Indianhistory4u: June 2012

Taj Mahal : The Eternal Love Story

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal the wonder of the modern world , is one most popular mausoleum of Asia.Every person who came to India must visit Taj Mahal " Dream in White Marble ". It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his most loveable wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1648 A.D at Agra. Construction began in 1631 A.D and was competed in 22 years by 20,000 workers and Architects .
The principal Architect of Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri , Abd-ul-Karim and Makramat Khan.It was built on the bank of river Yamuna , in the south of Agra.The TAj mahal was constructed using materials form all over the Indian sub continent .While marble from Makrana , Rajasthan , Jasper from Punjab, crystal from China.The turquoise was from Tibet and Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan and carnelian from Arabia.
Sculptors and calligraphers are called from Bukhara, Syria and Persia.This Grand design was completed in 1648 A.D.The Taj Mahal incorporates Persian architecture and Mughal Architecture.
It was declared UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983 A.D.Taj Mahal attracts huge number of tourists almost 5 million people visits Taj Mahal every year.It is one of most romantic tourist places in all over the world .

Some quotation on Taj

“Tear on the face of eternity”

Rabindranath Tagore

"The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs and makes sun and moon shed tears from their eyes. In this world this edifice has been made to display, thereby, the Creator's glory."

Shah Jahan (Badshah Nama)

"If I had never done anything else in India, I have written my name here, and the letters are a living joy."

Lord Curzon, the British Governor-General

Taj Mahal Ariel View

"A massive marble structure, without weight, as if formed of ether, perfectly rational and at the same time entirely decorative, it is perhaps the greatest art work which the forming spirit of mankind has ever brought forth."
German Philosopher, Count Hermann Keyserling

Taj in Morning

I think Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Never imagined that They and their creation will be become the Symbol of Love all over the world up to Eternity !

Sikhism : Rise of Khalsa

Sikhism is newest in the tradition of religions in India. It is founded in 15th Century by Guru Nanak Dev. It continued to develop with ten successive gurus .Guru Nanak was the first in this tradition .He opposed all the social evils prevailed at that time in society.Guru Nanak warned against hypocrisy and falsehood saying that these are pervasive in humanity and that religious actions can also be in vain. He emphasizes on the purity of heart and prayer towards ek onkar satnam .

Guru Nanak Dev traveled thousands of kilometer towards Bengal , Assam , Tamil Nadu , Kashmir , Ladakh , Tibet , Baghdad ,Mecca and Median in Arabian Peninsula .

After Guru Nanak ,Guru Angad became next guru of Sikh community .He invented the Gurmukhi script and developed it .The scripture of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is weitten in Gurmukhi .

Next in this Guru tradition comes Guru Amar Das , he take a aim to fight against caste restrictions and untouchability .He also completely abolished the tradition of Sati amonged Sikhs.and started Anand Karaj marriage ceremony for Sikhs.
After him Guru Ram and Guru Arjan Dev became 4th and 5th Guru of Sikhs. Guru Arjan Dev Ji compiled the Adi Granth and wrote the Sukhmani Sahib. He became the first Martyr Guru of Sikh to be executed by the orders of Mughal Emperor Jahanjir.
Guru Har Govind ,Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan became 6th,7th and 8th Guru of Sikhs and contributed significantly in the development of Sikh tradition .
Guru Tegh Bhadur was the next Guru , he laid down his life for the protection of the Hindu and his followers .He was the firm believer that Freedom of Worship should be given to all.He was executed by the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb.
Guru Govind Singh ji was the last and the most powerful Guru of all .He created the Khalsa and changed the Sikhs in to saint warriors . he gave five major symbols to Sikhs
1.Kesh
2.Kangha
3 Kara
4 Kacchera
5 Kripan

In his leadership Sikhs fight against Great Mughal Empire with bravely and succeeded many times.He established his capital at Anandpur .
He was assassinate my two pathans in Nanded. He declared the Grath Sahib as the next Guru of the Sikhs.
Thus after Guru Govind Singh Ji tradition of Guru handed over to Guru Grath Sahib.

Sufism : Search of Truth

With the Rise of Islam in India , there comes another wonderful philosophical heritage
to India ,Sufism in late 1000 A.D . Sufism is the Mystical , Liberal and Popular form of Islam.
Various Sufi Silsila came to India and become very popular in India.
Indian Culture and Heritage always welcomed all the Great Traditions and Philosophies of the world .

The most important Silsila in India are Shadhiliyya ,Chishtiyyah , Naqshbandiyyah , Qudiriyyah and Suharwardiyya .Chishti Silsila is the most popular silsila in India and introduced by Khwaha Moinuddin Chishti .After him Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki , Fariduddin Ganjshakar and Nizamuddin Auliya were main Saints of Chishti Silsila.Other Sufi Silsila were also popular but not as Chishti because of liberal and popular teaching of Chisti .Today Sufi Dargha are respected by not only by Muslims but also by all other religions of India .
Today ,Sufi Dargha are the example of Secular Character of India .

Nasiruddin Mahmud Chirag-e-Delhi

Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya

khwaja moinuddin chishti

Sheikh Salim Chisti

Fariduddin Ganjshakar

India .... the Land of Great Diversity in Unity so many religions , ideologies , Sects , Philosophies but one aim ...one goal ....to Find , to discover , to search The Ultimate Truth ....The One ....!

Advaita :Matrix or Maya ! illusion !

Introduction

What if your world is a cosmic illusion?
Advaita Vedānta, articulated by Adi Śaṅkarācārya (9th century CE), argues that the multiplicity we perceive is played out by Māyā—a veil concealing Brahman, the one undivided reality

1. What Is Māyā?

Māyā means “illusion”—not that the world doesn’t exist, but that it isn’t what it appears to be .
It’s the cosmic force that obscures the unity of Brahman, keeping us trapped in duality.

2. The Anatomy of Illusion: Avidyā vs. Māyā

Avidyā = personal ignorance; the deep-rooted lack of awareness of our true Self
Māyā = its cosmic counterpart, projecting the world of separateness.
Both operate across Shankaracharya’s three levels of reality:
- Paramārthika (absolute reality)
- Vyāvahārika (empirical reality)
- Prātibhāsika (apparent/unreal)

3. The Path Forward: Jñāna Yoga

To pierce the veil of Māyā and Avidyā:

Viveka – Discriminate real (Brahman) from unreal (world)
Vairāgya – Let go of attachment and desire.
Śamādi (six virtues) – Calmness, self-control, endurance, faith, etc.
Svādhyāya + Nididhyāsana – Study scriptures (e.g., mahāvākya like tat tvam asi), reflect deeply, meditate.
Mokṣa – The awakening: “I am Brahman.” The illusion dissolves.

4. The Matrix Analogy

Much like The Matrix, which hides the true nature of reality—Advaita teaches a similar cosmic deception. Once awakened, the illusion overturns—it was never real, only masked

5. Why This Matters Today

Timeless relevance: Amid modern stress and fragmentation, Advaita’s message offers inner peace through recognition of oneness.
Global reach: Thinkers like Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekananda, Mooji, and Rupert Spira carry this wisdom forward in a language we can understand.
Practical impact: Reducing judgment, living simply, being fully present—these are direct applications in daily life.

Indianhistory4u