Art and Culture

The origin of the word "art" can be traced back to the old English "thou art" which means "you are". Again, art as in "fine arts" owes its root to the Latin "ars" or "artis". However, in comparison to the dual meanings in which we may express the word, the second meaning has remained unchanged with the process of time. The word "culture" however originated from the Latin language. It said to have a Latin base "colere" which means to inhabit, to cultivate, or to honor. Broadly it can be said to be a human activity carrying several meanings and definitions.

The two distinct words "art and culture" if linked with each other, it exhibits two distinct concepts

Art may be a product of the extensive culture (cultivation) of human sentiments.

Culture of different strata of society at different places at different time has been expressed in art.

Art can be said to be a "result" of extensive culture of human emotions, sentiment and thought of an artist, supplemented with the artist's skill. It is a product of an artist's cultivation of different strata of society at various moments. Thus if one can culture on society at different situation, he can generate a good piece of art .So we may say that "art is a reflection of society" at different time.

Practically time being the dictator in the evolution of society; it also influences a product of art. The classical period was a period of reason, order and rules.
Art has thereby exhibited such meanings at that time.

The Romantic period being a period of reasoning, so the dominant subject of art was emotion, adventure and imagination. Art in its cultural form gained impetus during the renaissance. Again, the 19th century culture was the theory of truth and beauty thus the form of art that came up during this period was based on "truth" and "beauty".

Early 20th century culture brought forth the concept of modernism -this is the time, when the human nature was undergoing turmoil. The bizarre mundane society was undergoing a deviation from humanity at this time. The late 20th century is the postmodern period The puzzled society is now trapped in such a ditch that an exit from this phase is next to impossible. Men are said to have been transformed into robots. Junked up with work pressure they have little or no time to cherish their emotions and sentiments .The work of art that comes up at this stage are to call up an attention to human sentiment and art at large. The overall disjointed sentiment when cultured by an artist; it is reflected in the works of art through abstract expressions, images, ideas and concepts.

Besides, a piece of art may also echo a specific culture. We may find several piece of art vividly exposing the "Byzantine culture". Again a work of art might focus on "Iranian culture", "western culture" or "modern culture" and so on. Moreover the art of working in a particular place at a particular time is the work culture. Likewise we have club culture or organizational culture.

Actually art in its own form has developed itself with its multicultural heritage over time. Thus, it is worth saying that both art and culture are complimentary to each other and an overall support to each other to attain some sort of fulfillment at large.

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Girls Tattoos

Have you spent a god awful amount of time and energy looking for wrist tattoos for girls yet? If you haven't, you might want to prepare for it if you continue to look for them the way 90+% do. The one true searching method we use s no longer a sufficient way of finding fresh, quality tattoo art. Here's how to reverse this terrible trend, so you can find all of the good wrist tattoos for girls available on the net.

If this sounds a little confusing right now, it will be crystal clear in a matter of moments. Let me start by asking a quick question about your searching ways. Concerning the 90+% I mentioned above, how do you think they are all looking for wrist tattoos for girls? If you said "by using search engines", you just won yourself a nice gigantic cookie. Yes, it is the good old search engines which are now bringing us to nothing but low end websites that have nothing but a plethora of generic artwork, even for the wrist tattoos for girls you are after.

There was a time, in the not so distant past, when Google and Yahoo gave you a pretty list of quality tattoo galleries. This is sadly not the case any longer. All you get now is a list of galleries that have all the cookie cutter designs you could imagine, while the galleries with fresh, original art are nowhere to be found. The good galleries are still out there, though. It's just that you aren't going to find many of them (if any ore them) by continuing to rely on search engines. You need a better, more effective way of finding to truly great websites that have wrist tattoos for girls.

About Realistic Painting

¹ A photograph is an easy way to remember something. Another way to remember something is by painting a picture of it. Long ago, before cameras, that is what artists did. Painting realistically is not that easy. So keep your camera handy just in case!

² Artists have painted realistically for centuries. Many of the best realistic artists lived during the Renaissance. Their paintings were elegant and beautiful. People who study art called this kind of painting Ideal Realism. That was just a fancy way to say that these artists knew how to paint very well. Some of their paintings looked almost like photographs. Renaissance artists had a lot of skill.

³ The word "renaissance" is French. It means "rebirth." The Renaissance covers the time from the early 14th century to the late 16th century. Many scientists and artists studied Greece and Rome. They liked classical things from ancient times. They also liked to discover how things worked. Some artists even dissected bodies to learn about anatomy.

⁴ These artists thought the human body was the "noblest living form." One artist named Leonardo da Vinci drew a picture that showed this idea. He thought that the proportions of the human body were a good way to measure everything. He thought that the circle and the square were the basis for many things in science and in nature. So he drew a man who fit exactly inside a circle if his arms and legs were spread out. The man fit exactly inside a square when his feet were together and his arms were straight out from his sides.

⁵ Leonardo loved art and science. He liked to paint. He liked to invent, too. He even tried to invent flying machines. Leonardo's ideas filled many notebooks. He also painted amazingly realistic art. He liked to draw plants. He did sketches of muscles and bones. He drew raging storms. And he also painted the mysterious Mona Lisa. This famous portrait shows a lady with an odd smile. It is now in the Louvre in Paris.

Artistic Painting

"Painting only can "describe" everything which can be seen and suggest every emotion which can be felt! Art reaches back into the babyhood of time, and is man's only lasting monument!" (William Hunt, Talks About Art)

Painting has existed as an artistic tradition for thousand of years. From the cave painting of Lascaux to the great, masterpieces of Da Vinci it has played a historical and aesthetic role in the different ages of existence. Schools of painting were developed as well as many various texts discussing the art form. Mural painting and fresco launched the theory painting into classical societies. Out of this came the development of several styles of painting. Historical, allegorical, religious, portraiture, landscape and still life are all different forms of painting that have developed over the years.

Although these are generally accepted themes for artistic painting the components that determine its value aesthetically ate varies. In different time periods the values of true art shift, even with its alterations, the general guideline still remains. It has been said that there is no one distinction that results in a successful painting.

In Painters and Personality, Lewisohn states "to a natural art lover such lack of unity on a painting creates a repulsion which warns him that he is not looking at a real achievement." Going back to Renaissance theory art is the true depiction of nature and its ultimate beauty. This ideal was established in many writings of the Renaissance and still holds true in some aspects of the various styles painting has evolved into.

Indian art

The vast scope of the art of India intertwines with the cultural history, religions and philosophies which place art production and patronage in social and cultural contexts.

Indian art can be classified into specific periods each reflecting particular religious, political and cultural developments.

* the ancient period (3500 BCE-present)
* Islamic ascendancy (712-1757 CE)
* The Colonial period (1757-1947)
* Independence and CARISSAISM the postcolonial period (Post-1947)
* Modernism
* Postmodernism

Each period is unique in its art, literature and architecture. Indian art is constantly challenged as it rises to the peak of achieving the ideals of one philosophy in a visual form, then begins anew for another. This challenge and revolution in thought ovides, Indian artists with reasons for innovation and creation, and the process of visualizing abstract ideas and the culture of the land.

Each religion and philosophical system provided its own nuances, vast metaphors and similes, rich associations, wild imaginations, humanization of gods and celestial beings, characterization of people, the single purpose and ideal of life to be interpreted in art.

The earliest Indian religion to inspire major artistic monuments was Buddhism. Though there may have been earlier structures in wood that have been transformed into stone structures, there are no physical evidences for these except textual references. Obscurity shrouds the period between the decline of the Harappans and the definite historic period starting with the Mauryas. Soon after the Buddhists initiated the rock-cut caves, Hindus and Jains started to imitate them at Badami, Aihole, Ellora, Salsette, Elephanta, Aurangabad and Indian rock art has continuously evolved, since the first rock cut caves, to suit different purposes, social and religious contexts, and regional differences.

The Chola fresco paintings were discovered in 1931 within the circumambulatory passage of the Brihadisvara Temple in India and are the first Chola specimens discovered.

Researchers have discovered the technique used in these frescos. A smooth batter of limestone mixture is applied over the stones, which took two to three days to set. Within that short span, such large paintings were painted with natural organic pigments.

During the Nayak period the chola paintings were painted over. The Chola frescos lying underneath have an ardent spirit of saivism is expressed in them. They probably synchronised with the completion of the temple by Rajaraja Cholan the Great.

Kerala has well preserved fresco or mural or wall painting in temple walls in Pundarikapuram, Ettumanoor, Aymanam and Trivandrum.

Culture of Orissa

Culture of Orissa - The sacred environs of Lord Jagannath temple, the eroticism of Konark's Sun temple, the wondrous caves of Jainism, the mystical monasteries of Buddhism, the paintings of folklore and the weaver's magic; all stand as meek evidences of an eloquent past and continuing golden present of Orissa.

Expressions of the soul find way in the form of indigenous theatres namely 'Prahalad-Nataka' or the 'Dhanuyatra' here. Dance and music form an inseparable part of the rich culture of the state. The exotic classical dance of the region evolved from the cult of the 'devadasis' or female temple dancers. Folk dances like 'Chhow' and 'Sambalpuri' along with tribal dances like 'Ghumura' & 'Paraja' leave every spirit truly elated. Then there are fairs like 'Bali Jatra' that come as a reminder of an ancient maritime links with Bali. And to crown it all is the universally-acclaimed 'Rathyatra' of Lord Jagannath which has become an absolute synonym to Orissan culture.

Hindu Culture

The Meaning of Culture

Each of the religions of the world has its own culture, with many customs, traditions and refined qualities. The Hindu culture is a culture of love, respect, honoring others and humbling one's own ego so that the inner nature, which is naturally pure and modest, will shine forth. Here we have described some of the important faith and behaviors of Hindu community.

RESPECT AND REVERENCE

1. RESPECT FOR ELDERS: Respect for elders is a keystone of Hindu culture. This genuine acknowledgment of seniority is demonstrated through endearing customs, such as sitting to the left of elders, bringing gifts on special occasions, not sitting while they are standing, not speaking excessively, not yawning or stretching, not putting one's opinions forward strongly, not contradicting or arguing, seeking their advice and blessings, giving them first choice in all matters, even serving their food first.

2. NAME PROTOCOL: Younger never uses the proper name of their elders. In the Tamil tradition, a younger brother, for example, refers to his brother as annan, or periannan (older brother), not by name. The elder, however, may use the name of the younger. Children are trained to refer to all adults as auntie or uncle. Only people of the same age will address each other by first name. A Hindu wife never speaks the name of her husband. When referring to him she uses terms such as "my husband," "him" or, for example, "Athan, Mama, etc.,".

3. TOUCHING FEET IN RESPECT: One touches the feet of holy men and women in recognition of their great humility and inner attainment. A dancer or a musician touches the feet of his or her teacher before and after each lesson. Children prostrate and touch the feet of their mother and father at festivals and at special times, such as birthdays and before departing on a journey.

4. Darshan (darshana): "Vision, sight." Seeing the Divine. Beholding, with inner or outer vision, a temple image, Deity, holy person or place, with the desire to inwardly contact and receive the grace and blessings of the venerated being or beings.

5. DAKSHINA: It is tradition to provide dakshina, a monetary fee or gift to a priest given at the completion of any rite. Dakshina is also given to gurus as a token of respect for their spiritual blessings.

Purity

Purity and its opposite, pollution, are vitally important in Hindu culture. Purity is of three forms -- purity in mind, speech and body, or thought, word and deed. Purity is the pristine and natural state of the soul. Impurity, or pollution, is the obscuring of this state by adulterating experience and beclouding conceptions.

In daily life, the Hindu strives to protect this innate purity by wise living, following the codes of dharma. This includes harnessing the sexual energies, associating with other virtuous Hindu devotees, never using harsh, angered or indecent language, and keeping a clean and healthy physical body. Here are several ways purity is preserved in Hindu culture.

1.PURITY AND FOOD: Purity is central to food and nutrition, as the nature of one's nourishment deeply affects the entire physical, mental and emotional nature. One cooking food for others would never taste of the dish from a spoon and then put the spoon back in the pot. If food is to be tasted while cooking, a small portion is placed in the right hand. Similarly, one would not touch the lips to a water vessel that is also used by others. Nor would one offer something to another from which one has taken a bite or a sip.

2. FLOWER OFFERINGS: One does not sniff flowers picked for offering to the Deities; even the smell is for the Gods, not for us. Flowers that fall to the ground should not be offered.

3. OFFERINGS: Offerings, such as an archana basket, flowers or garlands, are carried with both hands on the right side of the body, so as to not be breathed on. All items are washed in preparation and, if carried more than a short distance, wrapped or covered.

4. THE LEFT HAND: In Hindu culture the left hand is considered impure because it is used (with water) in the place of toilet paper for personal hygiene after answering the call of nature. Handing another person anything with the left hand may be considered a subtle insult.

5. SHOES: Shoes are considered impure. The cultured Hindu never wears shoes or sandals inside a temple or shrine, nor in his home or the homes of other Hindus. Carrying shoes in the hands from one part of the premises to another is also avoided. An ultimate insult is to be struck with a shoe.

6. CAUTION WITH FOOTWEAR: It is very important to apologize immediately if one touches someone with his or her shoe or sandal. This is done by touching the right hand to where the foot touched the other person and then touching one's right hand lightly to his own left eye and then the right. This same remedy applies to inadvertently hitting someone with the hand or foot or bumping into him or her.

EXCHANGE OF PRANA

1. GIVING AND RECEIVING WITH BOTH HANDS: Giving and accepting things from one to another, presenting offerings to the Deity, etc., is most properly done with both hands. The reason for this is that with the gift, prana is also given through both hands, thus endowing more energy to the object. The recipient of the gift receives it with both hands along with the prana from the gracious giver. It is known that this exchange of energies is vital for friendship, harmony and the total release of the gift to the recipient. Hindus never accept gifts from strangers or unknown persons.

2. Hugging and Embracing: Hugging and embracing is found in Hindu culture; but it is restricted to close relatives, Guru/disciples and associates that too in a private place. In Mahabharatha and Ramayana we find this very often. Hugging and Embracing improves pranic energy and this practice is not allowed with strangers.

3. NOT POINTING THE FINGER: Pointing with the forefinger of the right hand or shaking the forefinger in emphasis while talking is never done. This is because the right hand possesses a powerful, aggressive pranic force, and an energy that moves the forces of the world. Pointing the index finger channels that force into a single stream. The harshness of this energy would be severely felt in the nerve system of the recipient. More properly, rather than pointing or shaking the index finger to give direction or emphasize a verbal statement, the entire hand is used as a pointer, with the palm up and the thumb held alongside the forefinger.

Culctural Programs

Are you looking to find an ITV arts culture program/show on TV? If you are, then let's translate what this concept entails and how to do it. First of all, the BBC2, in 2004, began an arts and culture program/show on TV called The Culture Show. This program caught on rather quickly with musicians, directors, and artists, who had become disenchanted with the BBC4's previous arts and culture show, which had been started in 2001. To now top it off, you can subscribe to ITV right on your home computer and receive ITV along with the BBC1, BBC2, and BBC4 channels. Then, after subscribing to receive these channels on your computer through ITV, you will be able to view the BBC2's arts and culture program The Culture Show. Sound like a deal? Well, it is.

For those interested in receiving this special offer, it is offered online at Live Uk TV, live.uk.tv. You can now view the four channels on your computer 24/7 for approximately $45 per month. The website has a selection of ITV shows that are viewed on each of the channels at this website, and signing up is easy as pie.

There's no better way to view TV than on your computer now where this super BBC deal gives you all the BBC channels that you'll ever want. So next time that you want to view an ITV arts culture program/show on TV, just go onto

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Expressing Your Emotions On Canvas

Express yourself:- Many a portrait artist has been known to express his deepest secrets and feelings with the help of a painting. For example the Monalisa has both masculine and feminine aspects in the features. This has often been debated, but it definitely sends across a mysterious aura in the painting.

Therapeutic uses:- Painting has always been known to be a stress buster. Just like all things creative, even painting can helping you to relax. In fact, if you are trying to create portrait from photos, then the joy is all the more as you are trying to replicate a real life person. Once the painting is done you feel a creative high which is incomparable.

Psychological advancements:- Many psychologists have used the medium of painting in order to cure conditions, like trauma or serious mental disorders. Many people who suffer from dyslexia have also been able to express their creative side effectively with a painting. For ease of use, such people are asked to create a portrait from photo. That way it becomes easier to create the painting as you have something to refer to.

Used in prison:- It has been said that there was a prison where prisoners who were serving a life term were asked to create a portrait from photo. These were then used to adorn the walls of the prison. This exercise helped the prisoners to reform themselves and to also get to see the talent and creative side they possessed. Thus one cannot dispute the kind of healing power that painting has. Even hardened criminals have benefited from it.

Rajasthani culture

The most colorful region in India . An exotic land of valiance and chivalry. A land endowed with invincible forts, magnificent palaces and waves of sand dunes and serene lakes. The State represents an unusual diversity in all its forms-people, culture, customs, costumes, cuisine, dialects and music.

Rajasthan, a land of princes, palaces and preening peacocks is renowned for its monuments, art and culture that go back to several centuries. Admire a range of miniature paintings and frescoes of exquisite refinement. There is romance in Rajasthan's forts and palaces and arts of gallantry retold in ballads and legends. Then there are sanctuaries sheltering rich and varied species of flora and fauna. And the shimmering Thar desert belt charms with a rare and amazing sight.

Rajasthanis are a handsome people with colorful costumes. They express themselves in color and sound not easily seen or heard anywhere else in the country. Rajasthan overwhelms with color found in bustling bazaars; in wide ranging costumes of its people; in streets where elephants and camels vie with buses and cars. The irresistible gamut of Rajasthan art and handicraft souvenirs will bewitch you. An exciting variety of Rajasthani delicacies will pamper your palate with a never-before gastronomic delight.

Museum of Miniatures

This little-known and mostly unadvertised gem is securely hidden within the courtyard of the Strahov Monastery. It took me three attempts to find and finally enter the place but I can guarantee you that it was well worth the effort.

Equipped with microscopes and magnifying glasses, this bite-sized museum dedicates its viewing space to the inconceivably small. Most of the 30 or so pieces on display have been painstakingly produced by world record-holding Siberian Anatoly Konyenko. He uses self-designed instruments that have even been employed in eye surgery and has spent up to seven years on one work alone. One particularly time-consuming piece is a flea sporting golden horseshoes and grasping a key, padlock and tiny scissors in his minute paws. The horseshoes measure a slight 0.25 x 0.25 millimeters each and the scissors are just 0.9 millimeters long.

Other highlights include the smallest book in the world; the Lord's Prayer written on a single piece of hair (I'm not kidding!); a train with passengers, riding on a hair, placed in the eye of a needle; and a mini Eiffel Tower - you guessed it - in the eye of a needle. So as not to further spoil the surprise, I won't divulge any more of the museum's collection, but I'm sure you can see a pattern emerging.

This place is astonishing and generally quite empty - unless, as I did, you arrive at the same time as a tour group seemingly composed of the entire population of Slovakia.I realize that most of you are probably laughing your pants off at this point - I had to laugh too, and I'm still laughing now - but that doesn't mean that this place isn't amazing. The Miniatures Museum will definitely be one of the most memorable places you ever visit.

Colorado-a Destination For Arts Lovers

The Denver Art Dealers Association represents Denver's top art dealers and fine art galleries. Exhibitions provide the first glance of new works by young and establishing artists as well as present work by neglected artists and widely known masters.

A comprehensive guide to arts and culture in the Pikes Peak region of Colorado. The site offers a large database of arts and cultural events, as well as listings of arts classes and workshops, organizations, venues, individual artists and performers, public art and more.

The stunning new Frederic C. Hamilton wing at the Denver Art Museum was designed by famed architect Daniel Libeskind, and hosts "Artisans & Kings: Selected Treasures from the Louvre."

In Grand Junction, the Western Colorado Center for the Arts opened its "Masterpieces of Colorado" in August. This unique exhibit features more than 60 paintings of Colorado landscapes by artists from the late 19th century to the present, including Thomas Moran and Vance Kirkland.

The Aspen Art Museum has world-class exhibits of contemporary art housed in an historic brick building on the scenic Rio Grande Trail. The museum offers educational workshops, gallery tours by prominent artists, and art talks.

The Lab at Belmar, in Lakewood, combines elements of a museum, think tank and public forum. Focused on contemporary art and culture, The Lab offers international art exhibitions, lectures, performances, symposia and publications. Currently on view at The Lab is "Heads," Fang Lijun's large-scale installation consisting of 15,000 sculpted heads, cast in bronze and covered in gold leaf.

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center's new 48,000-square-foot wing, which opens in August, will host an exhibit of nearly 50 photographic portraits of the late Mexican artist Frida Kahlo by famed photographer Nickolas Muray.

Indian Culture and Styles

Each region of India has a definitive style and culture which is echoed throughout the aesthetics of its homes. Kerala, on the southwestern coast, is known for its wooden houses which delight in strong lines with few flourishes, In Kashmir, Himalayan flora inspires delicate embroidered shapes mimicking the leaves of the chinar tree flowers and fruit designs appear in embroidery, carving and moldings, and embellish homes and houseboats of the state.
Cultural Influences
Indian culture has also been influenced by the influx of many cultures over many centuries. The Muslim influence is evident in the arches, domes and ornate filigrees seen throughout north India, where the Mughals ruled for over four centuries. Then came the Europeans; first the Portuguese (in search of spices) in 1497 who colonized Goa, Daman and Diu; then the Dutch in 1595, and the British who established their East India Company on the last day of 1600. 19th century colonial influence brought a love of both the Gothic and the baroque. As a result, it is not surprising to find a stiff Victorian edifice studded with gargoyles beside an ancient Hindu temple, sculpted with sensuous gods.

The Five Elements

The concept of the 'five elements' (air, water, fire, earth and space) has been woven into the fabric of india since befpre the arrival of the aryans around 1500BC. Indian be;oefs have always been animist - dedicated to the worship of nature Although ancient western beliefs recognise the first four elements, the fifth-space - is a more abstract principle. To many Indians, the notion of space respresents the vast vacuum beyond ordinary perception, and symbolises the huge power of an unseen force. It is thus a source of inspiration in Hinduism and Zen Buddhism. The ancient animists worshipped trees and valued all plants, but the earth, rain and rivers were truly venetrated and destructive energy of primeval storms and earthquakes help people in awe.

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The Right Tattoos For Your Body Shape

Play with rough dimensions on your body and discuss with your artist before committing to the final size. Remember also that an image on a piece of tracing paper may look smaller than the actual end result tattoo. If in doubt it is worth the extra layout to get your artist to provide a temporary outline for you and then rescale accordingly.

Surf the web and visit tattoo gallery sites to gain a feel for what looks too large ,small or just right. Try and look for tattoo models with a similar body size as yourself.

Decide on how you would like the tattoo to follow your body contours. For example is it intended to flow over the back of a shoulder or sit neatly on the back of a calf muscle? On that basis will the tattoo you have selected need to be extended or reduced slightly to compliment best the location and shape of your body? Again before committing you should discuss with your artist and get them to guide you with overall 'size' and 'scale' of the finished tattoo.

Consider you future body shape. If you're about to go on a crash diet to lose surplus weight then it maybe worth delaying having the tattoo done before you have reached your target weight. Are you about to undertake body building exercises to build your physique? Then any tattoos on expanding arm and leg areas are likely to stretch and may loose image quality depending on the tattoo design chosen. Again make sure you let your tattoo artist know of your future build intentions since again this may influence the final size selection.

Remember, doing that extra bit of research to help decide on a final tattoo size is as essential as choosing the actual tattoo design itself. There are loads of Tattoo Design Gallery resources available on internet to help you find that perfect tattoo. Many have member forums with people eager to offer free advice and share their knowledge on all aspects of tattoos including choosing the best size. There is no reason why your next tattoo shouldn't be a perfect experience you can be proud of for the rest of your life.

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BANARASI SAREE

Banarasi SAREE In the world of fashion ‘Banarasi Saree’ remains the Indian ‘SUN’ and has been a subject of great inspiration and appreciation for world-wide costume connoisseurs. These proposed episodes would try to fathom its historical continuance, record its traditions which goes from generation to generation and unveil the intricacies which goes towards making this Banarasi Saree an art and aesthetics. In short it would enter the subject from the raw materials and show the process to the final product and packaging.

It was in the Mughal era Baranasi saree came into popularity and got fashion currency. Today these sarees are being exported world-wide. Around 125 km of Varanasi this art of making Banarai saree is surviving since olden days. It was during the mughal times when all arts be it persian, rajasthan or other indian school got amalgamated to create a fusion of aesthetics. Same goes for costume as well. The persian motifs and Indian designs on silk texture studded with gold and silver remained the cue of Mughal patronage. Elaborate pure gold and silver designs are today rare still the zari has rightfully taken its position as an apt replacement.

Today there are mainly four varieties of Banarasi saree available. Those are Pure Silk (Katan); Shattir, Organza which is fine kora with zari and silk works and finally the Georgette . If you go to varanasi you would find some 10,000 shops selling Banarai Saree which is more a cottage industry for several million people around Varanasi which includes Gorakpur and Azamgarh as well. Around 60 percent of artisans are Muslim for whom weaving this art is their tradition. Ramzan Ali,an old traditional weaver said ‘After the partition of India people tried to take up this art ‘Banarasi Saree’ in distant land but could not produce an equivocal quality….there is something in this earth which makes the creation of Varanasi Saree possible’.

Once the saree is created those come to Gol Garj and Kunj Gali where Banarasi sarees are sold in wholesale rates. There several hundred shops where every morning people from different villages come to deliver ‘created’ sarees to the market. There are some 10 shops whose turn over they say even cross 80 crores in toto.

Thus we see for creation of Banarasi Saree one requires different experts right from the gauging the quality of Resham until marketing. All these goes towards creation of the unique saree which is envied by saree weavers from all over. Its no simple weaving rather those are functional art of India which is going on for centuries within a great fabric of Indian traditional weavers.

Indian Culture-Tamples

Hindu temples were not meant for large congregational worship. Pillared Mandapas with elaborate sculptures, sadas for dancing & wide circumbulating passages with other deities placed around the main deity constitute a temple complex.The prominent forms of temple designs are the North Indian Temples & Southern Indian Temples. There were changes in styles, but certain basic rules fundamental to Hinduism were followed regarding the position of the garba griha, directions of the other deities, etc. The exact birth of the history of temples cannot be traced exactly. The earliest temples were constructed of perishable materials like timber & clay. Next came the cave rock-cut structures. Elaborate structural temples with ornate architecture & sculpture came into existence much later. The Gupta period marks the beginning of structural temples & a wide variety of styles were adopted. The temples were built of brick & stone. The Hindu temples can be broadly classified into three basic styles - Nagara, Vesara & Dravida according to the Silpasastras. The styles are not strictly restricted to particular regions. There is an intermingling of styles, but it can be broadly considered that a particular style was more prominent in a specific region. (Northern, Deccani, Southern styles).

The construction of a temple is a religious act, thus great care is taken to ensure that all rules & conditions laid down are adhered to strictly, starting from the land selected for the temple. The location has to be appropriate in the sense that it should be a clean, serene place to invoke peace.For all power to get concentrated in the vigraham, the norms as laid down has to be followed in every step. None of these rules are the whims of our ancestors, but based on hard scientific facts. The vigraha also has to be made according to specifications. The main deity is housed in the garbagriham & there are Utsava murthis made of bronze Civilisation in India had flourished along the banks of her rivers, off the sea-shores & in semi arid regions. Depending on the locale, materials like wood, mud, bricks, tatches woven of palm & coconut leaves have been used. Huge stones had also been used to create archways, temples etc.,

Hinduism is supposed to be 'apauruseya', i.e., of impersonal origin & so also are the Gods of Hinduism. They are eternal & though the deities appear to be different & independent, they are really facets of the same Brahman, the Supreme God.as Sri Ramakrishna says, there can be as many spiritual paths as there are spiritual aspirants & similarly there can really be as many Gods as there are devotees to suit the moods, feelings, emotions & social background of the devotees.The Hindu scriptures were eloquent while describing the qualities of God. He is all-knowing & all powerful. He is the very personification of justice, love & beauty. He is ever ready to shower His grace, mercy & blessings on His creation. From the Rig Veda, we come to know of the vedic gods eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, Indra & Prajapathi, being the Gods of earth, the heavens & the space. The main Hindu Gods as we accept today can be broadly classified as Saiva Gods (Siva, His consort, His sons, His other forms), Vaishnava Gods (Vishnu, His consort, His various avatharams)& Sakthi or Saktha (Forms of Goddess Sakthi).

Coping With A Mixed Culture Relationship

As the world continues to shrink, and people become increasingly accustomed to moving country as one time they moved town, there is an increasing trend for mixed culture relationships. At one time, such relationships met with society's disapproval, but nowadays it's commonplace to see couples of obvious mixed backgrounds walking hand-in-hand in the shopping mall. If you find yourself involved with someone from a different cultural background to your own, there are ways of merging the two cultures so that rather than having two separate ones, you create a special mixed one that you can both happily live with. Mixed culture could mean different ethnicity, different religions, different languages, or even different social status. It could even mean a combination of some or most of these! In order to merge the two, you both need to first have a good base of respect for your partner's culture. You need to learn what is important to that culture in order to see where the blending areas are. In the case of religion, this may not be possible - but if you love and respect your partner, it's not necessary for you to convert to their religion, only that you both mutually respect the other's right to your own belief system.

Attribute of Airtist

When newly elected Socialist President François Mitterand announced that I. M. Pei had been hired to design the entrance to the Louvre, many critics flew to their respective podiums. How could a political party so outspoken about U.S. imperialism allow an American to resurrect their most sacred space? Many balked at the American association, scowling as they remembered art's exodus from the cafés of Paris to the lofts of New York.

Pei's supporters pointed out that he was an American who was born in China, a perfect consolidation of the West's flashiness and the East's efficiency. Pei had also been schooled in the Modernist tradition, a European baby if there ever was one. After all, at Harvard he had studied under the Bauhaus masters Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.

When the Louvre's new glass pyramids (one of which towered 70 feet above the ground) were uncovered, a vast public gasp was heard across Paris. The juxtaposition seemed outrageous, to say the least. The great French tradition had been compromised, the aesthetic line of the venerable structure ripped to shreds by these angular shapes erupting from amongst the cobblestones.

Again, his supporters came out in droves. They contended that only abstract forms and materials were simple enough to compliment the Louvre's beauty. His open atrium proved incredibly efficient, enlivened by balconies and escalators descending into a modernized space. Meanwhile, Ieoh Ming Pei had become perhaps the most recognized name in architecture since Frank Lloyd Wright.

The man behind the scandal was born in Canton in 1917, but left China at the age of 18 to make a name for himself in America. He immediately found a place at MIT and completed his bachelor's degree there in 1940. However, it seems the defining years of his career began when Pei went on to graduate school at Harvard. Pei had begun teaching at Harvard when he was hired at Hugh Asher Stubbins in 1946 (just three years before Mao would control all of mainland China). After two years, New York beckoned -- he moved to Webb & Knapp, serving as head of the architectural division for 12 years before opening his own firm. Since then, he has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 1983.

Pei is a living example of Leonardo da Vinci's dictum: "Strength is born of constraint, and dies of freedom." For Pei, constraint consists in the everyday materials of an architect's palette: light, space, proportion, environment. The latter particularly engages him. Often, he will study a place for days to get a taste of its spirit, his mind's eye weaving designs into the existing milieu. "After all," he says, "no building exists alone."

Consider his design for the Bank of China in Hong Kong, the largest building in Asia. With its series of glass triangles laid side by side, the structure seems to jut out of the earth like a levitating icicle (here again we see the glass and triangle motifs). Despite its size and overtly modern aesthetic, the building seems to slide into its environment -- even the mountains that frame Hong Kong embrace the structure. It's a solid yet elegant geometry that both accommodates and augments space. In a sense, Pei takes his essentialized forms from the earth's own blueprints. Perhaps the architect himself puts it best: "For me, there has to be geometry. What are buildings but cubes, spheres, tetrahedrons? There are endless possibilities in the way you arrange these basic shapes. That is what interests me."

The Strategic Importance Of India

Importance Of India

Our agreement with India is unique because India is unique. India is a democracy, where citizens of many ethnicities and faiths cooperate in peace and freedom. India's civilian government functions transparently and accountably. It is fighting terrorism and extremism, and it has a 30-year record of responsible behavior on nonproliferation matters.

our agreement is good for energy security. India, a nation of a billion people, has a massive appetite for energy to meet its growing development needs. Civilian nuclear energy will make it less reliant on unstable sources of oil and gas. Our agreement will allow India to contribute to and share in the advanced technology that is needed for the future development of nuclear energy. And because nuclear energy is cleaner than fossil fuels, our agreement will also benefit the environment. A threefold increase in Indian nuclear capacity by 2015 would reduce India's projected annual CO2emissions by more than 170 million tons, about the current total emissions of the Netherlands.