Vibrant South Asian

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India – with a population of over 1.3 billion – is the world’s largest democracy

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Unlike the American or British political systems which have existed in their current forms for centuries, the Indian political system is a much more recent construct dating from India’s independence from Britain in 1947.

The current constitution came into force on January 26, 1950 and advocates the trinity of justice, liberty, and equality for all citizens. The Constitution of India is the longest written constitution of any sovereign country in the world, containing 444 articles, 12 schedules, and 98 amendments, with almost 120,000 words in its English language version.

The lower house of India’s Bicameral-Parliament, the Lok Sabha (House of the People), is modeled on the British House of Commons, but its federal system of government borrows from the United States, Canada, and Australia. [Read more…]

Whether man made or natural wonders, South Asia is home to breath-taking World Heritage sites

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South Asia is home to many beautiful and culturally significant sites.  From the manmade Taj Mahal in India to the natural wonder of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, there are a plethora of places to see when visiting South Asia.  Below are links to of some of the most famous World Heritage Sites (some pending nomination and selection) in South Asia spanning across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  The list of Word Heritage Sites is maintained by the International World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, comprised of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the General Assembly.  The Programme catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity.  Please click here for more information about UNESCO and here for more information about The World Heritage Committee.

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Sri Lanka’s World Heritage Sites

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Sri Lanka is home to eight World Heritage Sites, six cultural sites and two natural sites.  A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  To be considered a World Heritage Site, a place must be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one of ten criteria.

Below are details about some of Sri Lanka’s World Heritage Sites.  You can click on the name of each site for more details.

Sri Lanka’s six cultural World Heritage Sites are:

  • Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
    • Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. It comprises, besides the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the monumental ruins of the fabulous garden-city created by Parakramabahu I in the 12th century.  The second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader

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Pakistan’s World Heritage Sites

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Pakistan is home to six World Heritage Sites, all six are cultural sites.  A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  To be considered a World Heritage Site, a place must be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one of ten criteria.

Below are details about some of Pakistan’s World Heritage Sites.  You can click on the name of each site for more details.

Pakistan’s six cultural World Heritage Sites are:

  • Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro
    • Mohenjodaro is an archeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. The ruins of the huge city of Moenjodaro – built entirely of unbaked brick in the 3rd millennium B.C. – lie in the Indus valley. The acropolis, set on high embankments, the ramparts, and the lower town, which is laid out according to strict rules, provide evidence of an early system of town planning. Mohenjodaro was abandoned in the 19th century BCE as the Indus Valley Civilization declined, and the site was not rediscovered until the 1920s.

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India’s World Heritage Sites

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India is home to thirty-two World Heritage Sites, twenty-five cultural sites and seven natural sites.  A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  To be considered a World Heritage Site, a place must be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one of ten criteria.

Below are details about some of India’s World Heritage Sites.  You can click on the name of each site for more details.

India’s twenty-five cultural World Heritage Sites are:

  • Agra Fort
  • Ajanta Caves
    • The Ajanta Caves in the Aurangabad district of the state of Maharashtra about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments.  The caves include paintings and sculptures described by theArchaeological Survey of India as “the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting”, which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka  The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C.  During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries A.D.), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a considerable artistic influence.

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Nepal’s World Heritage Sites

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Nepal is home to four World Heritage Sites, two cultural sites and two natural sites. A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  To be considered a World Heritage Site, a place must be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one of the ten criteria.

Below are details about Nepal’s World Heritage Sites.  You can click on the name of each site for more details.

Nepal’s two cultural World Heritage Sites are:

  • Lumbini, the Birthplace of Buddha

    • Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha, was born in 623 B.C. in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage. Among the pilgrims was the Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one of his commemorative pillars there. Lumbini’s remains contain important evidence about the nature of Buddhist pilgrimage centres from as early as the 3rd century BC. The site is now being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological remains associated with the birth of the Lord Buddha form a central feature.lumbini [Read more…]

Bhutan’s Tentative List for World Heritage Sites

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Bhutan does not currently have any World Heritage Sites.  However, it does have eight places that it has submitted on the Tentative List.  A place must be on the Tentative List before it can be nominated as a World Heritage Site.  To learn more about the Tentative List process click here.  A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  To be considered a World Heritage Site, a place must be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one of the following ten criteria.

Below are details for some of the places that Bhutan has submitted to the Tentative List.  You can click on the name of each place for more details.

  • Ancient Ruin of Drukgyel Dzong

    • The ancient ruin of Drukgyel Dzong is considered one the most beautiful and famous archaeological sites in Bhutan.  It is situated on a ridge in the upper Paro Valley. Constructed in 1649, Drukgyel Dzong had served as an important base for defense in the region until 1951 when it was destroyed by fire. Even after the destruction, the ruins of the Dzong continued to be protected as an important monument linking people of Bhutan with the great events that contributed to maintaining the sovereignty of the country.

[Read more…]

Bangladesh’s World Heritage Sites

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Bangladesh is home to three World Heritage Sites.  Two of them are cultural sites and one is a natural site.   A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  To be considered a World Heritage Site, a place must be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one of the ten criteria.

Below are details about some of Bangladesh’s World Heritage Sites.  You can click on the name of each site for more details.

Bangladesh’s two cultural World Heritage Sites are:

Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat

  • The Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat is important evidence of a medieval city in the south-west part of present Bagerhat district which is located in the south-west part of Bangladesh, at the meeting point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. The ancient city, formerly known as Khalifatabad, sprawls over on the southern bank of the old river Bhairab and was founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15th century. The city’s infrastructure reveals considerable technical skill and an exceptional number of mosques and early Islamic monuments, many built of brick, can be seen there.
  • The Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat is A World Heritage Site for being an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history.

[Read more…]

Eminem’s label calls 12 year old’s cover of “Not Afraid”, inspiring!

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If you ever find yourself feeling demotivated, feel free to tune into Sparsh Shah and his incredible cover of Eminem’s “Not Afraid”.  Sparsh is a 12 year old boy from Indian descent who suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which is a disease that makes his bones very brittle.  However, this hasn’t stop Sparsh from recreating this beautiful cover of his favorite artist.  He has reportedly written many songs, short stories, poems, and speeches and has appeared on television and radio.  Sparsh, who also goes by the alias Purhythm, already has over 1 million views of his recent Eminem cover.  While his condition may have caused him to break over 125 bones it has not broken his spirit.  He is an inspiration for all of us to pursue our dreams no matter what challenges we may face.  Please enjoy his video below.