Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Palitana - Jain Temple
Palitana, in Gujarat (India) is approximately 50 KM south west of Bhavnagar. It is in the Saurashtra region, which has a very large number of temples. It is historic too because Saurashtra always attracted foreign visitors, especially the invaders in the pre-Mughal period who were attracted to India because of the large quantities of gold and precious gem stones the temples in this region used to have. They primarily invaded for looting wealth to finance their war efforts to capture and enlarge their empires.
This region has a very large number of modern cities growing side by side with beautiful beaches and varied flora and fauna. Palitana is well connected by roads and railways to the major cities and to the other parts of India and the world.
It is interesting to note that many temples are located on hilltops or mountain ranges of India. The believers of religions like Hinduism, Jainism, etc., seem to place special importance to pilgrimages to holy places where they have to climb up mountainous tracts. The Jainism has many hill locations for pilgrimage, Shatrunjaya Hill, Palitana, being the most important among them. A group of temples in Girnar (Junagadh) in the nearby areas and similar temples in Rajasthan and Maharashtra are also worth a visit by anyone, especially for their location in beautiful surroundings and the rich temple architecture and sculptures.
Palitana and surroundings, with a very large cluster of Jain temples, has 863 temples. These temples were built in the 11th and 12th centuries. This period saw a frenzy of activities to promote spiritualism and temple architecture, in almost all parts of Indian subcontinent. Foreign invaders destroyed many of these temples in the 14th and 15th centuries.
As for these magnificent Jain temples, unlike many others built by Kings and Emperors, they were built by the Jain traders and the people of this area.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Glacier National Park in Montana
What makes a getaway unique or most memorable? A nice location, no doubt, is what everyone wants to visit. Here is a nice choice. Covering 1.4 million acres of wildlife preserves, the Glacier National Park in Montana, one of the largest intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states, has one of the most magnificent scenery in the western United States. It is traversed from east to west by the Going-to-the-Sun Road built in 1932. This road is an engineering feat and has been deemed a National Historic Landmark. The National Park Resort Lodge is located at the east entrance of the Glacier National Park.
So, the best place to be in is Montana Resorts, one of the premier national park resorts in the country. St. Mary Lodge and Resort, located at the east entrance of Glacier National Park in Montana within the Blackfeet Indian Nation, on Going-to-the-Sun Road, is the combination of natural beauty and modern comforts. They offer some of the finest dining in Montana. Explore all of the resort's dining options at StMaryLodgeandResort.com
Glacier National Park Lodging has 122 accommodations, with an array of unique dining venues, superb shopping, high-speed wireless Internet at the main lodge lobby, etc., spread among seven different facilities. Your choice can vary from rustic and relaxing to a completely upscale luxury lodge accommodation. They have got something to fit every taste level and budget, like Great Bear Lodge, Glacier Cabins, Tipis, Pinnacle Cottages, Sun Cabin, Guest House, Main Lodge, West Lodge and East Lodge. The accommodations are available for singles, couples or families, complete with facilities like king beds, queen beds, air conditioning, satellite TVs, flat screen TVs, granite counters, mini wet-bars, fireplace, leather couches, Jacuzzi tubs, microwave, mini fridge, cedar wood floors, gas barbecue, etc. The added attractions are breathtaking views into Glacier National Park and private decks with exceptional views of the park, available with some of these.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Jog waterfalls, the highest waterfalls in India
Jog Falls (also known as Gerusoppe Falls, Gersoppa Falls and Jogada Gundi), in Shimoga District of Karnataka State, created by the Sharavathi River, falling from a height of 253 meters (829 feet) is the highest plunge waterfall in India. These falls are a major tourist attraction.
There are many waterfalls in India and Asia which are of more heights. Unlike those waterfalls, Jog Falls is un-tiered, i.e., it drops directly to the bottom and does not stream on to rocks. So it is the highest un-tiered waterfalls in India.
Upstream the River Sharavathi is the Linganmakki Dam across River Sharavathi, and the 1200 MW hydro-electric power station, one of the largest hydro-electric stations in India and a significant source of electric power for Karnataka. The power station has been operational since 1949. The power station was previously named Krishna Rajendra hydro-electric project, after the King of Mysore at that time. The name was later changed to Mahatma Gandhi Hydro-electric Project. It was served by Hirebhaskara dam until 1960. After 1960, Linganmakki Dam, built across River Sharavathi is being used for power generation.
Before the onset of monsoon, when there is not much water in the Linganmakki dam, the Jog Falls, instead of the roar and the spray and the massive flow of water, has only a pair of thin streams of water trickling down the cliff. The local people would tell you that the authorities open the dam only during weekends to enhance the flow of water in the waterfalls, when there are a lot of tourists to view it.
August-December is best the season with the best flow to visit Jog Falls. Jog Falls is situated at 30 Kilometers (19 miles) away from Sagara, and 379 kilometers (235 miles) away from Bangalore. Nearest Bus Stations are Jog and Sagara. One can reach Jog by direct buses to Jog from Bangalore. Alternatively, take a direct bus to Sagara from Bangalore and local bus from Sagara to Jog. The distance is 379 kilometers (235 miles) from Bangalore, 102 kilometers (63 miles) from Shivamogga and 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Sagara. Nearest Train Station is Shimoga. One can board a train to Shimoga from Bangalore and can travel to Jog in buses from Shimoga. Bangalore Airport is the nearest airport. Another convenient airport is at Mangalore.
More details and photos (photo gallery) can be had from Wikipedia.
Jog falls, Karnataka
Jog falls, Karnataka, the highest waterfalls in India, has 250 meters of vertical fall.
Jog Falls: the main falls
The original text with the photo states, "Main falls at Jog, the highest in Asia is about 1000 ft high".
Jog Falls: between heaven and earth
Here is the text added by the original author:
Between Heaven And Earth) بین زمین و بهشت
اگه دست خودم بود تا آخر عمر دور دنیا ولگردی میکردم مخصوصا هندوستان و یکی از باحالترین جاهای هندوستان اینجاست
Jog Falls, India: of all the photos I took there (India), none can describe my true feeling when I was staying there. Easily some of the best days of my life (Uploaded by V.E on 11 Nov 08, 1.49PM PST).
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Real Estate Investment College
In 1991 Liem Sioe Liong and his family, based in Jakarta, had full or partial ownership of over 500 companies that included Indocement, Indosteel, Indomilk, Bank Central Asia Group and Bogasari Flour Mills. As he found Indonesia too small for his huge appetite, he started building a palm oil processing plant in the then Soviet Union and was selling Indonesian commodities in Eastern Europe. He was one of the billionaires listed by Fortune Magazine in September 1991. But he was one of the most important personalities in the list because he was born as a peasant in southern China and he had acquired a cooking oil plant in his native land. His was a classic example of rags-to-riches stories that can be described as basic the philosophy of Nouveau Riche University.
Nouveau Riche University is a Real Estate Investment College that enables students to select courses within various curriculum paths. Each course is designed to teach real estate investment concepts and strategies for understanding the advantages and disadvantages of short-term and long-term real estate investments. You can experience a dynamic education in the midst of like-minded people who share common goals and interests. Participate in case studies, classroom discussion and role-playing exercises that will aid your information retention. They help you build confidence while learning the procedures, concepts and rules of the real estate investment game. The best part is they support you as you put your education into action.
In October 2008, Nouveau Riche University was acquiring the financially challenged Institute of Construction Management & Technology (ICMT) to meet the need for educated management in construction management and construction technology with specialization areas in construction operations, residential construction management and land management.
Nouveau Riche University made headlines with the appointment of Dr. Laura Palmer Noone, who was the President of University of Phoenix, the largest private university in the world, as the Chief Executive Officer. While at University of Phoenix, under Dr. Noone's leadership, the University grew from 72,000 to 283,000 students, as a result of her leadership in academic excellence.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Indian Independence Day in Hertzliya, Israel 2
Bunch of us with the dancers at the Indian Independence Day program in Hertzliya, Israel, originally uploaded by Man United.
Bunch of us with the dancers at the Indian Independence Day program in Hertzliya, Israel, said the author, Man United on 15 Aug 06, 7.55AM PST.
Indian Independence Day in Hertzliya, Israel
Dancers at the Indian Independence Day program in Hertzliya, Israel, originally uploaded by Man United.
"Dancers at the Indian Independence Day program in Hertzliya, Israel: Three of the dancers who danced at the Indian Independence Day program in Hertzliya, Israel. I believe the one on the right is Russian... Great dancers...", said the author. Uploaded by Man United on 15 Aug 06, 7.55AM PST.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Nouveau Riche: Rags to Riches Stories
Here is a list of some of the most admirable persons that appeared in a most watched list of persons in 1991: TSAI WAN-LIN, JAY VAN ANDEL, RICHARD M. DeVOS, ANTON CASPAR RUDOLPH DREESMANN, ANTON RUPERT, CHARLES FEENEY, CHUNG JU-YUNG, CURTIS CARLSON, DAVID H. MURDOCK, DONALD W. REYNOLDS, HANS LIEBHERR, HIROSHI YAMAUCHI, HUGO ERB, HUGO MANN, INGVAR KAMPRAD, JACK KENT COOKE, JOHN RICHARD SIMPLOT , KARL ALBRECHT, KENKICHI NAKAJIMA , LARS-ERIK LUNDBERG, LORD KADOORIE LAWRENCE, LESLIE WEXNER, LI KA-SHING, LIEM SIOE LIONG, MICHELE FERRERO, MONGKOL KANCHANAPAS, PAUL ALLEN, NEJAT FERIT ECZACIBASI, OTTO BEISHEIM, PHILIP H. KNIGHT, RICHARD BRANSON, SEBASTIAO FERRAZ DE CAMARGO PENTEADO, SHIN KYUK-HO, SHOJI UEHARA, SILVIO BERLUSCONI, TAKEMITSU TAKIZAKI, WALTER KWOK, WILLI LEIBBRAND, WILLIAM GATES III, WILLIAM SOERYADJAYA, Y. F. CHANG.
They have s single but the most valuable bond to share among them. They all started as humble as any ordinary man can start life or business, with very little or no money. And they were featured in the 1991 list of billionaires (THE BILLIONAIRES 1991, September 9, 1991, FORTUNE Magazine). In simple terms they can be described as Nouveau Riche, (French for "new rich", or "new money"), or stories of "rags-to-riches" persons.
Wikipedia describes, " Rags-to-riches refers to a person rises from poverty to wealth, or sometimes from obscurity to fame. This is a common archetype in literature and popular culture. These stories give the poor hope that they can rise to fame and wealth. They are most popular in societies such as the United States, where confidence in the ability to move between social classes is an important part of the national identity.”