Vastu & Fengshui View Lakshadweep
AGATTI : The coral islands of Lakshadweep seem be places which man and nature have conspired to keep more or less pristine. Each island boasts a magnificent lagoon and coral reef with striking marine life. You can swim, snorkel or dive. Agatti is one of the most beautiful isles in Lakshadweep: milky white sands on the beach and turquoise waters with multicoloured fish. The coconut and palm groves and a reef complete the picture. Agatti also has Lakshadweep’s only airport, which must be among the tiniest in the world. Walk along the eastern beach for brilliant white coral of all shapes and sizes. In the shimmering waters there are schools of colourful fish, live coral, sea anemone, starfish and sea cucumbers. The easiest way to access this amazing world is to snorkel around the reefs or take a glass- bottomed boat ride. Golden Jubilee Museum : This simple museum houses a model of a traditional Minicoy sailboat, and a room full of jars and wooden chests recovered from islands and a few shipwrecks. On the ground floor are two busts of the Buddha (dated between 9th and 12th centuries CE), found on Androth Island, which point to the island’s pre-Islamic past.. Mohiyudean Mosque : Visit the old mosque on the island, built in the 16th century in the style of a Malabar temple, with red Mangalore tiles. A stone panel with Arabic lettering decorates its front cornice . Location In the Lakshadweep Sea, off the Kerala coastline Air Agatti is served by flights from Kochi Sea Connected to Kochi by ship .
BANGARAM : Bangaram and its satellite islands of Thinakkara lie 5 to 6 nautical miles north- east of Agatti. The beautiful lagoon offers calm waters in all seasons and the extraordinary variety of underwater life along the coral reefs attracts divers from around the world . On the sandbars, crabs swarm out of tiny pinholes or larger hideouts with an alarming mand of sand heaped close by. Striped orends crabs hunch their bodies high. A walk in the shallows at low tide gives a more prickly experience of the lagoon. For divers and snorkellers, there is live coral: branch coral tipped with fluorescent blue or lumps stained in patches of red, bread-like growths, brain coral and table coral.
KAVARATTI : Kavaratti the administrative centre of the lakshadweep union territory is a busy place. People are everywhere. In the sea , on the land, in boats, working on the off- shore water pipeline, on the jetty and on the trees. Unlike other islands, Kavaratti’s shore is an apology for a beach. Narrow, busy and littered with waste, it almost spoils the beauty of the magnificent lagoon, which is home to starfish, anemones and sea cucumbers. Take off to the north towards the government-run lakshadweep diving academy is the largest eisure-diving organisation in the world and has certified range of programmes from beginners’ to advanced. Diving bookings must be done through the sports office in Kochi . The museum-cum-aquarium has different varieties of shells, including the cowries once used as money across the Indian Ocean, amazing corals and many, many species of fish.
MINICOY : Minicoy was annexed by the British in 1908 and became a part of the Indian Union in 1956, but the people here speak a different language (Mahl), write in religious sonnets (Thana script), look and dress like the Maldivians (in long toga- like capes), and chew betel like true Malayalis. This beautiful crescent-shaped KA island is the southernmost island in the Lakshadweep Sea. The magnificent Unk lagoon includes a secluded beach comence with a lake surrounded by the on slump of mangroves on the Lakshodweep Islands. A walk through the villages is rewarding, particularly nearer the shore, where one can admire the colourfully painted houses. Look for an old sundial near Aloodi village (which the locals still follow their time being roughly 45 minutes behind IST). Built in 1885, the lighthouse offers unparalleled views. Minicoy’s pride, the Tuna Canning Factory, is where foot-long tuna are processed, canned and pickled. Roughly 50,000kg of tuna is processed from September right until late May.
KADMAT : Unknown and unexplored till the 18th century, Kadmat served as a fishing outpost for the villagers of neighbouring Amini Island, who’d explore its waters during the monsoons, when fishing in the sea became dangerous. To its west lies a large bewitching lagoon and to its east, a rich coral outcrop. The island is ideal for swimming and spending lazy, uninhibited hours of pleasure. Elsewhere on the island, life goes on as usual. There are coconuts to be picked and dried, fish to be caught and coir to be soaked, dried and turned into rope.
- Published in Vastu / Fengshui Case Study
Vastu & Fengshui View Dwarka / Dwarkadheesh Temple
DWARKA : MOKSHADAYIKA BESTOWER OF LIBERATION
State Gujarat Important temples and sites Dwarden Temple, Rukshmanee Temple, Gomti Ghat, Beyt Dwarka, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Location Almost at the cusp of the startling mouth that shapes the map in this part of India’s extreme west, Dwarka nestles by the shores of the Gulf of Kutch Distances 457 km SW of Ahmedabad, 230 km NW of Somnath, 232 km W of Rajkot, 144 km SW of Jamnagar, 75 km NW of Porbandar Route from Ahmedabad NH8A to Rajkot via Bagodra, Limdi, Sayla, Chotila and Bamanbore; state highway to Dwarka via Dhrol, Jamnagar, Khambhaliya, Bhatiya and Baradiya Route from Somnath NH8D to Veraval; state highway to Dwarka via Chorvad, Madhavpur, Porbandar, Harsiddh Mata Mandir, Lamba and Baradiya . Dwarka is counted amongst the seven most sacred Hindu teerths and is believed to be the place where Lord Krishna moved after leaving Braj, where he lived and ruled. His temple here, the famous Dwarkadheesh Temple right on the shore, is central to this town’s topography. Dwarka’s story is told in the Puranas: Krishna acquired 12 yojanas (16 miles) of earth from the sea for constructing his divine, fortified capital here. Dwarka remained Krishna’s home when he eloped with Rukmini, married Satyabhama, vanquished Narakasura, protected Drau- padi’s honour, and led the war of Kurukshetra (part of the Mahabharata). Eventually, the Yadavas, Krishna’s clan, allowed Dwarka’s glory to wane. The god ended his earthly journey and the sea reclaimed the land, sparing only Krishna’s home. Years later, Vajranabha, Krishna’s grandson and successor, built the grand Dwarkadheesh Temple in his honour, according to the Puranas. Adi Shankaracharya travelled here and set up the Dwarka Sharadapeeth. It is also believed that six older cities . Dwar (door)-ka (Brahma) is considered the gat way to moksha. The holy city is counted among the seven most sacred Hindu tirthes this famous shloka in Sanskrit says: Ayya, Mathura, Maya (Haridwar), Ks, Kanchi, Avantika (Ujjain), Ar the city of Dwarka, Tise seven are mokshadayika (bestowers o Iberation).So auspicious is the location of Dwarka that Krishna is believed to have moved here for the well-being of all the Yadavas, leaving Magadha far behind after he killed his uncle, the tyrant Kamsa, son-in-law of Jarasandha, the king of Magadha. The Vishnu Purana ecords that for constructing his divine, fortified capital at Dwarka, Krishna had to acquire 12 yojanas (16 miles) of earth from the sea. Dwarka remained Krishna’s home as he eloped with Rukmini, married Satya- bama, vanquished Narakasura, protected Draupadi’s honour, and led the war of Kuru- kshetra. Eventually, the Yadavas became arrogant and allowed Dwarka’s glory to wane, Krishna ended his earthly journey and Samudra, the sea, reclaimed the land he had given, sparing only Krishna’s home. Many years later, it is believed that Vajra- nabha, Krishna’s grandson and successor, built the grand Dwarkadheesh Temple in the lord’s honour. A 1963 excavation led by the noted archae- ologist Dr DH Sankalia pointed to the existence of a city around the 1st century BCE. A series of 12 surveys led by Prof SR Rao between 1983 and 1990 found evi- dence of the existence of six submerged, well-organised island-towns and revealed a 9th century BCE temple to Vishnu, below which the remains of two more temples also came to light. Heavy anchors, a seal (the Harivansh Puran speaks of seals of identity carried by all residents of Dwarka), temple pillars and copper utensils inscribed with Vedic Sanskrit were among the evi- dences found. Prof Rao’s book, The Lost City of Dwarka, generated considerable interest and is based on his findings. Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, the widely acknowledged account of an unknown Greek traveller dated to the 1st century BCE, speaks of Dwarka as Baraka, an important overseas trading post. The saint-philosopher Adi Shankaracharya travelled here and set up the Dwarka Sharadapeeth, an event that has been placed by some scholars between 509- 477 BCE. Ideally, give yourself two days in Dwarka. It is also possible to do it all in a hectic day, spending the morning at the Dwarkadhe- esh Temple and other sites around Dwarka and leaving early in the evening for Beyt Dwarka, factoring in a trip to Nageshwar on the way back as it falls en route. Dwarkadheesh Temple Also known as the Trilokasundara Temple, the name pointing to its great significance and beauty (sundara) across the three worlds (triloka), the Chalukya-style temple has been constructed with locally procured stone that looks somewhat roughly hewn due to effect of the saline air but is none the less ractive for it. Devotees generally enter via main Moksha Dwar entrance but, aditionally, they are required to have a Kath in the Gomti, which flows behind the temple, and enter via the Swarg Dwar entrance on this side, reached by climbing the sacred chhappan sidi (56 steps, indicative of the 52 Yadava administrative divisions and the four gods among them – Krishna, Balram, Pradyumna and Anirudh). Even to those of us who have never been to Dwarka before, the black idol of Krishna looks instantly familiar. The temple has 16 smaller altars to other deities including Krishna’s eight patranis (queens). Also within the premises is a large hall done up almost entirely in richly carved wood, the official presence of the Dwarka Sharada- peeth at the temple. The math manages the Dwarkadheesh Temple, runs a famous Veda paathshala and oversees several other reli- gious and educational institutions. Tradi- tionally, the descendants of the family are priests at the temple. The 52-yard- temple flag is hoisted thrice daily . The dhwaja is usually made in silk though there have been flags cast in are especially gold as well. Flags stitched at one of the many shops near the temple and placed at the lord’s feet before the raising. At the time of writing, this unique seva had been booked for all days in the succeeding four months. Gomti Ghat : Come by to the ghat (right behind the Dwarkadheesh Temple) either early in the day or late in the evening. A broad canal of merrily flowing water channelises the river into the sea. The water is saline but very clean and it is impossible to leave without wishing one had come prepared for a dip.
- Published in Vastu / Fengshui Religious
Deja vu
When we experience déjà vu, we feel as though history is repeating itself. We get the most uncanny sensation of intense familiarity, as though we have lived through a particular moment before and are now experiencing it again, even though in reality we’re doing it for the first time. Very often this sense of déjà vu occurs over trivial incidents. For example, you might be chatting to a friend in a café about the film recently, and you suddenly feel as though you have done exactly the same thing before, in every detail you saw . Déjà vu is a French phrase which, translated literally, means ‘already seen’. It happens entirely spontaneously and can’t be consciously triggered. Years may go by between episodes.
WHAT IS IT?
There are several theories about déjà vu. Some people regard it as nothing more mysterious than a brain malfunction, in which the brain is briefly unable to detect the difference between the present and the past. Indeed, déjà s a recognized symptom of tempora epilepsy: someone has a strong sene of déjà vu either shortly before or during an epileptic seizure. Another theory states that it is wish fulfilment on the part of the person having the experience, although this doesn’t explain why some very mundane situations can trigger a sense of déjà vu. In psychology, the experience is known as paramnesia. Another theory is that déjà vu is related to a past-life experience, and we feel that we’ve been somewhere before because we have.
I’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE
Although not every experience of déjà vu is likely to be connected to a past life, some are so striking that the theory is definitely worth considering.
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Liver
There are many kinds of problems and diseases in which liver is involved as a primary or secondary factor such as jaundice, Cirrhosis of liver, tuberculosis of liver, cancer of liver or abscess of liver etc. Being situated on the right side of the abdomen under diaphragm, 5th house and sign Leo are the seat of liver diseases. Jupiter and Moon are the karakas for liver diseases. Sun and Mars rule over the biles. Thus when 5th house, 5th lord are afflicted and have relations with 6th and 8th house or their lords, with lagna or lagna lord also, one suffers from liver disease.
4th house from lagna is 12th house from 5th, thus it also indicates liver diseases if above said planets and karakas are involved:
Some yogas from classical books
1. If Moon is posited in 6th house, conjoining with Mars.
2. If lagna and Moon are afflicted and Saturn is posited in 8th house.
3. If Moon is posited in Leo navamsha and has relations with 6th or 8th house and afflicted.
4. The major period of Venus and sub-period of Moon having relation with 6th or 8th house or their lord and afflicted.
5. The Moon be hemmed between malefic planets like Saturn and Mars and Sun posited in Cancer or Capricorn signs.
6. If Moon be hemmed in between malefic planets and Saturn is posited in 7th house.
7. If Jupiter is malefic planet for a particular lagna and posited in lagna or 6th, 8th or 12th house.
8. The lagna lord, 8th lord and Jupiter conjoin in 6th, 8th or 12th house or lagna.
9. If lagna lord, 2nd lord and 4th lord conjoin in 6th, 8th or 12th house or lagna.
10. If lagna lord conjoins with Jupiter in 6th house.
- Published in Health
Kidney
The urinary system consists of the kidney, ureters, urinary bladder and urethra. The kidneys lies towards the back of the abdomen, one on each side of the spinal column. A tube – the ureter – connects each kidney with urinary bladder, where urine collects to be passed through the urethra.
The kidneys have two important functions
1. To remove waste products from the bladder.
2. To regulate the salt and liquid contents of the blood.
The kidneys also act as an endocrine glands secreting hormones which have the following effect:
1. Formation of red blood cells.
2. Regulation of blood pressure.
3. Control of Calcium metabolism.
There are number of primary or secondary diseases of kidney like inflammation of kidney – cystitis (inflammation of bladder), calculi (nephrolithiasis), nephritis (inflammation of kidney), ulceration, tumour, tuberculosis or cancer of kidney etc.
Astrologically 7th house rules the diseases of kidney. The Libra, the 7th sign of zodiac has concern with the kidney diseases. The Venus is significator of the diseases. The Moon is karaka of all fluids in the body. The Jupiter is karaka for nutrition of body. The Saturn is karaka for calculi and the Mars is karaka for inflammation and abscess. Mars and Mercury produce ulceration.
Some yogas from classics
1. If Mercury is posited in Sagittarius or Pisces and aspected by Saturn or is conjoining Sun.
2. If the Moon is posited in watery sign, and dispositor is posited in 6th or 8th and aspected by or conjoined with watery planets.
3. If malefic planets are posited in 6th or 7th house.
4. If 7th house is identical with watery sign and 7th lord is posited in watery sign.
5. If 5th house is occupied by malefic planets.
6. If 7th house is identical with watery sign and watery planet occupies lagna or aspected by watery planets.
7 If there is watery sign in 7th house and occupied by Sun, Saturn, Mars or Rahu.
8. If 6th or 7th lord conjoins 12th lord and aspected by Saturn.
9. If Mercury in 8th house.
10. If Saturn in 7th house aspected by Rahu.
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Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder causing excess thirst and teh production of large volume of urine it is mainly of two types :
Diabetes Insipidus: is a metabolic disorder in which there is production of excess quantity of urine with excess thirst. It is due to deficiency of pituitary hormone.
ii. Diabetes Mellitus: is a metabolic disorder of carbohydrates in which excess of sugar in the body is not oxidised to produce energy due to lack of production of pancreatic hormone “insulin”. The accumulation of sugar in the body may lead to excess production of urine, excess thirst, excess appetite and still loss of weight and weakness.
We are mainly concerned with Diabetes Mellitus (D.M.) which may lead to disorder of vision, Convulsions and abscess called carbuncle. Any injury takes time to get healed. Thus protection of limbs from injury is necessary.
There was a time when it was said that the diabetes mellitus is the disease of rich people who eat and drink in excess and have no exercises. But now a days younger generation and adolescent are also involved due to excess use of drugs particularly steroids. If the diabetes mellitus starts in childhood or adolescene, it is usually more severe than that starts at middle age or old age.
The control of diet, exercise with adequate carbohydrates for body’s need together with adequate medicines are necessary.
Virgo sign, 6th house and 6th lord govern the disease. Sun is the karaka for all stomach and metabolic diseases. Venus and Moon (watery planets) and Jupiter are the karakas for the disease. The watery signs are also involved. When afflicted Venus and Jupiter or Moon and Jupiter join in the watery sign in 6th, 7th or 8th house and Sun is debilitated or afflicted, one suffers from diabetes (D.M.) as we know that it is concerned with the diet or intake of drugs. The planets in the 2nd house or 8th house play an important role in causing diabetes (D.M.). We also know that good food habits and lack of exercise is the main cause of diabetes, thus the 3rd house and 11th house trine to 7th house particularly benefic planets like Jupiter and Venus or Moon, particularly Jupiter in watery signs cause diabetes.
Some yogas from classical books:
1. When strong malefic planet is posited in 8th house, Sun, Venus and Jupiter are afflicted or Moon and Jupiter are afflicted.
2. When a strong malefic planet is posited in lagna and Sun along with Venus and Jupiter or Moon and Jupiter are afflicted.
3. When malefic Venus is posited in lagna or 8th house aspected by or conjoining with malefic planets.
4. Sun conjoins with Mercury in Sagittarius or Pisces.
5. Sun, Saturn and Venus conjoin together in 5th house.
6. Sun posited in lagna identical with watery sign and Mars in 7th house.
7. The Mars posited in 10th house aspected by or conjoining with malefic in watery sign.
9. Mars aspecting 8th house from watery sign indicates diabetes mellitus.
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Heart
The heart is a muscular, pear shaped organ, the size of a clenched fist. It is protected by the bony rib cage and is rarely damaged by a blow. It is located in the chest a little to the left of the central line of the chest. The heart’s function is central to life. Without continuous supply of blood (oxygen, sugar) the body can not function for a fraction of second. To maintain this supply, the heart has to work nonstop . The heart receives impure deoxygenated blood from the body into the right upper chamber (right atrium) which is separated from the lower chamber (ventricle) by a one-way valve. The impure blood is pumped into right ventricle through the valve and then to lungs for purification. The ventricle has very thick powerful muscular walls. The oxygenated blood, pure blood, from the lungs is pumped to left artium and then to left ventricle and to body through the aorta the main artery. The blood ultimately again returns to the right side of the heart in the impure condition and the cycle goes on nonstop.The contraction phase, forcing the blood from atrium to ventricle and body is called the systole. The retaxation phase, filling with blood, is called diastole.
Astrologically we can divide the heart diseases into
1. Diseases which develop as a result of prolonged disease process-valvular diseases.
2. Those diseases which develop suddenly-heart attack.
The congenial hole in the heart or narrowing or defect of the valves of heart are the result of prolonged disease process and karaka is Saturn known for narrowness and effect of body. It is widely accepted that Sun represents heart. So any affliction to Sun and sign Leo shows the liability of a native to heart disease. The 4th house which represents chest should also be taken into consideration. The 4th sign of zodiac Cancer and its lord Moon, karaka of blood should also be taken into consideration. Mars governs the blood and surgical operation. Any relation of Mars with 4th house or its lord indicates surgical operation of chest. If 6th lord, Virgo, 6th sign of the zodiac has any relation with 4th or 4th lord, one may suffer from heart or chest troubles. The first symptom of heart diseases is high blood pressure. The conjunction of Mars and Moon in watery sign causes high blood pressure. It is also a known fact that heart diseases are caused by tension in mind and sorrows of heart, smoking, high living and little exercise, bad habits of eating. Therefore affliction to 4th, heart and 5th, thinking and abdomen are the main causes of heart diseases. Therefore Vaidyanath has stated that afflictions to 4th and 5th houses and their lords, Sun and Moon are the cause of heart trouble.
Some yogas from classical books.
1. The malefic planets are posited in 4th house and 4th lord conjoins malefic planets or posited in 6th, 8th or 12th house, or hemmed in between malefic planets.
2. The sign lord (dispositor) of 4th lord in navamsha is posited in malefic house or conjoins malefic planet in Cyclic Trimshamsha or Shashthamsha.
3. The 4th lord conjoins 8th lord in 8th house.
4. The 4th lord is debilitated, combust, posited in enemy sign or aspected by a malefic planet in 8th house.
5. The 4th house is occupied by 6th lord, Saturn and Sun and afflicted.
6. Sun, Mars and Jupiter conjoin in 4th house.
7. Sun in Cancer, Pisces or Aquarius and afflicted and posited in 5th.
8. Ketu joins Mars in 4th house.
9. Afflicted Moon or Sun in 4th house.
10. Sun and Saturn conjoin in 6th, 8th or 12th house.
11. Moon posited in Gemini or Leo dentical with 4th or 5th house and afflicted.
12. If malefic planets are posited in 4th or 5th identical with Leo or Aquarius sign and afflicted.
13. Mars posited in 10th.
14. If lagna is Virgo and Sun is posited in 4th or 5th and afflicted, Moon and Mercury posited in 6th, 8th or 12th house.
15. If lagna is Cancer and Moon is posited in 6th and aspected by Jupiter and Saturn posited in
4th house or 5th house.
16. In Capricorn lagna, Moon and Jupiter posited in 4th conjoin with or aspected by Mars and Sun and Mercury are in axis of Rahu/Ketu, one suffers from heart attack and dies.
17. In Aquarius lagna, Moon and Mercury posited in 4th house conjoining with or aspected by Mars, one dies of heart attack.
18. In Pisces lagna, Sun or Moon posited in 4th house, Venus in 5th conjoining with Rahu/Ketu, Mercury in 3rd house cause hole in septum of heart.
19. In Leo lagna, if Saturn is posited in 4th or 5th house with Rahu/Ketu, one dies due to heart attack.
20. Sun posited in 6th or 8th house in fixed sign causes heart trouble.
2. Any three planets afflicted in Leo or Aquarius can give heart disease.
22. Sun in Cancer, Aquarius or Pisces can cause heart diseases.
23. Moon in Gemini or Leo can give heart disease.
24. When lagna is in watery sign and lagna lord in 6th, 8th or 12th can cause heart disease.
25. When the sign Leo or Aquarius and 4th house from lagna are afflicted by natural malefic planets namely Saturn, Mars and Rahu, one gets heart disease.
From above yogas it is clear that Sun, Leo, Aquarius, Moon and Cancer are important for heart diseases. When Saturn is related to 4th, 4th lord, Sun or Moon or Lagna, it causes congenital heart diseases, disfunction of valves or rheumatic heart diseases. When Mars is related to Sun, Moon, Leo, Aquarius or Cancer, 4th and 4th lord, open heart surgery is indicated.
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Shri Ganesh Jayanti Birth Of Lord Ganesha
Once, the gods got together to discuss a common problem: whenever they performed holy rituals and acts, demons would disrupt their activities and create mischief. After considerable brainstorming, they came upon a solution: a superior god who would defeat and control the demons and ensure an environment of peace in Heaven. The deities approached Lord Shiva, requesting him to create a celestial power against all evils. The divine union of Lord Shiva and Parvati created a child who was elephant-headed: the controller of all obstacles was born and was named Vighaneshwara -“Vighan” means obstacles -or the “One who Removes all Obstacles”. This story can be found in the Linga Purana. The Shiva Purana gives another version of Ganesha’s birth. Once, Parvati went to a large water pool to bathe. To ensure her privacy, she asked Nandi, the chief of ganas (Shiva’s attendants), to stand guard at the gate of the pool and not let anyone enter the area. A little later, Lord Shiva himself came along and was about to enter the pool area when Nandi, as instructed by Parvati, stopped Shiva. Extremely annoyed at Nandi’s behaviour, Shiva ignored him and continued walking and, needless to say, Parvati was not pleased to see Shiva in the pool area.Soon after, on an impulse, Parvati rubbed some dust off her body and created a male child, a young, handsome boy. She breathed life into his body, and blessed him with all her powers, and instructed him to obey only her orders. She then asked him to stand outside the pool gate and not let anyone enter the area. After some time, Shiva came along and walked towards the pool entrance. At the gate he saw a handsome young boy, who immediately stood in his way, and advised him not to enter the pool precincts. Angered by the attitude of this unknown boy, Shiva severed the child’s head from his body.When shouts and cries of anguish reached Parvati’s ears, she came out and seeing her son lying dead on the ground, broke down. She told Shiva about the creation of her son. Shiva repented his act of anger and consoled Parvati, assuring her that he would get the child back to life. He instantly sent for his ganas and instructed them to set forth and return with the head of the first living being they come across. The team trooped out and the first animal they came across was a baby elephant; the ganas cut his head and presented it to Lord Shiva. He then fixed the head to the child’s body and invoked life in him. The boy immediately came back to life and resumed all powers that his mother had bestowed on him, and he became an elephant- headed god. Ganesha is also known as Gajanan, which means “The Elephant-headed One”. Incidentally, Ganesha means “King of Ganas”; this name was given by Shiva.
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Vastu / Fengshui View Sahara Desert
The Sahara is the world’s largest low-latitude hot desert with an area spread over 3,600,000 sq miles. Emcompassing much of North Africa it covers large sections of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Niger and Tunisia. The Sahara mainly rocky stone plateaus, and large areas covered with sand dunes form only a minor part, though many of the sand dunes are over 590 ft high. Deeply dissected volcanic mountains like the Air Mountains, Ahaggar Mountains, Saharan Atlas, Tibesti Mountains also rise from the desert with the highest peak being Emi Koussi at 3,415 m. The Sahara has only two permanent rivers, the Nile and the Niger and a handful of lakes, but it has substantial underground reservoirs, or aquifers. Typically, the Sahara Desert experiences extremely limited to virtually no rainfall, powerful and capricious winds and wide temperature ranges, where the highest recorded temperature was 57.7°C in 1922 in Libya and falling by nearly 40 degrees at nightfall. A strong wind called the Sirroco at 100 km per hour originates in the Sahara and in fact, sand storms here can be so huge that they are visible from outer space! The Saharan flora comprises around 2800 endemic species of vascular plants like acacia trees, palms, succulents, spiny shrubs and grasses. Altogether, the Sahara hosts some 70 species of mammals, 90 species of resident birds, 100 species of reptiles, and numerous species of arthropods. The most famous animal is the dromedary camel which has been domesticated for thousands of years and used by the desert nomads. It is estimated that the Sahara’s entire population most having Berber or Arabic roots probably equals less than two million people, including those who live near water sources in permanent communities those who move from place to place with the seasons, and those who follow the ancient trade routes as permanent nomads.
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Vastu / Fengshui View The Leaning Tower Of Pisa / Italy
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, a medieval architecture in Romanesque style, is located in Cathedral Square in Pisa. Its construction began in 1173 and was completed in 1399. Designed by Bonanno Pisano, Gherardo di Gherardo, Giovanni Pisano and Giovanni de Simone, this tower is also known as the Bell Tower of Pisa. The original completed height of the tower was 60 metres. However, after the tilt, it is 56.67 m on the highest side and 55.86 on the lowest side. The outer diameter at the base is 15.84 m., while the width of the walls is 2.44 m. Constructed in white marble, three of its eight stories had been completed, when the uneven settling of the building’s foundation in the soft ground became noticeable. But nothing happened for a century because of war and economic strife and that allowed the tower’s foundation to settle and likely prevented its early collapse. With an approximate weight of 14,500 tons, twin spiral staircases are lined in the interiors, with 294 steps leading from the ground to the bell chamber (one staircase incorporates two additional steps to compensate for the tower’s lean). Over the next four centuries, the tower’s seven bells were installed; the largest weighed more than 3,600 kg (nearly 8,000 pounds). By the early 20th century, however, the heavier bells were silenced, as it was believed that their movement could potentially worsen the tower’s lean. Earth was siphoned from underneath the foundation, decreasing the lean by 17 inches (44 cm) to 13.5 feet (4.1 metres); the work was completed in May 2001, and the structure was reopened to visitors. The tower continued to straighten without further excavation, until in May 2008 sensors showed that the motion had finally stopped, at a total improvement of 19 inches (48 cm). Engineers expect the tower to remain stable for at least 200 years. The Cathedral Square, where the tower is located, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
- Published in Vastu / Fengshui Case Study