Did You Know, by Aparna Garg
Interesting facts about Hinduism and Bharat
Angkor Wat
Maha Kumbh Mela
Takshashila and Nalanda
Indonesian currency
Brihadeswar
World’s Tallest Murugan Statue
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat, located in Cambodia, is the largest Hindu temple in the world. Built during the 12th century, under the reign of King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is one of the world’s grandest and most visited temples. The temple covers an area of about 200 acres and features exquisite examples of Khmer and Hindu art.
Maha Kumbh Mela
The Maha Kumbh Mela, which takes place every twelve years in Prayag during the months of January and February, brings together millions of devotees from around the world. The Kumbh is held at the confluence of the
Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. The major event of this festival is a ritual bath in the Ganga river. The Kumbh has a long history of over 12,000 years. Thirty million people came to the mela in 2001; it was the largest gathering of human beings in history. The mela was so huge that it was visible and photographed by a satellite in outer space.
Takshashila, the world’s oldest university, was established in India in 700 BCE. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The brilliant economist and politician, Chanakya, was a professor at Takshashila and composed parts of his famous Arthashastra there. The University of Nalanda, established in the 4th century, was another great educational achievement of Ancient India. Nalanda had eight separate compounds, a nine-storied library, and ten temples, along with many other meditation halls and classrooms. The university attracted thousands of pupils and scholars from India, Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey.
Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, but has been influenced by Hindu culture enough to have Lord Ganesha depicted on its currency.
Brihadeswara
The world’s first granite temple is the Brihadeswara temple at Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The shikhara (crown) of the temple is made from a single 80-ton piece of granite. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 CE and 1009 CE), during the reign of Rajaraja Chola. One of its many amazing features is a huge figure of Nandi carved out of a single stone; the statue of Nandi stands 13 feet tall and 18 feet long.
World’s Tallest Murugan Statue at Batu Caves, Malaysia
Murugan is a popular Hindu deity, and is worshipped primarily by South Indians in India and abroad. The tallest Lord Murugan statue in the world is located in Malaysia. Here are some facts about the statue:
- · Height: 42.7 meters (about 140 feet)
- · Location: Sri Subramaniar
Temple at the foot of
Batu Caves, Malaysia
- · Cost: 2.5 million Malaysian Ringgit (approximately 670,000 U.S. Dollars)
- · Construction: 1,550 cubic meters (5,085 cubic feet) of concrete , 250 tons of steel bars, and 300 liters (79 gallons) of gold paint brought in from neighboring Thailand.
- · Duration/Manpower: Fifteen Indian sculptors worked on the project for three years. It was unveiled on January 29, 2006.
Aparna Garg is an undergraduate student at Boston University, studying journalism. Her interests are karate and reading. You can reach her at aparna.garg@yahoo.com
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January 20th, 2008 02:55
Malaysia could depict Ishwar (not Lord) Ganesh in their currency. The cultured Muslim country. India an uncultured country could depict Ganesh in such a way that it suits the secularist to compel MF Hussain to paint.
India will never improve.
May 17th, 2008 13:56
Bharati aka India has advanced tenfold in the last ten years! Most international communications around the world have their hubs in Chennai {have i got the correct spelling?}, Mumbai, Dehli, Bangalore, Puna, and UP. Worlds central towers for cancer research and development, nuclear power, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, and Artificial intelligence is in INDIA. With a vast development of properties across Mumbai and Dehli, the property prices in 1988 were $10,000= for an apartment in Mumbai —- same today is for $200,000= basic starting prices………Acute shortage of luxury apartments even $1,000,000:00 is insufficient. INDIA thrives on foreign investors pouring in huge sums of money into the industry everyday. INDIA IS GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD AND INDIA IS THE MOTHER OF DHARMA……..INDIA SHALL BE THE LIGHT OF MILLION DELIGHTS IN THE FUTURE……….
Yes, India does need some political and policy reformations to safeguard its integrity and to remove corruption; however, one must be compassionate about the history of India and the invasions it has suferred.
India never ceases to amaze the world!!!!!!!!
May 3rd, 2009 21:00
Indonesia, not Malaysia is talked about here. Clearly shown in the picture, Ganesha is depicted in their currency. To say India is an uncultured country is plain ignorance. Look at your name, do you know the meaning of your name? where it comes from? Yes, India does have many political problems and corruption and this is the challenge it faces and has yet to improve but even then any country could not be perfect and flawless, the people make up a country and a nation. It is if those people at the ground level who are true, educated, and knowledgable about whats right for the common good will then only spring up a nation to be the best it can be. It is because that people in India work hard to get educated and be some of the greatest people in the world that India is advancing tenfold. To address that India will never improve and that it is uncultured is plain ignorance, uneducated selfishness, and a combination of negative feelings that a man of rejection has depicted here.
June 9th, 2009 17:26
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