Complete Guide to Visiting BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi | A Virtual Tour of Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Asia Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Asia Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

Complete Guide to Visiting BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi | A Virtual Tour of Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Today I’m going to tell you a remarkable tale! A tale of human craftsmanship, envisioned by a Hindu hermit, designed by a Catholic lead architect and a Buddhist foundational designer, managed by a Sikh, and constructed by a team of Jains and Parsis (Zoroastrians) on a land gifted by a Muslim leader. Welcome to BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi!

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Complete Guide to Durga Puja 2024 in the Netherlands | All Durga Puja Celebrations in 2024 by Bengali Communities of the Netherlands | Locations, Dates, Opening Hours, and Latest Updates
Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

Complete Guide to Durga Puja 2024 in the Netherlands | All Durga Puja Celebrations in 2024 by Bengali Communities of the Netherlands | Locations, Dates, Opening Hours, and Latest Updates

Durga Puja, also known by the names Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a major annual ten-day Hindu festival that is celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, and the nation of Bangladesh during the month of Ashwin on the Indian calendar (which falls between September and October on the Gregorian calendar), to commemorate the victory of the Hindu Goddess Durga (who is regarded as ‘Adi Shakti,’ the primordial cosmic energy) against the shape-shifting demon Mahishasura after a ten-day war.

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Complete Guide to Visiting Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ at Santa Maria Delle Grazie Church in Milan, Italy | Everything You Need to Know to Visit ‘The Last Supper’ | Info, Tips, and Tricks
Europe Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Europe Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

Complete Guide to Visiting Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ at Santa Maria Delle Grazie Church in Milan, Italy | Everything You Need to Know to Visit ‘The Last Supper’ | Info, Tips, and Tricks

‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci (Cenacolo Vinciano in Italian) is one of the most well-known paintings in the entire world. This piece of art was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, and created by Da Vinci between 1494 and 1498, depicting Jesus and his disciples having their final meal, on an interior wall of the Santa Maria Delle Grazie church, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in Milan, Italy.

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Radhadesh ISKCON Temple and Retreat Centre Belgium | Radhadesh Chateau de Petite Somme in Durbuy, Belgium
Europe Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Europe Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

Radhadesh ISKCON Temple and Retreat Centre Belgium | Radhadesh Chateau de Petite Somme in Durbuy, Belgium

Radhadesh is a spiritual community established in 1979 in the Château de Petite Somme, a 19th-century castle in Durbuy, a Belgian town famous for its stone homes and cobblestone streets that claims to be the "world's smallest city" located in the Belgian Ardennes. The community and facilities are spread out over 47 hectares, with pastures and attractive woodlands. The population of the village is estimated to be around 100 individuals. Radhadesh is the main center for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in the Benelux and is a non-profit organization governed by a democratic general council.

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Complete Guide to Visiting Montserrat Monastery, Spain | Day Trip from Barcelona to Montserrat Monastery | Everything You Need to Know to Visit Montserrat Monastery from Barcelona
Europe Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Europe Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

Complete Guide to Visiting Montserrat Monastery, Spain | Day Trip from Barcelona to Montserrat Monastery | Everything You Need to Know to Visit Montserrat Monastery from Barcelona

Montserrat, literally meaning “serrated mountain” or "saw mountain" in Catalan, is a stunning 1,236 m high mountain, 50 kilometers northwest of Barcelona. The mountain gets its name from the curiously rounded rock pillar formations that appear to have been sawed and sculpted by wind and rain over thousands of years. Pink conglomerate, a sedimentary rock, is the main constituent of the mountain. Cradled at 725 m on its slopes, is Santa Maria de Montserrat, the historic mountain top Benedictine monastery that houses the statue of the Virgin of Montserrat, one of Europe's rare Black Madonnas. It is one of Catalonia's most important shrines, as well as one of the most prominent Catholic pilgrimages in the world, making Montserrat the most popular day trip from Barcelona.

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