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All Saints Cemetery

This Cemetery stands on Jesmond Road, opposite Jesmond Old Cemetery and was the first cemetery in Newcastle to be instigated by the Burial Board. Consecrated in 1855 and opened in 1856 this was very much a rural part of Newcastle. The residential housing surrounding the cemetery on 3 sides were built later.

 

Noted Newcastle architect Benjamin Green designed the cemetery, its buildings and the fine Gothic archway over the entrance from Jesmond Road. The cemetery is surrounded by cast iron railings with fleur-de-lys heads.

 

The cemetery was extended to Osborne Avenue, from just under 10 acres by another 1.3 hectares in 1881.

 

In 1924 Carliol Square Gaol was demolished and the bodies of its executed criminals were transferred into unmarked graves in the cemetery.

 

In total around 90,000 burials have taken place here.

 

Thomas Harrison Hair (1810-1875) the artist best known for his Views of the Collieries of Northumberland and Durham, is buried here in an unmarked grave.

 

Two Small Chapels:

2 chapels. 1856 by Green. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar turrets and dressings; Welsh slate roofs. T-plan with additional porch on side away from centre of cemetery, and corner turret on innermost side at south end. Aligned north-south. Decorated style. Double doors, with elaborate hinges,on inner fronts have nook shafts and head-stopped dripmoulds; similar surround to plainer door in outward-facing porch; windows of 3 lights facing gateway, 2 lights on other fronts, have similar dripmoulds. Lancets to corner turrets with gabled belfry under octagonal spirelets. Buttresses. Steeply-pitched roofs with cross finials. LISTED GRADE 2.

 

1 of the Chapels is now the Russian Orthodox Church Of St. George.

 

Gate, walls, piers, gates and railings.

 

Cemetery gateway, walls, piers, gates and railings. Dated 1856; by Green. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings; wrought iron gates; cast iron railings. Gothic style. High gable over 2-centred arch with 12 shafts each side and many mouldings; gabled ends have fantastic beasts climbing down kneelers; head-stopped dripmoulds, buttresses and finials.

 

High, pointed coping to flanking walls containing pedestrian doors in arches; end piers have gables with fleur-de-lis moulding. Chamfered coping to dwarf quadrant walls and similar walls along cemetery front, with 4 square piers at each side having pyramidal coping. High gates are Gothic-patterned; railings have fleur-de-lis heads.

 

Burials:

Samuel Smith.

Celtic Cross monument. Samuel Smith OBE JP (1872-1949) was the founder of Rington's Tea. He was born in Leeds and became an errand boy for a tea merchants on leaving school at 11. In 1908 he moved to Newcastle and set up a small shop in Heaton with William Titterington. They called the company Ringtons. The tea was imported from India and Sri Lanka then tasted, blended and packaged. It was delivered by the company's black, gold and green horse-drawn coaches. In 1926 the business moved to purpose-built premises in Algernon Road. Eventually there were 26 branches of Ringtons in the North. The firm moved into coachbuilding during the World Wars, which led to the creation of Smith's Electric Vehicles at Team Valley Trading Estate.

 

Alexander Gardner.

Cross monument. Alexander Gardner (1877-1921) was a footballer for Newcastle United. Before the First World War, Newcastle United were in the First Division, won three league titles and won one FA Cup final of three. Alexander was the captain and played at right half (midfielder). He made 268 appearances and scored 20 goals. He was born in Leith in 1899. The 1904/5 team won 23 out of 34 league games. In 1909 Alexander broke his leg, which ended his football career. He became landlord of the Dun Cow Inn in Claremont Road.

 

Michael Joseph Quigley.

Gravestone of Michael Joseph Quigley (1837-1924), American Civil War veteran. Michael was born in Bradford and emigrated to America with his wife shortly before the outbreak of civil war. He served under General Robert E. Lee in Virginia but was wounded in his left arm. He was later employed in Government Service. He returned to Britain in 1876. He lived in St. Lawrence Square off Walker Road. His income was subsidised by a pension from the American Government.

 

James Skinner.

Obelisk monument to James Skinner (1836-1920), shipbuilder. James was born in London. He moved to Newcastle aged 14 to begin an apprenticeship at Coutts shipyard at Low Walker. He went on to manage Andrew Leslie's shipyard at Hebburn then opened a yard at Bill Quay with William Wood, shipyard cashier. The firm Wood Skinner & Co. built 330 vessels over 42 years up to 1925. They also built the 30-bed Tyne Floating Hospital for Infectious Diseases at Jarrow Slake, designed by Newcastle Civil Engineer, George Laws. The hospital ship was launched on 2 August 1885. It sank in 1888. She was refloated and remained moored there for over 40 years.

 

Francis Batey.

Urn monument to Francis Batey (1841-1915), steam tug boat owner. Francis joined his father's tug boat business at the age of 11 and eventually gained his master's certificate. When the Albert Edward Dock opened in 1884, he was assistant pilot on the Rio Amazonas, the first ship to enter the dock. He went on to be chairman of several tug related companies on the River Tyne. One of his sons, John Thomas Batey, became Managing Director of Hawthorn Leslie's Hebburn shipyard.

 

Antonio Marcantonio.

Impressive monument of a statue of a monk or friar holding an infant. Antonio Marcantonio (1886-1960), ice cream manufacturer, arrived in Newcastle in 1895 to join a small colony of Italians living in Byker. In the early 1900s he returned to Italy to marry Angela. He returned to Newcastle and began making ice cream in a room in his house using small pans of salt and ice to freeze it. Eventually he took over a small factory on Stepney Bank. 500 gallons of ice cream were made daily. He also owned five ice cream parlours, the first one was in the Grainger Arcade. The Mark Toney business still flourishes (factory at Benton Square).

 

George Henry Carr.

A 13 feet high monument to George Henry Carr (1867-1889), racing cyclist. There is a shield on each side depicting a bicycle, flowers, the badge of the Jubilee Rovers Bicycle Club and the badge of Clarence Bicycle Club. Carr was a prominent figure on the racing circuit. He died aged 22 of inflammation of the brain.

 

John James Lightfoot,

Monument of an angel to John James Lightfoot (1877-1897), apprentice joiner. John James was crushed to death aged 19 during restoration of the 200 year old Green Tree beerhouse in Robson's Entry, Sandgate.The building collapsed killing 4 people and injuring 12. The disaster was sketched by the Chronicle's artist and published on 6 March 1897 the day after the accident. The article describes the scene - 'in the house to the east there was a yawning space where the wall had tumbled in; behind the hole a staircase stood, but seemed, like the sword of Damocles, to have no more than a hair-strength to support it'.

 

Josephine Esther Salisse.

Family vault of M. and H.M. Salisse. A stone sarcophagus with a bronze female figure mourning over it. Josephine Esther Salisse (1905-1924) was from Thornton Heath in Surrey. She died suddenly at her aunt's home in Stratford Road, Heaton, aged 19.

 

John and Benjamin Green were a father and son who worked in partnership as architects in North East England during the early nineteenth century. John, the father was a civil engineer as well as an architect. Although they did carry out some commissions separately, they were given joint credit for many of their projects, and it is difficult to attribute much of their work to a single individual. In general, John Green worked on civil engineering projects, such as road and rail bridges, whereas Benjamin worked on projects that were more purely architectural. Their work was predominantly church and railway architecture, with a sprinkling of public buildings that includes their masterpiece, Newcastle's Theatre Royal.

 

Drawings by John and Benjamin Green are held by the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne.

 

Biographies

John Green was born on 29 June 1787 at Newton Fell House, Nafferton, two miles north of Ovington, Northumberland. He was the son of Benjamin Green, a carpenter and maker of agricultural implements. After finishing school, he worked in his father's business. The firm moved to the market town of Corbridge and began general building work with young John concentrating on architectural work. About 1820, John set up business as an architect and civil engineer in nearby Newcastle upon Tyne.

 

John Green married Jane Stobart in 1805, and they had two sons, John (c.1807–68) and Benjamin (c1811-58), both of whom became architects. Little is known about the career of John, but Benjamin worked in partnership with his father on many projects.

 

In 1822 John Green designed a new building for the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society. The building, which houses the society's substantial library, is still in use today. He also designed a number of farmhouses, being employed on the Beaufront estate near Hexham and also on the Duke of Northumberland’s estates.

 

John Green was principally a civil engineer, and built several road and rail bridges. In 1829–31 he built two wrought-iron suspension bridges crossing the Tyne (at Scotswood) and the Tees (at Whorlton). The bridge at Scotswood was demolished in 1967 but the one at Whorlton still survives. When the High Level Bridge at Newcastle was proposed ten years later, John Green submitted plans, but those of Robert Stephenson were accepted by the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway. Green also built a number of bridges using an innovative system of laminated timber arches on masonry piers, the Weibeking system, based on the work of Bavarian engineer C.F. Weibeking. The two he built for the Newcastle and North Shields Railway, at the Ouseburn and at Willington Quay remain in use, though the timbers were replaced with wrought iron in a similar lattice pattern in 1869. In 1840 he was elected to the Institution of Civil Engineers, and in 1841 he was awarded the institution's Telford Medal for his work on laminated arch design.

 

John Green died in Newcastle on 30 September 1852.

 

Benjamin Green

Benjamin Green was a pupil of Augustus Charles Pugin, father of the more famous Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. In the mid-1830s he became a partner of his father and remained so until the latter's death in 1852. The two partners differed somewhat. John has been described as a 'plain, practical, shrewd man of business' with a 'plain, severe and economical' style, whereas Benjamin was 'an artistic, dashing sort of fellow', with a style that was 'ornamental, florid and costly'.

 

The Greens worked as railway architects and it is believed that all the main line stations between Newcastle and Berwick upon Tweed were designed by Benjamin. In 2020 Morpeth Station was restored to Green's original designs following a £2.3M investment. They also designed a number of Northumbrian churches, the best examples being at Earsdon and Cambo.

 

The Green's most important commissions in Newcastle were the Theatre Royal (1836–37) and the column for Grey's Monument (1837–38). Both of these structures were part of the re-development of Newcastle city centre in neo-classical style by Richard Grainger, and both exist today. Although both of the partners were credited with their design, it is believed that Benjamin was the person responsible.

 

Another well-known structure designed by the Greens is Penshaw Monument (1844). This is a folly standing on Penshaw Hill in County Durham. It was built as a half-sized replica of the renowned Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, and was dedicated to John George Lambton, first Earl of Durham and the first Governor of the Province of Canada. The monument, being built on a hill is visible for miles around and is a famous local landmark. It is now owned by the National Trust.

 

Benjamin Green survived his father by only six years, and died in a mental home at Dinsdale Park, County Durham on 14 November 1858.

 

Major works

Presbyterian Chapel, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1822 (demolished 2011)

Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1822–1825

St Peter's Church, Falstone, 1824–1825

Westgate Hill Cemetery, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1825–1829 (lodge demolished 1970, railings and gates removed, piers and basic layout remains)

Ingram Farm, Ingram, 1826

Whorlton Suspension Bridge, Wycliffe, County Durham, 1829–1831

Hawks Cottages, Gateshead, 1830 (demolished 1960)

Scotswood Chain Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1831, (demolished 1967)

Church of St Mary and St Thomas Aquinas, Stella, 1831–1832[1]

Bellingham Bridge, Bellingham, 1834

Holy Trinity Church, Stockton-On-Tees, 1834–1835[2]

Holy Trinity Church, Dalton (near Stamfordham), 1836

Vicarage of St Alban, Earsdon, 1836

Church of St Alban, Earsdon, 1836–1837

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Alnwick, 1836

Church of the Holy Saviour, Newburn, 1836–1837

Poor Law Guardians Hall, North Shields, 1837

Master Mariners Homes, Tynemouth, 1837–1840[3]

Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1837

Parish Hall of the Church of the Holy Saviour, Newburn, 1838

Column of Grey's Monument, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1838

Willington Viaduct, Wallsend, 1837–1839

Ouseburn Viaduct, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1837–1839

Church of the Holy Saviour, Tynemouth, 1839–1841

Ilderton Vicarage, Ilderton, 1841

The Red Cottage, Whitburn, 1842

Holy Trinity Church, Cambo, 1842

Holy Trinity Church, Horsley-on-Rede, 1844

The Earl of Durham's Monument, Sunderland, 1844

St Edwin's, Coniscliffe, Co. Durham, 1844 (restoration of mediaeval church)

40–44 Moseley Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1845

Witham Testimonial Hall, Barnard Castle, 1846

Old Railway Station, Tynemouth Rd, Tynemouth 1846–1847

Acklington Station, Acklington, 1847

Chathill Station, Chathill, 1847

Belford Station, Belford, Northumberland, 1847

Morpeth Station, Morpeth, Northumberland, 1847

Warkworth Station, Warkworth, Northumberland, 1847

Holy Trinity Church, Seghill, 1849

Newcastle Joint Stock Bank, St Nicholas Square, Newcastle, c.1850

Norham station, Norham, 1851

St Paul's Church, Elswick, 1854

All Saints Cemetery, Jesmond, 1854

Sailor's Home, 11 New Quay, North Shields, 1856

United Free Methodist Church, North Shields, 1857

Corn Exchange, Groat Market, Newcastle (demolished 1974)

 

Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle is a cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is located on the River Tyne's northern bank, opposite Gateshead to the south. It is the most populous settlement in the Tyneside conurbation and North East England.

 

Newcastle developed around a Roman settlement called Pons Aelius, the settlement became known as Monkchester before taking on the name of a castle built in 1080 by William the Conqueror's eldest son, Robert Curthose. It was one of the world's largest ship building and repair centres during the industrial revolution. Newcastle was part of the county of Northumberland until 1400, when it separated and formed a county of itself. In 1974, Newcastle became part of Tyne and Wear. Since 2018, the city council has been part of the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

 

The history of Newcastle upon Tyne dates back almost 2,000 years, during which it has been controlled by the Romans, the Angles and the Norsemen amongst others. Newcastle upon Tyne was originally known by its Roman name Pons Aelius. The name "Newcastle" has been used since the Norman conquest of England. Due to its prime location on the River Tyne, the town developed greatly during the Middle Ages and it was to play a major role in the Industrial Revolution, being granted city status in 1882. Today, the city is a major retail, commercial and cultural centre.

 

Roman settlement

The history of Newcastle dates from AD 122, when the Romans built the first bridge to cross the River Tyne at that point. The bridge was called Pons Aelius or 'Bridge of Aelius', Aelius being the family name of Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was responsible for the Roman wall built across northern England along the Tyne–Solway gap. Hadrian's Wall ran through present-day Newcastle, with stretches of wall and turrets visible along the West Road, and at a temple in Benwell. Traces of a milecastle were found on Westgate Road, midway between Clayton Street and Grainger Street, and it is likely that the course of the wall corresponded to present-day Westgate Road. The course of the wall can be traced eastwards to the Segedunum Roman fort at Wallsend, with the fort of Arbeia down-river at the mouth of the Tyne, on the south bank in what is now South Shields. The Tyne was then a wider, shallower river at this point and it is thought that the bridge was probably about 700 feet (210 m) long, made of wood and supported on stone piers. It is probable that it was sited near the current Swing Bridge, due to the fact that Roman artefacts were found there during the building of the latter bridge. Hadrian himself probably visited the site in 122. A shrine was set up on the completed bridge in 123 by the 6th Legion, with two altars to Neptune and Oceanus respectively. The two altars were subsequently found in the river and are on display in the Great North Museum in Newcastle.

 

The Romans built a stone-walled fort in 150 to protect the river crossing which was at the foot of the Tyne Gorge, and this took the name of the bridge so that the whole settlement was known as Pons Aelius. The fort was situated on a rocky outcrop overlooking the new bridge, on the site of the present Castle Keep. Pons Aelius is last mentioned in 400, in a Roman document listing all of the Roman military outposts. It is likely that nestling in the shadow of the fort would have been a small vicus, or village. Unfortunately, no buildings have been detected; only a few pieces of flagging. It is clear that there was a Roman cemetery near Clavering Place, behind the Central station, as a number of Roman coffins and sarcophagi have been unearthed there.

 

Despite the presence of the bridge, the settlement of Pons Aelius was not particularly important among the northern Roman settlements. The most important stations were those on the highway of Dere Street running from Eboracum (York) through Corstopitum (Corbridge) and to the lands north of the Wall. Corstopitum, being a major arsenal and supply centre, was much larger and more populous than Pons Aelius.

 

Anglo-Saxon development

The Angles arrived in the North-East of England in about 500 and may have landed on the Tyne. There is no evidence of an Anglo-Saxon settlement on or near the site of Pons Aelius during the Anglo-Saxon age. The bridge probably survived and there may well have been a small village at the northern end, but no evidence survives. At that time the region was dominated by two kingdoms, Bernicia, north of the Tees and ruled from Bamburgh, and Deira, south of the Tees and ruled from York. Bernicia and Deira combined to form the kingdom of Northanhymbra (Northumbria) early in the 7th century. There were three local kings who held the title of Bretwalda – 'Lord of Britain', Edwin of Deira (627–632), Oswald of Bernicia (633–641) and Oswy of Northumbria (641–658). The 7th century became known as the 'Golden Age of Northumbria', when the area was a beacon of culture and learning in Europe. The greatness of this period was based on its generally Christian culture and resulted in the Lindisfarne Gospels amongst other treasures. The Tyne valley was dotted with monasteries, with those at Monkwearmouth, Hexham and Jarrow being the most famous. Bede, who was based at Jarrow, wrote of a royal estate, known as Ad Murum, 'at the Wall', 12 miles (19 km) from the sea. It is thought that this estate may have been in what is now Newcastle. At some unknown time, the site of Newcastle came to be known as Monkchester. The reason for this title is unknown, as we are unaware of any specific monasteries at the site, and Bede made no reference to it. In 875 Halfdan Ragnarsson, the Danish Viking conqueror of York, led an army that attacked and pillaged various monasteries in the area, and it is thought that Monkchester was also pillaged at this time. Little more was heard of it until the coming of the Normans.

 

Norman period

After the arrival of William the Conqueror in England in 1066, the whole of England was quickly subjected to Norman rule. However, in Northumbria there was great resistance to the Normans, and in 1069 the newly appointed Norman Earl of Northumbria, Robert de Comines and 700 of his men were killed by the local population at Durham. The Northumbrians then marched on York, but William was able to suppress the uprising. That same year, a second uprising occurred when a Danish fleet landed in the Humber. The Northumbrians again attacked York and destroyed the garrison there. William was again able to suppress the uprising, but this time he took revenge. He laid waste to the whole of the Midlands and the land from York to the Tees. In 1080, William Walcher, the Norman bishop of Durham and his followers were brutally murdered at Gateshead. This time Odo, bishop of Bayeux, William's half brother, devastated the land between the Tees and the Tweed. This was known as the 'Harrying of the North'. This devastation is reflected in the Domesday Book. The destruction had such an effect that the North remained poor and backward at least until Tudor times and perhaps until the Industrial Revolution. Newcastle suffered in this respect with the rest of the North.

 

In 1080 William sent his eldest son, Robert Curthose, north to defend the kingdom against the Scots. After his campaign, he moved to Monkchester and began the building of a 'New Castle'. This was of the "motte-and-bailey" type of construction, a wooden tower on top of an earthen mound (motte), surrounded by a moat and wooden stockade (bailey). It was this castle that gave Newcastle its name. In 1095 the Earl of Northumbria, Robert de Mowbray, rose up against the king, William Rufus, and Rufus sent an army north to recapture the castle. From then on the castle became crown property and was an important base from which the king could control the northern barons. The Northumbrian earldom was abolished and a Sheriff of Northumberland was appointed to administer the region. In 1091 the parish church of St Nicholas was consecrated on the site of the present Anglican cathedral, close by the bailey of the new castle. The church is believed to have been a wooden building on stone footings.

 

Not a trace of the tower or mound of the motte and bailey castle remains now. Henry II replaced it with a rectangular stone keep, which was built between 1172 and 1177 at a cost of £1,444. A stone bailey, in the form of a triangle, replaced the previous wooden one. The great outer gateway to the castle, called 'the Black Gate', was built later, between 1247 and 1250, in the reign of Henry III. There were at that time no town walls and when attacked by the Scots, the townspeople had to crowd into the bailey for safety. It is probable that the new castle acted as a magnet for local merchants because of the safety it provided. This in turn would help to expand trade in the town. At this time wool, skins and lead were being exported, whilst alum, pepper and ginger were being imported from France and Flanders.

 

Middle Ages

Throughout the Middle Ages, Newcastle was England's northern fortress, the centre for assembled armies. The Border war against Scotland lasted intermittently for several centuries – possibly the longest border war ever waged. During the civil war between Stephen and Matilda, David 1st of Scotland and his son were granted Cumbria and Northumberland respectively, so that for a period from 1139 to 1157, Newcastle was effectively in Scottish hands. It is believed that during this period, King David may have built the church of St Andrew and the Benedictine nunnery in Newcastle. However, King Stephen's successor, Henry II was strong enough to take back the Earldom of Northumbria from Malcolm IV.

 

The Scots king William the Lion was imprisoned in Newcastle, in 1174, after being captured at the Battle of Alnwick. Edward I brought the Stone of Scone and William Wallace south through the town and Newcastle was successfully defended against the Scots three times during the 14th century.

 

Around 1200, stone-faced, clay-filled jetties were starting to project into the river, an indication that trade was increasing in Newcastle. As the Roman roads continued to deteriorate, sea travel was gaining in importance. By 1275 Newcastle was the sixth largest wool exporting port in England. The principal exports at this time were wool, timber, coal, millstones, dairy produce, fish, salt and hides. Much of the developing trade was with the Baltic countries and Germany. Most of the Newcastle merchants were situated near the river, below the Castle. The earliest known charter was dated 1175 in the reign of Henry II, giving the townspeople some control over their town. In 1216 King John granted Newcastle a mayor[8] and also allowed the formation of guilds (known as Mysteries). These were cartels formed within different trades, which restricted trade to guild members. There were initially twelve guilds. Coal was being exported from Newcastle by 1250, and by 1350 the burgesses received a royal licence to export coal. This licence to export coal was jealously guarded by the Newcastle burgesses, and they tried to prevent any one else on the Tyne from exporting coal except through Newcastle. The burgesses similarly tried to prevent fish from being sold anywhere else on the Tyne except Newcastle. This led to conflicts with Gateshead and South Shields.

 

In 1265, the town was granted permission to impose a 'Wall Tax' or Murage, to pay for the construction of a fortified wall to enclose the town and protect it from Scottish invaders. The town walls were not completed until early in the 14th century. They were two miles (3 km) long, 9 feet (2.7 m) thick and 25 feet (7.6 m) high. They had six main gates, as well as some smaller gates, and had 17 towers. The land within the walls was divided almost equally by the Lort Burn, which flowed southwards and joined the Tyne to the east of the Castle. The town began to expand north of the Castle and west of the Lort Burn with various markets being set up within the walls.

 

In 1400 Henry IV granted a new charter, creating a County corporate which separated the town, but not the Castle, from the county of Northumberland and recognised it as a "county of itself" with a right to have a sheriff of its own. The burgesses were now allowed to choose six aldermen who, with the mayor would be justices of the peace. The mayor and sheriff were allowed to hold borough courts in the Guildhall.

 

Religious houses

During the Middle Ages a number of religious houses were established within the walls: the first of these was the Benedictine nunnery of St Bartholomew founded in 1086 near the present-day Nun Street. Both David I of Scotland and Henry I of England were benefactors of the religious house. Nothing of the nunnery remains now.

 

The friary of Blackfriars, Newcastle (Dominican) was established in 1239. These were also known as the Preaching Friars or Shod Friars, because they wore sandals, as opposed to other orders. The friary was situated in the present-day Friars Street. In 1280 the order was granted royal permission to make a postern in the town walls to communicate with their gardens outside the walls. On 19 June 1334, Edward Balliol, claimant to be King of Scotland, did homage to King Edward III, on behalf of the kingdom of Scotland, in the church of the friary. Much of the original buildings of the friary still exist, mainly because, after the Dissolution of the Monasteries the friary of Blackfriars was rented out by the corporation to nine of the local trade guilds.

 

The friary of Whitefriars (Carmelite) was established in 1262. The order was originally housed on the Wall Knoll in Pandon, but in 1307 it took over the buildings of another order, which went out of existence, the Friars of the Sac. The land, which had originally been given by Robert the Bruce, was situated in the present-day Hanover Square, behind the Central station. Nothing of the friary remains now.

 

The friary of Austinfriars (Augustinian) was established in 1290. The friary was on the site where the Holy Jesus Hospital was built in 1682. The friary was traditionally the lodging place of English kings whenever they visited or passed through Newcastle. In 1503 Princess Margaret, eldest daughter of Henry VII of England, stayed two days at the friary on her way to join her new husband James IV of Scotland.

 

The friary of Greyfriars (Franciscans) was established in 1274. The friary was in the present-day area between Pilgrim Street, Grey Street, Market Street and High Chare. Nothing of the original buildings remains.

 

The friary of the Order of the Holy Trinity, also known as the Trinitarians, was established in 1360. The order devoted a third of its income to buying back captives of the Saracens, during the Crusades. Their house was on the Wall Knoll, in Pandon, to the east of the city, but within the walls. Wall Knoll had previously been occupied by the White Friars until they moved to new premises in 1307.

 

All of the above religious houses were closed in about 1540, when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries.

 

An important street running through Newcastle at the time was Pilgrim Street, running northwards inside the walls and leading to the Pilgrim Gate on the north wall. The street still exists today as arguably Newcastle's main shopping street.

 

Tudor period

The Scottish border wars continued for much of the 16th century, so that during that time, Newcastle was often threatened with invasion by the Scots, but also remained important as a border stronghold against them.

 

During the Reformation begun by Henry VIII in 1536, the five Newcastle friaries and the single nunnery were dissolved and the land was sold to the Corporation and to rich merchants. At this time there were fewer than 60 inmates of the religious houses in Newcastle. The convent of Blackfriars was leased to nine craft guilds to be used as their headquarters. This probably explains why it is the only one of the religious houses whose building survives to the present day. The priories at Tynemouth and Durham were also dissolved, thus ending the long-running rivalry between Newcastle and the church for control of trade on the Tyne. A little later, the property of the nunnery of St Bartholomew and of Grey Friars were bought by Robert Anderson, who had the buildings demolished to build his grand Newe House (also known as Anderson Place).

 

With the gradual decline of the Scottish border wars the town walls were allowed to decline as well as the castle. By 1547, about 10,000 people were living in Newcastle. At the beginning of the 16th century exports of wool from Newcastle were more than twice the value of exports of coal, but during the century coal exports continued to increase.

 

Under Edward VI, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, sponsored an act allowing Newcastle to annexe Gateshead as its suburb. The main reason for this was to allow the Newcastle Hostmen, who controlled the export of Tyne coal, to get their hands on the Gateshead coal mines, previously controlled by the Bishop of Durham. However, when Mary I came to power, Dudley met his downfall and the decision was reversed. The Reformation allowed private access to coal mines previously owned by Tynemouth and Durham priories and as a result coal exports increase dramatically, from 15,000 tons in 1500 to 35,000 tons in 1565, and to 400,000 tons in 1625.

 

The plague visited Newcastle four times during the 16th century, in 1579 when 2,000 people died, in 1589 when 1700 died, in 1595 and finally in 1597.

 

In 1600 Elizabeth I granted Newcastle a charter for an exclusive body of electors, the right to elect the mayor and burgesses. The charter also gave the Hostmen exclusive rights to load coal at any point on the Tyne. The Hostmen developed as an exclusive group within the Merchant Adventurers who had been incorporated by a charter in 1547.

 

Stuart period

In 1636 there was a serious outbreak of bubonic plague in Newcastle. There had been several previous outbreaks of the disease over the years, but this was the most serious. It is thought to have arrived from the Netherlands via ships that were trading between the Tyne and that country. It first appeared in the lower part of the town near the docks but gradually spread to all parts of the town. As the disease gained hold the authorities took measures to control it by boarding up any properties that contained infected persons, meaning that whole families were locked up together with the infected family members. Other infected persons were put in huts outside the town walls and left to die. Plague pits were dug next to the town's four churches and outside the town walls to receive the bodies in mass burials. Over the course of the outbreak 5,631 deaths were recorded out of an estimated population of 12,000, a death rate of 47%.

 

In 1637 Charles I tried to raise money by doubling the 'voluntary' tax on coal in return for allowing the Newcastle Hostmen to regulate production and fix prices. This caused outrage amongst the London importers and the East Anglian shippers. Both groups decided to boycott Tyne coal and as a result forced Charles to reverse his decision in 1638.

 

In 1640 during the Second Bishops' War, the Scots successfully invaded Newcastle. The occupying army demanded £850 per day from the Corporation to billet the Scottish troops. Trade from the Tyne ground to a halt during the occupation. The Scots left in 1641 after receiving a Parliamentary pardon and a £4,000,000 loan from the town.

 

In 1642 the English Civil War began. King Charles realised the value of the Tyne coal trade and therefore garrisoned Newcastle. A Royalist was appointed as governor. At that time, Newcastle and King's Lynn were the only important seaports to support the crown. In 1644 Parliament blockaded the Tyne to prevent the king from receiving revenue from the Tyne coal trade. Coal exports fell from 450,000 to 3,000 tons and London suffered a hard winter without fuel. Parliament encouraged the coal trade from the Wear to try to replace that lost from Newcastle but that was not enough to make up for the lost Tyneside tonnage.

 

In 1644 the Scots crossed the border. Newcastle strengthened its defences in preparation. The Scottish army, with 40,000 troops, besieged Newcastle for three months until the garrison of 1,500 surrendered. During the siege, the Scots bombarded the walls with their artillery, situated in Gateshead and Castle Leazes. The Scottish commander threatened to destroy the steeple of St Nicholas's Church by gunfire if the mayor, Sir John Marley, did not surrender the town. The mayor responded by placing Scottish prisoners that they had captured in the steeple, so saving it from destruction. The town walls were finally breached by a combination of artillery and sapping. In gratitude for this defence, Charles gave Newcastle the motto 'Fortiter Defendit Triumphans' to be added to its coat of arms. The Scottish army occupied Northumberland and Durham for two years. The coal taxes had to pay for the Scottish occupation. In 1645 Charles surrendered to the Scots and was imprisoned in Newcastle for nine months. After the Civil War the coal trade on the Tyne soon picked up and exceeded its pre-war levels.

 

A new Guildhall was completed on the Sandhill next to the river in 1655, replacing an earlier facility damaged by fire in 1639, and became the meeting place of Newcastle Town Council. In 1681 the Hospital of the Holy Jesus was built partly on the site of the Austin Friars. The Guildhall and Holy Jesus Hospital still exist.

 

Charles II tried to impose a charter on Newcastle to give the king the right to appoint the mayor, sheriff, recorder and town clerk. Charles died before the charter came into effect. In 1685, James II tried to replace Corporation members with named Catholics. However, James' mandate was suspended in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution welcoming William of Orange. In 1689, after the fall of James II, the people of Newcastle tore down his bronze equestrian statue in Sandhill and tossed it into the Tyne. The bronze was later used to make bells for All Saints Church.

 

In 1689 the Lort Burn was covered over. At this time it was an open sewer. The channel followed by the Lort Burn became the present day Dean Street. At that time, the centre of Newcastle was still the Sandhill area, with many merchants living along the Close or on the Side. The path of the main road through Newcastle ran from the single Tyne bridge, through Sandhill to the Side, a narrow street which climbed steeply on the north-east side of the castle hill until it reached the higher ground alongside St Nicholas' Church. As Newcastle developed, the Side became lined with buildings with projecting upper stories, so that the main street through Newcastle was a narrow, congested, steep thoroughfare.

 

In 1701 the Keelmen's Hospital was built in the Sandgate area of the city, using funds provided by the keelmen. The building still stands today.

 

Eighteenth century

In the 18th century, Newcastle was the country's largest print centre after London, Oxford and Cambridge, and the Literary and Philosophical Society of 1793, with its erudite debates and large stock of books in several languages predated the London Library by half a century.

 

In 1715, during the Jacobite rising in favour of the Old Pretender, an army of Jacobite supporters marched on Newcastle. Many of the Northumbrian gentry joined the rebels. The citizens prepared for its arrival by arresting Jacobite supporters and accepting 700 extra recruits into the local militia. The gates of the city were closed against the rebels. This proved enough to delay an attack until reinforcements arrived forcing the rebel army to move across to the west coast. The rebels finally surrendered at Preston.

 

In 1745, during a second Jacobite rising in favour of the Young Pretender, a Scottish army crossed the border led by Bonnie Prince Charlie. Once again Newcastle prepared by arresting Jacobite supporters and inducting 800 volunteers into the local militia. The town walls were strengthened, most of the gates were blocked up and some 200 cannon were deployed. 20,000 regulars were billeted on the Town Moor. These preparations were enough to force the rebel army to travel south via the west coast. They were eventually defeated at Culloden in 1746.

 

Newcastle's actions during the 1715 rising in resisting the rebels and declaring for George I, in contrast to the rest of the region, is the most likely source of the nickname 'Geordie', applied to people from Tyneside, or more accurately Newcastle. Another theory, however, is that the name 'Geordie' came from the inventor of the Geordie lamp, George Stephenson. It was a type of safety lamp used in mining, but was not invented until 1815. Apparently the term 'German Geordie' was in common use during the 18th century.

 

The city's first hospital, Newcastle Infirmary opened in 1753; it was funded by public subscription. A lying-in hospital was established in Newcastle in 1760. The city's first public hospital for mentally ill patients, Wardens Close Lunatic Hospital was opened in October 1767.

 

In 1771 a flood swept away much of the bridge at Newcastle. The bridge had been built in 1250 and repaired after a flood in 1339. The bridge supported various houses and three towers and an old chapel. A blue stone was placed in the middle of the bridge to mark the boundary between Newcastle and the Palatinate of Durham. A temporary wooden bridge had to be built, and this remained in use until 1781, when a new stone bridge was completed. The new bridge consisted of nine arches. In 1801, because of the pressure of traffic, the bridge had to be widened.

 

A permanent military presence was established in the city with the completion of Fenham Barracks in 1806. The facilities at the Castle for holding assizes, which had been condemned for their inconvenience and unhealthiness, were replaced when the Moot Hall opened in August 1812.

 

Victorian period

Present-day Newcastle owes much of its architecture to the work of the builder Richard Grainger, aided by architects John Dobson, Thomas Oliver, John and Benjamin Green and others. In 1834 Grainger won a competition to produce a new plan for central Newcastle. He put this plan into effect using the above architects as well as architects employed in his own office. Grainger and Oliver had already built Leazes Terrace, Leazes Crescent and Leazes Place between 1829 and 1834. Grainger and Dobson had also built the Royal Arcade at the foot of Pilgrim Street between 1830 and 1832. The most ambitious project covered 12 acres 12 acres (49,000 m2) in central Newcastle, on the site of Newe House (also called Anderson Place). Grainger built three new thoroughfares, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street with many connecting streets, as well as the Central Exchange and the Grainger Market. John Wardle and George Walker, working in Grainger's office, designed Clayton Street, Grainger Street and most of Grey Street. Dobson designed the Grainger Market and much of the east side of Grey Street. John and Benjamin Green designed the Theatre Royal at the top of Grey Street, where Grainger placed the column of Grey's Monument as a focus for the whole scheme. Grey Street is considered to be one of the finest streets in the country, with its elegant curve. Unfortunately most of old Eldon Square was demolished in the 1960s in the name of progress. The Royal Arcade met a similar fate.

 

In 1849 a new bridge was built across the river at Newcastle. This was the High Level Bridge, designed by Robert Stephenson, and slightly up river from the existing bridge. The bridge was designed to carry road and rail traffic across the Tyne Gorge on two decks with rail traffic on the upper deck and road traffic on the lower. The new bridge meant that traffic could pass through Newcastle without having to negotiate the steep, narrow Side, as had been necessary for centuries. The bridge was opened by Queen Victoria, who one year later opened the new Central Station, designed by John Dobson. Trains were now able to cross the river, directly into the centre of Newcastle and carry on up to Scotland. The Army Riding School was also completed in 1849.

 

In 1854 a large fire started on the Gateshead quayside and an explosion caused it to spread across the river to the Newcastle quayside. A huge conflagration amongst the narrow alleys, or 'chares', destroyed the homes of 800 families as well as many business premises. The narrow alleys that had been destroyed were replaced by streets containing blocks of modern offices.

 

In 1863 the Town Hall in St Nicholas Square replaced the Guildhall as the meeting place of Newcastle Town Council.

 

In 1876 the low level bridge was replaced by a new bridge known as the Swing Bridge, so called because the bridge was able to swing horizontally on a central axis and allow ships to pass on either side. This meant that for the first time sizeable ships could pass up-river beyond Newcastle. The bridge was built and paid for by William Armstrong, a local arms manufacturer, who needed to have warships access his Elswick arms factory to fit armaments to them. The Swing Bridge's rotating mechanism is adapted from the cannon mounts developed in Armstrong's arms works. In 1882 the Elswick works began to build ships as well as to arm them. The Barrack Road drill hall was completed in 1890.

 

Industrialisation

In the 19th century, shipbuilding and heavy engineering were central to the city's prosperity; and the city was a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. Newcastle's development as a major city owed most to its central role in the production and export of coal. The phrase "taking coals to Newcastle" was first recorded in 1538; it proverbially denotes bringing a particular commodity to a place that has more than enough of it already.

 

Innovation in Newcastle and surrounding areas included the following:

 

George Stephenson developed a miner's safety lamp at the same time that Humphry Davy developed a rival design. The lamp made possible the opening up of ever deeper mines to provide the coal that powered the industrial revolution.

George and his son Robert Stephenson were hugely influential figures in the development of the early railways. George developed Blücher, a locomotive working at Killingworth colliery in 1814, whilst Robert was instrumental in the design of Rocket, a revolutionary design that was the forerunner of modern locomotives. Both men were involved in planning and building railway lines, all over this country and abroad.

 

Joseph Swan demonstrated a working electric light bulb about a year before Thomas Edison did the same in the USA. This led to a dispute as to who had actually invented the light bulb. Eventually the two rivals agreed to form a mutual company between them, the Edison and Swan Electric Light Company, known as Ediswan.

 

Charles Algernon Parsons invented the steam turbine, for marine use and for power generation. He used Turbinia, a small, turbine-powered ship, to demonstrate the speed that a steam turbine could generate. Turbinia literally ran rings around the British Fleet at a review at Spithead in 1897.

 

William Armstrong invented a hydraulic crane that was installed in dockyards up and down the country. He then began to design light, accurate field guns for the British army. These were a vast improvement on the existing guns that were then in use.

 

The following major industries developed in Newcastle or its surrounding area:

 

Glassmaking

A small glass industry existed in Newcastle from the mid-15th century. In 1615 restrictions were put on the use of wood for manufacturing glass. It was found that glass could be manufactured using the local coal, and so a glassmaking industry grew up on Tyneside. Huguenot glassmakers came over from France as refugees from persecution and set up glasshouses in the Skinnerburn area of Newcastle. Eventually, glass production moved to the Ouseburn area of Newcastle. In 1684 the Dagnia family, Sephardic Jewish emigrants from Altare, arrived in Newcastle from Stourbridge and established glasshouses along the Close, to manufacture high quality flint glass. The glass manufacturers used sand ballast from the boats arriving in the river as the main raw material. The glassware was then exported in collier brigs. The period from 1730 to 1785 was the highpoint of Newcastle glass manufacture, when the local glassmakers produced the 'Newcastle Light Baluster'. The glassmaking industry still exists in the west end of the city with local Artist and Glassmaker Jane Charles carrying on over four hundred years of hot glass blowing in Newcastle upon Tyne.

 

Locomotive manufacture

In 1823 George Stephenson and his son Robert established the world's first locomotive factory near Forth Street in Newcastle. Here they built locomotives for the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, as well as many others. It was here that the famous locomotive Rocket was designed and manufactured in preparation for the Rainhill Trials. Apart from building locomotives for the British market, the Newcastle works also produced locomotives for Europe and America. The Forth Street works continued to build locomotives until 1960.

 

Shipbuilding

In 1296 a wooden, 135 ft (41 m) long galley was constructed at the mouth of the Lort Burn in Newcastle, as part of a twenty-ship order from the king. The ship cost £205, and is the earliest record of shipbuilding in Newcastle. However the rise of the Tyne as a shipbuilding area was due to the need for collier brigs for the coal export trade. These wooden sailing ships were usually built locally, establishing local expertise in building ships. As ships changed from wood to steel, and from sail to steam, the local shipbuilding industry changed to build the new ships. Although shipbuilding was carried out up and down both sides of the river, the two main areas for building ships in Newcastle were Elswick, to the west, and Walker, to the east. By 1800 Tyneside was the third largest producer of ships in Britain. Unfortunately, after the Second World War, lack of modernisation and competition from abroad gradually caused the local industry to decline and die.

 

Armaments

In 1847 William Armstrong established a huge factory in Elswick, west of Newcastle. This was initially used to produce hydraulic cranes but subsequently began also to produce guns for both the army and the navy. After the Swing Bridge was built in 1876 allowing ships to pass up river, warships could have their armaments fitted alongside the Elswick works. Armstrong's company took over its industrial rival, Joseph Whitworth of Manchester in 1897.

 

Steam turbines

Charles Algernon Parsons invented the steam turbine and, in 1889, founded his own company C. A. Parsons and Company in Heaton, Newcastle to make steam turbines. Shortly after this, he realised that steam turbines could be used to propel ships and, in 1897, he founded a second company, Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company in Wallsend. It is there that he designed and manufactured Turbinia. Parsons turbines were initially used in warships but soon came to be used in merchant and passenger vessels, including the liner Mauretania which held the blue riband for the Atlantic crossing until 1929. Parsons' company in Heaton began to make turbo-generators for power stations and supplied power stations all over the world. The Heaton works, reduced in size, remains as part of the Siemens AG industrial giant.

 

Pottery

In 1762 the Maling pottery was founded in Sunderland by French Huguenots, but transferred to Newcastle in 1817. A factory was built in the Ouseburn area of the city. The factory was rebuilt twice, finally occupying a 14-acre (57,000 m2) site that was claimed to be the biggest pottery in the world and which had its own railway station. The pottery pioneered use of machines in making potteries as opposed to hand production. In the 1890s the company went up-market and employed in-house designers. The period up to the Second World War was the most profitable with a constant stream of new designs being introduced. However, after the war, production gradually declined and the company closed in 1963.

 

Expansion of the city

Newcastle was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835: the reformed municipal borough included the parishes of Byker, Elswick, Heaton, Jesmond, Newcastle All Saints, Newcastle St Andrew, Newcastle St John, Newcastle St Nicholas, and Westgate. The urban districts of Benwell and Fenham and Walker were added in 1904. In 1935, Newcastle gained Kenton and parts of the parishes of West Brunton, East Denton, Fawdon, Longbenton. The most recent expansion in Newcastle's boundaries took place under the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974, when Newcastle became a metropolitan borough, also including the urban districts of Gosforth and Newburn, and the parishes of Brunswick, Dinnington, Hazlerigg, North Gosforth and Woolsington from the Castle Ward Rural District, and the village of Westerhope.

 

Meanwhile Northumberland County Council was formed under the Local Government Act 1888 and benefited from a dedicated meeting place when County Hall was completed in the Castle Garth area of Newcastle in 1910. Following the Local Government Act 1972 County Hall relocated to Morpeth in April 1981.

 

Twentieth century

In 1925 work began on a new high-level road bridge to span the Tyne Gorge between Newcastle and Gateshead. The capacity of the existing High-Level Bridge and Swing Bridge were being strained to the limit, and an additional bridge had been discussed for a long time. The contract was awarded to the Dorman Long Company and the bridge was finally opened by King George V in 1928. The road deck was 84 feet (26 m) above the river and was supported by a 531 feet (162 m) steel arch. The new Tyne Bridge quickly became a symbol for Newcastle and Tyneside, and remains so today.

 

During the Second World War, Newcastle was largely spared the horrors inflicted upon other British cities bombed during the Blitz. Although the armaments factories and shipyards along the River Tyne were targeted by the Luftwaffe, they largely escaped unscathed. Manors goods yard and railway terminal, to the east of the city centre, and the suburbs of Jesmond and Heaton suffered bombing during 1941. There were 141 deaths and 587 injuries, a relatively small figure compared to the casualties in other industrial centres of Britain.

 

In 1963 the city gained its own university, the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, by act of parliament. A School of Medicine and Surgery had been established in Newcastle in 1834. This eventually developed into a college of medicine attached to Durham University. A college of physical science was also founded and became Armstrong College in 1904. In 1934 the two colleges merged to become King's College, Durham. This remained as part of Durham University until the new university was created in 1963. In 1992 the city gained its second university when Newcastle Polytechnic was granted university status as Northumbria University.

 

Newcastle City Council moved to the new Newcastle Civic Centre in 1968.

 

As heavy industries declined in the second half of the 20th century, large sections of the city centre were demolished along with many areas of slum housing. The leading political figure in the city during the 1960s was T. Dan Smith who oversaw a massive building programme of highrise housing estates and authorised the demolition of a quarter of the Georgian Grainger Town to make way for Eldon Square Shopping Centre. Smith's control in Newcastle collapsed when it was exposed that he had used public contracts to advantage himself and his business associates and for a time Newcastle became a byword for civic corruption as depicted in the films Get Carter and Stormy Monday and in the television series Our Friends in the North. However, much of the historic Grainger Town area survived and was, for the most part, fully restored in the late 1990s. Northumberland Street, initially the A1, was gradually closed to traffic from the 1970s and completely pedestrianised by 1998.

 

In 1978 a new rapid transport system, the Metro, was built, linking the Tyneside area. The system opened in August 1980. A new bridge was built to carry the Metro across the river between Gateshead and Newcastle. This was the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, commonly known as the Metro Bridge. Eventually the Metro system was extended to reach Newcastle Airport in 1991, and in 2002 the Metro system was extended to the nearby city of Sunderland.

 

As the 20th century progressed, trade on the Newcastle and Gateshead quaysides gradually declined, until by the 1980s both sides of the river were looking rather derelict. Shipping company offices had closed along with offices of firms related to shipping. There were also derelict warehouses lining the riverbank. Local government produced a master plan to re-develop the Newcastle quayside and this was begun in the 1990s. New offices, restaurants, bars and residential accommodation were built and the area has changed in the space of a few years into a vibrant area, partially returning the focus of Newcastle to the riverside, where it was in medieval times.

 

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, a foot and cycle bridge, 26 feet (7.9 m) wide and 413 feet (126 m) long, was completed in 2001. The road deck is in the form of a curve and is supported by a steel arch. To allow ships to pass, the whole structure, both arch and road-deck, rotates on huge bearings at either end so that the road deck is lifted. The bridge can be said to open and shut like a human eye. It is an important addition to the re-developed quayside area, providing a vital link between the Newcastle and Gateshead quaysides.

 

Recent developments

Today the city is a vibrant centre for office and retail employment, but just a short distance away there are impoverished inner-city housing estates, in areas originally built to provide affordable housing for employees of the shipyards and other heavy industries that lined the River Tyne. In the 2010s Newcastle City Council began implementing plans to regenerate these depressed areas, such as those along the Ouseburn Valley.

Themed Gardens Hortulus in Dobrzyca were founded in 1992. Their implementation is still ongoing. Currently available to explore 28 different themed gardens. Total accumulated more than 6000 species and varieties of plants, including species of exotic and unique. Gardens are in an extremely hot climate zone 7b, where the winters are mild and there is much more rainfall than in other parts of the country. Gardens have been repeatedly awarded, including by the Polish Tourist Organisation.

 

Garden area is more than four hectares. The essence of these gardens is to show the plants in the garden compositions and their use in the various gardens (hence the lack of name tags). Visiting Gardens Hortulus, beyond the obvious contact with nature, provides an aesthetic experience and the spiritual. Therefore, also the gardens are divided by theme. They include classic as well as Japanese, French, Mediterranean, and those related to the environment: garden stone, rock and water. There are also gardens, utility, and herbal or vegetable.

Service de transport de l'agglomération nancéienne (Stan, operated by Keolis Grand Nancy): in the city of Nancy, in addition to an extensive bus network, there is a guided trolleybus line of the Bombardier TVR type. This system uses a central guidance rail, with retractable trucks on the vehicles. Implemented only in two French cities (Caen and Nancy), several technical problems have limited their development. In fact, Caen suppressed its TVR line in 2017.

 

The Nancy line has a length of 11.3 km, although only 60% of the route uses the central guidance rail (between Gérard Barrois and Callot, and in both terms). In the remaining 40%, the vehicles run as conventional trolleybuses guided by the driver. It was inaugurated on January 28, 2001, and is scheduled to be replaced by a tram, as is already being done in Caen.

 

The fleet for this line consists of 25 double articulated trolleybuses of 24.5 meters (numbers 1 to 25), with Alstom electrical equipment and a diesel engine to continue circulating in the absence of power, or to access the garages.

 

Here we see the trolleybus number 12 in the Point Central stop, working a service in the line 1 to Vandœuvre, CHU Brabois.

Implements - cable ties. Focus stacked using zerene,

Well, this title proves I must be unhinged but I didn't even forget it since last night when I thought it up so it stuck. Unfortunately two of the clunky signs showed in this shot and I will probably clone them out when I collapse the layers back together. Way too much work otherwise. The crowd was a bit much for a Friday weekday and even highway #66 seemed overloaded with travelers and RVs probably on their way up to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park (area right of the wind mill). Highway #66 does not appear in this shot and thank goodness I had little cloning on the cars! I appreciated the way the sky was beginning to display in a spray on the widest angle shots. I moved in for consecutively tighter shots on the red barn after I captured "The old spread" and tried to crop out problems as was possible. I fiddled with the horizon but it has to be on a slant. The terrain slopes down and left to McIntosh Lake that is over in northwest Longmont. On the right hand side of the frame is the new stock shed where they are housing the ponies and pigs while the slow elk, left, have to feed themselves. There are several exhibits inside the red barn for the mommas to explain to the kiddies. All the kiddies want is a cool soda pop as long as they have to walk. Careful, the chickens and bunnies are under foot; a delight to the kiddies no doubt. I went out again on Sunday and shot more photos including some of the signs so I'd have a record. We can't agree which was the McIntosh barn and which was moved in from the FAA property. A strange day it is because the place was empty but Highway #66 was a real pain with folks apparently heading for Rocky Mountain National Park. We just got out of there last Tuesday and I figure it will be a wild one for the summer. You couldn't pay me to go now, except for a cooler day.

 

This is the McIntosh-Lohr Farm Agricultural Museum on Highway #66, (not the same as Route #66). I had by now dropped everything else. Though the clouding has been absent recently, they really popped the structures today but I still had to wait for the chickens to cross the road before they allowed me passage. Today, though, served up a sprinkle and they promise 92 tomorrow. Keep editing in the cool, I guess. I am spending extra time on the best of the captures considering these abundant skies. I was just in time for the sky. I looked out of my window and jumped up, gathered my camera and split. I scored shots out here some years ago but the sky was a dud and I was using my old D70. The farm/museum is part way between Largemont and Hygiene, Colorado. Today, I can afford the time to stop and look (it was my "race on debt" for being there) over the old shots I ought to have spotted before. I bet though I'd better manage it in an hour or two. They have added new venues and I am in a wandering mood. Here is one of my results. The day would later collapse to overcast, allowing time to start editing. There COULD be some time involved in editing. After I boiled the layers down to a TIFF, I edited objects I could then.

  

On Saturday, 14 September, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and sixth anniversary of the implementation of Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio “Summorum Pontificum”, Sursum Corda visited the Shrine of Saint Joseph, located just north of downtown Saint Louis.

 

©2013 Phil Roussin

You are welcome to share the photo’s freely, as long as you honor the conditions in the Creative Commons.

 

In short this means:

- Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes.

- Attribution — When you use a photograph you have to mention Phil Roussin as the creator (including a link).

- No Derivative Works — You may not alter the image.

 

If you are interested in using the photographs for commercial purposes, please don’t hesitate to contact the photographer at pbrphotos@me.com.

Este santuário está

implementado numa vasta

área consagrada ao culto

Mariano e constitui um pólo

de dinamização de

numerosas actividades de

espiritualidade, recolhimento

e apoio social. Na sua

génese, está a resposta das

populações do nordeste

transmontano à mensagem

de Fátima, através de uma

acção liderada por um

sacerdote natural da região: o

P. Manuel Joaquim Ochôa.

Começou a ser edificado em

1961. Para a sua construção

foi necessária a colaboração

de todo o povo de Cerejais,

homens e mulheres; eles com

quatrocentos carros de bois

de pedra e elas com o transporte de toda a água necessária à construção,

muita da qual foi transportada em cântaros, à cabeça.

Além da capela principal, fazem parte do conjunto do santuário:

l O Calvário (fig.1.1) com uma capelinha onde se encontra um conjunto

escultórico, em tamanho natural, que representa o encontro da Mãe

Dolorosa com o seu Divino Filho.

l Uma Via-sacra que percorre o caminho entre a Capela e o Calvário e

cujas cruzes foram esculpidas em granito da aldeia de Romeu.

Dois anos mais tarde, em 28 de Maio de 1967, celebrou-se a “festa dos

Bispos” como ficou conhecida a inauguração dos quinze Mistérios do

Rosário, que estão representados por outras tantas figuras esculpidas que

se distribuem à beira do caminho entre a capela e a Loca do Cabeço. Com

efeito, nas cerimónias desta inauguração, estiveram presentes os bispos

de Bragança-Miranda, Leiria, Lamego e Dili.

Em 1976 foi edificado o primeiro pavilhão da Casa dos Pastorinhos e foi

ampliada a torre sineira.

1977 foi o ano da comemoração do 60º aniversário das aparições em

Fátima e o Santuário dos Cerejais foi o ponto central das comemorações

na diocese de Bragança-Miranda.

seu desejo ao rei que logo pensou juntar o útil ao agradável: fez a vontade

à esposa e aproveitou o pretexto para construir uma fortificação militar nas

proximidades, dado que se tratava de um local estratégico para a

segurança do reino.

A administração da capela e dos seus folgados proventos determinados

por D. Dinis foi entregue aos frades beneditinos do mosteiro do Castro da

Avelãs, que se localiza a cerca de 30 km de distância, próximo a Bragança.

No reinado de D. João III, foi construída a catedral de Miranda, que passou

a ser a sede da diocese para quem passou a administração do santuário.

Durante todos estes anos, as actividades de culto foram promovidas pela

confraria que contava sempre com um mordomo castelhano, o que

confirma a grande influência que o santuário exerce do outro lado da

fronteira. Do lado espanhol o Santuário é designado por “La Ribeiriña”.

Apesar da grande quantidade de romeiros e da celebração anual das

grandes romarias, o templo chegou ao final do século XIX num estado de

apreciável degradação. Providencialmente surgiu um benemérito, próspero

emigrante no Brasil, natural de Castrelos, de seu nome António do Carmo

Pires.

5l-henrique.blogspot.pt/2013/06/alfandega-da-fe-cerejais-...

Lighted Farm Implement Parade, Sunnyside, Washington. I am pleasantly surprised how sharp these night photos are considering these shots are hand held and mostly shot at 1/30 and slower shutter speed. IMG_1050

Lighted Farm Implement Parade, Sunnyside, Washington. I am pleasantly surprised how sharp these night photos are considering these shots are hand held and mostly shot at 1/30 and slower shutter speed. IMG_1053

Jainism (/ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/ or /ˈdʒaɪnɪzəm/), traditionally known as Jina Sashana or Jain dharma (Sanskrit: जैन धर्म), is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of nonviolence towards all living beings. Practitioners believe that nonviolence and self-control are the means by which they can obtain liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

 

The word "Jain" is derived from the Sanskrit word Jina (meaning victor). A human being who has conquered all inner passions like attachment, desire, anger, pride, greed, etc. and therefore, possesses pure infinite knowledge (Kevala Jnana) is called Jina. Followers of the path practised and preached by Jinas are known as Jains.

 

Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world. It has also been regarded as one of the most scientific of all religions. Jains trace their history through a succession of twenty-four teachers and revivers of Jain teachings known as tirthankaras with Rishabha as the first and Mahāvīra as the last of the current era.

 

DOCTRINE

NON-VIOLENCE (AHIMSA)

The principle of ahimsa is the most fundamental and well known aspect of Jain religious practice. The everyday implementation of ahimsa is more comprehensive than in other religions and is the hallmark for Jain identity. Non-violence is practiced first and foremost during interactions with other human beings, and Jains believe in avoiding harm to others through actions, speech and thoughts.

 

In addition to other humans, Jains extend the practice of nonviolence towards all living beings. As this ideal cannot be completely implemented in practice, Jains recognize a hierarchy of life, which gives more protection to humans followed by animals followed by insects followed by plants. For this reason, vegetarianism is a hallmark of Jain practice, with the majority of Jains practicing lacto-vegetarianism. If there is violence against animals during the production of dairy products, veganism is also encouraged (see Jain vegetarianism). After humans and animals, insects are the next living being offered protection in Jain practice with avoidance of intentional harm to insects emphasized. For example, insects in the home are often escorted out instead of killed. Intentional harm and the absence of compassion make an action more violent per Jainism.

 

After nonviolence towards humans, animals and insects, Jains make efforts not to injure plants any more than necessary. Although they admit that plants must be destroyed for the sake of food, they accept such violence only inasmuch as it is indispensable for human survival. Strict Jains, including Jain monks and nuns, do not eat root vegetables such as potatoes, onions and garlic, because tiny organisms are injured when the plant is pulled up, and also because a bulb or tuber's ability to sprout is seen as characteristic of a living being.

 

Jainism has a very elaborate framework on types of life and includes life-forms that may be invisible. Per Jainism, the intent and emotions behind the violence are more important than the action itself. For example, if a person kills another living being out of carelessness and then regrets later, the karma bandhan (bondage of karma) is less versus when the person kills the same living being with anger, revenge, etc. The emotions (bhava) determine the bondage of karmas. A soldier acting in self defense is a different type of violence versus someone killing another person out of hatred or revenge.

 

Violence or war in self-defense may be justified, but this must only be used as a last resort after peaceful measures have been thoroughly exhausted. Mahatma Gandhi notably practiced and preached ahimsa.

 

NON ABSOLUTISM

The second main principle of Jainism is non-absolutism (anēkāntavāda). For Jains, non-absolutism means maintaining open-mindedness. This includes the recognition of all perspectives and a humble respect for differences in beliefs. Jainism encourages its adherents to consider the views and beliefs of their rivals and opposing parties. The principle of anekāntavāda influenced Mahatma Gandhi to adopt principles of religious tolerance and ahiṃsā.

 

Anekāntavāda emphasizes the principles of pluralism (multiplicity of viewpoints) and the notion that truth and reality are perceived differently from diverse points of view, no single one of which is complete.

 

Jains illustrate this theory through the parable of the blind men and an elephant. In this story, each blind man feels a different part of an elephant: its trunk, leg, ear, and so on. All of them claim to understand and explain the true appearance of the elephant but, due to their limited perspectives, can only partly succeed. The concept of anēkāntavāda extends to and is further explained by Syādvāda (below).

 

Non-possessiveness

The third main principle in Jainism is non-possessiveness (aparigraha). This is the concept of greedlessness or non-grasping and includes non-materialism. Jainism emphasizes taking no more than is truly necessary. While ownership of objects is allowed, non-attachment to possessions is taught. Followers should minimize the tendency to hoard unnecessary material possessions and limit attachment to current possessions. Further, wealth and possessions should be shared and donated whenever possible. Jainism believes that unchecked attachment to possessions can lead to direct harm to oneself and others.

Five main vows

 

Jainism encourages spiritual development through cultivation of personal wisdom and through reliance on self-control through vows. Jains accept different levels of compliance for strict followers and laymen. Followers of this religion undertake five major vows:

 

1. Ahimsa: Ahimsa means nonviolence. The first major vow taken by followers is to cause no harm to living beings. It involves minimizing intentional and unintentional harm to other living creatures by actions, speech or thoughts.

2. Satya: Satya means truth. This vow is to always speak the truth. Given that non-violence has priority, other principles yield to it whenever they conflict: in a situation where speaking truth could lead to violence, silence may be observed.

3. Asteya: Asteya means not stealing. Jains should not take anything that is not willingly offered. Attempting to extort material wealth from others or to exploit the weak is considered theft. Fair value should be given for all goods and services purchased.

4. Brahmacharya: Brahmacharya means chastity for laymen and celibacy for Jain monks and nuns. This requires the exercise of control over the senses to control indulgence in sexual activity.

5. Aparigraha: Aparigraha means non-possessiveness. This includes non-materialism and non-attachment to objects, places and people. Jain monks and nuns completely renounce property and social relations.

 

Monks and nuns are obligated to practice the five cardinal principles of non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possessiveness very strictly, while laymen are encouraged to observe them within their current practical limitations.

 

Additionally, Jainism identifies four passions of the mind: Anger, pride (ego), deceitfulness, greed. It recommends conquering anger by forgiveness, pride by humility, deceitfulness by straight-forwardness and greed by contentment.

 

GOD

Jainism rejects the idea of a creator or destroyer god and postulates that the universe is eternal. Jainism believes every soul has the potential for salvation and to become god. In Jainism, perfect souls with body are called Arihantas (victors) and perfect souls without the body are called Siddhas (liberated souls). Tirthankara is an Arihanta who help others in achieving liberation. Jainism has been described as a transtheistic religion , as it does not teach the dependency on any supreme being for enlightenment. The Tirthankara is a guide and teacher who points the way to enlightenment, but the struggle for enlightenment is one's own.

 

- Arihanta (Jina)- A human being who conquers all inner passions and possesses infinite knowledge (Kevala Jnana). They are also known as Kevalins (omniscient beings). There are two kinds of Arihantas -

 

1. Sāmānya (Ordinary victors) - Kevalins who are concerned with their own salvation.

2. Tirthankara - Tīrthaṅkara literally means a 'ford-maker', or a founder of salvation teaching. They propagate and revitalize the Jain faith and become role-models for those seeking spiritual guidance. They reorganise the fourfold order (chaturvidha sangha) that consists of monks (śramana), nuns (śramani), male followers (srāvaka) and female followers (śravaika). Jains believe that exactly twenty-four tirthankaras are born in each half cycle of time (Jain cosmology). The last tirthankara, Mahavira and his predecessor Parsvanatha are historical figures whose existence is recorded.

 

Siddhas (the liberated beings), although they are formless, this is how they are depicted in Jain temples

 

- Siddha- Siddhas are Arihantas who attain salvation (moksha) and dwell in Siddhashila with infinite bliss, infinite perception, infinite knowledge and infinite energy.

 

PRACTICES

MONASTICISM

In Jainism, monasticism is encouraged and respected. Jain monks and nuns live extremely austere and ascetic lifestyles. They follow the five main vows of Jainism absolutely. Jain monks and nuns have neither a permanent home nor possessions. They do not use vehicles and always travel barefoot from one place to another, irrespective of the distance. They wander from place to place except during the months of Chaturmas. They do not use telephones or electricity. They do not prepare food and live only on what people offer them. Jain monks and nuns also usually keep a cloth for ritual mouth-covering to avoid inadvertently harming micro-organisms in the air. Most will carry a broomlike object (Rayoharan), made from dense, thick thread strands, to sweep the ground ahead of them, or before sitting down, to avoid inadvertently crushing small insects.

 

The monks of Jainism, whose presence is not needed for most Jain rituals, should not be confused with priests. However, some sects of Jainism often employ a pujari, who need not be a Jain, to perform special daily rituals and other priestly duties at the temple.

 

PRAYERS

Jains pray to these passionless gods not for any favors, material goods or rewards but rather pray to the qualities of the god with the objective of destroying their own karmas and achieving liberation. This is best understood by the term vandetadgunalabhdhaye – i.e. "we pray to the attributes of such Gods to acquire such attributes".

 

NAVKAR MANTRA

The Navkār mantra is the fundamental prayer of Jainism and may be recited at any time. In this mantra, Jains worship the qualities (Gunas) of the spiritually supreme in order to attain Godhood. The prayer does not name any one particular person. In Jainism, the purpose of worship or prayer is to break the barriers of worldly attachments and desires and to assist in the liberation of the soul.

 

FASTING

Most Jains fast throughout the year, particularly during festivals (fasting in Jainism). This takes on various forms and may be practiced based on one's ability. Some examples include: eating only one or two meals per day, drinking only water all day, not eating after sunset, not eating processed foods, eating food without sugar/oil/salt. Two purposes of fasting are to exercise self-control and to clear the mind to devote more mental energy to prayer.

 

MEDITATION

Jains have developed a type of meditation called samayika, a term derived from the word samaya. The goal of Samayika is to achieve a feeling of perfect calmness and to understand the unchanging truth of the self. Such meditation is based on contemplation of the universe and the reincarnation of self. Samayika is particularly important during the Paryushana religious festival. It is believed that meditation will assist in managing and balancing one's passions. Great emphasis is placed on the internal control of thoughts, as they influence behavior, actions and goals.

 

Jains follow six duties known as avashyakas: samyika (practising serenity), chaturvimshati (praising the tirthankara), vandan (respecting teachers and monks), pratikramana (introspection), kayotsarga (stillness), and pratyakhyana (renunciation).

 

PHILOSOPHY

SOUL AND KARMA

According to Jains, souls are intrinsically pure and possess the qualities of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss and infinite energy in their ideal state. In reality, however, these qualities are found to be obstructed due to the soul's association with a substance called karma. The ultimate goal in Jainism is to obtain moksha, which means liberation or salvation of the soul completely freeing it from karmic bondage.

 

The relationship between the soul and karma is explained by the analogy of gold. Gold is always found mixed with impurities in its natural state. Similarly, the ideal, pure state of the soul is always mixed with the impurities of karma. Just like gold, purification of the soul may be achieved if the proper methods of refining are applied. The Jain karmic theory is used to attach responsibility to individual action and is cited to explain inequalities, sufferings and pain.

 

THREE GEMS

The following three gems of Jainism lay down the path to achieve liberation of the soul (moksha).

 

1. Right View (Samyak Darshana) - Having the right perception and seeking the truth while avoiding preconceptions that get in the way of seeing things clearly.

2, Right Knowledge (Samyak Gyana) - Having the right knowledge of Jain principles.

3. Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra) - Applying Jain principles to your life.

 

TATTVA

Jain metaphysics is based on seven or nine fundamentals which are known as tattva, which attempt to explain the nature of the human predicament and to provide solutions for the ultimate goal of liberation of the soul (moksha):

 

1. Jīva: The essence of living beings is called jiva, a substance which is different from the body that houses it. Consciousness, knowledge and perception are its fundamental attributes.

2. Ajīva: Non-living entities that consist of matter, space and time.

3. Asrava: The interaction between jīva and ajīva causes the influx of karma (a particular form of ajiva) into the soul.

4. Bandha: The karma masks the jiva and restricts it from having its true potential of perfect knowledge and perception.

5. Saṃvara: Through right conduct, it is possible to stop the influx of additional karma.

6. Nirjarā: By performing asceticism, it is possible to discard the existing karma.

7. Mokṣa: The liberated jiva which has removed its karma and is said to have the pure, intrinsic quality of perfect knowledge and perception.

 

Some authors add two additional categories: the meritorious (puńya) and demeritorious (pāpa) acts related to karma.

 

SYATVADA

Syādvāda is the doctrine extending from non-absolutism (anēkāntavāda). This recommends the expression of anekānta by prefixing the epithet Syād to every phrase or expression. The Sanskrit etymological root of the term syād is "perhaps" or "maybe", but in the context of syādvāda it means "in some ways" or "from some perspective." As reality is complex, no single proposition can express its full nature. The term syāt- should therefore be prefixed to each proposition, giving it a conditional point of view and thus removing dogmatism from the statement. There are seven conditioned propositions (saptibhaṅgī) in syādvāda as follows:

 

1. syād-asti—in some ways, it is;

2. syād-nāsti—in some ways, it is not;

3. syād-asti-nāsti—in some ways, it is, and it is not;

4. syād-asti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is, and it is indescribable;

5. syād-nāsti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is not, and it is indescribable;

6. syād-asti-nāsti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is, it is not, and it is indescribable;

7. syād-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is indescribable.

 

Each of these seven propositions examines the complex and multifaceted nature of reality from a relative point of view of time, space, substance and mode. To ignore the complexity of reality is to commit the fallacy of dogmatism.

 

Nayavāda is the theory of partial standpoints or viewpoints. Nayavāda is a compound of two Sanskrit words: naya ("partial viewpoint") and vada ("school of thought or debate"). It is used to arrive at a certain inference from a point of view. Every object has infinite aspects, but when we describe one in practice, we speak only of relevant aspects and ignore the irrelevant. Nayavāda holds that philosophical disputes arise out of confusion of standpoints, and the standpoints we adopt are "the outcome of purposes that we may pursue"— although we may not realize it. While operating within the limits of language and perceiving the complex nature of reality, Māhavīra used the language of nayas. Naya, being a partial expression of truth, enables us to comprehend reality part by part.

 

Non-absolutism (anēkāntavāda) is more formally stated by observing that objects are infinite in their qualities and modes of existence, so they cannot be completely grasped in all aspects and manifestations by finite human perception. Only Kevalins (omniscient beings) can comprehend objects in all aspects and manifestations; others are only capable of partial knowledge. Accordingly, no single, specific, human view can claim to represent absolute truth.

 

HISTORY

ORIGINS

The origins of Jainism are obscure. Jainism is a philosophy of eternity,. According to Jain time cycle, in each half of the time cycle, twenty-four great humans rise to the level of tirthankaras and show humans the true path to salvation. Therefore, they are also called human spiritual guides. Parshvanatha, predecessor of Mahāvīra and the twenty-third tirthankara was a historical figure. He lived somewhere in the 9th–7th century BC. Followers of Pārśva are mentioned in the canonical books; and a legend in the Uttarādhyayana sūtra relates a meeting between a disciple of Pārśva and a disciple of Mahāvīra which brought about the union of the old and the new Jain teachings.

 

During the 5th or 6th century BC, Vardhamana Mahāvīra became one of the most influential teachers of Jainism. Jains revere him as twenty-forth tirthankara and regard him as the last of the great tīrthankaras of this era. He appears in the tradition as one who, from the beginning, had followed a religion established long ago.

 

UNIVERSAL HISTORY

According to Jain legends, sixty-three illustrious beings called Salakapurusas have appeared on earth. The Jain universal history is a compilation of the deeds of these illustrious persons. They comprise twenty-four tīrthaṅkaras, twelve chakravartins, nine baladevas, nine vāsudevas and nine prativāsudevas.

 

A chakravarti is an emperor of the world and lord of the material realm. Though he possesses worldly power, he often finds his ambitions dwarfed by the vastness of the cosmos. Jain puranas give a list of twelve chakravartins. They are golden in complexion. One of the greatest chakravartin mentioned in Jain scriptures is Bharata. Traditions say that India came to be known as Bharatavarsha in his memory.

 

There are nine sets of baladeva, vāsudeva and prativāsudeva. Certain Digambara texts refer to them as balabhadra, narayana and pratinarayana, respectively. The origin of this list of brothers can be traced to the Jinacaritra by Bhadrabahu (c. 3rd–4th century BCE). Baladeva are non-violent heroes, vasudeva are violent heroes and prativāsudeva can be described as villains. According to the legends, the vasudeva ultimately kill the prativasudeva. Of the nine baladeva, eight attain liberation and the last goes to heaven. The vasudeva go to hell on account of their violent exploits, even if these were intended to uphold righteousness.

 

ROYAL PATRONAGE

The ancient city Pithunda, capital of Kalinga (modern Odisha), is described in the Jain text Uttaradhyana Sutra as an important centre at the time of Mahāvīra, and was frequented by merchants from Champa. Rishabha, the first tirthankara, was revered and worshiped in Pithunda and is known as the Kalinga Jina. Mahapadma Nanda (c. 450–362 BCE) conquered Kalinga and took a statue of Rishabha from Pithunda to his capital in Magadha. Jainism is said to have flourished under the Nanda Empire.

 

The Maurya Empire came to power after the downfall of the Nanda. The first Mauryan emperor, Chandragupta Maurya (c. 322–298 BCE), became a Jain in the latter part of his life. He was a disciple of Bhadrabahu, a Jain acharya who was responsible for propagation of Jainism in South India. The Mauryan king Ashoka was converted to Buddhism and his pro-Buddhist policy subjugated the Jains of Kalinga. Ashoka's grandson Samprati (c. 224–215 BCE) is said to have converted to Jainism by a Jain monk named Suhasti. He is known to have erected many Jain temples. He ruled a place called Ujjain.

 

In the 1st century BCE, Emperor Kharavela of the Mahameghavahana dynasty of Kalinga conquered Magadha. He retrieved Rishabha's statue and installed it in Udaygiri, near his capital Shishupalgadh. Kharavela was responsible for the propagation of Jainism across the Indian subcontinent.

 

Xuanzang (629–645 CE), a Chinese traveller, notes that there were numerous Jains present in Kalinga during his time. The Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves near Bhubaneswar, Odisha are the only surviving stone Jain monuments in Orissa.

 

King Vanaraja (c. 720–780 CE) of the Chawda dynasty in northern Gujarat was raised by a Jain monk Silunga Suri. He supported Jainism during his rule. The king of kannauj Ama (c. 8th century CE) was converted to Jainism by Bappabhatti, a disciple of famous Jain monk Siddhasena Divakara. Bappabhatti also converted Vakpati, the friend of Ama who authored a famous prakrit epic named Gaudavaho.

 

TAMIL NADU

Jainism flourished in Tamil Nadu at least as early as the Sangam period. Tamil Jain tradition places their origins are much earlier. The Ramayana mentions that Rama paid homage to Jaina monks living in South India on his way to Sri Lanka.

 

DECLINE

Once a major religion, Jainism declined due to a number of factors, including proselytising by other religious groups, persecution, withdrawal of royal patronage, sectarian fragmentation and the absence of central leadership. Since the time of Mahavira, Jainism faced rivalry with Buddhism and the various Hindu sects. The Jains suffered isolated violent persecutions by these groups, but the main factor responsible for the decline of their religion was the success of Hindu reformist movements. Around the 7th century, Shaivism saw considerable growth at the expense of Jainism due to the efforts of the Shaivite poets like Sambandar and Appar. Around the 8th century CE, the Hindu philosophers Kumārila Bhaṭṭa and Adi Shankara tried to restore the orthodox Vedic religion.

 

Royal patronage has been a key factor in the growth as well as decline of Jainism. The Pallava king Mahendravarman I (600–630 CE) converted from Jainism to Shaivism under the influence of Appar. His work Mattavilasa Prahasana ridicules certain Shaiva sects and the Buddhists and also expresses contempt towards Jain ascetics. Sambandar converted the contemporary Pandya king back to Shaivism. During the 11th century Brahmana Basava, a minister to the Jain king Bijjala, succeeded in converting numerous Jains to the Lingayat Shaivite sect. The Lingayats destroyed various temples belonging to Jains and adapted them to their use. The Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana (c. 1108–1152 CE) became a follower of the Vaishnava sect under the influence of Ramanuja, after which Vaishnavism grew rapidly in the present-day Karnataka. As the Hindu sects grew, the Jains compromised by following Hindu rituals and customs and invoking Hindu deities in Jain literature.

 

There are several legends about the mass massacre of Jains in the ancient times. The Buddhist king Ashoka (304-232 BCE) is said to have ordered killings of 18,000 Jains or Ajivikas after someone drew a picture of Buddha bowing at the feet of Mahavira. The Shaivite king Koon Pandiyan, who briefly converted to Jainism, is said to have ordered a massacre of 8,000 Jains after his re-conversion to Shaivism. However, these legends are not found in the Jain texts, and appear to be fabricated propaganda by Buddhists and Shaivites. Such stories of destruction of one sect by another sect were common at the time, and were used as a way to prove the superiority of one sect over the other. There are stories about a Jain king of Kanchi persecuting the Buddhists in a similar way. Another such legend about Vishnuvardhana ordering the Jains to be crushed in an oil mill doesn't appear to be historically true.

 

The decline of Jainism continued after the Muslim conquests on the Indian subcontinent. The Muslims rulers, such as Mahmud Ghazni (1001), Mohammad Ghori (1175) and Ala-ud-din Muhammed Shah Khilji (1298) further oppressed the Jain community. They vandalised idols and destroyed temples or converted them into mosques. They also burned the Jain books and killed Jains. Some conversions were peaceful, however; Pir Mahabir Khamdayat (c. 13th century CE) is well known for his peaceful propagation of Islam. The Jains also enjoyed amicable relations with the rulers of the tributary Hindu kingdoms during this period; however, their number and influence had diminished significantly due to their rivalry with the Shaivite and the Vaisnavite sects.

 

For long periods of time, Jainism was widely adopted in the Indian subcontinent. The religion has been in decline since the 8th century AD due to the growth of, and oppression by other religions.

 

COSMOLOGY

Jain beliefs postulate that the universe was never created, nor will it ever cease to exist. It is independent and self-sufficient, and does not require any superior power to govern it. Elaborate description of the shape and function of the physical and metaphysical universe, and its constituents, is provided in the canonical Jain texts, in commentaries and in the writings of the Jain philosopher-monks. The early Jains contemplated the nature of the earth and universe and developed detailed hypotheses concerning various aspects of astronomy and cosmology.

 

According to the Jain texts, the universe is divided into three parts, the upper, middle, and lower worlds, called respectively urdhva loka, madhya loka, and adho loka. It is made up of six constituents: Jīva, the living entity; Pudgala, matter; Dharma tattva, the substance responsible for motion; Adharma tattva, the substance responsible for rest; Akāśa, space; and Kāla, time.

 

WHEEL OF TIME

According to Jainism, time is beginningless and eternal; the cosmic wheel of time, called kālachakra, rotates ceaselessly. It is divided into halves, called utsarpiṇī and avasarpiṇī. Utsarpiṇī is a period of progressive prosperity, where happiness increases, while avasarpiṇī is a period of increasing sorrow and immorality. According to Jain cosmology, currently we are in the 5th ara, Duḥṣama (read as Dukhma). As of 2015, exactly 2,539 years have elapsed and 18,461 years are still left. It is an age of sorrow and misery. The maximum age a person can live to in this ara is not more than 200 years. The average height of people in this ara is six feet tall. No liberation is possible, although people practice religion in lax and diluted form. At the end of this ara, even the Jain religion will disappear, only to appear again with the advent of 1st Tirthankara in the next cycle.

 

JAIN COMMUNITY

DEMOGRAPHICS

The majority of Jains currently reside in India. With 5 million followers, Jainism is relatively small compared to major world religions. Jains live throughout India, with the largest populations concentrated in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu also have significant Jain populations. Outside India, large Jain communities can be found in the United States and Europe. Several Jain temples have been built in both of these places. Smaller Jain communities also exist in Kenya and Canada.

 

Jains developed a system of philosophy and ethics that had a great impact on Indian culture. They have contributed to the culture and language in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra,

 

FESTIVALS

Paryushana is the most important annual event for Jains, and is usually celebrated in August or September. It lasts 8–10 days and is a time when lay people increase their level of spiritual intensity often using fasting, study and prayer/meditation to help. The five main vows are emphasized during this time. There are no set rules, and followers are encouraged to practice according to their ability and desires. The last day involves a focused prayer/meditation session known as Samvatsari Pratikramana. At the conclusion of the festival, followers request forgiveness from others for any offenses committed during the last year. Forgiveness is asked by saying "Micchami Dukkadam" to others, which means "If I have caused you offence in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word or action, then I seek your forgiveness." The literal meaning of Paryushana is "abiding" or "coming together."

 

Mahāvīra Jayanti, the Janam (birth) of Mahāvīra, the last tirthankara, is usually celebrated in late March or early April based on the lunar calendar.

 

Diwali is a festival that marks the anniversary of attainment of Nirvana of Lord Mahavira, the last of the Jain Tirthankar of this era. It is celebrated at the same time as the Hindu festival of Diwali. Diwali is celebrated in an atmosphere of austerity, simplicity, serenity, equity, calmness, charity, philanthropy and environment-consciousness. Jain temples, homes, offices, shops are decorated with lights and diyas. The lights are symbolic of knowledge or removal of ignorance. Sweets are often distributed to each other. The new Jain year starts right after Diwali.

 

RITUALS

There are many Jain rituals including ones involving idol worshiping, depending on the sect. One example related to the five life events of tirthankara called the Panch Kalyanaka are rituals such as the panch kalyanaka pratishtha, panch kalyanaka puja, and snatra puja.

 

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Jainism has contributed significantly to Indian art and architecture. Jains mainly depict tirthankara or other important people in a seated or standing meditative posture. Yakshas and yakshinis, attendant spirits who guard the tirthankara, are usually shown with them. Figures on various seals from the Indus Valley Civilisation bear similarity to Jain images, nude and in a meditative posture. The earliest known Jain image is in the Patna museum. It is approximately dated to the 3rd century BCE. Bronze images of Pārśva, can be seen in the Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai, and in the Patna museum; these are dated to the 2nd century BCE. A sandalwood sculpture of Mahāvīra was carved during his lifetime, according to tradition. Later the practice of making images of wood was abandoned, other materials being substituted.

 

Remnants of ancient Jain temples and cave temples can be found all around India. Notable among these are the Jain caves at Udaigiri Hills near Bhelsa(Vidisha) in Madhya Pradesh and Ellora in Maharashtra, and the Jain temples at Dilwara near Mount Abu, Rajasthan. The Jain tower in Chittor, Rajasthan is a good example of Jain architecture. Decorated manuscripts are preserved in Jain libraries, containing diagrams from Jain cosmology. Most of the paintings and illustrations depict historical events, known as Panch Kalyanaka, from the life of the tirthankara. Rishabha, the first tirthankara, is usually depicted in either the lotus position or kayotsarga, the standing position. He is distinguished from other tirthankara by the long locks of hair falling to his shoulders. Bull images also appear in his sculptures. In paintings, incidents of his life, like his marriage and Indra's marking his forehead, are depicted. Other paintings show him presenting a pottery bowl to his followers; he is also seen painting a house, weaving, and being visited by his mother Marudevi. Each of the twenty-four tirthankara is associated with distinctive emblems, which are listed in such texts as Tiloyapannati, Kahavaali and Pravacanasaarodhara.

 

There are 26 caves, 200 stone beds, 60 inscriptions and over 100 sculptures in and around Madurai. It was in Madurai that Acharya Bhutapali wrote the Shatkhandagama. This is also the site where Jain ascetics of yesteryear wrote great epics and books on grammar in Tamil.

 

The Sittanavasal cave temple is regarded as one of the finest examples of Jain art. It is the oldest and most famous Jain centre in the region. It possesses both an early Jain cave shelter, and a medieval rock-cut temple with excellent fresco paintings of par excellence comparable to Ajantha paintings; the steep hill contains an isolated but spacious cavern. Locally, this cavern is known as Eladipattam, a name that is derived from the seven holes cut into the rock that serve as steps leading to the shelter. Within the cave there are seventeen stone beds aligned into rows, and each of these has a raised portion that could have served as a pillow-loft. The largest stone bed has a distinct Tamil- Bramhi inscription assignable to the 2nd century B.C., and some inscriptions belonging to 8th century B.C. are also found on the nearby beds. The Sittannavasal cavern continued to be the "Holy Sramana Abode" until the seventh and eighth centuries. Inscriptions over the remaining stone beds name mendicants such as Tol kunrattu Kadavulan, Tirunilan, Tiruppuranan, Tittaicharanan, Sri Purrnacandran, Thiruchatthan, Ilangowthaman, sri Ulagathithan and Nityakaran Pattakali as monks.

 

The 8th century Kazhugumalai temple marks the revival of Jainism in South India.

 

A monolithic, 18 m statue of Bahubali referred to as "Gommateshvara", built by the Ganga minister and commander Chavundaraya, is situated on a hilltop in Shravanabelagola in the Hassan district of Karnataka state. This statue was voted by Indians the first of the Times of India's list of seven wonders of India.

 

A large number of ayagapata, votive tablets for offerings and the worship of tirthankara, were found at Mathura.[

 

RECEPTION

NEGATIVE

Like all religions, Jainism is criticized and praised for some of its practices and beliefs. A holy fast to death in Jainism called sallekhana is a particular area of controversy. When a person feels that all his or her duties have been fulfilled, he or she may decide to gradually cease eating and drinking. This form of death (santhara) has been the center of controversy with some petitioning to make it illegal. Many Jains, on the other hand, see santhara as spiritual detachment requiring a great deal of spiritual accomplishment and maturity and a declaration that a person is finished with this world and has chosen to leave. Jains believe this allows one to achieve death with dignity and dispassion along with a great reduction of negative karma.

 

POSITIVE

Mahatma Gandhi was greatly influenced by Jainism. Jain principles that he adopted in his life were asceticism, compassion for all forms of life, the importance of vows for self-discipline, vegetarianism, fasting for self-purification, and mutual tolerance among people of different creeds.

 

Swami Vivekananda appreciated the role of Jainism in the development of Indian religious philosophy. In his words, he asks:

 

“ What could have saved Indian society from the ponderous burden of omnifarious ritualistic ceremonialism, with its animal and other sacrifices, which all but crushed the very life of it, except the Jain revolution which took its strong stand exclusively on chaste morals and philosophical truths?

 

WIKIPEDIA

Old farm implements at Carl J McEwen Historic Village

Hatch Warren farm was the home and head office of Rex Paterson, the noted agriculturalist, when it was part of the estate of the Earls of Portsmouth. Hatch Warren Farm building at the top of the hill are being developed by its owners, Portsmouth Estates, as part of a redevelopment programme to breath a new lease of life into the buildings. This farmyard is now part of the Hatch Warren housing estate at Birches Crest close to the Portsmouth Arms public house.

 

Rex Munro Paterson OBE (1902 in London – 1978 in Hampshire) was an English agricultural pioneer whose extensive business and meticulous record keeping enabled him to carry out research and development in dairy farming systems on a scale that would have been beyond most research institutions.

 

He moved to this free-draining chalk downland of Hampshire which enabled him to start milking cows using the system developed by Wiltshire dairy farmer Arthur Hosier. The cows were kept out all year and milked in "bails", or mobile milking parlours, which offered a very cheap way of starting up a dairy herd. Paterson started milking with a bail in 1928 (milking the cows himself) and built up a farming empire which came to include up to 10,000 acres (40 km²) (in 1943), and 4,000 dairy cows (in the early 1970s).

 

He was a pioneer in the making of silage in Britain and to enable this he designed the Buckrake and the Muckrake, which exploited the hydraulic three-point linkage invented by Harry Ferguson. This was manufactured by the firm of Taskers of Andover. This is probably what the implement in the foreground is.

 

Hatch Warren is a district and ward of Basingstoke in Hampshire, west of the town centre. Neighbouring housing estates include Kempshott and Brighton Hill.

 

It is primarily served by Brighton Hill Community College (a secondary school) and two junior schools, St Mark's and Hatch Warren.

 

It lies within the Hatch Warren & Beggarwood ward of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

 

Hatch Warren shares a Newsletter, the Rabbiter, with Beggarwood and Kempshott Park, and has a small retail park, which includes a supermarket and a petrol station. It also has one pub which is named 'The Portsmouth Arms.' The Pub was due to open in 1996, but was destroyed by arson. It did however open a year later. The pub was not there when this picture was taken.

 

www.flickr.com/photos/24972344@N02/6390911793/in/photolis...

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Paterson

Rural farm near Huntsdale in Boone County Missouri by Notley Hawkins. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera with a Canon EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens at ƒ/3.5 with a 56 second exposure at ISO 100. Processed with Adobe Lightroom CC.

 

Follow me on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Instagram

 

www.notleyhawkins.com/

 

©Notley Hawkins

When I was at the McIntosh/Lohr exhibit/fair, I found this collection of "draw bar" hitches against the north side of the red Dickens barn as I was admiring the hayseed ride. I suppose all were used on horse-drawn implements. I notice that there is an iron wooden wheel rim in the shot. It looks like an axle that is hooked to the first one.

 

I am not sure what these contraptions hauled; perhaps several devices. Several bits and pieces are collected along the weeds of the north side of the Dickens barn. I managed to capture a fairly crisp shot even at the really slow shutter speed of 1/20sec with the monopod. I usually make another snap at the slow speeds, if I am not confident. I neared my record for slow speed shots today. Anyway I got a kick wheb i thought of the title so here it is.

 

On this day, the McIntosh/Lohr held animal and agricultural demonstrations. This is the McIntosh-Lohr Farm Agricultural Museum on Highway #66, (not the same as Route #66). The property is north of the McIntosh Lake Park. Recently we have been graced with Typical June skies, so I am trying to take advantage of them. The lighting is already going. Today served up more clouding and a promise of more 80s. We might be creeping up on 90s but they should be in August. The runoff could be a disaster even though that ought to be in later June. See if you can detect the climate changes around your local. I am choosing to edit and I am spending extra time on the best of the captures considering these abundant skies. I was just in time for the sky on that day. I scored a lot of shots out here some time ago but I am here for a walk.

 

The farm/museum is part way between Largemont and Hygiene, Colorado on state highway #66. I created a Photo Set for the McIntosh/Lohr Agricultural Museum.

  

Security forces squadron Airmen and law enforcement members receive training on safely firing weapons at enemies during Progressive Combat Solutions training at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., April 8, 2014. The Progressive Combat Solutions trains military and law enforcement personnel in a decision making process originally benchmarked by the Air Force known as observe, orient, decide and act. The Air Mobility Command and the 375th Security Force Squadron hosted this training with the goal of implementing it across AMC in the future. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kiana Brothers/Released)

Sauerbier Ranches LLC, where producer Dan Doornbos (vest) and son-in-law ranch operator Ryan Ellis, were able to implement brush management practices and install a solar-powered (photovoltaic) electric well pump and distribution system with the help of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) John Wagoner (cowboy hat), at Sweetwater Basin, in southwest Montana, on August 27, 2019. Brush management practice has opened the rangeland for cattle to better graze and improve the land. On other parts of the ranches, well pumps draw water from the aquifer below a creek. The pump pushes water through pipelines, up to rangelands more than two miles away to draw cattle to a variety of grazing areas. This improves the water quality by drawing the cattle from the nearby flowing creek; provides more water from a more stable underground water resource; allows the land to rest from the presence of the cattle; allows the manure to return to the soil so that the plants can better grow back, and provides drinking water for the cattle in remote rangelands.

  

Brush Management is the management or removal of woody (non-herbaceous or succulent) plants including those that are invasive and noxious. This creates the desired plant community consistent with the ecological site or a desired state within the site description; restores or release desired vegetative cover to protect soils, control erosion, reduce sediment, improve water quality, or enhance hydrology.• Maintain, modify, or enhance fish and wildlife habitat; improves forage accessibility, quality, and quantity for livestock and wildlife; Manages fuel loads to achieve desired conditions; controls pervasive plant species to a desired level of treatment that will ultimately contribute to creation or maintenance of an ecological site description “steady-state” addressing the need for forage, wildlife habitat, and/or water quality.

  

Pumping Plant is a facility that delivers water at a designed pressure and flow rate. Includes the required pump(s), associated power unit(s), plumbing, appurtenances, and may include on-site fuel or energy source(s), and protective structures.

 

USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

For more information, please see:

 

Brush Management - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1254946.pdf

 

Water Well - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_026211.pdf

 

Pumping Plant Pumping Plan - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1046901.pdf

 

NRCS - nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/

 

Farm Production and Conservation - usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/mission-areas

 

USDA - USDA.gov

  

Brush Management is the management or removal of woody (non-herbaceous or succulent) plants including those that are invasive and noxious. This creates the desired plant community consistent with the ecological site or a desired state within the site description; restores or release desired vegetative cover to protect soils, control erosion, reduce sediment, improve water quality, or enhance hydrology.• Maintain, modify, or enhance fish and wildlife habitat; improves forage accessibility, quality, and quantity for livestock and wildlife; Manages fuel loads to achieve desired conditions; controls pervasive plant species to a desired level of treatment that will ultimately contribute to creation or maintenance of an ecological site description “steady state” addressing the need for forage, wildlife habitat, and/or water quality.

 

Pumping Plant is a facility that delivers water at a designed pressure and flow rate. Includes the required pump(s), associated power unit(s), plumbing, appurtenances, and may include on-site fuel or energy source(s), and protective structures.

 

USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

For more information, please see:

 

Brush Management - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1254946.pdf

 

Water Well - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_026211.pdf

 

Pumping Plant Pumping Plan - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1046901.pdf

 

NRCS - nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/

 

Farm Production and Conservation - usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/mission-areas

 

USDA - USDA.gov

  

Brush Management is the management or removal of woody (non-herbaceous or succulent) plants including those that are invasive and noxious. This creates the desired plant community consistent with the ecological site or a desired state within the site description; restores or release desired vegetative cover to protect soils, control erosion, reduce sediment, improve water quality, or enhance hydrology.• Maintain, modify, or enhance fish and wildlife habitat; improves forage accessibility, quality, and quantity for livestock and wildlife; Manages fuel loads to achieve desired conditions; controls pervasive plant species to a desired level of treatment that will ultimately contribute to creation or maintenance of an ecological site description “steady state” addressing the need for forage, wildlife habitat, and/or water quality.

 

Pumping Plant is a facility that delivers water at a designed pressure and flow rate. Includes the required pump(s), associated power unit(s), plumbing, appurtenances, and may include on-site fuel or energy source(s), and protective structures.

 

USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

For more information, please see:

 

Brush Management - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1254946.pdf

 

Water Well - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_026211.pdf

 

Pumping Plant Pumping Plan - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1046901.pdf

 

NRCS - nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/

 

Farm Production and Conservation - usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/mission-areas

 

The companion video can be seen at youtu.be/jUIWOaa7vw4

 

USDA - USDA.gov

  

Este santuário está

implementado numa vasta

área consagrada ao culto

Mariano e constitui um pólo

de dinamização de

numerosas actividades de

espiritualidade, recolhimento

e apoio social. Na sua

génese, está a resposta das

populações do nordeste

transmontano à mensagem

de Fátima, através de uma

acção liderada por um

sacerdote natural da região: o

P. Manuel Joaquim Ochôa.

Começou a ser edificado em

1961. Para a sua construção

foi necessária a colaboração

de todo o povo de Cerejais,

homens e mulheres; eles com

quatrocentos carros de bois

de pedra e elas com o transporte de toda a água necessária à construção,

muita da qual foi transportada em cântaros, à cabeça.

Além da capela principal, fazem parte do conjunto do santuário:

l O Calvário (fig.1.1) com uma capelinha onde se encontra um conjunto

escultórico, em tamanho natural, que representa o encontro da Mãe

Dolorosa com o seu Divino Filho.

l Uma Via-sacra que percorre o caminho entre a Capela e o Calvário e

cujas cruzes foram esculpidas em granito da aldeia de Romeu.

Dois anos mais tarde, em 28 de Maio de 1967, celebrou-se a “festa dos

Bispos” como ficou conhecida a inauguração dos quinze Mistérios do

Rosário, que estão representados por outras tantas figuras esculpidas que

se distribuem à beira do caminho entre a capela e a Loca do Cabeço. Com

efeito, nas cerimónias desta inauguração, estiveram presentes os bispos

de Bragança-Miranda, Leiria, Lamego e Dili.

Em 1976 foi edificado o primeiro pavilhão da Casa dos Pastorinhos e foi

ampliada a torre sineira.

1977 foi o ano da comemoração do 60º aniversário das aparições em

Fátima e o Santuário dos Cerejais foi o ponto central das comemorações

na diocese de Bragança-Miranda.

seu desejo ao rei que logo pensou juntar o útil ao agradável: fez a vontade

à esposa e aproveitou o pretexto para construir uma fortificação militar nas

proximidades, dado que se tratava de um local estratégico para a

segurança do reino.

A administração da capela e dos seus folgados proventos determinados

por D. Dinis foi entregue aos frades beneditinos do mosteiro do Castro da

Avelãs, que se localiza a cerca de 30 km de distância, próximo a Bragança.

No reinado de D. João III, foi construída a catedral de Miranda, que passou

a ser a sede da diocese para quem passou a administração do santuário.

Durante todos estes anos, as actividades de culto foram promovidas pela

confraria que contava sempre com um mordomo castelhano, o que

confirma a grande influência que o santuário exerce do outro lado da

fronteira. Do lado espanhol o Santuário é designado por “La Ribeiriña”.

Apesar da grande quantidade de romeiros e da celebração anual das

grandes romarias, o templo chegou ao final do século XIX num estado de

apreciável degradação. Providencialmente surgiu um benemérito, próspero

emigrante no Brasil, natural de Castrelos, de seu nome António do Carmo

Pires.

5l-henrique.blogspot.pt/2013/06/alfandega-da-fe-cerejais-...

Feel free to extend this into your own implement!

www.brickshelf.com/gallery/TheScooterGuy/LDD/MOCs/Technic...

Sauerbier Ranches LLC, where producer Dan Doornbos (vest) and son-in-law ranch operator Ryan Ellis, were able to implement brush management practices and install a solar-powered (photovoltaic) electric well pump and distribution system with the help of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) John Wagoner (cowboy hat), at Sweetwater Basin, in southwest Montana, on August 27, 2019. Brush management practice has opened the rangeland for cattle to better graze and improve the land. On other parts of the ranches, well pumps draw water from the aquifer below a creek. The pump pushes water through pipelines, up to rangelands more than two miles away to draw cattle to a variety of grazing areas. This improves the water quality by drawing the cattle from the nearby flowing creek; provides more water from a more stable underground water resource; allows the land to rest from the presence of the cattle; allows the manure to return to the soil so that the plants can better grow back, and provides drinking water for the cattle in remote rangelands.

  

Brush Management is the management or removal of woody (non-herbaceous or succulent) plants including those that are invasive and noxious. This creates the desired plant community consistent with the ecological site or a desired state within the site description; restores or release desired vegetative cover to protect soils, control erosion, reduce sediment, improve water quality, or enhance hydrology.• Maintain, modify, or enhance fish and wildlife habitat; improves forage accessibility, quality, and quantity for livestock and wildlife; Manages fuel loads to achieve desired conditions; controls pervasive plant species to a desired level of treatment that will ultimately contribute to creation or maintenance of an ecological site description “steady-state” addressing the need for forage, wildlife habitat, and/or water quality.

  

Pumping Plant is a facility that delivers water at a designed pressure and flow rate. Includes the required pump(s), associated power unit(s), plumbing, appurtenances, and may include on-site fuel or energy source(s), and protective structures.

 

USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

For more information, please see:

 

Brush Management - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1254946.pdf

 

Water Well - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_026211.pdf

 

Pumping Plant Pumping Plan - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1046901.pdf

 

NRCS - nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/

 

Farm Production and Conservation - usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/mission-areas

 

USDA - USDA.gov

  

Brush Management is the management or removal of woody (non-herbaceous or succulent) plants including those that are invasive and noxious. This creates the desired plant community consistent with the ecological site or a desired state within the site description; restores or release desired vegetative cover to protect soils, control erosion, reduce sediment, improve water quality, or enhance hydrology.• Maintain, modify, or enhance fish and wildlife habitat; improves forage accessibility, quality, and quantity for livestock and wildlife; Manages fuel loads to achieve desired conditions; controls pervasive plant species to a desired level of treatment that will ultimately contribute to creation or maintenance of an ecological site description “steady state” addressing the need for forage, wildlife habitat, and/or water quality.

 

Pumping Plant is a facility that delivers water at a designed pressure and flow rate. Includes the required pump(s), associated power unit(s), plumbing, appurtenances, and may include on-site fuel or energy source(s), and protective structures.

 

USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

For more information, please see:

 

Brush Management - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1254946.pdf

 

Water Well - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_026211.pdf

 

Pumping Plant Pumping Plan - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1046901.pdf

 

NRCS - nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/

 

Farm Production and Conservation - usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/mission-areas

 

USDA - USDA.gov

  

Brush Management is the management or removal of woody (non-herbaceous or succulent) plants including those that are invasive and noxious. This creates the desired plant community consistent with the ecological site or a desired state within the site description; restores or release desired vegetative cover to protect soils, control erosion, reduce sediment, improve water quality, or enhance hydrology.• Maintain, modify, or enhance fish and wildlife habitat; improves forage accessibility, quality, and quantity for livestock and wildlife; Manages fuel loads to achieve desired conditions; controls pervasive plant species to a desired level of treatment that will ultimately contribute to creation or maintenance of an ecological site description “steady state” addressing the need for forage, wildlife habitat, and/or water quality.

 

Pumping Plant is a facility that delivers water at a designed pressure and flow rate. Includes the required pump(s), associated power unit(s), plumbing, appurtenances, and may include on-site fuel or energy source(s), and protective structures.

 

USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

For more information, please see:

 

Brush Management - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1254946.pdf

 

Water Well - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_026211.pdf

 

Pumping Plant Pumping Plan - nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1046901.pdf

 

NRCS - nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/

 

Farm Production and Conservation - usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/mission-areas

 

The companion video can be seen at youtu.be/jUIWOaa7vw4

 

USDA - USDA.gov

  

Sherlock.

This almost deserted town was a busy hub in early years. The Pinnaroo railway came through here in 1906 and this was an important siding as it was the nearest to the town of Karoonda to its north. This importance did not last as the railway line went through to Karoonda in March of 1912. The Hundred of Sherlock was gazetted in 1899 and the town was proclaimed in 1906 and named after a friend of Governor Buxton. There was soon a Post office and general store in Sherlock. Near the town was a government bore for a water supply to residents, trains and farms although most farms soon had their own bores. The Baptists were strong in this district and a wooden and iron Baptist church was built in 1908. In 1912 this was replaced with the fine stone edifice that still stands in Sherlock. A government primary school opened in Sherlock in the old Baptist church in 1911 and it moved into the stone Baptist church in 1912. Early crops at Sherlock produced high yields. Some got 18 bushels per acre but this soon fell to 7 or 8 bushel per acre in a good year. Although Sherlock was a reasonably prosperous district its stone institute and hall was not completed until 1927 as the Baptist Church was always used for town meetings, polling booth functions etc. In 1930 the government built a fine stone and brick school room at Sherlock. That building closed as a school in 1970, ten years after other schools in the district closed to support Coomandook Area School. It then became a school camp for city schools but it is now a private residence. The District Council of Peake was formed in 1911 and it covered the towns of Moorlands, Sherlock, Peake, Ki Ki and Yumali. The first District Clerk lived for decades in Sherlock and when new Council Chambers were built in 1973 they were located in Sherlock instead of Peake. The District Council of Peake closed in 1997 when part of it was amalgamated into the Coorong Council with Meningie, Coonalpyn etc. One highlight for the locals was the official Vice Regal visit to Sherlock by the Governor and his party in 1962. Like some other Mallee towns Sherlock and Moorlands (also Coomandook, Yumali etc) all supervised Italian prisoners of war during World War Two. Labour was short and these prisoners of war were important to maintain agricultural production. Today Sherlock has no public services and few residents.

 

Cast iron cooking implementations have always been a popular method for cooking -- don't forget the iron too.

This is the kitchen in the McDonald House at Westville. Just off from the main house of course, to avoid the risk of fire.

 

www.westville.org/index.html

www.westville.org/mcdonald.html

At a Rural Museum in Drayton Valley, AB

NPS President, CFO, and senior staff as well as members of the NPS and rSmart project teams.

The combination of increasingly complex high-risk financial instruments (unknown, under-acknowledged, under-estimated and/or misunderstood by public and private policy sector workers at all levels of governance) and a thriving culture of testosterone-driven traders with their hands firmly on the throttle of oil-dependent muscle vehicles, flooring-it on shared virtual highways with silently condoned (albeit) unwritten permission and even enthusiastic encouragement to exceed safe speed limits, the exponential growth in wealth of the upper quintile of the upper quintile accompanied by the exponential increase in poverty of the lower quintile of the lower quintile, the global expansion and implementation of the belief-system based on unfettered, self-regulated market political economies (loosely called market liberalism although best-served by political conservatism) promulgated around the planet through mass media content packaged to sell imagery of the invisible hand of the market as the right hand of the new secular god surrounded by soldiers of the user-pay, private-is-better, blame-the-poor, monetize-everything, blame-the-ill, social-justice-vs-economic-efficiency, base-minumum-wage-on-pin-money-workers, minimum-government, trickle-down-affect, legal-but-not-ethical, group-think-culture led by the Triad of Mises-Friedman-Hayek has led to market chaos that is not theoretical but Really Real.

 

According to Dan Mitchell's article Trading on Testosterone" in the New York Times, "Movements in financial markets are correlated to the levels of hormones in the bodies of male traders, according to a study by two researchers from the University of Cambridge."

 

The Adobe Photoshop image was created by adding the Suit to the bull and layering my own mortgage meltdown digitage with the article's illustration by Alex Eben Meyer in the New York Times. I saved this as a transparent .png file. (I am unsure of the licensing for the NYT image.) [1]

 

This is twisted curve in the winding road of ancient arguments that prohibited participation of hormone-driven women (emotional versus logical, intuitive versus deductive, feelings versus reason) in pivotal positions of decision-making.

 

read more | digg story

 

Does this mean the invisible hand of the market should be wearing a glove? Should the use of Viagra be monitored on the trading floor?

 

Notes

 

1. In response to the interesting question from Ray Randall re: Creative Commons Licensing of this images which he used here :

www.ethosadvisory.com/articles/index.php?id=418 and herehttp://www.ethosadvisory.com/blog. Ray is using CC for the first time and was confused and concerned about following Web 2.0 etiquette. It can be confusing.

 

This image is my digital collage or mashup as described above which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License. Most of my Flickr images are under the Creative Commons License lets authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry while legally remixing and reusing fragments of the work of others.

 

When you add a Flickr image to your blog through Flickr's menu options, it automatically generates this code (I've replaced with [ and ])

[div style="float:right;margin-left:10px;margin-bottom:10px;"][a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanflynn/2426434212/"><img style="border:solid 2px #000000;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2426434212_83d95ed5f5_m.jpg" alt="" /][/a]

 

[span style="font-size:.9em;margin-top:0;"]

[a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanflynn/2426434212/"]Bull Wrestling Bear Markets: Testosterone-driven[/a]

 

Originally uploaded by [a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/oceanflynn/"]ocean.flynn[/a]

[/span][/div]

 

By using Flickr's code the image is linked to image, artist and textual info.

 

I notice a lot of people bypass this and simply thank oceanflynn or Maureen Flynn-Burhoe which is fine for me because Google makes the link. It wouldn't if your name was not as easily identified by Google. And this method is not really Flickr-friendly.

  

However, Flickr has its own set of rules which requires that the live link to the Flickr-hosted image. This also accesses the accompanying explanatory text which describes how I added my own original mashups as well as remixing and reusing some of the work of other artists.

If you follow my links to the NYT's article you can see where the bull and bear originate. I put the bull in a Wall Street suit and tie and added my own original Adobe Photoshop image which was quite timely and involved. When you crop to include only the bear and bull, it is possible that it borrows too heavily from the original NYT's article illustration.

   

Webliography and Bibliography

Coates, J. M. and J. Herbert. 2008. "Endogenous steroids and financial risk taking on a London trading floor." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. snurl.com/250a7

 

Emarketer. 2008-03-18. "Online Advertisers To Spend Through Turbulence." snurl.com/250e6

 

Flynn-Burhoe, Maureen. 2008-04-19. "Complex Financial Instruments and Testosterone-Driven Trading: Algorithm of Market Chaos." snurl.com/250a6

 

Mitchell, Dan. 2008-04-19. "Trading on Testosterone." New York Times. 5tvolz permalink

 

Palmer, Jason. 2008-04-14. "Traders' raging hormones cause stock market swings." NewScientist.com. snurl.com/2508n

 

Rubel, Steve. 2008-04-17. "Study: A Billion Dollars in Internet Advertising is Wasted." Micro Persuasion. snurl.com/250au

 

Rubel, Steve. 2008-04-19. Twitter.

 

Notes:

 

1. Algorithm: a "problem-solving procedure: a logical step-by-step procedure for solving a mathematical problem in a finite number of steps, often involving repetition of the same basic operation" or a "problem-solving computer program: a logical sequence of steps for solving a problem, often written out as a flow chart, that can be translated into a computer program," a term used in the late 17th century. It is an alteration, "after Greek arithmos "number," of algorism, via Old French and medieval Latin based on the Arabic al-Ḵwārizmī , the name of the 9th century mathematician who introduced algorithms to the West." See MSC (1998-2005) Encarta.

 

D.M. Ferry & Co. Seed Annual, 1921

 

Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection

When one's neck or back plays up its the pleasurable pain that these impart that offers at least temporary relief

To implement plans for large-scale one-man operation of double-deck services, Western National had to buy large quantities of second hand Leyland Atlanteans, mainly from Maidstone & District. They were the first such vehicles to be seen in many parts of that company's operating area. Ex M&D 5511 511 DKT became 992 in the Western National fleet and is captured here at Helston garage on Monday 7th August 1978. 4J-11.

Este año, la Casa del Deporte implementará un total de 19 escuelas gratuitas en Viña del Mar, con once disciplinas entre las que se encuentran como novedades el balonmano y la halterofilia.

Entre las postales que dejaron los X Juegos Suramericanos ODESUR Santiago 2014, además de la histórica cosecha de medallas que completaron un total de 129 preseas para nuestro país, se cuentan recintos repletos de público vitoreando a deportistas como si se tratasen de eliminatorias mundialistas de futbol, evidenciando el gran interés y pasión que sienten los chilenos por deportes muy distintos al balompié.

Consciente de esta atención por variadas disciplinas, es que la Ilustre Municipalidad de Viña del Mar, a través de la Casa del Deporte, hace ya casi una década, ha implementado de forma gratuita en toda la ciudad, un programa compuesto por Escuelas Deportivas, y que este año junto a las ya clásicas Tenis, taekwondo, Karate, Natación, Basquetbol, Hockey Patín, Gimnasia Rítmica, Voleibol y Rugby, trae importantes novedades, como la inclusión de dos nuevas especialidades deportivas.

El programa de Escuelas Deportivas, este 2014, da la bienvenida a su oferta al cada día más popular Balonmano o Handball, y que después de la brillante participación de las selecciones chilenas masculinas y femeninas de la disciplina, premiadas con bronce en ODESUR 2014, y que justamente jugaron en Viña del Mar, es que niños, jóvenes y adultos, pusieron sus ojos sobre esta entretenida rama deportiva.

Junto con el balonmano, la Halterofilia o Levantamiento Olímpico de Pesas, también se suma al programa Escuelas Deportivas, y consiste en el levantamiento de la mayor cantidad de peso posible en una barra en cuyos extremos se fijan varios discos, los cuales determinan el peso final que se levanta, y que reciben el nombre de “haltera”.

Orientadas a niños entre 7 y 14 años, las Escuelas Deportivas 2014, suman un total de diecinueve, y para la inscripción en cualquiera de las once disciplinas de este año, sólo hay que asistir al lugar, el día y la hora fijada para la clase, y llenar una matrícula gratuita con los datos personales del alumno, y la firma de un apoderado mayor de edad autorizando la participación del menor en el taller. Te esperamos!

Read more: www.europarl.europa.eu/portal/en

 

This photo is free to use under Creative Commons licenses and must be credited: "© European Union 2016 - European Parliament".

(Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives CreativeCommons licenses creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

For bigger HR files please contact: webcom-flickr(AT)europarl.europa.eu

  

Jainism (/ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/ or /ˈdʒaɪnɪzəm/), traditionally known as Jina Sashana or Jain dharma (Sanskrit: जैन धर्म), is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of nonviolence towards all living beings. Practitioners believe that nonviolence and self-control are the means by which they can obtain liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

 

The word "Jain" is derived from the Sanskrit word Jina (meaning victor). A human being who has conquered all inner passions like attachment, desire, anger, pride, greed, etc. and therefore, possesses pure infinite knowledge (Kevala Jnana) is called Jina. Followers of the path practised and preached by Jinas are known as Jains.

 

Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world. It has also been regarded as one of the most scientific of all religions. Jains trace their history through a succession of twenty-four teachers and revivers of Jain teachings known as tirthankaras with Rishabha as the first and Mahāvīra as the last of the current era.

 

DOCTRINE

NON-VIOLENCE (AHIMSA)

The principle of ahimsa is the most fundamental and well known aspect of Jain religious practice. The everyday implementation of ahimsa is more comprehensive than in other religions and is the hallmark for Jain identity. Non-violence is practiced first and foremost during interactions with other human beings, and Jains believe in avoiding harm to others through actions, speech and thoughts.

 

In addition to other humans, Jains extend the practice of nonviolence towards all living beings. As this ideal cannot be completely implemented in practice, Jains recognize a hierarchy of life, which gives more protection to humans followed by animals followed by insects followed by plants. For this reason, vegetarianism is a hallmark of Jain practice, with the majority of Jains practicing lacto-vegetarianism. If there is violence against animals during the production of dairy products, veganism is also encouraged (see Jain vegetarianism). After humans and animals, insects are the next living being offered protection in Jain practice with avoidance of intentional harm to insects emphasized. For example, insects in the home are often escorted out instead of killed. Intentional harm and the absence of compassion make an action more violent per Jainism.

 

After nonviolence towards humans, animals and insects, Jains make efforts not to injure plants any more than necessary. Although they admit that plants must be destroyed for the sake of food, they accept such violence only inasmuch as it is indispensable for human survival. Strict Jains, including Jain monks and nuns, do not eat root vegetables such as potatoes, onions and garlic, because tiny organisms are injured when the plant is pulled up, and also because a bulb or tuber's ability to sprout is seen as characteristic of a living being.

 

Jainism has a very elaborate framework on types of life and includes life-forms that may be invisible. Per Jainism, the intent and emotions behind the violence are more important than the action itself. For example, if a person kills another living being out of carelessness and then regrets later, the karma bandhan (bondage of karma) is less versus when the person kills the same living being with anger, revenge, etc. The emotions (bhava) determine the bondage of karmas. A soldier acting in self defense is a different type of violence versus someone killing another person out of hatred or revenge.

 

Violence or war in self-defense may be justified, but this must only be used as a last resort after peaceful measures have been thoroughly exhausted. Mahatma Gandhi notably practiced and preached ahimsa.

 

NON ABSOLUTISM

The second main principle of Jainism is non-absolutism (anēkāntavāda). For Jains, non-absolutism means maintaining open-mindedness. This includes the recognition of all perspectives and a humble respect for differences in beliefs. Jainism encourages its adherents to consider the views and beliefs of their rivals and opposing parties. The principle of anekāntavāda influenced Mahatma Gandhi to adopt principles of religious tolerance and ahiṃsā.

 

Anekāntavāda emphasizes the principles of pluralism (multiplicity of viewpoints) and the notion that truth and reality are perceived differently from diverse points of view, no single one of which is complete.

 

Jains illustrate this theory through the parable of the blind men and an elephant. In this story, each blind man feels a different part of an elephant: its trunk, leg, ear, and so on. All of them claim to understand and explain the true appearance of the elephant but, due to their limited perspectives, can only partly succeed. The concept of anēkāntavāda extends to and is further explained by Syādvāda (below).

 

Non-possessiveness

The third main principle in Jainism is non-possessiveness (aparigraha). This is the concept of greedlessness or non-grasping and includes non-materialism. Jainism emphasizes taking no more than is truly necessary. While ownership of objects is allowed, non-attachment to possessions is taught. Followers should minimize the tendency to hoard unnecessary material possessions and limit attachment to current possessions. Further, wealth and possessions should be shared and donated whenever possible. Jainism believes that unchecked attachment to possessions can lead to direct harm to oneself and others.

Five main vows

 

Jainism encourages spiritual development through cultivation of personal wisdom and through reliance on self-control through vows. Jains accept different levels of compliance for strict followers and laymen. Followers of this religion undertake five major vows:

 

1. Ahimsa: Ahimsa means nonviolence. The first major vow taken by followers is to cause no harm to living beings. It involves minimizing intentional and unintentional harm to other living creatures by actions, speech or thoughts.

2. Satya: Satya means truth. This vow is to always speak the truth. Given that non-violence has priority, other principles yield to it whenever they conflict: in a situation where speaking truth could lead to violence, silence may be observed.

3. Asteya: Asteya means not stealing. Jains should not take anything that is not willingly offered. Attempting to extort material wealth from others or to exploit the weak is considered theft. Fair value should be given for all goods and services purchased.

4. Brahmacharya: Brahmacharya means chastity for laymen and celibacy for Jain monks and nuns. This requires the exercise of control over the senses to control indulgence in sexual activity.

5. Aparigraha: Aparigraha means non-possessiveness. This includes non-materialism and non-attachment to objects, places and people. Jain monks and nuns completely renounce property and social relations.

 

Monks and nuns are obligated to practice the five cardinal principles of non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possessiveness very strictly, while laymen are encouraged to observe them within their current practical limitations.

 

Additionally, Jainism identifies four passions of the mind: Anger, pride (ego), deceitfulness, greed. It recommends conquering anger by forgiveness, pride by humility, deceitfulness by straight-forwardness and greed by contentment.

 

GOD

Jainism rejects the idea of a creator or destroyer god and postulates that the universe is eternal. Jainism believes every soul has the potential for salvation and to become god. In Jainism, perfect souls with body are called Arihantas (victors) and perfect souls without the body are called Siddhas (liberated souls). Tirthankara is an Arihanta who help others in achieving liberation. Jainism has been described as a transtheistic religion , as it does not teach the dependency on any supreme being for enlightenment. The Tirthankara is a guide and teacher who points the way to enlightenment, but the struggle for enlightenment is one's own.

 

- Arihanta (Jina)- A human being who conquers all inner passions and possesses infinite knowledge (Kevala Jnana). They are also known as Kevalins (omniscient beings). There are two kinds of Arihantas -

 

1. Sāmānya (Ordinary victors) - Kevalins who are concerned with their own salvation.

2. Tirthankara - Tīrthaṅkara literally means a 'ford-maker', or a founder of salvation teaching. They propagate and revitalize the Jain faith and become role-models for those seeking spiritual guidance. They reorganise the fourfold order (chaturvidha sangha) that consists of monks (śramana), nuns (śramani), male followers (srāvaka) and female followers (śravaika). Jains believe that exactly twenty-four tirthankaras are born in each half cycle of time (Jain cosmology). The last tirthankara, Mahavira and his predecessor Parsvanatha are historical figures whose existence is recorded.

 

Siddhas (the liberated beings), although they are formless, this is how they are depicted in Jain temples

 

- Siddha- Siddhas are Arihantas who attain salvation (moksha) and dwell in Siddhashila with infinite bliss, infinite perception, infinite knowledge and infinite energy.

 

PRACTICES

MONASTICISM

In Jainism, monasticism is encouraged and respected. Jain monks and nuns live extremely austere and ascetic lifestyles. They follow the five main vows of Jainism absolutely. Jain monks and nuns have neither a permanent home nor possessions. They do not use vehicles and always travel barefoot from one place to another, irrespective of the distance. They wander from place to place except during the months of Chaturmas. They do not use telephones or electricity. They do not prepare food and live only on what people offer them. Jain monks and nuns also usually keep a cloth for ritual mouth-covering to avoid inadvertently harming micro-organisms in the air. Most will carry a broomlike object (Rayoharan), made from dense, thick thread strands, to sweep the ground ahead of them, or before sitting down, to avoid inadvertently crushing small insects.

 

The monks of Jainism, whose presence is not needed for most Jain rituals, should not be confused with priests. However, some sects of Jainism often employ a pujari, who need not be a Jain, to perform special daily rituals and other priestly duties at the temple.

 

PRAYERS

Jains pray to these passionless gods not for any favors, material goods or rewards but rather pray to the qualities of the god with the objective of destroying their own karmas and achieving liberation. This is best understood by the term vandetadgunalabhdhaye – i.e. "we pray to the attributes of such Gods to acquire such attributes".

 

NAVKAR MANTRA

The Navkār mantra is the fundamental prayer of Jainism and may be recited at any time. In this mantra, Jains worship the qualities (Gunas) of the spiritually supreme in order to attain Godhood. The prayer does not name any one particular person. In Jainism, the purpose of worship or prayer is to break the barriers of worldly attachments and desires and to assist in the liberation of the soul.

 

FASTING

Most Jains fast throughout the year, particularly during festivals (fasting in Jainism). This takes on various forms and may be practiced based on one's ability. Some examples include: eating only one or two meals per day, drinking only water all day, not eating after sunset, not eating processed foods, eating food without sugar/oil/salt. Two purposes of fasting are to exercise self-control and to clear the mind to devote more mental energy to prayer.

 

MEDITATION

Jains have developed a type of meditation called samayika, a term derived from the word samaya. The goal of Samayika is to achieve a feeling of perfect calmness and to understand the unchanging truth of the self. Such meditation is based on contemplation of the universe and the reincarnation of self. Samayika is particularly important during the Paryushana religious festival. It is believed that meditation will assist in managing and balancing one's passions. Great emphasis is placed on the internal control of thoughts, as they influence behavior, actions and goals.

 

Jains follow six duties known as avashyakas: samyika (practising serenity), chaturvimshati (praising the tirthankara), vandan (respecting teachers and monks), pratikramana (introspection), kayotsarga (stillness), and pratyakhyana (renunciation).

 

PHILOSOPHY

SOUL AND KARMA

According to Jains, souls are intrinsically pure and possess the qualities of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss and infinite energy in their ideal state. In reality, however, these qualities are found to be obstructed due to the soul's association with a substance called karma. The ultimate goal in Jainism is to obtain moksha, which means liberation or salvation of the soul completely freeing it from karmic bondage.

 

The relationship between the soul and karma is explained by the analogy of gold. Gold is always found mixed with impurities in its natural state. Similarly, the ideal, pure state of the soul is always mixed with the impurities of karma. Just like gold, purification of the soul may be achieved if the proper methods of refining are applied. The Jain karmic theory is used to attach responsibility to individual action and is cited to explain inequalities, sufferings and pain.

 

THREE GEMS

The following three gems of Jainism lay down the path to achieve liberation of the soul (moksha).

 

1. Right View (Samyak Darshana) - Having the right perception and seeking the truth while avoiding preconceptions that get in the way of seeing things clearly.

2, Right Knowledge (Samyak Gyana) - Having the right knowledge of Jain principles.

3. Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra) - Applying Jain principles to your life.

 

TATTVA

Jain metaphysics is based on seven or nine fundamentals which are known as tattva, which attempt to explain the nature of the human predicament and to provide solutions for the ultimate goal of liberation of the soul (moksha):

 

1. Jīva: The essence of living beings is called jiva, a substance which is different from the body that houses it. Consciousness, knowledge and perception are its fundamental attributes.

2. Ajīva: Non-living entities that consist of matter, space and time.

3. Asrava: The interaction between jīva and ajīva causes the influx of karma (a particular form of ajiva) into the soul.

4. Bandha: The karma masks the jiva and restricts it from having its true potential of perfect knowledge and perception.

5. Saṃvara: Through right conduct, it is possible to stop the influx of additional karma.

6. Nirjarā: By performing asceticism, it is possible to discard the existing karma.

7. Mokṣa: The liberated jiva which has removed its karma and is said to have the pure, intrinsic quality of perfect knowledge and perception.

 

Some authors add two additional categories: the meritorious (puńya) and demeritorious (pāpa) acts related to karma.

 

SYATVADA

Syādvāda is the doctrine extending from non-absolutism (anēkāntavāda). This recommends the expression of anekānta by prefixing the epithet Syād to every phrase or expression. The Sanskrit etymological root of the term syād is "perhaps" or "maybe", but in the context of syādvāda it means "in some ways" or "from some perspective." As reality is complex, no single proposition can express its full nature. The term syāt- should therefore be prefixed to each proposition, giving it a conditional point of view and thus removing dogmatism from the statement. There are seven conditioned propositions (saptibhaṅgī) in syādvāda as follows:

 

1. syād-asti—in some ways, it is;

2. syād-nāsti—in some ways, it is not;

3. syād-asti-nāsti—in some ways, it is, and it is not;

4. syād-asti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is, and it is indescribable;

5. syād-nāsti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is not, and it is indescribable;

6. syād-asti-nāsti-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is, it is not, and it is indescribable;

7. syād-avaktavyaḥ—in some ways, it is indescribable.

 

Each of these seven propositions examines the complex and multifaceted nature of reality from a relative point of view of time, space, substance and mode. To ignore the complexity of reality is to commit the fallacy of dogmatism.

 

Nayavāda is the theory of partial standpoints or viewpoints. Nayavāda is a compound of two Sanskrit words: naya ("partial viewpoint") and vada ("school of thought or debate"). It is used to arrive at a certain inference from a point of view. Every object has infinite aspects, but when we describe one in practice, we speak only of relevant aspects and ignore the irrelevant. Nayavāda holds that philosophical disputes arise out of confusion of standpoints, and the standpoints we adopt are "the outcome of purposes that we may pursue"— although we may not realize it. While operating within the limits of language and perceiving the complex nature of reality, Māhavīra used the language of nayas. Naya, being a partial expression of truth, enables us to comprehend reality part by part.

 

Non-absolutism (anēkāntavāda) is more formally stated by observing that objects are infinite in their qualities and modes of existence, so they cannot be completely grasped in all aspects and manifestations by finite human perception. Only Kevalins (omniscient beings) can comprehend objects in all aspects and manifestations; others are only capable of partial knowledge. Accordingly, no single, specific, human view can claim to represent absolute truth.

 

HISTORY

ORIGINS

The origins of Jainism are obscure. Jainism is a philosophy of eternity,. According to Jain time cycle, in each half of the time cycle, twenty-four great humans rise to the level of tirthankaras and show humans the true path to salvation. Therefore, they are also called human spiritual guides. Parshvanatha, predecessor of Mahāvīra and the twenty-third tirthankara was a historical figure. He lived somewhere in the 9th–7th century BC. Followers of Pārśva are mentioned in the canonical books; and a legend in the Uttarādhyayana sūtra relates a meeting between a disciple of Pārśva and a disciple of Mahāvīra which brought about the union of the old and the new Jain teachings.

 

During the 5th or 6th century BC, Vardhamana Mahāvīra became one of the most influential teachers of Jainism. Jains revere him as twenty-forth tirthankara and regard him as the last of the great tīrthankaras of this era. He appears in the tradition as one who, from the beginning, had followed a religion established long ago.

 

UNIVERSAL HISTORY

According to Jain legends, sixty-three illustrious beings called Salakapurusas have appeared on earth. The Jain universal history is a compilation of the deeds of these illustrious persons. They comprise twenty-four tīrthaṅkaras, twelve chakravartins, nine baladevas, nine vāsudevas and nine prativāsudevas.

 

A chakravarti is an emperor of the world and lord of the material realm. Though he possesses worldly power, he often finds his ambitions dwarfed by the vastness of the cosmos. Jain puranas give a list of twelve chakravartins. They are golden in complexion. One of the greatest chakravartin mentioned in Jain scriptures is Bharata. Traditions say that India came to be known as Bharatavarsha in his memory.

 

There are nine sets of baladeva, vāsudeva and prativāsudeva. Certain Digambara texts refer to them as balabhadra, narayana and pratinarayana, respectively. The origin of this list of brothers can be traced to the Jinacaritra by Bhadrabahu (c. 3rd–4th century BCE). Baladeva are non-violent heroes, vasudeva are violent heroes and prativāsudeva can be described as villains. According to the legends, the vasudeva ultimately kill the prativasudeva. Of the nine baladeva, eight attain liberation and the last goes to heaven. The vasudeva go to hell on account of their violent exploits, even if these were intended to uphold righteousness.

 

ROYAL PATRONAGE

The ancient city Pithunda, capital of Kalinga (modern Odisha), is described in the Jain text Uttaradhyana Sutra as an important centre at the time of Mahāvīra, and was frequented by merchants from Champa. Rishabha, the first tirthankara, was revered and worshiped in Pithunda and is known as the Kalinga Jina. Mahapadma Nanda (c. 450–362 BCE) conquered Kalinga and took a statue of Rishabha from Pithunda to his capital in Magadha. Jainism is said to have flourished under the Nanda Empire.

 

The Maurya Empire came to power after the downfall of the Nanda. The first Mauryan emperor, Chandragupta Maurya (c. 322–298 BCE), became a Jain in the latter part of his life. He was a disciple of Bhadrabahu, a Jain acharya who was responsible for propagation of Jainism in South India. The Mauryan king Ashoka was converted to Buddhism and his pro-Buddhist policy subjugated the Jains of Kalinga. Ashoka's grandson Samprati (c. 224–215 BCE) is said to have converted to Jainism by a Jain monk named Suhasti. He is known to have erected many Jain temples. He ruled a place called Ujjain.

 

In the 1st century BCE, Emperor Kharavela of the Mahameghavahana dynasty of Kalinga conquered Magadha. He retrieved Rishabha's statue and installed it in Udaygiri, near his capital Shishupalgadh. Kharavela was responsible for the propagation of Jainism across the Indian subcontinent.

 

Xuanzang (629–645 CE), a Chinese traveller, notes that there were numerous Jains present in Kalinga during his time. The Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves near Bhubaneswar, Odisha are the only surviving stone Jain monuments in Orissa.

 

King Vanaraja (c. 720–780 CE) of the Chawda dynasty in northern Gujarat was raised by a Jain monk Silunga Suri. He supported Jainism during his rule. The king of kannauj Ama (c. 8th century CE) was converted to Jainism by Bappabhatti, a disciple of famous Jain monk Siddhasena Divakara. Bappabhatti also converted Vakpati, the friend of Ama who authored a famous prakrit epic named Gaudavaho.

 

TAMIL NADU

Jainism flourished in Tamil Nadu at least as early as the Sangam period. Tamil Jain tradition places their origins are much earlier. The Ramayana mentions that Rama paid homage to Jaina monks living in South India on his way to Sri Lanka.

 

DECLINE

Once a major religion, Jainism declined due to a number of factors, including proselytising by other religious groups, persecution, withdrawal of royal patronage, sectarian fragmentation and the absence of central leadership. Since the time of Mahavira, Jainism faced rivalry with Buddhism and the various Hindu sects. The Jains suffered isolated violent persecutions by these groups, but the main factor responsible for the decline of their religion was the success of Hindu reformist movements. Around the 7th century, Shaivism saw considerable growth at the expense of Jainism due to the efforts of the Shaivite poets like Sambandar and Appar. Around the 8th century CE, the Hindu philosophers Kumārila Bhaṭṭa and Adi Shankara tried to restore the orthodox Vedic religion.

 

Royal patronage has been a key factor in the growth as well as decline of Jainism. The Pallava king Mahendravarman I (600–630 CE) converted from Jainism to Shaivism under the influence of Appar. His work Mattavilasa Prahasana ridicules certain Shaiva sects and the Buddhists and also expresses contempt towards Jain ascetics. Sambandar converted the contemporary Pandya king back to Shaivism. During the 11th century Brahmana Basava, a minister to the Jain king Bijjala, succeeded in converting numerous Jains to the Lingayat Shaivite sect. The Lingayats destroyed various temples belonging to Jains and adapted them to their use. The Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana (c. 1108–1152 CE) became a follower of the Vaishnava sect under the influence of Ramanuja, after which Vaishnavism grew rapidly in the present-day Karnataka. As the Hindu sects grew, the Jains compromised by following Hindu rituals and customs and invoking Hindu deities in Jain literature.

 

There are several legends about the mass massacre of Jains in the ancient times. The Buddhist king Ashoka (304-232 BCE) is said to have ordered killings of 18,000 Jains or Ajivikas after someone drew a picture of Buddha bowing at the feet of Mahavira. The Shaivite king Koon Pandiyan, who briefly converted to Jainism, is said to have ordered a massacre of 8,000 Jains after his re-conversion to Shaivism. However, these legends are not found in the Jain texts, and appear to be fabricated propaganda by Buddhists and Shaivites. Such stories of destruction of one sect by another sect were common at the time, and were used as a way to prove the superiority of one sect over the other. There are stories about a Jain king of Kanchi persecuting the Buddhists in a similar way. Another such legend about Vishnuvardhana ordering the Jains to be crushed in an oil mill doesn't appear to be historically true.

 

The decline of Jainism continued after the Muslim conquests on the Indian subcontinent. The Muslims rulers, such as Mahmud Ghazni (1001), Mohammad Ghori (1175) and Ala-ud-din Muhammed Shah Khilji (1298) further oppressed the Jain community. They vandalised idols and destroyed temples or converted them into mosques. They also burned the Jain books and killed Jains. Some conversions were peaceful, however; Pir Mahabir Khamdayat (c. 13th century CE) is well known for his peaceful propagation of Islam. The Jains also enjoyed amicable relations with the rulers of the tributary Hindu kingdoms during this period; however, their number and influence had diminished significantly due to their rivalry with the Shaivite and the Vaisnavite sects.

 

For long periods of time, Jainism was widely adopted in the Indian subcontinent. The religion has been in decline since the 8th century AD due to the growth of, and oppression by other religions.

 

COSMOLOGY

Jain beliefs postulate that the universe was never created, nor will it ever cease to exist. It is independent and self-sufficient, and does not require any superior power to govern it. Elaborate description of the shape and function of the physical and metaphysical universe, and its constituents, is provided in the canonical Jain texts, in commentaries and in the writings of the Jain philosopher-monks. The early Jains contemplated the nature of the earth and universe and developed detailed hypotheses concerning various aspects of astronomy and cosmology.

 

According to the Jain texts, the universe is divided into three parts, the upper, middle, and lower worlds, called respectively urdhva loka, madhya loka, and adho loka. It is made up of six constituents: Jīva, the living entity; Pudgala, matter; Dharma tattva, the substance responsible for motion; Adharma tattva, the substance responsible for rest; Akāśa, space; and Kāla, time.

 

WHEEL OF TIME

According to Jainism, time is beginningless and eternal; the cosmic wheel of time, called kālachakra, rotates ceaselessly. It is divided into halves, called utsarpiṇī and avasarpiṇī. Utsarpiṇī is a period of progressive prosperity, where happiness increases, while avasarpiṇī is a period of increasing sorrow and immorality. According to Jain cosmology, currently we are in the 5th ara, Duḥṣama (read as Dukhma). As of 2015, exactly 2,539 years have elapsed and 18,461 years are still left. It is an age of sorrow and misery. The maximum age a person can live to in this ara is not more than 200 years. The average height of people in this ara is six feet tall. No liberation is possible, although people practice religion in lax and diluted form. At the end of this ara, even the Jain religion will disappear, only to appear again with the advent of 1st Tirthankara in the next cycle.

 

JAIN COMMUNITY

DEMOGRAPHICS

The majority of Jains currently reside in India. With 5 million followers, Jainism is relatively small compared to major world religions. Jains live throughout India, with the largest populations concentrated in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu also have significant Jain populations. Outside India, large Jain communities can be found in the United States and Europe. Several Jain temples have been built in both of these places. Smaller Jain communities also exist in Kenya and Canada.

 

Jains developed a system of philosophy and ethics that had a great impact on Indian culture. They have contributed to the culture and language in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra,

 

FESTIVALS

Paryushana is the most important annual event for Jains, and is usually celebrated in August or September. It lasts 8–10 days and is a time when lay people increase their level of spiritual intensity often using fasting, study and prayer/meditation to help. The five main vows are emphasized during this time. There are no set rules, and followers are encouraged to practice according to their ability and desires. The last day involves a focused prayer/meditation session known as Samvatsari Pratikramana. At the conclusion of the festival, followers request forgiveness from others for any offenses committed during the last year. Forgiveness is asked by saying "Micchami Dukkadam" to others, which means "If I have caused you offence in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word or action, then I seek your forgiveness." The literal meaning of Paryushana is "abiding" or "coming together."

 

Mahāvīra Jayanti, the Janam (birth) of Mahāvīra, the last tirthankara, is usually celebrated in late March or early April based on the lunar calendar.

 

Diwali is a festival that marks the anniversary of attainment of Nirvana of Lord Mahavira, the last of the Jain Tirthankar of this era. It is celebrated at the same time as the Hindu festival of Diwali. Diwali is celebrated in an atmosphere of austerity, simplicity, serenity, equity, calmness, charity, philanthropy and environment-consciousness. Jain temples, homes, offices, shops are decorated with lights and diyas. The lights are symbolic of knowledge or removal of ignorance. Sweets are often distributed to each other. The new Jain year starts right after Diwali.

 

RITUALS

There are many Jain rituals including ones involving idol worshiping, depending on the sect. One example related to the five life events of tirthankara called the Panch Kalyanaka are rituals such as the panch kalyanaka pratishtha, panch kalyanaka puja, and snatra puja.

 

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Jainism has contributed significantly to Indian art and architecture. Jains mainly depict tirthankara or other important people in a seated or standing meditative posture. Yakshas and yakshinis, attendant spirits who guard the tirthankara, are usually shown with them. Figures on various seals from the Indus Valley Civilisation bear similarity to Jain images, nude and in a meditative posture. The earliest known Jain image is in the Patna museum. It is approximately dated to the 3rd century BCE. Bronze images of Pārśva, can be seen in the Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai, and in the Patna museum; these are dated to the 2nd century BCE. A sandalwood sculpture of Mahāvīra was carved during his lifetime, according to tradition. Later the practice of making images of wood was abandoned, other materials being substituted.

 

Remnants of ancient Jain temples and cave temples can be found all around India. Notable among these are the Jain caves at Udaigiri Hills near Bhelsa(Vidisha) in Madhya Pradesh and Ellora in Maharashtra, and the Jain temples at Dilwara near Mount Abu, Rajasthan. The Jain tower in Chittor, Rajasthan is a good example of Jain architecture. Decorated manuscripts are preserved in Jain libraries, containing diagrams from Jain cosmology. Most of the paintings and illustrations depict historical events, known as Panch Kalyanaka, from the life of the tirthankara. Rishabha, the first tirthankara, is usually depicted in either the lotus position or kayotsarga, the standing position. He is distinguished from other tirthankara by the long locks of hair falling to his shoulders. Bull images also appear in his sculptures. In paintings, incidents of his life, like his marriage and Indra's marking his forehead, are depicted. Other paintings show him presenting a pottery bowl to his followers; he is also seen painting a house, weaving, and being visited by his mother Marudevi. Each of the twenty-four tirthankara is associated with distinctive emblems, which are listed in such texts as Tiloyapannati, Kahavaali and Pravacanasaarodhara.

 

There are 26 caves, 200 stone beds, 60 inscriptions and over 100 sculptures in and around Madurai. It was in Madurai that Acharya Bhutapali wrote the Shatkhandagama. This is also the site where Jain ascetics of yesteryear wrote great epics and books on grammar in Tamil.

 

The Sittanavasal cave temple is regarded as one of the finest examples of Jain art. It is the oldest and most famous Jain centre in the region. It possesses both an early Jain cave shelter, and a medieval rock-cut temple with excellent fresco paintings of par excellence comparable to Ajantha paintings; the steep hill contains an isolated but spacious cavern. Locally, this cavern is known as Eladipattam, a name that is derived from the seven holes cut into the rock that serve as steps leading to the shelter. Within the cave there are seventeen stone beds aligned into rows, and each of these has a raised portion that could have served as a pillow-loft. The largest stone bed has a distinct Tamil- Bramhi inscription assignable to the 2nd century B.C., and some inscriptions belonging to 8th century B.C. are also found on the nearby beds. The Sittannavasal cavern continued to be the "Holy Sramana Abode" until the seventh and eighth centuries. Inscriptions over the remaining stone beds name mendicants such as Tol kunrattu Kadavulan, Tirunilan, Tiruppuranan, Tittaicharanan, Sri Purrnacandran, Thiruchatthan, Ilangowthaman, sri Ulagathithan and Nityakaran Pattakali as monks.

 

The 8th century Kazhugumalai temple marks the revival of Jainism in South India.

 

A monolithic, 18 m statue of Bahubali referred to as "Gommateshvara", built by the Ganga minister and commander Chavundaraya, is situated on a hilltop in Shravanabelagola in the Hassan district of Karnataka state. This statue was voted by Indians the first of the Times of India's list of seven wonders of India.

 

A large number of ayagapata, votive tablets for offerings and the worship of tirthankara, were found at Mathura.[

 

RECEPTION

NEGATIVE

Like all religions, Jainism is criticized and praised for some of its practices and beliefs. A holy fast to death in Jainism called sallekhana is a particular area of controversy. When a person feels that all his or her duties have been fulfilled, he or she may decide to gradually cease eating and drinking. This form of death (santhara) has been the center of controversy with some petitioning to make it illegal. Many Jains, on the other hand, see santhara as spiritual detachment requiring a great deal of spiritual accomplishment and maturity and a declaration that a person is finished with this world and has chosen to leave. Jains believe this allows one to achieve death with dignity and dispassion along with a great reduction of negative karma.

 

POSITIVE

Mahatma Gandhi was greatly influenced by Jainism. Jain principles that he adopted in his life were asceticism, compassion for all forms of life, the importance of vows for self-discipline, vegetarianism, fasting for self-purification, and mutual tolerance among people of different creeds.

 

Swami Vivekananda appreciated the role of Jainism in the development of Indian religious philosophy. In his words, he asks:

 

“ What could have saved Indian society from the ponderous burden of omnifarious ritualistic ceremonialism, with its animal and other sacrifices, which all but crushed the very life of it, except the Jain revolution which took its strong stand exclusively on chaste morals and philosophical truths?

 

WIKIPEDIA

Chennai Listeni/ˈtʃɛnnaɪ/ (formerly known as Madras Listeni/məˈdrɑːs/ or /-ˈdræs/) is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal, it is the biggest cultural, economic and educational centre in South India. Chennai is known as the "Detroit of South Asia" for its automobile industry. It is the fourth-largest city and fourth-most populous metropolitan area in India and 36th-largest urban area in the world. Chennai is one of the Indian cities most visited by foreign tourists, and is the 38th most visited city in the world. The Quality of Living Survey rated Chennai as the safest city in India. Chennai attracts 45 percent of health tourists visiting India, and 30 to 40 percent of domestic health tourists. As such, it is termed "India's health capital".

 

After Mumbai and Delhi, Chennai has the third-largest expatriate population in India at 35,000 in 2009 and 82,790 in 2011. Tourism guide publisher Lonely Planet named Chennai as one of the top ten cities in the world to visit in 2015. Chennai is ranked as a beta-level city in the Global Cities Index and was ranked the best city in India by India Today in the 2014 annual Indian city survey. In 2015 Chennai was named the "hottest" city (worth visiting, and worth living in for long term) by the BBC, citing the mixture of both modern and traditional values. National Geographic ranked Chennai's food as second best in the world; it was the only Indian city to feature in the list. Chennai was also named the ninth-best cosmopolitan city in the world by Lonely Planet.

 

In January 2015 the Chennai Metropolitan Area was ranked as the fourth-largest economy in India, with the third-highest GDP per capita. Chennai has been selected as one of the 20 Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission.

 

ETYMOLOGY

There are two different theories for the origin of the name Chennai. The first theory is that it was derived from the name of Damarla Chennappa Nayagar, father of Damarla Venkatapathy Nayak, a Nayak ruler who served as a general under Venkata III of the Vijayanagar Empire from whom the British acquired the town in 1639. The first official use of the name Chennai is said to be in a sale deed, dated 8 August 1639, to Francis Day of the East India Company. The second theory states that it was named after the Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple; the word Chenni in Tamil means face, with the temple regarded as the face of the city.

 

The nativity of 'Madras' of being Tamil origin and 'Chennai' of being Telugu origin, has been clearly proven and documented after various researches done by renowned scholars and historians. The name Madras originated even before the British presence was established in India. Madras was allegedly derived from Madraspattinam, a fishing-village north of Fort St George. However, it is uncertain whether the name was in use before the arrival of European influence. The British military mapmakers believed Madras was originally Mundir-raj or Mundiraj. Madras might have also been derived from the word Madhuras (Sanskrit: मधुरस) meaning "juice of honey" or "sugarcane" in Sanskrit. A Vijayanagar-era inscription dated to the year 1367 that mentions the port of Maadarasanpattanam, along with other small ports on the east coast was discovered in 2015 and it was theorised that the aforementioned port is the fishing port of Royapuram.

 

In 1996, the Government of Tamil Nadu officially changed the name from Madras to Chennai. At that time many Indian cities underwent a change of name. However, the name Madras continues in occasional use for the city, as well as for places named after the city such as University of Madras, IIT Madras, Madras Institute of Technology, Madras Medical College, Madras Christian College.

 

HISTORY

Stone age implements have been found near Pallavaram in Chennai. According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Pallavaram was a megalithic cultural establishment, and pre-historic communities resided in the settlement.

 

The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre for many centuries. During 1st century CE, a poet and weaver named Thiruvalluvar lived in the town of Mylapore (a neighbourhood of present Chennai). From the 1st–12th century the region of present Tamil Nadu and parts of South India was ruled by the Cholas.

 

The Pallavas of Kanchi built the areas of Mahabalipuram and Pallavaram during the reign of Mahendravarman I. They also defeated several kingdoms including the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas who ruled over the area before their arrival. Sculpted caves and paintings have been identified from that period. Ancient coins dating to around 500 BC have also been unearthed from the city and its surrounding areas. A portion of these findings belonged to the Vijayanagara Empire, which ruled the region during the medieval period.

 

The Portuguese first arrived in 1522 and built a port called São Tomé after the Christian apostle, St. Thomas, who is believed to have preached in the area between 52 and 70 CE. In 1612, the Dutch established themselves near Pulicat, north of Chennai.

 

On 22 August 1639, which is referred to as Madras Day, the English East India Company under Francis Day bought a small strip of land stretching 3 miles on the Coromandel Coast. They got a license to build a fort and a castle in the contracted region. The ruler Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu, the Nayaka of Chandragiri, granted the English permission to build a factory and warehouse for their trading enterprises. The region was then primarily a fishing village known as "Madraspatnam". A year later, the English built Fort St. George, the first major English settlement in India, which became the nucleus of the growing colonial city and urban Chennai, grew around this Fort. Post independence the fort housed the Tamil Nadu Assembly until the new Secretariat building was opened in 2010, but shortly afterwards it was again moved back to Fort St. George, due to a change in the Government.

 

In 1746, Fort St. George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius, who plundered the town and its outlying villages. The British regained control in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and strengthened the town's fortress wall to withstand further attacks from the French and Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore. They resisted a French siege attempt in 1759 under the leadership of Eyre Coote. In 1769 the city was threatened by Mysore and the British were defeated by Hyder Ali, after which the Treaty of Madras ended the war. By the 18th century, the British had conquered most of the region around Tamil Nadu and the northern modern–day states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, establishing the Madras Presidency with Madras as the capital.

 

Gradually, the city grew into a major naval base and became the central administrative centre for the British in South India.[54] With the advent of railways in India in the 19th century, the thriving urban centre was connected to other important cities such as Bombay and Calcutta, promoting increased communication and trade with the hinterland. Sir Arthur Lawley was Governor of Madras from 1906 to 1911 and promoted modern agriculture, industry, railways, education, the arts and more democratic governance. The Governor lived in Government House, Fort St George, and had a country home at Guindy, with access to a golf course, hockey pitches, riding stables and the Guindy Horse Racing Track. In the First World War as Red Cross Commissioner in Mesopotamia, he looked after the welfare of Indian soldiers. Madras was the only Indian city to be attacked by the Central Powers during World War I, when an oil depot was shelled by the German light cruiser SMS Emden on 22 September 1914, as it raided shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, causing disruption to shipping.

 

After India gained its independence in 1947, the city became the capital of Madras State, which was renamed as Tamil Nadu in 1969. The violent agitations of 1965 against the compulsory imposition of Hindi and in support of English in India in the state marked a major shift in the political dynamics of the city and eventually it had a big impact on the whole state. Because of Madras and its people, English now exists in India, otherwise Hindi might have been made the sole official language in India. On 17 July 1996, the city known as Madras was officially renamed Chennai, in line with what was then a nationwide trend to using less Anglicised names. On 26 December 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing 206 people in Chennai and permanently altering the coastline. The 2015 Chennai Floods submerged major portions of the city, killing 269 people and resulting in damages of ₹86.4 billion (US$1 billion).

 

ENVIRONMENT

GEOGRAPHY

Chennai, sometimes referred to as the "Gateway to South India," is located on the south–eastern coast of India in the north–eastern part of Tamil Nadu on a flat coastal plain known as the Eastern Coastal Plains. Its average elevation is around 6.7 metres, and its highest point is 60 m. Two major rivers flow through Chennai, the Cooum River (or Koovam) through the centre and the Adyar River to the south. A third river, the Kortalaiyar, travels through the northern fringes of the city before draining into the Bay of Bengal, at Ennore. The estuary of this river is heavily polluted with effluents released by the industries in the region. Adyar and Cooum rivers are heavily polluted with effluents and waste from domestic and commercial sources, the Coumm being so heavily polluted it is regarded as the city's eyesore. A protected estuary on the Adyar forms a natural habitat for several species of birds and animals. The Buckingham Canal, 4 km inland, runs parallel to the coast, linking the two rivers. The Otteri Nullah, an east–west stream, runs through north Chennai and meets the Buckingham Canal at Basin Bridge. Several lakes of varying size are located on the western fringes of the city. Some areas of the city have the problem of excess iron content in groundwater.

 

Chennai's soil is mostly clay, shale and sandstone. Clay underlies most of the city, chiefly Manali, Kolathur, Maduravoyal, K. K. Nagar, Tambaram, Mudichur, Pallavaram Semmencherry, Alapakkam, Vyasarpadi and Anna Nagar. Sandy areas are found along the river banks and coasts, and include areas such as Tiruvottiyur, George Town, Madhavaram, New Washermanpet, Chepauk, Mylapore, Porur, Adyar, Besant Nagar and Uthandi. In these areas, rainwater runoff percolates quickly through the soil. Areas having hard rock surface include Guindy, Nanganallur, Pallikaranai, Alandur, Jaladampet, Velachery, Adambakkam and a part of Saidapet and Perungudi. The ground water table in Chennai is at 4-5 m below ground in most of the areas, which was considerably improved and maintained through the mandatory rain water harvesting system.

 

GEOLOGY

Chennai is classified as being in Seismic Zone III, indicating a moderate risk of damage from earthquakes. Owing to the geotectonic zone the city falls in, the city is considered a potential geothermal energy site. The crust has granite rocks indicating volcanic activities in the past. It is expected that temperatures of around 200 to 300 C° will be available if the ground were drilled 4 to 5 km deep. The region has the oldest rocks in the country dating back to nearly a billion years.

 

FLORA AND FAUNA

The southern stretch of Chennai's coast from Tiruvanmiyur to Neelangarai are favoured by the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles to lay eggs every winter. A large number of cattle egrets, pond herons and other waterbirds can be seen in the rivers of Cooum and Adyar. About 75,000 birds migrate to Chennai every year. Marshy wetlands such as Pallikaranai also play host to a number of migratory birds during the monsoon and winter. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the city and its neighbourhood by members of Madras Naturalists' Society since its inception in 1978.

 

Guindy National Park is a protected area within the city limits. Wildlife conservation and research activities take place at Arignar Anna Zoological Park including Olive ridley sea turtle conservation. Madras Crocodile Bank Trust is a herpetology research station, located 40 kilometres south of Chennai. It is India's leading institution for herpeto faunal conservation and the first crocodile breeding centre in Asia.

 

ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION

Chennai has three rivers and many lakes spread across the city. Urbanization has led to shrinkage of water bodies and wetlands. The quantity of wetlands in the city has decreased from 650 to only 27 currently. The Chennai River Restoration trust set up by the government is working on the restoration of Adyar river. Environmentalist Foundation of India is a volunteering group working towards wildlife conservation and habitat restoration.

 

CLIMATE

Chennai has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen: Aw). The city lies on the thermal equator and is also on the coast, which prevents extreme variation in seasonal temperature. The hottest part of the year is late May to early June, known regionally as Agni Nakshatram ("fire star") or as Kathiri Veyyil, with maximum temperatures around 35–40 °C. The coolest part of the year is January, with minimum temperatures around 19–25 °C). The lowest recorded temperature was 13.9 °C on 11 December 1895 and 29 January 1905. The highest recorded temperature was 45 °C on 31 May 2003. The average annual rainfall is about 140 cm.

 

The city gets most of its seasonal rainfall from the north–east monsoon winds, from mid–October to mid–December. Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal sometimes hit the city. The highest annual rainfall recorded is 257 cm in 2005. Prevailing winds in Chennai are usually southwesterly between April and October and north-easterly during the rest of the year. Historically, Chennai has relied on the annual rains of the monsoon season to replenish water reservoirs, as no major rivers flow through the area. Chennai has a water table at 2 metres for 60 percent of the year.

 

ADMINISTRATION

Chennai city is governed by the Greater Chennai Corporation (formerly "Corporation of Madras"), which was established in 1688. It is the oldest surviving municipal corporation in India and the second oldest surviving corporation in the world. In 2011, the jurisdiction of the Chennai Corporation was expanded from 174 km2 to an area of 426 km2, dividing into three regions - North, South and Central, which covers 200 wards. The corporation is headed by a mayor, an office presently occupied by Saidai Sa. Duraisamy. The Mayor and councillors of the city are elected through a popular vote by the residents. While the city limit was expanded to 426 km2 in 2011, the revised population is yet to be officially announced.

 

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is the nodal agency responsible for planning and development of Chennai Metropolitan Area, which is spread over an area of 1,189 km2, covering the Chennai district and parts of Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts. The larger suburbs are governed by town municipalities, and the smaller are governed by town councils called panchayats. Under the gamut of the CMDA are 5 parliamentary and 28 assembly constituencies. The CMDA has drafted an additional Master Plan that aims to develop satellite townships around the city. The city's contiguous satellite towns include Mahabalipuram in the south, Chengalpattu and Maraimalai Nagar in the southwest, and Sriperumpudur, Arakkonam, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur to the west.

 

Chennai, as the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, houses the state executive and legislative headquarters primarily in the Secretariat Buildings in the Fort St George campus. The Madras High Court, is the highest judicial authority in the state, whose jurisdiction extends across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Chennai has three parliamentary constituencies - Chennai North, Chennai Central and Chennai South - and elects 14 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to the state legislature.

 

LAW AND ORDER

The Greater Chennai Police is the main law enforcement agency in the city, with a jurisdiction of over 745 sq km catering to over 85 lakh people. It consists of 121 Police stations and is headed by a commissioner of police. The Greater Chennai Police is a division of the Tamil Nadu Police, and the administrative control lies with the Tamil Nadu Home Ministry. Chennai City Traffic Police (CCTP) is responsible for the traffic management in the city. The metropolitan suburbs are policed by the Chennai Metropolitan Police, headed by the Chennai Police Commissionerate, and the outer district areas of the CMDA are policed by the Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur police departments.

 

As of 2011 (prior to the expansion of Chennai Corporation area), Chennai city has a sanctioned strength of 14,000 police personnel. With a population density of 26,903 persons per square kilometre, the city had 1 policeman for every 413 people. The Chennai suburban police had about 4,093 police personnel and a ratio of 1:1,222. In 2010, the crime rate in the city was 169.2 per 100,000 people, as against an average of 341.9 in the 35 major cities of India. In 2011, North Chennai zone had 30 police stations and 3 police out posts, Central Chennai zone had 28 police stations and 3 police out posts, and South Chennai zone had 30 police stations.

 

In 2009, Chennai Central Prison, one of the oldest prisons in India, built over 11 acres (4 ha) of land, was demolished; the prisoners were moved to Puzhal Central Prison.

 

POLITICS

Since the 19th century, when Western scholars proposed that Dravidian languages, which dominated the southern region of India, formed a different linguistic group to that of the Indo-Aryan languages that are predominant in the north of the subcontinent, the aspects of Tamil nationalism gained prominence. This resulted in the Anti-Hindi agitations in the city and across the state. However, the post-Independence re-organisation of Indian states according to linguistic and ethnic basis has moderated Tamil nationalism, especially the demand for separation from the Indian Union. The Anti-Hindi agitations in mid-1960s made the DMK more popular and more powerful political force in the state. The agitations of the 1960s played a crucial role in the defeat of the Tamil Nadu Congress party in the 1967 elections and the continuing dominance of Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu politics.

 

Being the capital of the Madras Province that covered a vast area of the Deccan region, Chennai remained the centre of politics in the southern region of India during the British colonial era. After Independence, it remained the centre of political activities of the state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the birthplace of the idea of the Indian National Congress, commonly known as the Congress Party. Founded by Indian and British members of the Theosophical Society movement, most notably A.O. Hume, the idea was originally conceived in a private meeting of 17 men after a Theosophical Convention held in the city in December 1884. During the first 50 years of the Indian National Congress, the city played host to its conferences seven times in 1887, 1894, 1898, 1903, 1908, 1914 and 1927, becoming one of the strong bases for the Indian independence movement. After independence, the city hosted the Congress in 1955 in its suburb of Avadi.

 

Chennai is also the birthplace of several regional political movements since the British era. South Indian Welfare Association, one of the earliest regional parties, was founded in 1916, which later came to be known as the Justice Party, which was the main opposition party to the Indian National Congress in the state. In 1944, the party was renamed Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) by E. V. Ramasami (popularly known as 'Periyar'). The party was a non-political party that demanded the establishment of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. However, due to the differences between its two leaders Periyar and C. N. Annadurai, the party was split. Annadurai left the party to form the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The DMK decided to enter into politics in 1956.

 

UTILTY SERVICES

The city's water supply and sewage treatment are managed by the Chennai MetroWater Supply and Sewage Board. Water is drawn from Red Hills Lake and Chembarambakkam Lake, the primary water reservoirs of the city, and treated at water treatment plants located at Kilpauk, Puzhal, Chembarambakkam and supplied to the city through 27 water distribution stations. The city receives 530 mld of water from Krishna River through Telugu Ganga project, 180 mld of water from the Veeranam lake project and 100 mld of water from the Minjur desalination plant, the country's largest sea water desalination plant. However, Chennai is predicted to face a huge deficit of 713 million litres per day (MLD) in 2026 as the demand is projected at 2,248 MLD and supply estimated at only 1,535 MLD. The city's sewer system was designed in 1910, with some modifications in 1958. There are 714 public toilets in the city managed by the city corporation, and 2,000 more have been planned by the corporation. The corporation also owns 52 community halls across the city.

 

The Corporation of Chennai provides civic services to the city. Garbage collection in some of the wards is contracted to Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited, a private company, while the Corporation looks after the removal and processing of solid waste in the others, with a superintendent engineer managing the channels. As of 2011, 8 transfer stations exist within the city for treating the waste. Garbage is dumped in two dump-yards in the city - One in Kodungaiyur and another in Perungudi, with a major portion of the latter covering the Pallikaranai marshland. In market areas, the conservancy work is done during the night. Electricity is distributed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. Fire services are handled by the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services. The city, along with the suburbs, has 33 operating fire stations.

 

ARCHITECTURE

With the history of many neighbourhoods of the city such as Mylapore and Triplicane antedating that of the city, the architecture of Chennai ranges in a wide chronology. The oldest buildings in the city dates from the 7th and 8th centuries CE, which include the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore and the Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane, built in the Dravidian architecture. This architecture includes various styles, such as those of the Pallavas, the Cholas, and the Vijayanagara empires. The associated Agraharam architecture, which consists of traditional row houses surrounding a temple, can still be seen in these areas. The heritage temples at Mamallapuram at the outskirts of the city are some of the examples of the Pallava architecture. Chennai ranks second to Kolkata of Indian heritage buildings.

 

With the advent of the Mugals and the British, the city saw a rise in a blend of Hindu, Islamic and Gothic revival styles, resulting in the distinct Indo-Saracenic style. The architecture for several early institutions such as banking and commerce, railways, press and education, chiefly through the colonial rule, followed the earlier directions of the Neo-Classical and the Indo-Saracenic. The Chepauk Palace in the city, designed by Paul Benfield, is said to be the first Indo-Saracenic building in India. Since then, many of the colonial-era buildings in the city were designed in this style of architecture, which is most apparent around the Fort St. George built in 1640. Most of these were designed by English architects Robert Fellowes Chisholm and Henry Irwin. The best examples of this style include the Madras High Court (built in 1892), Southern Railway headquarters, Ripon Building, Government Museum, Senate House of the University of Madras, Amir Mahal, Bharat Insurance Building, Victoria Public Hall and the College of Engineering.

 

The Triumph of Labour, also known as the Labour statue, is a statue at the Marina Beach, Chennai, India. Erected at the northern end of the beach at the Anna Square opposite University of Madras, it is an important landmark of Chennai. The statue shows four men toiling to move a rock, depicting the hard work of the labouring class.It was sculpted by Debi Prasad Roy Chowdhry.

 

The construction of the National Art Gallery in Madras was completed in 1909. The new building, with a stunning façade, was built of pink sandstone brought from Sathyavedu, and formed part of the Madras Museum campus. It was opened, on 23 January 1909, by the Governor of Fort St. George, Sir Arthur Lawley, and called the Victoria Memorial Hall after the Queen-Empress Victoria. The residential architecture in the city was based on the bungalow or the continuous row house prototypes. Gothic revival style buildings include the Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore railway stations. The Santhome Church, which was originally built by the Portuguese in 1523 and is believed to house the remains of the apostle St. Thomas, was rebuilt in 1893 in neo-Gothic style.

 

By the early 20th century, the art deco too made its entry upon the city's urban landscape. From the 1930s onwards, many buildings in George Town were built in this style, including the United India building (presently housing LIC) and the Burma Shell building (presently the Chennai House), both built in the 1930s, and the Dare House, built in 1940. Other examples include the Bombay Mutual building (presently housing LIC) and the South Indian Chamber of Commerce building. After Independence, the city witnessed a rise in the Modernism style of architecture. The completion of the LIC Building in 1959, the tallest building in the country at that time, marked the transition from lime-and-brick construction to concrete columns in the region. The presence of the weather radar at the Chennai Port, however, prohibited the construction of buildings taller than 60 m around a radius of 10 km. In addition, the floor-area ratio (FAR) in the central business district is also 1.5, much less than that of smaller cities of the country. This resulted in the city expanding horizontally, unlike other metropolitan cities where vertical growth is prominent. On the contrary, the peripheral regions, especially on the southern and south-western sides, are experiencing vertical growth with the construction of buildings up to 60 floors.

 

DEMOGRAPHICS

A resident of Chennai is called a Chennaite. Chennai has a population of 7,088,000. According to 2011 based on pre-expansion limits, the city had a population of 4,681,087, with a density of 26,903 per km² and the urban agglomeration had a population of 8,653,521. The city registered a growth rate of 7.77% during the period 2001–2011. In 2001, the population density in the city was 24,682 per km², while the population density of the metropolitan area was 5,922 per km², making it one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The Chennai metropolitan area is the fourth most populated agglomeration in India. The sex ratio is 986 females for every 1,000 males, higher than the national average of 940. The average literacy rate rose from 85.33% in 2001 to 90.18% in 2011, much higher than the national average of 74.04%. However, the city has the fourth highest population of slum dwellers among major cities in India, with about 820,000 people (18.6% of the city's population) living in slum conditions. According to 2011 census, the Chennai district has 11 lakh households, with 51% of them living in rented houses.

 

The majority of the population in Chennai are Tamils. Tamil is the primary language spoken in Chennai. English is spoken largely by white-collar workers, often mixed into Tamil. In 2001, out of the 2,937,000 migrants (33.8% of its population) in the city, 61.5% were from other parts of the state, 33.8% were from rest of India and 3.7% were from outside the country. As per 2001 census, the number of speakers mother tongue wise are as follows, Tamil is spoken by 3,424,107 (78.83%), followed by Telugu by 419,209 (9.65%), Urdu by 180,245 (4.1%), Malayalam by 113,828 (2.6%), Hindi by 104,084 (2.39%), and Kannada by 22,250 (0.5%).

 

Chennai, along with Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, is one of the few Indian cities that are home to a diverse population of ethno-religious communities. Minorities include Telugus, Marwaris, Gujaratis , Parsis, Sindhis, Odias, Goans, Kannadigas, Anglo-Indians, Bengalis, Punjabi, and Malayalees. As per the religious census of 2011, Chennai had 80.73% Hindus, 9.45% Muslims, 7.72% Christians, 0.06% Sikhs, 0.06% Buddhists, 1.11% Jains, 0.83% following other religions and 0.04% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference.

 

HOUSING

In a 2013 survey titled 'Emerging trends in real estate in Asia Pacific 2014', Chennai emerged in the top 25 real estate destinations list in the Asia Pacific region. The city ranked 22nd in the list. There are about 1,240 slums in Chennai home to about 9 lakh people.

 

Per 2011 census, there are 1.1 million households in the city and the residential housing stock available is 1,150,000 – a surplus of about 50,000 houses. About 43,700 of them are kept vacant. In the suburbs of Chennai located in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, the figures of vacant houses 56,000 and 71,000, respectively. Of the existing housing stock in the city, about 200,000 houses are not in good condition, necessitating either to rebuild or build new units. About 26,000 households live in houses without any room and another 427,000 families (with an average size of five members) live in small dwelling units with only one room. An earlier estimate shows that there is a need to generate about 420,000 units for low-income groups by 2016.

 

As of 2012, an estimated population of 11,116 (0.16 percent) were homeless. Per Supreme Court guidelines, the city needs 65 shelters for the homeless. However, it has only 15, of which 8 are functioning and two are under renovation.

 

ARTS AND CULTURE

MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES

Chennai is home to many museums, galleries, and other institutions, many of which are free of admission charges and are major tourist attractions as well as playing a research role. The city also has one of the oldest Museum and Art Gallery in the country- Government Museum, Chennai and The National Art Gallery (Chennai), established in the early 18th century. The city also hosts two art festivals annually. The "Fort Museum" inside the premises of Fort St. George is an important museum having a noteworthy collection of objects of the British era in its collection. The museum is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and has in its possession, the first Flag of India hoisted at Fort St George after the declaration of India's Independence on 15 August 1947.

 

MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

Chennai is a major centre for music, art and culture in India. The city is known for its classical dance shows. In 1930, for the first time in India, Madras University introduced a course of music, as part of the Bachelor of Arts curriculum. The Madras Music Season, initiated by Madras Music Academy in 1927, is celebrated every year during the month of December. It features performances of traditional Carnatic music by many artists in and around the city.

 

An arts festival called the Chennai Sangamam, which showcases not only various arts of Tamil Nadu but also from the neighbouring states, like kalari (from Kerala), which is a major attraction, is held in January every year. The Speciality of Chennai Sangamam is that the various programmes are held near or at the various famous landmarks in the city so that everyone in the city has access to the programmes and there is no fee charged for entry for any of the programmes. Pookolam, a form of art that uses coloured flour to create patterns and designs, comes from Kerala, but can be seen in abundance at the time of Onam.

 

The city has a diverse theatre scene and is one of the important centres for Bharata Natyam, a classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu and is the oldest dance of India. An important cultural centre for Bharata Natyam is Kalakshetra, on the beach in the south of the city. In 2012, a group of five Bharatha Natyam dancers from Chennai performed at the India Campaign during the 2012 Summer Olympics. Chennai is also home to some choirs, who during the Christmas season stage various carol performances across the city in Tamil and English.

 

CITYSCAPE

Madras is divided into four broad regions: North, Central, South and West. North Madras is primarily an industrial area. South Madras and West Madras, previously mostly residential, are fast becoming commercial, home to a growing number of information technology firms, financial companies and call centres. The city is expanding quickly along the Old Mahabalipuram Road and the Grand Southern Trunk Road (GST Road) in the south and towards Ambattur, Koyambedu and Sriperumbdur in the west. Central Madras comprises residential elements, but is primarily home to the downtown area, and surrounding areas, the most visited by travellers to the city. The financial district is also located here.

 

TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

With temples, beaches and centres of historical and cultural significance, including the UNESCO Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram, Chennai is one of the most visited cities in India. The city serves as the gateway to the southern part of India with tourists landing in the city and starting their trip to the rest of the region. Chennai was the most visited Indian city by foreign tourists in 2009 and issued the third highest number of visas on arrival in 2014. In 2011, Chennai was ranked 41st in global top 100 city destination ranking, with 3,174,500 tourists, a 14 percent increase from 2010. About 830,620 domestic tourists arrived in Chennai in March 2011. Top foreign nationals visiting the city include those from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom, France and United States. As of 2012, the city had 21 luxury five-star hotels with over 4,500 rooms in the inventory.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

Chennai is the base for the Tamil film industry, known as Kollywood. Many film personalities have gone on to become politicians including C.N.Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa. Chennai hosts major film studios, including AVM Productions, the oldest surviving studio in India. As of 2012, there are 120 cinema screens and multiplexes. Major multiplexes include Sathyam Cinemas, Escape cinemas, Devi, Abirami complex and Mayajaal. Chennai's expansive theatre network stages many Tamil plays of many genres: political satire, slapstick comedy, history, mythology and drama. English plays are popular in the city, along with the more common Tamil-language plays.

 

RECREATION

Zoo, beaches, and wildlife parks form the primary recreation areas of the city. Chennai has a total coast length of more than 19 km. Marina Beach runs for 6 km, spanning along the shoreline of the city between the deltas of Cooum and Adyar, and is the second longest urban beach in the world. Elliot's Beach lies south of the Adyar delta.

 

Madras Crocodile Bank Trust is a reptile zoo located 40 kilometres south of the city covering an area of 3.4 ha and had over 450,000 visitors in 2007. The centre has one of the world's largest collections of reptiles and has bred 14 of the 23 existing species of crocodiles and alligators. The Arignar Anna Zoological Park, one of the largest zoological parks in the world, attracts nearly 20 lakh visitors per year. The city boasts two popular beaches, the Marina and Elliot's. Guindy National Park, a protected area of Tamil Nadu, has a children's park and a snake park, which gained statutory recognition as a medium zoo from the Central Zoo Authority of India in 1995. Chennai is one of the few cities in the world that accommodates a national park, the Guindy National Park, within its limits. The city has an estimated 4.5 percent of its area under green cover. This enables Chennai residents to go birding. The seven zones of the old corporation limits has about 260 parks, many of which suffer poor maintenance. The city has a per capita park space of 0.41 sq m, which is the least among all metros in India. The eight zones in the newly added areas of the city have about 265 locations that have been identified for development of new parks. The largest among the parks is the 358-acre Tholkappia Poonga, developed to restore the fragile ecosystem of the Adyar estuary. The horticulture department-owned Semmozhi Poonga is a 20-acre botanical garden located in the downtown.

 

Chennai houses several theme parks, namely MGM Dizzee World and Queens Land. The safety of several amusement parks has been questioned after several fatal accidents occurred. Wonderla is planning to open an amusement park in 2017. Other important recreation centres include Madras Boat Club, which is over 140 years old, and Gymkhana Club, which is famous for its 18-hole golf courses. Built in 1867, Madras Boat Club is the second oldest surviving Indian rowing club.

 

ECONOMY

Industrialisation in the city dates back to the 16th century, when textile mills manufactured goods which were exported to British during its war with France. According to Forbes magazine, Chennai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and is rated in the "Forbes-Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities in the World". It is ranked 4th in hosting the maximum number of Fortune 500 companies of India, next only to Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. It also is home to 24 Indian companies having a net worth of more than US$1 billion. As of 2012, the city has about 34,260 identified companies in its 15 zones, of which 5,196 companies have a paid-up the capital of over ₹ 50 lakh.Chennai has a diversified economic base anchored by the automobile, software services, hardware manufacturing, health care and financial services industries. According to the Confederation of Indian Industry, Chennai is estimated to grow to a US$100–billion economy, 2.5 times its present size, by the year 2025. As of 2012, with ₹ 1 lakh crore investment in the pipeline over 5 years, the city is poised for major industrial investment. Chennai is classified as a global city by GaWC, with a ranking of Beta based on the extent of global reach and financial influence.

 

The city is base to around 30 percent of India's automobile industry and 40 percent of auto components industry. A large number of automotive companies including Hyundai, Renault, Robert Bosch, Nissan Motors, Ashok Leyland, Daimler AG, Caterpillar Inc., Komatsu Limited, Ford, BMW and Mitsubishi have manufacturing plants in Chennai. The Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi produces military vehicles, including India's main battle tank: Arjun MBT. The Integral Coach Factory manufactures railway coaches and other rolling stock for Indian Railways. The Ambattur–Padi industrial zone houses many textile manufacturers, and a special economic zone (SEZ) for apparel and footwear manufacturing has been set up in the southern suburbs of the city. Chennai contributes more than 50 percent of India's leather exports.

 

COMMUNICATION

Chennai is one of four Indian cities connected to the rest of the world by undersea fibre-optic cables, the other three being Mumbai, Kochi, and Tuticorin. The city is the landing point of major submarine telecommunication cable networks such as SMW4 (connecting India with Western Europe, Middle East and Southeast Asia), i2i (connecting India with Singapore), TIC (connecting India with Singapore), and BRICS (connecting India with Brasil, Russia, China and South Africa). The 3,175-km-long, 8-fiber-paired i2i has the world's largest design capacity of 8.4 terabits per second.

 

As of 2013, eight mobile phone service companies operate seven GSM networks including Airtel, Aircel, BSNL, Vodafone, Tata Docomo GSM, Idea, Reliance GSM and three CDMA networks including MTS, Relaince CDMA, Tata Docomo CDMA in the city. 2G Mobile internet connections are provided by all the operators and 4G, 3G mobile broadband are provided by few operators in the city. There are four land line companies providing Commercial and domestic broadband Internet services. Chennai was the first Indian city to deploy Wi-Fi internet access in a widespread manner. As of 2010, there were 9.8 million mobile phone users in Chennai. In 2010, Chennai had the fourth highest number of active Internet users in India, with 2.2 million users.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Mid-verre tourture

The Hyderabad Metro is a rapid transit system, serving the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is in Secant Operational model. It is being implemented entirely on public-private partnership (PPP) basis, with the state government holding a minority equity stake. A 30 km stretch from Miyapur to Nagole, having 24 stations was inaugurated on 28 November 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No other rapid transit metro service in India opened for public operations on such a long stretch of 30 km. As of October 2018, it is the second longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro, after a 16 km stretch between Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro route was opened on 24 September 2018. It is estimated to cost ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion). As of October 2018, about 200,000 people use the Metro per day. Trains are now crowded during the morning and evening hours, when employees travel to and from work. A ladies only coach was introduced on all the trains from 7 May 2018.

 

HISTORY

To respond the rising public transport needs and mitigate escalating vehicular traffic in the twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the State Government and the South Central Railway jointly launched the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) in [August] 2003. The increase in population of Hyderabad made MMTS alone insufficient for public transport, which led to Union Ministry of Urban Development giving the nod for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and directed the DMRC to conduct a survey on the project.[ this project was seen necessary in view that the population of Hyderabad was forecasted to reach 13.6 million by the year 2021. According to the initial plan, the metro was to be connected with the already existing MMTS to provide commuters with alternate modes of transport. Simultaneously, the proposals for taking up the construction of MMTS Phase-II were also taken forward.

 

On March 26, 2018, Telangana Govt announced that it would set up a SPV "Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML)", jointly promoted by HMRL and HMDA, to extend the Blue line from Raidurg to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

 

INITIAL BIDDING

The bidding process was completed by July 2008 and awarded to Maytas which failed to achieve financial closure for the project as per schedule By March 2009. In July 2009, the State Government cancelled the contract and called for fresh bids for the project.

 

RE-BIDDING

In the July-2010 rebidding process, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) emerged as the lowest bidder for the ₹121.32 billion (US$1.7 billion) project. L&T came forward to take up the work for about ₹14.58 billion (US$200 million) as viability gap funding as against the sanctioned ₹48.53 billion (US$680 million).

 

MASCOT

The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was derived from the word Nizam, who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad.

 

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

HMR project was showcased as one of the top 100 strategic global infrastructure projects at the Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum held in New York during February–March 2013.

 

L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (LTMRHL) has been conferred the SAP ACE Award 2015 in the 'Strategic HR and Talent Management category.

 

In 2018, Rasoolpura, Paradise and Prakash Nagar metro stations were awarded Indian Green Building Council’s (IGBC) Green MRTS Platinum Award.

 

CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

Groundbreaking (Bhoomi Puja) for the project was conducted on 26 April 2012 the concessionaire started the pillar erection on the same day for Stage-I and on 6 June 2012 for Stage-II. The work for Corridor 2 has been delayed due to traders in Koti and Sultan Bazar demanding realignment of the route to safeguard traders and old age heritage markets. If the recent bill proposed in Parliament which allows construction within a 100 metre radius of heritage structures and sites of historical or archaeological importance is passed, Metro might receive a chance as it helps to connect the Old city with IT corridor.

 

The construction of the entire 71.16 km has been split into 6 stages with the first stage originally scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

 

In November 2013, L&T Hyderabad Metro started laying of rails on the metro viaduct between Nagole and Mettuguda, a stretch of 8 km.

 

The first highly sophisticated train of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) came from Korea during the third week of May 2014. Stringent trial runs commenced from June 2014 till February 2015. The trial runs started on the Miyapur to Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar stretch in October 2015.

 

CMRS inspection for Stage-II (Miyapur and S.R.Nagar Section) was done on 9, 10 August 2016. Three interchanges are planned at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus, Parade Grounds and Ameerpet.

 

The steel bridge of the HMR was successfully placed over the Oliphant bridge in August 2017.

 

In November 2017, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) granted safety approval for 12 km stretch from Miyapur to SR Nagar, 10 km stretch from SR Nagar to Mettuguda and 8 km stretch from Nagole to Mettuguda.

 

Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro stretch is open for commercial operations from 24 September 2018.

 

CONSTRUCTION PHASES

The construction work was undertaken in two phases. There are six stages of completion in Phase I

 

PHASE I

The Phase I of the project includes 3 lines covering a distance of around 72 km. The metro rail stretches between Nagole and Secunderabad 11 km originally scheduled to be operational by December 2015, is now partially operational since 29 November 2017. The entire 72 km 57-station first phase is due to be completed by December 2019 with Hitec City - Raidurg line and MGBS - Falaknuma line is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.

 

Line 1 - Red Line - Miyapur – L B Nagar - 29.2 km

Line 2 - Green Line - JBS - Falaknuma 15 km

Line 3 - Blue Line - Nagole – Raidurg - 28 km

 

PHASE II

The Government is planning second phase of metro rail extending further. The construction of Phase II will be taken up solely by the state government, instead of public private partnership (PPP) mode in Phase I. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was entrusted to give a detailed project report (DPR) for Phase II. Metro Rail Phase II expansion plan is for about 60 km, which includes providing link to Shamshabad RGI Airport.

 

LINES

Since the first version of the plans, the three corridors mostly remained the same, but minor changes were introduced. These include the lack of stop at Lalaguda, or a stop at Lakdikapul instead of Secretariat. Also, the lines have been marked with several different combination of color. Ameerpet- LB Nagar metro stretch opened on 24 September 2018. HiTec City to Raidurg, 1.5-kilometre stretch on Corridor Three - Nagole to Raidurg, is scheduled to be completed in November 2019, as it involves construction of 49 pillars and the Raidurg terminal station. Efforts are being made to complete the 8.5-km stretch from Ameerpet to HiTec City by December 2018.

 

RECEPTION

The Metro has opened to overwhelming response, with over 200,000 people using it on Day 1. On the first Sunday of operations, the Metro was used by 240,000 people.. As of September 2018, the daily ridership was about 2,00,000.

 

Trains are initially being operated at a frequency of 3.5 minutes in very peak hours and every 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Miyapur-Ameerpet) and 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Ameerpet-Nagole),, though maximum achievable frequency is every 90 seconds. Similarly, three-car trains are being used currently, though it is planned to use six-car trains in the future.

 

In December 2017, Hyderabad Metro Rail launched its mobile app, TSavaari. Hyderabad Metro timings are available on T-Savari app. Ola Cabs and Uber tied up its services with app.

 

COST

The initial official estimated cost of the 72 km long Metro project stood at ₹14,132 crore (US$2.0 billion). The Central Government decided to bear 10% of it, while L&T was to bear the remaining 90% of the cost. The construction work which was supposed to commence on 3 March 2011 commenced in 2012. In March 2012, the cost of the project was revised upwards to ₹15,957 crore (US$2.2 billion). This has been further revised upwards to ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion) (as of November 2017).

 

INFRASTRUCTURE

The 71.3 km standard-gauge network will feature ballastless track throughout and will be electrified at 25kV ac 50 Hz. An operations control centre and depot are constructed at Uppal. At some places, a flyover, underpass and metro has been constructed at the same place, as part of Strategic road development plan (SRDP).

 

CBTC TECHNOLOGY

At the end of 2012, L&T Metro Rail awarded Thales a Rs 7.4bn ($US 134m) contract to provide CBTC and integrated telecommunications and supervision systems on all three lines. Thales will supply its SelTrac CBTC technology, and trains will initially run in automatic train operation mode with minimum headways of 90 seconds, although the system will support eventual migration to unattended train operation (UTO).

 

ROLLING STOCK

On 12 September 2012, Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (LTMRHL) announced that it has awarded tender for supply of rolling stock to Hyundai Rotem. The ₹18 billion (US$250 million) tender is for 57 trains consisting of 171 cars which will be delivered in phases at least 9 months before the commencement of each stage. On 2 October 2013, LTMRHL unveiled its train car for Hyderabad Metro. A model coach which is half the size of the actual coach, was on public display at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar in the heart of Hyderabad. The trains will be 3.2m wide and 4m high. There will be 4 doors on each side of each coach.

 

On 10 April 2014, the first metro train for HMR rolled out of Hyundai Rotem factory at Changwon in South Korea and reached Hyderabad in May 2014. On 31 December 2014, Hyderabad Metro Rail successfully conducted a training run in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode for the first time between Nagole and Mettuguda.

 

TICKETING

The L&T Hyderabad project will have an automated ticketing system with features such as contactless smart card based ticketing, slim automatic gates, payment by cash and credit/debit card, passenger operated ticket vending machine and provision of common ticketing system. It will also have a provision of NFC-based technology to enable usage of mobile phones as fare media and high performance machine to avoid long queues. Samsung Data Systems India, a subsidiary of South Korean firm Samsung, has been awarded the automatic fare collection system package for the L&T metro rail project. The package involves design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system.

 

Official ticket prices were announced on 25 November 2017. The base fare is ₹10 for up to 2 km and going to slap 10 with ₹60 for more than 26 km.

 

STATIONS

Hyderabad metro will have 64 stations in phase I. They will be provided with amenities such as escalators and elevators to reach the stations, announcement boards, electronic display systems among others for passengers. Commercial will also be provided on stations. Hyderabad metro stations will also have service roads underneath them to provide last mile connectivity by allowing other public transportation systems use it for dropping/picking passengers right in front of the stations and ensure uninterrupted traffic. Currently the service lane works are currently on at Nagole and Uppal stations. The signboards of Hyderabad Metro are displayed in Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu at metro stations.

 

Otis Elevator Company of United States won the contract to supply and maintain 670 elevators.

 

In May 2018, L&T Metro Rail announced that it had signed a contract with Powergrid Corporation of India to install electric vehicle charging facilities at all metro stations beginning with Miyapur and Dr. B R Ambedkar Balanagar stations. L&THMRL has setup free wifi access units for commuters at Miyapur, Ameerpet and Nagole metro stations, in association with ACT Fibernet, as part of a pilot project.

 

WIKIPEDIA

walking lawn mowers!

Sony a7r3, Sony FE 200-600G

The EAF-Nansen Programme fielded a mission to Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin in November 2018 as part of the Programme’s support for the implementation of management plans for beach seine fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea. The team for the mission was made up of Dr Kwame Koranteng, who was the Coordinator of the EAF-Nansen Project until 2017, and Mr Matthieu Bernardon, an independent consultant. The objectives of the mission were:

1.To assess the status of implementation of the beach seine management plan in each country,

2.To understand recent developments in the fisheries sector since 2013 when the plans were completed and approved for implementation and the need for possible updates,

3.To identify other projects and initiatives in place that could be in synergy with or in support of the implementation of the beach seine fisheries management plan, and

4.To prioritize activities from the plan that could be supported by the EAF-Nansen Programme, and to assess the needs for the same.

In each country, the team had initial discussions with the Director of Fisheries, the Focal Point of the Programme and relevant staff of the FAO Representation. A national workshop was then held which was attended by stakeholders (fishers, fisheries managers and researchers, security personnel and environmental protection/management officers, among others). At the workshop, the group reviewed the activities included in the management plan, identified priority actions and agreed on implementation modalities including the role of a national implementation or steering committees. In Cote d’Ivoire, the team also visited a community of beach seine operators in Jacqueville, a coastal town 40 km west of Abidjan.

At Jacqueville, some of the problems that the beach seine fishery is facing, particularly poor catches were evident. The dependence of a large sector of the fishing community on the beach fishery was also obvious as so many women and children were at the beach waiting for the catch from the only unit that operated that day. Interestingly, many of the women were able to take home small portions of the rather poor catch. One of the issues identified in the management plans is the clogging of nets by marine litter and sargasum weeds during fishing operations. On the day of the visit the entire beach was full of the weed which had been washed ashore over days and the bag of the beach seine net was also full of weeds together with the catch.

The mission noted that in all three countries key actions have been taken towards implementation of the management plan. In Togo, the government has provided funds to procure netting materials of the appropriate mesh size to replace the existing bags of the beach seine nets as recommended in the management plan. In Cote d’Ivoire and Benin, new laws have come into force that give legal backing to the implementation of the management plan. Discussions are ongoing in Benin that could lead to a complete ban of the beach seine fishery in the country.

It would be recalled that between 2009 and 2013, the then EAF-Nansen Project provided technical and financial support to a number of partner countries in Africa to develop management plans for selected fisheries using the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) framework. In each country, a multi-stakeholder National Task Group was set up and facilitated by the EAF-Nansen Project to lead the preparation of the management plan. The plans for Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin were among those that were finalised and approved for implementation by the Minister responsible for fisheries in each country. The NTGs of the three countries, as well as Ghana, collaborated in the preparation of the management plans to ensure that the recommended actions and management measures were similar in the region since the fishery is the same. In this phase of the Nansen Programme, support is being provided for the implementation of the plans through the establishment and operationalization of a fisheries management cycle (FMC) in each country.

   

The EAF-Nansen Programme fielded a mission to Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin in November 2018 as part of the Programme’s support for the implementation of management plans for beach seine fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea. The team for the mission was made up of Dr Kwame Koranteng, who was the Coordinator of the EAF-Nansen Project until 2017, and Mr Matthieu Bernardon, an independent consultant. The objectives of the mission were:

1.To assess the status of implementation of the beach seine management plan in each country,

2.To understand recent developments in the fisheries sector since 2013 when the plans were completed and approved for implementation and the need for possible updates,

3.To identify other projects and initiatives in place that could be in synergy with or in support of the implementation of the beach seine fisheries management plan, and

4.To prioritize activities from the plan that could be supported by the EAF-Nansen Programme, and to assess the needs for the same.

In each country, the team had initial discussions with the Director of Fisheries, the Focal Point of the Programme and relevant staff of the FAO Representation. A national workshop was then held which was attended by stakeholders (fishers, fisheries managers and researchers, security personnel and environmental protection/management officers, among others). At the workshop, the group reviewed the activities included in the management plan, identified priority actions and agreed on implementation modalities including the role of a national implementation or steering committees. In Cote d’Ivoire, the team also visited a community of beach seine operators in Jacqueville, a coastal town 40 km west of Abidjan.

At Jacqueville, some of the problems that the beach seine fishery is facing, particularly poor catches were evident. The dependence of a large sector of the fishing community on the beach fishery was also obvious as so many women and children were at the beach waiting for the catch from the only unit that operated that day. Interestingly, many of the women were able to take home small portions of the rather poor catch. One of the issues identified in the management plans is the clogging of nets by marine litter and sargasum weeds during fishing operations. On the day of the visit the entire beach was full of the weed which had been washed ashore over days and the bag of the beach seine net was also full of weeds together with the catch.

The mission noted that in all three countries key actions have been taken towards implementation of the management plan. In Togo, the government has provided funds to procure netting materials of the appropriate mesh size to replace the existing bags of the beach seine nets as recommended in the management plan. In Cote d’Ivoire and Benin, new laws have come into force that give legal backing to the implementation of the management plan. Discussions are ongoing in Benin that could lead to a complete ban of the beach seine fishery in the country.

It would be recalled that between 2009 and 2013, the then EAF-Nansen Project provided technical and financial support to a number of partner countries in Africa to develop management plans for selected fisheries using the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) framework. In each country, a multi-stakeholder National Task Group was set up and facilitated by the EAF-Nansen Project to lead the preparation of the management plan. The plans for Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin were among those that were finalised and approved for implementation by the Minister responsible for fisheries in each country. The NTGs of the three countries, as well as Ghana, collaborated in the preparation of the management plans to ensure that the recommended actions and management measures were similar in the region since the fishery is the same. In this phase of the Nansen Programme, support is being provided for the implementation of the plans through the establishment and operationalization of a fisheries management cycle (FMC) in each country.

   

I'm no good at digi post, can't get this to look right. am learning though.

 

Pentax 67

Olympus xa2

Bessa R3a

Leica M4p

Yashica Electro 35cc

Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta

     

... should have been a melon.

 

The Reid Press

 

Contiguous to Henry's Garage at Wheelers is this entrance to farm implements (apparently) on the left and a new chainsaw museum on the right. Note that each sign to the right promotes a different chainsaw company. Inside, the left section was roped off, but I was able to take a picture of the piece of red farm machinery. I don't exactly know what it is, but there are closeups in both colour and b&w, below, which are both open for viewing at larger size if you wish to have a closer look.

the garden stands ready but it isn't time to plant. olympus e-300 with meyer-optik gorlitz lydith 30mm f/3.5

The EAF-Nansen Programme fielded a mission to Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin in November 2018 as part of the Programme’s support for the implementation of management plans for beach seine fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea. The team for the mission was made up of Dr Kwame Koranteng, who was the Coordinator of the EAF-Nansen Project until 2017, and Mr Matthieu Bernardon, an independent consultant. The objectives of the mission were:

1.To assess the status of implementation of the beach seine management plan in each country,

2.To understand recent developments in the fisheries sector since 2013 when the plans were completed and approved for implementation and the need for possible updates,

3.To identify other projects and initiatives in place that could be in synergy with or in support of the implementation of the beach seine fisheries management plan, and

4.To prioritize activities from the plan that could be supported by the EAF-Nansen Programme, and to assess the needs for the same.

In each country, the team had initial discussions with the Director of Fisheries, the Focal Point of the Programme and relevant staff of the FAO Representation. A national workshop was then held which was attended by stakeholders (fishers, fisheries managers and researchers, security personnel and environmental protection/management officers, among others). At the workshop, the group reviewed the activities included in the management plan, identified priority actions and agreed on implementation modalities including the role of a national implementation or steering committees. In Cote d’Ivoire, the team also visited a community of beach seine operators in Jacqueville, a coastal town 40 km west of Abidjan.

At Jacqueville, some of the problems that the beach seine fishery is facing, particularly poor catches were evident. The dependence of a large sector of the fishing community on the beach fishery was also obvious as so many women and children were at the beach waiting for the catch from the only unit that operated that day. Interestingly, many of the women were able to take home small portions of the rather poor catch. One of the issues identified in the management plans is the clogging of nets by marine litter and sargasum weeds during fishing operations. On the day of the visit the entire beach was full of the weed which had been washed ashore over days and the bag of the beach seine net was also full of weeds together with the catch.

The mission noted that in all three countries key actions have been taken towards implementation of the management plan. In Togo, the government has provided funds to procure netting materials of the appropriate mesh size to replace the existing bags of the beach seine nets as recommended in the management plan. In Cote d’Ivoire and Benin, new laws have come into force that give legal backing to the implementation of the management plan. Discussions are ongoing in Benin that could lead to a complete ban of the beach seine fishery in the country.

It would be recalled that between 2009 and 2013, the then EAF-Nansen Project provided technical and financial support to a number of partner countries in Africa to develop management plans for selected fisheries using the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) framework. In each country, a multi-stakeholder National Task Group was set up and facilitated by the EAF-Nansen Project to lead the preparation of the management plan. The plans for Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin were among those that were finalised and approved for implementation by the Minister responsible for fisheries in each country. The NTGs of the three countries, as well as Ghana, collaborated in the preparation of the management plans to ensure that the recommended actions and management measures were similar in the region since the fishery is the same. In this phase of the Nansen Programme, support is being provided for the implementation of the plans through the establishment and operationalization of a fisheries management cycle (FMC) in each country.

   

Rural farm near Huntsdale in Boone County Missouri by Notley Hawkins. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera with a Canon EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens at ƒ/4.0 with a 108 second exposure at ISO 100. Processed with Adobe Lightroom CC.

 

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