Maatir Blogs

In the bustling neighborhood of Colaba in Mumbai, the Gateway of India marks one of the city's biggest tourist attractions. It’s a site for locals and tourists alike, filled with street vendors, photographers, and food stalls. The Making of a Monument The Gateway of India was built in the 20th century using Indo-Saracenic architecture. That means that this project was a collaboration of both Gujarati and Arabic styles of architecture.  The genius behind this project was Scottish architect George Wittet. The construction started in March of 1911 and the finished structure was completed in 1924. On December 4, 1924 the monument was officially inaugurated. Style  The Gateway of India is made with basalt. That was a unique choice of stone for two reasons. The first is that basalt is resistant to acidification, and being so close to the Arabian Sea, that is important. The second is that since it’s yellow, it makes for a pleasing visual experience even if you are too far away to see...

Born into his family's small kingdom, Siddhartha Guatama was given everything life had to offer. But he was unhappy living a life of royals. He saw the realities of death, sickness, and suffering and was deeply moved. So, he left his family behind in search of life’s greater meaning. His answer changed the world. Becoming Buddha The traditional story of Buddha tells us that he endured all kinds of self-torture and cut his hair to deny his royal status. When he realized he was no closer than when he began, he set off to a pipal tree to meditate until the answers revealed themselves. 49 days later he emerged victorious and Enlightened. What It Means To Be Buddha Buddha is a title adorned by the person who achieves true Enlightenment and travels the world to spread its message. It’s Sanskrit for “the one who is awake”. The concept of Enlightenment is central to Buddhism. It’s all about unconditioning yourself from the constructs of life like strong opinions, perceptions, and upbringin...

It’s hard to think of a more influential leader than Mohandas Karamchand  Gandhi. Born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gandhi was a great proponent of  change through his words, actions, and way of life until his death on January 30, 1948. Ahimsa Known to many as mahatma, or great soul, Gandhi is internationally famed for his acts of civil disobedience. His philosophy of ahimsa made its way around  the world to other activists. His methods of peaceful struggle have been followed  by many including Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, and  President Obama. Thanks to Gandhi’s efforts and those inspired by him, the philosophy of  nonviolence and civil disobedience persist even today. But peaceful protests are  only part of Gandhi’s story Media Gandhi was the world’s first political influencer. His ideas reached a level of  influence never before attained by any other country in the world.  One of his greatest assets was his...

Imagine the Taj Mahal. The lush, green gardens surrounding a rectangular pool of clear water. The white marble domes command your attention as they stand in all their glory in front of you. In the distance you can see the red sandstone mosque emerge. The Yamuna River softly rushes as it winds its way around the estate. Innovations The Taj Mahal in Agra is the greatest achievement in Indio-Islamic architecture to date. It has some unique innovations for the time that make it so special.   First up is the octagonal marble latticework. It allows for ventilation and seeing the outside without being exposed. Then, placing the tomb at the end of the garden instead of the center was unheard of.  Finally, all the buildings that make up the Taj Mahal are freestanding. Not to mention its impressive scale, standing at 73 meters tall. Influences The most prominent feature of Indian architecture is the lotus flower that is featured atop all of the domes. The symbolism in Hinduism of the lo...

When you first think of India, you may think of the food or the people or seeing the Taj Mahal. But with all the things that make up India, it’s easy to forget that there’s an abundance of wildlife that calls India home. Among these animals are Bengal tigers. Mythology Throughout Hindu mythology, tigers represent courage and strength. These ideals are shown very clearly in the goddess Durga who can be seen riding fearlessly into battle on a tiger. She is depicted with many arms and in each hand, she carries a weapon. The stories say that all of the gods came together to create the goddess. Because of this, her powers are a combination of all the gods. Durga means ‘fortress’ and it’s for this reason that she is called the protector but we can all play a role in protecting the tigers. Project Tiger As an apex predator, tigers are incredibly important for maintaining the biodiversity in India. Sadly, from 1875 to 1925 around 80,000 tigers have been killed to make medicines and to keep ...