Thursday Photo Challenge

P.S.: Inspired by Tikulli

A visit to Vishwa Shanti Stupa

Vishwa Shanti Stupa, New Delhi was inaugurated on November 14, 2007 and dedicated to the people of India and the World with hopes of cultivating long-lasting peace as envisioned by Fujii Guruji. This work was made possible by the Shanti Stupa Society in partnership with D.D.A. and Nipponzan Myohoji. Relics and Sacred Objects for this Stupa were donated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the President of Sri Lanka, the President of Mongolia, and the Prime Minister of Nepal.

Nipponzan Myohoji was founded by Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii (1885-1985) with the mission of building Shanti Stupas all over the world as a way of creating peace and transforming people’s mind and heart. This order has built more than eighty Shanti Stupas all across the globe.  Nishidatsu Fuji came to India in the year 1931 and became a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi who named him as "Fuji Guruji". He also set up the Japanese Buddhist order of Nipponzan Myohoji. The three monkeys depicted here convey the message of Mahatma Gandhi--speak no evil; hear no evil and see no evil. These monkeys were gifted by Fuji to Mahatma Gandhi. 

The Stupa stands against the backdrop of some magnificent historical buildings like the Old Fort and Humayun's tomb.  It was built at a cost of two crore rupees. The "Vishwa Shanti Stupa" is 28 meters high. Its construction was inspired by the world famous Sanchi Stupa at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh. It's this hemispherical dome which inspired the chief architect of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Edwin Lutyen, who built the imposing dome over the President's house.The newest stupa at Delhi is the 74th in the series of stupas or pagodas around the world.

A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace.  The first Peace Pagodas were built as a symbol of peace in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where the atomic bombs took the lives of over 150,000 people.  By 2000, eighty Peace Pagodas had been built around the world in Europe, Asia, and the United States. The Peace Pagoda was awarded the Courage of Conscience award June 5, 1998 in Sherborn, MA.

Other than Delhi, such stupas have also been built at Rajgir, Darjeeling, Vaishali and Ladakh.   Some of the international locations where more such stupas have been established are Hanaokayama, Sapporo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Mount Kijosumi, Narita-chi in Japan, Lumbini, Pokhara in Nepal, Jeju island in Korea, Ampara, Unawatuna in Sri Lanka, Brisbane in Australia, Vienna in Austria, Birmingham, Milton Keynes in England, Comiso in Italy, Kuchary in Poland, Benalmadena in Spain, Manitoba in Canada.

Here you can find some more of my clicks of this monument.


This information has been compiled from various websites found using google.com

A visit to tomb of Rahim Khan-I-Khana

Khanzada Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana ( 17 December 1556 - 1627, popularly known as Rahim, was a composer of Mughal times during the reign of Akbar.  He was born in Lahore on 14th Cafar 964. He was one of the Navaratnas(minister) in the court.  Father of Abdul Rahim, Bairam Khan, was a trusted caretaker of Akabar, belonged to Turkic ancestry.

Khanzadahs, the royal family of Muslim jadon Rajput, accepted Islam on their association with the sufi saints.  Khanzadah, the persian form of Rajputana word 'Rajput', is the title of the great representatives of the ancient Jadubansi royal rajput family, descendant of Krishna and therefore belonging to Lunar dynasty (Chandravanshi).

After Bairam Khan was murdered in Patan, Gujrat, his wife and young Rahim were brought safely to Ahmedabad, and from there they were brought to Delhi, where they were presented to the Royal court of Akbar, where he was awarded the title of 'Mirza Khan'.   There he was married to Mah Banu, sister of Mirza Aziz Kokah, son of  Ataga Khan, a noted Mughal noble.

Later on, Akbar married Bairam Khans' wife, thus making Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khan his stepson.  Although a muslim by birth, Abdul Rahim was a devotee of Lord Krishna and wrote about him in his poetries.  Other than poetry he was also an noted astrologer and known for two of his important works namely - Khet Kautukam and Dwawishd Yogavali, which are still popular.

Also, Rahim was known for his peculiar manner of giving alms to the poor.   He never looked at the person he was giving alms to, keeping his gaze downwards in all humility.  When Tulsidas heard about behavior of Rahim, he wrote the following couplet in his honor.

"ऐसी देनी देंन ज्यूँ, कित सीखे हो सैन ज्यों ज्यों कर ऊंच्यो करो, त्यों त्यों निचे नैन"
"Sir, Why give alms like this? Where'd you learn that? Your hands are as high as your eyes are low."

Realizing that Tulsidas was well aware of the truth behind creation, and was merely giving him an opportunity to say a few lines in a reply, in all humility he replied


"देनहार कोई और है, भेजत जो दिन रैन
लोग भरम हम पर करे, तासो निचे नैन"
"The Giver is someone else, giving day and night. So they won't give me the credit, I lower my eyes"

Apart from writing dohas, Rahim translated Babar's memoirs, Baburnama, from Chagatai language to Persian language, which was completed in AH 998 ( 1589-90). He was extremely fluent in Sanskrit, and could work with Arabic, Persian and Turkish language.

The tomb was build by him for his wife in 1598, and later he was himself buried in it 1627.  This monument is carved with stucco work and intricate patterns.

This information has primarily been compiled from Wikipedia

Here is the link to my Picasa web album with some more clicks of this monument.

Misinterpretations.... Misunderstood

Sometimes its unfortunate but really funny when people intend to write something, but what they write conveys totally different meaning.  Below you can read some of such texts with regard to various contexts in life.  Do Enjoy.

"Since I have to go to my native village to sell my land along with my wife, please sanction me one week leave."

-- Leave application by an employee


"As I want to shave my son's head, please leave me for two days."

-- Leave application by an employee who wanted to have mundan done for  his 10 year old son


"As I am marrying my daughter, please grant me one week's leave."

-- Leave application by an employee


"As my mother-in-law has expired and I am the only one responsible for it, please grant me 10 days leave."

-- Leave application by an employee


"Since I have to go to the cremation ground at 10'o clock and I may not return, please grant me half day casual leave."

-- Leave application by an employee who wanted half day leave


"I am suffering fromfever, please declare one-day holiday."

-- An incident of a leave letter


"As I am studying in this school I am suffering from headache. I request you to leave me today."

-- From a student to headmaster


"As my headache is paining, please grant me leave for day."

-- From another student to headmaster


"I am enclosed here with..."

-- Found on a cover note


"Dear Sir, with reference to the above, please refer to my below..."

-- Found on another cover note


"My wife is suffering from sickness and as I am her only husband at home, I may be granted leave."

-- Leave application from an employee


"I am well here and hope you are also in the same well.

-- New letting writing style introduced


And the best one

"This has reference to your advertisement calling for a 'Typist and an Accountant - male or female'....    As I am both for past several years and I can handle both with good experience, I am applying for the post."

-- Job application by a candidate








Image courtesy: nscblog.com

A mans' tension

A man and his wife were spending the day at the zoo.   She was wearing a loose-fitting purple dress, sleeveless with straps. he was wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt.   As they walked through the ape exhibit, they passed in front of a large, silverback gorilla.   Noticing the wife, the gorilla immediately went crazy.   He jumped on the bars and, holding on with one hand and two feet, he grunted and pounded his chest with his free hand.   He was obviously very excited by the pretty lady in the pink dress.

The husband, noticing the excitement, thought this was funny.   He suggested that his wife tease the poor fellow some more by puckering her lips and wiggling her bottom.   She played along and the gorilla got extremely excited, now making noises that would wake the dead.

Then the husband suggested that she let one of her dress straps fall to show a little more skin.   She didm and the gorilla was about to tear the bars down!

"Now, show your thighs and sort of fan your dress at him," he said.   This drove the gorilla absolutely crazy, and he started doing flips and charging the bars!

Immediately the husband grabbed his wife, ripped open the door to the cage, flung her in with the gorilla, slammed the cage door shut and hollered, "Now, tell him you have a headache and you are not in the mood now."

Image courtesy: coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com

Office romance

she: the world has said it.  i'm waiting for you.
he : oh !! yes !!  best of luck. and don't shout this time.
she: why do i need luck ?
he : i kinda thought you were going for your review meeting.
she: duh ! why are you always like this ?
he : did i miss something ?
she: did you even looked at me. for god sake.
he : ok !!
she: everybody noticed me, said i'm looking beautiful, but you didn't even noticed.
he : wow !! you really look stunning today.
she: i really don't care what others say.
he : i mean you really are looking so good. did you lose some weight, too ? i think that make you even more sexy.
she: very funny. huh !! i thought... but never mind.
he : ok ok !! say now
she: i wore this suit, put some extra kajal, lip gloss, my heels...  everyone said i'm looking nice. and you...
he : i noticed
she: i think i made all these efforts in vain
he : i noticed you look different
she: duh! i shouldn't have done all this, at least not for you
he:  but i really noticed. that you're actually looking beautiful today.
she: it doesn't matter anymore.
he : but listen...
she: now what ?
he : you know naa, i can't do this so openly.
she: so, you could have messaged.
he : oh yes !! of course.
she: i put in so much of effort, only and only for you
he : ok ok, now don't be angry. and...  did i tell you how beautiful you look with this intensity in your eyes... it just kills me...  oh my god.
she: tell me more.
he : i'll, but at the food counter. lets go, grab a bite, i'm hungry.

She giggles, he sighs and they both move, hand in hand.








P.S: This is a work of fiction but relation with reality is quite possible.


image courtesy: google image search