Once, a Raja’s favourite chariot became wet in the rain. The royal dogs smelled the wet leather seats and greedily tore it up and ate it. The next morning, the Raja realised that it was the work of some dogs. He ordered all dogs, but not the royal ones, to be killed. The panicked dogs […]
The Natural History Museum was built in London between 1873 and 1880. The Natural History Museum contains more than 80 million specimens of life and earth sciences, including books, journals, manuscripts and artworks that were initially housed in the British Museum. The construction made use of bricks and terracotta tiles to help keep moisture and
Once, the Buddha was preaching the people, in the neighbourhood of Savatthi. There lived a man of great wealth who suffered from many ailments. He came to the Buddha to take help. The Buddha saw the luxuries with which the man was surrounded. He saw his rich clothes and jewellery and his well-decorated horse cart.
Once, a Monkey King by the name Arahant ruled thousands of monkeys in the Lumbini Grove. A drought struck. The monkeys started to leave their homes in search of water. The Monkey King warned them, “Do not eat fruit or drink water that looks unusual.” The monkeys reached a lake. The Monkey King looked around
The Old Town Hall was built in Prague, Czech Republic, in the 14th century. The Old Town Hall is considered an extremely odd historical work, because while the original magnificent building with its Gothic stone portals and mouldings was bought by the councillors of the Old Town; constant additions of smaller houses and reconstructions have
Once, Chandaka, a superstitious man, saw a banyan tree. He thought, ‘This is a Kalpavriksha (tree). I am sure this banyan tree will fulfil my wishes.’ He prayed to the banyan tree, “If my wish comes true, I promise to sacrifice an animal as an offering.” One day, Chandaka’s wish came true. It was a
Once, a bhikshu (monk) decided to behead a goat in a yogic ritual offering to his god. When the goat was being bathed, it started to laugh. The next moment, it started to cry. The bhikshu was confused. He asked, “Why are you laughing and crying?” The goat said, “Many births ago, I was a
Once, a lion and a tiger lived in a faraway forest. They had met when they were cubs and remained good friends. One day, they had an argument. The lion said, “The weather is becoming cooler. This is because of the moon fading and turning from a full moon to a new one.” The tiger
The Krzywy Domek, meaning the ‘Crooked Little House’ in English, was built in Poland in 2004. The Krzywy Domek is part of a shopping centre and an iconic symbol for Poland, combining business with art and culture. Considered on the strangest buildings in the world, this structure was inspired by fairy tale illustrations and drawings
Once, a fawn joined a school to learn tricks in order to survive in the forest. One day, he was caught in a trap. The teacher said to the crying mother of the fawn, “While the others played, your son listened to my lessons attentively. He has ‘Chitta’ which is conscious mind. He will surely
The Hanging Gardens were built in the ancient city of Babylon, which is possibly located in Iraq around 605 BC. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are supposed to have towered hundreds of feet into the air. Considered to be one of the wonders of the ancient world, it is the only one for which there
The Victoria Memorial was built in Kolkata, India, between 1906 and 1921. The Victoria Memorial is built entirely of white marble in dedication of Queen Victoria. 103 metres in height, the monument is a blend of Mughal and European styles of architecture. With its dome, four subsidiaries, portals, terrace and octagonal domed chattris, the monument
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as the Victoria Terminus, was built in Mumbai, India, between 1878 and 1887.The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) is an iconic historical railway station that was built in Victorian Gothic style of architecture; the construction of this structure with its turrets, pointed arches and eccentric ground has a mixture of
The Shore Temple was built on the shore of the Bay of Bengal in Mahabalipuram, India, between 700 and 728 AD. The Shore Temple complex consists of 3 temples built of granite on a common platform. Its structure is pyramidal and is 18 metres in height. Similar to the Pancha Rathas, the roofs have finials
The new Mahabodhi Temple was built in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, in the 5th-6th century. The Mahabodhi Temple is approximately 11 metres in height, built in traditional Indian temple style of architecture. A diamond throne was constructed at the temple to mark the exact spot of enlightenment. Small statues of the Buddha adorn the four