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Posts Tagged ‘Travel’
9 Emperor God
During the Daoist Nine Emperor Gods Festival or Kow Ong Yah that falls on the 9th day of the 9th moon in the Chinese lunar calendar, mediums goes into deep trance and perform unbelievable feats including immersing themselves in hot oil, piercing themselves with sharp, long spears and swords, in addition to walking through fire unscathed.
Taj Mahal, the Crown Palace
The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world that was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers by Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his dear wife – queen Mumtaz Mahal. Completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of 32 Million Rupees, the Taj is an “elegy in marble” or some say an expression of a “dream.”
Visiting Luang Phor Khoon
Wat Ban Rai shot to fame for its ‘notoriety’ for 2 reasons: Luang Phor Khoon’s willingness to embrace commercialisation, and its open door policy that recruits novice monks with colourful past, spoting body art and nicotine fixes. Known for his magical powers, Luang Phor has a large following and impressive monastery.
Buddha’s Apprentice
The custom of sending the second male child to the monastery prevails in Tibetan influenced parts of India. These children generally fell into 3 categories: pious believers, children of poor serfs and those sent to temples to meet a quota. Although life in the monastery is difficult and dull to many young children, modern day comforts have made their presence.
Suryavarman II Sacred Angkor Wat
Built in the early 12th C as King Suryavarman II’s temple state and capital city, Angkor Wat was neglected after the 16th C only to be discovered by French explorer – Henri Mouhot – in the mid-19th C. Restoration begun in the 20th C and continues today by foreign parties despite the establishment of the Angkor World Heritage Site that provides funds to the Cambodian government.
Raising Wind Horse
Tibetan prayer flags are raised traditionally to promote peace, compassion, strength and wisdom. Found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas, it is believed to help appease the local gods and spirits of mountains, valleys, lakes, streams and sea; which provoked causes natural disaster and disease.
Mojari Jootis Kolhapuris
These flats – Mojaris, Jootis and Kolhapuris – ‘floods’ Rajasthan, Delhi and Punjab with production dating back to the period of Kings and Queens. Unlike those produced in the heydays with real gold and silver threads and gems, these cow hide shoes are now embellished with artificial materials to suit everyone’s budget.
The Homeless, Rural India and COP15
While buzz is on the leaked draft, disarray climate talks that threatens international unity and speculations on India and China’s move at COP 15, there is a stark difference on the ground: playing catch-up, re-thinking energy development strategy and focusing on key drivers for transition right through the grass root levels.