Tag: Statue & Sculpture

“Every night I cuddle with a blob of unbaked clay I fashioned in the shape of a woman. But that’s what being in love is all about.”

Mask of Warka from Ancient Mesopotamia

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Heritage Centre, Iraq, Prehistory & Ancient History11 Comments

The Mask of Warka, also known as the 'Lady of Uruk' and the 'Sumerian Mona Lisa' is a stunning marble face that dates back to around 3100 BCE. It was found in the city of Uruk, which is now called Warka in modern Iraq. It is the earliest known representation of the human face that was most likely an embodiment of the Goddess Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of love, war, beauty, sex and fertility. The mask gives us a glimpse into the culture and religion of one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

Netaji’s Statue to be Installed at India Gate

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Musings16 Comments

A grand statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose will come up at the India Gate, New Delhi as a symbol of national gratitude to the leader. Subash Chandra Bose was an Indian freedom fighter and one of the causes of Indian freedom. He was known as Netaji. He was the President of the Indian National Congress from 1938 to 1939. He attempted to get rid of British rule in India during World War II. The decision, albeit late, to install an imposing statue of one of the greatest freedom fighters of India, Netaji Bose on his 125th birth anniversary is a fitting tribute to his struggle and sacrifice of thousands of Indians under his leadership. Jai Hind!

Jeita Grottos: Wonderful Stalactites & Stalagmites

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Caves & Rock shelters, Lebanon, Nature & Wildlife11 Comments

Jeita is an extraordinary site which could be one of the wonders of the world but remains an intimate experience. The Jeita caves are solutional karst caves which have formed over millions of years due to the dissolution of limestone. The grotto has strategically positioned coloured lights that showcase the stalactites and stalagmites in all their crystalline glory.

Ancient City Shaduppum in Mesopotamia

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Heritage Centre, Iraq, Prehistory & Ancient History11 Comments

Although Shaduppum was established as early as the late third millenium BCE, during the days of Sargon of Akkad, Shaduppum didn’t rise to prominence until the second millennium BCE, where it seems to have been a heavily fortified administrative station for the kingdom of Eshnunna, and its name means “the treasury.” Among the tablets from Shaduppum are two with parts of the Laws of Eshnunna as well as some important mathematical tablets, which are not only interesting, but surprising too. There remains much we don’t know about Shaduppum, that we may never know, but one thing is clear: Shaduppum was a city that had a little bit of everything that made it a Mesopotamian city worth a look.

Itkhori: A Place of Religious Tolerance

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Ashrams & Spiritual Places, History, India, Places of Worship15 Comments

Itkhori in Chatra district of Jharkhand state of India is situated at around 150 km from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, at the confluence of two rivers named ‘Mahane' and 'Baksa'. Bhadrakali temple complex is a symbol of religious tolerance for centuries. It is a wonderful place with abundance of historic reminiscences and archaeological remnants demonstrating a breath-taking saga of religious tolerance and cultural unity.

Visit to Babylon, the Ancient Mesopotamian City

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Heritage Centre, Iraq, Prehistory & Ancient History15 Comments

The city of Babylon, whose ruins are located in present-day Iraq around 100 kilometres south-west of Baghdad, was founded 4000 years ago as a small port town on the river Euphrates. It became a major military power under Hammurabi, who ruled from 1792 to 1750 BCE. We visited the heritage site yesterday. The summer is extremely hot in Iraq with temperature  hovering around 50 degrees Celsius and still we went ahead with our plan.

Cosmos: A Golden Globe at Doha Airport

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Airports & Flights, Fine Arts, Qatar10 Comments

Cosmos is a stunning artwork by the renowned French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel, located at the Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. The artwork consists of a large metal sphere covered with gold leaf, resembling a giant astrolabe. The sphere is suspended from the ceiling and rotates slowly, creating a dazzling effect of light and movement. Cosmos is inspired by an ancient Islamic astrolabe from the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar, which is the oldest surviving one in the world. The astrolabe was a device used by astronomers and navigators to measure the position of celestial bodies. Cosmos symbolizes the journey of travelers around the world and their connection to the stars.

Art Sculptures in Doha Airport

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Airports & Flights, Fine Arts, Qatar7 Comments

While transiting through Hamad International Airport (HIA) this time, I saw a new huge sculpture. I was drawn at it by its huge size and a bit of comical artwork. It's named "Small Lie.” Airport artwork doesn't get much bigger than at Doha's Airport, which now boasts another giant sculpture to sit alongside the iconic 23-foot canary yellow teddy bear — “Lamp Bear” by Urs Fischer.

Ajanta Caves: Rock-cut Cave Monuments

On By Judhajit RoychoudhuryIn Ashrams & Spiritual Places, Caves & Rock shelters, Fine Arts, Heritage Centre, India3 Comments

The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state of India. The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries CE), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a considerable artistic influence. The caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.