Archive for June, 2011

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    Pak Ou Caves, Laos
    The Pak Ou Caves have been visited by the Lao People since more than a thousand years. The caves are located at the banks of the River Mekong. The people are thought to have been worshipping a river spirit in the ancient times. After the spread of Buddhism throughout Southeast Asia, the caves became an important center for Buddhist pilgrims. If you happen to be on a holiday in Laos, make sure you take a visit here. On stepping foot in the caves, you will be surprised by a spectacular sight – the caves are adorned with thousands of statues of Buddha, large, small, mid sized – there are statues all over. Tham Ting – the lower cave . . . Tham Ting is the lower cave, and this is open to the air. The cave can be reached by climbing for a bit from the banks of the river. The good visibility in the caves makes the wonders of  [...]
    Posted at June 29th, 2011 in Buddhist Temples
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    Dargah Sharif, Ajmer
    Dargah Sharif, or the “Holy Shrine” is among the most significant Muslim shrines in India. Dargah means a shrine built over the tomb of a revered saint. The Dargah Sharif is considered sacred by both Muslims and Hindus, and is the tomb of Khwaja Moin – ud – din Chisti, who was a Sufi saint from Persia and worked hard for the upliftment and service of the downtrodden and poor. The Dargah is home to a huge entrance that has silver doors. The Mughal Rulers revered the Dargah and rulers from Humayun to Shah Jahan had participated in its architecture. The actual tomb of the saint is covered by a marble screen and a solver railing. The tomb itself is made of marble and has a gold plated dome. The annual Urs, or the death anniversary of the saint is observed for six days in the memory. When he was a hundred and fourteen years  [...]
    Posted at June 22nd, 2011 in Other Sacred Sites and Religious Art
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    Basilica of Our lady of Guadalupe
    The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is known by a number of alternate names, such as La Villa de Guadalupe, the Basilica de Guadalupe, New Basilica, La Ville de Guadalupe. It is situated at the boundaries of Mexico City. The Basilica is one of the most important places of Christian worship. It is one of the most significant pilgrimage locations for Roman Catholics. It is among the most visited religious spots in the world. Our Lady of Guadalupe is dedicated to the vision of the virgin that was said to have appeared to St Juan Diego, a convert from Aztec religion, in the sixteenth century. As related by popular sources, the Saint was on his way to his hometown from the city and had the vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe on 12 t h Dec, 1531. The Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan and addressed him in Nahuatl Language. Virgin Mary was  [...]
    Posted at June 15th, 2011 in Churches
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    Bodhgaya Temple – The Road to Enlightenment
    Bodhgaya is one of Buddhism’s most significant pilgrimage locations. The town has a notable position in connection with the origin of Buddhism and Gautam Buddha himself. It was here that Buddha is believed to have attained Nirvana or enlightenment. This is situated within the Mahabodhi temple complex. Bodhgaya was known previously as Bodhimanda, the literal meaning of which is “the ground beneath the Bodhi tree”. There are other names such as Uruvela, Sambodhi, Mahabodhi and Vajrasana also used to refer to this site. Along with Lumbini, Sarnath and Kashinagar, Bodhgaya is one of the four sites in India that are most important in connection to Buddhism. The UNESCO declared the Mahabodhi temple site a world heritage site in 2005. The History of Bodhgaya . . . The history of Bodhgaya is interesting. The Gautam Siddhartha, heir  [...]
    Posted at June 8th, 2011 in Buddhist Temples
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    Tarsus, Turkey
    Tarsus, Turkey is famous for its biblical association. It is the birthplace of St Paul the Apostle. The town is visited by a number of tourists and pilgrims. It is situated in the Cilicia prefecture, and is situated about twenty seven kilo meters from Mersin, which is in the east. St Paul the Apostle is said to have declared his pride for the city. At the time of his arrest in Jerusalem, he proudly said, “I am a Jew and a citizen of the city of Tarsis, Cilicia.” Tarsus has been a major trading port ever since 2300 BC. The city was home to none other than Cleopatra and Mark Antony in the 1st century BC. The city is a significant location for not only Christians, but Muslims as well. Apart from the archaeological significance, Tarsus is also known for being the once home of several cultures, including Roman, Byzantium and Ottoman. Tarsus  [...]
    Posted at June 1st, 2011 in Other Sacred Sites and Religious Art