Indian Monuments : A Glance

With their elaborate superfluities and wonderful architecture, Indian monuments represent one of the most outstanding facets of the multi-faceted Indian culture. An architectural feat in itself, each Indian monument is a remarkably splendid sample of unbelievable artistry, covering a sense of mystery, deception and romance. Be it the marvel in white marble, the spellbinding Taj Mahal; or the red stone splendor, the magnificent Red Fort; or the magnificence of temple art of Khajuraho, Konark and Hampi , there is evident the master craftsmanship and elegance, that brings to the forefront the splendor of the bygone era. Monuments are witnesses of India's past; the monuments of India are also the guardian pillars of India's cultural heritage. The monuments of India have become an inspiration for the future generations.

 Buland Darwaza

• Buland Darwaza or the loft gateway was built by the great Mughal emperor, Akbar in 1601 A.D. at Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar built the Buland Darwaza to commemorate his victory over Gujarat. The Buland Darwaza is approached by 42 steps. The Buland Darwaza is 53.63m high and 35 meters wide.

Char Minar

• The Charminar in Hyderabad was constructed in 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutab Shah. He built the Charminar to mark the end of plague in the Hyderabad city. Since the construction of the Charminar, the Hyderabad city has almost become synonymous with the monument. The Charminar is a massive and impressive structure with four minarets.

Gateway of India

• One of the grand and magnificent landmarks of Mumbai, the Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of the British Monarch, King George V and Queen Mary. The Gateway of India is one of the hot spots of Mumbai city. The Gateway of India is a massive archway on the Apollo Bunder.

Gol Gumbad

• Gol Gumbad situated in Bijapur district of Karnataka is the second largest dome in the world. The Gol Gumbad is second in size only to St. Peter's Basilica, Rome. The Gol Gumbad is 124 feet in diameter. The architecture of Gol Gumbad is unique in the sense that the four minarets themselves are the staircases, leading to the top dome.

Statue of Gomateswara

• The colossal monolithic statue of Gomateswara is situated at Sravanbelgola, 158 km away from Bangalore. This gigantic statue of lord Gomateswara, the Jain saint, is carved out of a single block of granite and stands majestically on top of a hill. For centuries, Sravanabelagola has remained a great Jain center and thousands of pilgrims flock to see the magnificent, gigantic statue of the Jain saint, Lord Gomateswara.

Hampi

• Hampi was the capital of Vijayanagar Empire, the last great Hindu Kingdom. Under the Vijayanagar rulers Hampi grew fabulously. The princes of Vijayanagar built numerous Dravidian temples and palaces. The records of foreign travelers between 14th and 16th century bear testimony to the grandeur of Hampi.

Humayun Tomb

• After wandering in wilderness for 25 years, Humayun reoccupied Delhi in the year 1555 AD but he was not destined to rule any longer and died barely six months of his arrival, from a fall in his library, Sher Mandal. Humayun's tomb was built by his widow, Hajji Begum around 1565 AD.

India Gate

• India Gate, situated on the Raj Path in New Delhi, was built to memorialize the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War, fighting for the British army. The India Gate also bears the name of 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed during the third Afghanistan war, 1919. The foundation stone of India Gate was laid down by the Duke of Connaught in the year 1921 and was designed by the famous British architect, Edward Lutyens.

Jama Masjid Delhi

• Jama Masjid of Delhi is the largest mosque in India. The Jama Masjid stands across the road in front of the Red Fort. Built between 1644 and 1658, Jama Masjid is one of the last architectural works of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The spacious courtyard of the Jama Masjid holds thousands of faithful.

Khajuraho Temples

• Known for their breathtaking sculptors and elegance, the magnificent Khajuraho temples present aesthetics at its best. The beauty and elegance of the Khajuraho temples is beyond words and imagination. After visiting the Khajuraho temples one is left wondering about the advancement of Indian art and sculpture as back as the 10th century.

Mahabalipuram Rathas

• Famous as temple town, Mahabalipuram is situated along the shores of the Bay of Bengal about 60 km from the south of Chennai. Mahabalipuram is home to one of the architectural wonders of the world, the Ratha temples. It was the Pallava king Narsimha, who built the magnificent 'Ratha' cave temples of Mahabalipuram in the 7th century.

Nalanda

• Nalanda was a great center of Buddhist learning in ancient times. A large number of Buddhist students thronged the Nalanda University to study Buddhism. According to the Chinese traveler Hieun Tsang, the place owed its name to a Naga, who resided in a local tank. Lord Vardhamana Mahavir.

Qutub Minar

• Qutub Minar is the highest stone tower in India. The construction of the Qutub Minar was started by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1199 and it was finished by his successor and son-in-law, Iltutmish. The Qutub Minar was named after the Sufi saint, Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.

Safdarjung Tomb

• Safdarjung's tomb was built by Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah, the son of Safdarjung. Safdarjung was the governor of Awadh and later became the Prime Minister of Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor. Built in 1753-1754, the Safdarjung tomb lies at the Lodi road, New Delhi. Safdarjung's tomb is set in the middle of a garden

Sanchi Stupa

• Sanchi is famous for outstanding specimen of Buddhist art and architecture, belonging to the period between the third century BC and the twelfth century AD. The most important of all the Sanchi monuments is the Sanchi Stupa. Stupas are large hemispherical domes, containing a central chamber, in which the relics of the Buddha were placed.

Dhamekh Stupa

• Dhamekh Stupa at Sarnath is one of the prominent Buddhist structures in India. Dhamekh Stupa was constructed by the great Mauryan king, Ashoka. The Dhamekh Stupa is cylindrical in shape and about 34 m high and 28.3 m in diameter. The lower portion of the Stupa is covered completely with beautifully carved stones.

Taj Mahal

• Famous as one of the wonders, the Taj Mahal at Agra, India, is epitome of true love. Taj Mahal was built by the famous Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaj Mahal. The architectural beauty and magnificence of the Taj Mahal has never been surpassed.

Victoria Memorial

• The Victoria Memorial was built to commemorate the peak of the British Empire in India. The Victoria Memorial, conceived by Lord Curzon, represents the architectural climax of Kolkata city. Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy specified its classical style but the actual plan of Victoria Memorial was laid down by the well-known architect, Sir William Emerson.

Cellular Jail

• The one name that sends chills down the spine even today is that of Kala Pani Jail, located in Andaman. The jail still has the fear element in the air and anyone visiting the place can sense the pain the inmates went through back during the time this jail was functional.

Hawa Mahal

• Jaipur is synonymous with Hawa Mahal. This beautiful monument of India was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in the year 1799. Also known as the Palace of Winds, this beautiful monument is the landmark of Jaipur. The monument is five stories high and the front of the monument is delicately carved with beautiful motifs.

Leh Palace

• Leh Palace of Ladakh, though in a dilapidated condition continues to lure tourists from far and wide. Located in the Himalayas, the adventurous journey one has to undertake to reach the palace is what makes it even more special. Leh palace was built in the 17th century by King Singe Namgyal as the royal residence.

Mattancherry Palace

• Located at a distance of 10 kilometers from Ernakulam city, Cochin, Mattancherry Palace is a storehouse of ancient paintings and art forms. The Mattancherry Palace came to be known as the Dutch Palace after the Dutch carried out some renovation and extension work.

Mysore Palace

• One of the largest palaces in India, Mysore Palace of Karnataka is a fine example of unique blend of different styles of architecture. The Mysore Palace is one of the most attractive and gorgeous monuments in Karnataka. It is also known by the name of Amba Vilas and was the residence of Wodeyar Maharaja.

Vivekananda Rock

• Located in the midst of the ocean, just 400 meters from Kanyakumari, is the magnificent Vivekananda Rock Memorial. This colossal structure was built in the year 1970, under the guidance of Shri Eknath Ranade. The Vivekananda rock temple is dedicated to one of the greatest spiritual philosophers of India, Swami Vivekananda.

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GEOGRAPHY FACTS -- ##

2.Five Important Rivers of Punjab

Punjab is the land of five rivers in north west India and north east Pakistan. 
Punj means "five" and aab means "waters", so "punjab" means "land of five rivers".
These five rivers that run through Punjab, having their originating source as various small lakes in Himalayas. If one were to go across the Punjab starting from Delhi and to Afghanistan, the rivers are in this order.

• Beas
• Satluj
• Ravi
• Chenab
• Jhelum     

1. Beas:

One of the “five rivers” that give the Punjab its name, the Beas river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh state and flows for some 290 mi (470 km) to the Sutlej River in western Punjab state. The river was also known as Arjiki or Vipas to the ancient Indians and the Hyphasis to the Ancient Greeks. The present name 'Beas' is thought to be a corruption of the word 'Vyas',the name of Veda Vyasa, the author of the great Hindu epic, the Mahabharat.
The river is sometimes also referred to as 'Vipasha'in Himachal, especially by the scholars. The Beas River marks the eastern-most border of Alexander the Great's conquests in 326 BC. The river begins at the Rohtang Pass in the state of Himachal Pradesh, and merges with the Sutlej at Harike Pattan south of Amritsar in Punjab, India. The Sutlej continues into Pakistani Punjab and joins the Chenab River to form the Panjnad River; the latter joins the Indus River at Mithankot. The waters of the Beas and Sutlej rivers are allocated to India under the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan.

2.Jhelum  :

Jehlum (32°55 43°N) is a city in northern Punjab Province, Jhelum District, Pakistan. Jhelum lies on the right bank of the Jhelum River. The 16th-century Grand Trunk Road passes through the city. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the population of Jhelum was 293,000. The name of the city is derived from the words Jal (pure water) and Ham (snow), as the river that flows through the river originates in the Himalayas. There are numbers of industry in and around Jhelum city. Major industries include a tobacco factory, wood, marble, glass and flour mills.
Mata Sahib Kaur was born on the 1 November 1681 in a village called Rohtas, District Jehlum, in West Panjab, (now in Pakistan). 

3.Sutlej :

Sutlej is the longest of the five rivers of the Punjab , which is a historic region in the NW of the Indian subcontinent. Since 1947 it has been separated into an Indian state and a Pakistani province bearing the same name.
The province is 900 mi (1,450 km) long, rising in the Kailas Range, SW Tibet region of China, and flowing generally west, meandering through the Himalayas in India, then onto the Punjab plain where it receives the Beas River and forms part of the India-Pakistan border; continuing into Pakistan, it is joined by the Chenab River (which received the Jhelum and Ravi rivers).

The combined stream, the Panjnad, channels the collected waters of all five rivers of the Punjab into the Indus River. The Sutlej is extensively used for irrigation; many large canals branch from it. Bhakra Dam (750 ft/229 m) in Punjab state, N India, impounds water for irrigation and power production (450,000-kW capacity). Until the Sikh Wars in the 1840s, the Sutlej was the border between the Sikh and British spheres of influence.

4.Ravi:

Ravi River is a river in India and Pakistan. It is one of the five rivers which give Punjab its name. The Ravi was known as Parushani or Iravati to Indians in Vedic times and Hydraotes to the Ancient Greeks. It originates in the Himalayas in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh following a north-westerly course.
It turns to the south-west, near Dalhousie, and then cuts a gorge in the Dhaola Dhar range entering the Punjab plain near Madhopur. It then flows along the Indo-Pakistan border for some distance before entering Pakistan and joining the Chenab river. The total length of the river is about 720 km. The waters of the Ravi river are allocated to India under the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan. It is also called 'The river of Lahore' since that great city is located on its eastern bank. On its western bank is located the famous tomb of Jahangir. 

5.Chenab :

The Chenab River is formed by the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi located in the upper Himalayas, in the Lahul and Spiti District of Himachal Pradesh, India.

In its upper reaches it is also known as the Chandrabhaga. It flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of the Punjab, forming the boundary between the Rechna and Jech interfluves (Doabs in Persian). It is joined by the Jhelum River at Trimmu, and then by the Ravi River. It then merges with the Sutlej River near Uch Sharif to form the Panjnad ('Five Rivers'), which joins the Indus at Mithankot.

 The total length of the Chenab is approximately 960 kilometres. The waters of the Chenab are allocated to Pakistan under the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty.
The Chenab originates from the Bara Lacha Pass in Himachal Pradesh,has been considered as the source of the glacier fed perennial river.

The anicient knew the river ar ASIKNI,it has two sources one which flows down south known as Chandra and that goes to North named as Bhaga. About 26 Km further south from Manali (a tourist place in Himachal Pradesh) ,a motorable road runs along the river,from Khoskhas to Tandi. In all 107 Km length of road run side by side of river during the sarjoun of Himachal Pardesh.The Chandra and Bhaga meets to form Chandrbhaga at Tandi. It becomes Chenab when it joins Marau at Bhandera Kot 12 Km from Kishtwar Town in J&K.

The river then travels to Reasi,where it has been dammed at Salal at Hydroelectric Project. There is a motorable road runs along the river in the stretch between Atholi, Malhori, Perah and Ramban, Kautham and Jourian in J&K. The road is often 50 to 100 meters above the river Chenab with wonderful view of various facets of the river.

The river was known to Indians in Vedic period as Ashkini (Sanskrit: अशढ़किनि) or Iskmati and as Acesines to the Ancient Greeks. In 325 BC, Alexander the Great allegedly founded the town of Alexandria on Indus (present day Uch Sharif or Mithankot or Chacharan) at the confluence of the Indus and the combined stream of Punjab rivers (currently known as the Panjnad River).
The Chenab has the same place in the consciousness of the people of the Punjab, as, say the Rhine holds for the Germans, or the Danube for the Austrians and the Hungarians. It is the iconic river around which Punjabi consciousness revolves, and plays a prominent part in the tale of Heer Ranjha, the Punjabi national epic. 

GEOGRAPHY FACTS -- ##

1. Where are the lungs of the Earth?

We've often heard that rainforests are the lungs of the Earth, providing us with most of our required oxygen. While it is indeed true that rainforests may produce up to a quarter of atmospheric oxygen, most of it is consumed by the rainforests themselves by degradation of organic matter. Most of our atmospheric oxygen actually comes from the oceans.

Oxygen is produced during photosynthesis and all of the oxygen in the atmosphere has been produced by photosynthesising plants and bacteria. Because rainforests are luscious and fast-growing, it has become common to think of them as the lungs of the Earth. It is true that a lot of oxygen is produced there, but almost all of it is consumed simultaneously.

The growth cycle of rainforests is so fast that there is no deposition of organic matter - all dead plants and animals are immediately digested and broken down into lesser compounds that become nutrients for new growth. During the decomposition of organic matter, bacteria and other detritivores consume oxygen, which is why there is practically no net oxygen production from rainforests.

Boreal and other types of forests tend to be net oxygen producers because not all detritus is decomposed, given the environmental conditions (lower temperatures, less humidity, etc). Some of the organic matter is permanently deposited into the soil and, thus, carbon is sequestered. Forests cover roughly a third of the Earth's land area, while oceans make up over 70% of the entire planet's surface, giving them the significant edge in oxygen production just by shear mass.

The algae and cyanobacteria in the oceans are small but abundant and, according to various estimates, they produce about 50-80% of atmospheric oxygen. That is why the health of the oceans is essential for sustaining mankind. Carbon emissions also have a role to play - higher CO2 levels increase ocean acidification which destroys corals, creates toxic algal blooms and life-free "dead zones".

So, there's a lot more to life in the oceans. The microscopic algae and cyanobacteria provide us with our daily 500 litres of oxygen, without which we wouldn't be able to survive.

Tuberculosis (TB)

It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.  

The disease was called "consumption" in the past because of the way it would consume infected people from within.

When a person becomes infected with TB, the bacteria in the lungs multiply causing pneumonia; the patient experiences chest pain and has a persistent cough which often brings up blood.

In addition, lymph nodes near the heart and lungs become enlarged. As the bacteria try to spread to other parts of the body they are interrupted by the body's immune system.

The immune system forms scar tissue or fibrosis around the bacterium, which helps fight the infection and prevents it from spreading within the body and to other people.

If the bacteria manage to break through the scar tissue the disease returns to an active state; pnuemonia  develops and there is damage to kidneys, bones, and the meninges that line the spinal cord and brain. 

TB is generally classified as: 

Latent TB - the bacteria are inactive but present in the body. The patient has no symptoms and is not contagious. 

Active TB - the bacteria are active and make the  patient ill. Active TB is contagious.

TB is a major cause of illness and death worldwide, especially in Africa and Asia. Each year the disease kills almost 2 million people. The disease is also prevalent among people with HIV/AIDS.

     How TB Spreads

TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.

TB is NOT spread by

1.shaking someone’s hand 

2.sharing food or drink 

3.touching bed linens or toilet seats 

4.sharing toothbrushes 

5.kissing

       Latent TB Infection and TB Disease

Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection and TB disease.

Latent TB Infection

TB bacteria can live in the body without making you sick. This is called latent TB infection. In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick and do not have any symptoms. People with latent TB infection are not infectious and cannot spread TB bacteria to others. However, if TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person will go from having latent TB infection to being sick with TB disease.

     TB Disease

TB bacteria become active if the immune system can't stop them from growing. When TB bacteria are active (multiplying in your body), this is called TB disease. People with TB disease are sick. They may also be able to spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day.
Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick years later when their immune system becomes weak for another reason.
For people whose immune systems are weak, especially those with HIV infection, the risk of developing TB disease is much higher than for people with normal immune systems.

 

  TB DISEASE SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of TB disease depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB disease symptoms may include:

        1.A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer

2.Pain in the chest 

3.Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs

        4.Weakness or fatigu
         5.Weight loss
         6.No appetite
         7.Chills
         8.Fever
         9.Sweating at night

  BACK PAIN RELATED SYMPTOMS :