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The
Indian subcontinent covers an area approximately one-third
the size of Europe. To the north, the Himalayan Mountains
separate India from the rest of Asia. India is bordered
to the west by the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean is
to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the east. The
modern Republic of India occupies the greatest part
of the Indian subcontinent, bordering Pakistan to the
west, Tibet (now illegally occupied by China), Nepal
and Bhutan to the north, Bangladesh and Burma (Myanmar)
to the east. |
India
has been described as being more like a continent than a
country. Few countries can match the diversity found in
India. India offers enormous variety in its people, its
customs and its languages. The number of languages or dialects
spoken in India is more than 1600 and comprises 14 major
language groups. Hindi is the official language of India.
English is used for many official purposes, especially by
the government. The population of India is surpassed only
by China. India is also the birthplace of two of the world's
major religions - Hinduism and Buddhism.
Two
episodes of Mystic Lands feature locations in India. They
include VARANASI: City of Light and TAJ MAHAL: Heaven on
Earth.
Here's
some fun facts, important words and people related to the
history and spirituality of India:
-
Agra - Situated on the banks of the Yamuna river
in north-central India, Agra is located roughly 100 miles
southeast of the modern Indian capital of New Delhi. At
the time of the Mughal Empire (16th and 17th centuries),
Agra served as the imperial capital. Today Agra is still
known for its superb monuments from that era, especially
the Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal.
-
Fatehpur Sikri - This is the well-preserved "City
of Victory" built by the Mughal ruler Akbar in tribute for
the realization of the prophecy of the mystic saint Sheikh
Salim. The mystic Sheikh Salim had prophesied the birth
of a son for Akbar. Fatehpur Sikri is now considered one
of the best preserved ghost towns in the world. At its peak,
the city was a grand cultural center with a population of
more than two hundred thousand. The city's unique architectural
marriage of Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist details in its many
buildings created a complex of rare beauty. For reasons
still undetermined, the city was abandoned twenty years
after its construction.
-
Taj Mahal - Located in Agra, the Taj Mahal is
the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal and her husband Shah Jehan. It
was built by Shah Jehan (1592-1666) as a architectural expression
of the love they shared and, many believe, to honor his
profound belief in Islam and the love of his god, Allah.
The Taj Mahal, which translates to mean "Crown of the Region,"
is the world's most famous Mughal monument in India. Considered
by many to be the most beautiful building in the world,
a "heaven on earth," the Taj Mahal has become a symbol of
India. The Taj Mahal is a Muslim monument in a predominantly
Hindu land and, as such, seems to strike a spiritual cord
among people of all faiths.
It's
believed that the Taj Mahal was completed in 1653 after
22 years of construction. It has been estimated that more
than 20,000 artisans from as far away as France, Italy,
and Turkey were involved in completing this ornate mausoleum.
The Taj is constructed of brick encased in white marble
brought from Makaran in Rajasthan. Hundreds of elephants
were used to transport the marble. Precious stones, emeralds,
rubies and diamonds as well as lapis lazuli, coral, agate,
and turquoise were used to decorate the Taj and were inlaid
into its marble in beautiful patterns.
It
has been theorized that the gardens surrounding the Taj
Mahal represent the Islamic garden of paradise. As such,
the Taj's gardens are filled with flowers and fruit trees.
The number four and its multiples are holy numbers in Islam.
The gardens each have four lawns and each lawn has sixteen
flower beds. This symmetry is considered the symbol of perfection
and completion. The canals that divide the gardens into
quadrants are viewed as the rivers of paradise. The white
marble of the Taj Mahal is said to symbolize the purity
of faith. The dome of the Taj recalls the vault of heaven.
Some even believe that the Taj Mahal represents the heavenly
throne where Allah sits on the Day of Judgment.
-
Ganges - It is the holy waters of the Ganges
River that bring the faithful to Varanasi. According to
Hindu mythology, the Ganges once flowed through the spheres
of heaven. Today's Hindu believers worship the Ganges as
a goddess. The sacred river is the destination for both
the living and the dead in Varanasi. According to Hindu
tradition, to die within the precincts of this sacred city
is to gain liberation from samsara - the continuous cycle
of birth, death and rebirth. Scattered along the west bank
of the Ganges are the ghats (long stairways descending toward
the river). There are bathing ghats where pilgrims gather
at dawn to bathe in the river and wash away their sins.
There are also cremation ghats for the burning of the dead.
It is common practice to sprinkle the ashes of the dead
into the Ganges so that their souls are free to enter the
realm of paradise.
-
puja - Hindu word for worship. Puja is an integral
part of everyday life in India. During worship, the deities
are honored with offerings of flowers, incense, holy water
from the Ganges, and/or food.
-
sadhu - A holy person, ascetic, one who is trying
to achieve enlightenment. The sadhus are devout Hindus who
have shed all their worldly possessions. They often smear
themselves with ashes as a sign of the renunciation of the
world. They often mark their foreheads with the signs of
Shiva - white horizontal bands. Many sadhus (wandering hermits)
come to Varanasi to escape materialism and pursue a virtuous
life.
-
Varanasi - The holy city of Varanasi lies in
the great northern plain of India on the left bank of the
river Ganges. It has been a center of learning, enlightenment,
culture and civilization for more than 2,000 years. To the
Hindu, the ancient city of Varanasi is the holiest place
in the world, a sacred city and a place of pilgrimage. This
is the spot Hindus believe that the great god Shiva picked
as his earthly home. Varanasi is the final destination for
what many Hindu consider to be the most significant religious
pilgrimage in the modern world. Today, as they have done
for centuries, thousands of Hindu faithful come to Varanasi
from all over India and the world, to purify themselves
in the holy waters of the Ganges.
-
Vedas - There are a number of Hindu holy books,
but the four Vedas (divine knowledge) are considered the
"ultimate canonical authority" for all Hindus. They form
the foundation of Hindu philosophy. The Vedas are a collection
of hymns composed in Sanskrit from the second millennium
B.C. to approximately 900 B. C. The collection is divided
into four books: Rig-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, and Atharva-Veda.
For
additional information about The Duncan Group, the Mystic
Lands series, or Wisconsin, please contact Patty@DuncanEntertainment.com.
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