Experiences labelled with 'religion'
India is a country of diverse faiths, and Kumbh Mela is one of the holiest events in India, bringing Hindus from all over the country, and the world, together. This is a time when Hindus forget which caste they belong to, which region they come from or their social status, and take part in the mass celebration of Kumbh Mela. This event has attracted the acclaimed title as the largest human gathering in the world, where people come with only one thing on their mind, faith. Pilgrims come to Kumbh Mela full of such tremendous devotion, and in such overwhelming numbers, that it boggles the mind. It looks like an ocean of humans. Kumbh (pot) Mela (fair) is the sacred pilgrimage of the Hindus that ...
One of the world's oldest and most beautiful books, The Book of Kells has become a must-see for any visitor to Dublin. The Book of Kells is on display in Ireland's oldest and most picturesque university Trinity College, whose campus represents for many Dubliners the very centre of the Irish capital. This remarkable book contains the four Gospels of the New Testament in Latin written on vellum (treated calfskin), and was meticulously illustrated by Irish monks around the year 800 BC. The history of The Book of Kells is almost as remarkable as the precision craftsmanship it contains. The Book of Kells' first home was the Abbey of Kells in nearby County Meath, where a long-running campaign to get the famous book back continues to ...
The national capital of India has many tourist attractions, and the famous Bahai Faith Lotus Temple of Delhi is right at the top of the list. A visit to the Lotus Temple should be high priority for any trip to the Indian capital. Open to all faiths, the stunning lotus shape architecture of marble, cement, dolomite and sand sets the scene for meditation, peace and tranquility. The Lotus Temple is the main temple in India to represent the youngest of all the independent religions in the world. Its founder father, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God, which includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad. The Lotus Temple is located in Kalkaji, south of Delhi, and ...
Florence was at the center of the Italian Renaissance, and the city’s Duomo is one of the crowning achievements of that period. Officially known as the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the Florence Duomo had an incredibly long gestation – it was not consecrated until 1436 even though the first stone was laid in 1296. Its designer Arnolfo di Cambio and subsequent overseer Giotto both died well before the project came to fruition. The Florence Duomo’s proudest feature is its magnificent eight-sided dome – the first of its kind ever to be built without an internal wooden frame or external buttresses. Still the largest brick dome in the world to this day, Filippo Brunelleschi’s design is thought to have been centuries ahead of its ...
Located in southern Asia, the mystical island of Bali is only one of more than 17,000 islands making up the largest archipelago in the world, Indonesia. Bali offers a unique cultural experience along with a gorgeous tropical climate making the island the most popular vacation destination in Indonesia. Within this unique culture comes tradition much different than that in North America. Hinduism is the main religion practiced on Bali and it’s common place for visitors to see an abundance of offerings, known as banten, placed several times daily along the roadside and streets to honor the Hindu gods. The offerings are made up of palm leaves, flowers, fruit, rice and incense. In North America, New Year’s celebrations take the form of boisterous activities while on ...
Renowned as an exceptional example of Buddhist art and architecture, the Sanchi stupas is a great UNESCO world heritage site in India. The town of Sanchi lies 45 km north of Bhopal in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The stupas of Sanchi (“heaps” containing Buddhist relics) are some of finest and most well preserved structures of ancient India, especially for those interested in Sanchi Buddhist monuments that were constructed between the 3rd century BC and 12th century AD. Sanchi also makes a significant Buddhist pilgrimage site for thousands of Buddhists from all around the world. It is among the few Buddhist sites in India that give visitors an opportunity to see how Buddhist art and architecture originated and prospered in India about 2,000 years ago. ...
The Spanish are very social people, and a great many of the things they do are done in groups, socially. The big Spanish holidays reflect this strong flare for community, and Spain's Holy Week leading up to Easter every year showcases a very strong and ancient civic tradition, one that appears downright sinister to the casual North American observer. But don't be afraid, it's all very wholesome. It's just Semana Santa in Spain. For Semana Santa holy week, the potential shock-factor for North Americans comes from the costume adopted by the masses as they process through the streets celebrating Jesus's last days. The costume clothing known as Capirote is identical to, and was in fact the inspiration for, the blood-chilling outfits that the Ku Klux ...
The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is literally built on the Atlantic Ocean, with more than half of the Mosque jutting out over the sea. A passage in the Koran states that God’s throne was built on the sea, and King Hassan II, the Mosque’s creator and namesake, made this an architectural requirement. Inaugurated in 1993, the King Hassan Mosque was completed in six years, a remarkable feat. Artisans and labourers worked around the clock, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to complete the masterpiece; and funds were raised from “donations” from the Moroccan people. The government literally went door-to-door requesting economic support. This raised some international criticism, but in general, local Moroccans do not seem offended by either the fundraising tactic ...
