A monk lived a simple life in a small hut. One night, when the monk was in the forest, a thief entered the hut. However, he found nothing to steal. Just then, the monk returned. “I am sure you have come a long way to visit my humble hut,” he said to the thief, “I […]
Once a student went to a monk and said, “I am devoted to studying the art of meditation. How long will it take me to master it?” The monk casually replied, “Ten years.” The student became impatient. He said, “That is very long. I want to master it sooner than that. I will work very
The Maqam Echahid is a monument built in Algiers, Algeria, in 1982. The Maqam Echahid, meaning Martyrs’ Memorial, was built to honour the martyrs of the Algerian war of independence. The monument is 92 metres in height and comprises three concrete fins that join at mid-height. Above the congregating fins, there is a 7.6-metre high
Todai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex built in Japan, in the early 8th century. The Todai-ji was one of the powerful Seven Great Temples. Due to fires, the temple was rebuilt twice, the last time in 1709. Over the years, the temple and surrounding gardens have been aesthetically redesigned to enrich the ambience of the
The African Renaissance Monument is a sculpture built in Senegal between 2006 and 2010. The African Renaissance Monument was built in honour of Senegal’s 50th anniversary of Independence from France. The monument is a bronze 49-metre high structure of a man and a woman emerging from a cave with a child aloft the man’s shoulder
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born on the 28th of June 1712 in Geneva and passed away on 2nd July, 1778. Do you know that as a teenager Rousseau supported himself as a servant, tutor and secretary in Italy and France? A noted philosopher, writer and composer, Jean-Jacques Rousseau influenced many aspects of the French Revolution and
Benjamin Franklin was born on the 17th of January 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts, and passed away on 17th April, 1790. Do you know that Benjamin Franklin was also a great inventor? He was responsible for inventing the rocking chair, the writing chair, etc. One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was
Johann Sebastian Bach was born on the 21st of March, 1685 in the town of Eisenach, Germany, and passed away on the 28th of July, 1750. Do you know that Bach incorporated the numbers 14 and 41 in almost all his works? The numbers were supposedly the numerology value of the letters in his name.
Sir Isaac Newton was born in Woolsthorpe, England, on the 4th of January 1643 and passed away on the 31st of March, 1727. Do you know that when he was in college, Sir Isaac Newton waited on tables and took care of the wealthier students’ rooms? A physicist and mathematician, Sir Isaac Newton was most
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, commonly known as Rembrandt, was born on the 15th of July 1606 in Dutch Republic, (present-day Netherlands) and passed away on 4th October, 1669. Do you know that Rembrandt is known to have produced around 90 self-portraits? Rembrandt’s contributions of the art world came in a period known as the Dutch
William Shakespeare, popularly known as the Bard of Avon, was born on 26th April, 1564 in England, and passed away on the 23rd of April 1616. Do you know that although Shakespeare is considered a literary genius yet his parents were considered illiterate and so were his children? Regarded as the greatest writer in the
Popularly known as Galileo, this Italian astronomer, was born in Pisa, Italy, on the 15th of February 1564 and passed away on the 8th of January 1642. Do you know that Galileo’s father was Vincenzo Galilei, the famous musician? Not only an astronomer, Galileo was known as the Father of Science, Modern Physics and Observational
The Union Buildings were built in Pretoria, South Africa, between 1910 and 1913. The Union Buildings are English monumental style structures built from light sandstone. They are the official seat of the South African government and also house the office of the President of South Africa. The building has a semi-circular shape with two identical
Abdul Fateh Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, popularly known as Akbar the Great, was born on the 15th of October 1542 at the Rajput Fortress of Umerkot in Sindh and passed away on 27th October, 1605. Do you know that Akbar was not only tolerant towards all religions, he had also repealed the law which required the
The Afrikaans Language Monument was built in Western Cape Province, South Africa, in 1975. The monument was built in honour of Afrikaans being declared an official language of South Africa. The monument comprises various tapering concave and convex structures that symbolize the influence of various languages and cultures on the Afrikaans language itself. Amazing Fact: