Marble Art from India
Culture rich India has several forms of stone artwork from different regions. Brilliantly painted marble from Rajasthan is one of best examples of such stone artwork and can best be described as ‘poetry in stone.’ Marble painting as an art form originated in Rajasthan during the sixteenth century. The Rajput kings and nobles of this state were dedicated patrons of arts and crafts. In Rajasthan there are around 4000 marble mines and since marble was readily available, it became the canvas for Rajput painters. Intricate images are drawn on stone and the brush of the painters seals it with eternal beauty. ...
The Peacock in Indian Legends
India’s national bird, the peacock, is woven into the country’s cultural fabric, a symbol of beauty, love and fertility. Legend has it that the peacock, originally a plain, brown bird, spread his tail to hide the god Indra from the demon king Ravana. To show his gratitude, Indra bestowed him with brilliant plumage. In folklore, the “eyes” of the peacock’s tail are said to be the tears of the sun-god’s daughter, who married the peacock for his beauty but found him to be a vain, shallow husband. In Hinduism, the peacock is the divine vehicle of Skanda, younger son of Shiva and ...
The Thing to Wear In Japan
The word kimono literally means ‘thing to wear’. It cannot get more beautifully simpler than this! This stunning garment that brings to the mind elegant ladies gently sitting down to a ritual of tea was probably introduced into Japan from China as an undergarment. It has changed every now and then to conform to the lifestyle of the people of each age. Kimonos have altered over the years to keep pace with the changes in Japanese society. This one garment synonymous with Japanese culture is comfort, ease and grace rolled into one. Traditionally kimonos were worn by both men as well ...
Kanji
Think you have a knack for foreign languages? Try picking up Japanese – all 2,000 characters of it! In place of an alphabet, Japanese has an extensive set of pictograms called kanji. The Koujiten, an ancient dictionary, compiled between 1644-1912 during the Ching dynasty, lists a mind-boggling 47,000 kanji! Aspiring learners need not baulk – Japan’s Ministry of Education prescribes a mere 1,945 kanji for learning basic Japanese, enough to peruse a newspaper or book. Japanese belongs to the Ural-Altaic group of languages that include Korean, Mongolian, Turkish and Manchu. An indigenous Japanese language existed around the 3rd century AD, but it ...
A Whole New World of Entertainment
17.2 million square feet of world culture, out of this world shopping, around the world food and of course fun for everyone; that’s the Global Village in Dubai. Fire breathing men from Moscow, a human cannon ball, drummers from South India, amazing street performers and crafts and cuisine from around the world, that’s what makes the Dubai Global Village such a crowd puller every year. This multi cultural theme park is the tourist hotspot of our times. Located in Dubailand, this phenomenal entertainment project is spread over 17.2 million sq. ft. and draws in millions of visitors every year since ...
A Thousand Stories through A Hundred Objects
The BBC has launched a mammoth of a series in collaboration with the British Museum which will try understanding the history of the human race through a hundred sundry objects in the British Museum. The result is an amazing journey through time told through objects in the museum. Narrated by Neil MacGregor, the Director of the British Museum, this colossal project of Radio 4 promises to be very educating as well as see worthy. The series called “A History of the World in 100 Objects”, takes viewers two million years back in time. The objects chosen from different locations world wide ...
DIMENSIONS
Visiting Bali
One is never quite prepared for the reality of Bali. Emerald hillsides curving spectacularly...
What is the meaning & Origin of Namaste ?
The word Namaste is a combination of two Sanskrit terms: Namah (I bow respectfully...
Marble Art from India
Culture rich India has several forms of stone artwork from different regions. Brilliantly...
A Whole New World of Entertainment
17.2 million square feet of world culture, out of this world shopping, around the...
Read More Posts From This CategoryBORDERS
Vetiver
Vetiver is the root of Chrysopogon zizanioides, a perennial grass which gets its...
Visiting Bali
One is never quite prepared for the reality of Bali. Emerald hillsides curving spectacularly...
Kanji
Think you have a knack for foreign languages? Try picking up Japanese – all 2,000...
The Peacock in Indian Legends
India’s national bird, the peacock, is woven into the country’s cultural fabric,...
Read More Posts From This CategoryYOUR SPOT
Asian/Pacific American Heritage FestivalDubbed as the largest pan-Asian community event on the East Coast, The Asian/Pacific American (A/PA) Heritage Festival is a community festival with music, performances, food, and family fun. Performances by NYC Bhangra, KCP Arts, Soh Daiko, Bollywood Axion, Blip Blip Bleep, Magnetic North & Taiyo Na, Cynthia Lin, Kevin So and Alfa. Come sample... [Read more of this review]
Event Info: His Holiness The Dalai Lama in NYC, May 20-23, 2010Each year, His Holiness the Dalai Lama travels the world offering teachings and public talks to individuals from many different faiths and backgrounds. While His Holiness will also often bestow empowerment and initiations to coincide with these teachings, he continues to stress the importance of one attending teachings in order to provide practitioners... [Read more of this review]
The legend of Madame White Snake comes alive in Boston!The legend of Madame White Snake is one of the most popular tales of China, with countless versions in folklore, literature, and drama. Madame White Snake, a classical transformation myth, is the story of a powerful white snake demon who transforms into a beautiful woman to experience love. As a legend connected to Hangzhou’s West Lake, it may... [Read more of this review]
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