“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
We were travelling from Prayagraj to Varanasi. Due to some last moment changes in the programme, we visited Sitamarhi a.k.a. Sita Samahit Sthal, which is in between Prayagraj and Varanasi. In Varanasi, we went to worship at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in the morning. This is the first time I visited since the renovation of the place. It's awesome. But, I was missing the emotional connection, which is lost in the renovation and reorganisation of the system at the temple.
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, spent three months in Baghdad with his associates Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala on his return to India from Mecca. The holy site is in the backyard of Baghdad railway station surrounded by graveyards. War, insurgents or looters have wiped any trace of a historical footnote that had preserved the memory of the Sikh Guru’s 16th-century journey through Arabia and his stay in Baghdad. There is no trace of anything Sikh on the site now.
It is unknown which culture was the first to create music, but a set of beautiful Sumerian instruments from the city of Ur provide us with some insight into the world of ancient music. The famous Lyres of Ur, which are somewhat similar to modern harps, are the oldest stringed instruments unearthed to date. The Golden Lyre, found in the Great Death Pit at the Royal Cemetery of Ur (in southern Iraq), got its name because the whole head of the bull is made of gold. The eyes are made of inlaid mother-of-pearl and lapis lazuli. Research has shown that the bull played a key role in the religious imagination of the Sumerians: it could serve as the deity’s divine animal or the god himself could take on the form of a bull.
On the morning of Monday, 11 July 2022, as I woke up and looked up towards the sky and I felt from inside “Aaj Kuch Toofani Karte Hain!” After some googling for a bike ride in this lovely weather, I found a place called Bagda valley viewpoint. I was not aware of this place as it’s still not on the popular tourist map but some people have been exploring it recently on bikes. The whole trip, the off-road riding and the steep uphill climb, everything is done to reach there was worth it.
Mount Magica is a farmhouse located in Tatisilwai, about 25 kilometres away from the Capital of Jharkhand, Ranchi. Overall it was a fun and entertaining experience. The resort charged us on a per-head basis for the entire package and it was all worth it. It is a great getaway for a day near Ranchi where you don’t need to bring anything for a picnic, rather just reach the spot and enjoy the nature, surroundings and in-house games. It was a memorable day and we all loved and really enjoyed the Sunday outing.
Elaborate hairstyles became important for both men and women in Mesopotamia. The kings began to wear a full beard and long braided hair tied in a large bun at the nape of his neck. Women continued to wear their hair long, twisting it into large buns that covered the top of the head to the base of the neck and adorning it with ribbons and pins. The wealthiest people decorated their elaborate hairstyles with beautifully made jewelry of gold and silver. The gold of the helmet of Meskalamdug was expertly formed to resemble the hairstyle popular for men of the time: waves around the face with a bun tied in the back.
The Palm Jumeirah was created in the shape of a palm tree. There is a crescent surrounding the palm which serves as a breakwater structure. Two gaps were made in the crescent to allow for water circulation. The 17 fronds of the palm have rows of luxury villas, and numerous hotels and resorts were built on the crescent. The trunk of the palm has a mixture of retail stores, apartments, and hotels.
Maa Tara Chandi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Maa Shakti or Maa Durga. Maa Tara Chandi Shakti Peetha, also called Maa Tarachandi, is the oldest and one of the most sacred temples of Sasaram. It is regarded as one of the 51 Siddha Shakti Pithas in India. The temple is very ancient. The mention of this temple can be found in ancient manuscripts.
The Nalateshwari Temple is situated in the Nalhati town of Birbhum district in West Bengal. The town Nalhati is named after Nalateshwari temple, one of the 51 Sakti Peethas. It is around 25 km from Tarapith. The Shakti Pitha (Sanskrit: शक्ति पीठ) are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-focused Hindu tradition. This temple is believed to be erected at the spot where the ‘Nala’, (Vocal chord with part of the tracheae), the throat of Goddess Sati (Sakti) had fallen. In Bengali, the larynx is known as 'Nala'. This is the source from which the deity is known as Maa Nalateswari and the place is also named Nalhati, for the shrine.
Groves, which are being worshipped since times immemorial are a cluster of trees where gods, goddesses, spirits are believed to reside. No one really knows for sure when and how humanity embarked on the veneration of trees and groves. The sacred groves are significant spots of biodiversity too are a priceless heritage of our nation that should be preserved for posterity.
Indrosphere 