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Since the last time I uploaded my JLA there has been some new arrivals.
Left to right :
Zatanna : She has a Harry potter torso and faora's head and some white pauldrons.
Power Girl : I just changed her head and put batgirl's.
Cyborg : Ninjago helmet, Galaxy squad torso and I can't remember where the legs are from.
Green Arrow : He is just amazing. I added some dark green vambraces, a quiver, a brick forge bow and some new clone legs.
Flash : Love him. I added some gold vambraces and the boxer's legs.
Batman : I just added Loki's legs and it fits perfectly.
Superman : Nothing new about him.
Wonder Woman : She is my fav. I tried to make her look like in justice league war.
Green lantern : This time I made Hal Jordan with some new arms and legs ( I can't remember the name of the character that had them) and Damian's head.
Martian Manhunter : Lego made a really great job on him.
Shazam : I remade him entirely. I gave Iron Man's torso and legs and the arm are from electro, they are supposed to represent the electricity on suit. He based on the Injustice game.
Black canary : I changed her arms to yellow and legs to dark grey to make her look like the new 52 character.
Aquaman : I just added some ninjago pauldrons.
Tell me what you think. Give credits if use and comment if fav please !!!!!!!!!!
L'Amour Productions Presents
Mr. & Miss Model International 2020©♛
The Competition Where "YOU” Represent Yourself!!!
SPONSORS: If you would like to sponsor MMI, Please contact Ava Jhamin
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Mr. & Miss Model International 2020©♛
L'Amour Productions, Ava Jhamin, CEO and Cyberdawg Foxclaw, COO are pleased to announce the Mr. & Miss Model International 2020©♛ competition. This competition is unlike any in SL, as you will represent "YOURSELF.” You will participate in runway, photo, and group challenges that will highlight you as a model, stylist and individual. The submissions of your work, photos etc. would then reflect who “YOU" are as an SL Avatar.
MMI prides itself on being the first competition on the grid to not care who you are behind the screen, only who you are in the Second Life realm.
Our goal is to celebrate the uniqueness of each of you. To celebrate who you are, where you come from, and share with others our mission for SL.
We invite you to participate as this competition is open to anyone in SL, regardless of schooling or lack thereof. If you reside in SL you are welcome to be a part of our competition. No voice verification!!! (We were the first) YOU BE YOU.
All scoring and judges’ comments will be available within 24 hours of each competition and will be given to each contestant at the Feedback Meetings held after each weekly challenge. It is mandatory for all contestants to attend the feedback meetings.
MMI’s competitions are not only fun and unique, they also challenge each contestant to think outside of the box and grow as individuals and stylists.
MMI winners receive amazing prizes that include Lindens, products from sponsors, modeling opportunities, and scholarships to various modeling academies.
YOU WIN BIG in more ways than one as you develop friendships with fellow contestants during the competition and learn valuable modeling and styling tips from experienced MMI staff.
We pride ourselves in being not only the first of its kind competition but also the most honest competition.
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HOW TO ENTER:
You will submit a 1024 X 1024 Headshot & Body shot in theme of CASUAL "YOU” (Be true to you). These photos should be submitted to the official MMI Flickr group:
www.flickr.com/groups/lamour_mmi/
Photo submission opens January 1, 2020 at 12 a.m Midnight and closes at 12:00 a.m. Midnight January 10, 2020.
Photos will be judged on a variety of factors, including theme, photo quality, prims and composition.
Photos must be submitted no later than midnight on January 10, . There are no exceptions to this deadline and any photo not submitted on time will not be accepted.
You MUST join the Mr. & Miss Model International Group©♛ in world. Contact Cyberdawg Foxclaw, COO for a group invite after your photos have been submitted.
The top 40 male and top 40 female contestants will be selected from the photos submitted. Those contestants will then compete in the audition walk, wearing their photo outfits, so keep that in mind when you style for your picture submissions. If there are fewer than 40 of either gender, then all contestants of that gender will participate in the live audition round. From those auditions, the top 20 women and top 20 men will be selected to compete. Please note that the initial audition is closed to the public.
You MAY NOT hire a professional photographer. All photos, throughout the competition, must be your own work. Photos must be done utilizing only those tools available to you in-world. No external photo editing, as with Photoshop, Picmonkey, gimp or any other software, is allowed. No outside Second Life tools can be used. If we discover any violation of the photo rules. you will lose the points for that photo. Because scoring is often close and photo scores can be huge, this can mean the difference between making the finals and possibly winning, and being cut in the first round, so just don't do it.
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LIVE AUDITION WALKS
January 17, 2020 10 a.m. 5 p.m.
January 18, 2020 10 a.m. 5 p.m.
January 19, 2029 10 a.m. 5 p.m.
You will walk in live auditions with what you wear in your picture submissions. (PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND)
YOU'VE BEEN CHOSEN AS A CANDIDATE .....Now what?
Information Meetings on Saturday January 25, 2020 10 a.m. slt & 4 p.m. slt. or Sunday January 26, 2020 10 a.m. & 5 p.m. slt. You MUST attend one of these meetings or you will be dropped from the competition. This is where you will get all the information about upcoming weekly competition dates...etc., so, missing this is NOT AN OPTION. Failure to attend will forfeit your place in the competition. There are NO exceptions to this rule, to keep the competition fair to all involved.
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CHALLENGES:
First walking challenge is:
February 1, 11:00 a.m. slt
This will be a photo and runway challenge. Theme to be released at Candidate meeting along with dates of future challenges.
All challenges will take place on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. slt. Unless otherwise specified, all walking challenges will have a photo element, with photos due by noon on Wednesday before the walk date.
Each week's challenge instructions notecard will be provided via notice to the MMI group on Saturday afternoon.
Throughout the competition there will be multiple cuts until we have standing the top 5 male and top 5 female that will go to the MMI Final.
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Jauary 1, 2020 Photo submissions to MMI start.
January 10, 2020 - Midnight - photo deadline for MMI submissions
January 11, 2020 - Judges Meeting 11 a.m. slt 5 p.m. slt
January 17,2020 - Audition Walk - 10 a.m. slt & 5 p.m. slt
January 18, 2020 - Audition Walk - 10 a.m. slt & 5 p.m. slt
January 19, 2020 - Audition Walk - 10 a.m. slt & 5 p.m. slt
January 25, 2020 - Contestant Meeting - 11 a.m. slt & 5 p.m. slt
January 26, 2020 - Contestant Meeting - 11 a.m. slt & 5 p.m. slt
January 29, 2019 - Photo Submission For 1st Challenge deadline 12 noon
February 1, 2020 - 1st Challenge Walk 11 a.m. slt
February 2, 2020 - Contestant Feedback Meeting 11 a.m. slt & 5 p.m. slt
February 8, 2020 -2nd Challenge Walk 11 a.m. slt
February 9, 2020 - Contestant Feedback Meeting 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. slt
February 13, 2020 - Photo Sumission for 3rd Challenge deadline 12 noon
February 15, 2020 - 3rd Couples Challenge 11:00 a.m. slt
February 16, 2020 - Contestant Feedback Meeting 11 a.m. slt & 5 p.m.
February 19, 2020 - Photo Sumission for 4th Challenge deadline 12 noon
February 22, 2020 - 4th Challenge 11 a.m. slt 11:00am
February 23, 2020 - Contestant Feedback Meeting 11 a.m. slt & 5 p.m slt
February 26, 2020 - Photo Submission for Semifinal 1 Challenge
February 29, 2020 - Challenge Semifinal 1 (Top 10 men, top 10 women)
March 1, 2020 - Contestant Feedback Meeting 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. slt
March 4, 2020 - Photo Submission Semifinal 2
March 7, 2020 - Semifinal 2 Challenge (top 5 men, 5 women)
March 8, 2020 - Contestant Feedback Meeting 11:00 a.m slt & 5 p.m.
March 12, 2020 - Photo Submission Final 3 Photos
March 14, 2020 - Grand Finale & WINNERS announced.
March 15, 2020 - Final Feedback Meeting With Contestants
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RELEASES:
By entering this competition and submitting your photo you agree to grant full permission to L’Amour Productions, its staff, members, and affiliates. to use pictures, statements, videos etc. in all forms of social media for promotion of the Mr. & Miss Model International 2020. ©♛ competition.
ALL submitted photos for competitions must be taken by YOURSELF, no professional photographers or friends can do this for you.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
You MUST join the Mr. & Miss Model International 2020 Group©♛ in world contact Cyberdawg Foxclaw or after your audition photos are submitted for an invite to the group.
You Must put Mr. & Miss Model International in your Picks on your profile
We would like you to blog, share in social media (Facebook, Flickr etc.) your involvement and stylings each week.
If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to Cyberdawg Foxclaw
We hope that you will be joining us on this journey to crown Mr. & Miss Model International 2020©♛
Ava Jhamin CEO
Mr. & Miss Model International (MMI)
Cyberdawg Foxclaw, COO
Mr. & Miss Model International (MMI)©♛
L'Amour Productions MMI Corp. (TM)
This is a continuation of the previous extinct birds plate in www.flickr.com/photos/10770266@N04/5043889621/
The species represented here are:
1. Alaotra grebe (Tachybaptus rufolarvatus)
This small waterfowl was endemic to lake Alaotra in Madagascar and have the sad "honour" of be the last bird declared extinct. Last record was in 1985 and the bird was declared extinct in march 2010, before that, the last declared extinct bird was the po'o-uli, treated in this same plate (number 5). Form this bird exist only one photograph of an alive bird. Causes of extinction are habitat destruction and introduced predatory fishes. Also hybridation with the widespread Little Grebe (T. ruficollis) played, but as this alwas happened before human destruction of Madagascar, this last fact only can damage a previously damaged population. In the Lake Alaotra also lives an endemic pochard (Aythya innotata) that was declared extinct, but in 2006 I readed that it was rediscovered alive so my hopes for the grebe aumented. However the grebe don't had the same luck as the pochard.
2. Red-moustached fruit dove (Ptilinopus mercierii)
This pigeon, as colorful as other fruit doves, lived once in Marquesas islands in Polynesia. This bird had two different subspecies but both are extinct now. It was extinct due to predators introduced by humans: owls, cats and rats.
3. Crested shelduck (Tadorna cristata)
This magnific duck lived in eastern Asia. Last reliable record was in 1964 although many sight was reported in recent times, so is slightly possible that the bird is not extinct. Direct hunt and habitat loss are the causes of its extinction.
4. Red rail (Aphanapteryx bonasia)
One more of the many Mauritius bird that, as the dodo, was killed after the discovery of the Western Indian Ocean islands by occidental explorers. Rails (family Rallidae) seems to have one of the highest tendence to extinction, probably because many are reluctant to fly, or even unable (the Red Rail was flightless), as well as sensitive to habitat destruction and often chased for food. Red Rail was known from bones, old paintings and descriptions. It was discovered around 1600 and it't known than a number to alive ones was brought to Europe. This bird was extinct by direct hunt for food. Also introduced pigs helped, eating eggs and chicks. Around 1700 the bird was disappeared.
5. Po'o-uli (Melamprosops phaeosoma)
This is the last bird species to die with an exact extinction date, the 28th November 2004. As many other Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanididae), that became extinct or are being extincted now, this bird suffered a lot the diseases caused by introduced mosquitoes in Hawaii. It was discovered in 1973 with a population estimated of 200 individuals, but in 2002 only three birds left, one female was captured and brought to a zone where lived the last male. But the female flew away to her own territory in next day. In 2004 was planned to capture the three birds and bring to a recovering center. So the male was captured and brough to the center, but none female could be captured before the male died of avian malaria, three months after captured. Probably these two females died too.
6. Bonin grosbeak (Chaunoproctus ferreorostris)
This finch was seen only in Chichi-jima island in the Bonin Islands (Japan). Discovered in 1827, three years after the island was used by whale killers, and in 1854 an expedition don't found the bird anymore, that probably died because of the introduced predators and other destructive animals: pigs, rats, dogs, goats, sheep and cats. Like the Bonin Thrush (Zoothera terrestris), the bird disappeared from these islands, and then, from the world. Now we count with about 10 taxidermy specimens.
7. Bachman's warbler (Vermivora bachmani)
A small colorful insectivorous from North America that was not seen since 1988. Probably is extinct due to habitat destruction, but as recently as in 2002 a female bird was filmed in Cuba and could belong to this species.
8. Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis)
Almost as well known as the dodo between extinct birds, due to its North American origin and the dramatic, almost impossible to believe, human stupidness of its extinction. This beautiful parrot was the only North American parrot, living even in temperate climates. Flocks of thousands of birds flew in the past in the sky, feeding overall in the fruits of Xanthium strumarium, an invasive weed that grows in cultivation fields. But the humans saw the parakeets in these fields and authomatically thinked that the bird feeds on the plants that they grow, instead of the weeds. So a giant persecution started and farmers killes thousands and thousands of this bird every day. Parrots are amongst most intelligent birds and they have personality and strong feelings. When Carolina parakeets are shot and killed, other parakeets go close to the died bodies trying to reanimate, in an unusual solidary behaviour. Then the farmers kill them more and more and more parakeets come to cry for the deads and are killed again attracting more parakeets etc... this never stop until last parakeet was killed. Last wild Carolina parakeet was killed in 1904, and captive ones lived a bit more, last individual in the world, "Incas", died in Cincinnati zoo in 21th February 1918, while the last female, "Lady Jane", died a year before in same zoo. "Incas" died in the same enclosure than the last Passenger Pigeon (number 13), died four years before. This parakeet breeded very well in captivity and much more could have been done for keep them in worlds zoos. Other causes of extinction was destruction of forest and introduction of european Honey Bee, that takes the nesting places.
9. Labrador duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius)
This marine duck of North America had a lifestyle similar to the eiders, harliquin ducks and scoters. The last sight was on 1878, three years before the last preserved individual was shooted. Causes of extinction are not clear, hunt for food is a reason but the bird is reported that don't tastes good. Collectong of eggs and killing for feathers can also be a reason, as well as decreasing of some mollusks by overcollecting.
10. Guam flycatcher (Myiagra freycineti)
I choosed this bird because I found good photos of them alive, beucase it's extinction is very recent. The only cause of it's extinction is the introduction of a predator, the Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) . Last sight of this bird was in 1983.
11. Raiatea parakeet (Cyanoramphus ulietanus)
Like some other parakeets in this genus, C. ulietanus is gone. It was endemic to Raiatea island in Polynesia. This bird is only known by two collected specimens, and was not seen anymore after 1773. Probably it disappeared due to forest destruction, direct hunt and introduced predators.
12. Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
This atonishing duck from India is extinct since 1950's. Always was a rare bird and no much is known about it, probably its evanishing is due to habitat destruction. Last shooted individual was on 1935. Exist a photo of several alive pink-headed ducks in captivity in Foxwarren Park, England, taken about 1925.
13. Passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)
Probably the most famous extinct bird after the dodo. Similar to Carolina Parakeet in their distribution, habits, and way and date of extinction. Passenger pigeons formed the largest bird focks ever, that can reach even more than TWO BILLION birds!!!!!! The flocks destroy branches with its weight. Despite that, now we don't have none more than taxidermy specimens. The birds was first chased as a cheap meat for slaves and poors, decreasing quickly the number of pigeons, and forest destruction deleted the pigeons habitat. Last wild bird was seen on 1900, and "Martha", the last passenger pigeon, died in Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.
Much more info at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Pigeon
14. Greater akialoa (Hemignathus ellisianus)
As is said in number 5, and in the other plate about the Mamo (Drepanis pacifica), the Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanididae) lost many species and many are disappearing now, and the major cause are the diseases transmited by introduced mosquitoes. The genus Hemignathus count with several olivaceous medium-sized birds with long curved bills, some of them still alive, but mainly extinct. The greater Akialoa was the one with longest bill. It had three subspecies, all of them extinct. Between all subspecies it inhabited islands of Oahu, Lanai, Molokai and Maui. Last record was in 1969, in Kauai. Like other Drpanididae, this species disappeared due to diseases and habitat destruction.
15. Robust white-eye (Zosterops strenuus)
This bird was endemic to Lord Howe island, near Australia. Probably it disappeared due to the introduction of black rats in the island. In 1923, the bird was extinct. Another species of white-eye, Zosterops lateralis, are still alive, but the subspecies of Lord Howe island is threatened.
16. Slender moa (Dinornis giganteus)
Moas are some of the most fascinating extinct birds. They formed a family of about 12 species of giant flightless birds endemic to New Zealands. The smallest species, Euryapteryx curtus, is not bigger than a chicken, while the biggest, Dinornis giganteus, was the tallest bird ever in human times, more than 3 meters high. Almost all moas was extinct when first Maoris arrived to New Zealand, coming from Polynesian. At least three species: Dinornis robustus, Emeus crassus and Megalapteryx didinus, passed the frontier of the XVI century, and was probably seen by the first Europeans that arrived to the islands in XVII century. Moas evolved in the island due to absence of any large mammal, and was predated by the also extinct Haas't eagle (Harpagornis moorei) before Maoris extincted this eagle.
Moas was scarce even before the arrival of Maoris to New Zealand, and maybe they could be extinct now without human help.
Moas are similar to Kiwis because they lost completely the wings. Is supposed that Kiwis are the closest living relatives. Several bones of many species was founs, as well as some feathers, and even a mummified head of Megalapteryx didinus.
Here can be seen a size comparison between skeletons of Ostrich, the largest living bird, and Dinornis giganteus.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Kiwi,_ostrich,_Dinornis.jpg
17 Ryukyu wood pigeon (Columba jouyi)
This nice bird was endemic of Okinawa islands in Japan. It was extinct due to habitat destruction. Last record of this species is on 1904. If any remaining bird left, the complete destruction of the forest of these islands by milician settlement prerpairing for World War II, destroyed for sure the last of these pigeons.
18. Liverpool pigeon (Caloenas maculata)
This amazing creature is known by only two taxdermy individuals, one of which is lost, the other is conserved in Liverpool Pigeon and without any kind of location data. Pressumably it was collected in South East Asia, where lives the only close relative today, the Nicobar Pigeon.
19. Oahu O'o (Moho apicalis)
Moho is a fantastic genus with 4 species endemic to Hawaii islands, all of theme are already extinct. The O'os species are black, with long and curved bill, yellow plumes in the body and a strange tail. As in Hawaiian honeycreepers (see number 5 and 14), these true honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) suffered the diseases transmited by introduced mosquitoes, as well as habitat destruction, and direct chase for feathers. The Oahu o's (Moho apicalis) was extinct in 1837, the Molokai o's (M. bishopi) in 1904, the Hawaii o'o (M. nobilis) in 1934 and the Kauai o'o (M. braccatus) in 1987.
20. Mauritius blue pigeon (Alectroenas nitidissima)
The history is repeated among all these Mauritius, Comores and Seychelles birds. The dodo is the most famous but much more birds of the tropical western Indian Ocean islands was gone at same time. Only three taxidermy specimens rest now. Last specimen shooted was in 1826 and is one of the three remaining stuffed specimens, probably the species only lived few years more. Habitat destruction, direct hunt, and predation by introduced monkeys are probably the causes of extinction.
21. Atitlan grebe (Podilymbus gigas)
This bird, very similar to the common and widespread Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) but much bigger and unable to fly, was restricted only to the Atitlan lake in Guatemala. Probably it have the most well documented history of decline and extinction between birds. It also count with the best photo ever made to an alive specimen of an extinct bird now. Causes of extinction are destruction of the nesting areas, introduction of large predatory fishes that compited with the adults for food and chased the chicks, and an earthquacke that reduced the water level of the lake in 1976. The last two birds were seen in 1989.
22. Red-headed macaw (Ara erythrocephala)
As said in the other plate for Ara atwoodi, this is only one of the many extinct macaws of the Caribbean islands. Like other macaws, this one from Jamaica is hypothetical due to the lack of reliable registers: it's known only by descriptions. Probably it was hunted for foor and as pet until extinction in early XIX century.
23. Choiseul pigeon (Microgoura meeki)
This atonishing bird, as his name says, resembles very much a miniature version of the New Guinean crowned pigeons, Goura spp. It lived on Choiseul island in the Solomon Islands. In 1904 six individuals and an egg was collected and sent to a museum. Causes of extinction are human hunt and predation by introduced cats and dogs.
Many more species of birds was extinct by humans between XVI and XXI centuries. This and the other plate are only a small part. Since XVII century the number of extinct birds is of 165. And this is only birds! Counting other animals, plants, fungus, etc. a species are disappearing now EVERY 15 SECONDS!!!!
Much more birds species are evanishing now and will do in the future. We must put as many effort as we can for protect them.
'' Cherish yesterday, dream tomorrow, live TODAY ''
I wanted to do a short series of photographs that represent in different ways my most important and successful images from my time here on FLICKR and also with GETTY IMAGES, who are my worldwide agents. These photographs might be in the selections for a number of reasons, but each has played a significant part in my photographic journey and represent personal memories, some not having been seen for a while.
Whilst my photographic journey and success over the last fifty years pale to insignificance compared to many of the renowned and talented photographers out there, I am none the less proud of my achievements along the way with three published books, worldwide sales of my photographs, my contracts with Getty Images who are my agents, competition wins, appearances in photographic exhibitions and publications in magazines, books, online websites and in corporate calendars and merchandising. I have always where possible allowed free use of certain images when requested, and my passion for photography still runs deep and strong.
(2) FOG AT SUNRISE (THE FISH MARKET IN SIDNEY BC ON VANCOUVER ISLAND)
Taken on my last trip over to see my family who live in a beautiful little town called Sidney, nestled on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It's always a big deal when I return to the Island, a homecoming of sorts, a spiritual home and a place where I can be at one with nature and relax with my camera, watching the wildlife and the beauty that Mother Nature offers. I am never happier than when photographing amidst the splendour of the golden hour around sunrise and sunset, and here in Sidney it's a very sentimental location as my mother in law moved out here and spent her final years watching her grandchildren grow, enjoying the beauty and the tranquility.
On this morning the weather was changing so quickly. A bank of sea fog was rushing in across the Salish Sea from the Southern Gulf Islands, I could feel the drop in temperature and see the darkness as the fog swept across the landscape. I had to act quickly and knew that I only had a few frames possible before I was engulfed. Heading back to the Buick Enclave that I'd parked close to the seafront, I stopped and set up my tripod for my last few shots, the fog swirling all around me, the colours, ambient light and temperature all changing by the second. The Fish market on Beacon Avenue has long been a popular location in Sidney and is situated on the pier close to Beacon Park and the new bandstand. I managed about three thirty second long exposures before everything was bathed in a sea of white, balancing settings with the changing light conditions. An amazing experience.
The few frames of that moment have gone on to be published by Getty images in October 2019 and have sold around the world, appearing in magazines as well as being invited into thirteen Flickr groups and an equal number of galleries, as well as being selected for FLICKR EXPLORE, which was really nice. This frame for me represents my passion, my love for the golden hour and the disciplines it imposes on you as a photographer, and also in sentimental terms the place I call my spiritual home.
©All photographs on this site are copyright: ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) 2011 – 2021 & GETTY IMAGES ®
No license is given nor granted in respect of the use of any copyrighted material on this site other than with the express written agreement of ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams). No image may be used as source material for paintings, drawings, sculptures, or any other art form without permission and/or compensation to ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)
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This thirty seconds long exposure was taken at an altitude of Zero metres at 06:35am on Saturday 21st September 2019 around sunrise off 1st Street and Bevan Avenue, between the boat jetty and Bevan Avenue Fishing Pier in beautiful Sidney by the sea on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
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Nikon D850. Focal length 50mm Shutter speed Thirty seconds seconds long exposure (Electronic front-curtain) Aperture f/16.0 iso160 RAW (14 bit uncompressed) Image size L (8256 x 5504 FX). Focus mode AF-C focus 51 point with 3D- tracking. AF-Area mode single point & 73 point switchable. Exposure mode - Aperture priority exposure. Nikon Back button focusing enabled. Matrix metering. ISO Sensitivity: Auto. White balance: Natural light auto. Colour space Adobe RGB. Nikon Distortion control on. Picture control: Auto. High ISO NR on. Vignette control: normal. Active D-lighting Auto.
Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR. Lee SW150 MKII filter holder. Lee SW150 77mm screw in adapter ring. Lee SW150 0.9 (3 stops) ND Grad soft resin.Lee SW150 Filters field pouch. Nikon EN-EL15a battery.Mcoplus professional MB-D850 multi function battery grip 6960. Matin quick release neckstrap. My Memory 128GB Class 10 SDXC 80MB/s card. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag. Nikon GP-1 GPS module. Hoodman HEYENRG round eyepiece oversized eyecup.Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod 3 Sections (Payload: 5.6kgs). Manfrotto 327RC2 Light Duty Grip Ball Magnesium Tripod Head (Payload: 5.5kgs). Manfrotto quick release plate 200PL-14. Jessops Tripod bag.Nikon MC-DC2 remote shutter release cable.
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LATITUDE: N 48d 38m 53.70s
LONGITUDE: W 123d 23m 36.44s
ALTITUDE: 0.0m
RAW (TIFF) FILE: 130.00MB NEF: 90.1MB
PROCESSED (JPeg) FILE: 29.50MB
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PROCESSING POWER:
Nikon D850 Firmware versions C 1.10 (9/05/2019) LD Distortion Data 2.018 (18/02/20) LF 1.00
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU 64Bit processor. Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB Data storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX-1 64bit Version 1.4.1 (18/02/2020). Nikon Capture NX-D 64bit Version 1.6.2 (18/02/2020). Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 (Version 2.4.5 (18/02/2020). Nikon Transfer 2 Version 2.13.5. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.
The plough represents one of the major advances in agriculture.
Ploughs were initially human powered, but the process became considerably more efficient once animals were pressed into service. The first animal powered ploughs were undoubtedly pulled by oxen, and later in many areas by horses (generally draught horses) and mules, although various other animals have been used for this purpose. In industrialised countries, the first mechanical means of pulling a plough were steam-powered (ploughing engines or steam tractors), but these were gradually superseded by internal-combustion-powered tractors.
2021 represents a significant milestone in the history of the Phoenix Railway-Photographic Circle with the celebration of our 50th anniversary. Phoenix was set up in spring 1971 and was created to promote an alternative approach to railway photography. Why not take a look at the PRPC web site at www.phoenix-rpc.co.uk/index.html.
Photograph courtesy of Nigel Capelle
Registration: XA-VLM
Named: Jesus
Type: 320-233
Engines: 2 × IAE V2527-A5
Serial Number: 6906
First flight: Dec 9, 2015
Volaris is a Mexican low-cost airline based in Santa Fe, Álvaro Obregón, Mexico City with its hubs in Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Tijuana, and focus cities in Cancún, León, and Monterrey. It is the country's second largest airline after Aeroméxico and serves domestic and international destinations within the Americas. The pre-operations phase started in August 2005 under the name Vuela Airlines. The idea for the airline was formed from the proposed "Vuelamex" project. Scheduled revenue flights were launched on March 13, 2006, with the inaugural flight having been operated from Toluca to Tijuana. The Volaris logo, since its launch in 2005, has been a colorful, pixelated star against a black background. It represents the north star Polaris.
Poster for Aviators.
Dated to the 2nd century AD. It is thought that the sculpture represents Sauromates II, King of the Bosporus, an ancient realm around present day Crimea. Little is known about him except that he reigned between around 173 and 210 AD. If it represents him, the bust would have been sculpted during his lifetime.
The Hubble Legacy Field represents the largest, most comprehensive "history book" of galaxies in the universe.
The image, a combination of nearly 7,500 separate Hubble exposures, represents 16 years of observations gathered together into a unified whole, giving the image its uneven shape. It includes Hubble deep-field surveys, such as the 2012 eXtreme Deep Field (XDF) and the 2004 Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), as well as the 2003 Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS).
The wavelength range stretches from ultraviolet to near-infrared light.
The image presents a wide portrait of the distant universe and contains roughly 265,000 galaxies. They stretch back through 13.3 billion years of time to just 500 million years after the universe's birth in the Big Bang. The tiny, faint, most distant galaxies in the image are similar to the seedling villages from which today's great galaxy star-cities grew. The faintest and farthest galaxies are just one ten-billionth the brightness of what the human eye can see.
The wider view contains 100 times as many galaxies as in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. The new portrait, a mosaic of multiple snapshots, covers almost the width of the full Moon. Lying in this region is the XDF, which penetrated deeper into space than this legacy field view. However, the XDF field covers less than one-tenth of the full Moon's diameter.
The Hubble Legacy Field is located in the constellation Fornax.
Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Illingworth (University of California, Santa Cruz; UCO/Lick Observatory)
For more information, visit: hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2019/news-2019-17.html
The scene may represent an episode from the story of Proserpine (Gr. Persephone) and Pluto (Gr. Hades).
Roman Onyx cameo fragment
late 1st century BC to 1st century AD
Metmuseum AN 06.1203
Mythological scenes are rare on such large cameos; most of the surviving examples depict members of the Roman imperial family.
Pueden representar un inicio afortunado
El blanco se asocia a la luz, la bondad, la inocencia, la pureza y la virginidad. Se le considera el color de la perfección.
El blanco significa seguridad, pureza y limpieza, por lo general tiene una connotación positiva.
Mezclado con cualquier color reduce su croma y cambia sus potencias psíquicas, la del blanco es siempre positiva y afirmativa. El blanco crea una impresión luminosa de vacio, positivo infinito.
On this site in 1895, Western scout and showman William F. ("Buffalo Bill") Cody laid out the original townsite of Cody, Wyoming, which was named in his honor. Today Old Trail Town preserves the lifestyle and history of the Frontier West through a rare collection of authentic structures and furnishings. From remote locations in Wyoming and Montana these historic buildings were carefully disassembled, moved and reassembled here at Old Trail Town by Western historian Bob Edgar and friends.
The buildings date from 1879 to 1901 and represent the history of Northwestern Wyoming. Included in the collection are original cabins used by Old West outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; a Wyoming saloon frequented by Cassidy's "Hole-in-the-Wall Gang", as well as the the log cabin home of "Curley" a Crow Indian army scout who helped guide Lt Col. George A. Custer and the U.S. 7th Cavalry to the battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. Currently the collection includes 26 historic buildings, a graveyard and many wagons and other artifacts. Old Trail Town exists today as a memorial to the uniquely American experience known throughout the world as "the Old West".
Info from: www.oldtrailtown.org/
The Orion constellation is one of the most brilliant. In legend, it represents a mighty hunter brought down by his own pride.
He boasts he could slay all wild animals but he was killed by a scorpion. The constellation's most celebrated feature is the huge nebula 1,500 light years away that lies within the hunter's sword.
Amongst the hundreds of stars in the system are two super giants, Betelgeuse and Rigel, 430 and 770 light years away, respectively.
Germain, channeled by Lyssa Royal, tells us that Orions are 89% Vegan and 11% Lyran. Note that Vega is a star in the Lyra constellation of stars, whereas the Orions we are interested in are apparently from the Betelgeuse and Rigel star systems.
Of the Orions who are Vegan (89%) in nature, most are of the human type - a smaller percentage is nonhuman.
Of the Orions who are Lyran stock (11%), most are light-browned skin, and about 10% are Caucasian type with light hair. Although their bodies are water based like ours they have an oily, fatty content acting like a lubricant. Also, as we indicated earlier, the little Greys occupy a small percentage of the Orion population; their origin, Zeta Reticuli, is a neighbor of the Orion constellation.
Thus, overall, the genetic differences are quite marked.
Orions have a reputation for possessing an aggressive nature and have been involved in many destructive wars. Note that the masculine energy is associated with the evolution of beings from the star systems of Orion, which are related to Earth, whereas inhabitants of the Sirius star system, also very much involved with Earth, carry the feminine energy or polarity.
Although there is a symbiosis between consciousness and technology, the Orion races probably pushed this principle to the limit and developed advanced technology (of a type) while still war-waging. The typical scenario was the Light against the Dark; peace-loving Orions opposed by self-serving 'aggressive' Orions.
According to Light Network there are three major players in the galaxy:
the Intergalactic Confederation of different star systems throughout the galaxy
the Reptoid Federation, a conglomeration of many reptoid species
the Orion Empire, ruled by one leader
Now within the domain of the Orion Empire, three groups formed, the dominant Orion Empire, the Black League resistance (to the Empire), and the victims of both these groups.
Even though this pattern of behavior still operates it is less widespread and many individuals have been awakened since the incarnation in Orion of a great avatar.
The authoritarian trait, present on Earth, is not typical amongst ET civilizations and has been acquired from Orion.
Many Orions, including the Black League, went to Maldek and settled - this is the planet in our system that was inhabited by many of the so-called fallen angels, who were given the opportunity to reform.
As is well known, the civilization failed to turn to a more spiritual path and the planet was destroyed, leaving the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Some sources indicate it was struck (or disturbed) by the huge planet Nibiru as it entered our system in its counter-direction to the other planets. Many of these Dark forces are on Earth at this time; hence the authoritarian nature that pervades this planet, including an enforced reliance on authority.
On the positive side, however, the Orions have contributed their mental powers for the development of smoothly running systems on Earth. They beam the yellow ray frequency to earth for the stabilization of the intuitive powers within human consciousness.
They are the source for many organizational structures of government, business and industry. Nevertheless this energy is only relevant to Earthman's frequencies, which we shall outgrow and then receive other energies from more advanced races, such as the Lyrans.
Of the genetic percentages mentioned above, the smaller group of nonhuman Vegans would cover the Greys and reptilians and accompanying varieties.
It is not uncommon for abductees to refer to small aliens (Greys) directed by a single tall alien (reptilian type, or sometimes, Nordic). The Greys tend to be servants or mercenaries for the tall reptilians.
These Greys and Dracos are known as the Rigelians (from the Rigel star) and are extremely dangerous.
The Orions, who have Vegan characteristics, have particularly striking eyes. In fact their priests, who live twice as long as the general population - about a thousand years - have bright blue eyes, which change to that color as a result of strict spiritual training, involving diet and psychic experience. The common color for the eyes is brown. Their height is usually in the 7 foot- tall category.
The duties of these priests is the education in theory and practice of all aspects of relationships for both marital and premarital subjects, including procreation rituals, in which full intimacies occur during a 24-hour stay in the priest's temples as a normal custom. Appearance remains similar from young to old with no senility. Attraction is not physical; awareness of inner-consciousness dominates.
In spite of the spiritual implications, there appears still to remain within the Orion civilizations the never-ending conflict between the Orion Empire and the Black League resistance. The Empire appears to be run mainly by the Greys working with a Federation of Draconian Reptilians, with the aim of extending their domination to other planets.
These Greys are mainly the ones who negotiate treaties and secret deals with Earth governments.
The resistance group have apparently built cities in and within the mountains. The Empire enforces controlled procreation, numbers of children, etc. and also enforces by Orion law that it is 'forbidden to remember'. The resistance group, however, are free from this mental control. The priests would seemingly be either from this category or the victim group.
Their customs are bound to rituals; imagination is not very free and children are told of the myth of Earth: of the freedom to be anything.
A civilization, particularly expressing what we understand by Orion energy - more masculine - would be the race from planet Vivinau nearer towards the the centre of the galaxy.
This is the home of the Warrior League. The Warrior League brings order to their society, and is essentially divided into,
the 'amenable' - people who would not rule and are subsequently trained to be amenable (no resistance, or anarchy, terrorists, protestors)
the 'omnipotent' - those who would rule
The interaction of this race with humans was considered by the Orions to have the purpose of bringing a similarly designed order to us claiming this is a duty on their part given by the 'Creator'.
They notice now, however, they are ineffective; their last monitors having visited Earth in 1957 with decreasing influence to the present. They accept that the Creator no longer requires their assistance - their energy - on Earth any more, and that the Creator apparently has other plans.
These warriors wonder how we will cope. They apparently operate on the principle of destroying negativity, criminals, terrorists, to bring order, not seemingly recognizing that ultimately rehabilitation is the only way, or simply not reflecting these 'negativities' into the environment from one's own mind.
This latter, is clearly the path for humans, hence the Creator's removal of this Orion influence.
Zoltec of the warrior league answers questions via channeling in the Explorer Race books. He states that the average height of this race is over 7 feet tall. They have a similar body to humans but tougher skin. They consider humans weak, physically, mentally and emotionally - they utilize the power of passion.
Their form and means of help to Earth has been through the so-called men-in-black (MIB).
Much has been written about these mysterious 'emissaries'. From the Earth person's viewpoint more negativity seems to be associated with these MIB than positive.
But they insist that they have protected us from the negative Sirians and also (ironically) from all such races as the Pleiadians, who are,
'trying to get you to imitate them... they are chaotic.'
Also the MIB influence government decisions by advocating adherence to their successful societal model and that societies which have used that form of government on Earth have survived the longest.
Note that they praise and respect the Roman Empire.
The MIB are of human size and roughly similar appearance but contain the Orion soul essence. The bodies are cloned by the little Greys who are also in the Orion system. These clones with Orion souls are the MIB.
They are sent in small space capsules to Earth; a journey taking about seven years. On arrival they are trained for a year or so in Earth customs, etc., at an Orion station. They apparently cannot stand our weak energy.
Zoltec refers to the anarchy from the Black League, which he states originally brought down Atlantis, and he likens them to our terrorists. Prior to Atlantis they were chased from the Orion planets to Maldek, a small planet in our solar system with an ordered civilization according to Zoltec, destroyed by the Black League, now a cluster of asteroids between Jupiter and Mars.
According to Zoosh a propulsion fuel was developed to accelerate them beyond light speed for their escape.
The fuel, a 'hydrogen-oxygen combinant' was unstable but extremely powerful. It was manufactured in large quantities and was sufficient to destroy the planet. Many of these destructive beings then incarnated on Earth.
When asked how they communicate with the Creator, he describes visitations of the 'All-Powerful' in the form of a female warrior of golden light with armor and sword. She is described as the ultimate female; just to be touched with her sword was 'a wonderful thing.' The above Orion warrior material is taken from the Explorer Race books.
Clearly the only way the Creator could communicate to these warriors was in a form acceptable to them - virtually in their own making. They appear to be totally blocked of feminine energy or a world in which all problems can be solved harmoniously. In spite of their psychical abilities, their experience, intelligence and technology, they are stuck.
If they knew, however, what evolution had in store for them they would misunderstand it and reject it - simply because of the necessary feminine energy.
Hence it seems they must have more limited perception in this area than humans. When Zoltec was asked about the future of Orion (and they have advanced technologies for seeing future probabilities, etc.) he replied he didn't want to know. They didn't like what they saw; reminded them of humans - weak.
As a final piece of information about the Orions of some interest was the fact that they apparently created the huge cavern under Cape Good Hope. The Shining The Light books describe the size of this as of the order of magnitude as Rhode Island.
Following one of the many Atlantis disasters, in which the surface of Earth was not habitable, the Atlanteans, who survived, sent out signals for help.
The Orions apparently immediately responded and shortly arrived in a large ship. According to the Zoosh material their technology was such that they built the cavern about 150 miles under Cape Good Hope and did this in about 16 hours - primarily for the Atlanteans.
However, their motivations weren't without self-interest. Any opportunity to preserve a connection with Earth was taken advantage of in case they needed to utilize it in the future, such as for resources.
Thus they did in fact examine the probabilities for their future which showed they did need the connection with Earth for the next 100,000 years. They thus set up equipment in one 'corner' of the cavern, and protected it with fields, even of a nature to make Atlanteans sick if they came close.
After this they left for their home planet in Orion.
PIRATE ALIENS
It is not uncommon for extraterrestrial civilizations to spawn rebellious members which are ostracized from their native planet.
We mentioned in the first chapter a digressive strain from the reptilians race called the Drakon. Here we shall concentrate on small pirate groups, in particular, from the relatively advanced civilizations of,
Orion
Sirius
the Pleiades
These comprise not more than a handful of pirates who revel in plundering planets like Earth and exploring time travel in such linear 3D highly objective realities.
Different aliens seek different resources whether it is sea water, sand, quartz, minerals or genetic material, etc.
But they have apparently learned that generally it is to their benefit to exercise cooperation with our secret government and negotiate deals with them. Over the years the government has acquired advanced technologies from ETs as a result of these negotiations.
A particularly notorious renegade cabal are the Xpotaz. In the Shining The Light books they are referred to as particularly dangerous time travelers. They no longer have a home planet.
An example is given in which the Xpotaz, which had established itself by force as go-between for other alien pirate's deals with the secret government, would warn all other rebel parties approaching Earth with a view to acquiring resources.
They would threaten them with their 'time beam weapon'; a dreaded device with which few would argue - unless they were contacted first.
Nevertheless, along came the Zetas; their first mission to Earth, seeking genetic material. This took place in the 1920s. There were nine Zeta aliens in their spacecraft, which was a product of hundreds of thousands of years of advanced technology.
Their intention was to contact Earth's governments, which would be the secret government or One World Government and negotiate a deal for the acquisition of genetic material from humans. A combination of some degree of etiquette or ethics, and cooperation for cover-ups from the public made government contact logical and wise.
The Zeta ship's approach to Earth was intercepted by the Xpotaz pirates. These Zetas were given the standard warning that unless they cooperated and conducted negotiations with the government through, and to the benefit of, the Xpotaz they would be subject to the time-beam weapon.
It had never been necessary to use it as no aliens were foolish enough to defy the Xpotaz. Nevertheless the Xpotaz were quite ready to use it to set an example to others.
Needless to say the Zetas ignored them. One must keep in mind that the Zetas had developed unsurpassed intellect. Their ships were constructed of the same material as their cloned bodies (compressed light, which was a little like plastic), and could - as they did with their bodies - bilocate: appear in two places at once.
In addition, on entering their ships, one apprehended that the interior of the craft was greater than the outside dimensions permitted. They were exceedingly advanced, but highly specialized, resulting in an inordinate failure to understand others, combined with a certain naivety and arrogance.
Thus they rejected three warnings from the Xpotaz.
The time-beam device was directed at the Zeta spacecraft. The ship was transported back in time half-a-billion years at a location better described as the other side of the universe. Channel source Zoosh referred to this as a sad state of affairs. There was no hope of them finding their way home. To this day since the 1920s they are still lost and in fact are not expected even to be rescued within their lifetimes of another 200 years.
Underhand deals with the secret government were also negotiated by other pirate aliens such as ones from Orion and Sirius but the most treacherous are the Xpotaz.
According to the Shining The Light series of books the Orions contacted our secret government around 1910 and in return for a small laser device, obtained government agreement to turn a blind eye while they took over human bodies by force - this was as per the well-known 'walk-in' procedure, except that most walk-ins are benevolently arranged.
This means that the soul entering has agreement with the soul leaving.
Generally the departing soul is leaving a dying body and the exchange mechanics are quite complex. The new personality is rarely aware immediately that they have taken over a human body. They have the same memories, karma, ailments, etc. The Orion's purpose in controlling human bodies was of course negative.
Thus the government obtained laser technology from aliens. It took them about 30 years to understand and duplicate the laser, culminating in the development of a laser gun.
Regarding the Orion renegade's intention to take over (a few) human bodies, it amounted to nothing more than an attempt. The energy for humans was incompatible and the plot failed. Needless to say the government obtained their end of the deal.
Now regarding deals from the Sirians, the renegades originally from this planet were few in number, much less than Orion and Zeta Reticuli. Also remember that these pirate aliens in general are outcasts from their home planet - in particular Orion and Sirius but also even a number from the Pleiades (in the case of the Sirians though, these were probably the so-called negative Sirians).
The few negative Sirians apparently planned to set up conditions to harness the Earth's core. The government allowed them to utilize their technology involving a very small amount of the core, and in exchange the Sirian pirates gave them a medical chamber which was claimed to heal all ills.
The problem was, in using it discreetly in the underground bases, it required an antenna extending above ground level, directed at the sun. The extreme secrecy that the government required prohibited its application. As a result it was used very little.
The Zetas themselves did many deals. It is difficult to categorize them as negative or positive since as we have seen in the chapter on the extensive Zeta program there was a higher purpose.
The basic arrangement with the secret government was that the government turned a blind eye to the abductions to enable the Zetas to obtain genetic material. The Zetas were also given quartz, which is abundant on planet Earth, but scarce in Zeta Reticuli. In return, the Zetas were apparently almost naively generous.
The government would have accepted much less. Again this is an example of the Zeta's over specialization, resulting in a failure to evaluate relative importance and the nature of other beings.
The government were given a complete space drive.
The Zetas also gave the secret government a crystal technology that would give free energy. Free energy or over-unity energy means the device harnesses not mechanical and chemical energy, but energy from space, cosmic energy or sun light, etc. Every point in our space potentially contains an unlimited amount of energy and certain systems will extract this by resonance.
This Zeta system of free energy was achieved by internal reflection of the Sun's rays.
As is typical, however, the secret government did not make it available to the masses and kept it for themselves. The government gave them quartz and sand in exchange.
The government in fact utilized the device for nefarious purposes. The crystal technology could be used with the secret government time machines (see Montauk material) and genetic experiments to enable them to synthesize the DNA of the Zeta aliens.
This technique was successful, resulting in the creation of a slave race of cloned Zeta-type aliens.
A method was used to prevent 'normal souls' from entering the bodies - only degenerate beings and consciousness were attracted (note that as stated previously, 'normal souls' wouldn't enter clones anyway).
Taxonomía: El bigotudo (Panurus biarmicus) es el único representante en nuestro país de la familia Timaliidae. Su nombre común es consecuencia de la peculiar coloración facial de esta especie.
Identificación: Esta especie suele medir unos 16 cm y puede pesar hasta 15 gramos.
Es fácilmente identificable por su larga cola y por el curioso diseño de sus alas. Los machos adultos presentan una cabeza y parte del pecho de tonos grisáceos, con dos grandes rayas triangulares que empiezan entre el ojo y el pico y bajan hasta ambos lados de la barbilla. Su cuerpo es de color canela con tonos naranjas, y en las coberteras primarias observamos dibujos negros con bordes blancos. Las infracoberteras caudales en los machos también son negras. Su pico es de tonos naranjas, y el iris amarillento.
Las hembras son más discretas, sin bigotes negros, la cabeza tiene también tonos marrones y puede tener algunas manchas oscuras en el píleo. El iris suele ser amarillento.
Los juveniles tienen una coloración general es más amarillenta, y en el dorso se pueden observar también algunas franjas oscuras (sus alas son también más negras). No presentan bigotes.
En ambos sexos las patas son oscuras, prácticamente negras. Su cola es proporcionalmente larga.
Plumaje: 10 primarias, 6 secundarias, 3 terciarias y 12 rectrices. Realiza una muda posnupcial completa.
Variaciones geográficas: En España encontramos la subespecie Panurus biarmicus biarmicus.
Especies similares: Es una especie muy particular, por lo que no existen en nuestro país otras especies similares.
CARA POSTERIOR
Se representa la trágica muerte del héroe, una escena poco frecuente en la iconografía de mito de Hipólito y Fedra. De izquierda a derecha vemos una figura femenina, probablemente Afrodita, que presencia la muerte del héroe, y de la que ha sido inductora (se discute la posibilidad de que represente a Fedra, Artemisa o Ariadna). A continuación el monstruo –en forme de toro- enviado por Poseidón, al que vemos con su simbólico tridente. En el centro las caballos espantados e Hipólito caído del carro. En el extremo de la derecha dos personajes masculinos, posiblemente mensajeros que comunica a Teseo en palacio lo sucedido.
This represents about four days' worth of plastic finds on the stretch of the beach between our house and the stream by the beach approach at Bay Avenue.
Some days yield more plastic than others. The wrack line is most productive on days when the tide has brought in organic material such as sea grass, kelp and broken sticks and twigs. I believe the floating masses collect bits of plastic as they're pushed towards shore by the waves. When the tide recedes, the plastic-bearing wrack remains on the beach.
Some of the plastic is lying directly on the wet sand, while other is hidden among the wet organic debris.
When I return home, I float the contents of my collection bag - plastic, sand and small pieces of cellulose material - to separate the plastic from the sand.
After drying on paper towels, the plastic is dropped into clear glasses, segregated by color. My favorite colors are the rare reds, oranges and yellows, though I'm also fond of the many shades of green.
Not only is the result a feast for the eye (if you like brightly colored objects) but a sign of some progress in cleaning the beach. It's a token gesture; the plastic shouldn't enter thew water in the first place.
I do find larger objects quite frequently. Today, for example, I found lids to three crab-bait jars and one lidless crab-bait jar. I also found a plastic bottle of a Chinese-made beverage, a plastic lid with Chinese text and an interesting net-like object made of thick, knotted rope.
Do the crab fishers just toss the empty crab-bait jars into the sea, or do they somehow fall out of the crab traps when the crabs are being removed on the deck?
As on most days, I also found a length of yellow nylon line. They're always about the same length, perhaps six to eight inches. Where, when and why do they enter the water?
Yesterday I found a plastic container with a handle that might once have held engine oil. It was covered by marine growth and had oyster shells inside it that were larger than the diameter of the neck.
Ocean Park, Washington.
Postal representativa de este sitio turístico. El valle del Elqui se caracteriza por la producción de vinos y piscos, además de otras frutas como las paltas. El lugar también tiene ciertos toques esotéricos o mágicos.
Representative postcard of this tourist site. The Elqui Valley is characterized by the production of wines and pisco, and other fruits like avocados. The place also has certain esoteric or magical touches.
Astronaut Christina Koch captured these photos of a Webb pin and sticker while on the International Space Station. The social media accounts released these to celebrate our launch.
twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1474822751915589641
Credit: NASA/Christina Koch
The consumer instant print offers a texture, tonal range, and color space unequaled and represents a unique photographic medium. These and other distinctive characteristics have inspired and been employed by countless photographic craftspersons in their work. I have come to admire these qualities and unexpected attributes as a preference for my photographic work. Without access to the variety of instant film types that are offered by Polaroid a large part of my photographic exploration will be halted. These are things that offer me great inspiration and fulfillment, not to mention instant analog gratification, which cannot be underestimated... I am currently in production of a photographic book of my instant print work due out in April of this year.
In the digital age, at the end of the photographic print, generations from now the family photo album will be thrown out with the PC and the SD. Polaroid represents, along with the standard film print, the physical archival of images and the tactical access to unadulterated visual information for and by the the individual. These instant moments are the things that would generaly go un-archived or even un-photographed in other formats, do to the stigmatic wake of the fleeting moment. Yet years later these instant impulses become treasured artifacts representing the true nature of ourselves and those we love.
The end of the instant print will represent a further retreat of traditional photographic technique and options, in the interest of the bottom line and fleeting lower quality digital imaging. There is and will be, in the foreseeable future, a sustainable market for these instant analogue options, whether it will be tapped to the benefit of potential providers and enthusiasts remains to be seen.
For ABCs and 123s group, Letter M for Me, My doll that represents Me, and Masks.
(20201225_135834ME&MyDollDarkbutSomeTUresamInitMirCorFlickr122520)
St Albans Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban, is a Church of England cathedral church within St Albans, England. At 84 metres (276 ft), its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England. With much of its present architecture dating from Norman times, it was formerly known as St Albans Abbey before it became a cathedral in 1877. It is the second longest cathedral in the United Kingdom (after Winchester). Local residents often call it "the abbey", although the present cathedral represents only the church of the old Benedictine abbey.
The abbey church, although legally a cathedral church, differs in certain particulars from most of the other cathedrals in England: it is also used as a parish church, of which the dean is rector. He has the same powers, responsibilities and duties as the rector of any other parish.
Alban was a pagan living in the Roman city of Verulamium, now Verulamium Park, in St Albans, in Hertfordshire, England, about 22 miles (35 km) north of London along Watling Street. Before Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, local Christians were being persecuted by the Romans. Alban sheltered their priest, Saint Amphibalus, in his home and was converted to the Christian faith by him. When the soldiers came to Alban's house looking for the priest, Alban exchanged cloaks with the priest and let himself be arrested in his place. Alban was taken before the magistrate, where he avowed his new Christian faith and was condemned for it. He was beheaded, according to legend, on the spot where the cathedral named after him now stands. The site is on a steep hill and legend has it that his head rolled down the hill after being cut off and that a well sprang up at the point where it stopped.
A well certainly exists today and the road up to the cathedral is named Holywell Hill. However the current well structure is no older than the late 19th century and it is thought that the name of the street derives from the "Halywell" river and "Halywell Bridge", not from the well.
The date of Alban's execution is a matter of some debate and is generally given as "circa 250"—scholars generally suggest dates of 209, 254 or 304.
History of the abbey and cathedral
A memoria over the execution point and holding the remains of Alban existed at the site from the mid-4th century (possibly earlier); Bedementions a church and Gildas a shrine. Bishop Germanus of Auxerre visited in 429 and took a portion of the apparently still bloody earth away. The style of this structure is unknown; the 13th century chronicler Matthew Paris (see below) claimed that the Saxons destroyed the building in 586.
Saxon buildings
Offa II of Mercia, who ruled in the 8th century, is said to have founded the Benedictine abbey and monastery at St Albans. All later religious structures are dated from the foundation of Offa's abbey in 793. The abbey was built on Holmhurst Hill—now Holywell Hill—across the River Ver from the ruins of Verulamium. Again there is no information to the form of the first abbey. The abbey was probably sacked by the Danes around 890 and, despite Paris's claims, the office of abbot remained empty from around 920 until the 970s when the efforts of Dunstanreached the town.
There was an intention to rebuild the abbey in 1005 when Abbot Ealdred was licensed to remove building material from Verulamium. With the town resting on clay and chalk the only tough stone is flint. This was used with a lime mortar and then either plastered over or left bare. With the great quantities of brick, tile and other stone in Verulamium the Roman site became a prime source of building material for the abbeys, and other projects in the area, up to the 18th century. Sections demanding worked stone used Lincolnshire limestone (Barnack stone) from Verulamium, later worked stones include Totternhoe freestone from Bedfordshire, Purbeck marble, and different limestones (Ancaster, Chilmark, Clipsham, etc.).
Renewed Viking raids from 1016 stalled the Saxon efforts and very little from the Saxon abbey was incorporated in the later forms.
The nave. The north wall (left) features a mix of Norman arches dating back to 1077 and arches in the Early English style of 1200.
Norman abbey
Much of the current layout and proportions of the structure date from the first Norman abbot, Paul of Caen (1077–1093). The 14th abbot, he was appointed by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc.
Building work started in the year of Abbot Paul's arrival. The design and construction was overseen by the Norman Robert the Mason. The plan has very limited Anglo-Saxon elements and is clearly influenced by the French work at Cluny, Bernay, and Caen and shares a similar floor plan to Saint-Étienne and Lanfranc's Canterbury—although the poorer quality building material was a new challenge for Robert and he clearly borrowed some Roman techniques, learned while gathering material in Verulamium. To take maximum use of the hilltop the abbey was oriented to the south-east. The cruciform abbey was the largest built in England at that time, it had a chancel of four bays, a transept containing seven apses, and a nave of ten bays—fifteen bays long overall. Robert gave particular attention to solid foundations, running a continuous wall of layered bricks, flints and mortar below and pushing the foundations down to twelve feet to hit bedrock. Below the crossing tower special large stones were used.
The tower was a particular triumph—it is the only 11th century great crossing tower still standing in England. Robert began with special thick supporting walls and four massive brick piers. The four-level tower tapers at each stage with clasping buttresses on the three lower levels and circular buttresses on the fourth stage. The entire structure masses 5,000 tons and is 144 feet high. The tower was probably topped with a Norman pyramidal roof; the current roof is flat. The original ringing chamber had five bells—two paid for by the Abbot, two by a wealthy townsman, and one donated by the rector of Hoddesdon. None of these bells has survived.
There was a widespread belief that the abbey had two additional, smaller towers at the west end. No remains have been found.
The monastic abbey was completed in 1089 but not consecrated until Holy Innocents' Day, 1115, (28 Dec) by the Archbishop of Rouen. King Henry I attended as did many bishops and nobles.
A nunnery (Sopwell Priory) was founded nearby in 1140.
Internally the abbey was bare of sculpture, almost stark. The plaster walls were coloured and patterned in parts, with extensive tapestries adding colour. Sculptural decoration was added, mainly ornaments, as it became more fashionable in the 12th century—especially after the Gothic style arrived in England around 1170.
In the current structure the original Norman arches survive principally under the central tower and on the north side of the nave. The arches in the rest of the building are Gothic, following medieval rebuilding and extensions, and Victorian era restoration.
The abbey was extended in the 1190s by Abbot John de Cella (also known as John of Wallingford) (1195–1214); as the number of monks grew from fifty to over a hundred, the abbey was extended westwards with three bays added to the nave. The severe Norman west front was also rebuilt by Hugh de Goldclif—although how is uncertain, it was very costly but its 'rapid' weathering and later alterations have erased all but fragments. A more prominent shrine and altar to Saint Amphibalus were also added. The work was very slow under de Cella and was not completed until the time of Abbot William de Trumpington (1214–35). The low Norman tower roof was demolished and a new, much higher, broached spire was raised, sheathed in lead.
The St Albans Psalter (ca. 1130–45) is the best known of a number of important Romanesque illuminated manuscripts produced in the Abbey scriptorium. Later, Matthew Paris, a monk at St Albans from 1217 until his death in 1259, was important both as a chronicler and an artist. Eighteen of his manuscripts survive and are a rich source of contemporary information for historians.
Nicholas Breakspear was born near St Albans and applied to be admitted to the abbey as a novice, but he was turned down. He eventually managed to be accepted into an abbey in France. In 1154 he was elected Pope Adrian IV, the only English Pope there has ever been. The head of the abbey was confirmed as the premier abbot in England also in 1154.
13th to 15th centuries
An earthquake shook the abbey in 1250 and damaged the eastern end of the church. In 1257 the dangerously cracked sections were knocked down—three apses and two bays. The thick Presbytery wall supporting the tower was left. The rebuilding and updating was completed during the rule of Abbot Roger de Norton (1263–90).
On 10 October 1323 two piers on the south side of the nave collapsed dragging down much of the roof and wrecking five bays. Mason Henry Wy undertook the rebuilding, matching the Early English style of the rest of the bays but adding distinctly 14th century detailing and ornaments. The shrine to St Amphibalus had also been damaged and was remade.
Abbey Gateway, now part of St. Albans School.
Richard of Wallingford, abbot from 1297 to 1336 and a mathematician and astronomer, designed a celebrated clock, which was completed by William of Walsham after his death, but apparently destroyed during the reformation.
A new gateway, now called the Abbey Gateway, was built to the abbey grounds in 1365, which was the only part of the monastery buildings (besides the church) to survive the dissolution, later being used as a prison and now part of St Albans School. The other monastic buildings were located to the south of the gateway and church.
In the 15th century a large west window of nine main lights and a deep traced head was commissioned by John of Wheathampstead. The spire was reduced to a 'Hertfordshire spike', the roof pitch greatly reduced and battlements liberally added. Further new windows, at £50 each, were put in the transept by Abbot Wallingford (also known as William of Wallingford), who also had a new high altar screen made.
Dissolution and after
After the death of Abbot Ramryge in 1521 the abbey fell into debt and slow decay under three weak abbots. At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and its surrender on 5 December 1539 the income was £2,100 annually. The abbot and remaining forty monks were pensioned off and then the buildings were looted. All gold, silver and gilt objects were carted away with all other valuables; stonework was broken and defaced and graves opened to burn the contents.
The abbey became part of the diocese of Lincoln in 1542 and was moved to the diocese of London in 1550. The buildings suffered—neglect, second-rate repairs, even active damage. Richard Lee purchased all the buildings, except the church and chapel and some other Crown premises, in 1550. Lee then began the systematic demolition for building material to improve Lee Hall at Sopwell. In 1551, with the stone removed, Lee returned the land to the abbot. The area was named Abbey Ruins for the next 200 years or so.
In 1553 the Lady chapel became a school, the Great Gatehouse a town jail, some other buildings passed to the Crown, and the Abbey Church was sold to the town for £400 in 1553 by King Edward VI to be the church of the parish.
The cost of upkeep fell upon the town, although in 1596 and at irregular intervals later the Archdeacon was allowed to collect money for repairs by Brief in the diocese. After James I visited in 1612 he authorised another Brief, which collected around £2,000—most of which went on roof repairs. The English Civil War slashed the monies spent on repairs, while the abbey was used to hold prisoners of war and suffered from their vandalism, as well as that of their guards. Most of the metal objects that had survived the Dissolution were also removed and other ornamental parts were damaged in Puritan sternness. Another round of fund-raising in 1681–84 was again spent on the roof, repairing the Presbytery vault. A royal grant from William and Mary in 1689 went on general maintenance, 'repairs' to conceal some of the unfashionable Gothic features, and on new internal fittings. There was a second royal grant from William in 1698.
By the end of the 17th century the dilapidation was sufficient for a number of writers to comment upon it.
In 1703, from 26 November to 1 December, the Great Storm raged across southern England; the abbey lost the south transept window which was replaced in wood at a cost of £40. The window was clear glass with five lights and three transoms in an early Gothic Revival style by John Hawgood. Other windows, although not damaged in the storm, were a constant drain on the abbey budget in the 18th century.
A brief in 1723–24, seeking £5,775, notes a great crack in the south wall, that the north wall was eighteen inches from vertical, and that the roof timbers were decayed to the point of danger. The money raised was spent on the nave roof over ten bays.
Another brief was not issued until 1764. Again the roof was rotting, as was the south transept window, walls were cracked or shattered in part and the south wall had subsided and now leant outwards. Despite a target of £2,500 a mere £600 was raised.
In the 1770s the abbey came close to demolition; the expense of repairs meant a scheme to destroy the abbey and erect a smaller church almost succeeded.
A storm in 1797 caused some subsidence, cracking open graves, scattering pavement tiles, flooding the church interior and leaving a few more arches off-vertical.
19th century
The Wallingford Screen of c. 1480—the statues are Victorian replacements (1884–89) of the originals, destroyed in the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when the screen itself was also damaged. Statues of St Alban and St Amphibalus stand on either side of the altar.
This century was marked with a number of repair schemes. The abbey received some money from the 1818 "Million Act", and in 1820 £450 was raised to buy an organ—a second-hand example made in 1670.
The major efforts to revive the abbey church came under four men—L. N. Cottingham, Rector H. J. B. Nicholson, and, especially, George Gilbert Scott and Edmund Beckett, first Baron Grimthorpe.
In February 1832 a portion of the clerestory wall fell through the roof of the south aisle, leaving a hole almost thirty feet long. With the need for serious repair work evident the architect Lewis Nockalls Cottingham was called in to survey the building. His Survey was presented in 1832 and was worrying reading: everywhere mortar was in a wretched condition and wooden beams were rotting and twisting. Cottingham recommended new beams throughout the roof and a new steeper pitch, removal of the spire and new timbers in the tower, new paving, ironwork to hold the west transept wall up, a new stone south transept window, new buttresses, a new drainage system for the roof, new ironwork on almost all the windows, and on and on. He estimated a cost of £14,000. A public subscription of £4,000 was raised, of which £1,700 vanished in expenses. With the limited funds the clerestory wall was rebuilt, the nave roof re-leaded, the tower spike removed, some forty blocked windows reopened and glazed, and the south window remade in stone.
Henry Nicholson, rector from 1835 to 1866, was also active in repairing the abbey church—as far as he could, and in uncovering lost or neglected Gothic features.
In 1856 repair efforts began again; £4,000 was raised and slow moves started to gain the abbey the status of cathedral. George Gilbert Scottwas appointed the project architect and oversaw a number of works from 1860 until his death in 1878.
Scott began by having the medieval floor restored, necessitating the removal of tons of earth, and fixing the north aisle roof. From 1872–77 the restored floors were re-tiled in matching stone and copies of old tile designs. A further 2,000 tons of earth were shifted in 1863 during work on the foundation and a new drainage system. In 1870 the tower piers were found to be badly weakened with many cracks and cavities. Huge timbers were inserted and the arches filled with brick as an emergency measure. Repair work took until May 1871 and cost over £2,000. The south wall of the nave was now far from straight; Scott reinforced the north wall and put in scaffolding to take the weight of the roof off the wall, then had it jacked straight in under three hours. The wall was then buttressed with five huge new masses and set right. Scott was lauded as "saviour of the Abbey." From 1870–75 around £20,000 was spent on the abbey.
In 1845 St Albans was transferred from the Diocese of Lincoln to the Diocese of Rochester. Then, in 1875, the Bishopric of St Albans Act was passed and on 30 April 1877 the See of St Albans was created, which comprises about 300 churches in the counties of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. The then Bishop of Rochester, the Right Revd Dr Thomas Legh Claughton, elected to take the northern division of his old diocese and on 12 June 1877 was enthroned first Bishop of St Albans, a position he held until 1890. He is buried in the churchyard on the north side of the nave.
George Gilbert Scott was working on the nave roof, vaulting and west bay when he died on 27 March 1878. His plans were partially completed by his son, John Oldrid Scott, but the remaining work fell into the hands of Lord Grimthorpe, whose efforts have attracted much controversy—Nikolaus Pevsner calling him a "pompous, righteous bully." However, he donated much of the immense sum of £130,000 the work cost.
Whereas Scott's work had clearly been in sympathy with the existing building, Grimthorpe's plans reflected the Victorian ideal. Indeed, he spent considerable time dismissing and criticising the work of Scott and the efforts of his son.
Grimthorpe first reinstated the original pitch of the roof, although the battlements added for the lower roof were retained. Completed in 1879, the roof was leaded, following on Scott's desires.
1805 engraving of the west front of the abbey showing the lost Wheathampstead window.
His second major project was the most controversial. The west front, with the great Wheathampstead window, was cracked and leaning, and Grimthorpe, never more than an amateur architect, designed the new front himself—attacked as dense, misproportioned and unsympathetic: "His impoverishment as a designer ... [is] evident"; "this man, so practical and ingenious, was utterly devoid of taste ... his great qualities were marred by arrogance ... and a lack of historic sense". Counter proposals were deliberately substituted by Grimthorpe for poorly drawn versions and Grimthorpe's design was accepted?. During building it was considerably reworked in order to fit the actual frontage and is not improved by the poor quality sculpture. Work began in 1880 and was completed in April 1883, having cost £20,000.
The Lady Chapel at the east end of the cathedral.
Grimthorpe was noted for his aversion to the Perpendicular—to the extent that he would have sections he disliked demolished as "too rotten" rather than remade. In his reconstruction, especially of windows, he commonly mixed architectural styles carelessly (see the south aisle, the south choir screen and vaulting). He spent £50,000 remaking the nave. Elsewhere he completely rebuilt the south wall cloisters, with new heavy buttresses, and removed the arcading of the east cloisters during rebuilding the south transept walls. In the south transept he completely remade the south face, completed in 1885, including the huge lancet window group—his proudest achievement—and the flanking turrets; a weighty new tiled roof was also made. In the north transept Grimthorpe had the Perpendicular window demolished and his design inserted—a rose window of circles, cusped circles and lozenges arrayed in five rings around the central light, sixty-four lights in total, each circle with a different glazing pattern.
Grimthorpe continued through the Presbytery in his own style, adapting the antechapel for Consistory Courts, and into the Lady Chapel. After a pointed lawsuit with Henry Hucks Gibbs, first Baron Aldenham over who should direct the restoration, Grimthorpe had the vault remade and reproportioned in stone, made the floor in black and white marble (1893), and had new Victorian arcading and sculpture put below the canopy work. Externally the buttresses were expanded to support the new roof, and the walls were refaced.
As early as 1897, Grimthorpe was having to return to previously renovated sections to make repairs. His use of over-strong cement led to cracking, while his fondness for ironwork in windows led to corrosion and damage to the surrounding stone.
Grimthorpe died in 1905 and was interred in the churchyard. He left a bequest for continuing work on the buildings.
During this century the name St Albans Abbey was given to one of the town's railway stations.
20th century
John Oldrid Scott (died 1913) (George Gilbert Scott's son), despite frequent clashes with Grimthorpe, had continued working within the cathedral. Scott was a steadfast supporter of the Gothic revival and designed the tomb of the first bishop; he had a new bishop's throne built (1903), together with commemorative stalls for Bishop Festing and two Archdeacons, and new choir stalls. He also repositioned and rebuilt the organ (1907). Further work was interrupted by the war.
A number of memorials to the war were added to the cathedral, notably the painting The Passing of Eleanor by Frank Salisbury (stolen 1973) and the reglazing of the main west window, dedicated in 1925.
Following the Enabling Act of 1919 control of the buildings passed to a Parochial Church Council (replaced by the Cathedral Council in 1968), who appointed the woodwork specialist John Rogers as Architect and Surveyor of the Fabric. He uncovered extensive death watch beetledamage in the presbytery vault and oversaw the repair (1930–31). He had four tons of rubbish removed from the crossing tower and the main timbers reinforced (1931–32), and invested in the extensive use of insecticide throughout the wood structures. In 1934, the eight bells were overhauled and four new bells added to be used in the celebration of George V's jubilee.
Cecil Brown was architect and surveyor from 1939 to 1962. At first he merely oversaw the lowering of the bells for the war and established a fire watch, with the pump in the slype. After the war, in the 1950s, the organ was removed, rebuilt and reinstalled and new pews added. His major work was on the crossing tower. Grimthorpe's cement was found to be damaging the Roman bricks: every brick in the tower was replaced as needed and reset in proper mortar by one man, Walter Barrett. The tower ceiling was renovated as were the nave murals. Brown established the Muniments Room to gather and hold all the church documents.
In 1972, to encourage a closer link between celebrant and congregation, the massive nine-ton pulpit along with the choir stalls and permanent pews was dismantled and removed. The altar space was enlarged and improved. New 'lighter' wood (limed oak) choir stalls were put in, and chairs replaced the pews. A new wooden pulpit was acquired from a Norfolk church and installed in 1974. External floodlighting was added in 1975.
A major survey in 1974 revealed new leaks, decay and other deterioration, and a ten-year restoration plan was agreed. Again the roofing required much work. The nave and clerestory roofs were repaired in four stages with new leading. The nave project was completed in 1984 at a total cost of £1.75 million. The clerestory windows were repaired with the corroded iron replaced with delta bronze and other Grimthorpe work on the clerestory was replaced. Seventy-two new heads for the corbel table were made. Grimthorpe's west front was cracking, again due to the use originally of too strong a mortar, and was repaired.
A new visitors' centre was proposed in 1970. Planning permission was sought in 1973; there was a public inquiry and approval was granted in 1977. Constructed to the south side of the cathedral close to the site of the original chapter house of the abbey, the new 'Chapter House' cost around £1 million and was officially opened on 8 June 1982 by Queen Elizabeth. The main building material was 500,000 replica Roman bricks.
Other late 20th-century works include the restoration of Alban's shrine, with a new embroidered canopy, and the stained glass designed by Alan Younger for Grimthorpe's north transept rose window, unveiled in 1989 by Diana, Princess of Wales.
Modern times
The Bishop is the Right Reverend Alan Smith, installed in September 2009. The Venerable Jonathan Smith is Archdeacon of St Albans, installed in October 2008. On 2 July 2004, the Very Reverend Canon Dr Jeffrey John became the ninth Dean of the Cathedral.
Robert Runcie, later Archbishop of Canterbury, was bishop of St Albans from 1970 to 1980 and returned to live in the city after his retirement; he is commemorated by a gargoyle on the Cathedral as well as being buried in the graveyard. Colin Slee, former Dean of Southwark Cathedral, was sub-dean at St Albans under Runcie and then Dean, Peter Moore. The bishop's house is in Abbey Mill Lane, St Albans, as is the house of the Bishop of Hertford. The Reverend Canon Eric James, Chaplain Extraordinary to HM the Queen, was Canon at St Albans for many years.
Fiona Hall represented Australia at the 56th Venice Biennale. The inaugural exhibition at the new Australian Pavilion, Wrong Way Time, was an immersive installation that emphasised three intersecting concerns: global politics, world finances and the environment.
This wunderkammer-like collection of objects, materials and images directs attention to the current environmental, social and political state of the globe.
“The enduring legacy is that Hall looked quite distinctive – not following fashionable trends but rather revealing an artist who is absolutely true to herself – a great ‘maker’ of art works with the ability to convey profound messages,” says NGA senior curator Deborah Hart, who saw Wrong Way Time in Venice.
“She doesn’t tell people what to think but she opens up profound areas of experience for us to contemplate, question and take on board. Her work is provocative but also at times playful and witty, and always engaging.”
This life-size white sculpture represents a "curious citizen" and stands in front of the headquarters of De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) at Frederiksplein (Westeinde) in Amsterdam. The sculpture is one of eight life-size sculptures placed inside the bank building. These figures are based on real bank employees.
The sculptures were manufactured using advanced 3D printing technology. They are made of recycled PETG plastic, making them a sustainable and circular art project.
In January 2025, the renovated Nederlandsche Bank reopened at Frederiksplein in Amsterdam. The formerly closed building has been transformed into an accessible office with a publicly accessible ground floor. A new information and education center has opened to the public.
The design by Mecanoo Architecten (Francine Houben) restores Marius Duintjer's original vision from 1968. The iconic round tower in the inner courtyard was circularly dismantled to create space and increase transparency.
U-BOOT TYP VII C - 1/38 (minifig) scale with full interior.
~ 177 CM (~70 INCH) LONG
~ 15.000 PARTS
~ 4.5 YEARS OF WORK
GOALS
The model was supposed to represent a ship from the initial period of the war.
It does not show a specific copy, but it should resemble uboots such as U-69 or U-96 (known from the classic Das Boot movie).
I wanted to get a fairly good representation of both the curves of the hull and as many pieces of internal equipment as possible.
MODEL CHARACTERISTICS
It consists of 6 modules that naturally represent the 6 sections of a real ship:
1. The forward torpedo room and crew compartment [Bow: ~ 3600 parts]
2. Officers', radio and listening room [Front mess: ~ 2000 parts]
3. Control room with conning tower [Control room: ~ 2700 parts]
4. Petty Officers' romm and galley [Rear mess: ~ 1700 parts]
5. Diesel engines room [Diesels: ~ 2400 parts]
6. Electric engines and aft torpedo room [Stern: ~ 2800 parts]
In each module, the port and / or starboard can be removed.
So the entire model can represent the ship from the outside or with an open interior.
The target configuration is with the starboard closed and the port open.
I finally made two photo sessions of the entire model - in a fully closed configuration and with a closed starboard and open port side.
Adittionally I have prepared presentation of individual modules separately.
[b][CONSTRUCTION][/b]
The construction was planned to be made in sections and I started from the control room.
Each module was first designed in LDD (first the hull, then the interior) and then built in reality.
The modules were created in this order:
3. Control room
2. Front mess
1. Bow
4. Rear mess
5. Diesels
6. Stern
Designing started on 26.12.2017.
[b][PHOTOS][/b]
I invite you to view photos.
I'm sorry that there are so many, but I couldn't resist.
(it took me about 3 months to photograph and post-process them)
Flickr albums (part of the photos):
0. Overall: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300082599
1. Bow: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300077412
2. Front mess: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300086873
3. Control room: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300082694
4. Rear mess: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300082699
5. Diesels: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300086878
6. Stern: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300077462
0-6. Alltogether: www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/albums/72177720300076411
BS (all photos):
0. Overall: brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=584704
1. Bow: brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=584706
2. Front mess: brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=584707
3. Control room: brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=584708
4. Rear mess: brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=584709
5. Diesels: brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=584710
Représentation du dieu de la pluie Chaac avec son nez en forme de trompe. Pour les Mayas, peuple agriculteur, c'était le dieu le plus important.
Ekambaranathar Temple (Tamil: ஏகாம்பரநாதர் கோயில்) or Ekambareswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, located in Kanchipuram in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is the largest temple in the town of Kanchipuram and is located in the northern part of the town. The temple gopuram (gateway tower) is 59m tall, which is one the tallest gopurams in India.
It is one of the five major Shiva temples or Pancha Bootha Sthalams (each representing a natural element) representing the element - Earth. The other four temples in this category are Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara (water), Chidambaram Natarajar (Sky), Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswara (fire) and Kalahasti Nathar (wind). It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where all of the four most revered Nayanars (Saivite Saints) have sung the glories of this temple.
Legend
Legend has it that once Parvati, the consort of Shiva was doing penance under the temple's ancient Mango tree near Vegavathi river. In order to test her devotion Shiva sent fire on her. Goddess Parvati prayed to her brother, Vishnu, for help. In order to save her, he took the Moon from Shiva's head and showed the rays which then cooled down the tree as well as Parvati. Shiva again sent the river Ganga (Ganges) to disrupt Parvati's penance. Parvati prayed to Ganga and convinced her that both of them were sisters and so should not harm her. Subsequently, Ganga did not disturb her penance and Parvati made a Shiva Linga out of sand to get united with Shiva. The God here came to be known as Ekambareswarar or "Lord of Mango Tree".
According to another legend, it is believed that Parvati worshipped Shiva in the form of a Prithivi Lingam (or a Lingam improvised out of sand), under a mango tree. Legend has it that the neighboring Vegavati river overflowed and threatened to engulf the Shiva Lingam and that Parvati or Kamakshi embraced the Lingam. Shiva touched by the gesture materialized in person and married her. In this context he is referred to as Tazhuva kuzhainthaar ("He who melted in Her embrace") in Tamil.
Tiurkuripputhonda Nayanar, one of the 63 saivite saints, called nayanars was a washerman in near the temple and he washed the clothes of all the Saivities. He was divinely tricked by God Shiva appearing as an aged brahmin and asked him to wash before dawn. At the same time Shiva made a cloudly evening. On observing the approach of the evening, the washerman banged his head in a stone in disappointment. God appeared in his true form and graced his devotee
History
This vast temple is one of the most ancient in India having been in existence since at least 600 AD. Second century AD Tamil poetry speaks of Kama kottam, and the Kumara kottam (currently the Kamakashi Amman temple and the Subramanya temple).Initially temple was built by Pallavas. The Vedantist Kachiyapper served as a priest at the temple. The existing structure then, was pulled down and rebuilt by the later Chola Kings. Adi Sankara, the 10th century saint got Kanchipuram remodelled along with expansion of this temple along with Kamakshi Amman temple and Varadaraja Perumal Temple with the help of local rulers.
The Vijayanagar kings, during the 15th century, also made lot of contributions to the temple[6] and later developed by Vallal Pachiyappa Mudaliar used to go regularly from Chennai to Kanchipuram to worship in this temple, he spent significant money he amazed during British rule on the temple renovation, Pachiyappa Mudaliar seated at horse back can be seen in the temple pillar. At the later stage a similar temple with same name Ekambareswarar was constructed in Chennai by Pachiappa Mudaliar in order to avoid travelling time to Kanchipuram. The Archaeological Survey of India report of 1905-06 indicates wide spread renovation activities carried out in the temple by Nattukottai Chettiar.
Temple
The temple covers an area of over 23 acres (93,000 m2).[2] Reaching a height of 59 meters, the temple's Raja gopuram (the entrance tower to the temple) is one of the tallest in South India[6]. One notable feature of the temple is the Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, or the "hallway with a thousand pillars", which was built by the Vijayanagar Kings. The temple's inner walls are decorated with an array of 1,008 Siva lingams. The campus is 25 acres with 5 prakarams (or court yards) and has a thousand pillared hall. Kampai Tirtha, the temple tank is believed to have an underground holy river. The fourth court yard contains a small Ganesha temple and a pond. The third court yard contains lot of smaller shrines. The sanctum sanctorum contains the lingam along with the image of Shiva.
There is no separate shrine for Parvati within the complex as with other Shiva temples in Kanchipuram. A local belief is that Kamakshi Amman Temple is the consort for Ekambaranathar. There is a small shrine for Vishnu named Thiru Nilaaththingal Thundathan inside the temple complex. Vishnu is prayed as Vamana Murthy and the shrine is hailed by the Alvar saints as one of the 108 Divya Desams. The sthala-virutcham or temple tree is a 3,500 year old mango tree whose branches are said to yield four different types of mangoes from its four branches.
Panguni Uthiram festival celebrated during the month of March-April is the most popular of all the temple festivals in Kanchipuram.
Храм Экамбарешвара (Ekambareshvara) - самый большой храм Канчипурама и наиболее важная шиваитская святыня. Храм также известный как Экамбарнатха (Ekambaranatha) легко обнаружить по его колоссальным выбеленным гопурамам, которые возвышаются почти на 60 метров на севере города. Главный храм состоит из нескольких частей, строительство храма было начало при Паллавах (Pallava), в современном виде храмы был завершен между шестнадцатыми и семнадцатыми столетиями. На территории храме помимо центральной мандины есть несколько меньших святынь и большой басейн, в котором водились священные рыбы.
Центральный вход через высокий арочный проход в гопураме южной стены ведет к открытому внутреннему двору и величественной "тысяча колонной зале" (kalyan mandapa), чьи частично разрушенные серые каменные колонны украшают пышнотелые девы, животные и божества. Этот зал обращен к храмовому бассейну на севере и святилищу на западе, где хранится символ Шивы (здесь Шива предстает в форме Камешвары (Kameshvara), Бога Желания) - лингам элемента земли, который является одним из пяти лингамов Тамил наду, представляющих элементы.
Легенда связывает лингам с историей о том, как супруга Шивы богиня Камакши ("имеющая глаза, полные желания"), игриво закрыла глаза Шивы, погружая мир во тьму. Видимо Камакши сделала это не ко времени, потому что другая легенда гласит, что когда Парвати так же шутя закрыла глаза Шивы, подойдя к нему сзади, с миром ничего плохого не случилось. У Шивы просто открылся третий глаз. Правда считается, что взгляд 3 глаза Шивы испепеляет, с другой стороны третий глаз называют глазом сокровенного знания или внутреннего видения, а с третьей - это место проекции аджна-чакры.
Шива расстроился, отругал Камакши и в наказание отправил ее лепить лингам из земли, что Kamakshi и сделала. Правда, закончив, она не могла сдвинуть лингам с места, хотя она обхватила лингам так крепко, что на нем отпечатались следы от ее грудей и браслетов.. Местные мифы сообщают про большое наводнение, которое вскоре пронеслось по Канчипураму и разрушило храмы, но не сдвинуло с места лингам, вылепленный Камашки. Во внутреннем дворе храма растет очень почитаемое дерево манго, потомок того дерева, под которым когда то поженились Шива и Камакши. Этот союз празднуется в течение фестиваля каждый апрель, и много пар всступают в брак тысячеколонном зале этого храма.
TANK ENGINE FOR SOUTH AFRICA
THE locomotive illustrated above represents one of six tank engines recently constructed by Messrs. Beyer, Peacock, and Co., of Gorton, Manchester, for the Pretoria and Pietersburg Railway in the South African Republic.
The gauge of the railway is comparatively narrow, the rails being laid to the standard 3ft. 6in. gauge of South Africa, and as the ruling gradients are 1 in 50, with curves of 150 meters radius, while the gross loads specified to be hauled by these engines totalled out to 212 tons, exclusive of their own weight; while at the same time the maximum load per axle was limited to 12,000 kilos. (11 tons 16 cwt.) the problem was not an easy one to fulfil, more especially in view of the fact that the engines were required to carry 1540 gallons of water and three tons of coal. The coupled wheels were, further, specified to be not less than 1·15 metres (3ft. 9fin.) in diameter, so as to render the engines capable of running easily at a speed of 25 miles an hour. On examining the engraving and the statement of leading dimensions, along with the particulars given below, it will be seen that the problem has, nevertheless, been solved in an admirable manner, in combining lateral and vertical flexibility with a sufficiently long wheel base to ensure steadiness in running at the maximum speed required, the rigid wheel base being only l0 ft. 2in. long, while the total base is 28ft. 3in. The springs of the front bogie and first pair of coupled wheels are further compensated by beams, those of the driving and hind-coupled axles being compensated in like manner. The weight of the engines has also, it will be seen, been well distributed on the axles, the feedwater being accommodated in long side tanks, while the fuel is carried in a convenient position behind the footplate.
The Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway (PPR) was a private railway which operated between Pretoria West via Warmbad and Nylstroom to Pietersburg. It was constructed under a concession granted by the government of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) to Hendrik Jacobus Schoeman on 30 October 1895. Construction commenced in 1897 and the railway was opened to traffic as far as Nylstroom by 1 July 1898. Potgietersrus was reached on 1 October 1898 and Pietersburg on 1 May 1899. The P&P Railway ordered one additional 2-6-4T locomotive from Beyer Peacock in 1900, under the BP works number 4127, following the loss at sea of locomotive Nr. 5.
Illustration by John Swain for "The Engineer" from May 05, 1899
For more information about this 2-6-4T steam locomotive, please visit this Wikipedia link:
Quizas, una imagen que representa lo que en antaño era algo tan cotidiano, y que hoy es casi un evento del cual no nos podiamos dar el lujo de estar ausentes.
Bajo la copiosa lluvia del sur, la pequeña 620 espera la carga de agua para poder emprender el regreso hacia Valdivia, luego de un día cargado a las emociones, tras el viaje del tren del recuerdo entre los pequeños poblados de Pichi ropulli, Los Conales, Rapaco y La Union.
The Ramayana or Rāmāyaṇa (/rɑːˈmɑːjənə/; Sanskrit: रामायणम्, Rāmāyaṇam, pronounced [rɑːˈmɑːjəɳəm]), is the first of two Sanskrit itihāsas (ancient Indian epic poem) traditionally ascribed to the Hindu muni (sage) Vālmīki - the other one being the Mahābhārata attributed to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa.
The epic narrates the life of Rāma, a legendary rāja-kumāra (prince) of Kośala, his banishment from his kingdom by his father king Daśaratha, his travels across forests in India with his wife Sītā and brother Lakṣmaṇa, the kidnap of his wife by his enemies, resulting in a war with Rāvaṇa (the king of the island of Laṅkā) and eventual return to Ayodhya to be crowned king.
The Ramayana is one of the largest ancient epics in world literature. It is comprised nearly 24,000 verses (mostly set in the śloka meter), divided into seven Kāṇḍas (books) and about 500 sargas (chapters). In Hindu tradition, it is considered to be the ādi-kāvya (first kāvya poem). It depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal father, the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king. The Ramayana was an important influence on later Sanskrit poetry and Hindu life and culture. Like the Mahabharata, the Ramayana is not just a story: it presents the teachings of ancient Hindu sages in narrative allegory, interspersing philosophical and ethical elements. The characters Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, Hanumān and Rāvaṇa are all fundamental to the cultural consciousness of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and south-east Asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
There are many other versions of the Ramayana in Indian languages, besides Buddhist and Jain adaptations; and also Cambodian, Indonesian, Filipino, Thai, Lao, Burmese, and Malaysian versions of the tale.
ETYMOLOGY
The name Ramayana is a tatpuruṣa compound of Rāma and ayana("going, advancing"), translating to Rama's Journey.
Textual history and structure
Traditionally, the Ramayana is attributed to Valmiki. The Hindu tradition is unanimous in its agreement that the poem is the work of a single poet, the sage Valmiki, a contemporary of Rama and a peripheral actor in the drama. The story's original version in Sanskrit is known as Valmiki Ramayana.
According to Hindu tradition - and according to the Ramayana itself - the Ramayana belongs to the genre of itihāsa like the Mahabharata. The definition of itihāsa is a narrative of past events (purāvṛtta) which includes teachings on the goals of human life. According to Hindu tradition, the Ramayana takes place during a period of time known as Treta Yuga.
In its extant form, Valmiki's Ramayana is an epic poem of some 24,000 verses. The text survives in several thousand partial and complete manuscripts, the oldest of which is a palm-leaf manuscript found in Nepal and dated to the 11th century CE. A Times of India report dated 18 Dec 2015 informs about discovery of a 6th-century manuscript of Ramayana at the Asiatic Society library, Kolkata. The Ramayana text has several regional renderings, recensions, and subrecensions. Textual scholar Robert P. Goldman differentiates two major regional recensions: the northern(n) and the southern(s). Scholar Romesh Chunder Dutt writes that "the Ramayana, like the Mahabharata, is a growth of centuries, but the main story is more distinctly the creation of one mind."
There has been discussion as to whether the first and the last chapters of Valmiki's Ramayana were composed by the original author. Most Hindus still believe they are integral parts of the book, in spite of some style differences and narrative contradictions between these two chapters and the rest of the book.
Famous retellings include Gona Budda Reddy's Ramayanam in Telugu, Kamban's Ramavataram in Tamil (c. 11th–12th century), Madhava Kandali's Saptakanda Ramayana in Assamese (c. 14th century), Krittibas Ojha's Krittivasi Ramayan(also known as Shri Rama panchali) in Bengali (c. 15th century), Sarala Das' Vilanka Ramayana (c. 15th century) and Balaram Das' Dandi Ramayana(also known as the Jagamohan Ramayana) (c. 16th century) both in Odia, sant Eknath's Bhavarth Ramayan (c. 16th century) in Marathi, Tulsidas' Ramcharitamanas (c. 16th century) in Awadhi (which is an eastern form of Hindi) and Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan's Adhyathmaramayanam in Malayalam.
PERIOD
Some cultural evidence - such as the presence of sati in the Mahabharata but not in the main body of the Ramayana - suggests that the Ramayana predates the Mahabharata. However, the general cultural background of the Ramayana is one of the post-urbanization period of the eastern part of north India and Nepal, while the Mahabharata reflects the Kuru areas west of this, from the Rigvedic to the late Vedic period.
By tradition, the text belongs to the Treta Yuga, second of the four eons(yuga) of Hindu chronology. Rama is said to have been born in the treta yuga to king Dasaratha in the Ikshvaku dynasty.
The names of the characters(Rama, Sita, Dasaratha, Janaka, Vashista, Vishwamitra) are all known in late Vedic literature. However, nowhere in the surviving Vedic poetry is there a story similar to the Ramayana of Valmiki. According to the modern academic view, Vishnu - who, according to bala kanda, was incarnated as Rama - first came into prominence with the epics themselves and further during the puranic period of the later 1st millennium CE. Also, in the epic Mahabharata, there is a version of Ramayana known as Ramopakhyana. This version is depicted as a narration to Yudhishthira.
There is general consensus that books two to six form the oldest portion of the epic, while the first and last books(bala kanda and uttara kanda, respectively) are later additions. The author or authors of bala kanda and ayodhya kanda appear to be familiar with the eastern Gangetic basin region of northern India and with the Kosala and Magadha region during the period of the sixteen Janapadas, based on the fact that the geographical and geopolitical data accords with what is known about the region. The knowledge of the location of the island of Lanka also lacks detail. Basing his assumption on these features, archeologist Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia has proposed a date of the 4th century BC for the composition of the text. Historian and indologist Arthur Llewellyn Basham is of the opinion that Rama may have been a minor chief who lived in the 8th or the 7th century BC.
CHARACTERS
Rāma is one of the protagonists of the tale. Portrayed as the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu, he is the eldest and favourite son of Dasharatha - the king of Ayodhya(current day Ayodhya, India) - and his Chief Queen, Kausalya. He is portrayed as the epitome of virtue. Dasharatha is forced by Kaikeyi, one of his wives, to command Rama to relinquish his right to the throne for fourteen years and go into exile. He kills the evil demon Ravana, who abducted his wife Sita and later returned to Ayodhya to form an ideal state.
Sīta is another of the tale's protagonists. She is daughter of Mother Earth, adopted by King Janaka and Rama's beloved wife. Rama went to Mithila (located in Janakpur, Nepal) and got a chance to marry her by breaking the Shiv Dhanush (bow) while trying to tie a knot to it in a competition organized by King Janaka of Nepal in Dhanusa. The competition was to find the most suitable husband for Sita and many princes from different states competed to win her. Sita is the avatara of the goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu. Sita is portrayed as the epitome of female purity and virtue. She follows her husband into exile and is abducted by the demon king Ravana. She is imprisoned on the island of Lanka, until Rama rescues her by defeating Ravana. Later, she gives birth to Lava and Kusha.
Hanumān is a vanara belonging to the kingdom of Kishkindha. He is an ideal bhakta of Rama. He is born as the son of Kesari, a Vanara king in Sumeru region and the goddess Añjanā. He plays an important part in locating Sita and in the ensuing battle. He is believed to live until our modern world.
Lakṣmaṇa, the younger brother of Rama, who chose to go into exile with him. He is the son of King Dasaratha and Queen Sumitra and twin of Shatrughna. Lakshmana is portrayed as an avatar of the Shesha, the nāga associated with the god Vishnu. He spends his time protecting Sita and Rama during which he fought the demoness Surpanakha. He is forced to leave Sita, who was deceived by the demon Maricha into believing that Rama was in trouble. Sita is abducted by Ravana upon him leaving her. He was married to Sita's younger sister Urmila.
Rāvaṇa, a rakshasa, is the king of Lanka. He was son of a sage named Vishrava and daitya princess Kaikeshi. After performing severe penance for ten thousand years he received a boon from the creator-god Brahma: he could henceforth not be killed by gods, demons,or spirits. He is portrayed as a powerful demon king who disturbs the penances of rishis. Vishnu incarnates as the human Rama to defeat him, thus circumventing the boon given by Brahma.
Jaṭāyu, the son of Aruṇa and nephew of Garuda. A demi-god who has the form of an vulture that tries to rescue Sita from Ravana. Jatayu fought valiantly with Ravana, but as Jatayu was very old, Ravana soon got the better of him. As Rama and Lakshmana chanced upon the stricken and dying Jatayu in their search for Sita, he informs them of the direction in which Ravana had gone.
Daśaratha is the king of Ayodhya and the father of Rama. He has three queens, Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra, and three other sons: Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Kaikeyi, Dasharatha's favourite queen, forces him to make his son Bharata crown prince and send Rama into exile. Dasharatha dies heartbroken after Rama goes into exile.
Bharata is the son of Dasharatha and Queen Kaikeyi. When he learns that his mother Kaikeyi had forced Rama into exile and caused Dasharatha to die brokenhearted, he storms out of the palace and goes in search of Rama in the forest. When Rama refuses to return from his exile to assume the throne, Bharata obtains Rama's sandals and places them on the throne as a gesture that Rama is the true king. Bharata then rules Ayodhya as the regent of Rama for the next fourteen years staying outside the city of Ayodhya. He was married to Mandavi.
Śatrughna is the son of Dasharatha and his second wife Queen Sumitra. He is the youngest brother of Rama and also the twin brother of Lakshmana. He was married to Shrutakirti.
Sugrīva, a vanara king who helped Rama regain Sita from Ravana. He had an agreement with Rama through which Vaali – Sugriva's brother and king of Kishkindha – would be killed by Rama in exchange for Sugriva's help in finding Sita. Sugriva ultimately ascends the throne of Kishkindha after the slaying of Vaali and fulfills his promise by putting the Vanara forces at Rama's disposal.
Indrajit or Meghnadha, the eldest son of Ravana who twice defeated Rama and Lakshmana in battle, before succumbing to Lakshmana. An adept of the magical arts, he coupled his supreme fighting skills with various stratagems to inflict heavy losses on the Vanara army before his death.
Kumbhakarṇa, a brother of Ravana, famous for his eating and sleeping. He would sleep for months at a time and would be extremely ravenous upon waking up, consuming anything set before him. His monstrous size and loyalty made him an important part of Ravana's army. During the war he decimated the Vanara army before Rama cut off his limbs and head.
Sūrpanakha, Ravana's demoness sister who fell in love with Rama and had the magical power to take any form she wanted.
Vibhīṣaṇa, a younger brother of Ravana. He was against the kidnapping of Sita and joined the forces of Rama when Ravana refused to return her. His intricate knowledge of Lanka was vital in the war and he was crowned king after the fall of Ravana.
SYNOPSIS
BALA KANDA
Dasharatha was the king of Ayodhya. He had three wives: Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra. He was childless for a long time and anxious to produce an heir, he performs a fire sacrifice known as putra-kameshti yagya. As a consequence, Rama is first born to Kausalya, Bharata is born to Kaikeyi, Lakshmana and Shatrughna are born to Sumitra. These sons are endowed, to various degrees, with the essence of the Supreme Trinity Entity Vishnu; Vishnu had opted to be born into mortality to combat the demon Ravana, who was oppressing the gods, and who could only be destroyed by a mortal. The boys are reared as the princes of the realm, receiving instructions from the scriptures and in warfare. When Rama is 16 years old, the sage Vishwamitra comes to the court of Dasharatha in search of help against demons who were disturbing sacrificial rites. He chooses Rama, who is followed by Lakshmana, his constant companion throughout the story. Rama and Lakshmana receive instructions and supernatural weapons from Vishwamitra and proceed to destroy the demons.
Janaka was the king of Mithila. One day, a female child was found in the field by the king in the deep furrow dug by his plough. Overwhelmed with joy, the king regarded the child as a "miraculous gift of god". The child was named Sita, the Sanskrit word for furrow. Sita grew up to be a girl of unparalleled beauty and charm. The king had decided that who ever could lift and wield the heavy bow, presented to his ancestors by Shiva, could marry Sita. The sage Vishwamitra takes Rama and Lakshmana to Mithila to show the bow. Then Rama desires to lift it and goes on to wield the bow and, when he draws the string, it breaks. Marriages are arranged between the sons of Dasharatha and daughters of Janaka. Rama gets married to Sita, Lakshmana to Urmila, Bharata to Mandavi and Shatrughan to Shrutakirti. The weddings are celebrated with great festivity at Mithila and the marriage party returns to Ayodhya.
AYODHYA KANDA
After Rama and Sita have been married for twelve years, an elderly Dasharatha expresses his desire to crown Rama, to which the Kosala assembly and his subjects express their support. On the eve of the great event, Kaikeyi - her jealousy aroused by Manthara, a wicked maidservant - claims two boons that Dasharatha had long ago granted her. Kaikeyi demands Rama to be exiled into the wilderness for fourteen years, while the succession passes to her son Bharata. The heartbroken king, constrained by his rigid devotion to his given word, accedes to Kaikeyi's demands. Rama accepts his father's reluctant decree with absolute submission and calm self-control which characterises him throughout the story. He is joined by Sita and Lakshmana. When he asks Sita not to follow him, she says, "the forest where you dwell is Ayodhya for me and Ayodhya without you is a veritable hell for me." After Rama's departure, King Dasharatha, unable to bear the grief, passes away. Meanwhile, Bharata who was on a visit to his maternal uncle, learns about the events in Ayodhya. Bharata refuses to profit from his mother's wicked scheming and visits Rama in the forest. He requests Rama to return and rule. But Rama, determined to carry out his father's orders to the letter, refuses to return before the period of exile. However, Bharata carries Rama's sandals and keeps them on the throne, while he rules as Rama's regent.
ARNYA KANDA
Thirteen years pass and in the last year of exile Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana journey southward along the banks of river Godavari, where they build cottages and live off the land. At the Panchavati forest they are visited by a rakshasa (demon) woman, Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana. She attempts to seduce the brothers and failing in this, attempts to kill Sita. Lakshmana stops her by cutting off her nose and ears. Hearing of this, her demon brother, Khara, organises an attack against the princes. Rama annihilates Khara and his demons.
When news of these events reaches Ravana, he resolves to destroy Rama by capturing Sita with the aid of the rakshasa Maricha. Maricha, assuming the form of a golden deer, captivates Sita's attention. Entranced by the beauty of the deer, Sita pleads with Rama to capture it. Lord Rama, aware that this is the ploy of the demons, cannot dissuade Sita from her desire and chases the deer into the forest, leaving Sita under Lakshmana's guard. After some time, Sita hears Rama calling out to her; afraid for his life, she insists that Lakshmana rush to his aid. Lakshmana tries to assure her that Rama is invincible and that it is best if he continues to follow Rama's orders to protect her. On the verge of hysterics, Sita insists that it is not she but Rama who needs Lakshmana's help. He obeys her wish but stipulates that she is not to leave the cottage or entertain any strangers. He draws a chalk outline, the Lakshmana rekha, around the cottage and casts a spell on it that prevents anyone from entering the boundary but allows people to exit. With the coast finally clear, Ravana appears in the guise of an ascetic requesting Sita's hospitality. Unaware of the devious plan of her guest, Sita is tricked into leaving the rekha and is then forcibly carried away by the evil Ravana.
Jatayu, a vulture, tries to rescue Sita, but is mortally wounded. At Lanka, Sita is kept under the heavy guard of rakshasis. Ravana demands Sita marry him, but Sita, eternally devoted to Rama, refuses. Rama and Lakshmana learn about Sita's abduction from Jatayu and immediately set out to save her. During their search, they meet the demon Kabandha and the ascetic Shabari, who direct them towards Sugriva and Hanuman.
KISHKINDHA KANDA
The kishkindha kanda is set in the ape (Vanar) citadel Kishkindha. Rama and Lakshmana meet Hanuman, the bigest devotee of Rama, the greatest of ape heroes and an adherent of Sugriva, the banished pretender to the throne of Kishkindha. Rama befriends Sugriva and helps him by killing his elder brother Vali thus regaining the kingdom of Kiskindha, in exchange for helping Rama to recover Sita. However Sugriva soon forgets his promise and spends his time in enjoying his powers. The clever former ape queen Tara (wife of Vali) calmly intervenes to prevent an enraged Lakshmana from destroying the ape citadel. She then eloquently convinces Sugriva to honour his pledge. Sugriva then sends search parties to the four corners of the earth, only to return without success from north, east and west. The southern search party under the leadership of Angad and Hanuman learns from a vulture named Sampati (elder brother of Jatayu), that Sita was taken to Lanka.
SUNDARA KANDA
The sundara kanda forms the heart of Valmiki's Ramayana and consists of a detailed, vivid account of Hanuman's adventures. After learning about Sita, Hanuman assumes a gargantuan form and makes a colossal leap across the sea to Lanka. On the way he faces many challenges like facing a gandharva kanya who comes in the form of demon to test his abilities and he faces a mountain naming Mainakudu who offers Lord Hanuman some help to take some rest but he refuses because of the time is running out and there is a very less time remaining for searching Sita. After entering into Lanka he finds a demon lankini who protects the entire Lanka and Hanuman fights with her and kills her in order to get into Lanka. Here, Hanuman explores the demons' kingdom and spies on Ravana. He locates Sita in ashoka grove, who is wooed and threatened by Ravana and his rakshasis to marry Ravana. He reassures her, giving Rama's signet ring as a sign of good faith. He offers to carry Sita back to Rama, however she refuses and says that it is not the dharma. She says that Rama himself must come and avenge the insult of her abduction.
Hanuman then wreaks havoc in Lanka by destroying trees and buildings and killing Ravana's warriors. He allows himself to be captured and produced before Ravana. He gives a bold lecture to Ravana to release Sita. He is condemned and his tail is set on fire, but he escapes his bonds and leaping from roof to roof, sets fire to Ravana's citadel and makes the giant leap back from the island. The joyous search party returns to Kishkindha with the news.
LANKA KANDA
Also known as Lanka kanda, this book describes the Ramayana War between the army of Rama and the army of Ravana. Having received Hanuman's report on Sita, Rama and Lakshmana proceed with their allies towards the shore of the southern sea. There they are joined by Ravana's renegade brother Vibhishana. The apes named Nala and Nila construct a floating bridge (known as Rama Setu) across the sea, using stones that floated on water because they had Rama's name written on them. The princes and their army cross over to Lanka. A lengthy war ensues. During a battle, Ravana's son Indrajit hurls a powerful weapon at Lakshmana, who is badly wounded and is nearly killed. So Hanuman assumes a gigantic form and flies from Lanka to the Himalayas. Upon reaching Mount Sumeru, Hanuman was unable to identify the herb that could cure Lakshmana, and so decided to bring the entire mountain back to Lanka. Eventually, the war ends when Rama kills Ravana. Rama then installs Vibhishana on the throne of Lanka.
On meeting Sita, Rama asks her to undergo an "agni pareeksha" (test of fire) to prove her purity, as he wants to get rid of the rumours surrounding Sita's purity. When Sita plunges into the sacrificial fire, Agni the lord of fire raises Sita, unharmed, to the throne, attesting to her purity. The episode of agni pariksha varies in the versions of Ramayana by Valmiki and Tulsidas. In earlier versions this event does not occur and many scholars consider it to have been added later as society became more patriarchal. In Tulsidas's Ramacharitamanas Sita was under the protection of Agni (see Maya Sita) so it was necessary to bring her out before reuniting with Rama. At the expiration of his term of exile, Rama returns to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana, where the coronation is performed. This is the beginning of Ram Rajya, which implies an ideal state with good morals.
UTTARA KANDA
The uttara kanda is regarded to be a later addition to the original story by Valmiki and concerns the final years of Rama, Sita and Rama's brothers. After being crowned king, Rama passes time pleasantly with Sita. After some time, Sita gets pregnant with twin children. However, despite the agni pariksha (fire ordeal) of Sita, rumours about her purity are spreading among the populace of Ayodhya. Rama yields to public opinion and reluctantly banishes Sita to the forest, where the sage Valmiki provides shelter in his ashrama (hermitage). Here, she gives birth to twin boys, Lava and Kusha, who become pupils of Valmiki and are brought up in ignorance of their identity.
Valmiki composes the Ramayana and teaches Lava and Kusha to sing it. Later, Rama holds a ceremony during Ashwamedha yagna, which the sage Valmiki, with Lava and Kusha, attends. Lava and Kusha sing the Ramayana in the presence of Rama and his vast audience. When Lava and Kusha recite about Sita's exile, Rama becomes grief-stricken and Valmiki produces Sita. Sita calls upon the earth, her mother, to receive her and as the ground opens, she vanishes into it. Rama then learns that Lava and Kusha are his children. Many years later, a messenger from the Gods appears and informs Rama that the mission of his incarnation was over. Rama returns to his celestial abode.
It was dramatised as the Uttararamacarita by the Sanskrit poet Bhavabhuti.
VARIANT VERSIONS
As in many oral epics, multiple versions of the Ramayana survive. In particular, the Ramayana related in north India differs in important respects from that preserved in south India and the rest of south-east Asia. There is an extensive tradition of oral storytelling based on the Ramayana in Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam and Maldives. Father Kamil Bulke, author of Ramakatha, has identified over 300 variants of Ramayana.
In India
The 7th century CE "bhatti's poem" Bhaṭṭikāvya of Bhaṭṭi is a Sanskrit retelling of the epic that simultaneously illustrates the grammatical examples for Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī as well as the major figures of speech and the Prakrit language.
There are diverse regional versions of the Ramayana written by various authors in India. Some of them differ significantly from each other. During the 12th century, Kamban wrote Ramavataram, known popularly as Kambaramayanam in Tamil. A Telugu version, Ranganatha Ramayanam, was written by Gona Budda Reddy in the 14th century. The earliest translation to a regional Indo-Aryan language is the early-14th century Saptakanda Ramayana in Assamese by Madhava Kandali. Valmiki's Ramayana inspired the Sri Ramacharit Manas by Tulsidas in 1576, an epic Awadhi(a dialect of Hindi) version with a slant more grounded in a different realm of Hindu literature, that of bhakti; it is an acknowledged masterpiece of India, popularly known as Tulsi-krta Ramayana. Gujarati poet Premanand wrote a version of Ramayana in the 17th century. Other versions include Krittivasi Ramayan, a Bengali version by Krittibas Ojha in the 15th century; the Vilanka Ramayana by the 15th century poet Sarala Dasa and the Dandi Ramayana (also known as Jagamohana Ramayana) by the 16th century poet Balarama Dasa both in Odia; a Torave Ramayana in Kannada by the 16th-century poet Narahari; Adhyathmaramayanam, a Malayalam version by Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan in the 16th century; in Marathi by Sridhara in the 18th century; in Maithili by Chanda Jha in the 19th century; and in the 20th century, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu's Sri Ramayana Darshanam in Kannada.
There is a sub-plot to Ramayana, prevalent in some parts of India, relating the adventures of Ahi Ravana and Mahi Ravana, the evil brother of Ravana, which enhances the role of Hanuman in the story. Hanuman rescues Rama and Lakshmana after they are kidnapped by the Ahi-Mahi Ravana at the behest of Ravana and held prisoner in a subterranean cave, to be sacrificed to the goddess Kali. Adbhuta Ramayana is a version that is obscure but also attributed to Valmiki - intended as a supplementary to original Valmiki Ramayana. In this variant of the narrative, Sita is accorded far more prominence such as elaboration of the events surrounding her birth — in this case to Ravana's wife, Mandodari as well as her conquest of Ravana's older brother in her Mahakali form.
Mappillapattu - a genre of song popular among the Muslims belonging to Kerala and Lakshadweep - has incorporated some episodes from the Ramayana into its songs. These songs, known as mappila ramayana, have been handed down from one generation to the next orally. In mappila ramayana, the story of the Ramayana has been changed into that of a sultan, and there are no major changes in the names of characters except for that of Rama which is `laman' in many places. The language and the imagery projected in the mappilapattu are in accordance with the social fabric of the earlier Muslim community.
BUDDHIST VERSION
In the Buddhist variant of Rāmāyaṇa(Dasarathajātaka, #467), Dasaratha was the king of Benares and not Ayodhya. Rāma [called Rāmapaṇḍita in this version] was son of Kausalya, first wife of Dasaratha, Lakṣmaṇa [Lakkhaṇa] was sibling of Rama and son of Sumitra second wife of Dasaratha, and Sita wife of Rama. To protect his children from his wife Kaikayi, who wished to promote her son Bharata, Dasaratha sent the three to a hermitage in the Himalayas for a twelve-year exile. After nine years, Dasaratha died and Lakkhaṇa and Sita returned; Rāmapaṇḍita, in deference to his father's wishes, remained in exile for a further two years. This version does not include the abduction of Sītā.
In the explanatory commentary on the Jātaka, Rāmapaṇḍita is said to have been a previous incarnation of the Buddha and Sītā an incarnation of Yasodharā.
This version is notable for depicting Rama and Sita as siblings who marry. Such sibling marriages are a common symbolic imagery in early Buddhist literature to denote purity of a dynasty. As the Buddha is supposed to have come from the Ikshvaku dynasty (of Rama).
SIKH VERSION
In Guru Granth Sahib, there is description of two types of Ramayana. One is spiritual Ramayana which is actual subject of Guru Granth Sahib, in which Ravan is ego, Seeta is budhi (intellect), Rama is inner soul and Laxman is mann (attention, mind). Guru Granth Sahib also believes in existence of dasavtara who were kings of their times which tried their best to bring revolution in the world. King Ramchandra was one of those and it is not covered in Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Granth Sahib states:
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਉਪਾਏ ਦਸ ਅਉਤਾਰਾ॥
हुकमि उपाए दस अउतारा॥
By hukam (supreme command), he created his ten incarnations,
This version of Ramayana was written by Guru Gobind Singh, which is part of Dasam Granth. In dasam granth, Guru Gobind Singh also explained that he does not believe Ramchandra as a God. He is equating Ramchandra with a common man.
He also said that the almighty, invisible, all prevailing God created so many of Indras, Moons and Suns, Deities, Demons and sages, so many Prophets and Brahmanas(enlightened people). But they too were caught in the noose of death (KAAL) (Transmigration of soul). This is very well same to as explained in Geeta which is part of Mahabharata.
JAIN VERSION
Jain versions of Ramayana can be found in the various Jain agamas like Padmapurana (story of Padmaja and Rama, Padmaja being the name of Sita), Hemacandra's Trisastisalakapurusa charitra (hagiography of 63 illustrious persons), Sanghadasa's Vasudevahindi and Uttarapurana by Gunabhadara. According to Jain cosmology, every half time cycle has nine sets of Balarama, Vasudeva and prativasudeva. Rama, Lakshmana and Ravana are the eighth baladeva, vasudeva, and prativasudeva respectively. Padmanabh Jaini notes that, unlike in the Hindu puranas, the names Baladeva and Vasudeva are not restricted to Balarama and Krishna in Jain Puranas. Instead they serve as names of two distinct class of mighty brothers, who appear nine times in each half time cycle and jointly rule the half the earth as half-chakravartins. Jaini traces the origin of this list of brothers to the jinacharitra (lives of the jinas) by Acharya Bhadrabahu (3–4th century BCE).
In the Jain epic of Ramayana, it is Lakshmana who ultimately kills Ravana and not Rama as told in the Hindu version. In the end, Rama who led an upright life renounces his kingdom, becomes a Jain monk and attains moksha. On the other hand, Lakshmana and Ravana go to hell. However, it is predicted that ultimately they both will be reborn as upright persons and attain liberation in their future births. According to Jain texts, Ravana will be the future Tirthankara (omniscient teacher) of Jainism.
The Jain versions have some variations from Valmiki's Ramayana. Dasharatha, the king of Saketa had four queens: Aparajita, Sumitra, Suprabha and Kaikeyi. These four queens had four sons. Aparajita's son was Padma and he became known by the name of Rama. Sumitra's son was Narayana: he became to be known by another name, Lakshmana. Kaikeyi's son was Bharata and Suprabha's son was Shatrughna. Furthermore, not much was thought of Rama's fidelity to Sita. According to Jain version, Rama had four chief-queen's: Maithili, Prabhavati, Ratinibha, and Sridama. Furthermore, Sita takes renunciation as a Jain ascetic after Rama abandons her and is reborn in heaven. Rama, after Lakshmana's death, also renounces his kingdom and becomes a Jain monk. Ultimately, he attains Kevala Jnana omniscience and finally liberation. Rama predicts that Ravana and Lakshmana, who were in fourth hell, will attain liberation in their future births. Accordingly, Ravana is the future tirthankara of next half ascending time cycle and Sita will be his Ganadhara.
IN NEPAL
Besides being the site of discovery of the oldest surviving manuscript of Ramayana, Nepal gave rise to two regional variants in mid 19th – early 20th century. One, written by Bhanubhakta Acharya, is considered the first epic of Nepali language, while the other, written by Siddhidas Mahaju in Nepal Bhasa was a foundational influence in the renaissance of that language.
The Ramayana written by Bhanubhakta Acharya is one of the most popular verses in Nepal. The popularization of the 'Ramayana' and its tale, originally written in Sanskrit Language was greatly enhanced by the work of Bhanubhakta. Mainly because of his writing of Nepali Ramayana, Bhanubhakta is also called 'Aadi Kavi' or 'The Pioneering Poet'.
SOUTHEAST ASIAN VERSIONS
Phra Lak Phra Lam is a Lao language version, whose title comes from Lakshmana and Rama. The story of Lakshmana and Rama is told as the previous life of the Buddha. In Hikayat Seri Rama of Malaysia, Dasharatha is the great-grandson of the Prophet Adam. Ravana receives boons from Allah instead of Brahma. In many Malay language versions, Lakshmana is given greater importance than Rama, whose character is considered somewhat weak.
The Cambodian version of Ramayana, the Reamker, is the most famous story of Khmer literature since the Kingdom of Funan era. It adapts the Hindu concepts to Buddhist themes and show's the balance of good and evil in the world. The Reamker has several differences from the original Ramayana, including scenes not included in the original and emphasis on Hanuman and Sovanna Maccha, a retelling which influences the Thai and Lao versions. Reamker in Cambodia is not confined to the realm of literature but extends to all Cambodian art forms, such as sculpture, Khmer classical dance, theater known as lakhorn luang (the foundation of the royal ballet), poetry and the mural and bas reliefs seen at the Silver Pagoda and Angkor Wat.
Thailand's popular national epic Ramakien(thai:รามเกียรติ์.,from Sanskrit rāmakīrti, "glory of Rama") is derived from the Hindu epic. In Ramakien, Sita is the daughter of Ravana and Mandodari(thotsakan and montho). Vibhisana(phiphek), the astrologer brother of Ravana, predicts calamity from the horoscope of Sita. Ravana has her thrown into the water, but is later rescued by Janaka(chanok). While the main story is identical to that of the Ramayana, many other aspects were transposed into a Thai context, such as the clothes, weapons, topography and elements of nature, which are described as being Thai in style. It has an expanded role for Hanuman and he is portrayed as a lascivious character. Ramakien can be seen in an elaborate illustration at Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.
Other Southeast Asian adaptations include Kakawin Ramayana of Java, Ramakavaca of Bali(Indonesia), Maharadia Lawana and Darangen of the Moro Muslims of Mindanao (Philippines) and the Yama Zatdaw of Myanmar.
Influence on culture and art
One of the most important literary works of ancient India, the Ramayana has had a profound impact on art and culture in the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia with the lone exception of Vietnam. The story ushered in the tradition of the next thousand years of massive-scale works in the rich diction of regal courts and Hindu temples. It has also inspired much secondary literature in various languages, notably the Kambaramayanam by the Tamil poet Kambar of the 12th century, the Telugu-language Molla Ramayanam by poet Molla and Ranganatha Ramayanam by poet Gona Budda Reddy, 14th century Kannada poet Narahari's Torave Ramayana, and 15th century Bengali poet Krittibas Ojha's Krittivasi Ramayan, as well as the 16th century Awadhi version, Ramacharitamanas, written by Tulsidas.
The Ramayana became popular in southeast Asia during the 8th century and was represented in literature, temple architecture, dance and theatre. Today, dramatic enactments of the story of Ramayana, known as Ramlila, take place all across India and in many places across the globe within the Indian diaspora.
The Ramayana has also been depicted in many paintings, most notably by the Malaysian artist Syed Thajudeen in 1972. The epic tale was picturized on canvas in epic proportions measuring 72 x 453 cm in 9 panels. The painting depicts three prolific parts of the epic, namely The Abduction of Sita, Hanuman visits Sita and Hanuman Burns Lanka. The painting is currently in the permanent collection of the Malaysian National Visual Arts Gallery.
RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, is one of the most popular deities worshipped in the Hindu religion. Each year, many devout pilgrims trace their journey through India and Nepal, halting at each of the holy sites along the way. The poem is not seen as just a literary monument, but serves as an integral part of Hinduism, and is held in such reverence that the mere reading or hearing of it, or certain passages of it, is believed by Hindus to free them from sin and bless the reader or listener.
According to Hindu tradition, Rama is an incarnation (Avatar) of the god Vishnu. The main purpose of this incarnation is to demonstrate the righteous path (dharma) for all living creatures on earth.
IN THE MEDIA
A number of movies and television serials have been produced based upon the Ramayana.
STAGE
Starting in 1978 and under the supervision of Baba Hari Dass, the Ramayana has been performed every year by Mount Madonna School in Watsonville, California. Currently, it is the largest yearly, Western version of the epic being performed. It takes the form of a colorful musical with custom costumes, sung and spoken dialog, jazz-rock orchestration and dance. This performance takes place in a large audience theater setting usually in June, in San Jose, CA. Baba Hari Dass has taught acting arts, costume-attire design, mask making and choreography to bring alive characters of Sri Ram, Sita, Hanuman, Lakshmana, Shiva, Parvati, Vibhishan, Jatayu, Sugriva, Surpanakha, Ravana and his rakshasa court, Meghnadha, Kumbhakarna and the army of monkeys and demons.
WIKIPEDIA
Final piece of Transformation project consisting of my closest family members and my boyfriend and best friend. It represents me, simply, as a teenager and the highs and lows this time can bring as well as me, personally, through the people I depend on most.
HINDU GODDESS KALI
Kālī, also known as Kālikā (Sanskrit: कालिका), is the Hindu goddess associated with empowerment, shakti. She is the fierce aspect of the goddess Durga (Parvati). The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death: Shiva. Since Shiva is called Kāla— the eternal time — the name of Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" (as in "time has come"). Hence, Kāli is the Goddess of Time and Change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation of evil forces still has some influence. Various Shakta Hindu cosmologies, as well as Shākta Tantric beliefs, worship her as the ultimate reality or Brahman. Comparatively recent devotional movements largely conceive Kāli as a benevolent mother goddess. Kālī is represented as the consort of Lord Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. Shiva lies in the path of Kali, whose foot on Shiva subdues her anger.
ETYMOLOGY
Kālī is the feminine form of kālam ("black, dark coloured"). Kāla primarily means "time" but also means "black" in honor of being the first creation before light itself. Kālī means "the black one" and refers to her being the entity of "time" or "beyond time." Kāli is strongly associated with Shiva, and Shaivas derive the masculine Kāla (an epithet of Shiva) to come from her feminine name. A nineteenth-century Sanskrit dictionary, the Shabdakalpadrum, states: कालः शिवः। तस्य पत्नीति - काली। kālaḥ śivaḥ। tasya patnīti kālī - "Shiva is Kāla, thus, his consort is Kāli" referring to Devi Parvathi being a manifestation of Devi MahaKali.
Other names include Kālarātri ("black night"), as described above, and Kālikā ("relating to time"). Coburn notes that the name Kālī can be used as a proper name, or as a description of color.
Kāli's association with darkness stands in contrast to her consort, Shiva, who manifested after her in creation, and who symbolises the rest of creation after Time is created. In his supreme awareness of Maya, his body is covered by the white ashes of the cremation ground (Sanskrit: śmaśāna) where he meditates, and with which Kāli is also associated, as śmaśāna-kālī.
ORIGINS
Hugh Urban notes that although the word Kālī appears as early as the Atharva Veda, the first use of it as a proper name is in the Kathaka Grhya Sutra (19.7). Kali is the name of one of the seven tongues of Agni, the [Rigvedic] God of Fire, in the Mundaka Upanishad (2:4), but it is unlikely that this refers to the goddess. The first appearance of Kāli in her present form is in the Sauptika Parvan of the Mahabharata (10.8.64). She is called Kālarātri (literally, "black night") and appears to the Pandava soldiers in dreams, until finally she appears amidst the fighting during an attack by Drona's son Ashwatthama. She most famously appears in the sixth century Devi Mahatmyam as one of the shaktis of Mahadevi, and defeats the demon Raktabija ("Bloodseed"). The tenth-century Kalika Purana venerates Kāli as the ultimate reality.
According to David Kinsley, Kāli is first mentioned in Hinduism as a distinct goddess around 600 CE, and these texts "usually place her on the periphery of Hindu society or on the battlefield." She is often regarded as the Shakti of Shiva, and is closely associated with him in various Puranas. The Kalika Purana depicts her as the "Adi Shakti" (Fundamental Power) and "Para Prakriti" or beyond nature.
WORSHIP & MANTRA
Kali could be considered a general concept, like Durga, and is mostly worshiped in the Kali Kula sect of worship. The closest way of direct worship is Maha Kali or Bhadra Kali (Bhadra in Sanskrit means 'gentle'). Kali is worshiped as one of the 10 Mahavidya forms of Adi Parashakti (Goddess Durga) or Bhagavathy according to the region. The mantra for worship is called Devi Argala Stotram.
Sanskrit: सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
ॐ जयंती मंगल काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी । दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तुते ॥
(Sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalyē śivē sarvārthasādhikē . śaraṇyē tryambakē gauri nārāyaṇi namō'stu tē.
Oṃ jayantī mangala kālī bhadrakālī kapālinī . durgā kṣamā śivā dhātrī svāhā svadhā namō'stutē.)
TANTRA
Goddesses play an important role in the study and practice of Tantra Yoga, and are affirmed to be as central to discerning the nature of reality as are the male deities. Although Parvati is often said to be the recipient and student of Shiva's wisdom in the form of Tantras, it is Kāli who seems to dominate much of the Tantric iconography, texts, and rituals. In many sources Kāli is praised as the highest reality or greatest of all deities. The Nirvana-tantra says the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva all arise from her like bubbles in the sea, ceaselessly arising and passing away, leaving their original source unchanged. The Niruttara-tantra and the Picchila-tantra declare all of Kāli's mantras to be the greatest and the Yogini-tantra, Kamakhya-tantra and the Niruttara-tantra all proclaim Kāli vidyas (manifestations of Mahadevi, or "divinity itself"). They declare her to be an essence of her own form (svarupa) of the Mahadevi.
In the Mahanirvana-tantra, Kāli is one of the epithets for the primordial sakti, and in one passage Shiva praises her:
At the dissolution of things, it is Kāla [Time] Who will devour all, and by reason of this He is called Mahākāla [an epithet of Lord Shiva], and since Thou devourest Mahākāla Himself, it is Thou who art the Supreme Primordial Kālika. Because Thou devourest Kāla, Thou art Kāli, the original form of all things, and because Thou art the Origin of and devourest all things Thou art called the Adya [the Primordial One]. Re-assuming after Dissolution Thine own form, dark and formless, Thou alone remainest as One ineffable and inconceivable. Though having a form, yet art Thou formless; though Thyself without beginning, multiform by the power of Maya, Thou art the Beginning of all, Creatrix, Protectress, and Destructress that Thou art.
The figure of Kāli conveys death, destruction, and the consuming aspects of reality. As such, she is also a "forbidden thing", or even death itself. In the Pancatattva ritual, the sadhaka boldly seeks to confront Kali, and thereby assimilates and transforms her into a vehicle of salvation. This is clear in the work of the Karpuradi-stotra, a short praise of Kāli describing the Pancatattva ritual unto her, performed on cremation grounds. (Samahana-sadhana)
He, O Mahākāli who in the cremation-ground, naked, and with dishevelled hair, intently meditates upon Thee and recites Thy mantra, and with each recitation makes offering to Thee of a thousand Akanda flowers with seed, becomes without any effort a Lord of the earth. Oh Kāli, whoever on Tuesday at midnight, having uttered Thy mantra, makes offering even but once with devotion to Thee of a hair of his Shakti [his energy/female companion] in the cremation-ground, becomes a great poet, a Lord of the earth, and ever goes mounted upon an elephant.
The Karpuradi-stotra clearly indicates that Kāli is more than a terrible, vicious, slayer of demons who serves Durga or Shiva. Here, she is identified as the supreme mistress of the universe, associated with the five elements. In union with Lord Shiva, she creates and destroys worlds. Her appearance also takes a different turn, befitting her role as ruler of the world and object of meditation. In contrast to her terrible aspects, she takes on hints of a more benign dimension. She is described as young and beautiful, has a gentle smile, and makes gestures with her two right hands to dispel any fear and offer boons. The more positive features exposed offer the distillation of divine wrath into a goddess of salvation, who rids the sadhaka of fear. Here, Kali appears as a symbol of triumph over death.
BENGALI TRADITION
Kali is also a central figure in late medieval Bengali devotional literature, with such devotees as Ramprasad Sen (1718–75). With the exception of being associated with Parvati as Shiva's consort, Kāli is rarely pictured in Hindu legends and iconography as a motherly figure until Bengali devotions beginning in the early eighteenth century. Even in Bengāli tradition her appearance and habits change little, if at all.
The Tantric approach to Kāli is to display courage by confronting her on cremation grounds in the dead of night, despite her terrible appearance. In contrast, the Bengali devotee appropriates Kāli's teachings adopting the attitude of a child, coming to love her unreservedly. In both cases, the goal of the devotee is to become reconciled with death and to learn acceptance of the way that things are. These themes are well addressed in Rāmprasād's work. Rāmprasād comments in many of his other songs that Kāli is indifferent to his wellbeing, causes him to suffer, brings his worldly desires to nothing and his worldly goods to ruin.
To be a child of Kāli, Rāmprasād asserts, is to be denied of earthly delights and pleasures. Kāli is said to refrain from giving that which is expected. To the devotee, it is perhaps her very refusal to do so that enables her devotees to reflect on dimensions of themselves and of reality that go beyond the material world.
A significant portion of Bengali devotional music features Kāli as its central theme and is known as Shyama Sangeet ("Music of the Night"). Mostly sung by male vocalists, today even women have taken to this form of music. One of the finest singers of Shyāma Sāngeet is Pannalal Bhattacharya.
In Bengal, Kāli is venerated in the festival Kali Puja, the new moon day of Ashwin month which coincides with Diwali festival.
In a unique form of Kāli worship, Shantipur worships Kāli in the form of a hand painted image of the deity known as Poteshwari (meaning the deity drawn on a piece of cloth).
LEGENDS
SLAYER OF RAKTABIJA
In Kāli's most famous legend, Devi Durga (Adi Parashakti) and her assistants, the Matrikas, wound the demon Raktabija, in various ways and with a variety of weapons in an attempt to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the situation for with every drop of blood that is dripped from Raktabija he reproduces a clone of himself. The battlefield becomes increasingly filled with his duplicates. Durga, in need of help, summons Kāli to combat the demons. It is said, in some versions, that Goddess Durga actually assumes the form of Goddess Kāli at this time. The Devi Mahatmyam describes:
Out of the surface of her (Durga's) forehead, fierce with frown, issued suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with a sword and noose. Bearing the strange khatvanga (skull-topped staff ), decorated with a garland of skulls, clad in a tiger's skin, very appalling owing to her emaciated flesh, with gaping mouth, fearful with her tongue lolling out, having deep reddish eyes, filling the regions of the sky with her roars, falling upon impetuously and slaughtering the great asuras in that army, she devoured those hordes of the foes of the devas.
Kali destroys Raktabija by sucking the blood from his body and putting the many Raktabija duplicates in her gaping mouth. Pleased with her victory, Kali then dances on the field of battle, stepping on the corpses of the slain. In the Devi Mahatmya version of this story, Kali is also described as a Matrika and as a Shakti or power of Devi. She is given the epithet Cāṃuṇḍā (Chamunda), i.e. the slayer of the demons Chanda and Munda. Chamunda is very often identified with Kali and is very much like her in appearance and habit.
DAKSHINA KALI
In her most famous pose as Daksinakali, popular legends say that Kali, becoming drunk on the blood of her victims on the battlefield, dances with destructive frenzy. She is about to destroy the whole universe when, urged by all the gods, Shiva lies in her way to stop her. In her fury, she fails to see the body of Shiva lying amongst the corpses on the battlefield and steps upon his chest. Realizing Shiva lies beneath her feet, her anger is pacified and she calms her fury. Though not included in any of the puranas, popular legends state that Kali was ashamed at the prospect of keeping her husband beneath her feet and thus stuck her tongue out in shame. The Devi-Bhagavata Purana, which goes into great depths about the goddess Kali, reveals the tongue's actual symbolism.
The characteristic icons that depict Kali are the following; unbridled matted hair, open blood shot eyes, open mouth and a drooping tongue; in her hands, she holds a Khadga (bent sword or scimitar) and a human head; she has a girdle of human hands across her waist and an enchanted Shiva lies beneath her feet. Each of these icons represent a deep philosophical epithet. The drooping out-stuck tongue represents her blood-thirst. Lord Shiva beneath her feet represents matter, as Kali is undoubtedly the primeval energy. The depiction of Kali on Shiva shows that without energy, matter lies "dead". This concept has been simplified to a folk-tale depicting a wife placing her foot on her husband and sticking her tongue out in shame. In tantric contexts, the tongue is seen to denote the element (guna) of rajas (energy and action) controlled by sattva.
If Kali steps on Shiva with her right foot and holds the sword in her left hand, she is considered to be Dakshina Kali. The Dakshina Kali Temple has important religious associations with the Jagannath Temple and it is believed that Daksinakali is the guardian of the kitchen of the Lord Jagannath Temple. Puranic tradition says that in Puri, Lord Jagannath is regarded as Daksinakalika. Goddess Dakshinakali plays an important role in the 'Niti' of Saptapuri Amavasya.
One South Indian tradition tells of a dance contest between Shiva and Kali. After defeating the two demons Sumbha and Nisumbha, Kali takes up residence in the forest of Thiruvalankadu or Thiruvalangadu. She terrorizes the surrounding area with her fierce, disruptive nature. One of Shiva's devotees becomes distracted while performing austerities, and asks Shiva to rid the forest of the destructive goddess. When Shiva arrives, Kali threatens him, claiming the territory as her own. Shiva challenges Kali to a dance contest; both of them dance and Kali matches Shiva in every step that he takes until Shiva takes the "Urdhvatandava" step, by vertically raising his right leg. Kali refuses to perform this step, which would not befit her as a woman, and became pacified.
SMASHAN KALI
If the Kali steps out with the left foot and holds the sword in her right hand, she is the terrible form of Mother, the Smashan Kali of the cremation ground. She is worshiped by tantrics, the followers of Tantra, who believe that one's spiritual discipline practiced in a smashan (cremation ground) brings success quickly. Sarda Devi, the consort of Ramakrishna Paramhansa, worshipped Smashan Kali at Dakshineshwar.
MATERNAL KALI
Another legend depicts the infant Shiva calming Kali. In this similar story, Kali has defeated her enemies on the battlefield and begun to dance out of control, drunk on the blood of the slain. To calm her down and to protect the stability of the world, Shiva is sent to the battlefield, as an infant, crying aloud. Seeing the child's distress, Kali ceases dancing to care for the helpless infant. She picks him up, kisses his head, and proceeds to breast feed the infant Shiva. This legend is notable because it shows Kali in her benevolent, maternal aspect, with which she is not usually identified.
MAHAKALI
Mahakali (Sanskrit: Mahākālī, Devanagari: महाकाली), literally translated as Great Kali, is sometimes considered as a greater form of Kali, identified with the Ultimate reality of Brahman. It can also be used as an honorific of the Goddess Kali, signifying her greatness by the prefix "Mahā-". Mahakali, in Sanskrit, is etymologically the feminized variant of Mahakala or Great Time (which is interpreted also as Death), an epithet of the God Shiva in Hinduism. Mahakali is the presiding Goddess of the first episode of the Devi Mahatmya. Here she is depicted as Devi in her universal form as Shakti. Here Devi serves as the agent who allows the cosmic order to be restored.
Kali is depicted in the Mahakali form as having ten heads, ten arms, and ten legs. Each of her ten hands is carrying a various implement which vary in different accounts, but each of these represent the power of one of the Devas or Hindu Gods and are often the identifying weapon or ritual item of a given Deva. The implication is that Mahakali subsumes and is responsible for the powers that these deities possess and this is in line with the interpretation that Mahakali is identical with Brahman. While not displaying ten heads, an "ekamukhi" or one headed image may be displayed with ten arms, signifying the same concept: the powers of the various Gods come only through Her grace.
ICONOGRAPHY
Kali is portrayed mostly in two forms: the popular four-armed form and the ten-armed Mahakali form. In both of her forms, she is described as being black in color but is most often depicted as blue in popular Indian art. Her eyes are described as red with intoxication, and in absolute rage, her hair is shown disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of her mouth, and her tongue is lolling. She is often shown naked or just wearing a skirt made of human arms and a garland of human heads. She is also accompanied by serpents and a jackal while standing on a seemingly dead Shiva, usually right foot forward to symbolize the more popular Dakshinamarga or right-handed path, as opposed to the more infamous and transgressive Vamamarga or left-handed path.
In the ten-armed form of Mahakali she is depicted as shining like a blue stone. She has ten faces and ten feet and three eyes. She has ornaments decked on all her limbs. There is no association with Shiva.
The Kalika Purana describes Kali as possessing a soothing dark complexion, as perfectly beautiful, riding a lion, four-armed, holding a sword and blue lotuses, her hair unrestrained, body firm and youthful.
In spite of her seemingly terrible form, Kali Ma is often considered the kindest and most loving of all the Hindu goddesses, as she is regarded by her devotees as the Mother of the whole Universe. And because of her terrible form, she is also often seen as a great protector. When the Bengali saint Ramakrishna once asked a devotee why one would prefer to worship Mother over him, this devotee rhetorically replied, "Maharaj, when they are in trouble your devotees come running to you. But, where do you run when you are in trouble?"
According to Ramakrishna, darkness is the Ultimate Mother, or Kali:
My Mother is the principle of consciousness. She is Akhanda Satchidananda; indivisible Reality, Awareness, and Bliss. The night sky between the stars is perfectly black. The waters of the ocean depths are the same; The infinite is always mysteriously dark. This inebriating darkness is my beloved Kali.
SRI RAMAKRISHNA
This is clear in the works of such contemporary artists as Charles Wish, and Tyeb Mehta, who sometimes take great liberties with the traditional, accepted symbolism, but still demonstrate a true reverence for the Shakta sect.
POPULAR FORM
Classic depictions of Kali share several features, as follows:
Kali's most common four armed iconographic image shows each hand carrying variously a sword, a trishul (trident), a severed head and a bowl or skull-cup (kapala) catching the blood of the severed head.
Two of these hands (usually the left) are holding a sword and a severed head. The Sword signifies Divine Knowledge and the Human Head signifies human Ego which must be slain by Divine Knowledge in order to attain Moksha. The other two hands (usually the right) are in the abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (blessing) mudras, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshipping her with a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and in the hereafter.
She has a garland consisting of human heads, variously enumerated at 108 (an auspicious number in Hinduism and the number of countable beads on a Japa Mala or rosary for repetition of Mantras) or 51, which represents Varnamala or the Garland of letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, Devanagari. Hindus believe Sanskrit is a language of dynamism, and each of these letters represents a form of energy, or a form of Kali. Therefore she is generally seen as the mother of language, and all mantras.
She is often depicted naked which symbolizes her being beyond the covering of Maya since she is pure (nirguna) being-consciousness-bliss and far above prakriti. She is shown as very dark as she is brahman in its supreme unmanifest state. She has no permanent qualities - she will continue to exist even when the universe ends. It is therefore believed that the concepts of color, light, good, bad do not apply to her - she is the pure, un-manifested energy, the Adi-shakti.
SHIVA IN KALI ICONOGRAPHY
In both these images she is shown standing on the prone, inert or dead body of Shiva. There is a legend for the reason behind her standing on what appears to be Shiva's corpse, which translates as follows:
Once Kali had destroyed all the demons in battle, she began a terrific dance out of the sheer joy of victory. All the worlds or lokas began to tremble and sway under the impact of her dance. So, at the request of all the Gods, Shiva himself asked her to desist from this behavior. However, she was too intoxicated to listen. Hence, Shiva lay like a corpse among the slain demons in order to absorb the shock of the dance into himself. When Kali eventually stepped upon Shiva, she realized she was trampling and hurting her husband and bit her tongue in shame.
The story described here is a popular folk tale and not described or hinted in any of the puranas. The puranic interpretation is as follows:
Once, Parvati asks Shiva to chose the one form among her 10 forms which he likes most. To her surprise, Shiva reveals that he is most comfortable with her Kali form, in which she is bereft of her jewellery, her human-form, her clothes, her emotions and where she is only raw, chaotic energy, where she is as terrible as time itself and even greater than time. As Parvati takes the form of Kali, Shiva lies at her feet and requests her to place her foot on his chest, upon his heart. Once in this form, Shiva requests her to have this place, below her feet in her iconic image which would be worshiped throughout.
This idea has been explored in the Devi-Bhagavata Purana and is most popular in the Shyama Sangeet, devotional songs to Kali from the 12th to 15th centuries.
The Tantric interpretation of Kali standing on top of her husband is as follows:
The Shiv tattava (Divine Consciousness as Shiva) is inactive, while the Shakti tattava (Divine Energy as Kali) is active. Shiva and Kali represent Brahman, the Absolute pure consciousness which is beyond all names, forms and activities. Kali, on the other hand, represents the potential (and manifested) energy responsible for all names, forms and activities. She is his Shakti, or creative power, and is seen as the substance behind the entire content of all consciousness. She can never exist apart from Shiva or act independently of him, just as Shiva remains a mere corpse without Kali i.e., Shakti, all the matter/energy of the universe, is not distinct from Shiva, or Brahman, but is rather the dynamic power of Brahman. Hence, Kali is Para Brahman in the feminine and dynamic aspect while Shiva is the male aspect and static. She stands as the absolute basis for all life, energy and beneath her feet lies, Shiva, a metaphor for mass, which cannot retain its form without energy.
While this is an advanced concept in monistic Shaktism, it also agrees with the Nondual Trika philosophy of Kashmir, popularly known as Kashmir Shaivism and associated most famously with Abhinavagupta. There is a colloquial saying that "Shiva without Shakti is Shava" which means that without the power of action (Shakti) that is Mahakali (represented as the short "i" in Devanagari) Shiva (or consciousness itself) is inactive; Shava means corpse in Sanskrit and the play on words is that all Sanskrit consonants are assumed to be followed by a short letter "a" unless otherwise noted. The short letter "i" represents the female power or Shakti that activates Creation. This is often the explanation for why She is standing on Shiva, who is either Her husband and complement in Shaktism or the Supreme Godhead in Shaivism.
To properly understand this complex Tantric symbolism it is important to remember that the meaning behind Shiva and Kali does not stray from the non-dualistic parlance of Shankara or the Upanisads. According to both the Mahanirvana and Kularnava Tantras, there are two distinct ways of perceiving the same absolute reality. The first is a transcendental plane which is often described as static, yet infinite. It is here that there is no matter, there is no universe and only consciousness exists. This form of reality is known as Shiva, the absolute Sat-Chit-Ananda - existence, knowledge and bliss. The second is an active plane, an immanent plane, the plane of matter, of Maya, i.e., where the illusion of space-time and the appearance of an actual universe does exist. This form of reality is known as Kali or Shakti, and (in its entirety) is still specified as the same Absolute Sat-Chit-Ananda. It is here in this second plane that the universe (as we commonly know it) is experienced and is described by the Tantric seer as the play of Shakti, or God as Mother Kali.
From a Tantric perspective, when one meditates on reality at rest, as absolute pure consciousness (without the activities of creation, preservation or dissolution) one refers to this as Shiva or Brahman. When one meditates on reality as dynamic and creative, as the Absolute content of pure consciousness (with all the activities of creation, preservation or dissolution) one refers to it as Kali or Shakti. However, in either case the yogini or yogi is interested in one and the same reality - the only difference being in name and fluctuating aspects of appearance. It is this which is generally accepted as the meaning of Kali standing on the chest of Shiva.
Although there is often controversy surrounding the images of divine copulation, the general consensus is benign and free from any carnal impurities in its substance. In Tantra the human body is a symbol for the microcosm of the universe; therefore sexual process is responsible for the creation of the world. Although theoretically Shiva and Kali (or Shakti) are inseparable, like fire and its power to burn, in the case of creation they are often seen as having separate roles. With Shiva as male and Kali as female it is only by their union that creation may transpire. This reminds us of the prakrti and purusa doctrine of Samkhya wherein prakāśa- vimarśa has no practical value, just as without prakrti, purusa is quite inactive. This (once again) stresses the interdependencies of Shiva and Shakti and the vitality of their union.
Gopi Krishna proposed that Kali standing on the dead Shiva or Shava (Sanskrit for dead body) symbolised the helplessness of a person undergoing the changing process (psychologically and physiologically) in the body conducted by the Kundalini Shakti.
DEVELOPMENT
In the later traditions, Kali has become inextricably linked with Shiva. The unleashed form of Kali often becomes wild and uncontrollable, and only Shiva is able to tame her just as only Kali can tame Shiva. This is both because she is often a transformed version of one of his consorts and because he is able to match her wildness.
The ancient text of Kali Kautuvam describes her competition with Shiva in dance, from which the sacred 108 Karanas appeared. Shiva won the competition by acting the urdva tandava, one of the Karanas, by raising his feet to his head. Other texts describe Shiva appearing as a crying infant and appealing to her maternal instincts. While Shiva is said to be able to tame her, the iconography often presents her dancing on his fallen body, and there are accounts of the two of them dancing together, and driving each other to such wildness that the world comes close to unravelling.
Shiva's involvement with Tantra and Kali's dark nature have led to her becoming an important Tantric figure. To the Tantric worshippers, it was essential to face her Curse, the terror of death, as willingly as they accepted Blessings from her beautiful, nurturing, maternal aspect. For them, wisdom meant learning that no coin has only one side: as death cannot exist without life, so life cannot exist without death. Kali's role sometimes grew beyond that of a chaos - which could be confronted - to that of one who could bring wisdom, and she is given great metaphysical significance by some Tantric texts. The Nirvāna-tantra clearly presents her uncontrolled nature as the Ultimate Reality, claiming that the trimurti of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra arise and disappear from her like bubbles from the sea. Although this is an extreme case, the Yogini-tantra, Kamakhya-tantra and the Niruttara-tantra declare her the svarupa (own-being) of the Mahadevi (the great Goddess, who is in this case seen as the combination of all devis).
The final stage of development is the worshipping of Kali as the Great Mother, devoid of her usual violence. This practice is a break from the more traditional depictions. The pioneers of this tradition are the 18th century Shakta poets such as Ramprasad Sen, who show an awareness of Kali's ambivalent nature. Ramakrishna, the 19th century Bengali saint, was also a great devotee of Kali; the western popularity of whom may have contributed to the more modern, equivocal interpretations of this Goddess. Rachel McDermott's work, however, suggests that for the common, modern worshipper, Kali is not seen as fearful, and only those educated in old traditions see her as having a wrathful component. Some credit to the development of Devi must also be given to Samkhya. Commonly referred to as the Devi of delusion, Mahamaya or Durga, acting in the confines of (but not being bound by) the nature of the three gunas, takes three forms: Maha-Kali, Maha-Lakshmi and Maha-Saraswati, being her tamas-ika, rajas-ika and sattva-ika forms. In this sense, Kali is simply part of a larger whole.
Like Sir John Woodroffe and Georg Feuerstein, many Tantric scholars (as well as sincere practitioners) agree that, no matter how propitious or appalling you describe them, Shiva and Devi are simply recognizable symbols for everyday, abstract (yet tangible) concepts such as perception, knowledge, space-time, causation and the process of liberating oneself from the confines of such things. Shiva, symbolizing pure, absolute consciousness, and Devi, symbolizing the entire content of that consciousness, are ultimately one and the same - totality incarnate, a micro-macro-cosmic amalgamation of all subjects, all objects and all phenomenal relations between the "two." Like man and woman who both share many common, human traits yet at the same time they are still different and, therefore, may also be seen as complementary.
Worshippers prescribe various benign and horrific qualities to Devi simply out of practicality. They do this so they may have a variety of symbols to choose from, symbols which they can identify and relate with from the perspective of their own, ever-changing time, place and personal level of unfolding. Just like modern chemists or physicists use a variety of molecular and atomic models to describe what is unperceivable through rudimentary, sensory input, the scientists of ontology and epistemology must do the same. One of the underlying distinctions of Tantra, in comparison to other religions, is that it allows the devotee the liberty to choose from a vast array of complementary symbols and rhetoric which suit one's evolving needs and tastes. From an aesthetic standpoint, nothing is interdict and nothing is orthodox. In this sense, the projection of some of Devi's more gentle qualities onto Kali is not sacrilege and the development of Kali really lies in the practitioner, not the murthi.
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HINDU GODDESS DURGA
Durga, meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible", is the most popular incarnation of Devi and one of the main forms of the Goddess Shakti in the Hindu pantheon. Durga is the original manifested form of Mother Parvati or Adi-Parashakti. Durga is Adi-Parashakti herself. The Devi Gita, declares her to be the greatest Goddess. Thus, she is considered the supreme goddess and primary deity in Shaktism, occupying a place similar to Lord Krishna in Vaishnavism. According to Skanda Purana, the goddess Parvati accounted the name "Durga" after she killed the demon Durgamaasura. Goddess Parvati is considered to be the complete incarnation of Adi Parashakti or Goddess Durga, with all other goddesses being her incarnations or manifestations. Adi Parashakti or Mahadevi, the supreme power, is called Durga Shakti as per Devi-Mahatmya. Adi Parashakti or Devi Durga is a Hindu concept of the Ultimate Shakti or Mahashakti, the ultimate power inherent in all Creation. This is especially prevalent in the Shakta denomination within Hinduism, which worships the Goddess Devi in all her manifestations. She is Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati in her mild form; Goddess Kali and Goddess Chandi in her wrathful form. Durga is also called Padmanabha-Sahodari and Narayani, the sister of Lord Vishnu. According to Shaivism and Shaktism She is supreme, but to bring back lord Shiva in Sansar, she was reborn in human form (Sati and Parvati) to marry Shiva. Durga gave birth to his first child Kartikeya.
ORIGINS & DEVELOPMENT
Ramprasad Chanda writes the following about the development of Durga from primitive goddess to her current form:
"...it is possible to distinguish two different strata – one primitive and the other advanced. The primitive form of Durga is the result of syncretism of a mountain-goddess worshiped by the dwellers of the Himalaya and the Vindhyas, a goddess worshiped by the nomadic Abhira shepherd, the vegetation spirit conceived as a female, and a war-goddess. As her votaries advanced in civilization the primitive war-goddess was transformed into the personification of the all-destroying time (Kali), the vegetation spirit into the primordial energy (Adya Sakti) and the saviouress from “samsara” (cycle of rebirths) , and gradually brought into line with the Brahmanic mythology and philosophy."
It is not possible to date her The delusion of the supreme soul is otherwise called Shakti (power). From this power, generates all forms of knowledge of the world and it is accepted as vital cause of creation, existence and destruction. According to 'Shree Durga Shaptshati- Rahasyam', the original power is Mahalaxmi that created three pairs of Supreme Powers. They are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as male and Saraswati, Laxmi and Parvati as female, and they married respectively. Maha Saraswati is well known as Brahmani, Mahalaxmi as Vaishnavi and Mahakali as Maheswari. Durga Shakti is the original cause of all the present or past worldly occurrences. Durga Shakti is called as Adhyashakti, Paramatma Shakti or Ati Prakrutika Shakti. She is creating and controlling other two powers: Natural and General. Natural Power is called as Atma Shakti, Prakrutika Shakti, Pancha Mahabhuta Shakti etc. This Shakti creates and controls the General Energy. General Energies are called Jada Shakti or Tamashakti. By the blessings of Durga Shakti, the mother of the Universe, man is able to get his emancipation or salvation and indulge in enjoyments in performance of his daily activities. So Vyasadev, the eminent poet of "Devi Bhagwat", has aptly described "Rudrahinam Vishnuhinam na vadanti janastatha Shaktihinam Yathasarbe probodhanti Naradhamam". The powerless persons are despised as mean persons. So, by being devoted to the Supreme, we should be strong and powerful by her grace.
STORIES
Shiva Purana gives an account of the origin of Durga. At the beginning of time, Lord Shiva invoked Durga, the primordial energy from his left half to create. Together they created their eternal abode, Shivaloka, also known as Kashi. Thereafter, they created Vishnu and Brahma.
As per Shiva Purana and Devi Mahatmyah, Mahishasura, the son of demon Rambha, unleashed reign of terror on earth. When gods intervened, Mahishasura defeated gods and banished them from heaven. Vanquished gods went to Trideva- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. As they narrated their woeful tale, immense mass of light manifested from Lord Vishnu's mouth, which was joined by similar rays that emerged from the enraged faces of gods. This mass of light transformed into a woman. Then all the Gods gave their devine weapon to that supreme power. Adishakti re-manifested as Durga to slay Mahishasura. Armed with celestial weapons of all deities and decked with divine ornaments, Durga rode into the battle field and challenged demons for battle. Mahishasura's entire army, led by demons like Chikshur, Chamar, Asiloma, Vidalaksha, Durdhara, Durmukha, Mahahanu and many more attacked Durga at once. But Durga slew all of them with unparalleled cruelty. An enraged Mahishasura attacked Durga in guise of a buffalo. But Durga bound it with ropes. The buffalo morphed into a lion and lept on Durga, but she beheaded it with her sword. At this, Mahishasura began to fight in form of a swordsman. Durga pinned him down with a torrent of arrows. Mahishasura now assumed form of a giant elephant and tugged at Durga's lion. Durga lopped off its trunk with her sword and freed her lion. The elephent turned into a buffalo and charged at Durga. Sipping from her wine cup, Durga flung her trident and beheaded Mahishasura, finally killing him.
WIKIPEDIA
Forged in the secretive Viper Program, the Jaculus Advanced Strategic Space Superiority Starfighter represents a quantum leap in the naval technology of the Imperial Magikstrate. The fighter is lightning fast in both vacuum and atmosphere, its thrusters augmented by a pair of aether-void engines mounted in the wings. Armed with 4 interceptor cannons, a centrally mounted heavy Cuprite-12 Shattercannon, and versatile smart torpedoes, the Jaculus is a threat to both fighters and larger ships. The Jaculus has proven indispensible in the Konvergence Brikverse in both escort and independent roles, and has become the fighter of choice for a new generation of aces.
This fighter was started for NoVVember 2019 but I only recently finished it after a lot of good feedback from various builders. I thought the Vic Viper would be a great frame for the Imperial Magikstrate, a faction designed by Red Rover that blends high technology with magic light transparent blue crystals. The faction is gorgeous and pretty much anything you build in this aesthetic is fantastic. The name Jaculus was provided by Bookwyrm, referring to a winged serpent from Greek and Roman mythology that divebombed people from trees.
The use of porphyry (a noun derived from the ancient Greek for reddish-purple) is attested sporadically in Pharaonic Egypt from the Predynastic to the Late Dynastic period but gains wider currency during the Late Roman period both because of its violet/purplish colour, which was associated with royals, and because of its relative inaccessibility, restricted to quarries located exclusively in Egypt. The statue is particularly noteworthy because it is the largest porphyry statue to have survived from the ancient world.
The statue represents an enthroned draped male figure, which is consummately sculpted, as is evident not only in the treatment of the folds of the drapery but also in the manner in which the negative stone between the bottom of the throne and the integral plinth has been removed. The uprights of the throne itself, which form its four legs, are ornamented with alternating squares of rectangular and oval-shaped designs, suggesting that it was encrusted with gemstones. The seated pose of the figure perpetuates the design introduced, perhaps by Pheidias, in the 5th century BC for his cult statue of Olympian Zeus, which was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.
The identification of the figure is debated, but it must certainly represent a Roman emperor rather than Christ or Serapis, as was earlier speculated. The absence of both its head and any attributes that might have been held in the now-missing hands prevents identification of the emperor. Nevertheless, porphyry was the stone of choice for images of Roman emperors from Diocletian to Constantine the Great. There appears to be a growing consensus, however, that this statue represents the Roman emperor Diocletian.
4th century AD
(Inv. 5934, Greco-Roman Museum)
Kom el Shoqafa, Alexandria
Representing STL and Classic Camera's in a single frame!
I joined a photo forum shortly after graduating high school in 2005, soon to follow were friendly people who have helped me become a better photographer. While I have known Andy for the better part of the last decade of my life through countless online forums (Facebook/Myspace mainly), I've never had the pleasure of meeting him face to face. There was a slight chance back in April when I went to St. Louis for my birthday, that he and I would be able to meet up and grab a beer. Unfortunately, keeping busy on the trip I didn't have the time to meet him. As luck may have it, Andy and his girlfriend were taking a vacation from life and had a two day stay scheduled for Madison. We exchanged phone calls and text messages for the better part of the week leading up to his trip.
While out photographing with my friend John, a text came in from Andy informing me that they had arrived safely and were relaxing for a bit. I had my hopes to meet up right away, but I am sure after a five hour drive I would be rather tired too. A few hours passed, and then Andy texted me his location; a local bar not far from my apartment. As an avid beer connoisseur, it was the right choice; funny fact is that when Andy and I first met I didn't drink at all. Times change, people grow older, but some friendships last the test of time. So I asked John if he would like to meet a stranger, and he did so we strolled across the isthmus and walked into the bar.
Even though I knew what he looked like, I was nervous to meet him; slightly for the fear of the unknown. I sheepishly texted "where are you seated?" but once I entered the bar, I saw him sitting with his large beard and black STL baseball cap. As he stood up, he was taller then eye with a beard as big as my face; an outstretched hand we shook firmly finally meeting in person. The skies outside were darkening fast, but no worries when in the company of good people and a good beer; conversation is the only thing we needed.
An active film shooter (with over 150 35mm camera's and counting) Andy is as hardcore as they come. In his place he has a full sized refrigerator dedicated just to the storing of film. A crack of thunder interrupted our conversation, and I quickly ventured out of the bar to snap photos of the torrential downpour happening outside. Upon returning inside, drenched with camera in hand; a few patrons gave me puzzled looks BUT Andy informed me that he "wished to have the drive" that I do in taking photos everyday. He keeps busy taking care of his father, which is in reality his full time job. John left us when the rain let up; leaving Andy, Ann, and myself to converse among ourselves.
We enjoyed dinner with a local flavor, and another choice beer. Upon walking Andy and Ann back to the bed and breakfast they were staying at, I told Andy it was time for his photo for the 100 strangers group he laughed and told me I'd have to do it "paparazzi" style and thus wouldn't directly pose for a simple shot. I think a shot of Andy in action really does justice to the art that he creates, as I've admired his work for so long it was almost like seeing a painter create a masterpiece. Although with Andy, I was unable to see it as he was shooting film! The rain returned and we rushed through the sidewalks, hoping not to damage gear in tow.
Upon parting ways after an eventful second day of just hanging out, we agreed to meet up again. Next time in St. Louis, so I can meet a few other fellow photographers I've had the pleasure of knowing the last so many years of my life. Until that happens, Andy is a contact in my phone and a good friend and mentor as any I've ever had.
091/100
This book represents so much to me, I bought it in the autumn of 2004 when I was expecting twins and read up on how to cope with the whole twin pregnancy, birth, juggling babies and raising confident twins thing. The book has stayed on my shelf ever since December 2004, not the well thumbed tome I thought it would be - because I have never had to juggle 2 babies at once or wonder which twin is taking the lead, or enjoy them lying in their crib together, or listen to them chatter in their own language - because my twins arrived early and went to the NICU and my tiny baby boy Thomas (twin 2) died when he was 2 days old leaving Jonny (twin1) as a twin survivior and our lives forever altered. The twin buggy, the second cot, second carseat were all returned but the book I kept not because I will ever have need of it but to remind me of the woman I was and the life I hoped to lead before my baby died.
Until it happened to us I knew no-one whose baby had died, I wish that was still true but unfortunately it isn't - we aren't alone in our pain - today 17 other parents will have felt that overwhelming disbelief that they won't be taking their baby home with them.
Some cold, hard facts:
• 17 babies die every day in the UK (10 are stillbirths, 7 are neonatal deaths) totalling almost 6,500 baby deaths a year - the equivalent of 16 jumbo jets crashing every year with no survivors
• This is four times the number of people who die every year of MRSA
• This is double the number of adults who lose their lives on Britain’s roads every year
• Ten times more babies are stillborn than die of cot death every year in the UK.
• The stillbirth rate has remained almost unchanged for the past 10 years. (CEMACH)
• 1 in every 200 babies are stillborn in the UK
• 1 in every 300 babies born in the UK die in the first four weeks of life
• In half of all stillbirths the cause remains unexplained, although in more than half of these pregnancies the baby is smaller than it should be
• Many of these babies are born perfectly formed, with no clear reason why they died. We need to understand what is causing these deaths and take action to prevent avoidable losses
• The majority of unexplained stillbirths are in pregnancies that were previously considered low risk
Sands is the UK’s Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity, an organisation which offers support to everyone affected by the death of a baby during pregnancy or after birth.
Sands’ core aims are to:
• Support anyone affected by the death of a baby;
• To work in partnership with health professionals to improve the quality of care and services offered to bereaved families; and
• To promote research and changes in practice that could help to reduce the loss of babies' lives
In memory of our darling Thomas Jack 19/12/2004 - 21/12/2004
Dedicated in 1940, the Lithuanian Room's decorations represent the community's love for their homeland and farming. The wallpaper is made of hand-spun linen in a geometric pattern called the "path of the birds". The wood blackboard frame, door and wall decorations were carved with motifs of greenery native to Lithuania.
The friezes near the ceiling were inscribed with names of famous and important Lithuanians. You may notice the black wood professor's chair at a corner of the room. This chair was made from precious bog oak, which is oak wood that had been submerged into bogs for years to obtain the dark hue. Wood submerged into bogs is not ready to be retrieved for use until several generations later.
The lead window frames were also hand-made to create the sunburst patterns, a reminder of the importance of nature's blessings in an agricultural society.
Near the window is a wood carving of a mother at a spinning wheel with her child. This is known as the School of Sorrows and is a traditional symbol of Lithuanian language and culture preservation during times of oppression. The story tells a mother teaching her child the Lithuanian language and history at home when the Russian invaders forbade that at school.
Finally, the back wall of the classroom is a fresco showing Two Kings who protect the most precious things: community, village life and land. Beyond the dark forest, the bright stars represent hope and light even in dark difficult times.
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The Nationality Rooms are located in the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning building. The rooms are gifts to the university from Pittsburgh's ethnic communities. Each room has been designed to represent the culture of the nation represented. The rooms function as university classrooms and are not open all the time for the public to explore particularly during school terms. Visitors are advised to contact the University for opening times and guided tours.
www.nationalityrooms.pitt.edu/
The very first Nationality Room opened in 1938, and new rooms are still being planned now. There are currently 30 Nationality Rooms at the Cathedral of Learning.
Steam locomotives represented a significant advance in human achievement. They were the first man-made objects that could move under their own power and they played a huge role in the success of the industrial revolution in the 1800s and 1900s. Unfortunately, with only about 150 operable examples left, it's a good bet that many Americans have never seen one run. It seems that a father and son from Indiana have made it their life's work to change all of that. John and Byron Gramling restored the 40-ton saddle tanker that you see here and over the past 10 years, have taken her on the road to tourist railroads and museums around the country, becoming very visible ambassadors for the preservation these historic machines. Not only do they provide the public with a chance to see and ride behind steam, they also provide the crews at each stop with actual, hands-on experience. When Flagg Coal #75 visited the Railroad Museum of New England in Thomaston, CT, most of the actual running and firing was done by museum volunteers, with training and supervision provided by the Gramlings. Virtually all couldn't say enough about how educational and motivating this experience was. The Gramlings are already at work expanding their operation. Their displays at Thomaston indicated that they are in the process of restoring two more saddle tankers. Here's wishing them a bright future in their very worthwhile endeavour.
The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World; French: La Liberté éclairant le monde) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States. The statue, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor and dedicated on October 28, 1886, was a gift to the United States from the people of France. The statue is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue is an icon of freedom and of the United States: a welcoming signal to immigrants arriving from abroad.
Bartholdi was inspired by French law professor and politician Édouard René de Laboulaye, who is said to have commented in 1865 that any monument raised to American independence would properly be a joint project of the French and American peoples. He may have been minded to honor the Union victory in the American Civil War and the end of slavery. Due to the troubled political situation in France, work on the statue did not commence until the early 1870s. In 1875, Laboulaye proposed that the French finance the statue and the Americans provide the site and build the pedestal. Bartholdi completed the head and the torch-bearing arm before the statue was fully designed, and these pieces were exhibited for publicity at international expositions.
The torch-bearing arm was displayed at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, and in Madison Square Park in Manhattan from 1876 to 1882. Fundraising proved difficult, especially for the Americans, and by 1885 work on the pedestal was threatened due to lack of funds. Publisher Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World started a drive for donations to complete the project that attracted more than 120,000 contributors, most of whom gave less than a dollar. The statue was constructed in France, shipped overseas in crates, and assembled on the completed pedestal on what was then called Bedloe's Island. The statue's completion was marked by New York's first ticker-tape parade and a dedication ceremony presided over by President Grover Cleveland.
The statue was administered by the United States Lighthouse Board until 1901 and then by the Department of War; since 1933 it has been maintained by the National Park Service. The statue was closed for renovation for much of 1938. In the early 1980s, it was found to have deteriorated to such an extent that a major restoration was required. While the statue was closed from 1984 to 1986, the torch and a large part of the internal structure were replaced. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, it was closed for reasons of safety and security; the pedestal reopened in 2004 and the statue in 2009, with limits on the number of visitors allowed to ascend to the crown. The statue, including the pedestal and base, was closed for a year until October 28, 2012, so that a secondary staircase and other safety features could be installed; Liberty Island remained open. However, one day after the reopening, Liberty Island closed due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy in New York; the statue and island opened again on July 4, 2013. Public access to the balcony surrounding the torch has been barred for safety reasons since 1916.
The origin of the Statue of Liberty project is sometimes traced to a comment made by French law professor and politician Édouard René de Laboulaye in mid-1865. In after-dinner conversation at his home near Versailles, Laboulaye, an ardent supporter of the Union in the American Civil War, is supposed to have said: "If a monument should rise in the United States, as a memorial to their independence, I should think it only natural if it were built by united effort—a common work of both our nations."[7] The National Park Service, in a 2000 report, however, deemed this a legend traced to an 1885 fundraising pamphlet, and that the statue was most likely conceived in 1870.[8] In another essay on their website, the Park Service suggested that Laboulaye was minded to honor the Union victory and its consequences, "With the abolition of slavery and the Union's victory in the Civil War in 1865, Laboulaye's wishes of freedom and democracy were turning into a reality in the United States. In order to honor these achievements, Laboulaye proposed that a gift be built for the United States on behalf of France. Laboulaye hoped that by calling attention to the recent achievements of the United States, the French people would be inspired to call for their own democracy in the face of a repressive monarchy.
Bartholdi and Laboulaye considered how best to express the idea of American liberty.[18] In early American history, two female figures were frequently used as cultural symbols of the nation.[19] One of these symbols, the personified Columbia, was seen as an embodiment of the United States in the manner that Britannia was identified with the United Kingdom and Marianne came to represent France. Columbia had supplanted the earlier figure of an Indian princess, which had come to be regarded as uncivilized and derogatory toward Americans.[19] The other significant female icon in American culture was a representation of Liberty, derived from Libertas, the goddess of freedom widely worshipped in ancient Rome, especially among emancipated slaves. A Liberty figure adorned most American coins of the time,[18] and representations of Liberty appeared in popular and civic art, including Thomas Crawford's Statue of Freedom (1863) atop the dome of the United States Capitol Building.
Construction
On June 17, 1885, the French steamer Isère, laden with the Statue of Liberty, reached the New York port safely. New Yorkers displayed their new-found enthusiasm for the statue, as the French vessel arrived with the crates holding the disassembled statue on board. Two hundred thousand people lined the docks and hundreds of boats put to sea to welcome the Isère.[90] [91] After five months of daily calls to donate to the statue fund, on August 11, 1885, the World announced that $102,000 had been raised from 120,000 donors, and that 80 percent of the total had been received in sums of less than one dollar.[92]
Even with the success of the fund drive, the pedestal was not completed until April 1886. Immediately thereafter, reassembly of the statue began. Eiffel's iron framework was anchored to steel I-beams within the concrete pedestal and assembled.[93] Once this was done, the sections of skin were carefully attached.[94] Due to the width of the pedestal, it was not possible to erect scaffolding, and workers dangled from ropes while installing the skin sections. Nevertheless, no one died during the construction.[95] Bartholdi had planned to put floodlights on the torch's balcony to illuminate it; a week before the dedication, the Army Corps of Engineers vetoed the proposal, fearing that ships' pilots passing the statue would be blinded. Instead, Bartholdi cut portholes in the torch – which was covered with gold leaf – and placed the lights inside them.[96] A power plant was installed on the island to light the torch and for other electrical needs.[97] After the skin was completed, renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, co-designer of New York's Central Park and Brooklyn's Prospect Park, supervised a cleanup of Bedloe's Island in anticipation of the dedication.
The statue is situated in Upper New York Bay on Liberty Island south of Ellis Island, which together comprise the Statue of Liberty National Monument. Both islands were ceded by New York to the federal government in 1800.[155] As agreed in an 1834 compact between New York and New Jersey that set the state border at the bay's midpoint, the original islands remain New York territory despite their location on the New Jersey side of the state line. Liberty Island is one of the islands that are part of the borough of Manhattan in New York. Land created by reclamation added to the 2.3 acres (0.93 ha) original island at Ellis Island is New Jersey territory.[156]
No charge is made for entrance to the national monument, but there is a cost for the ferry service that all visitors must use, as private boats may not dock at the island. A concession was granted in 2007 to Statue Cruises to operate the transportation and ticketing facilities, replacing Circle Line, which had operated the service since 1953.[157] The ferries, which depart from Liberty State Park in Jersey City and Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, also stop at Ellis Island when it is open to the public, making a combined trip possible.[158] All ferry riders are subject to security screening, similar to airport procedures, prior to boarding.[159] Visitors intending to enter the statue's base and pedestal must obtain a complimentary museum/pedestal ticket along with their ferry ticket.[160] Those wishing to climb the staircase within the statue to the crown purchase a special ticket, which may be reserved up to a year in advance. A total of 240 people per day are permitted to ascend: ten per group, three groups per hour. Climbers may bring only medication and cameras—lockers are provided for other items—and must undergo a second security screening.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Ganga ibérica
(Pterocles alchata)
Las gangas son aves propias de desiertos y estepas de África y Asia, que están representadas en la Península Ibérica, de modo marginal, por dos
especies, las cuales aprovechan medios agrícolas de secano tradicionales. La profunda modificación del campo español es responsable del serio declive que padece la población de la ganga ibérica, hoy reducida a solo 8.000- 11.000 individuos
Descripción y Clasificación
Orden Pteroclidiformes; familia Pteroclidae
Longitud 31-39 cm. Envergadura 55 cm.
Identificación
Ave de hábitos terrestres, compacta, corpulenta y de colores miméticos. El macho exhibe una contrastada cabeza, con cara anaranjada, ojo oscuro rodeado de un anillo azul, y lista ocular y garganta negras (dibujo 1). Tiene el cuello y la nuca de color naranja verdoso, y el pecho rojo castaño, enmarcado por dos bandas negras, de las cuales la inferior delimita el vientre, llamativamente blanco. El dorso presenta ocelos dorados que se pierden en invierno, y en las alas plegadas aparecen espejuelos de color verde metálico y con ribetes oscuros. Posee cola muy apuntada, vermiculada por arriba —lo mismo que el obispillo— y blanca con banda subterminal negra por abajo. El pico y las patas —de dedos cortos— son grises, y la parte anterior del tarso está emplumada en blanco. Se diferencia de la ganga ortega por su menor tamaño, su vientre blanco y su cola con plumas centrales muy largas. La hembra es muy parecida, pero menos vistosa. Sus partes inferiores resultan similares a las del macho, pero tiene la garganta blanca y tres bandas negras en el cuello y el pecho. Por su parte, las zonas superiores están más vermiculadas, y los ocelos del dorso muestran además áreas azules (dibujo 2). Los jóvenes son una versión más pálida y menos contrastada de los adultos de cada sexo. Esta ave exhibe un vuelo poderoso y rápido, que deja ver sus alas apuntadas, blancas y negras por abajo (dibujo 3). De hábitos gregarios, más marcados fuera de la época de cría, suele observarse en grupos, por lo general mayores que en la ganga ortega.
Canto
Su voz, muy distintiva, consiste en un áspero graznido (kataa…, kata… y gaaa…, gaaa…), que puede recordar al reclamo de la grajilla.
Part of "MY BEST" Set, a collection of Images that I feel represent my skill as a Photographer, as well as reveal my eye for picking good quality Images. View more of MY BEST here.
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Despite most popular western beliefs, the sun is honored in a female form as well, in India. Actually, not one, but in three significant forms.
They are Gayatri, Savitri and Sarasvati, respectively. Gayatri is the early morning sun, that peeps out at the crack of dawn. It is presented in the form of a young and beautiful woman, who is initiates action.
Anyone who wakes up at dawn can confirm what a beautiful sight the sun is. And almost always there is absolute stillness before she comes out of the horizon, and when she is up, life springs into action. Birds begin to fly. Peope begin to move about. Flowers begin to blossom. Its a magical time.
This capture was taken at the same place as the previous capture. I could not resist the wires across the sun, and when I framed it, two angels in the form of the birds stopped by. What a glorious moment.
I dedicate this shot to the sun, the source of light, without which photography could not be possible...
Photograph © Kausthub Desikachar
Photographed with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, and Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 IS USM L Lens with Canon EF 2X Extender. Handheld. Yes, thats right. Handheld.
The previous photo I posted yesterday was taken at 16mm, with my super wide angle lens, while this one is with a super telephoto lens and a 2X extender. This one was framed at 660mm.
Please do not reproduce in any form without prior written consent from the copyright holder. Please contact the photographer through Flickrmail, to inquire about licensing arrangements.
Here is a massive vacant cathedral in pristine condition. There is some water damage on the upper level in which this photo was taken from as well, parts of the exterior are crumbling. I really hope that this is only temporarily closed for repairs but at the same time, there are so many others that were closed for the same reason & have gone into disrepair.