Penelope Gan | Photo Blog » People

Tsunami Photo Museum – a visual memory

ganpenelope — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:18:08 +0000

It has been over 7 years since the Tsunami devastated the coast of Sri Lanka. Over 50,000 people were killed and thousands more injured and displaced. Though new disasters and tragedies have occurred in the world, people have moved one to other issues, and the wounds are being healed as businesses, roads and lives are being rebuilt, signs of the destruction that had taken the nation by surprise are still there … none more prominently showcase than the Tsunami Museum in Telwatta, Sri Lanka.

Started by Jacky – an independent volunteer from Holland – she was drawn to Telwatta during her initial stint of voluntary work post the 26th December 2006 tsunami and had returned to Sri Lanka on many occasions between then and 2010. A visual artist and an art teacher, she had taken lots of photographs and through her visual journey had discovered the importance of photos for the Sri Lankans and the impact the tsunami had on the lost of these visual memories as well. Consequently, Jacky decided to start the Tsunami Museum project with the following aim:

To visualize the stories of the local people who where affected by the Tsunami. A place where big and small stories can come together and can be shared. Not only the stories of the local people, but also about the people who came to help.
To create a place where people can see and remember what has happened, because their experiences and the disaster that followed has had a big impact on the lives of so many people and will stay with them all their lives. Besides this fact, the Tsunami story has become a major subject of Sri Lankan history and is important to show to the upcoming generations.
To try and collect international photo material and bring it back to Sri Lanka and the affected villages, like Telwatta and Parelyia.
The Tsunami brought people from all over the world to Sri Lanka. Many villages had not met people from other cultures before. I hope the museum will be a place where cultures can come together in the future as well.

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Details of the Tsunami Photo Museum

Opening Hours:
The Museum is open every day from 9.00 AM untill 18.00 PM

The museum is free of charge because we want to give everybody the oppurtunity to see the exhibition but a donation, to maintain the museum, is most welcome.

Address:
Tsunami Photo Museum, Templeroad, Telwatta, Sri Lanka

Museum website:
http://tsunami-photo-museum-srilanka.blogspot.com/

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In Jacky’s own words:

At the 26 of December 2004 I was sitting in Holland behind the television watching the Tsunami videos and the aftermath. I had just got back from a trip to Thailand and I considered myself lucky being in Holland at that time, if I had made my trip 3 weeks later I could easily have been in the Tsunami myself.

I watched the news all the time and decided I wanted to help, not just donate money but go over there and help the people who had suffered so much. I wanted to help the people in whatever way I could. I tried to get in contact with NGO’s or people working on the site but this was very difficult. Nobody wanted to take the responsibility for helping volunteers. Finally after 3 weeks I got in contact with Jessica (also from Holland) who was helping the people in Sri Lanka.

On the 26th of January 2005 I was on the plane to Sri Lanka. I got some little donations from friends and I had asked some schools in my village to donate some presents for children there. I came to Hikkaduwa where Jessica was working together with more volunteers from all over the world. At that time most foreign people in this area where paid and unpaid aid workers.

We started with clearing rubble by hand in the village Wellawatta. After that I went to Hambantota for a week to do activities for children with another volunteer group. Between the rubble we would be colouring picture books, play cricket and other games at schools and in camps and made paper flowers and music in the childrensward of the hospital.

When I came back to Hikka Jessica and Co had already started to work in Telwatta. Making temporary wooden huts for about 15 families that were still living in the Temple at that time. Every day I passed Telwatta junction and this was still a big mess. People where living in tents between the rubble. Nothing had been cleared yet. After some time I decided to leave the other volunteers with the building of the huts and I started to see if I could help clean the rubble at the junction site. I tried to find volunteers to help and money to buy the needed cleaning tools, cause I didn’t have any budget myself. After one day of work with 8 people we where only able to clear one house foundation and I thought: “My god this is one hell of a job I started!!!!”

Any way although it seemed a long and heavy job to do we continued and after about 3-4 weeks we where able to clear the site from rubble. Main problem was to find the money to pay for the bulldozers and lorries that where needed to take away the rubble. Nobody had really a budget for this. I was very thankful that Jessica’s foundation wanted to donate the money for this and also to pay for the people who helped to clean. In the mean time I was able to get the Danish Peoples Aid to build shelters on the site and also I was able to get some funding for the clearing from them.

This was how it all started in Telwatta for me. After that I have been doing all sorts of projects in the area, but I kept coming back to Telwatta, because for some strange reason I felt at home there. And the people there have made me feel welcome and even when they didn’t have anything themselves they would give me a smile and a cup of tea. Also I admired their strong sense of community spirit and their strength to rebuild their lives after loosing nearly everything.

I have been up and down to Sri Lanka since the Tsunami for the last four years. All these times I had taken lots of photographs. I also found out how important photo’s are for the Sri Lankans themselves. Not only because they like them and put the photo frames on a central place in their house. Very much because, through the Tsunami, the people lost 98% of their photographs and didn’t have any camera’s. It where the aid workers, volunteers and journalists that had the camera’s. They visited the sites and took pictures, but most of these photos the village people didn’t see themselves.

From this background and my own background as a visual artist and an art teacher I decided to start the museum project. A project that is based with different aims:

- To visualize the stories of the local people who where affected by the Tsunami. A place where big and small stories can come together and can be shared. Not only the stories of the local people, but also about the people who came to help.

- To create a place where people can see and remember what has happened, because their experiences and the disaster that followed has had a big impact on the lives of so many people and will stay with them all their lives. Besides this fact, the Tsunami story has become a major subject of Sri Lankan history and is important to show to the upcoming generations.

- To try and collect international photo material and bring it back to Sri Lanka and the affected villages, like Telwatta and Parelyia.

- The Tsunami brought people from all over the world to Sri Lanka. Many villages had not met people from other cultures before. I hope the museum will be a place where cultures can come together in the future as well.

It is impossible to tell the whole Tsunami story, as there are too many. But by telling some of them I think a lot of people will get a general idea what has happened. The museum is not only about the Tsunami but also about the first years after, as so much changed every day during this chaotic period. I have chosen for a museum with a personal touch instead of a museum that shows all the facts. For me the personal stories are more important than the facts. Only the necessary facts to tell the story will be presented in the museum.

I had not been in Sri Lanka before the Tsunami. When I came here I saw the mess of a culture that has been whirled up side down. I had no idea how it had been before and what was normal and not. I learned about Sri Lanka life and culture the other way round. I learned about every day Sri Lankan life from rubble. Now slowly I get to see and understand what it had been like before the Tsunami. I hope I will be able to do more projects in Sri Lanka in the future. For now I would like to invite you to explore the museum and read the Tsunami photo stories.

The Halal Meat Butcher

ganpenelope — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:18:58 +0000

In Islam, ’Halal’ (Arabic: حلال‎ ḥalāl, “lawful”) means permissible. ‘Haraam’ means forbidden.

Although the term halal and haraam are applied to many facets of life; and one of the most common uses of these terms is in reference to meat products, food contact materials, and pharmaceuticals. .

Commonly, forbidden items include pork and all its products; animals improperly slaughtered; alcoholic drinks, including all forms of intoxicants; carnivorous animals; birds of prey; and any food contaminated with any of these products. When reference to meat products are made, it simply means that the slaughtering of the animal (excluding fish and most sea-life as per Islamic law) has used the prescribed method of Ḏabīḥah (ذَبِيْحَة).

Ḏabīḥah calls for the use of a well sharpened knife to make a swift, deep incision that cuts the front of the throat, the carotid artery, wind pipe and jugular veins but leaves the spinal cord intact when slaughtering animals. The head of an animal that is slaughtered is also required to be aligned with the Qiblah.

However, before the second world war, the religious ritual method of slaughter as practiced in Islam and Judaism has been described as inhumane by animal welfare organisations in the U.K. and the U.S.A., who have stated that it “causes severe suffering to animals. In 1978, a study incorporating EEG with electrodes surgically implanted on the skull of 17 sheep and 15 calves, and conducted by Wilhelm Schulze et al. at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Germany concluded that “the slaughter in the form of a ritual cut is, if carried out properly, painless in sheep and calves according to EEG recordings and the missing defensive actions” .

The French Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fishing published the ASIDCOM’s Bibliographical Report on Religious Slaughter and the Welfare of Animals in 2008 which quoted scientific papers and French veterinary PhD which support the equality or even possible superiority of religious slaughter to other methods of slaughter.

Ḏabīḥah continues to be contested till today.

For example, in 2003, the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), an independent advisory group, concluded that the way halal and kosher meat is produced causes severe suffering to animals and should be banned immediately. FAWC argued that cattle required up to two minutes to bleed to death when such means are employed. The Muslim Council of Britain countered the argument by stating that “it’s a sudden and quick haemorrhage. A quick loss of blood pressure and the brain is instantaneously starved of blood and there is no time to start feeling any pain.”

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Humane Society International was quoted to say that, “the animals that are slaughtered according to kosher and halal should be securely restrained, particularly the head and neck, before cutting the throat” as “movements (during slaughter) results in a poor cut, bad bleeding, slow loss of consciousness, if at all, and pain.”

To appease the various fractions and opinion leaders on the above, in 2008, the Food and Farming minister in the UK requested that halal and kosher meat be labeled when it is put on sale, so that members of the public can decide whether or not they want to buy food from animals that have been bled to death. Lord Rooker was quoted as saying, “I object to the method of slaughter … my choice as a customer is that I would want to buy meat that has been looked after, and slaughtered in the most humane way possible.” The RSPCA his views.

Frustrated by the opinions, Jewish and Muslims across the globe continues to provide meat products that uses the prescribed method of Ḏabīḥah (ذَبِيْحَة).

The Mevlevi Sema Ceremony

ganpenelope — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:18:23 +0000

Known more commonly as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form of remembrance to God (dhikr) in initiating the Sufi path (dervish), the Mevlevi Order (Persian: مولويه - Molavīyeh) is a Sufi order founded in Konya, Turkey by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, theologian and Islamic jurist.

Following his death, the Mawlawi order was founded in 1273 by his successor, Hüsamettin Çelebi. The Mawlawi believe in performing their dhikr in the form of a “dance” and musical ceremony known as the Sema, which involves the whirling, from which the order acquired its nickname. The Sema represents a mystical journey of man’s spiritual ascent through mind and love towards “Perfection”. Turning towards the truth, the follower grows through love, deserts his ego, finds the truth, and arrives at the “Perfect”. He then returns from this spiritual journey as a man who has reached maturity and a greater perfection, able to love and to be of service to the whole of creation.

Rumi has said in reference to Sema:

For them it is the Sema of this world and the other.
Even more for the circle of dancers within the Sema
Who turn and have, in their midst, their own Ka’aba.

The origin of Sema is credited to Rumi where it narrates the story of Rumi walking through the town marketplace one day, when he heard the rhythmic hammering of the goldbeaters. It is believed that Rumi heard the dhikr, “la elaha ella’llah” in Arabic “لا اله الا الله”, or in English, “There is none worthy of worship but Allah(God)“, spoken by the apprentices beating the gold, and was so filled with happiness that he stretched out both of his arms and started spinning in a circle. With that, the practice of Sema and the dervishes of the Mevlevi Order were born.

In 2005, UNESCO proclaimed the “The Mevlevi Sema Ceremony” of Turkey as amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

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The Sema is practised in the samahane (ritual hall) according to a precisely prescribed symbolic ritual with the dervishes whirling in a circle around their sheikh, who is the only one whirling around his axis. The Sema is performed by spinning on the right foot. The dervishes wear a white gown (symbol of death), a wide black cloak (hırka) (symbol of the grave) and a tall brown hat (kûlah or sikke), symbol of the tombstone.

Sema ceremonies are broken up into four parts which all have their own important meanings.

Naat and Taksim - Naat is the beginning of the ceremony where a solo singer offers praise for the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The first part is finished with taksim(improvisation in free rhythm) of the ney reed flute which symbolizes our separation from God.

Devr-i Veled - During the following Devr-i Veled, the dervishes bow to each other and make a stately procession in single file around the hall. The bow is said to represent the acknowledgement of the Divine breath which has been breathed into all of us. After all the dervishes have done this they kneel and remove their black cloaks.

The Four Salams - The Four Salams are the central part of Sama. The samazens or whirling dervishes are representative of the moon and they spin on the outside (sufi whirling) of the Sheikh who is representative of the sun. They, as previously mentioned, spin on their right foot and additionally, they have their right palm facing upwards towards Heaven and their left hand pointing at the ground. The four salams themselves are representative of the spiritual journey that every believer goes through. The first one is representative of recognition of God, the second one is recognition of the existence in his unity, the third one represents the ecstacy one experiences with total surrender and the fourth one, where the Sheikh joins in the dance, is symbolic of peace of the heart due to Divine unity. After the four salams, this part of the ceremony is concluded with another solo Taksim.

Concluding Prayer - The fourth part of the ceremony is a recitation from the Holy Qu’ran and a prayer by the Sheikh and then the Sema is complete.

Djamaa el Fna and Kautoubia Mosque

ganpenelope — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:18:50 +0000

Marrakesh – famed for Djamaa el Fna, its vibrant main square dubbed the most exhilarating meeting place in the world, Marrakesh which is situated in southwest Morocco also features the landmark symbol in its walled old city (medina): the 800 year old minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque.

The minaret, capped with three golden orbs, not only dominates the Marrakesh skyline but also enhances the mosque’s reputation as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. It was completed during the rule of Almohad Caliph Yacoub el-Mansour (1184-199) and stands nearly 230ft (77m) high and almost 40 ft (13m) wide.

The city’s character is, however, defined by Djamaa el Fna in the city’s medina square. By the day it is the scene of locals and tourists haggling for bargains with market traders and watching snake charmers.

The souk (or marketplace) bordering the square is the largest in North Africa; its alleyways are crammed with stalls selling carpets, kaftans, embroidered slippers, leather ware, lamps and other Moroccan craft items.

By night the main square is transformed into a mesmerizing theateric scene of street entertainment of every kind: fire-eating, juggling, singing, acrobatics, story-telling, dancing, magic, drumming, fortune telling and stalls selling traditional medicines or Moroccan dishes of sheep’s brains and eyes, and goats’ testicles sizzling on the pan with smells wafting up to the Moroccan clear cloudless sky.

Ramadhan Djamma el Fna

ganpenelope — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:18:20 +0000

Famed for its vibrant atmosphere, colourful lights, dare devil acrobats and antics, spoilt with choices of goods and food, the Djamma el Fna gets livelier after sunset during the Ramadhan month with mouth watering smells wafting up to the Moroccan clear cloudless sky as the pan sizzles.

Although the focus of Ramadhan – the Islamic month of fasting that involves abstaining from food, drink, sexual relations, smoking and other vices between sunrise and sunset – is spiritual, many cultures place a surprising emphasis on food during this holy month. Iftar, the meal at which Muslims break their fast, is highly anticipated with everyone looking forward to the spread of food each evening. At a Moroccan iftar, dates, milk, juices, and sweets are typically served first to provide the sugar surge needed after a day of going without food. This is followed typicaly by Harira – a cheap and hearty lentil and tomato soup – that quickly satisfies hunger and restores energy. Occassionally hard boiled eggs, meat or seafood pastries (briouats), fried fish, and pancakes are also served.

However, with improved economic standings and catering to the tourist, food stores that specialises in more exotic and expensive food such as shrimps, crayfish, squids, fish, chicken, meet and even sheep’s brains and eyes, as well as goats’ testicles out numbers those offering the local staple iftar set meal of dates, mint tea, Harira and sweets such as sellou and chebekia.

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Harira Receipe

(serve 6 to 8 people, and follows the pressure cooker method. To adapt cooking times for traditional simmering in a stockpot, read the Tips at the bottom of the page.)

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

½ lb. uncooked meat (lamb, beef or chicken), chopped into 1/2” pieces
several soup bones (optional)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch cilantro (coriander), finely chopped to yield about 1/4 cup
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped to yield about 1/4 cup
1 or 2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
1 large onion, grated
1 handful of dry chick peas, soaked and then peeled
1 tablespoon smen (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric or ¼ teaspoon yellow colorant
6 large tomatoes (about 2 lb. or 1 kg), peeled, seeded and pureed
2 to 3 tbsp dry lentils, picked over and washed
3 tablespoons tomato paste, mixed evenly into 1 or 2 cups of water
2 to 3 tablespoons uncooked rice OR uncooked broken vermicelli
1 cup flour

Preparation:

Step 1 – Ahead of Time

Make sure you have all the ingredients. Do the following before you begin cooking the soup.

Soak and skin the chickpeas. (You might want to soak them the night before you cook.)
Pick through the lentils and wash them.
Peel, seed and puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Or, stew the tomatoes and pass them through a food mill to remove the seeds and skin.
Pick the parsley and cilantro leaves from their stems. Small pieces of stem are OK, but discard long, thick pieces with no leaves. Wash the herbs, drain well, and finely chop them by hand or with a food processor.

Assemble the remaining ingredients and follow the steps below.

Step 2 – Brown the Meat

Put the meat, soup bones and oil into a 6-qt. or larger pressure cooker. Over medium heat, cook the meat for a few minutes, stirring to brown all sides.

Step 3 – Make the Stock

Add the cilantro, parsley, celery, onion, chick peas, tomatoes, smen and spices. Stir in 3 cups of water.

Cover tightly, and heat over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and release the pressure.

Step 4 – Make the Soup

Add the lentils, tomato paste mixture, and 2 quarts (or about 2 liters) of water to the stock.

Set aside (but don’t add yet), either the rice or vermicelli.

Cover the pot and heat the soup over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking.

If adding rice: Cook the soup on pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure, and add the rice. Cover, and cook with pressure for an additional 15 minutes.

If adding vermicelli: Cook the soup on pressure for 45 minutes. Release the pressure, and add the vermicelli. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for five to ten minutes or until the vermicelli is plump and cooked.

Step 5 – Thicken the Soup

While the soup is cooking, mix together the 1 cup of flour with 2 cups of water. Set the mixture aside, and stir or whisk it occasionally. The flour will eventually blend with the water. If the mixture is not smooth when you’re ready to use it, pass it through a sieve to remove balls.

Once the rice (or vermicelli) has cooked, taste the soup for seasoning. Add salt or pepper if desired.

Bring the soup to a full simmer. Slowly — and in a thin stream — pour in the flour mixture. Stir constantly and keep the soup simmering so the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom.

You will notice the soup beginning to thicken when you’ve used approximately half the flour mixture. How thick to make harira is your own preference. I like to thicken the broth so that it achieves a cream-like consistency.

Simmer the thickened soup, stirring occasionally, for five to ten minutes to cook off the taste of the flour. Remove the soup from the heat.

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Tips for Making Harira

If the meat had a lot of fat, expect to see some foaming as you simmer the thickened soup. Skim off the foam and discard it.
As harira cools in the pot, it’s common for a skin to form. Simply stir to blend the skin back into the soup.
A small wedge of lemon may be served as a garnish; its juice may be squeezed into the bowl of harira.
When reheating harira, don’t bring it to a boil. Heat over medium heat and stir frequently to avoid lentils sticking to the bottom.
Preparation Shortcut: Chop your cilantro, parsley and celery together in a food processor or blender. Add the peeled and seeded tomatoes, and blend until well-pureed. Add the onion and process until the onion is reduced to small pieces. Proceed with making the stock.
Thickening with Egg: In place of flour and water, two or three beaten eggs may be used to thicken harira. (If desired, beat the eggs with 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.) Add the eggs in a thin stream to the simmering soup, stirring constantly. You will see some cooked strands of eggs in the soup as it thickens.
Prep and Freeze: If you plan to cook harira frequently, it’s helpful to prep large amounts of key ingredients in advance. Soak and peel chickpeas; drain well before freezing. Chop an ample supply of parsley, cilantro and celery; measure the mixed herbs by soup bowlfuls and freeze. Peel, seed and stew tomatoes; puree and freeze in 1 kg (about 2 lb.) batches.

Traditional Stockpot Method

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, use a 6- or 8-qt. stockpot and adjust the cooking time as follows:

In Step 2, cover the pot and simmer for one hour.
In Steps 3 and 4, partially cover the pot and simmer for double the suggested pressure cooking times.
Proceed with thickening the soup according to the recipe, or try the egg thickening method in the Tips above.

Source: Moroccon Food.com

The Snake Charmer and Flute Seller

ganpenelope — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:18:58 +0000

I’ve met this man twice now. Always at the same spot, opposite the snake charmer. Separate trades; a flute seller and a snake charmer and yet when you hear them blow their lungs out in an indescript melody on two different (but similar) musical instruments, you’d think they were competitors competing for both the throng of tourists’ attention and that of the snake.

The fact is snake charming is a practice of pretending to hypnotise a snake by playing an instrument, typically one made from a gourd known as a been or pungi. Regardless of instrument used or the quality of the melody produced, the snake does not react to the tune and is unable to hear! What appears to be a response to the musician’s tune with the snake emerging from its container and extending its hood for cobra is a normal defensive reaction of the snake startled by the change of its darkened environment to one that is bright with the removal of the container’s lid. It’s swaying movements which appears as if it were hypnotised is a reaction towards the vibration it feels from the deliberate swaying movement of the snake charmer’s instrument and tapping of his feet.

Taking advantage of the snake’s timid nature, snake charmers sit just out of the snake’s striking range of about a third of the cobra’s body length and amazes onlookers by kissing its head as cobras are incapable of attacking things above them. Understanding this creatures habits and keeping them groggy and lethagic in dark, cool containers, snake charmers are also trained in handling methods and arm themselves with rudimentary knowledge of treating snakebites.

Though this holds true, in some extreme cases of precautions, snake charmers are known to removing the creature’s fangs or venom glands, or even sewing the snake’s mouth shut. This amongst other treatment to the creature have raised the brows of Animal Rights Protection groups.

Having originated from Ancient Egypt with the practice extending throughout Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Northern Africa, snake charming is today in danger of dying out due to a variety of factors including pressures by Animal Rights Protection groups to governmental law enforcement such as the 1972 law in India that bans the ownership of snakes; though enforcement remains questionable.

Hawa Mahal – Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh’s ‘Purdah’

ganpenelope — Wed, 18 May 2011 00:18:50 +0000

A poignant landmark of Jaipur that is world famous, the Hawa Mahal (Hindi: हवा महल, translation: “Palace of Winds”) was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. Design was commissioned to Lal Chand Usta who not only showcased Rajputana architecture at its best while incorporating elements of Mughal architecture, but ensured that the hostile climate and weather of Rajasthan was taken care off. The outcome was a unique five-storey pyramidal shaped structure with an exterior that is akin to the honeycomb of a beehive with over 950 small windows called jharokhas that are decorated with intricate lattice work of lotus and floral patterns, domed canopies, fluted pillars and arches.

At a height of 50 feet (15 metres), the Hawa Mahal is by no means a typical palace. The top three floors of the structure have a dimension of only one room width while the first and second floors have patios in front of them, facing the stark and plain rear side of the ‘honeycomb’ structure. Viewed from the side, the Hawa Mahal appears to be no more than a ‘wall’ and gives the impression of it being uncompleted due to the lack of ornamentation in the inner face of the rear side of the building and the few chambers built of pillars and corridors on a need basis.

Thus, the Hawa Mahal is believed to have built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh as a summer retreat due to the cooling effect in the chambers created with breeze passing through the small windows of the façade that is enhanced by the fountains provided at the centre of each of the chambers.

Built of red and pink sandstone that absorbs heat, the palace is also believed to be deliberately situated on the main thoroughfare in the heart of Jaipur’s business centre by Lal Chand Usta (who was also the planner of Jaipur City; then considered one of the best-planned cities in India) and intentionally extended to the women’s chambers (Zenana – the chambers of the harem). This enabled the women belonging to the Royal Family who were required to don a veil or ‘purdah’, to be screened by the intricate windows and balconies while enjoying the Seredeori Bazaar that resembles avenues of Paris in its heydays, green valleys and mountains, Amber Fort, the Thar desert and the daily processions and street activities.

Being part of the City Palace, the Hawa Mahal remains the most popular, photographed and studied section of the palace … perhaps like me, they too are reliving history in their imaginations, trying to capture a glimpse of one of Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh’s beauties observing freedom in style and luxurious comforts but nonetheless trapped behind strict screened exclusivity.

City Palace: Guards, Peacock Gate & British Prince

ganpenelope — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:18:24 +0000

City Palace, Jaipur, which includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal palaces and other buildings, is a palace complex in Jaipur city, the capital of the Rajasthan state, India. Built between 1729 and 1732, initially by Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the City Palace incorporates hilpa shastra of Indian architecture with Rajput, Mughaland European styles of architecture, the City Palace has an impressive and vast array of courtyards, gardens and buildings. Currently a museum, the greater part of the City Palace still serves as a royal residence for the Jaipur Kingdom despite its merger with the Indian Union in 1949 along with other Rajput states of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner.

The City Palace Museum showcases the modernity and western outlook of the Rajput kings where relations were maintained with the British notably. A rich history showcase Maharaja Ram Singh’s bilateral relations, support for the Imperial rulers in the Sepoy Mutiny (Uprising of 1857) and his preference for imperial life that includes polo and hunting. To his credit, Jaipur city’s famed and trademark of being the “Pink City” was a result of an honor of hospitality extended by Ram Singh to the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII) on his visit to Jaipur.

Perhaps the most memorable sight of the City Palace to any tourist in Jaipur is the Peacock Gate, often guarded by palace official guard donning long red turbans spotting curled mustaches. This is followed by the two huge sterling silver vessels of 1.6 meters height made from 14,000 melter silver coins located in the Diwan-I-Khas on its highly polished marble floors just below impressive crystals chandeliers hanging from the ceiling that are covered with plastic sheets to keep it away from the dust!

Make Haste for Iftar

ganpenelope — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:18:49 +0000

Iftar (Arabic: إفطار‎) is a meal eaten after Maghrib (sunset) during Sawm, the fasting which occurs during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan. By tradition, all able-bodied Muslims who are not traveling participate in Sawm, although children who have not yet experienced puberty are not required to fast. The Sawm fast during Ramadam is intended to teach self restraint, which is viewed as a virtue by many Muslims.

One of the religious observances of Ramadan, Iftar is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together. In large Muslim communities Iftar is signaled with the call of prayer or through formal telecasts, where Muslim will haste to commune with their families and friends to have Iftar.

Hadhrat Sahal (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that the holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“The people will remain prosperous so long as they hasten in breaking their fast (at the time of Iftaar).”

Bukhari

Hadhrat Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that the holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“Allah Ta’ala said, ‘The most beloved of my servants in my sight are those who hasten when breaking fast’.”

Tirmidhi

When breaking the fast prayers are recited;

اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ [وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ] وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ

O Allah! I fasted for You and I believe in You [and I put my trust in You] and I break my fast with Your sustenance.

["wa ‘alayka tawakkaltu" is quoted in some books of knowledge - but not all, hence it is in brackets]

Abu Dawud

Transliteration:
Allahumma Inni laka sumtu wa bika amantu [wa alayka tawakkalto] wa ‘ala rizqika aftartu

Traditionally a date is the first thing to be consumed when the fast is broken, and in the absence of one, water is drank. Food consume during Iftar defers from countries to countries.

Hadhrat Salman bin Amir (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that the holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“When one of you breaks his fast he should do so with dates for they provide blessing, but if he cannot get any he should break his fast with water for it is purifying.”

Mishkat

Paal Kudam – Cleansing the Mind and Soul

ganpenelope — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:18:36 +0000

Hindus, young and old partake in the yearly event of Thaipusam that typically falls in January or February to fulfill their vows. This is done in many forms of sacrifices depending on the gravity of the devotee’s illness or wishes; from carrying elaborate kavadi (mini chariot) or impale themselves with skewers and hooks to simple rituals such as paal kudam (milk offerings) carried in a kumbha (vessel) over the head. It is believed that those who perform the paal kudam will have to repeat this act of penance for three consecutive years before receiving their wishes from Lord Subramaniam. Others however make the offering of milk purely as a symbolism of cleansing their mind and soul.

Women and children dressed in yellow saffron clothing typically performs the paal kudam as children are not allowed to perform penance that requires body piercing. As they age, usually as a teenager, they will be allowed to impale their cheeks with the vel (skewer / lance) or carry simple wooden kavadi.

Upon reaching the temple – typically on a hill – devotees offer the pot of milk to the presiding priest to be poured over the statue of Lord Muruga.

Similar to kavadi bearers, devotees that offers pot of milk will have to prepare their body, mind and soul with strict religious rituals for days leading up to Thaipusam.