Victory Tower, Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan Pic 2

vijay stambh @chittorgarh fort, Rajasthan, originally uploaded by ganuullu.

Meditating Buddha at Bodh Gaya

Meditating Budha in Bodh Gaya, Was HE doing it under Hot Sun?, originally uploaded by Sunciti_Sundaram.

Photo: The giant marble statue of Buddha in deep meditation at Bodh Gaya. For more info about the photo and the photographer, click on the photo.

CWG Delhi 2010: The Giant Helium Balloon

HRH The Prince of Wales & HRH The Duchess of Cornwall in India 2-5 October 2010, originally uploaded by UK in India.

The huge helium filled aerostat balloon was a major attraction at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2010 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. As at seven in the evening, spell-binding fireworks lit up the sky heralding the opening ceremony, the aerostat lifted up from the centre of the stadium with huge puppets hanging from the balloon that remained suspended above the main stage at a height of 25 meters above the ground.

During the entire ceremony that lasted over three hours, revolving images of the action on the ground was projected on the helium balloon while the special light effects continuously change its colors. The lights were programmed to bounce off mirrors on the aerostat while sound effects of the magnitude of 500,000 watts was used to make it more spectacular and spell-binding, to the amazement of over 60,000 spectators.

The aerostat, manufactured by Per Lindstrandt and designed by Merk Fsher, is the biggest helium balloon in the world used for the first time for an event like this. The balloon is of the diameter 40 meters x 80 meters x 12 meters approximately and is reported to cost Indian Rs 70 crore.

CWG Delhi 2010: Let The Games Begin

With one of the grandest ever opening ceremonies on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, India showcased to the world the spirit of the games, Indian culture and tradition, music, rhythms, dance, colors, diversity of its culture and lifestyles, and above all its technological advancements.

The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, the representative of the Queen, inaugurated the opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games by reading out the message from the Queen and declaring the games open in the presence of 60,000 spectators, participants and officials from 71 countries and territories, heads of states and other dignitaries from various countries. Prince Charles, said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have much pleasure in declaring the nineteenth Commonwealth Games open."

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, present for on the occasion of opening ceremony of Delhi 2010 the along with his wife Gursharan Kaur, graced the occasion with a brief speech, "From all our countrymen, I convey my warm greetings to each member of this august gathering of Commonwealth sporting fraternity… I invite all our guests who have come from every corner of the world to enjoy our hospitality, to enjoy games, to enjoy the incredible sites and sounds of India. Millions of people are waiting eagerly to watch this great sporting spectacle unfold."

The games commenced when the President of India Pratibha Devisingh Patil announced, "Let the Games begin," after her brief speech declaring the games open.

The opening ceremony of the 11-day sporting extravaganza, Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010, was marked by a grand cultural extravaganza, dance, music and fireworks; a magnificent opening ceremony showcasing a glimpse of India's great heritage and tradition through light, music and dance show.

CWG opening ceremony: tight security blanket over Delhi

The countdown to the Commonwealth Games is almost over, the Opening Ceremony is minutes away but it is a virtual shutdown in the Capital because of restrictions on the roads to protect the games venues from any security threats. Over 6000 specially trained men who were trained by the NSG are also deployed. View the video for a full report.

Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid verdict delivered

Video: The Allahabad High Court has delivered its verdict on Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid case

The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has delivered its verdict that the land under the central dome of the demolished Babri Masjid is the Ram Janmasthan (place where Lord Ram was born).

The contentious Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid title issue is 60 years old. On title suit the three-judge special bench comprising of Justice Sibghat Ullah Khan, Justice Sudhir Agrawal and Justice Dharam Veer Sharma ruled that the disputed 2.77 acres of land be divided into three parts; one-third for the party representing 'Ram Lala Virajman', one-third for Sunni Wakf Board and one-third to Nirmohi Akhara. But status quo is to be maintained for three months at the site in Ayodhya, the court has ruled.

Senior lawyer Ravi Shankar Prasad who represented Mahant Raghuvar Das said, "The honorable judges have dismissed Muslims suit and they have partly allowed suit number five by Hindus. One judge has partly and one has fully allowed. But the majority has decided that the land will be divided in three parts. The court has said in three months till then it is status quo."

Sunni Wakf Board lawyer Zafaryab Jilani said, "We don't accept the one-third formula. We accept the mosque as an intact body. But we believe there is no need for resentment as the matter will go to the Supreme Court." said. The Sunni Wakf Board said that it would challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court of India.

Hindu Mahasabha counsel P. L. Mishra said that that verdict had something for every one, adding, "Honourable Justice Agarwal has said that pooja has always been performed on the land where the Ram Lala exists. Lord Ram will continue to exist there. But, the Nirmohi Akhara has been using the premises as well. The Muslims have also been offering namaz there. Hence, the land will be divided into three and each of them will receive their part. The government-acquired land under Special Acquisition Act of 1993 will be divided and then, other infrastructure requirements for entry and exit of the three parts will be put up."

The area under the central dome of the three-domed structure where Lord Ram's idol exists belonged to Hindus, Justice Khan and Justice Agarwal said, while the third judge Justice Dharam Veer Sharma ruled that ‘the disputed site was the birth place of Lord Ram and that the disputed building constructed during the rule of Mughal emperor Babur was built against the tenets of Islam and did not have the character of the mosque’.

Deviating from the views of the other two judges, Justice Dharam Veer Sharma ruled that the disputed structure was constructed on the site of the old structure after demolition it. He added, "The Archaeological Survey of India has proved that the structure was a massive Hindu religious structure". According to Justice Sharma, the idols were placed in the middle dome of the disputed structure in the intervening night of December 22 and 23, 1949.

Justice Sharma also said, "It is established that the property in suit is the site of Janambhoomi of Ram Chandra Ji and Hindus in general had the right to worship 'Charan', 'Sita Rasoi', other idols and other object of worship existed upon the property in suit." He also said that it is established that Hindus have been worshipping the place in dispute as Janamsthan, i.e., a birth place as deity, and devotees were visiting it as a sacred place of pilgrimage from times immemorial.

Justice Sibghat Ullah Khan said, "All the three sets of parties, i.e. Muslims, Hindus and Nirmohi Akhara are declared joint title holders of the property/premises in dispute as described by letters A B C D E F in the map Plan-I prepared by Shri Shiv Shankar Lal, Pleader/Commissioner appointed by court in Suit No. 1 to the extent of 1/3rd share each for using and managing the same for worshipping. A preliminary decree to this effect is passed." However, Justice Khan observed that it is further declared that the portion below the central dome where at present the idol is kept in makeshift temple will be allotted to Hindus in final decree.

Further Justice Khan observed that the disputed structure was constructed as a mosque by or under the orders of Babar but it is not proved by direct evidence that the premises in dispute including constructed portion belonged to Babar or the person who built it.

Justice Khan also observed that no temple was demolished for constructing the mosque as it was built over the ruins of a temple which was lying there for a very long time.

In his findings on issues, Justice Agarwal said the parties of the Muslim side have failed to prove that the property in dispute was constructed by Babar in 1528 AD.

(With inputs from various news reports)

CWG Theme Song - Official Music Video by A R Rahman

AR Rahman: Commonwealth Games Theme Song

The official anthem for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India going to be held between October 3 October and 14 October 2010, was composed by A. R. Rahman, who is speaking on the song in the video above. The song was released on August 28 for digital download. The title of the song, Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto (aka Oh Yaro Ye India Bula Liya), is based on the motto of the games, ‘Come out and Play’.

The song was first performed by Rahman at the song release function held in Gurgaon, Haryana on August 28, 2010. A shorter tweaked version of the song was released on 23 September.

For the song A. R. Rahman quoted Indian Rupees (Rs) 15 crores as remuneration, and the deal was finalized at Rs 5.5 crore, according to reports that appeared in the news channels.

The lyric of the song, penned by Mehboob, is in Hindi with a mix of a few English words. The song release was preceded by a promotional event held at Delhi. Rahman unveiled the title of the song and sang the initial lines, ‘Oh Yaro Ye India Bula Liya’. As you can understand from the video above, when a reporter asked about the song’s comparison to the style of Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the theme song for 2010 FIFA World Cup, Rahman said, it would surpass Waka Waka. At the official release of the song on August 28, 2010, Rahman performed the song live.

Minor earthquake in Delhi

It was about a minute ago that I felt that my chair and table were being rocked by someone! I had the doubt that there it could be a minor quake! I just pulled back my legs from the footrest of my computer table to see if I was rocking myself. I felt the rocking again. Then I watched the telephone wire that was hanging near my computer. It was also swinging and swaying. Well, it was a quake, but a minor one.

Thaipusam in Penang (5 Feb 10)

Thaipusam in Penang, originally uploaded by hcchoo.