Mahabat Maqbara, The Historical Landmark Of Junagadh

Mahabat Maqbara also Mausoleum of Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, is a beautiful mausoleum in Junagadh, India, that was once home to the Nawabs of Junagadh. The splendid arches, many domes, and towering minarets. The architecture is detailed and opulently done. It has finely carved silver doors. Its striking art and architecture make it one of the city's most important historical landmarks. The city of Junagadh has other 18th century mausoleums built by the Nawabs in the area around Chitkana Chowk. Started in 1878 by Mahabat Khanji and completed in 1892 by his successor, Bahadur Khanji, the Mahabat Maqbara houses the tombs of Mahabat Khanji and Bahauddin Maqbara of Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, vizir of Nawab Rasul Khanji. Standing over the grave of Nawab Mahabat Khan II, the tomb is a mixture of Islamic, Hindu and European influences, typical of Junagadh's royal monuments from the late 19th century.

Photo credit Manfred Sommer

The Mahabat Maqbara is a palace-mausoleum in the Junagadh district of the Indian state of Gujarat, adjacent to the sacred Girnar Hills in Saurashtra. The etymological meaning of Junagadh "Old Fort" gives the palace its alternativ name of "The Old Fort Palace". The yellow mausoleum, Mahabat Maqbara, is a masterpiece of its kind with finely designed arches, vertical columns and elaborate stone carvings on the walls and windows. Its silver-decorated portals, the winding staircases encircling its four tall minarets, the old step-well in the grounds, and its onion-shaped dome contribute to its splendor.

With a combination of Indo-Islamic and Gothic architecture, Mahabat Maqbara offers a sense of equality and exchange between the two cultures. The Jammi Masjid is on one side of the mausoleum while the Vazir's maqbara is on the other. The Mahabbat Maqbara is generally closed to the public but can be seen by obtaining the keys from the mosque situated beside the mausoleum. Amongst the forts and monuments in the state of Gujarat, the Mahabat Maqbara is an exquisite example the nineteenth century art and architecture.

Photo credit lrschaff

Mahabat Maqbara Junagarh, Gujarat, India. Photo credit Nikunj M

Mohabbat Maqbara Junagarh, Gujarat, India. Photo credit Manfred Sommer

Mahabbat Muqbara Junagarh, Gujarat, India. Photo credit hunbille

Photo credit lrschaff

Photo credit lrschaff

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Photo credit Jasvipul Chawla

Papakolea Beach, The Green Sand Beach of Hawaii

Papakolea Beach, The Green Sand Beach of Hawaii

Papakolea Beach, with green sand, located on the island of Hawaii. Also called "Mahana Beach" or "Green Sands Beach". The beach is surrounded by cliffs on both sides and only one side has access to the ocean. There is only four green sand beaches in the world, the others being Talofofo Beach, Guam, Punta Cormorant on Floreana Island in the Galapagos Islands, and Hornindalsvatnet, Norway.  It gets its distinctive coloring from the mineral olivine, found in the enclosing cinder cone.

Papakolea Beach is located in a bay half circled by Pu'u Mahana, a cinder cone formed over 49,000 years ago and associated with the southwest rift of Mauna Loa. Since its last eruption, the cinder cone has partially collapsed and been partially eroded by the ocean. The beach is sometimes named after the cinder cone, and sometimes after the area of land called Papakolea, which comes from papa kolea, which means plover flats in the Hawaiian language. Papakolea is the area near the crater where the Pacific Golden Plover or Pluvialis fulva are sometimes seen in winter. [First Image credit William Hocking]

Image credit Scott McDavid

The cinder cone is rich in olivine, a silicate mineral containing iron and magnesium, also known as peridot when of gem quality. Olivine is a common mineral component of Hawaiian lavas and one of the first crystals to form as magma cools. Olivine is locally known as "Hawaiian Diamond" and is notably found in O'ahu's famous Diamond Head landmark. The source of the green coloration of the beach sands is due to the olivine crystals which are winnowed from the eroding headland by the action of the sea. Olivine, being denser and tougher than the ash fragments, glass and black pyroxene of the rest of the rocks and lava flows, tends to accumulate on the beach whereas the usual volcanic sand is swept out to sea. Although these crystals are eventually washed away as well, the constant erosion of the cinder cone ensures a steady supply of sand for the foreseeable future—eventually, however, the supply will run out and the beach will look like any other.

Image credit Craigs Travels

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Namib Desert, Where the Desert meets the Ocean Southern Africa

Namib Desert, Where the Desert meets the Ocean

The Namib is a coastal desert in southern Africa. The name Namib is of Nama origin and means "vast place". According to the broadest definition, the Namib stretches for more than 2,000 kilometres or 1,200 mi along the Atlantic coasts of Angola. Namib is well known for the world's oldest desert and has been in existence for some 43 million years, remaining unchanged in its present form for the last 2 million years.  The most widespread and dominant type of desert sand dune are linear dunes, with crescent shaped dunes common along the coast and clusters of star dunes, such as the towering horseshoe of dunes at Sossusvlei, found in the eastern reaches of the sand sea. Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert is the one attraction that should not be missed while you are in Namibia; the dunes are amazing and even though this is a popular tourist destination it is still easy to gain a sense of solitude while climbing one of the dunes or walking to Dead or Hidden Vlei. The Namib Desertsection of the Namib-Naukluft Park also includes the Swakop and Kuiseb River Canyons.

Image credit golfinggoods

The most spectacular is its unique feature that offers exceptional images. Indeed, this desert without end extending to the Atlantic Ocean to offer us a unique contrast. Again, we can thank Mother Nature for the gift of several hundred kilometers along the coast Namibian. If you want to enjoy it with your own eyes adventurers, go to Swakop, a town at the beginning of the desert, where several companies offer helicopter flights to admire this beautiful encounter between desert and ocean.

Image credit Tony Faria

Image credit Tony Faria

Namibian Express - desert meets sea  — The Namibian Express travels through a beautiful part of Africa. It passes through the amazing landscapes of Namibia from the apricot coloured dunes of the Namib desert to the rough Atlantic coast line. As the lights of civilisation are left behind, spectacular sunsets give way to silent darkness under a blanket of stars, followed by a wonderful sunrise. On board you can enjoy the highest comfort, safety and first-class service with the company of a maximum of 48 guests. The interesting modern interior of the train was designed in colours and motifs of the country. Photos: Lernidee Erlebnisreisen GmbH. Image credit Simon Pielow

Image credit Ross Hildrew

Namib desert reaching the infamous Skeleton Coast. Taken from a small 4 seater aircraft at sunset. Image credit Image credit biddlecombe

Image credit Martina Hafner

Gorgeous Swakopmund is one of the best beaches in Africa for adventure seekers. There’s a large area of the coastal plain of the Namib Desert given over to purpose built low-rise resorts where there’s actually quite a Germanic feel. There’s plenty to see in the architecture of the town, but more importantly there’s a ton of things to do. Sporty types will love this place. Image and text credit SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA

Image credit emos540

Korea’s Kompsat-2 satellite captured this image over the sand seas of the Namib Desert on 7 January 2012. The blue and white area is the dry river bed of the Tsauchab. Black dots of vegetation are concentrated close to the river’s main route, while salt deposits appear bright white. Running through the river valley, a road connects Sossusvlei to the Sesriem settlement. At the road’s 45th kilometre, seen at the lower-central part of the image, a white path shoots off and ends at a circular parking area at the base of a dune. This is Dune 45, a popular tourist stop on the way to and from Sossusvlei. In this image, there appears to be some shadow on the western side. From this we can deduce that the image was acquired during the late morning. ESA supports Kompsat as a Third Party Mission, meaning it uses its ground infrastructure and expertise to acquire, process and distribute data to users. Image and text credit  Esa

The Balancing Idol Rock of Brimham Moor | North Yorkshire, England

The Balancing Idol Rock of Brimham Moor | North Yorkshire, England

Brimhem Moore, an area of 20 hectares, in North Yorkshire, England, situated some interesting rock formations, created tens of thousands of years of erosion, but the most impressive of these is the Idol Rock - 200-ton monolith, balancing on a small pyramid-shaped base. Rock idol, height 4.5 meters, looks like she is about to fall, but in fact it is quite stable. Giant stone formation is estimated to having a weight of 200 tons, is teetering on the basis of his little longer than anyone remembers, denying the laws of physics, and forcing visitors Brimhem Moore, scratching their heads in wonder. This unique landmark, also known as Druids Idol and Desk Druids "Druid's Writing Desk", held in a small stone girth of 30 centimeters. Photos stone walk on the internet for years, and many believe that this is just the result of work in Photoshop, but the idol of Brimhema actually exists and is an example of the talent of Mother Nature.

Image credit Alan Taylor

All Brimhem Moore is considered one of the strangest places in the entire UK. During the Victorian era dozens of strange looking stones made people assume that this site was created by the Druids, and only in the 20th century, people have finally realized that it was the result of erosion over 18,000 years. "If Brimhem could carry the plain of Salisbury "Salisbury Plain", then Stonehenge would have looked poor and miserable miniature" - someone said about this magical place.

Image credit Ben O'Hara

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Image credit Alan

Balance of Nature — ‘Idol Rock’ at Brimham Rocks in Nidderdale This colossus is balanced precariously and seemingly impossibley, on a small piece of rock, for reasons known only to Mother Nature herself. If we could ask her she might say ‘it’s because I can’. Image credit  Heather

Image credit Lance Garrard

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Image credit Tom Blackwell

Stars of Brazil 2014 by Rudi Gundersen

Stars of Brazil 2014 by Rudi Gundersen

FIFA World Cup is in full swing, and illustrators around the world continue to devote more and more on their art-work. Illustrator Rudi Gunderson, settled  in Bodø, Norway, Rudi has several different styles, but he's especially passionate about drawing caricatures, portraits and sports illustrations. Rudi's latest collection is labelled as 'Stars of Brazil' and captures top players from selected countries sporting fan-esque face paint in their nation's colors ahead of the World Cup in Brazil this summer. Each player is dropped onto a club crest to create a unique gallery of alternative World Cup portraits.  All Photos © Behance.net

Neymar

Honda

Hazard

Dempsey

Lahm

Falcao

Casillas

Chicharito

Gerrard

Eto'o

Cahill

Yaya Toure

Modric

Ronaldo

Van Persie

Pirlo

Vidal

Messi