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Dedicated to Renuka Marshall to thank her for her very gentle comments and as a tribute to her wonderful captured images
DEDICATED TO THE CITIZENS OF FLORIDA WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN WORLD WAR I 1914 - 1918
Duval County, Jacksonville, FL
Dedicated to my late broken lens.
INFO:
50mm 1.8 reverse lensed.
Check out its aperture and focal length :)
The Grade I Listed Lancaster Priory, in Lancaster, Lancashire.
It is likely that a Roman building existed on the site prior to others, possibly around 200AD. A Saxon church is thought to have stood on the site from the sixth century. In 1912 excavations revealed a wall beneath the present chancel area which may be from Roman times, and a small Saxon doorway has been exposed in the west wall of the present nave.
In 1094 Roger de Poitou established a Benedictine priory, dedicated to St Mary, as a cell of the Abbey of Saint Martin of Sées in Normandy, France. Around 1360 the nave was widened to about 49 feet (15 m). In 1431 the church was transferred from Sées to Syon Abbey near London and following this there was a major reconstruction in Perpendicular style. In 1539 this Catholic monastic institution was abolished by Henry VIII and the following year the priory became a parish church. A restoration of the church occurred in 1558.
In 1743 it was decided to raise the steeple 10 yards higher so that the bells could be heard better, and the bells were also to be re-cast. In 1753, the tower was determined to be in danger of falling, so the bells were removed from it. Henry Sephton was commissioned to demolish and rebuild the tower. In 1759 a new tower was erected, which still stands.
Information Source:
Dedicated to Brigette23 (www.flickr.com/photos/jhett/) to thank her for her help and understanding!
- Couleurs differentes d' automne
Dedicated to Vinylone.
2316cc,
1333 kgs.
740 Estate: Spring 1984 - Oct. 92.
Designed by Jan Wilsgaard, together with the 1982 760 Series.
Amsterdam-W., Jacob Catskade, Febr. 16, 2014.
© 2014 Sander Toonen Amsterdam | All Rights Reserved
Dedicated to the Birth of Our Lady (Marija Bambina), the town in the north of Malta celebrates its feast on September 8th each year.
ABOUT
By David Muscat for Mellieha .com.
The Mellihea Parish Church was built between 1881 and 1898. All the stone was cut from a nearby quarry at l-Ahrax tal-Mellieha and transported up to Mellieha by the local peasants, who worked laboriously to see their wish of having a new church come true.
Thus between 1920 and 1940 the belfries and dome were erected, five bells dedicated to St. Frances, St. Joseph, St. Anthony, St. Paul and the Virgin Mary were brought from Milan, and the church altars were decorated with paintings by the best Maltese artists, including the renowned Giuseppe Calì and Lazzru Pisani.
Photo Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg
For all my latest photos, please visit and like Kappa Vision on Facebook.
Dedicated to Elvis Presley on his 74th birthday. Thanks for all the songs I enjoyed in my younger days. Rock on.
Dedicated to Flickr friend opus104 - www.flickr.com/photos/opus104/
Stop by at Cafe Opus, or stroll down his photostream if you are hungry for good composition...
Dedicated to my English wife Theresa and myself.
Lake Vougliameni ( Heraion), Perachora-Loutraki is an area of rare natural beauty. Through a small water passage, the lake is connected with the Corinthian Gulf and based on water currents, the lake is either totally calm or slightly rough. Beside the lake tavernas and coffee shops provide refreshment.
Taken during a 6 day photographic vacation with my beloved English wife Theresa Jane Brown, whilst staying with friends in their summer home in Loutraki.
Thanassis Fournarakos - Θανασης Φουρναρακος
Professional Photographer, retired.
Athens, Greece
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
None of my images may be downloaded, copied, reproduced, manipulated or used on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. THANK YOU!
Dedicated to my friend Yves.
The music:
♪♫ My Best Was Never Good Enough - Bruce Springsteen
"Every cloud has a silver lining, every dog has his day
She said, "Now don't say nothin'
if you don't have something nice to say."
The tough, now they get going, when the going gets tough
But for you my best was never good enough
"Now don't try for a home run, baby
If you can get the job done with a hit"
Remember, "A quitter never wins and a winner never quits"
"The sun don't shine on a sleepin' dog's ass"
And all the rest of that stuff
But for you my best was never good enough
"If God gives you nothin' but lemons, then you make some lemonade"
"The early bird catches the fuckin' worm,
Rome wasn't built in a day"
"Now life's like a box of chocolates,
You never know what you're going to get"
"Stupid is as stupid does and all the rest of that shit"
Come'on pretty baby, call my bluff
'Cause for you my best was never good enough"
Copyright © Bruce Springsteen (ASCAP)
A school runner...
With the outlawing of non-low floor buses on stage-carriage services many operators have had to find other uses for buses that have plenty of life in them but don’t meet the new regulations. In Cumbria, Stagecoach has used some of these buses as schoolbuses and painted them in a dedicated livery such as 16640 (P270VPN).
History
The Bishop's throne
The city of Chester was an important Roman stronghold. There may have been a Christian basilica on the site of the present cathedral in the late Roman era, while Chester was controlled by Legio XX Valeria Victrix. Legend holds that the basilica was dedicated to St Paul and St Peter. This is supported by evidence that in Saxon times the dedication of an early chapel on this site was changed from St Peter to St Werburgh. In the 10th century, St Werburgh's remains were brought to Chester, and 907 AD her shrine was placed in the church. It is thought that Ethelda turned the church into a college of secular canons, and that it was given a charter by King Edgar in 968. The abbey, as it was then, was restored in 1057 by Leofric, Earl of Mercia and Lady Godiva. This abbey was razed to the ground around 1090, with the secular canons evicted, and no known trace of it remains.
In 1093 a Benedictine monastery was established on the site by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, and the earliest surviving parts of the structure date from that time. The abbey church was not at that time the cathedral of Chester; from 1075 to 1082 the cathedral of the diocese was the nearby church of St. John the Baptist, after which the see was transferred to Coventry. In 1538, during the dissolution of the monasteries, the monastery was disbanded and the shrine of St Werburgh was desecrated. In 1541 St Werburgh's abbey became a cathedral of the Church of England by order of Henry VIII. At the same time, the dedication was changed to Christ and the Blessed Virgin. The last abbot of St Werburgh’s Abbey, Thomas Clarke, became the first dean of the new cathedral at the head of a secular chapter.
While no trace of the 10th century church has been discovered, there is much evidence of the monastery of 1093. This work in the Norman style may be seen in the north west tower, the north transept and in remaining parts of the monastic buildings. The abbey church, beginning with the Lady Chapel at the eastern end, was extensively rebuilt in Gothic style during the 13th and 14th centuries. At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, the cloister, the central tower, a new south transept, the large west window and a new entrance porch to the south had just been built in the Perpendicular style, and the south west tower of the façade had been begun. The west front was given a Tudor entrance, but the tower was never completed.
In 1636 the space beneath the south west tower became a bishop's consistory court. It was furnished as such at that time, and is now a unique survival in England. Until 1881, the south transept, which is unusually large, also took on a separate function as an independent ecclesiastical entity, the parish church of St Oswald. Although the 17th century saw additions to the furnishings and fittings, there was no further building work for several centuries. By the 19th century, the building was badly in need of restoration. The present homogeneous appearance that the cathedral presents from many exterior angles is largely the work of Victorian restorers, particularly Sir George Gilbert Scott. The twentieth century has seen continued maintenance and restoration. In 1973–75 a detached belfry designed by George Pace was erected in the grounds of the cathedral. In 2005 a new Song School was added to the cathedral.
External appearance
The cathedral is built of New Red Sandstone, like the cathedrals of Carlisle, Lichfield and Worcester. The stone lends itself to detailed carving, but is also friable to rain and wind, and is badly affected by pollution. With the other red sandstone buildings, Chester is one of the most heavily restored of England's cathedrals. The restoration, which included much refacing and many new details, took place mainly in the 19th century.
Because the south transept is similar in dimension to the nave and choir, views of the building from the south-east and south-west give the impression of a building balanced around a central axis, with its tower as the hub.See image, top The tower is of the late 15th century Perpendicular style, but its four large battlemented turrets are the work of the restoration architect George Gilbert Scott. With its rhythmic arrangement of large, traceried windows, pinnacles, battlements and buttresses, the exterior of Chester Cathedral presents a fairly homogeneous character, which is an unusual feature as England's cathedrals are in general noted for their stylistic diversity. Close examination reveals window tracery of several building stages from the 13th to the early 16th century. The richness of the 13th-century tracery is accentuated by the presence of ornate, crocketted drip-mouldings around the windows; those around the perpendicular windows are of simpler form.See image, top
The west front of the cathedral is not of particular architectural significance, as neither of its towers was completed. To the north is lower stage of a Norman tower, while to the south is the lower stage of a tower designed and begun, probably by Seth and George Derwall, in 1508, but left incomplete following the dissolution of the monastery in 1538. The façade is dominated by a large eight-light window in the Perpendicular style, which rises above a Tudor screen-like porch.The cathedral's façade is largely obscured from view by the building previously used as the King's School, which is now a branch of Barclays Bank. The door of the west front is not used as the normal entrance to the cathedral, which is through the south west porch. This porch was probably designed by Seth Derwall, and it formed part of the same late 15th-century building programme as the south transept, central and southwest towers, and cloister.
The nave, looking towards the choir
Interior
The interior of Chester Cathedral gives a warm and mellow appearance because of the pinkish colour of the sandstone. The proportions appear spacious because the view from the west end of the nave to the east end is unimpeded by a pulpitum and the nave, although not long, is both wide and high compared with many of England's cathedrals. The piers of the nave and choir are widely spaced, those of the nave carrying only the clerestory of large windows with no triforium gallery.See image, left The proportions are made possible partly because the ornate stellar vault, like that at York Minster, is of wood, not stone.
Norman remnants
The present church, dating from around 1283 to 1537, replaced the earlier monastic church founded in 1093 and built in the Norman style. It is believed that the newer church was built around the older one. That the few remaining parts of the Norman church are of small proportions, while the height and width of the Gothic church are generous would seem to confirm this belief. Aspects of the design of the Norman interior are still visible in the north transept, which retains wall arcading and a broadly moulded arch leading to the sacristy, which was formerly a chapel. The transept has retained an early 16th-century coffered ceiling with decorated bosses, two of which are carved with the arms of Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey.
The north west tower is also of Norman construction. It serves as the baptistry and houses a black marble font, consisting of a bowl on a large baluster dating from 1697. The lower part of the north wall of the nave is also from the Norman building, but can only be viewed from the cloister because the interior has been decorated with mosaic.
Early English
The Early English Gothic chapter house, built between 1230 and 1265, is rectangular and opens off a "charming" vestibule leading from the north transept. The chapter house has grouped windows of simple untraceried form. Alec Clifton-Taylor describes the exterior of this building as a "modest but rather elegant example of composition in lancets" while Pevsner says of the interior "[It is] a wonderfully noble room" which is the "aesthetic climax of the cathedral". To the north of the chapter house is the slype, also Early English in style, and the warming room, which contains two large former fireplaces. The monastic refectory to the north of the cloister is of about the same date as the chapter house.
The Lady Chapel to the eastern end of the choir dates from between 1265 and 1290. It is of three bays, and contains the Shrine of St Werburgh, dating from the 14th century. The vault of the Lady Chapel is the only one in the cathedral that is of stone. It is decorated with carved roof bosses representing the Trinity, the Virgin and Child, and the murder of St Thomas à Becket. The chapel also has a sedilia and a piscina.
Decorated Gothic
The choir, looking towards the nave
The choir, of five bays, was built between 1283 and 1315 to the design of Richard Lenginour, and is an early example of Decorated Gothic architecture. The piers have strongly modelled attached shafts, supporting deeply moulded arches. There is a triforium gallery with four cusped arches to each bay.See image, right The sexpartite vault, which is a 19th century restoration, is supported by clusters of three shafts which spring from energetic figurative corbels. The overall effect is robust, and contrasts with the delicacy of the pinnacled choir stalls, the tracery of the windows and the rich decoration of the vault which was carried out by the ecclesiastical designers, Clayton and Bell. The choir stalls, dating from about 1380, are one of the glories of the cathedral.
The aisles of the choir previously both extended on either side of the Lady Chapel. The south aisle was shortened in about 1870 by George Gilbert Scott, and given an apsidal east end, becoming the chapel of St Erasmus. The eastern end of the north aisle contains the chapel of St Werburgh.
The nave of six bays, and the large, aisled south transept were begun in about 1323, probably to the design of Nicholas de Derneford. There are a number of windows containing fine Flowing Decorated tracery of this period. The work ceased in 1375, in which year there was a severe outbreak of plague in England. The building of the nave was recommenced in 1485, more than 150 years after it was begun. The architect was probably William Rediche. Remarkably, for an English medieval architect, he maintained the original form, changing only the details. The nave was roofed with a stellar vault rather like that of the Lady Chapel at Ely and the choir at York Minster, both of which date from the 1370s. Like that at York, the vault is of wood, imitating stone.
Perpendicular Gothic
From about 1493 until 1525 the architect appears to have been Seth Derwall, succeeded by George Derwall until 1537. Seth Derwall completed the south transept to a Perpendicular Gothic design, as seen in the transomed windows of the clerestory. He also built the central tower, southwest porch and cloisters. Work commenced on the south west tower in 1508, but it had not risen above the roofline at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, and has never been completed. The central tower, rising to 127 feet (39 m), is a “lantern tower” with large windows letting light into the crossing. Its external appearance has been altered by the addition of four battlemented turrets by George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century.
The Perpendicular Gothic cloister is entered from the cathedral through a Norman doorway in the north aisle. The cloister is part of the building programme that commenced in the 1490s and is probably the work of Seth Daerwell.
The south wall of the cloister, dating from the later part of the Norman period, forms the north wall of the nave of the cathedral, and includes blind arcading.
Among the earliest remaining structures on the site is an undercroft off the west range of the cloisters, which dates from the early 12th century, and which was originally used by the monks for storing food.
It consists of two naves with groin vaults and short round piers with round scalloped capitals.
Leading from the south of the undercroft is the abbot's passage which dates from around 1150 and consists of two bays with rib-vaulting. Above the abbot's passage, approached by a stairway from the west cloister, is St Anselm's Chapel which also dates from the 12th century. It is in three bays and has a 19th-century Gothic-style plaster vault. The chancel is in one bay and was remodelled in the early 17th century. The screen, altar rails, holy table and plaster ceiling of the chancel date from the 17th century. The north range of the cloister gives access to a refectory, built by Simon de Whitchurch in the 13th century. It contains an Early English pulpit, approached by a staircase with an ascending arcade. The only other similar pulpit in England is in Beaulieu Abbey.
The Quadripartite vault of the choir
the 19th century the fabric of the building had become badly weathered, with Mr. Charles Hiatt writing that "the surface rot of the very perishable red sandstone, of which the cathedral was built, was positively unsightly" and that the "whole place previous to restoration struck one as woebegone and neglected; it perpetually seemed to hover on the verge of collapse, and yet was without a trace of the romance of the average ruin". Between 1818 and 1820 the architect Thomas Harrison restored the south transept, adding corner turrets. This part of the building served until 1881 as the parish church of St Oswald, and it was ecclesiastically separate. From 1844 R. C. Hussey carried out a limited restoration including work on the south side of the nave.
The most extensive restoration was carried out by the Gothic Revival architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, who between 1868 and 1876 "almost entirely recased" the cathedral. In addition to extensive additions and alterations to the body of the church, Scott remodelled the tower, adding turrets and crenellations. Scott chose sandstone from the quarries at Runcorn for his restoration work. In addition to the restoration of the fabric of the building, Scott designed internal fittings such as the choir screen to replace those destroyed during the Civil War. He built the fan vault of the south porch, renewed the wooden vault of the choir and added a great many decorative features to the interior. Later in the century, from 1882, Sir Arthur Blomfield and his son Charles made further additions and modifications, including restoring and reinstating the Shrine of St Werburgh. More work was carried out in the 20th century by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott between 1891 and 1913, and by F. H. Crossley in 1939.
Rare fittings
The treasures of Chester Cathedral are its rare fittings, specifically its choir stalls and the 17th century furnishing of the bishop’s consistory court in the south tower, which is a unique survival. The choir stalls date from about 1380. They have high, spiky, closely set canopies, with crocketed arches and spirelets. The stall ends have poppyheads and are rich with figurative carving. The stalls include 48 misericords, all but five of which are original, depicting a variety of subjects, some humorous and some grotesque. Pevsner states that they are "one of the finest sets in the country",while Alec Clifton-Taylor calls them “exquisite” and says of the misericords that “for delicacy and grace [they] surpass even those at Lincoln and Beverley”.
Stained glass
Chester suffered badly at the hands of the Parliamentary troops. In consequence, its stained glass dates mainly from the 19th century. Of the earlier Victorian firms, William Wailes is the best represented here, as well as Hardman & Co.. Glass from the High Victorian period is well represented by two leading London firms, Clayton and Bell and Heaton, Butler and Bayne. The Aesthetic style is represented by Kempe. There are also several notable modern windows, the most recent being the refectory window of 2001 by Ros Grimshaw which depicts the Creation.
Organ
In 1844, an organ by Gray & Davison of London was installed in the cathedral, replacing an instrument with parts dating back to 1626. The organ was rebuilt and enlarged by Whiteley Bros of Chester in 1876, to include harmonic flutes and reeds by Cavaillé-Coll. It was later moved to its present position at the front of the north transept. In 1910 William Hill & Son of London extensively rebuilt and revoiced the organ, replacing the Cavaillé-Coll reeds with new pipes of their own. The choir division of the organ was enlarged and moved behind the choirstalls on the south side. The instrument was again overhauled by Rushworth and Dreaper of Liverpool in 1969, when a new mechanism and some new pipework made to a design drawn up by Roger Fisher was installed. Since 1991 the organ has been in the care of David Wells of Liverpool.
Communion plate
The communion plate includes two flagons dated 1662–63, two small and two large patens dated 1662, a silver chalice dating from about 1665, a silver gilt alms dish dated 1669, a chalice spoon of 1691, two small alms dishes dated 1737, two chalices dated 1838, a small chalice dated 1897, a small paten of 1903, two candlesticks dated 1662 and two vergers' maces of 1662.
Tour of features
Nave
The west end of the nave is dominated by an eight-light window in the Perpendicular Gothic style which almost fills the upper part of the west wall. It contains stained glass designed by W. T. Carter Shapland dating from 1961 and depicts the Holy Family in the middle two lights, flanked by the northern saints Werburgh, Oswald, Aidan, Chad and Wilfrid, and Queen Ethelfleda.
The stained glass in the north aisle, dated 1890, is by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.[35] The south aisle includes three stained glass windows, dated 1992, designed and made by Alan Younger to replace windows damaged in the Second World War. They were donated by the 6th Duke of Westminster to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the cathedral.[36] The stained glass in another window in the south aisle is by William Wailes, dated 1862.The stone nave pulpit was designed by the restorer R. C. Hussey and the lectern, dated 1876, is by Skidmore.] The mosaic floor of the tower bay was designed by Dean Howson and executed by Burke and Co. The same firm installed the mosaics which decorate the wall of the north aisle, depicting the patriarchs and prophets Abraham, Moses, David and Elijah. They were designed by J. R. Clayton of Clayton and Bell, and date from 1883–86.
Monuments in the nave include those to Roger Barnston, dated 1838, by John Blayney, to Bishop Stratford, dated 1708, to Bishop Hall who died in 1668, to Edmund Entwistle, dated 1712, to John and Thomas Wainwright who died respectively in 1686 and 1720, to Robert Bickerstaff who died in 1841 by Blayney, to Dean Smith who died in 1787 by Thomas Banks, and to Sir William Mainwaring, dated 1671.
Choir stall with canopy and misericord
Choir
The most famous feature of the choir is the set of choir stalls, dating from about 1380, and described above. The lectern, in the form of a wooden eagle, symbol of John the Evangelist, dates from the first half of the 17th century. The candlesticks also date from the 17th century and are by Censore of Bologna who died in 1662.
With these exceptions, most of the decoration and the fittings of the choir date from the 19th century and are in keeping with the Gothic Revival promoted by the Oxford Society and Augustus Welby Pugin. The restored vault of the choir is typical of the period, having been designed by Scott and decorated and gilded by Clayton and Bell.
The choir is entered through a screen designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, with gates made by Skidmore. The rood was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, and was made by F. Stuflesser. The bishop’s throne or “cathedra” was designed by George Gilbert Scott to complement the choir stalls. It was constructed by Farmer and Brindley in 1876. The reredos and the floor mosaic date from 1876, and were designed by J. R. Clayton. The east window has tracery of an elegant Decorated Gothic design which is filled with stained glass of 1884 by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
Lady Chapel
The 13th century Lady Chapel contains the stone shrine of St Werburgh which dates from the 14th century and which used to contain her relics. The shrine, of the same pink stone as the cathedral, has a base pierced with deep niches. The upper part takes the form of a miniature chapel containing statuettes. During the dissolution of the monasteries it was dismantled. Some of the parts were found during the 1873 restoration of the cathedral and the shrine was reassembled in 1888 by Blomfield. A carving of St Werburgh by Joseph Pyrz was added in 1993. Also in the chapel are a sedilia and a piscina. The stained glass, dated 1859, is by William Wailes. The chapel contains a monument to Archdeacon Francis Wrangham, made by Hardman & Co. and dating from 1846.
North choir aisle
The north choir aisle has a stone screen by R. C. Hussey and an iron gate dated 1558 that came from Guadalajara. At the east end of the aisle is the chapel of St Werburgh which has a vault of two bays, and an east window depicting the Nativity by Michael O'Connor, dated 1857. Other stained glass windows in the north aisle are by William Wailes, by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, and by Clayton and Bell. The chapel contains as a piscina dating from the 14th century, and monuments to Bishop Graham dated 1867, and to William Bispham who died in 1685, Other monuments in the north aisle include a tablet to Bishop Jacobson, dated 1887, by Boehm to a design by Blomfield.
North transept, sacristy and chapter house
The small Norman transept has clerestory windows containing stained glass by William Wailes, dated 1853. The sacristy, of 1200, has an east window depicting St Anselm, and designed by A. K. Nicholson. In the north transept is a freestanding tombchest monument to Bishop Pearson who died in 1686, designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield and carved by Nicholas Earp, with a recumbent effigy by Matthew Noble. Other monuments in the transept include one to Samuel Peploe, dating from about 1784, by Joseph Nollekens. The wall monuments include cenotaphs to members of the Cheshire (Earl of Chester's) Yeomanry killed in the Boer War and in the First and Second World Wars. At the corner of the transept with the north aisle is a 17th-century Tree of Jesse carved in whale ivory. A niche contains a rare example of a "cobweb picture", painted on the web of a caterpillar. It depicts Mary and the Christ-Child, and is based on a painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder.
The chapter house has stained glass in its east window by Heaton, Butler and Bayne and grisaille windows in the north and south walls, dated 1882–83, by Blomfield. It contains an oak cope cupboard from the late 13th century, and houses part of the cathedral library. In the vestibule is a copy of Ranulf Higdon's Polychronicon.[46] The front of the chapter house was rebuilt to a design by Hussey.
South choir aisle
Flowing Decorated tracery and glass by Heaton, Butler and Bayne in the south transept
The south aisle was shortened in about 1870 by Scott, and given an apsidal east end, becoming the chapel of St Erasmus. The stained glass in the apse window is dated 1872 and is by Clayton and Bell. Below this is a mosaic designed by J. R. Clayton and made by Salviati, and a fresco painting by Clayton and Bell, dated 1874. Elsewhere the stained glass in the aisle is by Wailes, and by Hardman & Co. to a design by Pugin.[42] The aisle contains the tomb of Ranulf Higdon, a monk at St Werburgh's Abbey in the 12th century who wrote a major work of history entitled Polychronicon,[47] a monument to Thomas Brassey (a civil engineering contractor who died in 1870), designed by Blomfield and made by Wagmuller, a monument to Bishop Peploe who died in 1752, and three painted monuments by Randle Holme.
South transept
The south transept, formerly the parish church of St Oswald contains a piscina and sedilia in the south wall. On the east wall are four chapels, each with a reredos, two of which were designed by Sir Giles G. Scott, one by Kempe and the other by his successor, W.E. Tower. The south window is dated 1887 and was made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne to a design by R. C. Hussey. Other stained glass in the transept is by Clayton and Bell, by C. E. Kempe and by Powell. The monuments include those to George Ogden who died in 1781, by Hayward, to Anne Matthews who died in 1793, by Thomas Banks, to John Philips Buchanan who died at Waterloo in 1815, and to the first Duke of Westminster, designed by C. J. Blomfield. On the wall of the southwest crossing pier are monuments which include a cenotaph to the casualties in HMS Chester in the Battle of Jutland in 1916 who included the 16-year-old Jack Cornwell VC. The west wall of the south transept has many memorials, including cenotaphs to the Cheshire Regiment, the Royal Air Force and the Free Czech Forces.
Cloisters and refectory
The cloisters were restored in the 20th century, and the stained glass windows contain the images of some 130 saints.[26] The cloister garth contains a modern sculpture entitled The water of life by Stephen Broadbent. The refectory roof is dated 1939 and was designed by F. H. Crossley. The east window with reticulated tracery was designed by Sir Giles G. Scott and is dated 1913. The stained glass in the west window, depicting the Creation, was designed by Ros Grimshaw and installed in 2001 to celebrate the Millennium. On the refectory's west wall there is a tapestry depicting Elymas being struck with blindness which was woven at Mortlake in the 17th century from a cartoon by Raphael. The heraldic paintings on the north wall represent the arms of the Earls of Chester.
Bell tower
Towards the end of 1963 the cathedral bells, which were housed in the central tower, were in need of an overhaul and ringing was suspended. In 1965 the Dean asked George Pace, architect to York Minster, to prepare specifications for a new bell frame and for electrification of the clock and tolling mechanism. Due to structural difficulties and the cost of replacing the bells in the central tower it was advised that consideration should be given to building a detached bell and clock tower in the southeast corner of the churchyard. It was decided to proceed with that plan, and in 1969 an announcement was made that the first detached cathedral bell tower was to be erected since the building of the campanile at Chichester Cathedral in the 15th century. In February 1969, nine of the ten bells in the central tower were removed to be recast by John Taylor & Co as a ring of twelve bells with a flat sixth. The new bells were cast in 1973. Work on the new bell-tower began in February 1973. Two old bells dating from 1606 and 1626 were left in the tower. On 26 February 1975 the bells were rung for the first time to celebrate the wedding of a member of the Grosvenor family. The official opening on 25 June 1975 was performed by the Duke of Gloucester. The belfry is known as the Dean Addleshaw Tower, after the dean of the cathedral responsible for its construction. Between the bell tower and the south transept is a garden in remembrance of the Cheshire Regiment (originally the 22nd Regiment of Foot).
The choral tradition at Chester is 900 years old, dating from the foundation of the Bendedictine monastery. There are usually ten choral services at the cathedral each week. Chester has a cathedral choir of male lay clerks, boy trebles and since 1997 the cathedral has recruited a choir of girl choristers, who sing on alternate Sundays to the boys and the same number of weekday services. There is no choir school at Chester, so the choristers come from local schools. On occasions the boy and girl choristers sing together. There is also a nave choir which sings Evening Prayer on Sundays, and sometimes joins with the cathedral choir on special occasions. The nave choir was formed in the middle of the 19th century, and was England’s first voluntary cathedral choir. The director of music is Philip Rushforth and the assistant organist is Ian Roberts. There are lunchtime organ recitals weekly on Thursday.The monthly program of music is available on the cathedral's website.
dedicated to the loss of Note-feature of flickr :(((
I'll use tags, but sadly can't tag/note the image anymore to give you the names of the individual flowers.
anyways, rarely are that many plants in bloom hre in East Austria in mid-march
Dedicated to Valentino Rossi and his enormous talent, this jacket inspired by his endearing personality and is characterized by the yellow color that always accompanied Valentino on his countless exploits. Constructed of 1.2 mm thick calf leather with inserts in S1 stretch fabric for excellent ergonomics and with co-injected protectors with aluminum inserts on the shoulders of the VR46 Pelle jacket is designed for the most avid sports fans of Tavullia search.
www.leathercollection.com/en-gb/vr46-valentino-rossi-leat...
Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year's Day Polar Plunge Atlantic Ocean Beach Winter Swimming Brooklyn NYC USA December 31st 2021 - January 1st 2022
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POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
Not only is this New York's grandest and most unique New Year's tradition, it raises funds for some of the most amazing non-profit and community organizations in Coney Island which are dedicated to developing a resurgent and sustainable neighborhood! Every New Year's Day, over 15,000 brave souls from all over the world join us in this long-lived tradition!
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#ConeyIsland #PolarPlunge #WinterSwimming #Brooklyn #NYC
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Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max smartphone photo and 4K at 60 fps low light night video
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Coney Island winter Polar Plunge swim dedicated to Mother Theresa Irene Wolowski who celebrated 88th birthday on December 17th 2021
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The Coney Island Polar Bear Club is the oldest winter bathing organization in the United States, whose members regularly take polar bear plunges in the winters. The club was founded by famed health advocate Bernarr McFadden in 1903.
The club began using the event to raise funds for Special Olympics starting in 2005, and Camp Sunshine in 2007. In 2018, the club decided to support local groups and charities and began partnering with the Alliance for Coney Island to raise funds for local nonprofit organizations.
Members swim in the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island, New York, United States every Sunday from November through April. Every New Year's Day, the Club is joined by participants from around the country, who partake in an annual swim. The 2005 event had 300 participants and 6000 onlookers. The Chief Polar Bear blows a conch shell to gather the swimmers before they run into the water.
The club was mentioned in popular culture. It is mentioned on the season three episode of Seinfeld, The Pez Dispenser In the episode Kramer informs Jerry that he has joined the club, claiming it to be 'invigorating'. It was also publicized on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, in a taped segment by Dan Bakkedahl about the effects of global warming on the club in faux-nature documentary style.
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119th Annual Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year's Day Plunge!
Taking place on January 1, 2022, unlike past years the plunge will be an open swim, the beach will open starting at 11am and allow you to swim at any point until 2pm on the world famous Coney Island Beach. All funds raised help support our local non-profits and community by supporting a variety of initiatives including free public programming, environmental and educational programming, quality of life issues and more. With your help, we can help ensure that Coney Island continues to thrive!
No fee to participate but we encourage donations & fundraising for your plunge!
Registration begins at 10AM, we recommend that all plungers arrive no later than 12PM
Registration tables are located at Stillwell Avenue & the Boardwalk
All participants must sign a waiver on-site the day of the Plunge
Plungers under 18 years of age must have their parent or guardian present to sign the waiver the day of the Plunge.
Plunge as an individual, create a team, join a team or you can even help virtually!
Info about the Plunge:
There is no fee for plunging but donations are encouraged and you must register in order to participate. There is no donation minimum required to register online, You can register and pledge here, or on-site the morning of the plunge after 10:00am. All participants should arrive by 12PM to go through registration. If you are plunging as a group/team, all members must arrive together in order to ensure you all have the same plunge time. ALL participants whether pre-registered or registering the day of must go to the registration area to claim their wristbands with designated times to participate.
Bring warm clothes, surf boots or old sneakers, towels and definitely bring your camera! The NYC Parks Department provides changing facilities on the Boardwalk at Stillwell Avenue.
Plunge for a Cause!
Coney Island is a neighborhood of 50,000 residents with a poverty rate close to 30% and is situated right on the Atlantic Ocean. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge helps raise funds to support the local organizations including the New York Aquarium, Alliance for Coney Island, Coney Island USA, Coney Island History Project and other local arts and history organizations helping to make a difference in the Coney Island community.
Nine years after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy and throughout the 2019 Pandemic, the Coney Island neighborhood continues to recover. The Alliance for Coney Island is focused on ensuring residents have an improved quality of life through their supplemental services and workforce development programs.
With your help, the funds raised will support workforce development programs for local residents to connect them to job opportunities and neighborhood services, as well as help increase their advocacy for clean water and educate the public about waste.
We need your help to do this work! Please register today or create a team and spread the word about this fun and charitable event!
DIRECTIONS: We strongly encourage that plungers take mass transit:
Via Subway
N, F, or Q to Stillwell Ave. Station. Please note the D train is not running to Coney Island this winter.
Via Brooklyn Buses
B36 | Coney Island/ Avenue U
B64 | Coney Island / Bay Ridge
B68 | Brighton Beach/ Windsor Terrace
B74 | Sea Gate/ Coney Island
B82 | Coney Island / Spring Creek
Via Manhattan Express Buses
X28 | Bensonhurst / Midtown
If driving, please use google maps for directions. There is very limited on street parking on West 15th Street & West 10th Street. Parking is also available at Maimonides Park, 1904 Surf Avenue.
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The Coney Island Polar Bear Club is the oldest winter bathing organization in the United States. We swim in the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island every Sunday from November through April. Since 1903, we have been hosting a public New Year’s Day Plunge for all brave souls to welcome the New Year.
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Alliance for Coney Island
1904 Surf Avenue,
Brooklyn, NY 11224
@ConeyIslandFun
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Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceans, with an area of about 41,100,000 sq miles It covers approximately 20 percent of Earth's surface and about 29 percent of its water surface area
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Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to the north, and includes the subsections of Sea Gate to its west and Brighton Beach to its east. Coney Island was formerly the westernmost of the Outer Barrier islands on the southern shore of Long Island, but in the early 20th century it became a peninsula, connected to the rest of Long Island
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Coney Island is no longer an island
The Coney Island creek, which gets cut off at Shell Road used to be a river which flowed into Sheepshead Bay, but through the process of landfill Coney Island was connected to the rest of Brooklyn which is located on the land mass known as Long Island NY
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Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the most populous county in the state, the second-most densely populated county in the United States, and New York City's most populous borough, with an estimated 2,648,403 residents in 2020. If each borough were ranked as a city, Brooklyn would rank 3rd most populous
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New York City
New York City comprises 5 boroughs Manhattan - The Bronx - Queens BKNY SINY
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The first Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration was held in 1904
The first New Year’s Eve Ball lowering celebration atop One Times Square was in 1907
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Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Brooklyn NY cited to be started by Lucy Spata when she moved to the neighborhood in the 1980s
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Shore Thing Movie 2008
A series of shark attacks in New York waters not otherwise known for activity are occurring (netted beach, freshwater lake, a muddy creek). Film by Lovari filmed scenes on the Coney Island Boardwalk
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Nathan's Hot Dogs
Nathan's began in 1916 as a nickel hot dog stand in Coney Island founded by Polish Jewish immigrant Nathan Handwerker (June 14, 1892 – March 24, 1974)
The original Nathan's restaurant stands at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in the Coney Island neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York
Nathan's is listed on the Nasdaq as $NATH
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Mermaid Parade
The MERMAID PARADE specifically was founded in 1983 with 3 goals: it brings mythology to life for local residents who live on streets named Mermaid and Neptune ; it creates self-esteem in a district that is often disregarded as “entertainment”; and it lets artistic New Yorkers find self-expression in public
Unlike most parades, this one has no ethnic, religious, or commercial aims. It’s a major New York holiday invented by artists! An American version of the summer-solstice celebration
Mermaid Parade
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Luna Park
Luna Park is the name of an amusement park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. It opened on May 29, 2010, at the site of Astroland, an amusement park that had been in operation from 1962 to 2008, and Dreamland, which operated at the same site for the 2009 season. It was named after the original 1903 Luna Park which operated until 1944 on a site just north of the current park's 1000 Surf Avenue location
Luna Park at Coney Island
1000 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn New York 11224
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Cyclone Roller Coaster
Cyclone wooden roller coaster opened on June 26, 1927 with .25 cent rides
The Cyclone was declared a New York City landmark on July 12, 1988, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 26, 1991
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Deno’s Wonder Wheel is a world famous NYC Landmark attraction. Built in 1920, and in continuous operation with a perfect safety record. Over 40 million people have enjoyed this iconic ride. Marvel at the incredible views from 150 feet high atop the Coney Island beach all the way to the Manhattan skyline. Perfect for all generations and one of the most romantic rides in the world
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Parachute Jump 1939 Coney Island Brooklyn NY Steeplechase Park Plaza Riegelmann Boardwalk
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Hashtag
#Winter #WinterSwim #swimming #swim #swimmer #ColdWeather #freeze #freezing #FreezingCold #ColdWater #Water #AtlanticOcean #WinterBeach #Beah #ConeyIslandFun #ConeyIslandNY #ConeyIslandNYC #ConeyIslandNewYork #ConeyIslandNewYorkCity #ConeyIslandBrooklyn #CINY #CINYC #BrooklynNY #BrooklynNYC #BKNY #BrooklynNewYork #NewYork #NewYorkCity #NY #NYCParks #PublicBeach #🏊 #🌊 #NewYorkState #USA #DSubway #🚇#ChristmasInNewYork #ChristmasInNY #ChristmasInNY #MerryChristmas #Christmas #DykerHeightsChristmasLights #NewYearsEve #HappyNewYear #NewYearsResolution #TimesSquareNYC #NewYearsRockinEve #RockinEve #ILoveNY #ILoveBKNY #NathansHotDogs #Nathans #HotDogs #LunaPark #CycloneRollerCoaster #MermaidParade #RiegelmannBoardwalk
11, December 2011 - International Mountain Day.
International Mountain Day is an opportunity to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build partnerships that will bring positive change to the world’s mountains and highlands.
Dedicated to Angelina as she heals from the H1N1 virus. I pray for quick healing for you and that the virus doesn't move on. (visit her stream www.flickr.com/photos/vela76 )
As for the rest of us, please, please, please stay home if you come down with flu symptoms. The spread of this flu is expected to be widespread this fall and the best way to combat it is to not pass it on.
Dedicated this to Zany Nguyen. Live happily in your bunny world ^^.
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... Fly me to the moon
Let me sing among those stars
Let me see what spring is like on jupiter and mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby kiss me ...
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
Dedicated to Dr. Jose Glez y Lopez, in Madrid, Spain.
Anglesey Abbey, formerly a priory, is a stately home in the village of Lode, 51⁄2 miles (8.9 km) northeast of Cambridge, England. The house and gardens, as well as the Lode mill are open to the public.
Photo taken on July 29, 2010.
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The way back home always is the same."
Here's a wide-angle perspective of grain loading on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad at Reading, Michigan. NS dedicated power heads up this train being loaded at The Andersons.
The National Zoo and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China celebrated giant panda cub Bei Bei’s (BAY-BAY) first birthday this morning with a Zhuazhou (dra-JO) ceremony. During a traditional Zhuazhou ceremony, symbolic objects are placed in front of a baby. The item that the baby reaches for first foretells something about his or her future. The Zhuazhou for Bei Bei was slightly modified for a panda cub. Three posters with symbols painted on them were placed in Bei Bei’s yard. Each poster had a different image painted by the children of the Chinese embassy’s families.
Ambassador Cui Tiankai; Dennis Kelly, director of the National Zoo; and David Rubenstein, Smithsonian Regent and philanthropist, placed the banners in the panda yard. One banner had peaches painted on it; in China, peaches are a symbol of longevity. The second banner had bamboo painted on it, representing good health and habitat for the panda cub. The final banner had a traditional Chinese red ‘knot’ symbolizing friendship and luck. Mother Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) chose the red knot on behalf of Bei Bei, which means he will serve as an ambassador for scientific collaboration. Scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and scientists at the China Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, Sichuan Province, have been working together to learn about giant pandas and save them since the 1970s.
“To giant panda fans around the world, Bei Bei is our charismatic cub who has charmed visitors with his bold personality, laid-back temperament and playful behavior,” Kelly said. “To our dedicated team of animal care staff and scientists, this bear represents more than four decades of conservation research and excellence in giant panda husbandry. Today, we celebrate that we have been able to share our panda story—from the science behind his conception to his first steps and beyond—and we look forward to what he will teach us in the future.”
At 1 p.m., Bei Bei (turning 1 Aug. 22) and Mei Xiang, Bao Bao (BOW-BOW) (turning 3 Aug. 23) and Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) (turning 19 Aug. 27) will receive tiered birthday cakes made by the Zoo’s nutrition department. The tiers are made of frozen diluted juice and were dyed various colors using beet juice, carrot juice, apple juice and food dye. The cakes were decorated with flower appliques carved from apples, pears, cooked sweet potatoes, leaf-eater biscuits and arrow bamboo—some of the pandas’ favorite foods. In lieu of icing, a large number “1” carved from frozen diluted apple juice sat atop Bei Bei’s cake; keepers also topped the cake with some honey for a special treat. Guests and panda fans are encouraged to tweet their birthday wishes for Bei Bei today and support panda conservation using #PandaStory.
Guests enjoyed Dan Dan (dahn-dahn) noodles courtesy of the Chinese embassy. The cold noodles are a dish from Sichuan Province. The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong in Sichuan Province is where Mei Xiang and Tian Tian were born and where Bao Bao and Bei Bei will live when they move to China. Guests will also receive a commemorative postcard for Bei Bei’s first birthday on a first-come, first-served basis. The postcard includes calligraphy of Bei Bei’s name in Chinese painted by 16-year-old Yingzhe Liu.
Bei Bei’s birth one year ago was a significant conservation success for the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, which has been studying giant pandas for 44 years. He was born as the result of a precisely timed artificial insemination performed by the panda team at the Zoo, which included Zoo scientists, veterinarians and keepers, and scientists from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. Around the age of 4, Bei Bei will travel to China and enter the breeding program for giant pandas.
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