The Monument Of Love

[Anjali Reyome]

Everyoneknows about the Taj Mahal. A seventeenth century emperor, Shah Jahan, commissioned the white marble mausoleum as a grand gesture to his wife, or at least his favorite one. Nearly 8 million visitors make the trek to Agra to this breathtaking structure.

Germany also has more than its share of romantic royal monuments in the form of castles. Few are as imposing, haunting and beautiful as Heidelberg Castle, or Schloss Heidelberg. Its location alone, perched above the green hills of the old city and the Necker River, dominates the landscape and makes you wonder what it truly looked like at the height of its glory.

Heidelberg was the fifth stop on our Rhine Getaway river cruise on the Viking Hlin. To be more accurate, the actual docking point was Mannheim, an industrial city directly on the Rhine. We passengers boarded five motor coaches near a park, then rode twenty minutes to the city known as a center for romanticism in the 19th century.

During that time, many writers and artists traveled to Heidelberg to visit the castle, which in its ruined state became a symbol of lost love and dreams. This provided inspiration to these creators - one was Mark Twain. Resplendent in red sandstone and still intact on the exterior, the castle still appears habitable and well conceals its interior ruins.

It was first established in the 14th century as a residence for counts palatine, later called prince electors. The mostly Renaissance-style complex eventually consisted of several massive and ornate buildings that surrounded a cobblestone courtyard. Just outside of these structures was the Heidelberg Castle gardens.

Prince Elector Friedrich V wished to give the Hortus Palatinus as a lasting gift of love to his wife Elizabeth. They may have rivaled the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in design, construction and lusciousness. But workers never finished long-standing project, even when the entrance arch. I still want to think that this might have been on the same level as the Taj Mahal - just with flowers, fountains and greenery.

The castle wasn't meant to last forever. It endured repeated warfare and direct attacks for the next four centuries since its inception. Two strong lightning strikes and the resulting uncontrollable fires finally rendered the castle unsuitable for living.

Today, nearly three million people visit Heidelberg Castle, and some even stay overnight. Most likely, they also partake in a bit of wine-tasting next to the Tun, which is reportedly the largest wine barrel in the world. It's about 23 feet high and 28 feet wide, and at its maximum holds about 58,000 gallons of wine. A dance floor was used for parties, and it still exists today.

After we toured Heidelberg Castle, we headed down to the old city, which is now mostly a shopping area and community for the local university. For this reason, the town has a youthful vibe with many quick-service restaurants, contemporary fashion shops and naturally, beer houses. I could have definitely spent more time in this city. I would have love to learn more about its long-standing romantic roots - and found even more parallels to that great monument to love in India.

Goodness knows these memorials to the Lost Cause seem to be nearly everywhere in the South. This ubiquity itself creates cultural meaning. A college professor in Johnson City, Tennessee, usefully put it to me this way:

Whose pious ministrations to our wounded soldiers soothed the last hours of those who died far from the objects of their tenderest love, whose domestic labors contributed much to supply the wants of our defenders in the field, whose zealous faith in our cause shone a guiding star undimmed by the darkest clouds of war, whose fortitude sustained them under all the privations to which they were subjected, whose floral tribute annually expresses their enduring love and reverence for our sacred dead; and whose patriotism will teach their children to emulate the deeds of our revolutionary sires.

The great majority of early Confederate monuments, unveiled from the 1870s through the early 1880s were located in cemeteries. Usually sponsored by local ladies memorial associations, they were more about mourning the dead than perpetuating a cause. Their emotional appeal is typically more somber and private than aggressive and political. An inscription on the Monument to the Gettysburg Dead (unveiled 1875) located in the Laurel Grove Cemetery of Savannah, Georgia, says:

These monuments we build will speak their message to unborn generations. These voiceless marbles in their majesty will stand as vindicators of the Confederate soldier. They will lift from these brave men the opprobrium of rebel, and stand them in the line of patriots. This is not alone a labor of love, it is a work of duty as well. We are correcting history.2

Consider one window through which to observe these processes. The United Daughters of the Confederacy is more responsible than any other group for the Confederate monuments we see today. A century ago, the group reportedly had about 70,000 members. A perusal of the minutes of their 1917 national convention, held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, suggests a highly energetic, grassroots, volunteer-led organization dedicated to waging a comprehensive campaign to honor the Confederate dead, support Confederate veterans, vindicate Confederate history, and defend and advance the Confederate cause.

Driving north on Highway 51 near Goodman, Mississippi, I noticed that the name of that portion of the highway had been changed to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Highway. The next day, driving into Atlanta from the south, the first three boulevards I saw were named for Martin Luther King, Jr., Joseph E. Lowery (who succeeded Dr. King as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference), and Ralph David Abernathy (who succeeded Lowery). The next day, near Fredericksburg, Virginia, headed toward Jefferson Davis Highway, I drove across the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge.

There are similarities between the memorialization of the Lost Cause and the memorialization of the Beloved Community. Both of these campaigns honor their fallen. Both glorify their heroes. Both are suffused with moral and religious fervor. And both declare that their cause is right.

There are also dissimilarities. One movement occurred more than a century ago and peaked in the 1910s. The other is occurring today and seems not to have peaked yet. A second difference concerns political influence. The ideology of the Lost Cause achieved regional hegemony, occupying the commanding heights of Southern government and society. The ideology of the Beloved Community has not (at least yet) achieved anywhere near that level of influence.

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

Your monument to love is spectacular Charlie! Those of us you have those special people in our lives that love us no matter what are very fortunate. And when we have that special someone then that is what it is all about.

Las Vegas wedding photography and destination wedding photography. Let Me Show You Love is the emotion based photography business that was built from Belinda Louann Photography. We are high end boutique photographers that are absolutely in love with the soul. We believe that the only real way to tell your story is to know it so well that we're in love with it too. We are Belinda & Tony, we are madly in love and we are explorers of the heart and soul... Let Us Show You Love!

My first fleeting experience with the Taj Mahal in the city of Agra took place at the Red Fort when, visiting Summan Burj, my guide Danish explained to me that right there the king Shah Jahan spent his last years torturing himself with the sight of the awe-inspiring tomb he had built in loving memory of his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal.

As history goes, we know that in the seventeenth century, when it was ruled by Shah Jahan, grandson of Akbar the Great, the city reached its highest moment of architectural style, which culminated, needless to say, with the Taj Mahal.

Since the day of their marriage, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal became inseparable, to the extent that when her husband went to Burhanpur in the Deccan to suppress a revolt of Khan-e-Jahan Lodi, Mumtaz went with him, and after giving birth to their fourteenth child, she fell very ill.

Around the Taj Mahal, there are other minor buildings, also beautifully inlaid with an exquisite taste of colours and decorations, serving as tombs as well, some for the maids of Mumtaz Mahal, some for the other wives of Shah Jahan.

However, since this is also peak season, expect larger crowds which means longer wait times for tickets and security. To beat the heat and stay cool, wear light-colored and breathable clothing like white linen pants.

You are allowed to bring small backpacks inside the Taj Mahal but be prepared for them to be searched before entry. By being aware of what to expect and what to pack, you can make the most of your experience at this UNESCO World Heritage site.

For visiting the main mausoleum of the Tajmahal You would have to buy an additional ticket of Rs.200/- along with your regular ticket. Foreigners also get free electric bus and golf cart services with their entry ticket to the Taj Mahal.

The Wast Gate usually has the longest queues. Early morning visits usually see the longest lines at the Wast Gate. However, there are separate queues for Foreign tourists and Domestic tourists to enter to Taj Mahal.

3a8082e126