Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2022 i A TO Z INDIA

The First and Foremost among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Sri Vishnu, the Sri Ranganatha swamy Temple complex is not just a temple, but a templetown!. The temple is unique with its planning/architectural typology, “Sapta-Prakaram” formation with Sapta (seven) concentric rectangular enclosures or prakarams. The inner 4 enclosures define the religious zone. The temple’s outer 3 enclosures contain business establishments of the town and houses. The size (950 metre by 816 metre along its perimeter) and scale of the complex (spread over 156 acres) are unprecedented, make it the largest functioning temple complex in the world (Angkor Wat is bigger, but non-functioning). Gopurams symbolize sacred mountains, the habitations of gods. The Temple Complex has 21 very vividly coloured and artistically sculpted Gopurams (consecrated gateways with towers) which are feast…

The Victoria Memorial, one of the top historical places in Kolkata, is the brainchild of Lord Curzon, a Viceroy of India. When Queen Victoria, who was the Empress of British India, died in January 1901, Curzon suggested building a grand memorial to honor her. He proposed the memorial to be a stately edifice with a museum where visitors get a glimpse of the marvels of the past. The foundation for the memorial was laid on 4 January 1906 by the Prince of Wales, who later became King George V. The building was formally inaugurated and opened for public visits in 1921. Later, additions were made to the memorial after India gained independence. The Victoria Memorial features Indo-Saracenic revivalist architectural style which displays a blend of Mughal and British elements along…

New Delhi Parliament is central to the functioning of Government. The countries across the world have developed parliamentary institutions in a manner best suited to native needs. Despite the social, cultural and linguistic diversities, there is one common point that Parliaments of various countries represent people and serve their needs, hopes and aspirations; Parliaments provide a forum to the representatives of the people to freely express their views and scrutinize governmental activities. It is at this forum only that the matters of national and international importance are discussed at length and shaped into various laws, policies and programmes of governance. The institution of Parliament is a living entity. It has to attune itself to the emerging needs and ever changing scenario at national and international levels. Today, globalization has established…

Salutations to the Lord Vishwanatha, the Master of Kashi, who is like a lion to the elephants i.e. people intoxicated by sinful acts, is like the eagle to the serpents i.e. the demon-chiefs, and is like the forest fire to the forests of old age, grief and death. Salutations to the Lord Vishwanatha, the Master of Kashi, the One without the second, who has many auspicious qualities, who is at the same time attributeless, who has emerged from the very source of bliss, who is one with the serpents, who transcends all the attributes being the very embodiment of the Atma (the Supreme Principle). Salutations to the Lord Vishwanatha, the Master of Kashi, by giving up all desires, criticism of others and involvement in any sinful acts and by steadying…

Bhagavan warned me several times about the dangers of being attached to the I-am-the-doer idea. On one of these occasions, he told me a story about King Vallalan, a Saivite king of Tiruvannamalai whose devotion to Siva is extolled in a Tamil work called Arunachala Puranam. This king was responsible for building one of the large gopurams [towers] in the main temple in Tiruvannamalai. After he had completed this gopuram he had a strong feeling, 'I have built this great gopuram.' On major festival days Arunachaleswara, the temple deity, is taken out of the temple and paraded through town. According to one local legend, on one such ten-day festival, Arunachaleswara refused to pass through the passage under King Vallalan's new gopuram because the king had too much pride in his…

Small and innocent students are sitting in the school premises. in front of them a lady is holding a snake in her hand with her entire family including her husband and two year old children giving information about the snake. The students are engrossed. Many emotions like surprise and fear are playing in the minds of people who see people holding snakes in their hands. Many misconceptions about snakes are disappearing from the mind. The fear of snakes is disappearing. The villagers have crowded the event. Vanita Borade, a snake-friendly woman, pulls out a very venomous species of snake. They make sure that the snake does not attack. Because even though she catch snakes, she do not remove the venomous teeth of the snake and harm the snake like the…