At Chidambaram, the dancer dominates, not the linga as in other Shiva shrines. The Chitsabha houses a small sphatika(crystal) linga (Chandramoulisvara), believed to be a piece that fell from the crescent adorning Lord Shiva's head and installed by Adi Shankara. The linga is associated with the intangible fifth element, akasha (ether or space), the eternal infinite expanse where the dance of Lord Shiva takes place daily puja is offered to the linga and also to a small gem-carved figure of Ratnasabhapati.

 

Chidambaram offers a combination of the three apects of Shaiva worship - of the form Lord(Nataraja), of the form and the formlessness (linga) and of the formless omnipresence. The last is suggested by a "Chidambara rahasya", a chakra inscribed on a wall and blackened by applying "punugu" (civet) and over which hangs a string of golden bilva (bael) leaves. This can be viewed through the square chinks when the priest draws aside the dark "curtain of ignorance".

 

WORSHIP

The temple is managed and administered hereditarily by the Chidambaram Dikshitar – a class of Vaidika Brahmins whom, legends say, were brought here from Mt. Kailas, by Patanjali, specifically for the performance of the daily rituals and maintenance of the Chidambaram temple.

 

DIKSHITARS

The Dikshithars were supposed to be 3000 were called Tillai Muvayiram. Today they number around 360. These Dikshithars follow the Vedic rituals, unlike the Sivachariyars or Adhisaivars who follow the agamic rituals for the worship of Shiva and they sport a specific lopsided-to-the-left half shaved head. The rituals for the temple were collated from the Vedas and set by Patanjali, who is said to have inducted the Dikshithars into the worship of Lord Shiva as Nataraja. Every married male member of the Dikshithar family gets a turn to perform the rituals at the temple and can serve as the chief priest for the day. Married Dikshithars are also entitled a share of the temple's revenue. Though the temple is said to have been given endowments of almost 20 km2 of fertile land – having been patronized by various rulers for several centuries, it is managed almost entirely by privately run endowments.

 

DAILY RITUALS

The day begins with the chief priest of the day, performing required rituals to purify himself and assume the Shivoham bhava (Shiva-hood), after which he enters the temple to do the daily rituals. The day begins with Lord Shiva's footwear (padukas) brought at 7:00 am from the palliyarai (bedroom) to the sanctum sanctorum in a palanquin accompanied by devotees with cymbals, chimes and drums. The priest then performs the daily rituals with a yajna and a 'Gopujai' (worship of a cow and her calf). Worship (Puja) is done 6 times in a day. Before each puja, the spadika linga (crystal linga) or the semi form state of Lord Shiva is anointed with ghee, milk, curds, rice, sandal paste and holy ash. This is followed by presenting the naivedhyam or offering of freshly prepared food and sweets to the deity and the diparaadhana, a ritual of showing varied and decoratively set lamps, the reciting of Vedas in Sanskrit and the Panchapuranam (a set of 5 poems from a set of 12 works in Tamil – called the panniru thirumurai). The puja ends with the priest parting the curtains of the sanctum sanctorum to reveal the Chidambara Rahasyam (sanctum).

 

Before the 2nd puja, apart from the regular anointing of the crystal linga, a ruby Nataraja deity (the Rathinasabhapathy) is also anointed. The 3rd puja is at around 12.00 noon, after which the temple closes until around 4:30 pm. The 4th puja is performed at 6.00 pm, the 5th at 8:00 pm and the last puja of the day is performed at 10:00 pm, after which Lord Shiva’s footwear is taken in a procession for Him to ‘retire’ for the night. Before the 5th puja at night, the priest performs special rituals at the Chidambara Rahasya, where he anointed the yantra with aromatic substances and offers naivedyam. The last puja, called the arthajaama puja is performed with special fervor. It is believed that the entire divine force of the universe retires into the deity, when he retires for the night.

 

TEMPLE ADMINISTRATION

The Diskshithars one and fully responsible for the administration and pooja. Simply they mentioned their surname as the Sri Natarajar Temple Trustee and Pooja forever. Dikshithars life and temple tied as the nail and flesh relationship.

 

FESTIVALS

A whole year for men is said to be a single day for the gods. Just as six poojas are performed in a day at the sanctum sanctorum, six anointing ceremonies are performed for the principal deity - Nataraja in a year. They are the Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai (in December-January) indicating the first puja, the fourteenth day after the new moon (chaturdasi) of the month of Masi (February-March) indicating the second pooja, the Chittirai Thiruvonam (in April-May), indicating the third pooja or uchikalam, the Uthiram of Aani (June-July) also called the Aani Thirumanjanam indicating the evening or the fourth puja, the chaturdasi of Aavani (August-September) indicating the fifth puja and the chaturdasi of the month of Puratasi (October-November) indicating the sixth pooja or Arthajama. Of these the Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai (in December-January) and the Aani Thirumanjanam (in June-July ) are the most important. These are conducted as the key festivals with the main deity being brought outside the sanctum sanctorum in a procession that included a temple car procession followed by a long anointing ceremony. Several hundreds of thousands of people flock the temple to see the anointing ceremony and the ritualistic dance of Shiva when he is taken back to the sanctum sanctorum. Lord Shiva, in his incarnation of Nataraja, is believed to have born on full moon day in the constellation of Ardra, the sixth lunar mansion. Lord Shiva is bathed only 6 times a year, and on the previous night of Ardra, the bath rituals are performed on a grand scale. Pots full of milk, pomegranate juices, coconut water, ghee, oil, sandal paste, curds, holy ashes, and other liquids and solids, considered as sacred offering to the deity are used for the sacred ablution.

 

There are references in Umapathy Sivam's

Kunchithaangristhavam that the Maasi festival also had the Lord being carried out in procession, however this is not in vogue these days.

 

Natyanjali is a prominent festival celebrated during February every year when Bharatnatyam dancers from all over the country converge to present dance offering to Nataraja.

 

HISTORY

Constructed to signify where Tamil Shaivites identify the centre loci of the universe to be, the shrine, dedicated to Lord Shiva, has witnessed several significant events in the history of Tamil Nadu. A powerful legacy of Dravidian art, its structures and sculptures have attracted pilgrims to Chidambaram for over two millennium. The birthplace of Nataraja when Shaivite worship was highly popular during the Sangam period, Chidambaram had gained a reputation for holiness across the continent by the third century CE and the admiration of the Tamilakkam royals of the early Cholas, Chera dynasty and the early Pandyan Kingdom. Built by the early Cholas to one of their family deities - Nataraja-Koothan - it served as the king and queen's state temple and seat of their monarchs' coronations. The Chola royals underlined their non-partisan approach to religious iconography and faith by also patronizing the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple dedicated to Vishnu - their other Kuladheivam or "abode of family deity". Chola King Kocengannan who reigned in the first half of the 2nd century CE was born after his parents King Subhadevan and Kamaladevi worshipped in the Thillai Golden Hall (Pon Ambalam). He expanded the shrine in his later life and added to unfinished decorations. Saints Patañjali Tirumular and Vyaghrapada famously worshipped Nataraja at the shrine. The travelling Pallava-Chola king Simhavarman (II or III) who reigned in the 5th-6th century CE was cured of leprosy by bathing in the Shivagangai tank and in gratitude made extensive repairs and additions to the temple. He changed his name to Hiranyavarman or "golden bodied."

 

The Puranas, Sangam literature and the Tirumurai canon join several epigraphs and murals in highlighting the brilliance of the temple site and the devotion of Patañjali, Vyaghrapada-Pulikaalmunivar and patanjali to Nataraja at Thillai. The sthala puranam as well as umapathi sivacharya's koyil puranam give an account of how an ancient chola prince of kritayugam or first of epochal ages. Worshipped The Lord's feet at Chidambaram and being blessed with a vision of His was further helped by saint Vyaghrapada to consecrate a place of worship therewith. The temple murals and some cholan and pandyan literature refer to this sthala puranam. The chidambaram mahatyam as well as koyil puranam by the same author discuss as to how this prince who was presented with dhataki or atti garland and tiger flag in which Lord Indra would take abode to make him ever victorious was blessed with vision of lord and further attained mukti at this spot. This is very credible because all ancient literature and documents report that tiger flag and atti or dhataki (grislea tomentosa) garland as being emblematic with cholas. Some sangam period works also passingly refer to the krita age king's war with demons and his victory against them. The king also went by name Vyaghraketu after being gifted with the tiger flag.

 

Later during the 4th or 5th century CE, a pallava king called Simha Varman who was also a nayanmar saint by name Aiyatikal Kaadavarkon made some compositions and bathed in the tank and attained mukthi at tiru-perum-ppatra-puliyur or chidambaram. Aragalur Udaya Iraratevan Ponparappinan had refurbished most of the parts and rebuilt some parts of the temple around 1213 AD.

 

At periodical intervals (12 years in general), major repairs and renovation works are carried out, new facilities added and consecrated. Most old temples have also 'grown' over periods of time with additional facilities, more outer corridors and new gopurams (pagodas) were added by the rulers who patronized the temple. While this process has helped to keep the temples 'alive' as places of worship, from a purely archeological or historical perspective these renovations have unintentionally lead to destruction of the original works - which were not in sync with the latter and usually grander temple plans.

 

To this general trend, Chidambaram temple is no exception. The origins and developments of the temple are hence largely deduced from allied references in works of literature and poetry, the verbal information passed over generations by the Dikshithar community and from what little, of inscriptions and manuscripts that are available today.

The temple site is very ancient one is known to have been crafted time and again by the ancient craftsmen guild known as Perumthachchans. The reference to the same is available in sangam literature as well as other documents. The tevaram trio in particular have held this site to be of great sanctity with some like Tirugnanasambandar and Sundarar out of devotion being reluctant to set their foot in the place "because it would be an insult to the lord to put one's foot on his abode". The sangam works refer to the temple being favoured by all the three ancient crowns of south, the Neriyan (cholas), chezhiyan (pandyas) and uthiyan (cheras), even if the temple was in what was traditionally chola country.

 

INSCRIPTIONS

There are several inscriptions available in the temple and referring to the Chidambaram temple in neighbouring areas. Most inscriptions available pertain to the periods of Cholas - Rajaraja Chola I (985-1014 CE), Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 CE), Kulothunga Chola I (1070-1120 CE), Vikrama Chola (1118-1135 CE), Rajadhiraja Chola II (1163 -1178 CE), Kulothunga Chola III (1178-1218 CE) and Rajaraja Chola III (1216-1256 CE). Pandya inscriptions date from Thribhuvana Chakravarthi Veerapandiyan, Jataavarman Thribhuvana Chakravarthi Sundarapaandiyan (1251-1268 CE) and Maaravarman Thribhuvana Chakravarthi Veerakeralanaagiya Kulashekara Pandiyan (1268-1308 CE). Pallava inscriptions are available for king Avani Aala Pirandhaan Ko-pperum-Singha (1216-1242 CE). Vijayanagara Kings mentioned in inscriptions are Veeraprathaapa Kiruttina Theva Mahaaraayar (1509-1529 CE), Veeraprathaapa Venkata Deva Mahaaraayar, Sri Ranga Theva Mahaaraayar, Atchyutha Deva Mahaaraayar (1529-1542 CE) and Veera Bhooopathiraayar. One of the inscriptions from the descendant of Cheramaan Perumal nayanar, Ramavarma Maharaja has been found.

 

KUMBHABISHEKAM 2015

The sacred Chidambaram Sri Sabanayagar Temple, which is also described as Boologa Kailaasam and Chithakasam

 

Sri Sivagamasundari Samaedha Sriman Anandha Nataraja Moorthy's Chitsabha Samprokshana Chithvilasa Maha Kumbhabishekam is about to happen in a great way On the auspicious day of Manmadha (Tamil) year Chithirai month 18th day (01-May-2015) Friday morning between 7:00 am and 8:30 am Hastha Nakshthra, Thrayodhasi Thithi, Amirtha yoga, Rishabha Lagna.

 

INVASIONS

The temple was severely vandalised during Malik Kafur's invasions of South India between 1311 and 1325. A garrison was set up within the temple precincts and the walls were fortified during the Carnatic Wars between the East India Company and the French and the Anglo-Mysore Wars that the British fought with Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Walt Disney Concert Hall, 1999-2003

Frank O Gehry

111 S Grand Avenue

__________

 

The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves (among other purposes) as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

 

Lillian Disney made an initial gift in 1987 to build a world-class performance venue as a gift to the people of Los Angeles and a tribute to Walt Disney's devotion to the arts. The Frank Gehry-designed building opened on October 23 2003. While the architecture (as with other Gehry works) evoked polarized opinions, the acoustics of the concert hall (designed by Yasuhisa Toyota) were widely praised in contrast to its predecessor, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

 

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Concert_Hall

__________

 

Architecture Style.

 

Much of Gehry's work falls within the style of Deconstructivism. Decontructivism, also known as DeCon Architecture, is often referred to as post-structuralist in nature for its ability to go beyond current modalities of structural definition. In architecture, its application tends to depart from modernism in its inherent criticism of culturally inherited givens such as societal goals and functional necessity. Because of this, unlike early modernist structures, DeCon structures are not required to reflect specific social or universal ideas, such as speed or universality of form, and they do not reflect a belief that form follows function. Gehry's own Santa Monica residence is a commonly cited example of deconstructivist architecture, as it was so drastically divorced from its original context, and, in such a manner, as to subvert its original spatial intention.

 

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry

Trinity Church (Bruck an der Leitha)

Bruck parish church

The Holy Trinity Church is the Roman Catholic parish church to the Holy Trinity in Bruck an der Leitha (Lower Austria).

First phase (1696-1702)

Second phase of construction (1738-40)

Last structural modifications (1782-83)

History

Since the old church of St. Martin before the gates of the "new" city in invasions of the enemy repeatedly was destroyed, for the ever growing population also long since became too small and the existing within the city walls monastery churches and chapels for worship (no longer) could be used, was in the mid-17th Century the decision taken to build a new parish church within the city gates. The siege by the Turks and the appearance of the plague thwarted these plans again and again. After the Ottoman army was defeated in 1683 successfully in the Battle of Vienna and the plague was considered extinct, the City Council in gratitude decided to build a dignified church on the main square newly. The church should be attached to the existing medieval tower. Served as the model the early Baroque Church of Gesù in Rome.

First phase (1696-1702)

Under architect Heinrich Hoffmann the nave was built parallel to the row of houses, which is why the city tower - now converted into a church tower - stands approximately 15 degrees rotated to the north. It was raised by the superstructure of the belfry and received a baroque spire.

Second phase of construction (1738-40)

The austere frontispiece was replaced by architect Johann Georg Windpässinger by the two-storey magnificent facade. The sculptural decoration was designed by Martin Vögerl (Marian column Hainburg an der Donau) and displays above the main portal (City Arms with the year 1740) the figure of St. John of Nepomuk with the representation of the Vltava River bridge at the base. Other figures in the basement are the portraits of the plague saints Sebastian with tree, Rochus with Pestbeule (bubo) at the knee and the Saint Florian with the bucket of water and the Holy Leopold. Upstairs - flanked by volutes crowned by vases from their ornamental vessels the flame of the sacrifice is licking - the representation of the Holy Archangel Michael, crashing Satan with a flaming sword into the abyss. In the tympanum a magnificent edged plate with the inscription: "QUIS UT DEUS" (Who is like God?)

Last structural changes (1782-83)

The spire was raised by the lantern of the death-knell and slightly modified in its shape (tower height: 53,35 m).

Pass away ringing:

The Schiedläuten (pass away ringing), (also: Scheideläuten, Scheidungsläuten, death ringing) means that when a case of death becomes known with the Schiedglocke (pass away bell) - in Switzerland/Austria also with the Zügenglocke (cf. "to be at one's last gasp" ) - is rung. This can be done either at the arrival of the news of the death, after the next Betläuten/Angelus or at another fixed time. In Austria there is also partly still the custom that in the event of death of a man the Schiedglocke rings three times, in the event of death of a woman two times and in the event of death of a child one time (Wikipedia).

Equipment

The interior is 42 meters long and 14 meters wide, the chapel niches on both sides each measure 3 meters. The single naved longhouse is spanned by a four-bay, slightly stuccoed lunette ton. Recessed pilasters, which are divided by double pilasters bear a sharp profiled beams to which join the barrel-vaulted galleries. The straight closing forms the retracted, two-bay choir.

The Baroque high altar from 1704 is a donation of Johann Jakob Stumpf, councillor and personal physician of Emperor Leopold I. Beautiful altarpiece depicting the Holy Trinity from the vicinity of Daniel Gran. Miraculous image of Our Lady of Sorrows (18th century) from the Spittelwaldkapelle (chapel). Statues of the apostles St. Paul (left) and St. Peter (right), of St. Barbara and St. Catherine with crown, sword and palm of victory in the entablature area.

Five side altars from the 2nd Quarter of the 18th century:

Corporis Christi or Corpus Christi altar with altarpiece of Saint Francis of Assisi from the mid-19th Century by the Viennese painter Leopold Schulz (School Professor Kuppelwieser).

Cross altar with an altarpiece Christ on the cross. Statues of Saint Jerome (left) and Augustine (right). Baptismal font from 1700, at the cover (second half of 18th century) the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist is shown.

Family altar with an altarpiece of the Holy Family: Mary and Joseph with the Infant Jesus, Elisabeth and Zacharias with the infant Saint John. Statues of St. Francis of Assisi (left) and Anthony of Padua (right), 1725 altar of Our Lady or Marie altar with oval image Mariahilf modeled after 16th Century. Baroque glass sarcophagus with relics of St. Theodorus martyr.

Plague altar with image of Saint Sebastian dying as a martyr (2nd half of 17th century), in front of it, lying Santa Rosalia with wreath of roses on her forehead. Statues of St. Rocco and St. Florian to 1730.

Baroque hanging pulpit, basket with relief of the Good Shepherd. Sounding board studded by group of evangelists, angels and tablets of commandments.

The in 1710 by Viennese organ architect Jakob Sippus built organ was enlarged in 1749 and has a statuette of King David at the closing. Currently, 300 wood and 996 tin pipes, the largest of five meters, the smallest one centimeter long.

The Great Bell (Vienna, 1752) shows a relief of the Madonna with Child, Peter, Paul and John of Nepomuk. With a diameter of 158 cm and a height of 150 cm, it sounds pitch h, with a weight of 2400 kg it is one of the largest bells in the province of Lower Austria .

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreifaltigkeitskirche_(Bruck_an_der_Leitha)

Please attribute copyright © This is Engineering

 

For more images in the series, search "Josh"

Butterflies have fascinated humankind for millennia, and have been interpreted in a variety of ways, from omens of love to personifications of the soul. Yet, the delicate beauty of iridescent butterfly wings belies their intricate structure and functionality as the perfect foil for predators.

 

Structural colors are created by an optical effect (such as interference, refraction, or diffraction) rather than by a pigment. They arise from the arrangement of physical structures interacting with light to produce a particular color.

 

Structural color is responsible for the colors of the feathers of many birds (including the blue jay, hummingbirds and pheasants), as well as certain butterfly wings and beetle shells. Variations in the spacing of the pattern often gives rise to an iridescent effect, as seen in peacock feathers, soap bubbles, films of oil, and mother-of-pearl, because the reflected color depends upon the angle of view.

 

More....

 

My Flickr Pro

At Brickworld this year I heard a number of people express surprise when they saw how much Technic construction goes into internals of some of my models. I guess I'm surprised that they were surprised!

 

Anyway since we're talking about it, here is a portion of the internal structural system going into my next project.

SAIFD AIR Program "Form & Structure" with Kenneth Snauwaert, AIFD.

 

October 23rd, 2011

 

(Photo Credit: Sandra Austoni)

www.nwboatschool.org

 

Instructor Peter Bailey is choosing the select structural fir his students will use to make the engine beds for the Hanson-28. Carl's Building Supply in Chimacum WA supplied the cant of douglas fir.

 

This small tug was designed by the American designer H.C. Hanson in 1957 for the US Forest Service as a Scaler's Boat. Scalers determine the amount of board feet of lumber in each log cut by a timber crew. Three of these vessels were built commercially in the mid-1950's to this design for the Forest Service for use in the western United States.

 

Former instructor Tim Lee redrew the lines for the 26-version, stretching it to 28 feet. The extension allows the engine box to be moved aft of the pilothouse while the pilothouse can be lengthened a bit. Under his direction, students at the School began construction in 2013.

 

Instructor Peter Bailey's students continued work on the boat during the class of 2014. We expect to finish the boat by mid-September, 2015. As of this writing, it is for sale.

 

The tug is 28 feet long with a beam of about 8 feet. It has a draft of four feet, and displaces about 5 tons.

 

Our tug is built as a cruising tug. It will be planked in aromatic port orford cedar from southern Oregon over white oak frames. The house sides will be mahogany. The boat will be driven by a 54 hp Yanmar diesel engine, and will be customized to the owner's desire's before delivery.

 

The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is located in Port Hadlock, on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, and is a private, accredited non-profit vocational school.

 

Our mission is to teach and preserve the skills and crafts of fine wooden boatbuilding and other traditional maritime crafts.

 

You can find us on the web at www.nwboatschool.org .

 

You can reach us via e-mail at info@nwboatschool.org or by calling us at 360-385-4948.

 

This former coal factory closed in 1997 when the coal stopped being extracted in the area. Since, this big steelwork is abandoned. It has been seeting to fire several times, and recently in October 2011.

 

The mayor of the city and the factory owner deliver a judgment dealing with the ban of accessing this place, but the activity is still there (paintball/airsoft players, photographs, taggers, visitors...)

 

Shot with Canon EOS 5D Mk. I + Tamron SP AF Aspherical Di LD IF 17-35 f/2.8-4 @24mm

Post processed with Silver Efex Pro 2

 

No graphic content in comments please! Thanks

A national juried exhibition with a focus on structure, both natural and human-made. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, and more by 30 artists from across the country.

 

The work for this exhibition was chosen by our wonderful jurors, Peter Gabak and Joanna Poag. Join us for the opening reception, where $1,000 in cash awards will be announced!

 

Artists Included:

Deborah Beardslee (NY), Jackie Brown (ME), Christina Cassone (PA), Theresa Devine (AZ), Zach Dietl (NY), Julianne French (FL), Nate Hodge (NY), Ellie Honl (IN), Kristy Hughes (IN), Jim Jacobs (UT), Yasemin Kackar-Demirel (NY), Ella Kampelman (MN), Susan Kaye (NY), Namdoo Kim (NY), Sassoon Kosian (NJ), Tom Kredo (NY), Yoonjee Kwak (NY), Pamela Markman (CA), Vanessa Michalak (MA), Nicole Mongelluzzo (NY), Kelly Nye (OH), Colleen O’Hara (NY), Chris Oliver (NY), Nancy Ridenour (NY), Ruth Simon McRae (GA), Jean Stephens (NY), Susan Stuart (NY), Tracy Wascom (MI), Doerte Weber (TX), Jere Williams (VA)

 

May 9–June 30, 2015

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 9, 4–7p.m.

I found an old go-kart tire to be a perfect rest for the mold while the silicone cures. Hiiiiigh tech!

The Buran Structural Test article OK-7M (OK-TVA) was displayed in the popular Gorky Park, Moscow, Russia as an attraction from 1995 to 2014. Currently it is displayed at the VDNKh/VVT (All-Russia Exhibition Center) in Moscow

Highway 1, Sonoma County, California, 2017.

A national juried exhibition with a focus on structure, both natural and human-made. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, and more by 30 artists from across the country.

 

The work for this exhibition was chosen by our wonderful jurors, Peter Gabak and Joanna Poag. Join us for the opening reception, where $1,000 in cash awards will be announced!

 

Artists Included:

Deborah Beardslee (NY), Jackie Brown (ME), Christina Cassone (PA), Theresa Devine (AZ), Zach Dietl (NY), Julianne French (FL), Nate Hodge (NY), Ellie Honl (IN), Kristy Hughes (IN), Jim Jacobs (UT), Yasemin Kackar-Demirel (NY), Ella Kampelman (MN), Susan Kaye (NY), Namdoo Kim (NY), Sassoon Kosian (NJ), Tom Kredo (NY), Yoonjee Kwak (NY), Pamela Markman (CA), Vanessa Michalak (MA), Nicole Mongelluzzo (NY), Kelly Nye (OH), Colleen O’Hara (NY), Chris Oliver (NY), Nancy Ridenour (NY), Ruth Simon McRae (GA), Jean Stephens (NY), Susan Stuart (NY), Tracy Wascom (MI), Doerte Weber (TX), Jere Williams (VA)

 

May 9–June 30, 2015

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 9, 4–7p.m.

4 May 2011

This is the view of the structural support on the spacship shaped Cardiff Bay visitor's centre. I particularly like the angles and Dof on this one.

Picture was taken inside Shiras Steam Plant in Marquette, Michigan.

Part of the stone veneer has been removed from this house, revealing the structural clay tile construction.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, President, Eurogroup listens to a question from the audience during the seminar Structural Reforms, Inequality, and Growth, during the 2015 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings on Friday, October 9 in Lima, Peru. Ryan Rayburn/IMF Photo

"Very Structural," Susan said.

 

www.robgierthy.com

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

Structural integrity - the reliability and safe design of all engineered structures - is vitally important to prevent catastrophic failure and ensure continuous profitable operation.

 

Corrosion and structural integrity management have been an integral part of TWI's expertise for more than 60 years and TWI has established a world-class reputation for supplying high-calibre design and consultancy services to Members in the oil, gas and chemical, construction, power, defence, transportation and other industry sectors.

 

For more information visit www.twi-global.com/technologies/structural-integrity/

 

If you wish to use this image each use should be accompanied by the credit line and notice, "Courtesy of TWI Ltd".

 

"The design of the pavillon consists of 151 custom laminated lightweight beech plywood segments. In order to combine these ultra-thin plywood strips into a structurally stable configuration, newly developed robotic sewing techniques for prefabrication and manual lacing on site are applied."

 

further information:

icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=16039

 

photographed by

Frank Dinger

 

BECOMING - office for visual communication

www.becoming.de

www.instagram.com/bcmng

ARCHITECTURAL LOVERS IRELAND

The temple of the goddess Isis at Philae is one of the most beautiful in Egypt, not as large as some but structurally largely complete, which is fitting for the temple believed to be the last to operate under the ancient Egyptian religion, having only formally closed for pagan worship in the 6th century AD.

 

It was also the first of Egypt's great temples I ever saw in person and left me spellbound, and thus it was fitting that this should again be the first we visited on this trip.

 

The temple sits in a uniquely picturesque setting on a small island in the Nile south of Aswan and thus has only ever been approached boat. The complex consists of the main temple building dedicated to Isis (wife of Osiris and mother of Horus) whose inner sanctum is entered via a forecourt with towering pylons guarding the inner and outer entrances. All this is approached from the Nile through an open court flanked by lengthy colonnades making an unforgettable first impression.

 

There are several subsidary buildings of note around the site, the most imposing of which is undoubtedly the large rectangular colonnaded structure known as 'Trajan's Kiosk', which features some beautifully carved capitals.

 

The temple is relatively new by Egyptian standards, begun under one of the last of the native pharoahs, Nectanebo I (c380-62 BC) but mostly dating to the Ptolemaic period (as do many of the better preserved temples in the south of the country).

 

The temple's long use and later conversion to a church along with its remote location helped preserve it more or less completely over the centuries, but in the 20th century it faced its biggest threat, the construction of the Aswan dams which are located either side and caused Philae island to flood. The first dam (built 1902) caused the temple to be inundated for much of the year (thus washing away all the remaining paintwork from the interior; 19th century watercolours record what a loss the coloured details were). The bigger threat came in the 1960s when the Aswan High Dam was built to the south, causing the water levels to rise enough to completely submerge most of the temple. For some years all that could be seen of Philae were the four main towers and the columns of Trajan's Kiosk emerging from the waters.

 

Fortunately salvation came in the 1970s following the campaign to rescue and relocate the Nubian temples further south also threatened by the rising waters. Following the construction of a coffer-dam around the temple the entire temple complex was dismantled and rebuilt on higher ground on the adjoining island of Agilika where it can be enjoyed in its full splendour today.

 

For more on this wonderful site see below:-

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philae

SAIFD AIR Program "Form & Structure" with Kenneth Snauwaert, AIFD.

 

October 23rd, 2011

 

(Photo Credit: Sandra Austoni)

A national juried exhibition with a focus on structure, both natural and human-made. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, and more by 30 artists from across the country.

 

The work for this exhibition was chosen by our wonderful jurors, Peter Gabak and Joanna Poag. Join us for the opening reception, where $1,000 in cash awards will be announced!

 

Artists Included:

Deborah Beardslee (NY), Jackie Brown (ME), Christina Cassone (PA), Theresa Devine (AZ), Zach Dietl (NY), Julianne French (FL), Nate Hodge (NY), Ellie Honl (IN), Kristy Hughes (IN), Jim Jacobs (UT), Yasemin Kackar-Demirel (NY), Ella Kampelman (MN), Susan Kaye (NY), Namdoo Kim (NY), Sassoon Kosian (NJ), Tom Kredo (NY), Yoonjee Kwak (NY), Pamela Markman (CA), Vanessa Michalak (MA), Nicole Mongelluzzo (NY), Kelly Nye (OH), Colleen O’Hara (NY), Chris Oliver (NY), Nancy Ridenour (NY), Ruth Simon McRae (GA), Jean Stephens (NY), Susan Stuart (NY), Tracy Wascom (MI), Doerte Weber (TX), Jere Williams (VA)

 

May 9–June 30, 2015

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 9, 4–7p.m.

The dramatic roof over the courtyard at the Imperial War Museum, London.

A national juried exhibition with a focus on structure, both natural and human-made. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, and more by 30 artists from across the country.

 

The work for this exhibition was chosen by our wonderful jurors, Peter Gabak and Joanna Poag. Join us for the opening reception, where $1,000 in cash awards will be announced!

 

Artists Included:

Deborah Beardslee (NY), Jackie Brown (ME), Christina Cassone (PA), Theresa Devine (AZ), Zach Dietl (NY), Julianne French (FL), Nate Hodge (NY), Ellie Honl (IN), Kristy Hughes (IN), Jim Jacobs (UT), Yasemin Kackar-Demirel (NY), Ella Kampelman (MN), Susan Kaye (NY), Namdoo Kim (NY), Sassoon Kosian (NJ), Tom Kredo (NY), Yoonjee Kwak (NY), Pamela Markman (CA), Vanessa Michalak (MA), Nicole Mongelluzzo (NY), Kelly Nye (OH), Colleen O’Hara (NY), Chris Oliver (NY), Nancy Ridenour (NY), Ruth Simon McRae (GA), Jean Stephens (NY), Susan Stuart (NY), Tracy Wascom (MI), Doerte Weber (TX), Jere Williams (VA)

 

May 9–June 30, 2015

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 9, 4–7p.m.

2018 Home Renovation New Year’s Resolution Ideas

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NORTH ARABIAN SEA (July 16, 2013) – Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Timothy Kruse, a native of Anoka, Minn., performs maintenance on the wing joints of an EA-6B Prowler assigned to the “Gray Wolves” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142 in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Derek W. Volland/Released)

Flora Meilleur prepares protein solutions for structural investigation with neutrons at the Spallation Neutron Source.

Lake Oswego, OR

June 3, 2011

 

This wound will not heal over time, compromising the integrity and health of this urban tree.