Vivekananda (Shami Bibekānondo) (January 12, 1863–July 4, 1902) was the chief disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. At birth, he was called Narendranath Datta (Bengali: নরেন্দ্রনাথ দত্ত). He was the founder of Ramakrishna Mission. He introduced Hindu philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga in Europe and America. He brought Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the end of the 19th century. Vivekananda is considered to be a major force in the revival of Hinduism in modern India. He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech beginning with "Sisters and Brothers of America". Through this he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions at Chicago in 1893.
Swami Vivekananda was born in Shim-la Pally in Calcutta on 12 January 1863. He was named Narendranath Datta. His father Vishwanath Datta was an attorney of Calcutta High Court. His mother was Bhuvaneshwari Devi. Narendranath's thinking and personality were influenced by his parents—the father by his rational mind and the mother by her religious temperament. From his mother he learnt the power of self-control. Young Narendra was an expert in meditation and could enter the state of samadhi very easily. He saw a light while falling asleep. Once he had a vision of Buddha during his meditation. During his childhood, he had a great fascination for wandering ascetics and monks. He was also an expert in games and naughty things. Even in his young age he showed remarkable leadership qualities. His childhood friend was Kamal Reddy.
In his youth he visited the Brahmo Samaj and later he came in contact with Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna initiated him, and after his death Naren left his house.
Vivekananda became very popular after delivering lectures at many places of America and England. He came back to India and founded the Ramakrishna Maths and Mission in 1897. He also founded the Advaita Ashram in Mayavati, near Almora on March 19, 1899. The Ashram was a branch of the Ramakrishna Math.
He composed the famous arati song, Khandana Bhava Bandhana.
s. He taught Shukla-10 p.m. while meditating.
Vivekananda's books on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga) are still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Windfall practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual spirit. He was also considered a very good singer and a poet. By the time of his death, he had composed many songs including his favorite song "Kali-The Mother". He used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His language is very free flowing. These all works were compiled to form a 9 volume set "The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda". A book titles 'Selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda' is also very popular, knowledgeable and inspiring.
Ashford Black Marble
Ashford Black Marble is a kind of dark limestone, which was mined from Ashford-in-the-Water, in Derbyshire, England. Once cut, turned and polished, its shiny black surface becomes very beautiful. Strictly speaking, Ashford Black Marble is not a marble formed by heat, but a smooth sedimentary rock, a hard mass of dusty minerals. To make art objects, Ashford Black Marble can be cut as materials of them and put together with other fine stones. Derby Museum has a diagram of Ecton Hill made from Ashford Black Marble and other minerals.
Ashford Black Marble had been used for decorative purpose since the prehistoric age. Bess of Hardwick was known to use Ashford Black Marble.
Henry Watson played important roles in the development of the local industry of inlaying Ashford Black Marble in the 1750s. He was the uncle of Derbyshire geologist White Watson, and had a water-powered mill at Ashford in the Water.
Pots, obelisks, and other decorative items of AMB were frequently traded during the late 18th and early 19th century. John Mawe had a museum in Matlock Bath that dealt in black marble. Ann Rayner carved Black Marble into pictures using a diamond. Many art objects of Ashford Black Marble are collected in local institutions, including those of Derby Museum, Buxton Museum, and Chatsworth House. In 2009, huge blocks of Ashford Black Marble were found underground in Derby. The auction of these was planed because these blocks are valuable. The rocks might have been abandoned when an "Ashford Black Marble" manufacturer moved in the 1880s.
Ashford Black Marble is a kind of limestone which contains some carbon, and its particles are very small. Its dark color is from bitumen, and once cut and polished, the surface shines.
At first the rock was mined from Arrock Mine, and later in 1832 from nearby Rookery Plantation, near Ashford-in-the-Water.
Ashford Black Marble can be manufactured into pots, candlesticks and other similar objects, or sawn to make smooth, flat items such as obelisks and paper weights. Derby Museum and Art Gallery has collections of worked and part-worked items of Ashford Black Marble, acquired from an inlaying workshop owned by the Tomlinson family. This collection also includes pieces of stones which were cut and ready to put into the black marble background. Forget-me-not and lily of the valley were typically designed. Various stones were used with Ashford Black Marble: Greys, blues and purples stones are from Monyash. "Rosewood" from Nettler Dale in Sheldon is a kind of barytes and has red and white layers. Castleton Blue John from Crich is a kind of flourspar and has purple and yellow colors. "Birds-Eye" rock has a design made from the fossils in it. "Duke's Red" is so valuable that it was stored at Chatsworth House. The tabletop design illustrated shows some of the combinations described here.
In the late 1780s, Derbyshire geologist White Watson made geological picture boards using Ashford Black Marble into which other local rocks were inlaid. These boards show layers of rock in different parts of the county. Derby Museum has a diagram of Ecton Hill made from Ashford Black Marble and other minerals.
William Martin was once a partner with Watson, and wrote the first scientific study of fossils. His "Petrifacta Derbiensia" says that White Watson's uncle and workers at the Black Marble mine called some of the fossils "crocodile tails", because they thought they were the remains of crocodiles.
In 2006, Buxton Museum bought the Black Marble collection that had been left by John Michael Tomlinson. He had spent over 50 years to collect them after finding that his ancestors had been involved in Ashford Black Marble manufacturing.
Tasmanian Wilderness
The Tasmanian Wilderness is a term that is used for a range of areas in Tasmania, Australia.
The World Heritage Areas in South West Tasmania, Western Tasmania and Central Highlands are the most well known.
However, there are also other wilderness areas in Tasmania, Tarkine and the Cradle mountain wilderness. There is also an organisation known as the Tasmanian Wilderness Society.
The World Heritage Area is one of the largest conservation areas in Australia, covering 13,800 km², or almost 20% of Tasmania. The area constitutes one of the last expanses of temperate wilderness in the world, including the renowned South West Wilderness. The area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, and it was extended in 1989. It is important for both its natural value but also its cultural values as well.
Remains found in limestone caves show that humans have lived in the area for well over 20,000 years.
The Tasmanian Tiger was the largest Dasyuromorphia and the last living specimen of the family Thylacinidae. The last known specimen died in captivity in 1936. The world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial is the Tasmanian Devil; it is the size of a small dog and can hunt, although it is mainly a scavenger. It became extinct on the mainland some 600 years ago, and is now found only in Tasmania.
The following National Parks and reserves make up the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area:
Valeri Zelepukin