The enormous temple complex is dedicated to Shiva, known here as Sundareshvara and his consort Parvati or Meenakshi. The original temple was built by Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks. The Nayaks ruled Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century and left a majestic imprint of their rule in the Meenakshi - Sundareswarar Temple.

The temple complex is within a high-walled enclosure, at the core of which are the two sanctums for meenakshi and Sundareshwara, surrounded by a number of smaller shrines and grand pillared halls. Especially impressive are the 12 gopuras. Their soaring towers rise from solid granite bases, and are covered with stucco figures of dieties, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colours.

One of the world's most distinctive skyscrapers, the Etisalat Tower is topped by a large sphere which many people liken to a "giant golf ball".

The Etisalat Tower in Dubai was designed by the renowned Canadian architect Arthur Ericson whose project was taken over and completed by the Canadian building consultants Cansult after Ericson encountered contractural difficulties. It is a 100 metre cylindrical tower of concrete, steel and glass comprising 15 floors with an adjacent 3-storey circular annex containing public service offices and facilities. The Tower comprises 2 opposing concrete "shoulders" each shaped in a 40° arc that rise from the base of the building to the top. Within these are the tower's lifts and service supply facilities. Between the 2 arcs are 15 floors of office space shrouded by dark green coloured steel and glass that project out from the building in staggered, vertical, narrow, rectangular columns diminishing in number as the floors project outwards from the concrete columns.

Above the 15th. floor, the hexagonal roof slants in to the centre from either side of the building at 45° to form a base for the communications orb at the zenith. The communications orb is pitted like a golf ball and is packed with telecommunications transmitters and receivers providing satellite and mobile telephone connections throughout the UAE. The exterior of the orb is covered with a mesh of lights that illuminate the orb at night and projecting from the top is a radio antenna spike topped by a pulsating red light signalling the highest reach of the building to aircraft approaching on the adjacent flight approach.

Wonder Bus is an amphibious bus launching first time in Middle East and will be second in Asia after Japan (Osaka). Wonder bus is the only bus in the world equipped with all the facilities like full internal decoration, air-condition, Internal bathroom, Sound system, TV and DVD player..Wonder Bus takes you around the beautiful city sights..that travels on land and on water..

The tower, slightly shown in the photo is Emirates Office Tower and Emirates Towers Hotel skyscrapers, respectively the 12th and the 24th tallest currently-standing structures in the world..

The sister towers are a symbol of Dubai City.

Crossing the Dubai Creek is by abra (small ferry)
stations are located along the Creek on both the Bur Dubai and Deira sides.. Dubai Creek, which slices through the centre of the city, has become one of the best-known waterways in the world. Abras can be hired for a private tour (for a price negotiable with the driver but usually very cheap). This is quite a popular activity at sunset on a clear day and affords a wonderful views especially at sunset...Abras set off very regularly, and the service is available round-the-clock...
I like to travel across on the abra, and I spent most of the friday evenings simply enjoying the beautiful scene..

One of the Middle East’s most recognizable building projects...

Third anniversary of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is over..
What United States gained from Iraq?

Deaths:
Counts of civilian deaths individually documented range from 33,638 to 37,754; statistical lower estimate of total, up to Sep 2004, is 100,000 plus/minus 94,000. The study's estimate of total deaths ranges from 8,000 to 194,000 at a 95% confidence interval This estimate was made in October of 2004. The results have been disputed; see Lancet study for details.at 95% confidence..

U.S. armed forces:
2,314 total deaths (DoD confirmed), 17,124 combat wounded (7,805 evacuated). The U.S. does not classify Americans injured in non-combat accidents among the wounded.

Armed forces of other coalition countries:
205 (103 British, 26 Italian, 18 Ukrainian, 17 Polish, 13 Bulgarian, 11 Spanish, 3 Slovaks, 2 Estonians, 2 Dutch, 2 Danes, 2 Thai, 2 Salvadoran, 1 Australian, 1 Latvian, 1 Kazah, 1 Hungarian)

Non-Iraqi civilians:
Unknown, but at least 309 contractors, 81 journalists, 20 media support workers, and 150 aid workers.

The wounded Iraqi girl's photo was taken by Rueters photographer on March 29-2003..The four year old girl, blood streaming from an eye wound, was screaming for her dead mother, while her father, shot in a leg, begged to be freed from the plastic wrist cuffs slapped on him by U.S. marines, so he could hug his other terrified daughter...

A Guinness Book of World Record entry for the largest letter 240 by 360 feet, to be exact , signed by thousands of Indian schoolchildren, to their friends across the border in Pakistan. With the message of love, peace and brotherhood from India to Pakistan...if you treasure love and peace..keep your support with your heart --- I wish all the best and great success for the Great Spirit..


It may be long before the law of love will be recognised in international affairs. The machineries of government stand between and hide the hearts of one people from those of another. -- M.K. Gandhi

Classic artists from kerala(India) perform of different musical instruments during the festivals of the Temples in Kerala. The most famous performance is that during the Thrissur Pooram...Thrissur Pooram is the most colourful temple festival of Kerala, Thrissur Pooram attracts large masses of devotees and spectators from all parts of the State and even outside..

The inaugural International Run Day will be held in Dubai on April 6 under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The race, which is open to different categories, will be organised by the Ministry of Defence in co-operation with the International Council of Military Sport (CISM).
Categories will include races for boys, men and also a women's race.
Athletes from Kenya, Tanzania, Morocco, Algeria, in addition to athletes from GCC countries and the UAE will also take part.

The event will carry the slogan 'Friendship through Sport.'

Yesterday My friend and I went to a big shopping centre and it was fun..We watch the movie "Munich"..the '72 Olympics tragedy, assassins track those responsible...MUNICH opens with Black September's assault on 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games. As this was one of the first terrorist events to make use of the "world stage" provided by television cameras, the sequence includes footage from ABC sports (with Jim McKay's worried commentary) and shots of tv viewers in shock...the movie deals with difficult ethical, political, and emotional issues, including terrorism, assassination, national identity, and personal responsibility also the film includes graphic violence, some sexual content, nudity and language..
Eric Bana's career must surely bring hope to all aspiring screen actors...
when we finished movie I was looking around to take a photo..I have seen an artist near the food court drawing someone's portrait, I saw beside him
one cute russian girl, she has short light brown hair, blue eyes..and she has a sparkle in her eyes..she was playing with his crayons and papers..when I tried to take photo she had a certain look that she refused to pose for photo and she asked me "Why do you want to take my photo?" the artist told her that he is my friend, let him take a photo..the girl replied..your friend??..but not mine! I do not know him..tell him to go from here..othervise I'll kill him..I took a lot of pictues without listening to her but just couldnt catch her blue eyes!

I finally watched Rang De Basanti (Paint It Saffron) such a beautiful movie - I loved it,..please go n watch it. dont listen to anybodys comments... I can say one of the best movies I've ever seen...every actor did his/her best and
the songs are great too...the film does have some connection to the history...so every indian youth should see this movie...
The story begins with the young British filmmaker Sue (Alice Patten) stalking off her budget-hit job to India to make a film on the young revolutionaries who so impressed her grandfather, an angrezon ke zamaane ke jailor, with their calm in the face of imminent death. In Delhi, aided by Sonia (Soha Ali Khan), she runs into DJ (Aamir Khan), Karan (Siddharth), Sukhi (Sharman Joshi), Aslam (Kunal Kapoor). With them and the saffron-hued Laxman Pandey (Atul Kulkarni) who joins them later, she hopes to realize her dream of a making a film on Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Rajguru et al.But, contrary to Sue's expectations, the youth have no feelings for their country. India is a no-hoper where corruption is rampant, and nothing can be done to salvage the situation, they believe. They even poke fun at Sue's attempts to make a film, till they come around. As they play the historical characters, their perspective about the present, and their own role in it, changes forever. Which, in a nutshell, is what the movie is about... A Generation Awakens- It surely does..

Yesterday @ 'Jebel Hafeet'('Whale Mountain').. stands to the south of the town of Al-Ain (UAE) close to the border with Oman...

Thanks for making this lovly poem.. it makes me feel happy..fills my day with happiness..



Bright Eyes
by ANNELINE


Those eyes…so bright, but yet so sad
What can I do to make them glad

Who did them wrong
Why are they not strong

Those eyes…a song of loneliness
A sign of emptiness

What are they searching for
Happiness….and what more?

Eyes like those, should shine
And everything should be fine

What can I do to make them happy
Just tell me once, and I’ll be snappy

Bright eyes….make them bright
With all your might

Bright eyes…let them shine
For they are destined to be divine


http://www.takingitglobal.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=6921

First day of spring in DUBAI