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Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park,Hyderabad
Posted on July 3rd, 2009 No commentsIn Andhra Pradesh, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park is a popular destination amongst the lovers of wildlife. Situated in Vanasthalipuram, at a distance of 15 kmsfrom Hyderabad, the park was established in 1975 and named after ‘Lord Mahavira’, to commemorate the 2500th birth anniversary of the prodigy. Once the hunting ground of the ‘Nizams’, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park was later developed into a full-fledged sanctuary by the Government of India.
During monsoons, Vanasthali National Park appears mesmerizing with different colorful flowers blooming all around. The endangered Black Buck deer is found here in plenty. In fact, the park has estimated 400 deer in its expanse. Apart from the Black Bucks, there are many other species of animals here, including Cheetahs, Wild Boar, Monitor Lizards, Mongooses and Porcupines. Regarding avifauna, there are different varieties of Partridges, Quails, Peacocks, Doves, Pond Herons, Egrets, Kites, Vultures, Eagle, Kingfishers and Cormorants.
More than 80 species of migratory birds can be seen here. Another rare variety amongst birds is the Short-toed Eagle. If you are really interested in seeing the fauna from near, you can tour the park in the vans provided by the authorities. The vegetation of the park is rich with flora like Neem, Butea, Bauhinias Accacias and many thorny shrubs. Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park also houses an exhibition hall, where different items of the wild life conversation are displayed.
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Nehru zoological park in Hyderabad
Posted on July 3rd, 2009 No commentsNehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad was established on 26 October 1959 with a view to develop a Modern Zoo with simulated natural environment. It is located at about 16 kms from the Hyderabad Bus stand. It is spread across 300 acres of lush green land which is one biggest zoo in the country. In this zoo, there are about 1,500 different kinds of animals are present. Other attraction in the park is that a lion safari park is located in the park. It is recommended must see sight. In this park there is also a natural history museum and a children park. It is the premier picnic spot of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
The Nehru Zoological Park which was declared open to the public on 6th October 1963 has bred some notable exotic and indigenous animals and birds like the Indian Rhino, Asiatic Lion, Tiger, Panther, Giraffe and Gaur etc., a number of Deer and Antelopes. In fact, animals bred in the Zoo have been distributed to various Deer parks and also sanctuaries for restoring the depleted animals.
Primates like Chimpanzee from Central Africa, Mandrill, Orangatun, Chacma, Olive and yellow baboons (in open islands) etc. and Indian primates include Rhesus, Bonnet, and Monkeys (stump-tailed, lion-tailed and pig-tailed), Golden and common langurs are housed in the zoo. Carnivores like African and Indian lions, Tigers, panthers, jackals, wolves, hyenas, bears etc and reptiles like Giant/ Star tortoises, water turtles, Estuarine crocodiles in open pools, Monitor lizards and chameleons share enclosures, hooded Indian Cobra, Russels Viper, Giant rock-python, tree snakes etc are also found here. Elephants, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Zebras, American bison, Antelopes, Black buck, Chousingha, Chinkara, Deer, Sambhar, Brow Antler Deer etc. are the herbivores one can enjoy watching.
The lions, both African and Indian are exhibited in this Zoo. It is a treat for the visitors to visit the only safari park for Indian Lions in Asia, with almost natural forest setting. The Tigers both white and normal have their own forest glades. The Panthers (normal&black) are exhibited in large enclosures with rock cliffs. Others include the Wolves, Jackals, Foxes and Hyena. The Weasel group is represented by Ratel and others. -
Ekta Mandir in Dallas
Posted on July 3rd, 2009 No commentsThe D/FW Hindu Temple was conceived by a group of devotees back in 1981. As an auspices beginning for the formation of the Temple Society, Sri Satyanarayana Puja was performed in December 1982,. Subsequently, in 1983, a constitution was adopted that laid the basic foundation for the management of the temple. Basically, the constitution provided for a panel of trustees at the helm assisted by a team of officers in addition to an executive committee to assist in the day to day operations of the temple. The constitution provided for the necessary guidelines for the election of each member of the management team.
In August of 1984, eight acres of land in the Parker County was purchased with the intention of building the temple there but the progress was slow for lack of funds and community interest. However, a facility in Plano was rented in March 1987 to temporarily accommodate the few devotees who expressed a need for a place of worship. After a considerable research into the needs of the community, it was decided that the Parker County land was too far to serve conveniently the Hindu community of the metroplex. A place that is convenient for devotees form both Fort Worth and Dallas was sought. This consideration lead to selling the land in the Parker County and purchasing the land in Irving in June of 1988. There was no time wasted after this purchase. The Bhumi Puja was performed in July of 1988 by Sant Murari Bapu and in November 1988, the temple operation was moved from Plano to the old house that stood on the land in Irving. Less than three years later, on April 28, 1991, the new Temple, Ekta Mandir, was inaugurated.
The first deity to be installed in Ekta Mandir was that of Maha Lakshmi. A large number of devotees of the Metroplex witnessed the Prana Pratishthapan Mahotsav ceremony. This grand celebration lasted for four days - May 30 to June 2 of 1991. Subsequently, Sri Ganesh, Sri Ram Parivar, Sri Durgaji and Sri Ayyappan were installed in June, July, September and December of that year. Sri Venkateshwara (Balaji), Shivji, Kartikeya and Vithal-Rakumai were installed in May, July and October of 1992. Later on, separate building adjacent to the main temple was built and Navagrahas, Anjaneya (Hanumanji), Gayatri Devi and Dattatreya deities were installed.
The Temple continued to grow and a Cultural Hall was built to meet the growing need of the community for social and cultural activities. The Hall serves as a facility for a number of community service activities such as library, educational classes, religious classes and pujas, kathas and discourses by spiritual leaders. The hall has become a popular place for family celebrations such as marriage celebrations, wedding anniversaries, graduation and birthday parties.
In 1998, the Society purchased an additional 2.8 acres of land across from the Cultural Hall on east side of Britain road, along with a residential building. The building serves as a residential quarter for one of the priests. The land may serve as an overflow parking or for future expansion of the temple facilities.
Expansion of the main Temple was undertaken in 1999 to accommodate the growing attendance of devotees and completed in 2003/2004. The expansion provided for increased capacity, a large outside hallway, enclosed shoe-racks, expanded office and priest-service rooms. Indianization of the Temple by building the gopurams and adding Hindu temple architectural features both inside and outside of the main temple was also initiated in 1999 and completed in 2004. The Maha Kumbhabhishekam celebration was celebrated in October 2004.
The Temple also completed building of a Yagashala, a Youth Center, a Meditation Center and expansion of the library. This new extension encompasses the old Navagraha building and provides enclosed seating areas in front of it. Building of priest and guest quarters and some more parking facilities have also been completed. The landscaping, which will include gazebos and fountains, is to be completed in 2005/2006. The Temple Society is here to serve the needs of the Hindu Community. It can do it only with the help of Almighty’s blessings and the community support. We count on your continued participation and support to make further progress in the new millennium a success. -
Swaminarayan Temple in Atlanta
Posted on July 3rd, 2009 No commentsAtlanta’s beautiful Swaminarayan Temple, sometimes called the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, is an impressive and graceful structure that may seem out of place in the suburban area of Lilburn. Constructed of stone and marble in resplendent white, the temple was built after the turn of the century and was dedicated in August of 2007. The Baps Swaminarayan Temple Atlanta is aglow about is the largest traditional vedic temple of its kind in the entire United States (the fifth largest outside of India), and serves as a testament to the strength of the Indian community in Atlanta, as well as the diversity of the city at large.
Laid across a verdant wooded backdrop, the temple stands out to passers-by with its five high spires and thirteen perfect domes. An impressive 106,000 cubic feet of stone comprise the structure, much of which is found in the pink limestone throughout the building’s interior, and all pieces, some weighing up to eight tons, were carved by hand in India and sent to the site for assembly. The unique interlocking construction ensures that the building will remain intact and strong for a thousand years with virtually no maintenance. Several hundred ornate rosettes, foliage motifs, and impressive geometric patterns are incorporated into the design.
Such massive pieces and idyllic features of course required a great price, but at $19 million, the temple’s price tag is actually surprisingly low. This is due in large part to the extensive volunteer effort, headed by the BAPS Swaminarayan temple located in Clarkston. Years of donated labor for assembling, stone polishing, cooking for construction staff, and even landscaping helped create a wonderful place for worship while keeping costs at a minimum. The love, faith, and dedication of the congregation in fashioning the temple is apparent throughout the structure, from its architectural excellence to the smallest details.
The Swaminarayan Temple, in all its visual splendor, is a stark contrast to many of its neighboring establishments; a Walgreens pharmacy, for instance, sits just across the street. But though the temple may seem out of place to Lilburn’s visitors, it is a welcome addition to the community for nearly all its members. The temple welcomes worshippers, inspires the conscientious, and dazzles casual onlookers, affirming the beauty and richness of Indian tradition and imbuing Atlanta with a treasure of faith and human accomplishment.
The temple offers congregants the opportunity to worship in an atmosphere extremely similar to those of their ancestors’ temples over a thousand years ago. For the religious and curious alike, there are marvels aplenty at the Swaminarayan. Visiting hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. Coming festival celebrations include Jal Jilani on September 14th and Sharad Punam on October 12th. Visit the temple’s site for detailed information.
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