For the earlier Hindu temples, rock was the dominant construction material. There were many temples that were even cut, as a solid piece, out of large rock edifices. The temples at Ellora are good examples. These temples were built between the 5th and 10th century in what is presently the Indian state of Maharashtra. The […]
In one of the more modern lists of the seven wonders of the world contains the Taj Mahal in Agra India. This is a truly wonderful building made largely out of white marble. The building was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife.
This is also a very good example […]
One important symbol in the dharmic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism) is the wheel of life. This wheel represents the continuous cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth, or samsara. There are several different forms of this wheel of life.
There is an elaborate version. This version often has six spokes and is represented in the […]
When Rama was around 20 years old rumors and stories about his great strength and prowess had begun to spread. In response the spreading reputation of Rama the great Risi Parashurama Bhargava appeared before Rama. Parashurama brought with him the bow of Vishnu and intended to challenge Rama to prove his strength by stringing it […]
Rama is the most famous manifestation of the supreme God for the majority of Hindus. Rama is the seventh avatara, or manifestation, of Vishnu. Vishnu is sometimes known as the preserver.
Rama is the perfect man and his life is full of challenges and heroic deeds.
Below I have included a depiction of Rama. In this […]
Ahimsa is a Sanskrit term for the avoidance of injury (himsa). This can be interpreted as the general idea of nonviolence that Gandhi advocated. This concept is also a very important part of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.
The concept of ahimsa is sometimes thought to be a little more nuanced than what most people consider non-violence. […]