Why is the Potala palace an amazing location to see?

Posted by Keshav Jain on

          The Potala Palace is a religious and administrative complex in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. It is situated on the Red Mountain or Marpori, 130 metres above the Lhasa River Valley.

          Built in the 1600s, the palace was a brilliant construction with 13 stories containing more than 1000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and about 200,000 statues. It is named after Mount Potalaka which was believed to be the abode of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.



          According to historians, the complex was built in the mid-17th century by the fifth Dalai Lama, after being advised that the site was ideal as a seat of government. There are two main parts of the palace - the White Palace or Potrang Karpo and the Red Palace or Potrang Marpo. The former was the residence of the Dalai Lamas until 1959.



          Potrang Marpo on the other hand is a major pilgrimage centre devoted to religious study and Buddhist prayer. With numerous halls, chapels, libraries, galleries, winding passages and tombs, it has a very complicated structure.



          Today the Potala Palace is one of the most important pilgrimage centres in the country. 


Why are the Maldives known as a country to be visited?

Posted by Keshav Jain on

             The Maldives or the Republic of Maldives is an independent island nation that lies in the Indian Ocean. It is made up of 1200 coral islands and sandbanks. Male is the capital of the archipelago, and is the main urban centre. A quarter of the country’s population lives in this part.

             Historically, the island was inhabited by Buddhists from Sri Lanka and India in the 5th century BC. By the 1100s, Islam was adopted and the region was governed by the Islamic Sultanate for centuries. During the 17th century, Maldives fell under Dutch control, and later under the British. In 1968, the country was made a republic and all other colonial powers were removed.



             Today, the Maldives is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. The Alimatha Island, the diving area of Manta Point, the National Museum, the Old Friday Mosque and the historical place of Utheemu Ganduvaru are some of the prominent places in the archipelago.