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The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka, marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (kotyahuti-yagya), and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur, possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> Highly ornate in itself, the panels left and right of the door, depicting ten different deities, are superb examples of the art of repoussé. On the panels, Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east, including the town of Dolakha.<br/><br/> Above the door, the golden torana shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect, half-goddess. Above her, at the top of the torana, an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him.
The water lily in the figure’s right hand shows that this statue represents the goddess Uma (also known as Parvati), wife of the Hindu god Shiva. She is standing in an elegant pose, with her body slightly angled at the hip and neck.<br/><br/> In a temple she would have stood to the left of Shiva, her customary position.
The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka, marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (<i>kotyahuti-yagya</i>), and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur, possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> Highly ornate in itself, the panels left and right of the door, depicting ten different deities, are superb examples of the art of repoussé. On the panels, Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east, including the town of Dolakha.<br/><br/> Above the door, the golden <i>torana</i> shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect, half-goddess. Above her, at the top of the <i>torana</i>, an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him.
Fujin or Futen is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He is generally depicted as a terrifying wizard-like demon carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders.<br/><br/> In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with Raijin, the god of lightning, thunder and storms.
Fujin or Futen is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He is generally depicted as a terrifying wizard-like demon carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders.<br/><br/> In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with Raijin, the god of lightning, thunder and storms.<br/><br/> Ogata Kōrin (1658 – June 2, 1716) was a Japanese painter of the Rinpa school. He was born in Kyoto, to a wealthy merchant who had a taste for the arts. Korin also studied under Soken Yamamoto, the Kano school, Tsunenobu and Gukei Sumiyoshi, and was greatly influenced by his predecessors Hon'ami Kōetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu.<br/><br/> 'Wind God and Thunder God' by Ogata Korin is a replica of Tawaraya Sotatsu's four panel folding screen of the same title ('Fujin Raijin Zu), Kyoto, early 17th century.
Fujin or Futen is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He is generally depicted as a terrifying wizard-like demon carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders.<br/><br/> In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with Raijin, the god of lightning, thunder and storms.<br/><br/> Ogata Kōrin (1658 – June 2, 1716) was a Japanese painter of the Rinpa school. He was born in Kyoto, to a wealthy merchant who had a taste for the arts. Korin also studied under Soken Yamamoto, the Kano school, Tsunenobu and Gukei Sumiyoshi, and was greatly influenced by his predecessors Hon'ami Kōetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu.<br/><br/> 'Wind God and Thunder God' by Ogata Korin is a replica of Tawaraya Sotatsu's four panel folding screen of the same title ('Fujin Raijin Zu), Kyoto, early 17th century.
Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology. He is typically depicted as a demonic spirit beating drums to create thunder, usually with a <i>tomoe</i> symbol drawn on the drums.<br/><br/> Fujin or Futen is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He is generally depicted as a terrifying wizard-like demon carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders.<br/><br/> In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with Raijin, the god of lightning, thunder and storms.<br/><br/> Ogata Kōrin (1658 – June 2, 1716) was a Japanese painter of the Rinpa school. He was born in Kyoto, to a wealthy merchant who had a taste for the arts. Korin also studied under Soken Yamamoto, the Kano school, Tsunenobu and Gukei Sumiyoshi, and was greatly influenced by his predecessors Hon'ami Kōetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu.<br/><br/> 'Wind God and Thunder God' by Ogata Korin is a replica of Tawaraya Sotatsu's four panel folding screen of the same title ('Fujin Raijin Zu), Kyoto, early 17th century.
The Shwe Indein Pagoda is a collection of Buddhist stupas dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries CE.<br/><br/> Inle Lake is a freshwater lake located in the Nyaungshwe Township of Taunggyi District of Shan State, part of Shan Hills in Myanmar (Burma). It is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of 44.9 square miles (116 km2), and one of the highest at an altitude of 2,900 feet (880 m).<br/><br/> The people of Inle Lake (called Intha), some 70,000 of them, live in four cities bordering the lake, in numerous small villages along the lake's shores, and on the lake itself. The entire lake area is in Nyaung Shwe township. The population consists predominantly of Intha, with a mix of other Shan, Taungyo, Pa-O (Taungthu), Danu, Kayah, Danaw and Bamar ethnicities. Most are devout Buddhists, and live in simple houses of wood and woven bamboo on stilts; they are largely self-sufficient farmers.<br/><br/> Most transportation on the lake is traditionally by small boats, or by somewhat larger boats fitted with single cylinder inboard diesel engines. Local fishermen are known for practicing a distinctive rowing style which involves standing at the stern on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar. This unique style evolved for the reason that the lake is covered by reeds and floating plants making it difficult to see above them while sitting. Standing provides the rower with a view beyond the reeds. However, the leg rowing style is only practiced by the men. Women row in the customary style, using the oar with their hands, sitting cross legged at the stern.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While <i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While <i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
The Moon God Aglibol, the Supreme God Beelshamen, the Sun God Malakbel, found at Bir Wereb, Wadi Miyah, near Palmyra.<br/><br/> Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. It was an important city in central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert and was known as the Bride of the Desert.<br/><br/> The earliest documented reference to the city by its Semitic name Tadmor, Tadmur or Tudmur (which means 'the town that repels' in Amorite and 'the indomitable town' in Aramaic) is recorded in Babylonian tablets found in Mari.
Manjusri is a bodhisattva associated with <i>prajna</i> (insight) in Mahayana Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, Manjusri manifests in a number of different Tantric forms. Yamantaka (meaning 'terminator of Yama' i.e. Death) is the wrathful manifestation of Manjusri, popular within the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Other variations upon his traditional form include Guhya-Manjusri, Guhya-Manjuvajra, and Manjuswari.<br/><br/> He is one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas of Chinese Buddhism, the other three being Ksitigarbha, Avalokitesvara, and Samantabhadra. In China, he is often paired with Samantabhadra.<br/><br/> In Tibetan Buddhism, Manjusrī is sometimes depicted in a trinity with Avalokitesvara and Vajrapani.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While <i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology. He is typically depicted as a demonic spirit beating drums to create thunder, usually with a <i>tomoe</i> symbol drawn on the drums.<br/><br/> In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with the wind god Fujin.<br/><br/> Ogata Kōrin (1658 – June 2, 1716) was a Japanese painter of the Rinpa school. He was born in Kyoto, to a wealthy merchant who had a taste for the arts. Korin also studied under Soken Yamamoto, the Kano school, Tsunenobu and Gukei Sumiyoshi, and was greatly influenced by his predecessors Hon'ami Kōetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu.<br/><br/> 'Wind God and Thunder God' by Ogata Korin is a replica of Tawaraya Sotatsu's four panel folding screen of the same title ('Fujin Raijin Zu), Kyoto, early 17th century.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While<i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
India: 'Shiva Bearing the Descent of the Ganges River'. Watercolour folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, c. 1740. Shiva bearing the descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha and the bull Nandi look on. Told and retold in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas, the story begins with a sage, Kapila, whose intense meditation has been disturbed by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Livid at being disturbed, Kapila sears them with his angry gaze, reduces them to ashes, and dispatches them to the netherworld.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While <i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While <i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology. He is typically depicted as a demonic spirit beating drums to create thunder, usually with a tomoe symbol drawn on the drums.<br/><br/> Fujin or Futen is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He is generally depicted as a terrifying wizard-like demon carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders.<br/><br/> In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with Raijin, the god of lightning, thunder and storms.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While <i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
<i>Hikifuda</i> are advertising handbills that became popular in late 19th to early 20th century Japan. Showing the increasing sophistication of Japanese commerce, the handbills were produced to advertise a company or promote a product, and sometimes they were even used as wrapping paper.<br/><br/> While <i>hikifuda</i> began to be produced as woodblock prints in the late 17th century, they witnessed a boom in the later 19th century when they were cheaply printed using colour lithography.
Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology. He is typically depicted as a demonic spirit beating drums to create thunder, usually with a <i>tomoe</i> symbol drawn on the drums.<br/><br/> In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with the wind god Fujin.<br/><br/> Ogata Kōrin (1658 – June 2, 1716) was a Japanese painter of the Rinpa school. He was born in Kyoto, to a wealthy merchant who had a taste for the arts. Korin also studied under Soken Yamamoto, the Kano school, Tsunenobu and Gukei Sumiyoshi, and was greatly influenced by his predecessors Hon'ami Kōetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu.<br/><br/> 'Wind God and Thunder God' by Ogata Korin is a replica of Tawaraya Sotatsu's four panel folding screen of the same title ('Fujin Raijin Zu), Kyoto, early 17th century.
Nio or Kongorikish are two wrath-filled and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in East Asia in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues.<br/><br/> They are <i>dharmapala</i> (protectors of the Buddhist religion) manifestations of the bodhisattva Vajrapaṇi, the oldest and most powerful of the Mahayana Buddhist pantheon.
Ebisu, also transliterated Yebisu, is the Japanese god of fishermen and luck. He is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune or Shichifukujin, and the only one of the seven to originate purely from Japan without any Hindu or Chinese influence.
Allat, the Arab goddess of war, is the central figure on this stone relief from Hatra (once covered with thin sheets of gold or silver). She is flanked by two smaller female figures, most probably her daughters al-Izza and Al-Manat, with right hands raised up, palms forward, in the typical Hatrene manner indicating benediction or respectful prayer.<br/><br/> Although these deities are of Arab origin, Allat is shown with the attributes of the Greek goddess Athena: a gorgon head on her breastplate, armed with a spear, a helmet, and carrying a shield marked with her lunar symbol. The eyes and the costume are rendered in the local Parthian fashion.<br/><br/> The goddesses are perched on a lion - Al-Lat's sacred animal - portrayed with an extravagant flame-like mane.
Devas are often seen in opposition to Asuras (sinful deities).<br/><br/>Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located 1.5km (one mile) north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.<br/><br/>At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/>Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/>Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/>The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Devas are often seen in opposition to Asuras (sinful deities).<br/><br/>Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located 1.5km (one mile) north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/>Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/>Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/>The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Devas are often seen in opposition to Asuras (sinful deities).<br/><br/>Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located 1.5km (one mile) north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/>Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/>Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/>The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
The Victory Gate of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom (Great City) was established in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by king Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride. Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Wat was built for King Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-50) in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the Angkor site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.<br/><br/> Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
Angkor Wat was built for King Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-50) in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the Angkor site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.<br/><br/> Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
Angkor Wat was built for King Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-50) in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the Angkor site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.<br/><br/> Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
Angkor Wat was built for King Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-50) in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the Angkor site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.<br/><br/> Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
Angkor Wat was built for King Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-50) in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the Angkor site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.<br/><br/> Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
The story of the River Ganga's descent from heaven is told in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas. It begins with the sage, Kapila, whose intense meditation has been disturbed by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Livid at being disturbed, Kapila sears them with his angry gaze, reduces them to ashes, and dispatches them to the netherworld.<br/><br/> Only the waters of the Ganga, then in heaven, can bring the dead sons their salvation. A descendant of these sons, King Bhagiratha, anxious to restore his ancestors, undertakes rigorous penance and is eventually granted the prize of Ganga's descent from heaven. However, since her turbulent force will also shatter the earth, Bhagiratha persuades Shiva in his abode on Mount Kailash to receive Ganga in the coils of his tangled hair and break her fall.<br/><br/> Ganga descends, is tamed in Shiva's locks, and arrives in the Himalayas. She is then led by the waiting Bhagiratha down into the plains at Haridwar, across the plains first to the confluence with the Yamuna at Prayag and then to Varanasi, and eventually to Ganga Sagar, where she meets the ocean, sinks to the netherworld, and saves the sons of Sagara.
The Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, Chinese: 胜乐金刚 shènglè jīngāng; Tibetan: Korlo Demchog Gyud (Tibetan: འཁོར་ལོ་སྡོམ་པ / བདེ་མཆོག; Wylie: Khor lo sdom pa / bde mchog gi rgyud) is considered to be of the mother class of the Anuttara Yoga Tantra in the Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.<br/><br/> The central deity of the mandala, a heruka known as Saṃvara (variants: Saṃvara & Saṃbara) or simply as Śrī Heruka, is one of the principal iṣṭha-devatā, or meditational deities of the Sarma schools of Tibetan Buddhism.<br/><br/> Saṃvara is typically depicted with a blue-coloured body, four faces, and twelve arms, and embracing his consort Vajravarahi (in Chinese 金刚亥母 jīngāng hàimǔ) in the yab-yum position. Other forms of the deity are also known, with varying numbers of limbs. Saṃvara and consort are not to be thought of as two different entities, as an ordinary husband and wife are two different people; in reality, their divine embrace is a metaphor for the union of great bliss and emptiness, which are one and the same essence.
Manichaeism was the most important Gnostic religion. Central in the Manichaean teaching was dualism, that the world itself, and all creatures, were part of a battle between the good, represented by God, and the bad, the darkness, represented by a power driven by envy and lust.<br/><br/> Manichaeism spread over most of the known world of the 1st millennium CE, from Spain to China. But the religion disappeared from the West in the 10th century, and from China in the 14th century. Today it is extinct.
Horus was often the ancient Egyptians' national patron god. He was usually depicted as a falcon-headed man wearing the pschent, a red and white crown, as a symbol of kingship over the entire kingdom of Egypt.
Pondicherry was the capital of the former French territories in India. Besides Pondi itself – acquired from a local ruler in 1674 – these included Chandernagore in Bengal (1690); Mahé in Kerala (1725); Yanam in Andhra Pradesh (1731); and Karaikal in Tamil Nadu (1739). Chandernagore was returned to India three years after independence, in 1951, and was absorbed into West Bengal. Returned to India in 1956, the remaining four territories were constituted as the Union Territory of Pondicherry in 1962.<br/><br/> Today Karaikal, Yanam and Mahé are all small seaside resort towns, known chiefly for their cheap beer made possible by Pondicherry's light alcohol taxes. Karaikal, on the Coromandel Coast 100 kilometres south of Pondicherry, is similar to rural Pondi – a prosperous, Tamil-speaking enclave renowned for the abundance of its rice harvests. Yanam, located on the coast of Andhra Pradesh more than 600 kilometres north of Madras, is a tiny, Telugu-speaking town on a branch of the Godavari River. Mahé, on the Malabar Coast of northern Kerala is a quaint, picturesque town, named for its founder, Count Mahé de La Bourdonnais.<br/><br/> In September 2006, the territory changed its official name from Pondicherry to the vernacular original, Puducherry, which means 'New village'.
Shiva (Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, meaning 'auspicious one' ) is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine.<br/><br/> Shiva is depicted three-eyed, the waters of the River Ganges poring from his top-knot.<br/><br/> Parvati (Sanskrit: पार्वती (IAST: Pārvatī)) is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti herself, considered as wife of Shiva, albeit the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Supreme Goddess. Parvati is sometimes considered as the supreme Divine Mother and all other goddesses are referred to as her incarnations or manifestations.<br/><br/> Mewar (मेवाड़ مئور also called the Udaipur Kingdom) is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.<br/><br/> The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later became a princely state under the British. It was ruled by the Chattari rajputs of Mori Guhilot Parihar and Sisodia dynasties for over 1,400 years.
Shiva bearing the descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha and the bull Nandi look on, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, circa 1740.<br/><br/> Told and retold in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas, the story begins with a sage, Kapila, whose intense meditation has been disturbed by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Livid at being disturbed, Kapila sears them with his angry gaze, reduces them to ashes, and dispatches them to the netherworld.<br/><br/> Only the waters of the Ganga, then in heaven, can bring the dead sons their salvation. A descendant of these sons, King Bhagiratha, anxious to restore his ancestors, undertakes rigorous penance and is eventually granted the prize of Ganga's descent from heaven. However, since her turbulent force will also shatter the earth, Bhagiratha persuades Shiva in his abode on Mount Kailash to receive Ganga in the coils of his tangled hair and break her fall.<br/><br/> Ganga descends, is tamed in Shiva's locks, and arrives in the Himalayas. She is then led by the waiting Bhagiratha down into the plains at Haridwar, across the plains first to the confluence with the Yamuna at Prayag and then to Varanasi, and eventually to Ganga Sagar, where she meets the ocean, sinks to the netherworld, and saves the sons of Sagara.
Devas are often seen in opposition to Asuras (sinful deities).<br/><br/> Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/> The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Asuras are usually seen in opposition to Devas (benevolent deities or angels).<br/><br/> Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century CE by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/> The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Asuras are usually seen in opposition to Devas (benevolent deities or angels).<br/><br/> Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century CE by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/> The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Devas are often seen in opposition to Asuras (sinful deities).<br/><br/> Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/> The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Devas are often seen in opposition to Asuras (sinful deities).<br/><br/> Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/> The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Asuras are usually seen in opposition to Devas (benevolent deities or angels).<br/><br/> Angkor Thom, meaning ‘The Great City’, is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/> The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Devas are often seen in opposition to Asuras (sinful deities).<br/><br/> Angkor Thom, meaning 'The Great City', is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by king Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest.<br/><br/> The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295. In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609.
Ebisu, also transliterated Yebisu, is the Japanese god of fishermen and luck. He is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune or Shichifukujin, and the only one of the seven to originate purely from Japan without any Hindu or Chinese influence.
Shiva (Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, meaning 'auspicious one' ) is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is regarded as one of the five primary forms of God. Followers of Hinduism who focus their worship upon Shiva are called Shaivites or Shaivas (Sanskrit Śaiva).<br/><br/> Uma or Parvati (Sanskrit: पार्वती (IAST: Pārvatī)) is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti herself, considered as wife of Shiva, albeit the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Supreme Goddess. Parvati is sometimes considered as the supreme Divine Mother and all other goddesses are referred to as her incarnations or manifestations.