Skywatch Friday... Uniting the world- Baha'i House of worship, Delhi

And we had finally landed, we were in Delhi, couldnt believe it. It had been nearly 4-5yrs since my last visit and mom was here after eons. We were there for a wedding, but were also looking forward to spending time with my Uncle and family. The day after we landed, uncle was off to work, kiddo to school and others were busy with their routine. Since i was with mom i had told myself this was going to be a laid back trip, and i would have to take mom around... She asked "can we roam around today? i dont want to sit at home". I said ok, we walked out of the colony, hailed a cab and headed out to explore the city. The 1st destination my mom chose was the Baha'i house of worship. 

The Bahá'í Faith is a world religion whose purpose is to unite all races and peoples in one universal Cause and one common Faith. Bahá’is are the followers of Bahá’u’lláh, Who they believe is the Promised One of all Ages.

The traditions of almost every people include the promise of a future when peace and harmony will be established on earth and humankind will live in prosperity. We believe that the promised hour has come and that Bahá’u’lláh is the great Personage Whose teachings will enable humanity to build a new world. [Information courtesy: Baha'i site]

Also called the Lotus Temple, the temple resembles a lotus flower in full bloom. Made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand, the temple is open to people across religions. Completed in 1986 by the Persian architect Fariborz Sahba from Canada, it welcomes tourists from across the world, day in and out. 

Interesting facts about the place-

There are 27 freestanding "petals" made of marble 

There are 9 reflecting pools that encompass the temple from outside. 

Height of the building: 34,27m
Diameter: 70 m
Seats within the auditorium: 1300
The land was bought in 1953 and construction  began on April 21st 1980, Was inaugurated on December 24th 1986.

As we wandered through the gardens, i was mesmerised not only by the structure, but also by the clouds that seemed to be floating along slowly and gracefully. Two women who were walking near us commented on the Clouds before walking away towards the Information office. 

 There comes a point where you are given a bag to put your footwear and deposit them in the Boot house. I noticed there were quite a few, mostly foreigners who were hesitant to do so, and some turned away because of this.  And then there were those few who wore their footwear around their belts, tied using the shoe string. I wondered why? where they paranoid of germs? or fear of losing their footwear?

We reached the staircase that led to the entrance of the temple where we were greeted by a girl [who was from Malaysia, and volunteering here], and further along, we were asked to stand in a single file, when a guy [who was from Turkey, and he too was a volunteer here] explained about Baha'i faith [he spoke in English and Hindi as well- quite confidently indeed] before opening the doors. We got in and found a seat just as the prayer began [ everyday, multiple times through the day there are prayer chants- from 5 different religions a prayer is recited within the hall] . We left after the prayer, walked around some more and picked up a flier on the place.

As we walked out, we noticed a group of Koreans huddled in a corner with an Indian explaining the faith and about the place in fluent Korean. They were lapping up everything he said... Guess this is what is called  "The power of Tourism" :-)

 

Timings:

Winter: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Summer: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Note: The Bahá'í House of Worship is open Tuesday through Sunday (Mondays closed).

 For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Celebrating Chennai.... Grandeur

December of 2012 has been a month that had the most positives and a few negatives as well. The highest point was a bit of Self indulgence, something I've not done ever and something am not really comfortable doing... 

So, what did I do? I used the vouchers I won during the Indiblogger meet held in Oct'12.   I had won a 1N/2D stay and also had a Lunch for 2 at Madras Pavilion... Got back from Ooty, checked the vouchers, gasped upon reading they expire on 31st Dec, called and made reservations for 29th and off i went... 

ITC Grand Chola true to its name, is Grand. From the foyer to the rooms, the swimming pool to the lobby, everything is just grand. The little touches, the Veena, the Brahadeeswara temple like architecture, the majestic chandeliers all make it a magical experience. Wandering through the corridors, I allowed myself to float away to la la land, letting go of any inhibitions i had, yes, it did feel weird being there, feeling like a Queen, but i told myself that i had earned it and that helped soak in the experience.

This is the lobby on the floor my room was in, the 20th Floor, called EVA. And no, you cannot just hop into the elevator and get here.. You need access, either a room card or one of the staff to guide you.. A floor dedicated to Single women travellers. How cool is that?

The next morning while heading for breakfast, i watched a team of about 3guys put together this massive flower arrangement. They finished on one side of the staircase before moving over to the other. Phew...

Was fascinated by this piece on the center table near the Ottimo restaurant on the 1st floor. It was beautiful, elegant and artistic..

This is the new hotel in Chennai and looks like it is changing the hospitality industry.. Giving people a surreal experience, and altering the way we look at hotels and restaurants!!!

Skywatch Friday and 275th post... Welcome to the Blue Hills

It is not often that you take a holiday that leaves you wanting more. I had one such experience recently. Even though it was a trip to a familiar destination, it was with friend and her family, which made a world of difference. I enjoyed myself, visited familiar sites, saw new things, explored unseen sites, spent nights playing card games and word games. Must also mention that this was my 1st time at a Club Mahindra property. :-) We stayed at Club Mahindra's Derby Green in Ooty... 

The temperatures were 12-18 during the day and 5-7 at night. It was heavenly, being able to walk around in a Tee shirt and capri, not worrying about sweat, enjoying a hot cuppa chai and a bowl of maggi after spending hours exploring the Botanical Gardens. It sure was a memorable vacation :-) 

 

And through the days, the clouds and blue skies kept us excited, the drama, the movements, the shapes, it was sheer magical..... sweet memories....

Participating in Skywatch after long and just realised this is my 275th post on this blog!! Yayy~!!

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday ... Well, today is the last Skywatch of this year, see you all in 2013. Wish you a very Happy New year!

Celebrating Chennai... The waves

As the year draws to an end, let me leave you with this beautiful image from the city i call home- Chennai...

Me: What is the one place you want to go to when you come to Chennai/Madras?
Cousin [over the phone from Delhi]- The Beach

I rest my case!!

When she was here, one morning we all rose early[5am] and drove down to the beach, not just any beach, but The Marina Beach... Spent about 2hours walking along the shore, while some played in the water a bit before joining us... What a fun morning that was! And this is almost a routine everytime she visits home :D

Did you know that the Marina beach is the longest in the country? yes, it stretches for over 14kms.... and one has easy access to the water as well, unlike in other places where you cannot get your feet wet :)

These were fishing boats resting before the trip into the ocean. There were a few fishermen sorting out the fishing nets nearby. They had done one round of fishing early in the morning [3-4am] and will go again in a while... What a life!!

Happy New year! see you on the other side