A monk knew a mantra that could make precious jewels fall from the sky. However, he could use this power only once a year according to the position of the planets. One day, the monk and his followers set out for a village. On the way, a gang of kidnappers captured them. They wanted ransom. […]
The Museo Guggenheim is a museum built in Spain, in 1997. The Museo Guggenheim is a modern and contemporary arts museum that exhibits works of art by Spanish and international artists. Considered an astonishing architectural feat, the museum is made of interconnecting shapes of limestone, glass and titanium and thus effortlessly integrated into its urban
Once, a large troop of monkeys lived in the garden of a king. New Year was approaching and the royal gardener wanted to join the three-day celebrations. So, he requested the monkey-king to take over his duty of watering the trees and the plants. The next day, the monkeys filled up the buckets and began
The Pantheon was a building built in Rome, Italy, in 126 AD. Built on the site of an earlier building, the Pantheon is one of the more well-preserved and famous buildings in Rome. Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Catholic Church. The two highlighting features of the Pantheon are the
The Capitol Hill, otherwise known as Capitol Building, was built in Washington, D.C, United States, between 1793 and 1800. The Capitol Hill is the seat of the United States Congress. However, when it was constructed it was also used for Sunday religious services and formal ceremonies. The building is built in a neoclassical style with
The Bayon is a beautifully decorated Khmer Temple built in Cambodia, between the late 12th and the early 13th century. The Bayon is at the heart of Angkor Thom, and was considered the official state temple. Its unique feature is the numerous tranquil yet smiling faces on the towers that extend from the upper terrace.
Prince Goodspeaker had a younger brother named Prince Moon. Their mother died when they were young. So, the king married again. The new queen had a boy named Prince Sun. The queen wanted to make Prince Sun the next king. The king was worried that the queen might harm his elder sons, so he sent
Once, a king and a queen had a beautiful baby. They named him Prince Goodspeaker. The king hoped this name would help his son in later life. The prince was no ordinary baby. He was an ardent follower of the Buddha–the Enlightened One. He wanted to gain enlightenment like the Buddha. He was reborn in
Casa Milà, popularly known as La Pedrera, was built in Barcelona, Spain, between 1906 and 1912. One of the modernist buildings in Spain, Casa Milà with its undulating limestone façade, wrought iron cave-like balconies and windows, and an underground garage was one of the most innovative structures in architecture. The entire house is planned as
Once, a bald carpenter was famous for his shiny head. He was very wise and was liked by all the villagers. One day, a bumblebee saw his shiny head and decided to have a feast. The bald carpenter was busy with his work and did not notice. After a while, he saw the bumblebee and
The fourth wife of Indra, the ruler of the Heaven, was reincarnated as the Princess of the Asuras. Her good deeds let her change her fate and attain glory. After following the five moral precepts Panch Shila, she was reborn as a beautiful princess amongst the otherwise ugly Asuras. The king was happy with the
Nagarjuna went to Benaras and started studying under a Bodhisattva. However, he never listened to the Bodhisattva’s teachings and fought with other students. Soon, the students started quitting and the Bodhisattva lost his income. He asked Nagarjuna to leave Benaras. Next day, Nagarjuna went to a nearby village. He married a woman and had two
The Balmoral Castle was built in Aberdeenshire, Scotland between 1853 and 1856. The Balmoral Castle is one of the residences of the British Royal family. While the original castle was purchased by Prince Albert, the house was found too small, hence the present Balmoral Castle was built in the Scottish Baronial style of architecture in
Once, a pigeon and a crow lived in a birdhouse next to a rich man’s house. One day, the crow said to the pigeon, “I can smell the delicious food being cooked in the kitchen. Help me and we shall get the food.” The pigeon said, “No friend, work hard to find food.” The crow
Once, the King of Kosala attacked the King of Benaras. Sadly, he killed the King of Benaras and ruled his palace and kingdom. Meanwhile, the queen and her son escaped from the palace. In the countryside, the prince raised a huge army and surrounded the city. He then told the king to surrender the kingdom.