The Oldest Surviving Rock-cut Caves: Barabar & Nagarjuni of Bihar India

The Oldest Surviving Rock-cut Caves: 

Barabar & Nagarjuni of Bihar India

Rock-cut caves have been very unique in themselves. They are spread over all over India and are found in other countries of the world also. But rock-cut caves located in Makhdumpur Block  of  Jehanbad district of Bihar India  almost 24 km north of  Gaya are very very special and amazing.

The Barabar and Nagarjuni caves are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves mostly dating from the Maurya Empire (322-185 BC), some with Ashoka inscriptions.

                                     Image Courtesy: youtube.com

These caves are situated in the twin hills of Barabar with four caves and Nagarjuni with three caves separated by 1.6 km. These rock-cut chambers were built by Ashoka and his grandson Dasharatha of Maurya dynasty. 

Image courtesy:buddhistcircuitbihar.com

The caves were made for ascetics from Ajivika sect, founded by Makkhali Gosala , a contemporary of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.

Most caves at Barabar have two chambers, carved entirely of granite, with a highly polished internal surface, and with exciting, amazing echo effects.

Caves at Barabar Hills:

1. Lomas Rishi Cave
2. Sudama Cave
3. Karan Chaupa
4. Visva Zopri


Caves at Nagarjuna Hills:

1. Gopi (Gopi-ka-kubha)
2. Vadithi- ka - kubha cave
3. Vapiya-ka-kubha cave

Makar Sankranti Sacred Bath & World's Other Sacred Baths !

Makar Sankranti Sacred Bath & World's Other Sacred Baths !

Makar Sankranti is celebrated every year in India mostly on 14th January. It is celebrated in other parts of India with different names "Lohri" in Punjab, "Bhogali Bihu" in Assam, "Uttarayan" in Gujarat, "Khichadi" Uttar Pradesh & Bihar, "Shishur Saenkraat" in Kashmir Valley, "Pongal" in South.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated in various parts of the Indian Subcontinent to observe the day which marks the shift of the sun into ever-lengthening days. 

Image Courtesy:indiatimes.com

There is a tradition of taking bath in sacred rivers. It is said that all the sins get washed away and mind becomes clean and pure.

Similar tradition  can be found in the different parts of the world also in one form or the other and every such tradition has religious or social recognition.

Madhav Narayan Festival:

Image Courtesy: en.people.cn

Madhav Narayan Festival is celebrated every year in January in ancient city of Sankhu  of Nepal. Mostly women participate in this festival who take dip in Salindi river. During this period they continuously worship goddess Swastani. On this occasion men pray for good fortune and girls for good husband.

Nieuwjaarsduik:

                                                                          Image Courtesy:kovanleeuwen.nl
                                                     

Each New Year's day  in a town Seveningen of Netherlands thousands of people dive into the icy sea water as part of Nieuwjaarsduik.

Nieuwjaarsduik is a dutch word meaning the dive - the plunge into very cold waters. It is a tradition in Netherlands and other places around the world.

It started in one of the beach resorts in 1960 and now it is being celebrated at eighty nine other places. 

Polar Bear Swims:

Image Courtesy:604now.com

From the beginning of the 20th century itself people of Canada use to dive into cold water on the occasion of new year.This is not a festival as such but it is celebrated and enjoyed as festival. It is called "Polar Bear Swims"in called. It started in Vancouver in 1920 but now it has spread all over Canada.

Epiphany Day:

Image Courtesy: ibtimes.co.uk

Orthodox Christians  of Russia & Ukraine celebrate Epiphany Day in January.This is the old tradition of Christians in which they use to dive into ice-filled water. By doing so they commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ in which water is supposed to be sacred. They dive into ice-filled pond or river or  lake.  

'Comfort Woman' Statue Uncomfortable Relations between South Korea-Japan

'Comfort Woman' Statue & Uncomfortable Relations 

between South Korea-Japan

A news "Japan Recalls Envoy To South Korea Over'Comfort Woman Statue'" led to finding of the details about 'Comfort Women'.

Image Courtesy: dailykos.com

Comfort women were girls and women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army. These women were from occupied territories of IJA  before and during World War II.

As per testimonies young women were abducted from their homes in countries under Imperial Japanese rule. In most of the cases women were lured with promises of getting employment in restaurants or factories. Once recruited they were imprisoned in comfort stations both inside their nations and abroad. 

The name 'Comfort Women' is translation of Japanese ianfu, a substitute for 'prostitute (s)'.

 

 

A 'comfort women' statue made in front of the Japanese consulate in Busan South Korea has led to recalling of its Envoy to South Korea by Japan. Japan has also decided to suspend economic talks in response to the placing of the statue.

Many Koreans were among those forced into sexual slavery in front-line brothels for Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Forcing into such slavery is called the 'comfort woman' system. It is estimated that upto 200,000 women, mainly Korean were forced to work sex slaves. 

In every large scale conflict armed conflict women become victims of sexual violence. In most of the cases  this is kept quiet - by victims, perpetrators and government leaders. Shame, stigma  and feelings of guilt have made them maintain silence about their  wartime experiences for decades.