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The Mariana Trench World’s deepest Place

2018-02-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

The Mariana Trench or Marianas Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans. It is located in the western Pacific Ocean, an average of 200 kilometres (124 mi) to the east of the Mariana Islands, in the Western Pacific East of Philippines. It is a crescent-shaped scar in the Earth's crust, and measures about 2,550 km (1,580 mi) long and 69 km (43 mi) wide on average. It reaches a maximum-known depth of 10,994 metres (36,070 ft) (± 40 metres [130 ft]) at a small slot-shaped valley in its floor known as the Challenger Deep, at its southern end,although some unrepeated measurements place the deepest portion at 11,034 metres (36,201 ft).For comparison: if Mount Everest were dropped into the trench at this point, its peak would still be over 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) underwater.

Some of the facts about Marianas Trench

It is amazing to note that the pressure exerted by the water column at the bottom of the trench is over thousand times greater than the standard atmospheric pressure at the sea level!

Owing to the very high pressure exerted by the water column above, the density of water at the Mariana Trench increases by about 5 percent, which means that 95 liters of water at the bottom of trench will have the mass equal to 100 liters of water at the surface.

The temperature of water at the Mariana Trench varies between 1 to 4 Degrees, meaning it is near the freezing point and its constant contact could be unbearable for the humans.

Though the overall length of the trench runs for about 2,550 KMS, its width is merely 69 KMS.

Because of the earth not being a perfect sphere, the radius at the poles is about 25 KM less than the radius at the equator. That is why the bottom of the Mariana Trench is not the closest point to the center of the earth. But on the contrary, some parts of the Arctic Ocean seabed lie closest to the earth's center.

According to the findings of a research, the trench is regarded as one of the world's oldest seabeds, and it is about 180 million years old.

The water pressure of 8 tons per square inch at the bottom of the trench means as many as 50 jumbo jets placed on the top of a person.

Do you really know that there are hydrothermal vents, at the floor of the trench, which emit highly acidic fluids? The temperature around these hydrothermal vents may reach as high as 300 degrees centigrade but, on the contrary, the temperature of the seabed floor does not usually go higher than 4.4 degrees centigrade.

The contrast between the highly acidic & hot, and the highly basic & cool environment in the trench gives rise to an ever changing and nearly toxic environment, but even then a variety of life thrives here!

From a mud sample, taken from the Challenger Deep, the oceanographers have discovered that as many as 200 different microorganism are living in the region. Moreover, two inch long amphipods or shrimp-like crustaceans have also been found thriving in abundance at the bottom.

Do you know that the Challenger Deep, the deepest point of the Mariana Trench, has been named after the two vessels, called the HMS Challenger and HMS Challenger II?

During a global circumnavigation in 1875, the Mariana Trench was discovered by HMS Challenger with the use of sounding equipment.

About 76 years after the visit of the HMS Challenger, the trench was sounded again by HMS Challenger II.

A 'deep boat', known as Bathyscaphe Trieste, was the first ever vessel to reach the bottom of the Challenger Deep in 1960, which was manned by a Swiss scientist Jacques Piccard and a US navy Lieutenant Don Walsh.

It is interesting to note that the very hot water emitted by the vents is rich in its mineral contents that help in sustaining life in this area.

The hot water of the vents, at times reaching 450 degrees, does not boil because of the very high pressure exerted by the water column above.

Do you know that the giant 10 cm single celled amoebas, called ksenofiofory, show amazing resistance to multiple elements and chemicals, such as, mercury, uranium and lead that would kill other animals as well as humans?

The only known underwater area where you can find liquid carbon dioxide is the Champagne Vent of the Mariana Trench that is outside the Okinawa Trough near Taiwan.

Discovered in 2005, the Champagne Vent was initially regarded as the source of harmless water, but closer inspection revealed that it was emitting pure carbon dioxide. Owing to the presence of bubbles, it was named as the Champagne Vent.

Located at the depth of about 414 meter on the way to the Mariana Trench, there is Daikoku volcano which is the source of one of the rarest phenomena on the planet. Here in the pit, called "pot", there is a lake of pure molten sulfur a seething black emulsion that is boiling at 187 degrees Celsius.

So surprisingly, man has explored beyond the distance of the light years into the outer space, but only 5 percent of the seabed has been explored and mapped till now the remaining still remains unexplored.

The bottom of the trench is covered with a blanket of icky, viscous ooze as, owing to the immense water pressure, everything getting there ends up ground up into a fine, grayish-yellow almost silky sludge.

Spanning over the area of 246,000 square kilometers, Mariana Trench has been designated as the US National Monument by an act signed by the US President George Walker Bush in 2009.

The World’s Oldest operating University :University of Al-Karaouine

2018-02-17T07:58:00.001-08:00

The University of al-Qarawiyyin, also written Al Quaraouiyine or Al-Karaouine, is a university located in Fez, Morocco. It is the oldest existing, continually operating and the first degree-awarding educational institution in the world according to UNESCO and Guinness World Records and is sometimes referred to as the oldest university.It was founded by Fatima al-Fihri in 859 with an associated madrasa, which subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the historic Muslim world. It was incorporated into Morocco's modern state university system in 1963.

Education at Al Quaraouiyine University concentrates on the Islamic religious and legal sciences with a heavy emphasis on, and particular strengths in Classical Arabic grammar/linguistics and Maliki law, although a few lessons on other non-Islamic subjects such as French, English are also offered to students. Teaching is delivered in the traditional method, in which students are seated in a semi-circle (halqa) around a sheikh, who prompts them to read sections of a particular text, asks them questions on particular points of grammar, law, or interpretation, and explains difficult points. Students from all over Morocco and Islamic West Africa attend the Qarawiyyin, although a few might come from as far afield as Muslim Central Asia. Even Spanish Muslim converts frequently attend the institution, largely attracted by the fact that the sheikhs of the Qarawiyyin, and Islamic scholarship in Morocco in general, are heirs to the rich religious and scholarly heritage of Muslim al-Andalus.

Most students at the Qarawiyyin range from between the ages of 13 and 30, and study towards high school-level diplomas and university-level bachelor's degrees, although Muslims with a sufficiently high level of Arabic are also able to attend lecture circles on an informal basis, given the traditional category of visitors "in search of [religious and legal] knowledge" In addition to being Muslim, prospective students of the Qarawiyyin are required to have memorized the Qur'an in full as well as several other shorter medieval Islamic texts on grammar and Maliki law, and in general to have a very good command of Classical Arabic. It is a common misconception that the university is open only to men, however. It is open to both men and women

Top 10 Most Dangerous Dive Sites in The World

2018-02-17T02:20:00.001-08:00

Egypt’s Blue Hole, Dahab and Sinai, Egypt

Probably the most dangerous dive site in the world is located in Egypt. Known to most as the ‘Diver’s Cemetery’ this unbelievable attraction is known for ‘the arch’ which is a passage way to open waters, located approximately 56m below the surface. The recommended depth for any scuba diver is 30m. When a diver gets that deep, nitrogen narcosis begins to set in which can alter the diver’s judgment, rendering them unable to make fast and good decisions. Nitrogen narcosis can cause disorientation and even a loss of consciousness. Unfortunately for some, this increase of nitrogen bubbles within the blood stream can mean that the diver can miss the opening of ‘the arch’ and continue descending to their death. Approximately 150 divers have lost their lives at this location, over the past 15 years.

Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef, Belize

Known as one for the bucket list, the blue sink hole is identifiable by its contrasting blue colors, showing the deepest, darkest blue alongside the lighter, shallower colors. The blue hole measures nearly 305m across and 124m down into the earth. Divers come from far and wide to experience this wonder. Descending the first 30m mostly consist of sheer walls on all sides, once you pass this, the walls turn to stalactite formations made of limestone. If you are an inexperienced diver, this sheer drop off can be extremely disorientating, causing them to descend at an even faster rate.

The Shaft Sinkhole, Mount Gambier, Australia

This incredible dive site is full of cave diving. The shaft sinkhole might just be the most dangerous cave dive on the planet. At the beginning of this dive, the diver must take off their equipment in order to get through a man hole which is just too small to accommodate both them and their equipment. Once their equipment is passed through to them, they can begin their dive through a series of extremely dark and dangerous caves. A low air consumption is essential for this dive as divers can get lost or simply do not save enough air for the journey back to the surface. Unfortunately, many divers have lost their lives due to this reason.

Cenote Esqueleto, The Temple of Doom, Tulum, Mexico

Aptly known by its nickname, ‘The Temple of Doom,’ the Cenote Esqueleto located in Mexico can be dangerous from the very onset. Once the divers have jumped in, they are advised to stay within the sunlit areas as it can get extremely dark in places. The combination of dark passageways and intricate tunnels, can cause divers to become disorientated and lost. Getting lost is the main reason for many of the deaths at this dive site. Divers lose their way and run out of air, rendering them helpless.

Coco’s Island, Costa Rica

Coco’s island is one of the most remote dive sites in the world. Located approximately 340 miles off the Pacific Coast of the country, it usually takes over 35 hours to reach this prime location by boat. However, what makes this destination even more dangerous is the sheer amount of sharks found in the waters around this dive site. The usual marine life found in this area includes; white top reef sharks, giant manta rays, hammerhead sharks, dolphins and sea turtles.

Samaesan Hole, Samaesan Bay, Thailand

This incredible hole penetrates deep into the earth at around 85m deep. With its incredibly strong currents, if you are not well prepared for this dive, then it can take some divers severely off course. In addition to these strong currents, a surprising site are the unexploded bombs. The Samaesian hole is a former military dumping ground, providing a unique but dangerous experience for any diver.

Jacob’s Well, Wimberley Texas

Jacob’s Well is located in the south west of Austin Texas and merely seems like an average swimming hole. However, once you get below the surface, a whole different world opens up. Jacob’s Well consists of chambers of caves, the first two a suitable for most divers however, once you approach the third chamber, the dive begins to get a little harder. Not only does this chamber consists of winding narrow pathways, the cave is full of gravel and silt, which can be detrimental to the diver. Once these small particles get disturbed, it can become very difficult to see causing divers to become disorientated, panic and therefore use up their air at a much faster rate than usual. Over 8 people have tragically lost their lives in these dark and dangerous chambers.

Eagle’s Nest Sinkhole, Weeki Wachee, Florida

Located in the western area of Weeki Wachee, this dangerous dive site is around 315m deep which can make it hard for even the most skilled of divers. The deeper you go, the more likely nitrogen narcosis will set in causing disorientating. Once the diver becomes disorientated, this can prevent them from checking their depth gauge as well as their air consumption, meaning that they could run out of air and not surface in time. This location has claimed the lives of many divers, who enjoy pushing the limits.

German U Boat, New Jersey

This incredible world war II relic, discovered in 1991, is located approximately 73m below the surface, which is reaching extremely dangerous depths for any diver. 3 members of the dive group who discovered the U-869 tragically died whilst returning to the site soon after it was found. The mixture of the cold water and the dangerously strong currents can prove perilous for most divers out there.

Devil’s Caves, Ginnie Springs Florida

The Devil’s Caves is a popular dive site for many and is located approximately 35 miles off the northwest of Gainsville, Florida. The temperature at this incredible cave dive site is warm all year round. The Devils caves consist of a network of caves systems named, ‘Little Devil’, ‘Devil’s Eye’ and ‘Devil’s Ear’. These caves happen to be the most dangerous sites in the whole springs. At the opening of the ‘Devil’s Ear’ you find a vortex which is certain to move your equipment around.

Epic Rainbow Mountains of the World

2018-02-11T02:01:00.001-08:00

Vinicunca Mountain, Peru
Vinicunca, also called Montaña de Siete Colores, Montaña de Colores or Rainbow Mountain is a mountain in Peru with an altitude of 5,200 meters above sea level. It is located in the Andes of Peru, in the Cusco Region.

It is one of the places that still has not been discovered by travelers. Rainbow Mountains represents one of the most spectacular places of the Cordillera Vilcanota as it keeps a natural colour given by the presence of sedimentary eroding rocks. The rocks are impressive for its colourfulness since they are formed by seven colors. That's why, the mountain is known under the name of "Cerro Colorado" too.

The journey will take you at least 1 day to complete. A high altitude adventure that will keep you begging for oxygen as you will strut above a constant altitude of 14,000 feet. You will pass thousands of roaming alpacas and llamas. You will walk through beautifully diverse landscapes varying from snow-capped peaks through neon red desert mountains to marshy pampas. The real reward however will be your arrival to those painted-like hills hidden deep in the Andes. Resembling a rainbow, the mountains will require an extremaly good sight to find a route along

Vermilion Cliffs, Arizona, USA

The Vermilion Cliffs are the second "step" up in the five-step Grand Staircase of the Colorado Plateau, in northern Arizona and southern Utah. They extend west from near Page, Arizona, for a considerable distance, in both Arizona and Utah.

112,500 acres (45,500 ha) of the region were designated as the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in 1984. An even greater area was protected within Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in 2000.The Vermillion Cliffs were on an important route from Utah to Arizona used by settlers during the 19th Century. The area was explored by the Mormon pioneer and missionary Jacob Hamblin, who started a ranch at the base of the cliffs in House Rock Valley. Present day U.S. Highway 89A basically follows the old wagon route past the cliffs through House Rock Valley and up the Kaibab Plateau to Jacob Lake.

Famous locations in the cliff area include Lee's Ferry, Glen Canyon and the Glen Canyon National Recreational Area, The Wave, Coyote Buttes, and others.

Zhangye National Geopark, Gansu, China

The Zhangye National Geopark is located in Sunan and Linze counties within the prefecture-level city of Zhangye, in Gansu, China. It covers an area of 322 square kilometres (124 sq mi). The site became a quasi-national geopark on April 23, 2012. It was formally designated as "Zhangye National Geopark" by the Ministry of Land and Resources on June 16, 2016 after it has passed the on-site acceptance test. Known for its colorful rock formations, it has been voted by Chinese media outlets as one of the most beautiful landforms in China.

Landmannalaugar Mountain, Iceland

Landmannalaugar is a place in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in the Highlands of Iceland. It is at the edge of Laugahraun lava field, which was formed in an eruption around the year 1477. It is known for its natural geothermal hot springs and surrounding landscape.

Landmannalaugar is the northern end of the Laugavegur hiking trail. The Iceland Touring Association operates a mountain hut with sleeping bag accommodation for 75 people and a public toilet with showers. During the tourist high season there is also a small shop there that sells coffee and basic groceries, a horse tour agency. ICE-SAR highland patrol in Fjallabak operates from here. Several bus companies have regular trips to and from Landmannalaugar during the tourist season.

Ladies Only Resort -The SuperShe Island Finland

2018-02-11T01:27:00.001-08:00

SuperShe Island, a women-only island resort off the coast of Finland which is 8.4-acre patch of land.

SuperShe Island is the brainchild of American entrepreneur Kristina Roth, who decided to invest in a women-only resort after realizing that being around men was distracting to other women. While vacationing at the Ashram in Calabasas, Calif., and the nearby Ranch Malibu, Roth noticed that women would focus more on the men than themselves, so she started contemplating the idea of a women-only resort where visitors could relax without any male distractions.Roth made it clear that she enjoyed her mixed gender vacations and has nothing against men, but she just felt that there was a need for a “no men allowed” resort where women could relax and refill their batteries without getting distracted.

SuperShe Island will house ten guest cabins, a spa, and various adventure activities. There will be daily cooking and fitness courses available, along with yoga and meditation classes, but Roth plans to add whatever other activities women find appealing.According to a recent SuperShe press-release, “women need to spend time with other women. Being on vacation with men can be draining and demanding. We want SuperShe Island to be rejuvenating and a safe space where women can go to reinvent themselves and their desires. A place where you can recalibrate with no distractions.”

"Our goal is to create a utopia where women can come together to care for themselves through fitness, nutrition, creativity nurturing and more," Roth said. "The opening of our Finnish island will help us create a physical space that is open throughout the year for ladies to recharge." We’ll see how the public reacts when SuperShe Island opens in July 2018.

SuperShe Resort Link

History of Kohinoor Diamond

2018-02-08T04:40:00.001-08:00

The Kohinoor diamond was mined at the Rayalaseema diamond mine in the Kollur mine in Golconda, India during the rule of the Kakatiya dynasty. It was taken away from a King of Malwa in 1306 whose family possessed it for generations.

Babur, the Turco-Mongol founder of the Mughal Empire, wrote about a "famous" diamond that weighed just over 187 old carats – approximately the size of the 186-carat Koh-i-Noor.Some historians think Babur's diamond is the earliest reliable reference to the Koh-i-Noor. According to his diary, it was acquired by Alauddin Khalji, second ruler of the Khalji dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, when he invaded the kingdoms of southern India at the beginning of the 14th century. It later passed to succeeding dynasties of the Sultanate, and Babur received the diamond in 1526 as a tribute for his conquest of Delhi and Agra at the Battle of Panipat.
Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, had the stone placed into his ornate Peacock Throne. In 1658, his son and successor, Aurangzeb, confined the ailing emperor to Agra Fort. While in the possession of Aurangzeb, it was allegedly cut by Hortenso Borgia, a Venetian lapidary, reducing the weight of the large stone to 186 carats (37.2 g). For this carelessness, Borgia was reprimanded and fined 10,000 rupees According to recent research the story of Borgia cutting the diamond is not correct, and most probably mixed up with the Orlov, part of Catherine the Great's imperial Russian sceptre in the Kremlin.
One of Ranjit Singh's favourite horses with the head of his stables. His jewels are shown, to scale, including the Koh-i-Noor
Following the 1739 invasion of Delhi by Nader Shah, the Afsharid Shah of Persia, the treasury of the Mughal Empire was looted by his army in an organised and thorough acquisition of the Mughal nobility's wealth. Along with millions of rupees and an assortment of historic jewels, the Shah also carried away the Koh-i-Noor. He exclaimed Koh-i-Noor!, Persian for "Mountain of Light", when he obtained the famous stone. One of his consorts said, "If a strong man were to throw four stones – one north, one south, one east, one west, and a fifth stone up into the air – and if the space between them were to be filled with gold, all would not equal the value of the Koh-i-Noor".
After Nader Shah was killed and his empire collapsed in 1747, the Koh-i-Noor fell to his grandson, who in 1751 gave it to Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the Afghan Empire, in return for his support. One of Ahmed's descendants, Shuja Shah Durrani, wore a bracelet containing the Koh-i-Noor on the occasion of Mountstuart Elphinstone's visit to Peshawar in 1808. A year later, Shujah formed an alliance with the United Kingdom to help defend against a possible invasion of Afghanistan by Russia. He was quickly overthrown, but fled with the diamond to Lahore, where Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire, in return for his hospitality, insisted upon the gem being given to him, and he took possession of it in 1813.
Acquisition by Queen Victoria
Its new owner, Ranjit Singh, willed the diamond to the East India Company administered Hindu Jagannath Temple in Puri, in modern-day Odisha, India. However, after his death in 1839, his will was not executed. On 29 March 1849, following the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the Kingdom of Punjab was formally annexed to Company rule, and the Last Treaty of Lahore was signed, officially ceding the Koh-i-Noor to Queen Victoria and the Maharaja's other assets to the company. Article III of the treaty read: "The gem called the Koh-i-Noor, which was taken from Shah Sooja-ool-moolk by Maharajah Ranjeet Singh, shall be surrendered by the Maharajah of Lahore to the Queen of England (sic)".
The Governor-General in charge of the ratification of this treaty was the Marquess of Dalhousie. The manner of his aiding in the transfer of the diamond was criticized even by some of his contemporaries in Britain. Although some thought it should have been presented as a gift to Queen Victoria by the East India Company, it is clear that Dalhousie believed the stone was a spoil of war, and treated it accordingly, ensuring that it was officially surrendered to her by Duleep Singh, the youngest son of Ranjit Singh.The presentation of the Koh-i-Noor by the East India Company to the queen was the latest in a long history of transfers of the diamond as a coveted spoil of war. Duleep Singh had been placed in the guardianship of Dr John Login, a surgeon in the British Army serving in the Presidency of Bengal. Duleep Singh would move to England in 1854.
In due course, the Governor-General received the Koh-i-Noor from Dr Login, who had been appointed Governor of the Citadel, on 6 April 1848 under a receipt dated 7 December 1849, in the presence of members of the Board of Administration for the affairs of the Punjab: Sir Henry Lawrence (President), C. G. Mansel, John Lawrence and Sir Henry Elliot (Secretary to the Government of India).
Legend in the Lawrence family has it that before the voyage, John Lawrence left the jewel in his waistcoat pocket when it was sent to be laundered, and was most grateful when it was returned promptly by the valet who found it.
On 1 February 1850, the jewel was sealed in a small iron safe inside a red dispatch box, both sealed with red tape and a wax seal and kept in a chest at Bombay Treasury awaiting a steamer ship from China. It was then sent to England for presentation to Queen Victoria in the care of Captain J. Ramsay and Brevet Lt. Col F. Mackeson under tight security arrangements, one of which was the placement of the dispatch box in a larger iron safe. They departed from Bombay on 6 April on board HMS Medea, captained by Captain Lockyer.
The Koh-i-Noor was formally presented to Queen Victoria on 3 July 1850 at Buckingham Palace by the deputy chairman of the East India Company.[32] The date had been chosen to coincide with the Company's 250th anniversary.

Members of the public were given a chance to see the Koh-i-Noor when The Great Exhibition was staged at Hyde Park, London, in 1851. It represented the might of the British Empire and took pride of place in the eastern part of the central gallery.
Originally, the diamond had 169 facets and was 4.1 centimetres (1.6 in) long, 3.26 centimetres (1.28 in) wide, and 1.62 centimetres (0.64 in) deep. It was high-domed, with a flat base and both triangular and rectangular facets, similar in overall appearance to other Mughal era diamonds which are now in the Iranian Crown Jewels.
Disappointment in the appearance of the stone was not uncommon. After consulting various mineralogists, including Sir David Brewster, it was decided by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, with the consent of the government, to polish the Koh-i-Noor. One of the largest and most famous Dutch diamond merchants, Mozes Coster, was employed for the task. He sent to London one of his most experienced artisans, Levie Benjamin Voorzanger, and his assistants.
The 1852 re-cutting
On 17 July 1852, the cutting began at the factory of Garrard & Co. in Haymarket, using a steam-powered mill built specially for the job by Maudslay, Sons and Field. Under the supervision of Prince Albert and the Duke of Wellington, and the technical direction of the queen's mineralogist, James Tennant, the cutting took thirty-eight days. Albert spent a total of £8,000 on the operation, which reduced the weight of the diamond from 186 old carats (191 modern carats or 38.2 g) to its current 105.6 carats (21.12 g). The stone measures 3.6 cm (1.4 in) long, 3.2 cm (1.3 in) wide, and 1.3 cm (0.5 in) deep. Brilliant-cut diamonds usually have fifty-eight facets, but the Koh-i-Noor has eight additional "star" facets around the culet, making a total of sixty-six facets.
After Queen Victoria's death, the Koh-i-Noor was set in the Crown of Queen Alexandra, the wife of Edward VII, that was used to crown her at their coronation in 1902. The diamond was transferred to Queen Mary's Crown in 1911, and finally to The Queen Mother's Crown in 1937. When The Queen Mother died in 2002, it was placed on top of her coffin for the lying-in-state and funeral.
All these crowns are on display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London with crystal replicas of the diamond set in the older crowns. The original bracelet given to Queen Victoria can also be seen there. A glass model of the Koh-i-Noor shows visitors how it looked when it was brought to the United Kingdom. Replicas of the diamond in this and its re-cut forms can also be seen in the 'Vault' exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London.

The Town Living Under One Roof–Whittier ,Alaska

2018-02-08T03:53:00.001-08:00

Whittier is a city at the head of the Passage Canal in the U.S. state of Alaska, about 58 miles southeast of Anchorage.The city is within the Valdez–Cordova Census Area. The 2015 population estimate was 214 people, almost all of whom live in a single building. Whittier is also a port for the Alaska Marine Highway.But the strangest thing about this town is that nearly all of its residents live in the same building, Begich Towers, a Cold War-era army barracks built in 1974.

But why do the stay in a single building?
Whittier is the wettest city in the United States, receiving an average of 197.8 inches of rainfall each year. The city also averages 249 inches of snow each winter.This harsh weather makes everyone in the town to live in one building.

The 14-story Begich Towers apartment building which includes a post office, a general store, hospital, the Whittier Police Department, and the mayor’s office. There is also a church, a grocery, laundry, a small hotel, conference room, and a play area with an indoor pool within the complex.

What happened to the Maharaj Shivaji’s Swords

2018-02-08T03:23:00.001-08:00

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the great warrior of 17th century, born in India. He started his mission to form a Hindu kingdom (hindavi swarajya) in his early childhood, at the age of fifteen. In his life he captured & built about 350 hill forts & coastal forts. He also formed a strong navy to protect costal region of western India. Today he is called as the father of Indian navy.

He brought revolution in traditional Maratha weapons. This development was the only thing, which took Marathas to the victory

Shivaji Maharaj did not use just a single sword during his career. He had 3 swords namely- 1) Bhawani 2) Tulja 3) Jagdamba.

Let’s hear out the story of each sword.

1. BHAWANI

The year was 1659. A port named Banda near the Konkan coast had a Portuguese ship stuck on it due to shallow waters. A resident of that region and a soldier of Shivaji Maharaj by the name Ambaji Sawant raided that Portuguese ship and found in it an impeccable, stone studded European sword.

During that period Shivaji Maharaj was on a tour of the Konkan region. He visited the Saptakoteshwar temple in the region and there Ambaji’s son Krushnaji Sawant met Shivaji Maharaj. Overwhelmed by the presence of such a great leader and the king of kings, Krushnaji gifted the sword acquired by his father to Shivaji Maharaj on 7th March, 1659. Shivaji Maharaj, seeing the sword was certainly impressed and loved it immediately. He asked Krushnaji for its price, as a king was not supposed to accept free presents from his people. Krushnaji denied taking the money, but as Shivaji Maharaj insisted, he accepted 300 hun (as of today, 1 hun~ Rs. 2,40,000). Later Shivaji Maharaj named this sword as Bhawani.

Bhawani sword’s today’s minimum market price would be 300 hun i.e Rs. 7.2 crores.

It’s today’s location is unknown.

2. TULJA

The year was 1662. Shivaji Maharaj’s father Shahajiraje was on a tour of the Pune region. Citing the immense progress his son had been able to achieve as a Maratha king, he decided to gift him a sword. This sword was gifted to Shivaji Maharaj by Shahajiraje at Jejuri. This sword was named as Tulja.

It’s today’s location is unknown.

3. JAGDAMBA

Being impressed by the light weighing, swift, long and straight sword of Bhawani, Shivaji Maharaj decided to enable his soldiers with the same types of swords. So, he placed an international tender and asked the British, Dutch, Portuguese, French and the other European powers to accept the order. Almost every European power was well acquainted with the greatness of Shivaji Maharaj as a leader and saw in him a threat to their colonial ambitions. Hence, they denied to accept the order. But there was one European nation located in between France and Portugal, then not very strong economically as compared to its neighbours accepted the order. It was Spain.

The head of Spain accepted the order and thousands of European blades started to embark for India. Being overwhelmed by the vastness of the order and for trusting such a small country in the presence of strong European powers, the head of Spain gifted a brilliant, stone studded, exemplary and a stainless sword to Shivaji Maharaj. This was the Jagdamba sword.

In 1875, the British tactfully got hold of this sword from a descendent of Shivaji Maharaj and took it to England.

It’s today’s location is Royal Museum, London.

Lost Treasure of Middle Age India - Peacock Throne

2018-02-04T03:14:00.001-08:00

The Peacock Throne was a famous jeweled throne that was the seat of the Mughal emperors of India. It was commissioned in the early 17th century by emperor Shah Jahan and was located in the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences) in the Red Fort of Delhi.

How did it look

The descriptions of Lahori, from before 1648, and Tavernier's, published in 1676, are generally in broad agreement on the most important features of the thrones, such as its rectangular shape, standing on four legs at its corners, the 12 columns on which the canopy rests, and the type of gemstones embedded on the throne, such as balas rubies, emeralds, pearls, diamonds, and other coloured stones. There are however some significant differences between the two descriptions:

Tavernier was allowed to closely inspect the throne and its jewels and wrote the most well known detailed description to date.

In his account, Tavernier gave details of the design in which the balas rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and pearls were arranged on the four horizontal bars connecting the four vertical legs, from which the 12 vertical columns, supporting the canopy, arose. In the middle of each bar, a large cabochon-cut balas ruby was placed, surrounded by four emeralds forming a square cross. Smaller such square crosses were situated on either side of the central large cross, along the length of the bar, but arranged in such a way that while in one square cross a balas ruby occupied the center, surrounded by four emeralds, in the next square cross, an emerald was surrounded by four balas rubies. The emeralds were table-cut and the intervals between the emerald-and-ruby crosses, were covered with diamonds, also table-cut and not exceeding 10 to 12 carats in weight.
There were three cushions or pillows upon the throne. The one placed behind the emperor's back was large and round; the other two, placed at his sides, were flat. The cushions were also studded with gems. Tavernier mentioned some royal standards and weapons that were suspended from the throne, such as a mace, a sword and a round shield, and a bow and quiver with arrows, all studded with gemstones.

     He counted the number of large balas rubies and emeralds on the throne. Accordingly, there were 108 large balas rubies on the throne, all cabochon-cut, the smallest weighing around 100 carats and the largest over 200 carats in weight. He counted 116 large emeralds on the throne, all of excellent colour, but with many flaws (a characteristic feature of emeralds), the smallest weighing around 30 carats and the largest around 60 carats.The underside of the canopy was covered with diamonds and pearls, with a fringe of pearls all round.

     On the side of the throne facing the court was suspended a diamond of 80 to 90 carats in weight, with rubies and emeralds surrounding it. When the Emperor was seated on the throne, this suspended arrangement of jewels was in full view in front of him.Tavernier then wrote about two large gem-studded royal umbrellas, which were not part of the throne, but were placed on either side of the throne, at a distance of 4 feet from it. The central stems of these umbrellas, 7 to 8 feet long, were covered with diamonds, rubies, and pearls. The cloth of the umbrella was made of red velvet, and embroidered and fringed all round with pearls. The height of these umbrellas might give an indication as to the height of the throne, which was probably of the same height. Thus, the height of the throne would have been around 7 to 10 feet.

What was the last know place of the throne

After Nader Shah looted the original, another throne was made for the Mughal emperor. Along with the Peacock Throne, Nader had also taken the fabulous Koh-i Noor and Darya-i Noor diamonds to Persia, where some became part of the Persian crown jewels, and others were sold to the Ottomans. The plunder taken by Nader was so great that he stopped taxation for 3 years. The bottom half of the Peacock Throne might have been converted into the Sun Throne also a part of the Persian crown jewels. Various 19th-century Indian paintings of this later throne exist. It was located in the Diwan-i-Khas and might have been smaller in size than the original. However, the appearance would have been similar, based on either the original plans or from memory and eye-witness accounts. The replacement throne was made out of gold, or was gilded, and was studded with precious and semi-precious stones. Just like the original, it featured 12 columns. The columns carried a Bengali do-chala roof, which was graced with two peacock statues on the two ends, carrying pearl necklaces in their beaks, and two peacocks at the top, also carrying pearl necklaces in their beaks. The two lower peacocks were in the center underneath a flower bouquet made out of jewels, or under a royal umbrella. This throne was protected by a canopy made out of precious and colorful textiles, and gold and silver threads. The canopy was carried by four slender columns or beams made out of metal. Underneath the throne, colorful and precious carpets were laid out

How to convert old laptop to Chromebook

2018-01-30T04:32:00.000-08:00

Tired of your old laptops or having old laptops that are way to slow and not getting good price to seller. Well! I've a better options for you .How about re-using you old laptop(Technically, Most of the laptop) by converting it to chromebook.

A few heads-up before you install

This won’t work on all computers. While CloudReady should work on most Windows and Mac laptops and desktops made since 2007, it’s impossible to guarantee it will work on everything. You can check out a list of tested hardware, as well as basic system requirements here. Chromium OS is generally designed to run on light hardware, so even if you have an old machine with dull specs, this may breathe new life into older hardware.

This will wipe your system. At the moment, there is no way to dual-boot CloudReady’s Chromium OS with another operating system, like Windows. Make sure you’re installing this on a device that you can fully erase. Don’t install this on your primary machine. Be sure to back up any data you want to keep before continuing.

This isn’t perfect Chrome OS. While Chromium OS is mostly identical to Chrome OS, there are still a couple key differences. Most importantly, you won’t get regular, automatic updates or any official support. It also doesn’t come with Flash built in, but CloudReady will give you instructions on how to install it manually the first time you boot.

Things you needed before you start off

1.Old Laptop

2.An 8GB or 16GB USB stick: Yes, only those two. According to CloudReady, any size larger or smaller than this could cause problems.
3.The CloudReady .bin file: You’ll need to download CloudReady before you begin. You can find the free application here. Click “Download CloudReady” at the top of the screen and save it to your computer.
4.Chromebook Recovery Utility: This tool allows you to create a USB install stick using the CloudReady software. You can find it here and install it on any computer.

To create the USB installation stick, follow these steps:

    1.Launch the Chromebook Recovery Utility.
     2.Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of the app once it opens.
     3.Select “Use local image.”
     4.Choose the CloudReady .bin file you downloaded from Neverware.
     5.Insert the USB stick into your computer.
     6.Select your USB stick on the left side of the Chrome Recovery Utility app screen.

How to shred all you phone data effectively

2018-01-29T03:45:00.000-08:00

Since we are in the age of electronics where every single day a new mobile is getting released.Many a times we are so tempted on the new features the gadget support and we need to buy them.Some of them sell the phone in exchange , some tend to sell it to outsider and Others try it have for them.This article intends on focusing people who choose to exchange or sell it to outsider.How to prevent your data been misused.

The solution is very simple.

1.Remove your memory card

On the Home screen, tap Apps → Settings → Storage → Unmount SD card. To remove the memory card, follow these steps: Step 1: Insert the ejection pin into the hole on the memory card tray to loosen the tray. Step 2: Pull out the memory card tray gently from the memory card tray slot.

2.Factory Reset Your Phone.

Nexus 6P
1.Tap the Settings icon from your home screen or app drawer.
2.Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the settings menu.
3.Tap Backup & reset.
4.Tap Factory data reset.
5.Tap Reset phone.
6.Tap Erase everything

Samsung Galaxy S7
1.Tap the Settings icon from your home screen or app drawer
2.Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the settings menu.
3.Tap Backup and reset.
4.Swipe up to scroll down
5.Tap Factory data reset.
6.Tap Reset phone.
7.Tap Erase everything.

Xiaomi Phones
1.Turn your phone on and unlock it.
2.Go to the Settings app.
3.Head to Backup & reset.
4.Tap on Factory data reset.
5.Select Reset device.
6.Tap on Erase everything.
7.Confirm by pressing OK.

How to mine Crypto currency Using a Mobile phone

2018-01-28T02:53:00.000-08:00

If you cannot afford a high hardware price to start mining , you can always start mining with something which is less expensive like your old Android mobile phone which you hand thrown away for sometime.However they may not be generating much of revenue ,but its always to good to get something from nothing isn't it.It would be really good if you had 2 or more old android phones to start with.

CPU mining is an exclusive for Cryptonote algorithm because it does not use ASIC computers and in some cases it does not use GPU, so mining is easier and you can do it on any PC, Mac, Linux, Android Tablet or Android Smartphone.

To do this you need to install the app from the following link on Google Play here.Before that you need to sign up In MinerGate

The app is designed to choose three mining difficulties that range from the lowest to the highest and this implies more or less energy consumption. The app can be used on any Android device.

The Highlight Features

    1.You can mine from your mobile device.
     2.Check connected devices and balances.
     3.Chat with other miners at MinerGate in your language.
     4.Connect to your MinerGate account.
     5.Withdraw coins from your account.
     6.Check cryptocurrencies prices
     7.Buy and control your Cloud Mining contracts.

For test run, I ran this app with my Old Moto G3 Mobile phone and was able to get a hash rate of 12-15 H/s.With my latest One plus 5T I was able to run upto 20-28 H/s.But what I also saw that the battery started to drain faster because of the CPU Utilization.So I suggest you the connect a Charger if you are planning to run non-stop.

Here are the options available:

We can have it installed and monitor the activity for the mining operations doing in other PC or mobile or Tablets through one account in your mobile phone.

The community is so large that you can find chat rooms for every language you need. It has supports from Spanish, English, Russian, Italian and more.

MinerGate app has a calculator that can help you to get an idea of how much H/s you need to see the reward in each of the coins you want. As well as the current prices of each of the currencies graphically. This is a necessary tool to evaluate the competitiveness of each currency.One of the advantages of the app, that many of the community of miners in the world like is the reward by recommendation program.

The mechanic of this program is if you share a link with your family or friends and they register through that link you can receive rewards.

The tool that I liked the most is the status bar of unconfirmed, it is a graphical way to know your goals in the short term, so you can focus more on one currency versus another currency that needs more time to undermine it. This bar is only available in the app. The desktop version only shows “pending to confirm” number.

It´s an effective way to control and monitor your miners remotely, either using the MinerGate platform or other console mining platforms like CPUMiner-Multi, Yam miner, ccminer-cryptonight.

Last but not least is the support of languages available in English, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Indian and Russian. Everything including menus in the language you need.

“The future is now and you are living the birth of a new monetary system based on technology. Discover it!”

Hardware and Software guide for Cryptocurrency Mining

2018-01-28T00:59:00.001-08:00

What is cryptocurrency mining?

People who are running software and hardware aimed at confirming transactions to the digital ledger are cryptocurrency miners. Solving cryptographic puzzles (via software) to add transactions to the ledger (the block chain) in the hope of getting coins as a reward is cryptocurrency mining.

How do I start mining Cryptocurrency?
Well its quite simple, you need to have the following things for you to start mining

NOTE:Mining Bitcoin/Ethereum is way to expensive since the difficulty is way more than it used to be few years back, I would suggest other ALT-Coins like Monero,Litecoin,Z-cash etc.

1.Hardware
Which may vary from a normal PC to Mining RIG(Purely depends on what and how you would want to start).We can start mining with normal PC with a simple CPU and if possible GPU(If you want earn something) or if you able to afford to build a Rig , which would simply mean investing from 200$ to maybe 5000$ you can build a rig.But the more you invest the more you have the chances to get back the money you invested sooner.

If in case you are up for building Rig these are my suggestion

Best CPU for CPU Mining
Intel based
1.Intel Pentium G4400 Skylake Dual-Core 3.3GHz Desktop Processor

2.Intel G3900 Dual Core - LGA1151 - 51watt Low TDP Processor

3.Intel Core i3-6100 6th Gen LGA 1151 Processor

AMD Based

4.AMD Ryzen 5 1600

5.AMD RYZEN 7 SERIES OCTA CORE PROCESSOR 1700

6.AMD Ryzen 7 1800X Processor

Best GPU for Mining

I've listed out some of the Best GPU for Mining, there may be many more models

AMD GPU

1.ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 560 4GB

2.Sapphire Radeon R5 230 Graphic card 1GB DDR3

3.Gigabyte AMD Radeon R7 240 2GB DDR3

4.ASUS Radeon RX 560 4GB GDDR5

5.Sapphire Radeon RX 460 4GB

6. Radeon NITRO+ RX 570 4GB

7.RX VEGA 56 8G – Latest and Best

NVIDA GPU

1.Zotac GT 710 2GB DDR3

2.MSI GeForce GTX 1050 2GT

3.Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti G1 Gaming 4G

4.ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti mini, 4GB GDDR5

5.Zotac Amp Edition GeForce GTX 1060 6GB

6.ASUS Geforce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Phoenix Fan Edition

7.ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1070 ZT-P10700B-10P 8GB DDR3

Best Mother boards for mining

1.GIGABYTE GA-H110-D3A

2.ASUS LGA1151 DDR4 HDMI B250

3.ASRock H81 PRO BTC R2.0 LGA 1150

What should be my power supply for mining rig ?
You can use any Power supply unit ranging from 450 Watt to 1200 Watt, The more power supply more number of GPU you can support

1.Corsair VS450 450-Watt Power Supply

2.Corsair RM Series RM550 550W

3.Corsair VS Series VS650 650 Watt

4.Corsair RMx Series RM750x 750W

5. CORSAIR RMx RM1000X 1000W

6.CORSAIR HX Series™ HX1200-1200 Watt

ASIC Mining using Ant Miner
All of the below listed are the only hardware that you may get back your money back.
1.S9 AntMiner-Bitcoin Miner(BTC)
2.DragonMint 16T(BTC)
3.T9 Antminer(BTC)
4.AntMiner R3 (BTC)
5.ANtMiner U3(BTC)
6.D3 AntMiner -DASH coin Miner

If you are looking for Mining Combo then the below pick for starters

1.Entry Level Mining Combo - Asrock H81 Pro BTC Mining Board + G1840 Processor + 8GB DDR3 Memory + 64GB SSD + Pack of Six Riser Cables

Softwares used for Mining

Mining Pool
1.Single Mining -Command prompt (Nanopool is my personal Favourite )

2.GUI based -

1.Nice hash
2.MinerGate
3.WinMiner

Wallets
Wallets for Investing as well as receiving CryptoCurrency
International users
1.Coinbase - You would free 10$ once you join.

Indian user
2.Zebay - You would get free 100 Rs once you sign Up.
3.Koinex - You would get free 100 Rs once you sign Up.

Only for Deposit and wallet
Exodus
JAXX

Apart from this we do have Other Pools also , but make sure which one would be better before you join Other Pools Details

If you Like this Article,Please share ,comment and subscribe to this page.

We accept donations:

BTC:338fJGmZtUYM88fRex81uqJfQ3ZvdkdvgK

ETC:0xD9010f531c7e134b03337cd3e4223e9a4b457E35

ETH:0xB1fb3179EC7600B093F3B2babF9D98Dfb0694a8d

La Tomatina :The Tomato Festival

2018-01-27T23:31:00.001-08:00

Where is La Tomatina held?

La Tomatina tomato fight festival, Buñol, Spain. La Tomatina is a food fight festival held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Buñol in the Valencia region of Spain. Tens of metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets in exactly one hour.

When is La Tomatina Celebrated in Spain?

La Tomatina is celebrated on the last Wednesday in August in the small town of Bunol in eastern Spain. This year the festival takes place on August 27^th, 2014. The festival began way back in 1944 but there is no known religious or political basis for it.

What is the History of La Tomatina Festival?

La Tomatina started on the last Wednesday of August in 1945 (29th August 1945) when some young people went to the town square to attend the Giants and Big-Head figures parade. They decided to join the parade with a musician. The group's excitement caused a person to fall from the float. The participant flew into a fit of rage and started to hit everything in his path. There was a market stall of vegetables that fell victim to what soon became a furious crowd. People started to pelt each other with tomatoes until local law enforcement ended the battle.

The following year the young people deliberately repeated the fight on the last Wednesday of August, only this time they brought their own tomatoes from home. They were again dispersed by the police. The food fight became an annual event. In 1950, the town allowed the tomato hurl to take place, but the next year it was stopped again. Many young people were imprisoned but Buñol residents forced authorities to let them go. The festival gained popularity with more and more participants every year. In subsequent years it was banned again with threats of serious penalties. In the year 1957, some young people celebrated "the tomato's funeral", with singers, musicians, and comedies. The main attraction however, was a big tomato in a coffin carried around while a band played funeral marches. In 1957, demand for the popular festival led to its becoming official, with certain rules and restrictions. These rules have gone through many modifications over the years.

Another important landmark in the history of this festival is the year 1975. From this year on wards, "Los Clavarios de San Luis Bertrán" (San Luis Bertrán is the patron of the town of Buñol) organized the whole festival and brought in the tomatoes, which had previously been brought by the local people. Soon after this, in 1980, the town council took over responsibility for organizing the festival.

Since then, the number of participants has increased year after year as well as the excitement about La Tomatina Festival. In 2002, in the month of August La Tomatina of Buñol was declared a Festivity of International Tourist Interest by the Secretary Department of Tourism due to its success. In 2013, town officials introduced an entry fee and limited the number of participants, citing concerns over safety.

The city council follows a short list of instructions for the safety of the participants and the festival:

The tomatoes have to be squashed before throwing to avoid injuries.
No other projectiles except tomatoes are allowed.
Participants have to make way for trucks and lorries.
After the second shot indicative of ending the tomato hurl, no tomatoes should be thrown.

A Beginners Guide in Cryptocurreny and Bitcoin Mining

2018-01-26T10:06:00.001-08:00

The hot topics for past 6 months is what is Bitcoin and how to mine or invest in bitcoin.By the way in order to under stand what a Bitcoin is we need under,certain of terminology on Cryptocurrency is really important.Since this would a big topic which I'm splitting into multiple posts.

What is Cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency is roughly the equivalent of using PayPal or a Debit Card, except the numbers on the screen represent cryptocurrency instead of a fiat currency like a dollar. Cryptocurrencies are classified as a subset of digital currencies and are also classified as a subset of alternative currencies and virtual currencies. Cryptocurrencies use decentralized control as opposed to centralized electronic money and central banking systems. The decentralized control of each cryptocurrency works through a blockchain, which is a public transaction database, functioning as a distributed ledger.

In this Bitcoin is one of the type of Cryptocurrency and any currency apart from Bitcoin is termed as "ALT-Coins" or Alternative coins.

Bitcoin — The first ever cryptocurrency that started it all.

To List some of famous ALT-Coins
1.Ethereum — A Turing-complete programmable currency that lets developers build different distributed apps and technologies that wouldn’t work with Bitcoin.
2.Ripple — Unlike most cryptocurrencies, it doesn’t use a Blockchain in order to reach a network-wide consensus for transactions. Instead, an iterative consensus process is implemented, which makes it faster than Bitcoin but also makes it vulnerable to hacker attacks.
3.Bitcoin Cash — A fork of Bitcoin that is supported by the biggest Bitcoin mining company and a manufacturer of ASICs Bitcoin mining chips. It has only existed for a couple of months but has already soared to the top five cryptocurrencies in terms of market cap.
4.NEM — Unlike most other cryptocurrencies that utilize a Proof of Work algorithm, it uses Proof of Importance, which requires users to already possess certain amounts of coins in order to be able to get new ones. It encourages users to spend their funds and tracks the transactions to determine how important a particular user is to the overall NEM network.
5.Litecoin — A cryptocurrency that was created with an intention to be the ‘digital silver’ compared to Bitcoin’s ‘digital gold.’ It is also a fork of Bitcoin, but unlike its predecessor, it can generate blocks four times faster and have four times the maximum number of coins at 84 mln.
6.IOTA — This cryptocurrency’s breakthrough ledger technology is called ‘Tangle’ and it requires the sender in a transaction to do a Proof of Work that approves two transactions. Thus, IOTA has removed dedicated miners from the process.
7.NEO — It’s a smart contract network that allows for all kinds of financial contracts and third-party distributed apps to be developed on top of it. It has many of the same goals as Ethereum, but it’s developed in China, which can potentially give it some advantages due to improved relationship with Chinese regulators and local businesses.
8.Dash — It’s a two-tier network. The first tier is miners that secure the network and record transactions, while the second one consists of ‘masternodes’ that relay transactions and enable InstantSend and PrivateSend type of transaction. The former is significantly faster than Bitcoin, whereas the latter is completely anonymous.
9.Qtum — It’s a merger of Bitcoin’s and Ethereum’s technologies targeting business applications. The network boasts Bitcoin’s reliability, while allowing for the use of smart contracts and distributed applications, much how it works within the Ethereum network.
10.Monero — A cryptocurrency with private transactions capabilities and one of the most active communities, which is due to its open and privacy-focused ideals.
11.Ethereum Classic — An original version of Ethereum. The split happened after a decentralized autonomous organization built on top of the original Ethereum was hacked.
12.Z-cash -The first open, permissionless financial system employing zero-knowledge security.
13.TRON -TRON is a decentralized open-source cryptocurrency that was founded by TRON Foundation. TRON is an application intended to allow content creators to be compensated for sharing their content.

How is Cryptocurrency Generated?
With Cryptocurrency miner use special software to solve mathematical problem, and they are usually paid in terms of fraction of the cryptocurrency for the share of the problem they share in achieving the solution.And each time this solution is solved a the difficulty of this mathematical problem increases depended on how fast the problem is solved.In early days the problem was solved using the normal PC -CPU(Central Processing Unit), but later the miner found that any mathematical problems can be solved using GPU even faster than normal CPU mining.Anyways the drawback of this GPU mining was that it was getting way expensive for a GPU/Video card , consumes very high power and generated a lot of heat.
Later in order to mine any crypto currency ,ASIC(Application specific Integrated circuits) chipset was produced in order to solve this problem more effective, with low power consumer increasing the potential to mine more with less power supply.ASIC is very effective only for Bitcoin mining operations.
AS the popularity of Cryptocurrency increased more , and more miner started to mine making it difficult for individual miner to mine enough and so a mining pool was started to over come this problem.
A mining pool would simply have a group Miners working on solving problem , sharing the Hardware capabilities to solve the problem.And share the transaction values based on the share a individual was able to solve a problem.
What is BLOCK Chain
A blockchain, is a continuously growing list of records, called blocks, which are linked and secured using cryptography. Each block typically contains a hash pointer as a link to a previous block, a timestamp and transaction data. When a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency transaction is made, that transaction is sent out to all users with “full node” wallets. Specific types of users called miners then try to solve a cryptographic puzzle (using software) which lets them add a “block” of transactions to the ledger. Whoever solves the puzzle first gets a few “newly mined” coins as a reward. Sometimes miners pool computing power and share the new coins. The algorithm relies on consensus. If the majority of users trying to solve the puzzle all submit the same transaction data, then it confirms that the transactions are correct.
Your next question would be , I would I get paid for If I had solved their problem.Well you need to create a WALLET, to save all the confirmed amounts and each and every Cryptocurrency
has its own wallet or you would have generic/common wallet that you can use.This I would be talking to you on next set of articles.

How does a transaction in Cryptocurrency Work.

A transfer of funds between two digital wallets is called a transaction. That transaction gets submitted to a public ledger and awaits confirmation. When a transaction is made, wallets use an encrypted electronic signature (an encrypted piece of data called a cryptographic signature) to provide a mathematical proof that the transaction is coming from the owner of the wallet. The confirmation process takes a bit of time (ten minutes for bitcoin) while “miners” mine. Mining confirms the transactions and adds them to the public ledger.

Only Siva temple Re-built by British-Baijnath Mahadev Temple

2017-01-26T07:54:00.001-08:00

Baijnath Mahadev Temple is located in southern banks of Banganga river in Agar Malwa of Madhya Pradesh, India. The Shiv Ling (the sacred stone form of Lord Shiva) in the Baijnath temple is believed to belong to 13th century, while some legends say it is probably more than thousand years old. As written in the foundation stone of the temple at the end of 16th century, the local inhabitants built a small mutt like mandhir and mandap (a type of small temple structure). Then after 300 years, in 1883, with the inspiration from British army Hindu officials, and financial help of British Commander Lt. Colonel C. Martin and other local people, 11000 rupees was donated for the renovation of the temple, making it large, and also building few other temples around it.

There is also another piece of writing on one of the pillars in middle of the temple suggesting that it was built (renovated) with the orders of C. Martin in 1883. The official website of Shajapur district in Madhya Pradesh (shajapur.nic.in), where this temple is located, also mentions about this story. It is said that when the British Commander Martin was in a war, his wife went to Baijnath mahadev temple and made a request for his returning. Then Martin successfully came back from the war, and thereafter a beautiful temple was constructed.

Legend around the temple

In 1879, when the British were ruling India, Lt. Col. Martin of Agar Malva was leading the army in the war against Afghanistan.

Col. Martin used to regularly send messages of his well-being to his wife. The war continued for long & Lady Martin stopped getting messages. She was very upset.

Once riding on her horse, she passed by the temple of Baijnath Mahadev. She was attracted by the sound of Conch & Mantra. She went inside and came to know that the Brahmanas were worshipping Lord Shiva. They saw her sad face and asked her problem. She explained everything to them. They told her that Lord Shiva listens to the prayers of devotees and takes them out of difficult situations in no time. With the advice of the Brahmanas she started the ‘Laghurudri Anushtthan’ of the Mantra:

‘Om Namah Shivaya’ for 11 days. She prayed to Lord Shiva that if her husband reaches home safely, then she would get the temple renovated.

On the last of the ‘Laghurudri’ a messenger came and gave a letter to her. Her husband had written: ‘I was regularly sending messages to you from the battle grounds but suddenly the Pathans surrounded us from all sides. We were entrapped in a situation where there was no scope of escaping death. Suddenly I saw a Yogi of India with long hair, carrying a weapon with three pointers (Trishul). His personality was amazing and he was maneuvering his weapon with a magnificent style. Seeing this great man, the Pathans started running back. With his grace our bad times turned into moments of victory. This was possible only because of that man of India wearing a lion skin & carrying a three-pointer weapon (Trishul). That great Yogi told me that I should not worry and that he had come to rescue me because he was very pleased with my wife’s prayers.’

Tears of joy were falling down Lady Martin’s eyes while reading the letter. Her heart was overwhelmed. She fell into the feet of Lord Shiva’s statue and burst in tears.

After a few weeks Col. Martin returned. Lady Martin narrated the whole incident to him. Now both husband & wife became devotees of Lord Shiva. In 1883 they donated Rs. 15,000 for renovating the temple. The information engraved slab for the same is still there in the Baijnath Mahadev Temple of Agar Malva. This is the only Hindu temple built by a Britisher

Women with X-Ray Vision - Natasha Demkina

2017-01-23T08:06:00.004-08:00

German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen announced his discovery of an invisible form of radiation that could make photographs of bones and organs inside a living human body. At first, many scientists called the discovery of "X-rays" a hoax, but when the skeptics put Roentgen's claims to the test, they quickly were convinced about one of the greatest discoveries in science and medicine. Indeed, just six years after his discovery, Roentgen was awarded the first Nobel Prize in physics.

Would you believe if I told you this women Natalya "Natasha" Nikolayevna Demkina can do the same as Roentgen inventation with her own eyes and its true.In 2004 she appeared on television shows in the United Kingdom, on the Discovery Channel and in Japan. Since 2004 Demkina has been a full-time student of the Semashko State Stomatological University, Moscow. Since January 2006, Demkina has worked for the Center of Special Diagnostics of the Natalya Demkina (TSSD), whose stated purpose is to diagnose and treat illness in cooperation with "experts possessing unusual abilities, folk healers and professionals of traditional medicine."

Natasha Demkina has a growing number of patients, doctors, journalists, and others who are convinced her powers are real. That following is proving lucrative for Natasha and her family. The young psychic reportedly charged about $13 per reading and provided about ten readings each weekday night. That income, about $2,600 a month, is more than forty times the average monthly income of government workers in Saransk.

Click here to view more on report on Natasha done by CSI

Japan: Abandoned Buddhist temple turned into bra sanctuary

2017-01-23T07:52:00.000-08:00

Locals and visitors are calling an abandoned Buddhist temple situated in Ibaraki, a remote area in Tokyo, a bra sanctuary. Someone has covered the temple, closed over a fraud case involving alleged fortune telling, with bras and naked Barbie dolls. The temple has begun to charge tourists a fee for visiting the premises.

5 world's narrowest street

2017-01-23T07:46:00.002-08:00

1.Spreuerhofstraße,Germany

Spreuerhofstraße is the world's narrowest street, found in the city of Reutlingen, Germany It ranges from 31 centimetres (12.2 in) at its narrowest to 50 centimetres (19.7 in) at its widest.The lane was built in 1727 during the reconstruction efforts after the area was completely destroyed in the massive city-wide fire of 1726 and is officially listed in the Land-Registry Office as City Street Number 77.

2.L'Androuno,France

L'Androuno is one of the world's narrowest streets,found in the city of Gassin, France.It measures 29 centimeters (11.41 inches) at its narrowest point.

3.Fan Tan Alley

Fan Tan Alley is an alley in Victoria, British Columbia's Chinatown. It runs south from Fisgard Avenue to Pandora Avenue in the block between Government Street and Store Street. It was originally a gambling district with restaurants, shops, and opium dens. Today it is a tourist destination with many small shops including a barber shop, art gallery, Chinese cafe, apartments and offices. It is the narrowest street in Canada. At its narrowest point it is only 0.9 metres (35 in) wide. It was designated as a heritage property by the local government in 2001

4.Mårten Trotzigs Gränd

Mårten Trotzigs gränd (Swedish: "Alley of Mårten Trotzig") is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Leading from Västerlånggatan and Järntorget up to Prästgatan and Tyska Stallplan, the width of its 36 steps tapers down to a mere 90 centimetres (35 in), making the alley the narrowest street in Stockholm.

5.Parliament Street, Exeter

Parliament Street is a 50-metre (160 ft) long street in the city of Exeter, Devon, England. It links the High Street to Waterbeer Street and dates from the 14th century. At about 0.64 metres (2 ft 1 in) at its narrowest and approximately 1.22 metres (4 ft 0 in) at its widest, it has been claimed to be the world's narrowest street,although this title actually belongs to the Spreuerhofstraße in Reutlingen, Germany.

It was formerly called Small Lane and was renamed when Parliament was derided by the city council for passing the 1832 Reform Bill.In 1836 the residents of Waterbeer Street subscribed £130 to have Parliament Street widened, but nothing was done about this.

An App to test Male potency - YO Sperm

2017-01-23T07:32:00.003-08:00

Yes you heard me right ..!! With Yo Sperm you could actually test if your Sperm is fertile.

YO Sperm Test from Medical Electronic Systems is a $50 male fertility kit that is FDA approved for at-home use. It includes everything needed to collect a sample, including a sample collection cup, a testing slide, a plastic pipette, and a special liquefying powder. A mini-microscope attaches to a smartphone’s camera and measures sperm motility — the ability to move spontaneously and actively — and count, and even lets interested parties watch swimmers on their smartphone’s screen.

Once the supplies are assembled and the sample produced, users mix the aforementioned powder into the collection cup, swirl it around for 10 to 15 seconds and let it rest for 10 minutes. After a bit of the sample’s piped onto the slide and inserted into the clip, the app takes and analyzes a 30-second video.

The commercial-grade semen analyzer is 97 percent accurate, the company says, and the results are encrypted in the companion app’s special health report vault. It’s geared specifically toward men who want to know more about their reproductive health, or who want to know if reproductive problems are the result of infertility.

“The explosion of apps and wearables dedicated to optimizing the chance of pregnancy is evidenced [by the fact] that people crave more awareness of their fertility status. However, the bulk of these new technology tools cater to women. No other company is tackling male reproductive health in this manner,” Marcia Deutsch, CEO of Medical Electronic Systems, said in a statement.

“If a man is producing 100 million sperm and they are all dead or not swimming, it’s useless to know your sperm concentration is “normal.” The key is to assess sperm that are moving, as these are the sperm that will fertilize an egg during normal conception,” Deutsch said. “YO is trailblazing a new approach [by] offering consumers valuable and reliable information and bringing clarity to one of life’s biggest moments, that of starting a family.”

The kit is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S6, S7, and all recent models of iPhone with the exception of the Plus variants. It’s available from the Medical Electronic Systems website.

You could pre-order your device here

World's Most dangerous airport-Kasai International Airport,Japan

2017-01-23T06:43:00.000-08:00

Kansai International Airport is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, 38 km (24 mi) southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano (north), Sennan (south), and Tajiri (central), in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore and was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. The airport serves as an international hub for All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and Nippon Cargo Airlines, and also serves as a hub for Peach, the first international low-cost carrier in Japan.

An artificial island, 4 km (2.5 mi) long and 2.5 km (1.6 mi) wide, was proposed. Engineers needed to overcome the extremely high risks of earthquakes and typhoons (with storm surges of up to 3 m (10 ft)).

Construction started in 1987. The sea wall was finished in 1989 (made of rock and 48,000 tetrapods). Three mountains were excavated for 21,000,000 m3 (27,000,000 cu yd) of landfill. 10 000 workers and 10 million work hours over three years, using eighty ships, were needed to complete the 30-metre (98 ft) layer of earth over the sea floor and inside the sea wall. In 1990, a three kilometer bridge was completed to connect the island to the mainland at Rinku Town, at a cost of $1 billion.[citation needed] Completion of the artificial island increased the area of Osaka Prefecture just enough to move it past Kagawa Prefecture in size (leaving Kagawa as the smallest by area in Japan).

The bidding and construction of the airport was a source of international trade friction during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone responded to American concerns, particularly from Senator Frank Murkowski, that bids would be rigged in Japanese companies' favour by providing special offices for prospective international contractors, which ultimately did little to ease the participation of foreign contractors in the bidding process. Later, foreign airlines complained that two-thirds of the departure hall counter space had been allocated to Japanese carriers, disproportionately to the actual carriage of passengers through the airport.

The island had been predicted to sink 5.7 m (19 ft) by the most optimistic estimate as the weight of the material used for construction compressed the seabed silts. However, by 1999, the island had sunk 8.2 m (27 ft) – much more than predicted. The project became the most expensive civil works project in modern history after twenty years of planning, three years of construction and fifteen billion (US) dollars of investment. Much of what was learned went into the successful artificial islands in silt deposits for New Kitakyushu Airport, Kobe Airport, and Chūbu Centrair International Airport. The lessons of Kansai Airport were also applied in the construction of Hong Kong International Airport.

In 1991, the terminal construction commenced. To compensate for the sinking of the island, adjustable columns were designed to support the terminal building. These are extended by inserting thick metal plates at their bases. Government officials proposed reducing the length of the terminal to cut costs, but architect Renzo Piano insisted on keeping the terminal at its full planned length. The airport opened in 1994.

On 17 January 1995, Japan was struck by the Kobe earthquake, whose epicenter was about 20 km (12 mi) away from KIX and killed 6,434 people on Japan's main island of Honshū. Due to its earthquake engineering, the airport emerged unscathed, mostly due to the use of sliding joints. Even the glass in the windows remained intact. In 1998, the airport survived a typhoon with wind speeds of up to 200 km/h (120 mph).

Palani Murgan Temple

2017-01-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

Palani Arulmigu Shri Dhandayuthapani temple is one of the Six Abodes of Murugan. It is located in the town of Palani in Dindigul, 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of Coimbatore and northwest of Madurai in the foot-hills of the Palani hills, Tamil Nadu, India. Palani temple is considered synonymous with Panchamirtam, a sweet mixture made of five ingredients.

Legend behind the temple

Sage Narada once visited the celestial court of Shiva at Mount Kailash to present to him a fruit, the gyana-palam (literally, the fruit of knowledge), that held in it the elixir of wisdom. Upon Shiva expressing his intention of dividing the fruit between his two sons, Ganesha and Murugan,the sage counseled against cutting it. He decided to award it to whichever of his two sons first circled the world thrice. Accepting the challenge, Karthikeya started his journey around the globe on his mount peacock. However, Ganesha, who surmised that the world was no more than his parents Shiva and Shakti combined, circumambulated them. Pleased with their son's discernment, Shiva awarded the fruit to Ganesha. When Kartikeya returned, he was furious to learn that his efforts had been in vain. He left Kailash and took up his abode in Palani hills in South India. It is believed that Karthikeya felt the need to get matured from boyhood and hence chose to remain as a hermit and discarded all his robes and ornaments. He went into meditation to know about himself.

As per another legend, once all sages and gods assembled in Kailash, the abode of Shiva. It resulted in the tilting of earth towards one direction. Shiva asked sage Agasthya to move towards South to balance the tilt. Agastya employed a demon by name Ettumba to carry two hills in his shoulders to be placed in the South. The demon carried the hills down south and rested in a place. When he tried to lift one of the hills, it didn't budge and he found a young man standing at the top of the hill not allowing it to be moved. The demon tried to attack the young man, but was defeated. Sage Agastya identified the young man as Karthikeya and asked him to pardon the demon. Karthikeya readily did so and let the hill remain there at Pazhani. It is a practice followed in the modern times where people carry milk in both their shoulders as a devotion to please Karthikeya. The demon carried the other hill to Swamimalai, which is another abode of Karthikeya

History behind Palani Temple

The temple was believed to be constructed by Cheraman Perumal – A king of the chera dynasty. There is an interesting story about it. When the king was touring the Palani hills, Lord Murugan came and gave a darshan in his dream. He instructed the king to rebuild the hill temple. The Chera King went up the hill and really found the idol of Murugan. He with all devotion rebuilt the present temple.

Next came Cholas and Pandyas; they also expanded the small temple by adding mandapams and gopurams between 8th and 13th centuries. The Nayaka kings did their part by adding beautiful sculptures.

The edicts on the walls of the Temple stand as proof of the gifts for conducting poojas and constructions made by several kings.

The names found are – Jadavarma Sundara Pandian (1259 A.D), Sadayavarman sundarapandiyan, Sadayavarman veerapandian, Veera Nanjana wudaiyar, Mallikarjuna Devarayar II and others. Mallikarjuna Devaryar belonged to Nayaka Dynasty.

There is also mention about Palani temple in Sangam Literature where it is called as ‘Podhini’.The book is ‘Thirumurugattrupadai’.The poems refer Palani as the third Padai Veedu of Murugan in his fights against the Asuras.

Speciality of Palani Murgan Idol

Bhogar, the creator of the unique idol for Palani Andavar are found in the hymns of Tirumular called Tirumantiram. Tirumular is the pillar of Saiva Siddhanta who showed the right path for spiritual evolution of souls by self realisation, a process for our soul to merge with the Ultimate.

After cleverly compounding the amalgam, Bhogar chose to sculpt the figure of Lord Murukan in an unconventional style. Normally, in all the temples of Lord Murukan, the deity is sculpted with a splendour of beauty and an expression of charming adolescence. The idols always faced east. In contrast, the idol at Palani temple is quite slim with a saintly expression facing westwards with a shaven head, clad in a saffron loin cloth and holding his baton staff called the dandayudham. The recluse and renunciation brought out in the idol's expression, clearly flashes the message, "I am the Fruit of Wisdom".

It is astonishing to note that this cleverly composed and delicately sculpted figure of the Lord has stood the effects of devotees pouring their love and devotion in the form of abhishekams. About 6-700 abhishekams are performed every month on kiruttikai days. This delicate idol has withstood all this miraculously and beyond human explanation.

Nevertheless, a close examination of the idol will disturb anyone. For the region below the neck, the idol has lost its proportionate shape. The hands and feet are totally eroded by the corrosive action of the abhishekam materials. The region below the knees has become very thin and slender and now the legs look like polio affected legs, thin like two steel rods resting on a pedestal.

The body region is not only eroded but appear rugged, with uneven surface and with sharp angular edges. During abhishekam, the archakas are not able to smear and rub oil on the idol, fearing possible cuts from its sharp and rugged surface. At one stage, people thought that the idol would soon buckle and fall for lack of support for the eroded legs.

The devotees and the public became concerned about such a condition of the idol of the presiding deity. Several representations were sent to the Tamil Nadu State Government. Realising the seriousness of the situation, the Government took up the issue during the year 1983-84 and started considering various possibilities to ensure that the valuable idol would be preserved without any further damage at the powerful temple at Palani.

The Government at one stage considered the possibility of replacing it with a new idol. At this point, the real problem cropped up. There is a code laid down by the agamas that every twelve years a temple should be renovated. On completing the renovation, a kumbabishekam (consecration) of the temple should be performed. But this has never involved the replacement of the idol. This was never done and there was no precedent.

The replacement idea never occurred even in temples where the idol is sculpted out of granite. In such cases, the idol is temporarily moved to another location in the temple complex. The idol is re-installed in it's original location with new astabandhanam (an adhesive material made out of herbs and made into a paste by mixing with butter).

At Palani, the scenario is totally different. The strong belief is based on the tradition that the idol of the presiding deity is made out of a unique amalgam formulated by Bhogar with his divine power and futuristic thoughts reflecting his concern for future generations. The amalgam is widely believed to have medicinal qualities and curative abilities.

Mogao Caves China

2017-01-23T05:36:00.000-08:00

Carved into the cliffs above the Dachuan River, the Mogao Caves south-east of the Dunhuang oasis, Gansu Province, comprise the largest, most richly endowed, and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art in the world. It was first constructed in 366AD and represents the great achievement of Buddhist art from the 4th to the 14th century. 492 caves are presently preserved, housing about 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures. Cave 302 of the Sui dynasty contains one of the oldest and most vivid scenes of cultural exchanges along the Silk Road, depicting a camel pulling a cart typical of trade missions of that period. Caves 23 and 156 of the Tang dynasty show workers in the fields and a line of warriors respectively and in the Song dynasty Cave 61, the celebrated landscape of Mount Wutai is an early example of artistic Chinese cartography, where nothing has been left out – mountains, rivers, cities, temples, roads and caravans are all depicted.

As evidence of the evolution of Buddhist art in the northwest region of China, the Mogao Caves are of unmatched historical value. These works provide an abundance of vivid materials depicting various aspects of medieval politics, economics, culture, arts, religion, ethnic relations, and daily dress in western China. The unique artistic style of Dunhuang art is not only the amalgamation of Han Chinese artistic tradition and styles assimilated from ancient Indian and Gandharan customs, but also an integration of the arts of the Turks, ancient Tibetans and other Chinese ethnic minorities. Many of these masterpieces are creations of an unparalleled aesthetic talent.

The discovery of the Library Cave at the Mogao Caves in 1990, together with the tens of thousands of manuscripts and relics it contained, has been acclaimed as the world’s greatest discovery of ancient Oriental culture. This significant heritage provides invaluable reference for studying the complex history of ancient China and Central Asia.

Dunhuang was established as a frontier garrison outpost by the Han Dynasty Emperor Wudi to protect against the Xiongnu in 111 BC. It also became an important gateway to the West, a centre of commerce along the Silk Road, as well as a meeting place of various people and religions such as Buddhism.

The construction of the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang is generally taken to have begun sometime in the fourth century AD. According to a book written during the reign of Tang Empress Wu, Fokan Ji (佛龕記, An Account of Buddhist Shrines) by Li Junxiu (李君修), a Buddhist monk named Lè Zūn (樂尊, which may also be pronounced Yuezun) had a vision of a thousand Buddhas bathed in golden light at the site in 366 AD, inspiring him to build a cave here. The story is also found in other sources, such as in inscriptions on a stele in cave 332; an earlier date of 353 however was given in another document, Shazhou Tujing (沙州土鏡, Geography of Shazhou). He was later joined by a second monk Faliang (法良), and the site gradually grew, by the time of the Northern Liang a small community of monks had formed at the site. Members of the ruling family of Northern Wei and Northern Zhou constructed many caves here, and it flourished in the short-lived Sui Dynasty. By the Tang Dynasty, the number of caves had reached over a thousand.

The caves initially served only as a place of meditation for hermit monks, but developed to serve the monasteries that sprang up nearby in the early periods, and by the Sui and Tang dynasties, Mogao Caves had become a place of worship and pilgrimage for the public.From the 4th until the 14th century, caves were constructed by monks to serve as shrines with funds from donors. These caves were elaborately painted, the cave paintings and architecture serving as aids to meditation, as visual representations of the quest for enlightenment, as mnemonic devices, and as teaching tools to inform those illiterate about Buddhist beliefs and stories. The major caves were sponsored by patrons such as important clergy, local ruling elite, foreign dignitaries, as well as Chinese emperors. Other caves may have been funded by merchants, military officers, and other local people such as women's groups.

During the Tang Dynasty, Dunhuang became the main hub of commerce of the Silk Road and a major religious centre. A large number of the caves were constructed at Mogao during this era, including the two large statues of Buddha at the site, the largest one constructed in 695 following an edict a year earlier by Tang Empress Wu Zetian to build giant statues across the country. The site escaped the persecution of Buddhists ordered by Emperor Wuzong in 845 as it was then under Tibetan control. As a frontier town, Dunhuang had been occupied at various times by other non-Han Chinese people. After the Tang Dynasty, the site went into a gradual decline, and construction of new caves ceased entirely after the Yuan Dynasty. By then Islam had conquered much of Central Asia, and the Silk Road declined in importance when trading via sea-routes began to dominate Chinese trade with the outside world. During the Ming Dynasty, the Silk Road was finally officially abandoned, and Dunhuang slowly became depopulated and largely forgotten by the outside world. Most of the Mogao caves were abandoned; the site, however, was still a place of pilgrimage and was used as a place of worship by local people at the beginning of the twentieth century when there was renewed interest in the site.

Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela

2017-01-23T05:22:00.001-08:00

In a mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia, some 645 km from Addis Ababa, eleven medieval monolithic churches were carved out of rock. Their building is attributed to King Lalibela who set out to construct in the 12th century a ‘New Jerusalem’, after Muslim conquests halted Christian pilgrimages to the holy Land. Lalibela flourished after the decline of the Aksum Empire.

There are two main groups of churches – to the north of the river Jordan: Biete Medhani Alem (House of the Saviour of the World), Biete Mariam (House of Mary), Biete Maskal (House of the Cross), Biete Denagel (House of Virgins), Biete Golgotha Mikael (House of Golgotha Mikael); and to the south of the river, Biete Amanuel (House of Emmanuel), Biete Qeddus Mercoreus (House of St. Mercoreos), Biete Abba Libanos (House of Abbot Libanos), Biete Gabriel Raphael (House of Gabriel Raphael), and Biete Lehem (House of Holy Bread). The eleventh church, Biete Ghiorgis (House of St. George), is isolated from the others, but connected by a system of trenches.

The churches were not constructed in a traditional way but rather were hewn from the living rock of monolithic blocks. These blocks were further chiselled out, forming doors, windows, columns, various floors, roofs etc. This gigantic work was further completed with an extensive system of drainage ditches, trenches and ceremonial passages, some with openings to hermit caves and catacombs.

Biete Medhani Alem, with its five aisles, is believed to be the largest monolithic church in the world, while Biete Ghiorgis has a remarkable cruciform plan. Most were probably used as churches from the outset, but Biete Mercoreos and Biete Gabriel Rafael may formerly have been royal residences. Several of the interiors are decorated with mural paintings.

Near the churches, the village of Lalibela has two storey round houses, constructed of local red stone, and known as the Lasta Tukuls. These exceptional churches have been the focus of pilgrimage for Coptic Christians since the 12th century.

Quick Facts on Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela

When was Lalibela built?
The 11 churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia were commissioned in the 12th Century when travel to the Hold Land became dangerous.
Built on stretches of volcanic tuff, workers carved down into the ground to form the churches inside and out.
In 1978 the churches became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Who was King Lalibela?
Gebre Mesqel Lalibela (reigned early 13th century), also called simply Lalibela, which means "the bees recognise his sovereignty" in Old Agaw, was negus or king of Ethiopia and a member of the Zagwe dynasty. He is also considered a saint by the Ethiopian church.

When were churches built?
After the death of the Roman emperor Constantine in 337 A.D. Christians were allowed to have buildings to worship in. These first churches were built on a similar plan to Roman basilicas. This plan was later used for the fine Gothic cathedrals and churches that were built at the end of the Middle Ages.

Mysterious UFO like image dated 10000 years old discovered in Chhattisgarh

2017-01-21T08:03:00.001-08:00

Chhattisgarh state department of archaeology and culture plans to seek help from Nasa and Isro for research on 10,000-year-old rock paintings depicting aliens and UFOs in Charama region in Kanker district in tribal Bastar region

According to archaeologist JR Bhagat, these paintings have depicted aliens like those shown in Hollywood and Bollywood flicks. Located about 130km from Raipur, the caves come under village Chandeli and Gotitola.

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here are several beliefs among locals in these villages. While few worship the paintings, others narrate stories they have heard from ancestors about "rohela people" — the small sized ones — who used to land from sky in a round shaped flying object and take away one or two persons of village who never returned.

"The paintings are done in natural colours that have hardly faded despite the years. The strangely carved figures are seen holding weapon-like objects and do not have clear features. Specially, the nose and mouth are missing. In few pictures, they are even shown wearing space suits. We can't refute possibility of imagination by prehistoric men but humans usually fancy such things," the archaeologist said.He added that it is a co-incidence that such ancient images appear to have sharp resemblance to UFOs shown in alien movies. "The fan-like antenna and three legs of vehicle's stand clearly show a similarity to UFO type craft," he said.