Tongkonan - Tana Toraja Traditional House

Indonesia is a country very rich in culture and its tourism places, many of the travelers who are amazed to see that condition, from results it culture one of which is Tongkonan traditional house.

Tongkonan traditional house Located in Tondon village, Tana Toraja regency, South Sulawesi - Indonesia, Tongkonan or Baruang Tongkonan is where people in the village to gather, deliberation, and solve indigenous problems, Tongkon means sit. The word 'an' to say place.

The Toraja ancestor came from Latimojong Mountains, most of all the Toraja house facing north This refers to Puang Matua was in the north, Puang Matua means the Creator, or Almighty God, according to Toraja people who created the earth and all contents.

Tongkonan own shape is the house on stilts built from a combination of sticks and sheets of board. If observed, rectangular-shaped diagram to follow the practical shape of the timber material. No varnish or lacquer, it all comes from uru wood, a type of local wood that comes from Sulawesi. Quality wood is good enough and many are found in the Toraja.

Akshardham Temple

When we talk about the temple then directly there into my mind is india because India has many temples with against the background of the society who embraced Buddhism and Hindu, one of which is the temple of Akshardham.

Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades. source: www.akshardham.com

Akshardham Temple in Delhi has an important place in Delhi's tourism. was officially opened on 6 November 2005. The structure depicts great Indian culture and its architecture is simply immaculate. The temple is located at NH 24, Noida Mor, New Delhi. This amazing structure comprises of 20,000 statues, floral motifs and exquisite carved pillars made of stones.

The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham. There are various structures within the temple which depicts the history and culture of Hindu Religion.

The main monument, at the center of the complex, is 141-foot (43 m) high, 316-foot (96 m) wide, and 370-foot (110 m) long, and is covered top to bottom with carved details of flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities.

It is built along the river Yamuna and lies over an area of around 100 acres with beautiful gardens, water fountains and carved pavilions. The temple took complete two years for completion and a hefty sum of rupees was invested in the construction. According to estimates, around 2 billion was spent in the construction of this masterpiece which indeed depicts the great Hindu religion. source: www.delhicapital.com

Akshardham temple open time for public: 9AM - 9PM from tuesday to sunday. Closed on monday.

Hahoe and Yangdong Historic Villages of Korea

For those of you are looking for a vacation in South Korea then you don't miss a visit to the village of Hahoe and Yangdong village, Hahoe Village and Yangdong Village founded in the 14th-15th centuries, both located in North Gyeongsang province, South Korea, selected as the main representative of the historic clan culture in Korea and has been recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritage.

Houses of the aristocracy are well kept and orderly, study room, and colleges reflects the Confucian/Confucius culture of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the beauty of the mountains surrounding it, grasslands and rivers that inspire many ideas by the poets of the 17th and 18th centuries. And Mask dance tradition is still alive until today, since 500 years ago.

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar at Jaipur is the largest historic observatory and the oldest in India, built by Maharaja (maharaja meaning King) Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734, The entire building is made of local stone and marble.

Maharaja Jai Singh II was a fanatical astronomer himself who studied various works from Hindu, Muslim and European astronomy.

It has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period.

It is a remarkable structure which consists of fourteen geometric devices used for measuring time, forecasting weather changes, predicting behaviour of planets and finding extraterrestrial altitude. All these devices are fixed structures and point to a specific direction. The largest device or instrument is the Samrat Yantra which is 90 feet high and its shadow is plotted in such a manner so that is shows the exact time of the day. Any weather change or the onset of monsoons can be ascertained by the Hindu Chatri, which is a small domed structure.

Thoroughly restored in 1901, the Jantar Mantar was declared a national monument in 1948. Some of the major instruments at Jantar Mantar are:

• The Samrat Yantra 'Prince of Dials' (the largest device)
• The Ram Yantra - two circular buildings
• The Jai Prakash
• The Misra Yantra (north-west to the Samrat Yantra)
• Pillars on the southwest of Mishra Yantra used to measure the shortest and longest days of the year.

Hula Dance

Hula is a type of dance from the islands hawaii accompanied by chants or songs. Hula was created by the Polynesians from the Hawaiian islands. The song that accompanies the dance is called mele. Hula describe or dramatize mele.

Hula dance is often shown to tourists as an appealing presentation of the characteristics of the Hawaiian culture.

There are many types of hula. Hula can be classified according to the style, theme, or period. Hula Preservation Society records about 300 types of hula. Based on the style of presentation, the hula is divided into two categories: Kahiko and Auana.

In Hawaii there are hundreds of hula studio, dance studio who teaches hula called Halau. Hula dance teacher called Kumu hula, Kumu means source of knowledge. In a hula dance there are many movements

who danced symbolizing aspects of nature, such as the basic Hula and Coconut Trees movement, or the basic leg movements like Kaholo, Ka'o, and Ami.

Kahiko is the ancient hula performed before white people arrived in Hawaii. Kahiko accompanied by song and play traditional musical instruments. Hula evolved through the influence of western called Auana. Hula is also accompanied by singing and play traditional musical instrument that has been combining modern musical instruments like guitar, ukulele, and kontrabass.

Costumes play a role in illustrating the hula instructor's interpretation of the mele. While there is some freedom of choice, most hālau follow the accepted costuming traditions. Women generally wear skirts or dresses of some sort. Men may wear long or short pants, skirts, or a malo (a cloth wrapped under and around the crotch). For slow, graceful dances, the dancers will wear formal clothing such as a muʻumuʻu for women and a sash for men. A fast, lively, "rascal" song will be performed by dancers in more revealing or festive attire. The hula kahiko is always performed with bare feet, but the hula ʻauana can be performed with bare feet or shoes.

Hula performed for entertainment everyday or family at parties. When performed in the presence of chiefs, dance the hula became a serious event. Chiefs typically traveled from one place to another in the realm.

each village must entertain the chief with food, provide shelter and entertainment for the chieftain and his entourage. Hula performances used to be one form of sign of loyalty, and is often used to flatter chiefs. All dance the hula should be brought to complete without errors. Errors are thought to bring bad omen and disrespect.

Lion Dance

Lion dance is a traditional Chinese dance by using a glove that resembles a lion. Lion dance has a history thousands of years. The first record of this dance can be traced during the Chin Dynasty around the third century BC.

Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people. Also, in a lion dance, the performers' faces are covered, since they are inside the lion. In a dragon dance, the performers can be seen since the dragon is held upon poles. Basic lion dance fundamental movements can be found in most Chinese martial arts.

Lion dance art became popular in the North-South Dynasty (Nan Bei) years 420-589 AD. At that time the troops of King Song wen Di overwhelmed by the assault troops of the elephant king Fan yang from Lin YI country. A warlord named Zhong Que create artificial puppet lion to expel the king Fan's forces. Apparently the effort was successful until legendary lion dance.

The lion dance consists of two main types of the northern lion has a mane of curly hair and four legs. Appearances northern lion looks more natural and like a lion rather than the southern lion that has scales and a varying number of feet between two or four. Southern Lion head is equipped with horns that are sometimes similar to the 'Kilin' animals.

Lion Dance is performed accompanied by the music of beating of drums, cymbals, and gongs instruments synchronise to the lion dance movements and actions. The recent development of an application played on iPhone/iPad/iPod touch to play lion dance instruments has contributed to the evolution of how people can play lion dance music.