Kushinagar, a district in Uttar Pradesh, India, is one of the major Buddhist pilgrimage centers because it is the place where Lord Buddha is believed to have entered Mahaparinirvana (death). It was near the Hiranyavati River that Buddha took his last breath and was cremated at the Ramabhar Stupa. Located at a distance of 55 kilometers away from Gorakhpur, Uttar …

During the third century B.C.E. the spread of Buddhism was furthered by Ashoka (270-232), the third of the Mauryan kings who created the first pan-Indian empire. Ashoka was converted to Buddhism by a Theravada monk and, after a bloody war of conquest against the neighboring state of Kalinga, he recognized that such aggression violated the principles of Buddhism. From this …

Buddhism is a philosophy of life expounded by Gautama Buddha (“Buddha” means “enlightened one”), who lived and taught in northern India in the 6th Century B.C. The Buddha was not a god and the philosophy of Buddhism does not entail any theistic world-view. The teachings of the Buddha are aimed solely to liberate sentient beings from suffering. The Basic Teachings …

Ever since the philosopher and naturalist, Charles Darwin, and his contemporaries including Wallace, suggested that man had evolved from apes, there has been a continuous, and almost frantic quest for evidence of our ancestors. Of course, where we come from has always been a fascinating question, but it is only comparatively recently that systematic searches have been made for traces …

Hong Kong, China – April 12, 2017 – The 59.60-carat pink diamond Pink Star diamond has become the world’s most expensive gemstone, selling at auction for $71.2 million (£57.3 million) including buyer’s premium. Photo: The Pink Star diamond sells for $71.2 million, becoming the world’s most expensive gemstone – and is renamed the CTF Pink Star. The Guinness World Records …

Dublin, Ireland – March 17, 2017 – Robert David “Robbie” Keane (born 8 July 1980), an Irish professional footballer, netted goals in 19 consecutive years at International level, from 1998 to 2016, thus setting the new world record for Most consecutive years scoring international soccer goals (International soccer goals scored in most consecutive years). Photo: By scoring a goal at …

Publisher: Kashi House Pages: 352 Price: Rs 2,400 In one of his exploits, Flashman encounters a scary-looking Pathan in Khalsa-ruled Lahore and believes him an adversary. He, however, turns out to be an ally — and an American to boot. But while our anti-hero narrator is fictional, the American was not, with a long, colourful career of intrigue in Afghanistan, …

Gooseberry – Plants & Trees Encyclopedia for Kids: The gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa (syn. R. grossularia) is a species of Ribes, native to Europe, northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia. It is one of several similar species in the subgenus Grossularia; for the other related species (e.g. North American Gooseberry Ribes hirtellum). Although usually placed as a subgenus within Ribes, a few taxonomists …

Breath A Lady was conducting her anti drinking campaign outside a bar. A man came out of the Bar exuding alcohol fumes and the Lady said – “Tell me! If you arrive at the Gates of Heaven with your breath smelling of liquor… Do you think the Lord will let you in?” “My good woman” passionately holding her hand, said …

Publisher: Pan Macmillan India Pages: 336 Price: Rs 399 Of all vendettas, the most vicious centre on politics, where they can encompass some of the strongest motives — pride, honour, power, money and sex. The high-flyers not only forget those who have helped them but, with more adverse consequences, those they have offended and are hiding massive grudges under outward …