THE TAJ MAHAL - WAH TAJ WAH !!

India is a land of monuments which are marvels of architectural skill. The hindu kings of ancient India built beautiful temples which are a class by themselves in architectural skill and craftmanship. The Mughal emperors built mosques and monuments which are commendable for their beauty and intricate designing. There is the Buland Darwaza of Fatehpur Sikri, the Red Fort of Delhi, Charminar of Hyderabad and so on. But the most remarkable piece of architecture is the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan was very proud of this monument and did not want it to be ever copied copid by anyone. It is said that he chopped off the hands of the architect who designed it so that he would never be able to design another such monument.

The beauty of the Taj Mahal has to be seen to be believed. It is built entirely of white marble. The building consists of a dome in the centre with four minarets on each of the four sides. A marble pathway leads to the main building. On all sides there are luscious well-maintained lawns and tall trees at regular intervals.

Inside the main building, beneath the central dome, in a dark chamber are the graves of the Emperor and the Empress. Multicoloured pieces of glass arranged in intricate designs decorate the walls. There are also lines from the Holy Quran engraved on the walls. The entire flooring is of marble as are the walls. Hundreds of tourists visit the Taj Mahal every day and yet it is kept spotlessly clean.

The Taj Mahal is ofcourse a beautiful sight during the daytime, but it appears to be truly majestic inthe moonlight, especially when there is a fool moon. Then the structure outlined against the dark sky with the silver light with the silver light of the moon shedding its pale glow and myraids of stars twinkling makes the Taj Mahal appear a fantasy, a dream in marble, as it shines in serene splendour. Its breathtaking beauty makes one stand still and gaze at it till it is imprinted in one’s mind and heart.

The one truly sad feature of this monument in the present day is that it is in danger of being spoilt by the industrial growth which has developed nearby. The white marble is said to be turning yellow owing to the toxic fumes emitted by the factories. Although every effort known to science is being made to treat the marble so that it retains its original pristine glory, yet so far it has not been very successful. It can only be hoped that something truly foolproof would be discovered so that this precious monument can be preserved for the generations to come.

The Taj Mahal has been declared one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO. In the year In 2007, the Taj Mahal was declared one of the 7 wonders of the world by the New7Wonders Foundation. The Taj Mahal is one of the greatest tourist attractions in India. Infact, no trip to India would be complete without a visit to the Taj Mahal. Its breathtaking beauty makes one agree with the poet who said, “If on earth there be any bliss, it is this, it is this, it is this.”

--------O--------

Madurai is one of the oldest cities in india. It is known for its temples and architecture. I went there by train. I had friends there and they gave me information about the places to visit in the city. The streets are so different from chennai and is less crowded. I came to know that madurai is the oldest inhabited city in south india and it had trades with the romans and greeks even before the birth of chirst. The city of madurai is the home of tamil litrature and language.

I went to the Meenakshi amman temple which is the heart of the madurai city. This temple is considered as a landmark of the temples in south india and it is really majestic. The temple has entrance in all  four sides. The temple is dedicated to lord parvati and also to lord shiva. The gopurams in all four sides of the entrance are stunning and its really big. There is a pond inside the temple which is known as Porthamarai Kulam. We went around the pond and saw a golden lotus in the center of the pond. Then we went to the shrine and worshipped lord parvati and lord shiva. After darshan we went to the thousand pillar hall. Its is unbelievable when we went there. There are actually 985 carved pillars there and the hall looks majestic. It was amazing to be there. We even saw foriegn nationals standing and taking pictures of the hall. There is also a museum in that hall. There were some good pictures and arts describing the history of madurai.

The next day i went to tirumalai nayakar mahal. This palace is a national monument and is constructed nearly 370 years before. I came to know that the palace existing today is only one of the four parts of the original size of the palace. The pillars were majestic and really huge. The cieling of the mahal is awsome and is painted beautifully. Then i and my friends went to azhagar kovil which is located few kilometers away from the city. This temple is dedicated to lord vishnu and its also a tourist destination. After leaving the shrine of azhagar temple we went by walk to lord muruga temple which is few kilometers away in the hill. While returning we went to a racing spot which is on the way. We drove sometime there and then returned to the city.

The food in the city is very excellent. We had idlies, kothu parotta and kadai. The city is also famous for alvas and we purchased them to take by home. I really enjoyed my trip to madurai. I stayed there for two days and then took the train with a wish that i will come here once more.

Believe it or not, there is a small village in Iran called Troglodyte which is more than 700 hundred years old and has still retained its original shape. Troglodyte is situated at the north east of Iran at the foot of Mount Sahand in Kandovan. The most amazing fact about this village is that even today the villagers live in cave homes carved out from the volcanic rock. The very nature of a volcano is to destroy but this is one unique example where a volcano has enhanced the beauty of a place. It is this beauty of the place which draws the attention of the world and attracts hundreds of tourists year after year. Hundreds of years have passed but still this place has treasured its uniqueness and natural beauty. The cave homes of Troglodyte, the unique living style and the culture are unmatched in the world. Though the modern times have brought many changes in the living style, the homes which provide shelter to the inhabitants of the village still remain in their primitive state. Irrespective of all odds associated with Iran, this small village has been successful in preserving its distinct image and original form. The cave dwellings of Troglodyte villages and the underground towns are the remains of a traditional human habitat dating back to over 700 years which are amazingly intact in even in todays fast changing world. For what reason I don’t know, these caves have not been declared a world heritage site while similar cave dwellings in Turkey have been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. If ever one thinks of the eight wonder of the world, it ought to be these cave dwellings. They are beyond any words, they are simply awesome.

Following are a few pictures of the cave dwellings of Troglodyte villages. I received these pictures in my mail inbox and felt like sharing them. I really wish one of these beautiful homes goes for sale and I would give the fortune of a lifetime to make it my own. They are certainly very impressive, are’nt they?

Jhansi Lakhmibai Rani was a brave queen. She was a great lady fighter. She fought as a bold man against the British. She died in the battle as a great name lady in the history.

Rani Lakhmibai was born on 19th November, 1835. He mother died when she was very young. Her father taught her various shills, like sword-fighting, horse-riding and shooting.

She was married at a young age to the king of Jhansi. She had a son, but the child died soon after birth.

At that time, the British were ruling over parts of India. It was their custom to take over a kingdom if there was no male heir to look after it. They did not want a woman ruler. Since Lakshmibai’s only son had die, the British wanted to take over Jhansi after kin’s death.

But Lakhmibai did not want this to happen. She knew that her people would suffer if the British ruled over them. She wanted to protect her people. She refused to accept that just because she was a woman, she could not rule over her kingdom, and had to remain quietly in the palace.

Training – sword craft, horse riding, pistol shooting

She began to practice sword craft, shooting and horse riding. She studied the geography of her kingdom well. She wore a helmet and carried pistols. This was at a time when women rarely stepped out of the house, and many women followed the 1Purdoah’ system.

The Rani fought bravely against the British to protect her kingdom. She encouraged other women to do the same and formed an army of women soldiers. She died in 1858, fighting bravely against the British. She brought glory to the women of the world.

Even to day, when we think of brave and fearless women, we always think of Rani Lakhmibai of Jhansi.