When Buddhism was the dominant tradition in India Essay Example for Free

When Buddhism was the dominant tradition in India Essay Indian historical periods are related to the Buddhists Thought in terms of social ferment and intense intellectual social and cultural beliefs. The periods of how the religious groups evolved during the authority of the Vedas and their concept of the god they believed in. These periods range from the times at which there was consequential progress in the development of the religion in India. There were in certain hereditary statuses restrictions that had cast castle mobility of the implications of the rituals associated with the efficacy of Buddhism. The first periods of evolution of Buddhism started as early as 246 B. C in the northern parts of India. It then developed through very many empires and rulers to become a religion that is appreciated even today in all parts of the World. This paper will therefore analyze the periods of evolution of Buddhism and how it dominates the religious beliefs and minds of the ancient Indians and other people around the region. It will also look at how the religion was affected by the entry of other religious teachings including Islam and Christianity. It will find discuss the implications of the Thought of Buddhists with regard to the teachings of the founder of Buddhism by emphasizing the negative and positive aspects of the religion in the ancient and current Indians. Philosophical relevance of Buddhism to ancient India. Some sects associated with the religion are greatly contributing to the unified philosophical system of the cultural beliefs of the Indian population both in the past and in the early and mid twentieth centuries. Some critics both in India and other neighboring countries who had adopted the religion are pointing out several problems which prevent its acceptance by all people. They argue that Buddhists have in the past and still reject past action of deterministic behavior which keeps on changing as the technology changes . It is also considers that the soul and the body are inseparable and that it is not possible that the soul cannot survive death as claimed by some sects within Buddhism. Such kinds of teachings are considered to be mythical in nature and not the actual ones developed by Buddha himself at the time of conceiving the ‘knowledge’. While ethics and morals had to be emphasized during the time of Buddha, it should be done through judicial procedures which is currently overtaking the power and authority that religious leaders are having in their beliefs to punish offenders to some extent. Some scholars also believe that the views as expressed by the Buddhist religion are too advanced to be adopted by all societies considering the current diversity of societies, cultures, and religion. It evident that society has not reached a point where education needs to be universal and the society need to be developed further in the sense of prevalent superstitions and irrational beliefs. In this era where the society is limited when it comes to concepts and nature, religions are becoming increasingly controversial especially when it deals with patent issues of families, obedience, faith, God, life after death etc. the scholars also continue to analyze the impacts with which Buddhism has had on the current development of India when compared to the other cultures in other regions at the time of Buddhism in India. History of Buddhism Prince Siddhartha Guatama founded Buddhism in the kingdom of Shakwa in Nepal at the foothills of the Himalayas in the 500A. D which is approximately 2,500 years ago. It is believed that Siddhartha Guatama left his luxurious life in the palace to look for ‘better life elsewhere’. Buddhism was then conceived after the Prince moved around and met the poor who were suffering. After seeing this, Siddhartha Guatama recognized the fact that something was wrong with the societal order and it should be addressed very urgently. He therefore decided that he shares his wealth with the poor in the society with a view to making them equal with him. He spent most of his life doing this and God blessed him with immense knowledge that he got a revelation of life and the meaning of suffering. With this he was sure that he knew the real meaning of living. Thus the realization of Buddhism and the Buddhist Thought. The prince got the Buddhist Thought while sitting under the tree known as the papal tree and from that day, he was acknowledged by not only his admirers but also by other sympathizers of different religious beliefs. In the final barriers, Guatama achieved knowledge and he experienced a lot of truths that is all about suffering and life. The four noble truths as revealed by prince Guatama are; †¢ All of life is suffering †¢ The cause of suffering is desire †¢ Desire leads to suffering †¢ Desire can be ended by means of mediation and path discipline. Buddhists Thought With the achievement of this knowledge, Guatama was now the awakened one-Buddha meaning the birth of Buddhism. He thus spent most of his life traveling around India spreading the gospel of Buddha and the meaning of Buddhism in the ancient life of the Indians at the moment. More and more people continued to adopt the culture of the teachings of Buddhists while integrating the relevant principles of the religion to their daily needs. The principles of Buddhism encourage the teachings of Mahayana, Hinayana, Vayajarana teachings. These teachings encourages the upholding human life and assisting people to become equal in terms of food provision, culture, obedience, respect and punishment . Indian merchants and loyalty resulted and patronized monasteries for centuries after the introduction of the Buddhist Thought. In this period, hemispherical stone structures were erected in remembrance of the founder of the religion after he died after eighty years. Various temples were also built to signify the importance of the teachings to the ancient Indians. This is the first development of the Buddhists Thought impacted very strongly on the lives of the ancient people not only in India but also in neighboring countries that had received the message from the missionaries of Buddhism. Buddhism is also considered an organized religion with high philosophical orders within the Indian society. During the early twentieth century for example, Buddhism dramatically came back to spur a combination of philosophical interests and European antiquarian activities as practiced by the devotees available by then in the northern parts of the Indian region. This meant that all issues that were perceived to be supernatural to the normal man were enough to be adequately addressed by the Buddhists Thought and the principles as stated by Buddha. Forms of Buddhism The Himalayan communities practiced a form of Buddhism that shared same fundamental principles as those practiced by the Tibetan communities. This form of Buddhism is considered as promoting spiritual advancement, enhancing intercession, and enlightening human beings on their role on earth. Most of the forms of Buddhism are Adopted by different countries depending on their own understanding of the teachings. The ‘Doctrine of the elders’ is the most followed form of Buddhism that traces its origin to the first principle of the Buddhists Thought. It is being adored by the Indians and it traces its origin to scriptural traditions of the Pali community of eastern India. This doctrine stresses a more advanced human-like Buddhism that is coated with a democratic path which enables its followers to embrace unity, marriage simplicities, and abolition of marriage expenses, increased sense of identity, self-esteem, self-worth, and reducing alcoholism. Spreading the Buddhism Thought The religion from its inception in northern India spread to other parts of the country and within a short period of time it had spilled over to countries such as China, Korea and Japan. It is also believed that within India itself, Buddhism flourished against backdrops of various rulers in India who viewed it as a threatening and extreme religion which would interfere with their ruling capacitates. It is particularly believed that it was taken to higher levels by the emperors of Ashoka, Milinda, kanishka and Bimbishara who had all found the teachings of the religious practice useful top the Indian community and the whole societies at large. Around the thirteenth century, Buddhism disappeared slowly but not after leaving a legend on the religious beliefs in India. In fact, it is known that the prince who founded Buddhism did not even contemplate appointing a successor to continue with the teachings and the spreading of the religion. He rather advocated for each and every individual follower to maintain a personal form of salvation in which individuals regard all human beings as equal and worth in the eyes of the almighty. This meant that all followers of Buddhism had the moral responsibility of maintaining their own integrity as advocated by Buddha in his teachings in the eyes of other people. The main reason why Buddhism thrived and flourished in ancient Indian country was the support it received from the local kings and emperors such as Kosala. Guatama was known to be an intense austerity practitioner in that he was able to deny himself lots of luxuries and even starve himself to death if need be. At one point, he decided that self torture had weakened his mind for as long time and things needed to change. By failing to advance his enlighten status; he was reduced to a certain style of renunciation through dedicational mediation. Since Buddhism existed in the oral traditions only, it was necessary to have some kind of mechanisms to ensure that practices and doctrines of Buddhism are maintained. It was seen necessary to have a Council of Buddhists to do the job. These councils had their individual responsibilities. The first council This council arose out of Maha’s concern for the future of all Indians and the fate of the Buddha’s dependents. In this first council, the monks were required to deal with the disciplines within the Thought of Buddha. This first council was also to make recommendations and agreements on the controversial issues as singled out by the ancient rulers and scholars in India. The role of this council; became so complicated that after a couple of years, a second council was formed. The second council The responsibilities of the second council were to iron out differences that had arisen from the disagreements between the elders of the order and the monks. The monks had wanted to get exclusive powers to apply rules and regulations with regard to the believers who did not conform to the teachings of Buddha. This council was given the authority to iron out differences at all levels of leadership. However, most of the monks did not agree that the most attainable position would be the Arhat and that there would be other positions that can be attained by any other individual. Arhat was not measurable to Buddha and that is why it not possible to claim that Arhat is the highest point of holiness. The misunderstandings between the two groups of leaders led to the development of two Buddhist traditions. These are; the Great way and the Way of the Elders. Despite the fact that the two groups of the traditions give ultimate respect to the teachings of Buddha, they differ on issues such as monastic disciplines, Buddha-hood and obedience to the teachings. They were designed to meet challenges of misunderstandings of leaders in the councils The third council This council was held during the empire of emperor Ashoka who led the Buddhism monarchy at the third century B. C. It was held at the palatipultra reigns where most non-Buddhists joined the religious group mainly because they felt that it offered them some kind of royal patronage. Although most of the new members were finding it difficult to meet the expectations of their new religion, they had in some way retained their old beliefs. This third council was being formed at the height of increased membership to enable people disregard their old practices that do not conform to the teachings of Buddhism. The fourth and the fifth councils were all formed to counter moves by other religious groups to ouster Buddhism and its spread in and outside of India.

Analysis of Vietnams Logistics Industry

Analysis of Vietnams Logistics Industry Vietnam has developed economy markedly after adopting economic reforms in 1986, becoming one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. The incessant efforts of the state towards international economic integration such as the implements of bilateral trade agreements, achieving memberships of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and, most recently, entering to the World Trade Organization (WTO), has made further strong changes in Vietnams trade and economic regime. However, to continue impression by state economic growth, Vietnam needs to pass challenges such as reforming its regulatory environment and legal framework and, equally important, improving the infrastructure for the transportation and logistics sectors. Transportation and logistics have important role in Vietnams development. This study will focus on Viet Nams logistics industry that can continue to be facilitators of countrys economic progress, however there are a number of potential challenges that must first be addressed. 1. Introduction Vietnam is one of fastest-growing sourcing and manufacturing locations in the world average export growth rate was the highest in the region during the last decade. The country has become a focal point for off-shore purchase for global manufacturers looking for even lower cost locations than others in Area. By favorable conditions, there are opportunities as well as challenges for the transport and logistics sector in Viet Nam. This research will analyze Vietnam logistics industry through models such as Porters five force, PESTLE analysis and Product life cycle to introduce recommendations for development of logistics industry in Vietnam 2. Porters five force analysis Source: http://www.caneval.com/images/pictures/fiveforcesmodel.jpg Threats of new entrants High Threat of new entry can be characterized as high due to Vietnam must entirely open the logistics market for foreign companies in 2012 following its commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO). This is a big difficulty for Vietnamese logistics businesses that have to compete with foreign companies that have greater capital and better competitiveness. Threat of substitutes Medium E-commerce will open a new market for players in the logistics field. Logistics and distribution systems that function efficiently and effectively in all respects will be crucial for the success of the companies involved. This implies that manufacturing companies, and especially logistics companies, must identify and create effective logistics solutions in order to compete on the marketplace. Bargaining power of suppliers Medium The inefficiencies of the air and ocean transportation system and a lack of supporting infrastructure on the landside, including warehousing and depot facilities are hampering the growth of efficient logistics practices in the country. However, Government initiatives to improve logistics infrastructure and increased participation of international operators are expected to improve the logistics landscape in Vietnam. Bargaining power of buyers Medium/High The Vietnamese logistics industry has great potential for development, which domestic businesses have not yet made the most of. At this time, domestic companies handle just 18 percent of total import-exports, with the rest being catered for by foreign logistics companies. Inadequate logistics infrastructure including incomplete road systems running to seaports, warehouses, and airports has resulted in increased logistics costs. This disadvantage has hampered the development of the Vietnamese logistics sector. Rivalry among existing firms High There are more than 800 mostly small-sized logistics businesses in Vietnam, and they remain modest in terms of capital, technology and manpower. In addition, logistics infrastructure is inadequate, and there are many legal barriers hindering the development of logistics in Vietnam. Leading international logistics companies are expected to expand their presence in Vietnam through direct investment and joint ventures. The operating environment for service providers is likely to improve as the understanding of the benefits of an integrated logistics system increases among policy makers and end-users. Presently, the Vietnam shipping industry is dominated by international carriers who are able to provide global coverage and a wide range of services. The local carriers are largely focused on domestic and regional shipping services within South East Asia. As a result of the terms for accession to the WTO, Vietnam has allowed foreign shipping companies to establish joint ventures with majority foreign ownership. 2. Analysis on PESTLE of Vietnamese logistics industry PESTLE analysis is used to identify factors of macro environments of Viet Nam in logistics industrial development relying on five basic elements such as Politics, Economy, Society, Technology, Legal and Environment. Political factor Laws and regulations effected within the logistics industry are dependent on the political environment which formulates such laws and regulations. Governmental policies and regulations of Viet Nam on the logistics industry are not clear enough to create conditions for the countrys fledgling logistics industry to develop. Recently, favorable policies for industrial activity have led to the growth of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows and the establishment of more privately-owned Vietnamese enterprises. This has given great momentum to the nations industrial sector and resulted in the multi-fold growth of its international trade. Table 1 Strength of investor protection index (0-10) Indicator Vietnam East Asia Pacific OECD Average Extent of disclosure index (0-10) 6 5.1 5.9 Extent of director liability index (0-10) 0 4.6 5.0 Ease of shareholder suits index (0-10) 2 6.3 6.6 Strength of investor protection index (0-10) 2.7 5.3 5.8 Source: http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/?economyid=202 Economic scale The businesses expanded beyond national boundaries and extended their global reach to take advantage of new markets and cheaper resources, so the movements of goods created new demands for the transportation and logistics industry. Rising inflation and global competition gave rise to greater pressures on businesses to minimise the costs of operation, including implementation of just-in-time inventory management systems, etc., and also created demands for speed and accuracy in all aspects of business. Vietnams imports and exports have been consistently increasing and the economy has shown a healthy growth rate of on average 7.6 percent per annum between 2001- 2006.   The countrys exports and imports for the year 2008 totalled US$ 144 billion, a 21 percent increase from 2007.   The increased trading activity had created strong demand and huge opportunity to the logistics service providers, especially in the freight forwarding sector.   Figure 1 Viet Nam total exports and imports 1990 2008 (Unit: Millions of USD) Source: General statistics office of Viet Nam Moreover, foreign investment has also been rising steadily in the Vietnamese logistics sector and is expected to increase further with the countrys entry to the WTO.   There are a large number of foreign logistics companies which are in the process of obtaining or have already obtained their licences to operate as a wholly foreign owned companies or joint ventures in Vietnam.   With the increasing penetration of multinationals, the market is expected to grow during the next five years, with service levels reaching international standards. In Vietnam, the Government aims to invest as much as 10 percent of its GDP on infrastructure including the transport, energy and telecommunications sectors.   The private sector is expected to play an expanded role in financing the highway, seaport and airport projects.   Improved infrastructure developments and ancillary services such as warehousing, depots and distribution centres will further boost the demand for logistics services and create huge business opportunities for the existing logistics service providers. Figure 2 Foreign direct investment projects licensed in period 1988 2008 Source: General statistics office of Viet Nam Social force The inadequate human resources for logistics services have not been well-trained and enterprises suffer a shortage of qualified logistics experts. In an effort to keep pace with these demands, as well as cater to the needs of the worlds 13th largest population, the Vietnamese Government has invested heavily in upgrading its transport infrastructure. However overall, its record of success can best be described as mixed. While Vietnams vast network of inland waterways transport goods efficiently throughout the country, an inadequate road network less than 20% paved and limited railway capacity have prevented Vietnam from meeting its full transport potential. On the other hand, Vietnams rapidly growing air and seaport industry has facilitated a higher volume of trade, lending hope that improvements across all transport networks will have a similar effect. Technological force The inadequate information system of Viet Nam logistics industry is  leading to be ineffective. Vietnam is legging behind others countries in the Region in EDI and E- Commerce applications. A number of ASEAN countries have made substantial efforts to build up a public- private EDI, inter- ministry network to share the logistics information and to improve the industrys operations. VICT (Vietnam Internal of Commercial Technology) system of Vietnam is the only port operator using the EDI system, on standalone basis, which processes automated container billing, automated inventory management (container yard operation), automated gate operation (truck arrival and departure check), automated vessel operation (container loading and unloading management), and CFS stock management. Legal force In Vietnam, the regulatory and legislative standards such as customs clearance, ground handling, and terminal operations are highly complicated and not always consistent.   The multiple layers of administration at district and provincial levels have also led to some reports of corruption and subsequent increase in both lead times and the cost of processing freight.   Many seaports and airports also lack supporting logistics distribution centres, which can result in increased inventory and idle time for trucks, ships and planes.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Currently, the boundaries between the operations of various businesses such as freight forwarders, warehouse operators, fleet operators and integrated logistics companies are not well defined.   They are often fragmented and do not generally complement each others business offerings, which can lead to duplication of effort, higher costs and lead times.  The lack of information sharing, clarity on roles and responsibilities pose great challenge and can further hamper the growth of the logistics industry in Vietnam.   Environmental factor The Vietnamese logistics industry also lacks experienced logistics professionals.   This is a major challenge and drawback for the local as well as multinational logistics companies since they find it difficult to hire the right talent.   Insufficient training and education in the field of logistics is also a major contributor to the scarcity of skilled personnel. The transport infrastructure is actually in bad condition and a corridor for multimodal transport has not been created while the needs for quality transport of goods between various means of transport are growing increasingly. Figure 3 Cargo transport of Viet Nam in 2009 Source: General statistics office of Viet Nam 4. The Drivers of change of the Logistics industry The regulations of government, national transportation and infrastructure system, business environment, cost and time of services are defined main forces that dives change of logistics industry in Viet Nam. Regulations of governments relevant policies Vietnam had acquired about US$ 80 billion (2008 state est.) in FDI, directed towards more than 6,000 projects. The FDI inflow will continue as more investors realise the potential opportunities that the country has to offer. However, the complex legal and regulatory environment, arising from an uncoordinated model of policy implementation, is a major concern for private and foreign investors. This is a significant reason for the low participation of private investors in critical sectors such as infrastructure development. National transportation and infrastructure system The road, rail and air transportation network lag significantly behind international standards and hence account for a low share of the overall transportation market. The improvement of these networks will greatly enhance the countrys ability to develop its domestic and international connectivity. This will bring significant benefits to its trade growth as well as the transportation, logistics and tourism industries. Trade environment Vietnam has good potential to develop into a major Asian shipping hub. However, the lack of world-class deep water port facilities is limiting its potential to fully develop shipping and related industries. Encouraging the participation of international shipping and port operators would add great momentum to the sector. However, there will be a need for greater transparency in policy making and to place greater emphasis on economic considerations over political expediency. In the past decade, Vietnams containerized volumes have grown every year by almost 20 percent, but the delay in upgrading and expanding of ports has resulted in continued inefficiency and potential congestion problems. Weak landside infrastructure is another major concern for both service providers and users. Table 2 Trading across borders in 2009 Region or Economy Documents to export (number) Time to export (days) Cost to export (US$ per container) Documents to import (number) Time to import (days) Cost to import (US$ per container) East Asia Pacific 6.7 23.1 909.3 7.1 24.3 952.8 Eastern Europe Central Asia 6.5 26.8 1,581.8 7.8 28.4 1,773.5 Latin America Caribbean 6.8 18.6 1,243.6 7.3 20.9 1,481.0 Middle East North Africa 6.4 22.5 1,034.8 7.4 25.9 1,221.7 OECD 4.3 10.5 1,089.7 4.9 11.0 1,145.9 South Asia 8.5 32.4 1,364.1 9.0 32.2 1,509.1 Sub-Saharan Africa 7.8 33.6 1,941.8 8.8 39.4 2,365.4 Viet Nam 6 22 756 8 21 940 Source: http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreTopics/TradingAcrossBorders/ Costs and time Lastly, the development of its logistics industry will significantly enhance Vietnams competitiveness through the reduction of transportation and inventory costs, shorter lead times for delivery to destination markets and an overall improvement in the efficiency and security of the movement of goods and materials. Currently, logistics costs are a significant contributor to the high cost of doing business in Vietnam. Over the last 10 years, increased competition and the improved level of logistics services has significantly reduced this cost. 5. The life-cycle model Source: http://alife4info.co.uk/images/stagesInTheIndustryLifecycle.jpeg Vietnams economy is expected to continue to grow at above 6% for the next five years and between 5 and 6% in the following five years. The share of the industrial and services sectors within GDP composition will continue to grow. Vietnamese logistics industry is considered stand between growth and shakeout stages (X). The experience of its neighbours (Singapore, China, and Hong Kong) will serve as useful examples of how to develop logistics industry. Government policies focus on transforming Vietnam into a market economy and continuing international economic integration. There is an opportunity to improve this further through investment in new infrastructure as well as new processes and technology to meet international standards. This will support for main national industries, including transportation and logistics to continue growth in the future. 6. Scenario Analysis Redesigning of regulations and business laws based on association of small units to facilitate trade operations faster, cheaper and more effective The industry is highly fragmented with an estimated 800 operators competing for business. Most operate on a small scale and have limited coverage, service range and information technology (IT) capabilities. Service providers face several challenges, including inconsistent regulations across various levels of administration and a lack of skilled manpower. It is necessary to encourage members to work in collaboration with each other on the basis of utilising enterprises advantages (physical facilities, information systems, and othersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) for one-stop shop provision of  services, and expanding domestic and overseas range of business operations. Improvement of technology, the national transportation system as development of roads, infrastructure, landside and international airport. There is a critical need, however, to develop road and landside infrastructure in order to facilitate the efficient movement of the increased volume of goods. Upgrading of the existing airports at Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to support larger volumes of cargo is also urgently required. The increased emphasis placed on developing the electronics and hi-tech sectors by the Government will give renewed impetus to further develop its air facilities, as these products require more sophisticated and secure modes of delivery and shorter transit times. Proposed new ports around the two major economic centres of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi could result in a significant improvement of infrastructure. The development of deep water ports is also likely to significantly boost international cargo activity linked with Vietnam and decrease overloaded flows of goods at two bigger ports as Ho Chi Minh and Hai Phong. The earlier development of the new international airport at Long Thanh, in the province of Dong Nai next to Ho Chi Minh City will bring about much needed additional capacity. Again, the concurrent development of an improved road network to connect to the new airport will be required to avoid the creation of new bottlenecks. Training and human resources The process of getting aware of the importance of logistics, building logistics management skills and enhancing the ability to translate logistics theory into logistics practice needs some amount of time. The Government is to have a policy to assist enterprises and schools in order to step up the task of training under various flexible forms, providing human resources for the industry. On their part, enterprises need to seek funding and cooperation in human resource training from foreign countries.

A Report On Mahabalipuram

A Report On Mahabalipuram Mahabalipuram Since times immemorial, Mahabalipuram has been always been a city whose fame has spread far and wide as being a seat of religion, learning and an important port in the ancient world. Mahabalipuram is located in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu and is home to several architectural monuments built between the 7th and the 9th century. Significance Mahabalipuram was at the height of its splendour and glory during the reign of Narasimhavaram and Rajsimhavaram who played an important role in building the many magnificient temples in the city as Mahabalipuram was the second capital of the Pallava kings. Legend has it that Mahabalipuram was created when Lord Vishnu killed the cruel Mahabali after a fierce battle. Formerly known as Mamallapuram, the city was renamed to its present name during the reign of Narasimhavarman 1. Attractions The Shore Temple: The shore temple at Mahabalipuram is a world heritage site as classified by UNESCO and is believed to be the only existing temple amongst the seven shore temples that were originally constructed. Constructed during the 7th century by Narasimha Varman, the temple bears exquisite designs and carvings and is supposed to be the forerunner of Dravidian architecture. Visitors to the temple are greeted by delicately carved dwar palaks, who are said to stand in guard of the deity inside. Arjunas Penance: This is a rock structure carved to resemble a whale and was built by Raja Narasimha the first. The either sides of this rock are engraved with exquisite carvings of Gods from the Hindu pantheon, birds, beasts and these figures are carved in such a way that gives an effect of a hurry to see the miracle about to happen. Krishna Mandapam: This is one of the largest mandapams and is dedicated to Lord Krishna, the mentor and guide of the Pandavas. The inside of this mandapam is decorated with carvings that depict incidents from Lord Krishnas life. Varaha Mandapam: The Varaha Mandapam lies beside the Arjuna penance and is dedicated to Lord Vishnus Varaha incarnation. The northern wall portrays Lord Vishnu standing on one foot atop Naga, the snake king attempting to rescue Prithvi, the Goddess of earth. The entrance to this mandapam has two pillars engraved with two horned lions that stand guard at the door of the mandapam. How to Reach In addition to being a religious centre, Mahabalipuram is also a wanderers delight for the open air museum style sights the city offers. Mahabalipuram is well connected to other cities in India. The Chennai airport is located 60 km from Mahabalipuram. The nearest railhead is Chengalpattu, about 29 km from Mahabalipuram and the city is also well connected by road to Chennai, Kanchipuram and Pondicherry.

Free College Admissions Essays: Most Influential Event in My Life :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions: Most Influential Event in My Life    26th of January. Republic Day of India.    Bhuj, home to my aunt and the place where I have been spending my holidays for the past 10 years or so. It was 8:55 in the morning. Everyone was ready for breakfast except me. I was always late on the dining table and often made mom angry. But that day mom didn’t get angry. Wondering why ? Bhuj and neighboring places had just witnessed a powerful earthquake that rocked the whole of gujarat. The word earthquake always evoked something-but that something was never akin to terror. On the other hand, it was something right out of a Bollywood potboiler. But......but not this time. I thought the earth had cracked open and was about to swallow me. It was the most horrifying experience of my life. All of us immediately rushed out of the house. I saw all my neighbours running away. We were not just nervous, we were frightened. I saw some three, four persons dead on the way. We could not see a thing because the air was full of dust. Houses were collapsing, and at one time it was so dark, so dark.........My father described it correctly. He said it was like a huge plane landing right on your head. First time in my life I was dragged face to face with reality, ironically the only reality of life that is death ! Isn't it incredible how with a tiny nudge, nature can annihilate a whole town ! A prospering state like Gujrat was ruthlessly kicked and trampled upon by the same affectionate mother nature that only showered bounty so far. Aren't we humans really powerful enough to have complete control on the place we live? Perhaps the answer is NO. When Nature goes beserk we just make way. Mysterious are the ways how nature can Toy with us. Soon enough rumours started to spread about the aftermath of the earthquake. More scary than the tremors were the rumours about them. They told us, the sun will rise tomorrow and the beams will be so strong that everything will burn down. And the tales keep spinning. The suspense, on the quake keeps building like a poltergeist in horror movies...and the people keep waiting when it will finally come and finish everything and they could start re-buil ding again.

population :: essays research papers

The Immigration Debate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Migration is a natural condition of humankind. People have traditionally moved voluntarily hope of freedom and economical, cultural and educational opportunities. As of recent there has been a conflict of interest in terms of immigration. Mr. John Isbister shows both sides in his book, The Immigration Debate. Although Mr. Isbister shows both sides on immigration, he is clearly proimmigration. He says, â€Å"immigrantscontribute positively to the quality of American life and that immigration is consistent with the moral values that Americans hold closest†isbister 4). He says immigratswill continue to add to America’s melting pot theory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He starts his book talking abouhistory ofnited States policy. The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 wereenacted as part to deny asylum toEuropean supporters of Democracy. The Immigration Act of 1924 was the first permanet limitation on immigration, established the â€Å" national origins quota system†(). This act set a quota of immigrants to the United States at two percent of the number of persons of a given nationality residing in the United States. Since quotas were based on the proportions of the U.S. population, the system greatly favored northern Europeans and discriminate against Asians. The quota system was finally abolished in The Migration Refugee Assistance Act of 1962. The act opened opportunities for families to reunify. Many refugees came from Cuba and Latin America. This actr surprisingly increased the number of non white immigrants. Now crowds of Hispanic and Asains can be found throughout the entire nation. Mr. Isbister says that the new infl ux of Hispanics and Asains is cyclical and that the population will control itself. The first cycle happened from 1820 to 1967, nearly 90 percent of all immigrants were from Canada or Europe. From the Migration Refugee Assistane Act of 1962, Mexico and other Central American countries were the maority of immigrants. Only thirteen percent of immigrants were from Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now there happens to be a huge influx of illegal immigrants. To control the illegal aliens Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986. This act punished employers who hired undocumented immigrants. It also granted citizenship to illegal aliens who had been residing in the United States for several years. No one really knows how many illegal immigrants there are living in the United States, but estimates say there are about four to five million illegals leaving here, almost all of them are non-white.

Minority Group Status

A minority group refers to a subordinate group whereby the members do not have enough control over their lives and do not have power to effectively fight for their rights. A minority group is inferior and is usually dominated by the rest, who are usually the majority group. The minority group experiences rather few opportunities to pursue their goals since education, success and wealth is limited to them. Such opportunities are disproportionately very low when compared to their population within the society. (Feagin, 2000) Characteristics of Minority Group Status A minority group has a number of characteristics which distinguish them from the majority group. The characteristics make them stand out from the rest and become easily identifiable. One characteristic of the members of the minority group is that they have distinguishing cultural or physical traits, for example skin color (physical) and language (cultural). A good example is Blacks in countries which are largely dominated by Whites. Another characteristic is that they usually face unequal treatment and have less power and therefore are not in full control of what goes around them. Mostly, the members claim of receiving unfair treatment and are constantly discriminated against. (Peter & Trauttman, 2006) In extreme cases, the members may be denied their rights to access certain resources, for, example, having recreational facilities strictly for majority group and restricting the minority group from accessing them. The third characteristic is that the members do not belong to the minority group by choice. The membership is therefore involuntary and no one can be compelled to remain a member or give up the membership since it is through race, power or even law that a person finds himself or herself belonging to the minority group. The fourth characteristic is that there is usually a high degree of awareness of subordination as well as a strong sense of solidarity among the members. The last characteristic is that, the majority group is high characterized by in-group marriages due to their close association and collaboration. (Jacob, 2005) Different Ways in Which Groups Become Minorities There are various ways in which groups become minorities numerically and socially. Numerically the minority group is judged by virtue of being few in numbers, for example, racial whereby the members are classified on some obvious characteristics, such as skin color. These characteristics are visible. For instance, Racial minority groups in US; American Indian, Blacks, Hawaiians and Asian Americans. Socially, the minority group is judged on the basis of inferior culture, faith, or belief as in gender, ethnic and religion. (Jacob, 2005) Ethnically, the groups are classified on cultural basis, such as food and language. Ethnic Minority Groups in US include Latinos and Hispanics such as Puerto Ricans, Chicanos and Cubans. The Jews are also part of the cultural minorities. In terms of gender, males are usually the social majority and women are the social minority. In religion, the minorities are the members who do not have the same faith as the majority group. For instance, Muslims, Mormons, Roman Catholics and Amish are religious minorities in US. (Peter & Trauttman, 2006) Consequences of Minority Group Status Some of the consequences are pluralism, assimilation, fusion, segregation, secession, expulsion and extermination. In pluralism, this is whereby the minority and majority groups or individuals maintain their different identities, that is, Whites are represented by Whites and Blacks by Blacks. In assimilation, the minority group identifies with the majority group in terms of culture and consequently is absorbed by the dominant group. In fusion, the majority and minority group merge to create a new group. (Feagin, 2000) Their cultures and physical characteristics are synthesized without intermarrying. In segregation, these two groups are physically separated in terms of work place, residence and social functions. In secession, the minority group moves out to create a new nation or join an established nation, whereby it becomes dominant. In expulsion, the minority group may be forced to leave a certain region or even thrown out of the country by the dominant group. In, extermination, the minority group is wiped out through genocide or systematic, deliberate killing. (Feagin, 2000) Conclusion From the discussion above, the existence of minority group status is not healthy though it cannot be avoided. Many divisions result from such differences making it impossible for a certain group to pursue their common goals and encourage vices such as discrimination against tribe, gender and religion. (Peter & Trauttman, 2006) References Feagin, J. (2000) Racial and Ethnic Relations, Palgrave Publishers, US. Jacob, C. (2005) What is a Minority Group, Palgrave Publishers, UK. Peter, Z. & Trauttmann, C. (2006) Distinguishing between Minority and Majority Group,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fireside Press, Washington DC.   

Parents and children in Romeo and Juliet Essay

Juliet is the daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet, a wealthy and well-respected family. Although young and members of opposing families in a long-standing feud, Juliet and Romeo fall instantly in love with each other, and marry in secret. Her parents remain unaware of their relationship, and are determined that she marries Paris; it is their hasty actions in bringing about the marriage to Paris against Juliet’s wishes that ultimately leads to the tragic death of the two young lovers. Lord Capulet and his wife are shown to care for Juliet, and at first it seems that Capulet is reluctant for her to leave the family home through marriage. He argues that Juliet â€Å"is yet a stranger in the world†; the word â€Å"stranger† shows that he feels she is too inexperienced to marry, and that she should perhaps be older and have had more life experience before marrying. This idea is continued when he encourages Paris to wait for â€Å"two more summers† to have passed â€Å"Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride†. It might be that Capulet is not ready to let his only living child leave, and is trying to delay the inevitable. Also, the imagery that Shakespeare uses here could highlight the idea that Juliet would be expected to be pregnant very quickly once married, and that her body is only just biologically able to get pregnant. â€Å"Ripe† is usually used to refer to fruit, being ready to be eaten; in this case, Capulet is referring to h er womb, perhaps, being able to bear children, which is reinforced when Paris tries to persuade Capulet by saying â€Å"Younger than she are happy mothers made†. Capulet shows, however, that Juliet is his priority as he is worried that she would be made miserable and spoiled by early motherhood: â€Å"too soon marred are those so early made†. This is different to Lady Capulet’s beliefs, as she encourages Juliet to marry as an indication of her social superiority: â€Å"Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,/Are made already mothers .† If Juliet delays getting married, in her mother’s eyes, it would be disapproved of, and maybe others would think there was perhaps something wrong with their daughter. She reminds Juliet that she â€Å"was your mother much upon these years†, so she feels that Juliet should follow in her footsteps, without thinking of Juliet’s best interest. Unlike Lord Capulet, she encourages Juliet to marry soon, but it coul d well be that based on his own experiences of marrying a woman who was very young, he recognises the damage it could do. I think that maybe Juliet’s mother  changed once she was married, and Capulet perhaps regrets marrying her so young, which is why he doesn’t want Juliet to marry Paris.