Chinatown Bokeh

Chinatown Bokeh, originally uploaded by theurbannexus.

Established in the Gold Rush period, in 1854, this is the oldest Chinatown in Australia. This was the period when Melbourne was the biggest and richest city in Australia, and developing into one of the most well established and endowed cities of the world, with the establishment of the University of Melbourne and other socioeconomic and political trends, which culminated in Melbourne being the nation's capital for the first 26 years of the nation's life.

Melbourne's Chinatown is the oldest continously running Chinatown outside Asia and runs on the eastern end of Little Bourke, between Exhibition and Swanston Streets.

There is another large Chinatown in Box Hill (suburban Melbourne) and also several (3) Little Vietnams (in the inner west in Footscray, inner east in Richmond, and south east in Springvale) in the city, as well as Italian and Greek precincts.

Technical: 30mm, f/1.4, shutter 1/25, desaturated from RAW.

mingers

a rather attractive site i stumbled upon

erm..

well...

Lanterns, Victoria St - Richmond

Lanterns, Victoria St - Richmond, originally uploaded by theurbannexus.

Lanterns seen at Ha Lom restaurant, as part of the Melbourne at Night flickr meet.

Unprocessed from RAW.

ngv :: carpark . two

ngv :: carpark . two, originally uploaded by theurbannexus.

National Gallery of Victoria (www.ngv.vic.gov.au), carpark.

Black and white with green tint. Uncropped.

Sona :: Golden & Beautiful*

Sona :: Golden & Beautiful*, originally uploaded by theurbannexus.

Sikhism is a religion of great beauty and simplicity. Launched originally as a revision to Hindu principals and beliefs that were not felt to be humanistic and against one-ness (eg. casteism), its followers later became the defendants of the Hindu faith under attack from the Mughals of Agra and Delhi. It was the sixth of ten Sikh Gurus, Guru Hargobind who militarised the Sikhs after his own father's (Guru Arjun Dev) was martyred defending the faith.

Under Guru Gobind Singh, Sikhism was declared a distinct religion from Hinduism - the Khalsa was born. Amrit, or the Sikh baptism was created (occurring in 1699), and the five Ks of Sikhism the signs of a Amritdari (or baptised) Sikh. Thus was born the newest formal religion in the world.

One of the most beautiful elements in Sikhism has a lot of similarity with Hinduism, Ik Onkar - One God - a core belief of Sikhism. It is derived from the Sanskrit ekomkara which is a sound combining ek (one) and omkar (the name of the Aum syllable). Aum is often known as Om in the West. Together this refers to 'the One Aum"; that is, the single cosmic consciousness.

Though in 1984 there was much pain between Hinduism and Sikhism, sporn out of political insensitivity and persecution of Sikhs post assassination of Indian PM Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, there was a longstanding tradition of bilateral closeness between these religions in the Punjab. During the period where the Sikh Army defended Punjab and North India, the eldest son in each Punjabi Hindu family was made a Sikh, and fought in the Guru's army to defend the land, and the faiths. Many Hindu families in the Punjab visit and have visited Sikh places of worship, and either regard the Ten Gurus reverently or have some respect for the religion.

This is dedicated to my Sikh friends, predominantly in WA; for bringing me into their lives and keenly teaching me about their religion, culture and traditions; it was through them that I was inspired to learn more about my Punjabi heritage, and taught myself the language.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

*This and all shots at Harmandir Sahib were taken without flash, and with full respect, to show the beauty of the Punjab, the peoples of the Punjab and the beauty of the Sikh religion.

Sona means 'Golden', or in colloquial use, 'beautiful' in the Punjabi language.

The Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh

The Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh , originally uploaded by theurbannexus.

This is the main historic repository of Chandigarh. Many of the pieces reflect the ancient history of the area, and include works from the Indus Valley Civilisation, Gandhara Period and Harappan Civilisation. These were formerly housed in the Central Museum, Lahore - which was the former capital of undivided Punjab.

After partition, 60% of the pieces remained in Lahore, and 40% were moved to India, where they moved several times until this centre, and Chandigarh were built.

The museum was opened in 1968 and is notable as it was personally designed by Le Corbusier, who also designed the main plans for Chandigarh.

About Chandigarh:
The first planned city in India, it was named for the Chandi Temple, some 15km away from the modern city.

Chandigarh is the dual capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana. It lies in the middle and is a Union Territory of India (like the Australian Capital Territory). It was made necessary during the Partition of India (and in this context, of Punjab), when the former capital of Punjab was lost to the Punjab state of Pakistan - this was Lahore.

Today Lahore is only 25 km from the Border with India at Wagah/Attari in Pakistan/India respectively. Amritsar is a similar distance across into India.

More about the CIty of Chandigarh, and its status and history can be found at the official website: chandigarh.nic.in/

Open Hand, Chandigarh*

Open Hand, Chandigarh*, originally uploaded by theurbannexus.

Le Corbusier, the designer of the modern planned city of Chandigarh created this motif - the open hand, to symbolise that humanity had choices, and did not have to accept the falsities of the world around oneself.

He proposed this symbol to represent non-alignment to the two power blocs at the time, in the context of the Cold War.

"This sign of the Open Hand is a sign of peace and of reconciliation," Le Corbusier said. "The Open Hand is meant to receive the created riches, and to distribute them to the peoples of the world. That should be the symbol of our epoch."

Chandigarh is the dual capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana. The first planned city in India, it was named for the Chandi Temple, some 15km away from the modern city.

It lies in the middle and is a Union Territory of India (like the Australian Capital Territory). It was made necessary during the Partition of India (and in this context, of Punjab), when the former capital of Punjab was lost to the Punjab state of Pakistan - this was Lahore.

Today Lahore is only 25 km from the Border with India at Wagah/Attari in Pakistan/India respectively. Amritsar is a similar distance across into India.

More about the CIty of Chandigarh, and its status and history can be found at the official website: chandigarh.nic.in/

*PP on my macbook with glossy screen; I am unsure of colour fidelity on this machine...; still off me legs - found my entire India trip RAW collection on my iPod :)

Respect & Love :: Golden Temple, Amritsar

Respect & Love :: Golden Temple, Amritsar, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Crowds pour in and out of the inner part of the Golden Temple, or Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab.

Dedicated to Raminder Pal Singh, whose inspiring work of the Golden Temple (along with Captain Suresh Sharma's work) inspired me to see one of the lands my ancestors came from - The Punjab.

Linkage:
Captain Suresh:
Raminder pal Singh

More Information...
The Harmandar Sahib (originally called the Hari Mandir, or 'temple of God') is also known as the Golden Temple. It is the holiest of Sikh Gurudwaras (or places of worship) and many thousands of Sikh and non Sikh devotees and tourists visit every year to witness this fantastic sight and spiritual haven.

Located in the older part of Amritsar city, this temple was originally the site of a small lake in a forest. In 1574, the Mughal Emporor, Akbar visited the third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das in a nearby village. He was so impressed by what he saw there, that he gifted a sum of money to the Guru's daughter (who later married a man who became the fourth Guru, Guru Ram Das). This money was used to enlarge the lake and build a small township.

Under the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, that the temple was built. A great Sufi (Muslim mystic, popular in this time in South Asia) friend of the guru from Lahore (former capital of undivided Punjab, now the capital of Pakistan's Punjab state) visited and laid the foundation stone in 1588. It was completed in 1601. Later it would be attacked by the Afghans, requiring rebuilding in the 1760s.

The temple has four enterances, which signifies the importance of acceptance and openness. All may enter the Harimandir Sahib, regardless of who they are - though they must abstain from meat, drinking alcohol, entering intoxicated, smoking or use drugs while inside (as with all Sikh temples).

The temple was also the site of Operation Blue Star, in 1984, which resulted in a very sorrowful time in the history of the people of Punjab and Delhi, regardless of race or religion, though it was the Sikhs who suffered more.

It was at this time that Sikhs in Delhi were at high risk. My maternal Grandfather took a neighbouring Sikh family into his house to help ensure their safety, and they remain friends since.

Links:
www.harmandirsahib.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blue_Star

Bhangra- Folk Dance of Punjab State of India

Bhangra- Folk Dance of Punjab State of India, originally uploaded by Captain Suresh.

Bhangra is a lively form of Punjabi folk music and dance that originates from Punjab. People traditionally performed Bhangra when celebrating the harvest. During Bhangra, people sing Punjabi Boliyaan lyrics, at least one person plays the the dhol drum, and other people may play the flute, dholak drum, or other musical instruments. While Bhangra began as a part of harvest festival celebrations, it eventually became a part of such diverse occasions as weddings and New Year celebrations.

Primarily men performed Bhangra, while the ladies performed their own fierce, yet elegant, dance called Giddha. The men wore the turban, lungi (long cloth wrapped around the waist), and kurta (traditional Indian shirt.

Nowadays, because of Punjabi influence worldwide, people perform Bhangra in all parts of the world at occasions such as weddings, receptions, and parties. Bhangra has evolved from a dance and music only performed in the Punjab region, to a popular style of music and dance that people perform throughout South Asia and many parts of the world.

Jagmandir Island Palace, Lake Pichola

Jagmandir Island Palace, Lake Pichola, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Now a hotel operated by the Maharana of Mewar's property trust, this palace is one of two (the other is operated by India's Taj Hotel group, which also owns Blue Sydney) in Lake Pichola.

These palaces formerly served as summer retreats for the King and his court from the heat of the land. The much larger City Palace can be seen from Jagmandir.

The palace lies in the south of Lake Pichola, and was completed in stages by Maharana Jagat Singh I (constructed the mandir , or temple) and Maharana Karan Singh who built the palace in the period from 1620-8.

This palace is historically important - it was here that Prince Khurram (who later became Mughal Emporor Shah Jahan, the man who built the Taj Mahal for his wife Mumtaz) took refuge from his father, Jehangir - Maharana Karan Singh provided this initially at City Palace, but then the Prince was moved to the island palace on the Lake after his nobles failed to respect local customs.

In a historical ironic turn, he later lead the Mughal army (1614) to defeat Maharana Amar Singh (the father of Maharana Karan Singh). The Mewari rulers were asked to act as members of the Mughal court and a friendly relationship between the Mewar rulers (the Sisodias) and the mighty Mughals was seeded.

, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Chandigarh City Museum, Chandigarh, India

Greens Always Shine Through

Greens Always Shine Through, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Coloured glass decorations in stone, City Palace - Udaipur, Rajasthan. The old seat of the Royal House of Mewar.

I debated cutting off the top background decoration, but retained it as I feels it gives some sort of orientating context to the main image.

Circa

Circa, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Angel of Sydney

Angel of Sydney, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Ferry Away :: Milson's Point, Sydney

Ferry Away :: Milson's Point, Sydney, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

The Sydney Ferry from Darling Harbour-Milson's Point-Circular Quay departs the point. Luna Park greets us with its garish grin. The ferry parts, blowing smokey air at our bewildered selves.

Wake Up Surry Hills!

Wake Up Surry Hills!, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

A poster I saw taped up on a wall, Surry Hills - Sydney.

A few days later, I saw a disheveled middle aged man, walking barefoot, wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with this (perhaps he just stuck a sign to his shirt, but it looked too good for that).

Bottlan :: Bottles

Bottlan :: Bottles, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

'Bottlan' is the plural form of the Hindi/Punjabi versions of the word bottle. I don't know if there is an indigenous word, or if it was just transliterated across.

Campa Cola thrived when Coca Cola was thrown out of India in 1983. However, it began to die off in the mid 90s as Pepsi, then Coke entered India during economic liberalisation. Today these bottles serve only as a reminder of this non-existant brand.

This is a fruit juice and beverage stall and these bottles store frozen water. Sitting above them are limes, which are favoured over lemons in India. I wonder if this is because Ayurveda (India's system of medicine that included 8 medical specialities including medicine, surgery and psychiatry, around 6000 years old) seems to favour them.

Shot at Lajpat Nagar Market, a 'bazaar' (another Hindi word) in the suburbs of South Delhi.

Getting Kitted For Religion, Amritsar

Getting Kitted For Religion, Amritsar, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Our very friendly rickshaw-wallah in Amritsar carefully places a head covering on my friend John. It is a necessary sign of respect to cover one's head in the presence of God in a Sikh Temple.

And this, Harmandir Sahib, is the holiest of Sikh Temples.

Amritsar, Punjab takes its name from the holy waters of the tank in which the Harmandir Sahib sits. The tank is called the Amrit Sarovar - a beautiful name meaning literally, 'Nectar Pool'.

It was a cold and rainy day, but beautiful from the feeling of devotion that Harmandir Sahib inspired within me.

In the background are Sikh men ("Singh" as their designated title, meaning "Lion") and women ("Kaur", or princess being their designated title). These titles were originally used as last names to indicate the lack of caste or class distinction in Sikhism, something today that has changed. However, most Sikhs (abroad anyway) retain these titles as middle names.

The men wear western clothes and traditional Sikh turbans (Punjabi Hindus and Muslims had their own styles of turban - no longer worn). Long hair is believed to give strength to men, according to Yogic beliefs, and in Sikhism. The traditional dress of the male is called the Kurta Pyjama (literally meaning "shirt pant")

The women wear colourful Punjabi suits - the Salwaar Kameez.

Chillin, Lake Pichola | Udaipur

Chillin, Lake Pichola | Udaipur, originally uploaded by Urban|nexus.

Lake Pichola in Udaipur fills up with water every few years. The Lonely Planet guide I had was written when it was dry (like Jaipur's Jal Lake is at the moment). The lake looks serene in the morning when the warm winter sun embellishes its surface, and that of the beautiful buildings by its shore. This was viewed from the bay window of the apartment in the Kankarwa Haveli (these Havelis were the mansions of well to do courtisans of the Maharana of Mewar, who ruled Jaipur and before that, Chitoor).