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Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah built the monument in 1591 shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to what now is known as [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]][http://www.aponline.gov.in/Quick%20links/HIST-CULT/architecture_qut.html A.P. Government: Charminar]. Legend has it that the building honors a promise Quli Qutb Shah made to Allah. He supposedly had prayed for the end of a plague and vowed that he would build a [[masjid]] on that very place. The masjid became popularly known as Charminar because of its four (Farsi ''char'' = four) minarets (''Minar'' (Arabic manara) = spire/tower), which possibly honor the [[Rashidun|first four caliph]]s of [[Islam]]. The actual masjid occupies the top floor of the four-story structure. ([[Madame Blavatsky]] asserted that each of the floors was meant for a separate branch of learning .)''FROM THE CAVES AND JUNGLES OF HINDOSTAN'',H.P.Blavatsky. Urbana, Illinois (USA): Project Gutenberg.Etext #6687. 2004. p 265 There is a legend that an underground tunnel connects the palace at [[Golconda]] to Charminar to give the Qutb Shahi royal family an escape route should they need it during a siege. However, the exact location of the tunnel is unknown.
In 1591 while laying the foundation of Charminar, Quli prayed: ''Oh God, bestow unto this city peace and prosperity. Let millions of men of all castes, creeds and religions make it their abode. Like fishes in the water.'' True to the legend, the city blossomed into a synthesis of two cultures. ************************************************************ Please contact Shashi Mettu at + 00-91-98495-30995 for Prints / Enlargements and Busssiness enquiries *********************************************************** |
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Backside view of The Taj Mahal as seen from The Yamuna River.
Shot handheld with a Canon 5D, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. http://IndiaVRtours.com |
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"Lord Venkateshwara Temple in Tirupati is the best example of history, heritage and divinity preserved. Being an inseparable part of devotees lives for centuries, Tirupati Temple has grown from strength to strength and has become the most revered Hindu pilgrimage site in the world. Also crowned as the most visited and second richest worship place in the world, Tirupati Temple is one path to finding god."
The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini. It is by the Lord's presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). He is also called the Lord of the Seven Hills. The Temple of Sri Venkateswara has acquired unique sanctity in Indian religious lore. The Sastras, Puranas, Sthala Mahatyams and Alwar hymns unequivocally declare that, in the Kali Yuga, one can attain mukti, only by worshipping Venkata Nayaka or Sri Venkateswara. |
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Golkonda FortGolkonda (or Golconda) Telugu గోల్కొండ , a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda (c. 1364–1512)., is situated west of Hyderabad.
The most important builder of Golkonda was Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali, the fourth Qutb king. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, a great family of builders who had ruled the kingdom of Golkonda from 1512. Their first capital, the fortress citadel of Golkonda, was rebuilt for defense from invading Mughals from the north. They laid out Golkonda's splendid monuments, now in ruins, and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main gates, the grand portico, was heard at the top of the citadel, situated on a 300-foot (91 m)-high granite hill. This is one of the fascinating features of the fort. |
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View from Hill Temple overlooking The Pushkar Camel Fair and the town of Pushkar with its holy lake. India 2007 |
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The Howrah Bridge is a bridge that spans the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. It was originally named the New Howrah Bridge because it links the city of Howrah to its twin city, Kolkata (Calcutta). On 14 June 1965 it was renamed Rabindra Setu, after Rabindranath Tagore a great poet and the first Indian Nobel laureate. However it is still popularly known as the Howrah Bridge.
The bridge is one of three on the Hooghly River and is a famous symbol of Kolkata and West Bengal. Apart from bearing the stormy weather of the Bay of Bengal region, it successfully bears the weight of a daily traffic of approximately 150,000 vehicles and 4,000,000 pedestrians. It is the sixth longest bridge of its type in the world. ************************************************************** Please contact Shashi Mettu at + 00-91-98495-30995 for Prints / Enlargements and Busssiness enquiries ************************************************************* |
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Mysore Palace in Mysore, India, illuminated by tens of thousands of individual light bulbs. This lighting display normally occurs on Sunday nights or during the festival of Dasara, but on December 21st the lights were on between 7PM and 8PM in commemoration of (I think) an Islamic holiday. |
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Panorama taken during a business trip to New Delhi. The roof of the building was covered with water. This is the most beautiful hotel i have ever stayed at. At night the pool seen below was lighted by open fires. It felt like being in the middle of Aladdins world... |
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View from my hotel rooftop in Dharamsala. 360 degrees.
This panorama was done with automatic exposure. I took the same one with manual exposure to see the difference. The position in Google Earth is not exact because the terrain is not precise enough for this part of the world, and there are too many clouds in the satellite pictures. |
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The golden city of Jaisalmer, on the northwest fringe of India in the Thar Desert, is a truly magical place. One of the few inhabited medieval forts in the world, Jaisalmer is a throwback to the Silk Road, a sandstone city suspended in time. |