Here we can post historical wonders of the Subcontinent from great landscapes that have shaped the people around them for centuries to works of art that have been shaped by man to attract just as much awe…
Feel free to post your wonders of our rich and diverse history…
Re: Wonders of the Subcontinent…
I will make the first post on this thread then.
In the following I will give you a selection of ten places, and for this post I am selecting places of Worship from the subcontinent. It does not matter that the people are singing and bowing in praise to Allah, Raam, Shiva, Buddha, Jesus RA even Zoraster. The human heart and mind is such that we should see beyond the difference and understand the amazing beauty and effort gone into making these magical expressions of divine beauty.
The following are in no order of rank or importance I am merely presenting ten places of Worship which I believe are important. I give you the first of these
This delightfull little masjid came to my attention thanks to GS and my friend Arlietter bhai of India who was the first to inform me of it’s existence. It is the first Masjid ever built in India and was created within the lifetime of Rasool Allah salalaho alayhi wassalam, where a local king Cheraman had ventured to distant Arabia to convert to Islam and who is said to have first built this Masjid in the 7th Century.
It proves that long before Muslim armies swept into India Islam had allready been established in the subcontinent and teaches Muslims of today that Islam is not spread through violence… for as Masjids of warriors such as Babur lie broken this one is as beautifull as ever and long may it be so… Ameen.
Re: Wonders of the Subcontinent…
Nice :k:
Re: Wonders of the Subcontinent…
Heres the second of the wonders of the subcontinet.
Reputed to be India’s oldest and largest Temple complex… the Madurai Temple.
The following is coutesy of Wikipedia. 
History
** Legend**
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Goddess_Meenakshi_Wedding.JPG/220px-Goddess_Meenakshi_Wedding.JPG http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.17/common/images/magnify-clip.png
Vishnu hands over his sister Meenakshi to Shiva.
According to Hindu legend, in order to answer the prayers of the second Pandya king Malayadwaja Pandya and his wife Kanchanamalai, Goddess Parvati appeared out of the Holy Fire of the Putra Kameshti Yagna performed by the king. According to another legend, the goddess herself had given a boon to Kanchanamalai in one of her previous births that she will have the privelege of mothering the goddess. This girl, who came out of the holy fire had three breasts, to the king’s shock. A voice from the heavens told him not to worry and added that the third breast would vanish as soon as the girl meets her future husband. The happy king named the girl as ‘Tadaatagai’ and brought her up. The girl did not have any realization of her birth and she grew up as a normal human girl. Being the heir to the throne after Malayadwaja, Tadaatagai was trained carefully in all the 64 sastras (fields of sciences), which includes warfare, too. As the time came when Tadaatagai should be coronated, according to the customs, she had to wage war on the three worlds across eight directions (Digvijayam). After conquering Satyaloka (Lord Brahma’s Abode), Vaikuntha (Lord Vishnu’s Abode) and Amaravati (the Divine Abode of the Devas), she advanced to Kailasha (Lord Siva’s Abode). She very easily defeated the Bhoota ganas and Nandoi (the celestial bull of Lord Siva) and headed to attack and conquer Siva. No sooner than she looked at Lord Siva, she was unable to fight and bowed her head down due to shyness; the third breast vanished immediately. Tadaatagai realized the reason and understood that Lord Siva is her destined husband. She also realized that she was the incarnation of Goddess Parvati. Both Lord Siva and Tadaathagai return to Madurai and the king arranged the coronation ceremony of his daughter, followed by her marriage with Lord Siva, the next day. The marriage was supposed to be the biggest event on earth, with the whole earth gathering near Madurai. Vishnu, the brother of Meenakshi, was traveling to preside over the marriage from his holy abode at Vaikuntam. Due to a divine play, he was tricked by God Indra and delayed on the way. Meanwhile, the marriage was presided over by a local god from Thirupparankundram Pavalaakanivaai Perumal. This is celebrated annually as ‘Chitirai Thiruvizha’ in Madurai. During the period of Nayakar rule in Madurai, the ruler Thirumalai Nayakar then linked the ‘Azhakar Thiruvizha’ and the ‘Meenakshi Wedding’. Hence born the ‘Azhaghar Thiruvizha’ or ‘Chithirai Thiruvizha’.
Pandya king
Kulasekara Pandya was the king who constructed the temple.but in later it was developed by Madurai Nayak dynasty.It is the temple with lot of wonder with itself.
Modern history
The history of the original structure is not properly known, but Tamil literature speaks about the temple for the last couple of millennia. Thirugnanasambandar, the famous Hindu saint of Shaiva philosophy, mentioned this temple as early as the 7th century, and described the Lord as Aalavai Iraivan. The temple was believed to have been sacked by the infamous Muslim invader Malik Kafur in 1310 and all the ancient elements were destroyed. The initiative to rebuild the structure was taken by first Nayak King of Madurai Viswanatha Nayak (1559-1600 A.D.) under the supervision of Ariyanatha Mudaliar, the Prime Minister of the Nayak Dynasty and the founder of the Poligar System. Then came the most valuable contributions of King Thirumalai Nayak circa 1623 to 1659. He took considerable interest in erecting many Complexes (Veeravasantharayar Mandapam) inside and outside the temple and he built Vasantha Mandapa for celebrating vasanthorsavam and Kilikoottu Mandapam, corridors of Teppakulam etc., was built by Rani Mangammal. Meenakshi Nayakar Mandapam was built by Rani Meenakshi.
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Re: Wonders of the Subcontinent....
Yes this temple is a truely amazing one...
AlsoBadshah-E-Mosque , Taj Mahal,Mohanjadaro and Harappa remains,Golden temple in Amritsar, The tales of Hampi(in my beautiful stte Karnataka)
Re: Wonders of the Subcontinent....
Thankyou for that bhai... I will cover those places also...though since you know a lot as well feel free to post about a place you hold important. :)
Re: Wonders of the Subcontinent....
Also Kodungalloor Mosque Bhai... I have told you abt it....The great forts in Peshawar :)
Re: Wonders of the Subcontinent…
^ Yes indeed… I was actually going to open a seperate thread for Sub-Continent strongholds…
Heres a brief history of Indians most famous Bhudist Temple
Tabo Monastery (or Tabo Chos-Khor Monastery) was founded in 996 CE in the Spiti Valley, Himachel Pradesh, India by the great Tibetan Buddhist lotswa (translator), Rinchen Zangpo, the king of western Himalayan Kingdom of Guge. It is located in the very arid, cold and rocky area at an altitude of 3,050 metres (10,007 ft).[1]](Tabo Monastery - Wikipedia)[2]](Tabo Monastery - Wikipedia)
The monastery is surrounded by a high mud brick wall which encloses some 6,300 square metres. (over 1½ acres) and contains 9 temples, 23 chortens, a monks’ residence and an extension that houses the nuns’ residence. It soon became known as an important centre of learning and of the Kadampa School (which later developed into the Gelugpa School).[2]](Tabo Monastery - Wikipedia) However, in 1855 it was reported to have had only 32 monks.[3]](Tabo Monastery - Wikipedia)
After the earthquake of 1975 a new monastery was built, and in 1983 a new Du-kang or Assembly Hall was constructed. It here that H.H. the Dalai Lama held the Kalachakra ceremonies in 1983 and 1996.[4]](Tabo Monastery - Wikipedia)[2]](Tabo Monastery - Wikipedia) Above the monastery there are a number of caves carved into the cliff face and used by monks for meditation.
There is a large and priceless collection of thankas (scroll paintings), manuscripts, well-preserved statues, frescos and extensive murals which cover almost every wall.
The monastery includes nine temples:
1. The Temple of the Enlightened Gods (gTug-Lha-khang), or Assembly Hall.
2. The Golden Temple (gSer-khang). Said to have been once covered with gold, it was renovated by Sengge Namgyal, a king of Ladakh in the 16th century. The walls and ceilings are covered with magnificent murals.
3. The Initiation Temple (dKyil-kHor- khang). There is a huge painting of Vairocana surrounded by eight Bodhisattvas. The other walls are covered in mandalas. This is where monks receive their initiations.
4. The Bodhisattva Maitreya Temple (Byams-Pa Chen-po Lha-khang). The image of the Bodhisattva Maitreya here is over six meters (20 feet) high. There are also murals showing Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse and the Potala in Lhasa.
5. The Temple of Dromton (Brom-ston Lha khang) which is thought to have been founded by Dromton (1008-1064 CE) one of the main disciples of Atisha.
The above are thought to be the earliest temples of Tabo and the following are later additions.
6. The Chamber of Picture Treasures (Z’al-ma).
7. The Large Temple of Dromton (Brom-ston Lha khang). After the Assembly Hall, this is the largest temple in the complex and contains many wall paintings. The wooden planks in the ceiling are also decorated.
8. The Mahakala Vajra Bhairava Temple (Gon-khang) contains the protective deity of the Gelukpa sect. It contains fierce deities and is only entered after protective meditation.
9. The White Temple (dKar-abyum Lha-Khang).
Tabo Monastery is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India as a national historic treasure of India.[2]](Tabo Monastery - Wikipedia)
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