The Course Of Brahmaputra

The course of River Brahmaputra

The Brahmaputra River is the 9th largest and the 15th longest river in the world. The river originated from the Angsi Glacier / Chemayungdung Glacier in the Kailash range of the Himalayas. The river is called Yarlung Zhabo in Tibet, it flows east, then enters India through the state of Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called, Siang. It flows down to the state of Assam where it is then called Brahmaputra (Son of Brahma). It continues its course down to Bangladesh where it is called Jamuna. It confluences with the Padma (the Ganges in Bangladesh), to form Meghna before flowing into the Bay of Bengal. 

River Manas (Drangme Chchu in Bhutan) and River Beki (Kuru Chchu in Bhutan) originating from Kula Kangri Glacier and Tawang Chu River (originating from Cona county in Tibet) respectively, join the Brahmaputra as it flows down south. 

The tributaries of River Brahmaputra

Vatican City - The Smallest Country In The World

Vatican City is the smallest Country in the World which covers an area of 0.44 Sq km and has a population of 800 - 1000 people (2020 and 2022 data from the web). It is the only country in the world that has the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the only country in the world that has no citizenship by birth. In fact, this country has no hospitals and no one can be born here. Not sure what happens if someone does give birth to a child there. So far it has a zero birth rate. Citizenship to this country is granted on the basis of 'Jus Officii'. It means someone working there with an official status can be granted citizenship for the tenure of the job. The citizenship is revoked once the job status is terminated. 

The country is located within the municipal boundaries of the City of Rome, the capital of Italy. Vatican City became an independent state in 1929 after the Lateran Treaty was signed between Italy and the Holy See, prior to which it was under the domain of Italy. An interesting fact is Italian government allows Italians to donate 8% of their taxes to Vatican City. The country gets its name from the Vatican Hills, on which it is located, on the western bank of the River Tiber.

Vatican City is the home of the largest Church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica. Built in the Renaissance style it was designed by some of the best artists and architects of the Renaissance period - Bramante, Michelangelo, Maderno, Bernini. Porta, Fontana to name a few. The Church was built in place of the old St Peter's Basilica constructed by Emperor Constantine over the burial shrine of Saint Peter one of the 12 disciples of Jesus who played a prominent role in founding the Christian Church. While Pope Nicholas V began the renovation works on the old basilica, Pope Julius II laid the foundation of the work for the new Basilica.

Vatican by the night

I traveled to the Vatican once in 2007 and once in 2019. Reaching the Vatican is pretty easy since it is located in Rome. Rome is one of the best-connected cities in the world. While there is no entry tickets to the Basilica, there is entry ticket for the Sistine Chapel and the Museums. The tickets can be purchased online at the Vatican City official website. The online ticket price is around 22 euros. They are available at a reduced cost if purchased in person at the entry. However, the basilica is usually crowded, with more than 25000 tourists visiting it every day and entry to the basilica itself takes almost 2 hours or more unless you are very lucky. We had a long wait and I did not get a chance to visit the museums or the gardens, since we had no time after the long wait in the queue. The basilica opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. (April - September) / 6 p.m. (October - March).

St Peter's Square

The most famous sculpture of St. Peter's Basilica is the 'La Madonna Della Pieta' (our lady of piety). This Carrara marble (quarried from Carrara, Tuscany), sculpture sculpted by Michelangelo gives a tangible form to the sorrow of the Madonna who is shown holding the body of his dead son. The sculpture is protected behind a glass case after an attack in 1972, by a Hungarian tourist who threw a hammer at the sculpture thus damaging the face and arm of the Madonna. 

Michelangelo's Pieta

The basilica is one of the most exquisitely designed churches of the Renaissance period. The grand nave is breathtakingly beautiful. The ornated carvings and inscriptions are mesmerizing. The Latin inscription seen around the base of the dome reads:  "...You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven...."

Another inscription above the Statue of St Peter reads: "...Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed also in Heaven...."

The nave of St. Peter's Basilica

The Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, The Apostle Islands, And Indiana Dunes

 

The Great Lakes are 5 large freshwater lakes that are interconnected and are shared by USA and Canada. The Straits of Mackinac connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron; Lake Superior is connected with Lake Huron by St. Mary's River; Lake Huron is connected with Lake Eerie by the St. Clairs River; Lake Eerie is connected with Lake Ontario by the Niagara River and Lake Ontario is connected with the Atlantic Ocean through St Lawrence river. Hence, these lakes are also called The Laurentian Lakes. 

I visited Lake Superior from Duluth, Superior, and Bayfield. Lake Michigan from Chicago. Lake Eerie from Detroit on the way to Niagara Falls. I have not yet had the opportunity to visit lake Huron and Ontario. Yup, a visit to Canada is definitely on the bucket list :)

APOSTLE ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGO:

We went to the apostle Islands from Fargo via Duluth, Superior, and then to Bayfield. At Bayfield, we rented a cottage in a wood close to one of the beaches. The cottage was a duplex with beautiful views, though a teeny bit spooky at night when the sounds of animals and insects break the silence of the still nights. We saw stars and fireflies but couldn't capture those with my not-so-high-tech camera. We also saw a black bear, clicking a pic was the last thing on our minds :) but yes it was my closest encounter with a bear who thankfully did not notice us. 

Bayfield is the closest to the Apostle Islands archipelago. It constitutes 22 small islands on the lake Superior shoreline. Each island has a lighthouse which can be seen during the cruise ride. 

The cruise ships can be boarded from Bayfield port. We took a two-hour ride and maybe a longer one would have been better. There are options for kayaking as well. When we visited, the waters were high and rough and Kayaking was restricted.

Bayfield Pier

The cruise takes you along the shoreline and beautiful rock formations can be seen. Details of these formations can be read here. The longer cruise allows island hopping. Camping is possible in 19 of the 21 islands. Boating, kayaking, fishing, and hiking are other popular activities in this park. At the time we visited the lakeshore, it wasn't as crowded as it is off late in the last few years. We got to experience the beach private to us only - that was quite a steal. 

Bayfield is a small harbor town with a quaint little downtown and quiet beaches. Just perfect for a weekend getaway. Overall, our vacation there was lovely.

Sea caves and sandstone arches - The caves can be entered through kayaks and during winters when frozen

NIAGARA FALLS:

Well for all Indians, Niagara is a must-visit. If it's a US trip, Niagara has to make it to the bucket list. So, as tradition goes, I had the opportunity to visit the falls twice. Once with parents and once with friends visiting us and it was totally worth it. Niagara falls constitutes of three waterfalls, the American falls, The bridal veil falls and the horseshoe falls. While Niagara may not be among the tallest waterfalls, its width and volume make it one of the top five largest waterfalls close to Iguazhu and Victoria (the largest waterfall in terms of width). The falls are formed by the Niagara gorge and fed by the waters of the Niagara river which connects the two great lakes Erie (USA) and Ontario (Canada).

The maid of the mist boat tour on the US side takes tourists close to the horseshoe waterfalls. Cave of winds, a natural cave behind the bridal veil falls has decks that take tourists pretty close to the bridal veil falls. Both tours are an absolute must if visiting the falls. The experience is once in a lifetime.

The three Niagara waterfalls - American falls (the leftmost), Bridal Veil falls (The narrow falls next to American falls and the Horseshoe falls (rightmost) which is partly in the US and partly in Canada

INDIANA DUNES:

The Indiana dunes is a long beach stretch of natural sand dunes on the southern tip of lake Michigan. It is maintained by the Indiana State parks systems and is one of the most bio-diverse systems. The park is home to more than 350 species of migratory birds, lush wetlands, and sandy beaches. Hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, and bird-watching are the most popular activities here. 

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

I went to the Skagit tulip festival from Seattle in April 2009. It was an hour's drive and was pretty easy to get there. The tulips were still not in full bloom in some parts but what we got to see was absolutely beautiful. The tulip festival details can be found here on their official website.

The Story of Tulips:

Tulips were first discovered in Kazakhstan. There are about 35 species of Tulips that grow wild in Kazakhastan. There are over 3000 varieties and hybrids of Tulips found all across the world. When Kazakhstan was conquered by the Ottoman rulers, tulips traveled to Turkey. Eventually, it became the national flower of Turkey. From Turkey, it traveled to the Dutch land and there was a time when it was sold at the price of gold (1634-1637) in the Netherlands - it was the period called Tulip Mania. 

The other famous Tulip festival venues across the world are in the:

1. Netherland: Netherlands is called the Tulip Capital of the World and every year one of the biggest Tulip festivals is organized at the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in Amsterdam. The Dutch celebrate January 15th as National Tulip Day.

2. India: The Srinagar Tulip Gardens in India is open to public visits around March-April every year.

3. USA: Skagit, Washington, and Holland, Michigan are two of the many places in the US that celebrate Tulip fests. 

4. Australia: The biggest Tulip festival in Australia is held around September / October at Teselaar, Victoria.

5. Turkey: Tulip festival is organized every year at Emigran Park, Istanbul

6. Canada: The Commissioner's Park in Ottawa holds the largest Tulip festival in the world.

7. Japan: There are many Tulip gardens across Japan. This blog has listed some of the best in Japan.

8. New Zealand: Eden Garden, Auckland, organizes one of the big Tulip fests in New Zealand

9. UK: Here is a list of Tulip gardens in the UK, many among them which hold the Tulip festival in April.

PINK TULIPS in Skagit

 

DAFFODILS in Skagit

Kapurthala And Patiala

Patiala Palace

The only Moorish (Moroccon style) mosque in India..the other Mosque of Moorish (Spanish style) is in Hyderabad.

Bazaar of Patiala

Courtyard Architecture

Entrance of Qila Mubarak 

Amidst a colorful, crowded bazaar of bangles and Punjabi jutties is the unassuming Qila Mubarak...on an ordinary day, you might just walk past it without knowing, what a treasure trove of history you might have just missed.

The Main entrance: Take that extra turn and you will be introduced to the Majestic Royal Palace of the Patiala rulers...

This mud and the baked brick fort has been listed among the endangered monuments of India, by the WMF, and a couple years back its restoration works were initiated.

Delhi to Patiala is about 5 hour drive. The nearest airport to Patiala is Chandigarh airport. This small laid-back city finds its name in the global charts because of the famous Patiala Peg.  Patiala is also famous for its handmade leather sandals (jutties), the Patiala salwar, the Patiala turban, the Patiala necklace, and the Patiala Maharajas, Bhupinder Singh being the most famous one. He led a lavish life and his opulent lifestyle makes the background for many stories.

The Patiala Peg was supposedly Maharaja Bhupinder Singh's brainchild as per one of the many stories associated with the origin of this peg of whisky. The giant peg of 120 ml, 4 times the standard 30 ml is a symbol of the extravagant hospitality of the Patiala rulers. A measure of the Patiala Peg is the distance between the little finger and the index finger when kept parallel. 

The Qila Mubarak was built as a Mud fortress by the founder of the Patiala Dynasty Baba Ala Singh. Later it was renovated and reconstructed in baked brick. It had been the main fort of the Patiala Rulers for over 100 years. This fort palace is a fine example of Sikh Courtyard Architecture. The various sections of the palace are flanked by courtyards but tied up by a huge terrace. An article on the fort.

The Kapurthala Mosque built by Maharaja Jagjit Singh of Kapurthala was inspired by the Kutubiyya Mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco and the Court of the lions of Alhambra in Grenada, Spain

Multifoil Arches and Muqarna-inspired design

Arcade with Tuscan style columns
and horseshoe arches

Horseshoe Arch

The Kapurthala mosque is an absolute must visit particularly those who have interest in architecture, since it is one of the two Moorish influenced architectural gems in India. It is about 2 kms away from the main City and has an easy access. 

We stayed at the Baradari Palace, A Nimrana heritage boutique hotel in Patiala and it took us about 3.5 hours (175kms) to reach the Mosque. It was definitely worth the journey. Kapurthala was one of the Princely States of India and was ruled by the Ahluwalia dynasty. The Maharajahs of Kapurthala were great art and architecture enthusiasts and many of the buildings here are evident of that. The Maharaja Jagatjit Singh Palace is Indo-French style, Elysee Palace is Indo-French style, and the Darbar Hall, Currently Kapurthala COurt is Indo-Saracenic Style. 

Other places of interests near Kapurthala are Kanjli wetlands, and Shalimar Gardens.

What is Moorish Architecture?

As the name suggests, Moorish Architecture is architecture style that was developed by the Moors. The Moors, derived from Ancient Mauri, were the Islamic inhabitants of the Maghreb region (North Africa), The region flanking the Iberian Peninsular, Southern Spain, Southern Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sicily, Malta to name a few.

Zellij tile work

Some Famous Examples of Moorish Architecture:

- Alhambra, Grenada Spain

- Great Mosque of Cordoba, Spain

- Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco

- Great Mosque of Kairouan, Tunisia

Distinct Charateristics of Moorish Architecture:

- Use of Arches - Multifoil, Ogee, Horseshoe, Lancet

- Voussoirs

- Ribbed vaults usually non-radial

- Courtyards and Riad gardens

- Arabesque motifs

- Muqarnas and honeycombed designs

- Crenallated arches and parapets

- Pyramid roofs

- Ribbed Domes

- Zellij (arabic) and Azulejo (spanish) tile work

Intricate geometrical arabesque motifs on ribbed dome. Also apparent in the pic are the crennalated multifoil arches

130 year old Darbar Hall, Kapurthala Court built in Indo-Saracenic Style