Punjab Wednesday, Jul 23 2008 

Travel , , , , olle3 2:38 pm

Punjab is a state located in the north-western part of India. It is famous for being the location of one of the first known civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization. The Indus Valley Civilization is considered the first civilization of India.

Punjab is today home to several notable cities, including Patiala, Jalandhar and Amritsar. Many tourists visit the state, particularly those interested in Indian history and spirituality. In Punjab, you can find thriving communities of Hindus as well as Sikhs. There are many temples and monuments to study. Some tourists spend their vacation living together with Punjabi families instead of staying in resorts, in order to gain a deeper understanding of Punjabi life and culture.

 

Sacred fig Wednesday, Jul 23 2008 

Religion , , , , , , , , , , , , , olle3 2:37 pm

The Sacred fig is a species of banyan fig native to south-east Asia. It occurs in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, the Indochinese Peninsula, south-western China, and Vietnam. The Sacred fig and become over 30 meters (100 feet) tall and develop a trunk diameter that exceeds 3 meters (10 feet).

The Scared fig is called sacred since it is revered to the followers of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. I South East Asia, the Sacred fig has become a symbol for happiness, prosperity, longevity and good fortune. According to Buddhist teachings, Siddhartha Gautama was meditating under a Bo tree (the local name for the Sacred fig) when he was enlightened (Bodhi) or awakened (Buddha).

The scientific name of the Sacred fig is Ficus religiosa. In Asia, it is known under many different local names, such as Bo, Pou, Pipal, Peepal, Peepul, Pimpal, Pippala and Arali. Bo and Pou comes from the Sinhalese word Bo. In Thai, the Sacred fig is referred to as Bodhi.

Hindus commonly call the Sacred fig Ashvastha or Assattha, and according to their mythology the Sacred fig is a tree of eternal life that has its roots in the heavens. It is frequently mentioned in Hindu texts and the fire sticks used in Hindu sacrificial fire contain dried wood from the Sacred fig tree.

 

Contemporary humor Wednesday, Jul 23 2008 

Uncategorized , , , , , olle3 2:35 pm

In a famous painting by Polish painter and professor Wojciech Gerson, we can see Pan Twardowski summoning the ghost of Barbara Barbara Radziwiłłówna for King Sigismund Augustus. If you prefer something more contemporary, you can watch this video and learn about the estimated life-span of modern day urban-dwelling wizards.

 

Notable Gardens of France Wednesday, Jul 23 2008 

Travel , , , , olle3 2:33 pm

The “Notable Gardens of France” is a list comprising over 200 different French gardens classified as notable gardens by the French Ministry of Culture. The French term is “Jardins Remarquable“.

Jardins Remarquable are found all over France. In Burgundy, there are for instance the Gardens of the Château d’Arcelot, the Garden of the Château de Barbirey, and the Park of Saint-Léger de Fourches. In the Champagne-Ardenne district, you will find gardens such as the Park and Garden of the Château in Barberey-Saint-Sulpice and the Botanical Garden of la Presle, while the Midi-Pyrénées offers gardens such as the Hot springs park of Quinquonces and the Palm garden of Sarthou.

One of the newer additions to the list is the Garden of the Zéphyr in Anglure-sous-Dun. This is a private one hectare garden created in the early 21st century by a couple passionate about gardening. Located in Bourgogne, Anglure-sous-Dun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department. The Garden of the Zéphyr combines English and contemporary styles and the environment is quite hilly. Notable portions of the garden are wooded; there are 20 varieties of maple and 10 varieties of birch. You can also find hornbeam, oak, beech and various conifers in this Notable Garden.