Describe a place in which you are both familiar and interested Essay

Describe a place in which you are both familiar and interested - Essay Example Shah Jahan loved his wife Mumtaj Mahal so much, but was grief-stricken at her death during child birth. He wanted to keep her memory alive till eternity and so built the beautiful Taj which stands as India’s pride attracting tourists from far and near to revel in its beauty. The exotic Taj is situated in the lush green plains of Agra, behind which runs the sacred river Yamuna. It is made of huge slabs of creamy white marble and is studded with thousands of semi-precious stones. The pathway leading up to the monument is flanked by tall palm trees which act as a border to a moat of crystal clear water spurted out from dancing fountains. It has an impressive circular dome with four minarets, one in each corner. The structure is so impressive that it makes the beholder stare at it in awe before making an entrance. The arched entrance has a huge and heavily crafted wooden door with shiny brass door-knobs. It leads into a massive hall filled with archways and has a high ceiling which is intricately carved with patterns of flowering plants that adorn it, enhancing its magnificence. Right in the centre of the hall are the cold marble tombs of Shah Jahan and his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal that are covered with floral patterns and embellished with precious stones which are a deep blue. An Octagonal screen made from perforated marble called â€Å"Jalis† form the border surrounding the two cenotaphs in the centre chamber. Each of these Jalis was carved with intricate and exquisite designs from a single slab of marble and allows not only air to circulate but also sunlight which scatters beautiful patterns over the cenotaphs. The eight faces of the jalis are decorated with flowering plants like lilies and poppies intrinsically embedded with colorful gemstones such as agate, sandstone and carnelian. From the centre of the dome, above the cenotaphs in the mausoleum, hangs a beautifully

Near and Middle East ( Martyrdom is nothing without remembrance and Essay

Near and Middle East ( Martyrdom is nothing without remembrance and without the cultural industry that keeps the martyr alive after death. Discuss.) - Essay Example The custom is that martyrdom carries with it the diverse cultural diligence as this keeps the martyr alive even after his demise. Unlike the other cultures around the globe, the history of the Middle East goes back to the ancient times (Verkaaik, 2004, P. 138). All along, the Near East has rocked the world affairs through its unprecedented political and religious affiliations. Discussion of its ancient history puts the name ‘Near East’ at the center stage. This is the reason as to why there is the historical origin of major world religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The first and the latter have famed for the rite of the martyrdom and they see to it that reminisce is part of their culture (Varzi & Roxann, 2006, P.70). In this modern times, the Middle region/East or the Near East, remains a strategically, politically, culturally, economically and the religiously sensitive zone. First, martyrdom was a transition. A look back to history states that the transition from revolutionary zeal to war fanaticism came as a smooth phase. For example, a telecast broadcast in 1981 at Tehran University served to put this ideology of martyrdom a great stance (Moallem, 2005, P. 108). The speaker whom by history goes down as the martyr of the said creed, Hashemi Rafsanjani, publicly asserted that the public begged to become a shahids. As per his words, he said that the public cries, it sheds tears and implore their commanders to, at least, take them along on the nightly operations in order to become a shahid (Talebi, 2012, P.134). This creed on a nation broadcast, with millions of people listening came an awakening call as to how sacrificing for the name of religion, Islamic in particular, could measure as an incitement to the other religions with different affiliations. In the view of this nation, this religious understanding of Hashemi, theirs was not a radicalization cal l; it was simply a cry to sacrifice for their remembrance of holy Allah. To them, this