VISIT TO SHREE VENKATESWARA TEMPLE, BIRMINGHAM UK

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY,

C/O COL GKS REDDY,

Secunderabad - 500 084.

          Visited Shree Venkateswara Temple at Birmingham City on Saturday 27 Oct 2018. Started by car from London at about 0730h and hoped to reach Birmingham by about 1000h, a distance of about 120 Miles. However, heavy snowfall started half way through and finally reached the Temple by about 1115h. Returned back to London in the Afternoon after Darshan and Lunch.

UNITED KINGDOM. 

          The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK)^] or Britain, is a sovereign country lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state‍—‌the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to its east, the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-south-west, giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland. With an area of 242,500 square kilometres (93,600 sq mi), the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world. It is also the 22nd-most populous country, with an estimated 66.0 million inhabitants in 2017.

          The sovereign state is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy.The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 1952, making her the longest-serving current head of state. The United Kingdom's capital and largest city is London, a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million.^[19] Other major urban areas in the UK include the conurbations centred on Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow and Liverpool.

          The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Their capitals are London, Belfast, Edinburgh, and Cardiff respectively. Apart from England, the countries have devolved administrations, each with varying powers. The nearby Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey are not part of the UK, being Crown dependencies with the British Government responsible for defence and international representation.

Birmingham. 

          Birmingham is the second-most populous city in the United Kingdom, after London, and the most populous city in the English Midlands. With an estimated population of 1,137,100 as of 2017, Birmingham is the cultural, social, financial and commercial centre of the Midlands. It is the main centre of the West Midlands conurbation, which is the third most populated urban area in the United Kingdom, with a population in 2011 of 2,440,986. The wider Birmingham metropolitan area is the second largest in the United Kingdom with a population of over 3.7 million. Birmingham is frequently referred to as the United Kingdom's “second city”

Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple, Birmingham

          The Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple (grid reference SO980906) is one of the largest temple for the deity Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) in Europe. It is on Dudley Road East, A457 behind the Meadows School in Tividale, West Midlands, England, on the border between Tipton and Oldbury; it was designed in the style of the Tirupati Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, India.

          It opened on 23 August 2006 and was consecrated in a five-day ceremony between 23 and 27 August. The Vishnu incarnation Lord Venkateswara is the presiding deity, with two other deities either side of him in the main temple- his wife Padmavati, an incarnation of Vishnu's wife Lakshmi, and Hanuman the monkey God featuring in the Ramayana epic. Outside there are two small Shiva temples to his sons Ganesh and Murugan, along with a hall for Navagraha or small astrological representations of nine celestial bodies. It is an increasingly magnificent, well-appointed complex, very active with resident Brahmin priests; it is not necessary to be a Hindu to visit, but shoes are removed and photographing inside is not allowed.

          Also on the site are a community centre, gatehouse, fountain and various developing lawn areas and walkways (in January 2008); the main building has two storeys, with the temple upstairs and service and administration below; Vedic tradition and Sanskrit language classes are held. Many of the Hindu community in the area speak Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam; the temple is a not-for-profit organisation. 

Photograph of the Entrance to the Temple Complex

   

Gate House In Front of the Main Temple

A Snap of the Gate House from the Steps of the Main Temple (Rear View)

A side view of the Gate House

A Frontal View of the Gate House

Main Temple

  

Front view of the Main Temple

A side view of the Main Temple (From the Rear Corner)

A side view of the Main Temple (From the Middle)

A view of the Main Temple (From the Front Corner)

Other Temples in the Complex

The Temples for Ganesh and Murugan, the two Sons of Siva are constructed in Front of the Main Temple, on either side of the stairs

   

Ganesh Temple

Murugan Temple

Side view of Sai Baba Temple. It also houses the Nava Grahas

Front view of Sai Baba Temple

Side view of Siva Temple

Front View of Siva Temple

Photo of Yogashala

Community Hall

   

Front view of the Community Hall

Side view of the Community Hall (From the Front Corner)

Rear view of the Community Hall

Gandhi Peace Centre by Aditya Birla Group

Temple Dining Hall (Langar)

Children,s Park in the Temple Complex

The Information about the Places is kind Courtesy Wikipedia 

VISIT PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC 29 SEP TO 01 OCT 2018 - II

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY,

C/O COL GKS REDDY,

Secunderabad - 500 087.

          Visited Prague, Czech Republic from 29 Sep 2018 to 01 Oct 2018 along with my Younger Daughter and family. Took off from Heathrow Airport at 0830 h on 29 Sep 2018 and landed at Prague Airport at about 1030 h and returned to Heathrow on 01 Oct 2019 (AN).

Inside Prague Airport

Outside Prague Airport

The Czech Republic

          The Czech Republic (/ˈtʃɛk -/ ( listen); Czech: Česká republika [ˈtʃɛskaː ˈrɛpublɪka] ( listen)), also known by its short-form name, Czechia (/ˈtʃɛkiə/ ( listen); Czech: Česko [ˈtʃɛsko] ( listen)), is a landlocked country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west, Austria to the south, Slovakia to the east and Poland to the northeast. The Czech Republic covers an area of 78,866 square kilometres (30,450 sq mi) with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate. It is a unitary parliamentary republic, with 10.6 million inhabitants; its capital and largest city is Prague, with 1.3 million residents. Other major cities are Brno, Ostrava and Pilsen. The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union (EU), NATO, the OECD, the United Nations, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe.

          It is a developed country with an advanced, high income export-oriented social market economy based in services, manufacturing and innovation. The UNDP ranks the country 14th in inequality-adjusted human development. The Czech Republic is a welfare state with a "continental" European social model, a universal health care system, tuition-free university education an is ranked 14th in the Human Capital Index. It ranks as the 6th safest or most peaceful country and is one of the most non-religious countries in the world, while achieving strong performance in democratic governance.

The Prague

          Prague (/prɑːɡ/; Czech: Praha [ˈpraɦa] ( listen), German: Prag) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, the 14th largest city in the European Union^[9] and the historical capital of Bohemia. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 2.6 million.^[4] The city has a temperate climate, with warm summers and chilly winters.

          Prague has been a political, cultural and economic centre of central Europe complete with a rich history. Founded during the Romanesque and flourishing by the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque eras, Prague was the capital of the kingdom of Bohemia and the main residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably of Charles IV (r. 1346–1378).^[10] It was an important city to the Habsburg Monarchy and its Austro-Hungarian Empire. The city played major roles in the Bohemian and Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years' War and in 20th-century history as the capital of Czechoslovakia, during both World Wars and the post-war Communist era.^[11]

          Prague is home to a number of famous cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe. Main attractions include Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square with the Prague astronomical clock, the Jewish Quarter, Petřín hill and Vyšehrad. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. 

The Knights of the Cross Square, Prague

          One of the most beautiful places in Prague is definitely the Knights of the Cross Square, situated in the Old Town near the Charles Bridge. It is surrounded by impressive buildings, all architectural gems: The St. Salvator Church on one side, the Old Town Bridge Tower on the other side and the Church of the Knights of the Cross next to it. There is a breathtaking view over the river Vltava on the panorama of Prague Lesser Town and the Prague Castle. 

          There is a neo-Gothic statue of Charles IV. in the Knights of the Cross Square. The statue of the emperor holds a foundation charter of the Charles University in Prague, founded in 1348.

          The Knights of the Cross Square is situated on the Royal Way – the way of the coronation parades of Czech kings in the past. The parades arrived from the Old Town through Karlova Lane and they continued over the Charles Bridge to the Lesser Town and then to the Prague Castle for the coronation. 

A view of Knights of Cross Square Prague

Another view of Kings of Cross Square

St. Salvator Church, Prague

          St. Salvator Church in Prague is one of two churches that form part of the Klementinum, the largest and most historic complex of buildings in the Old Town.St. Salvator is a city landmark, a large majestic church set at one end of Charles Bridge, proudly marking the entrance to the Old Town.

          The Jesuits built St. Salvator in the Gothic style between 1578-1601, although important Baroque features were added between 1649-1654. Famous architects Lurago, Caratti and Kanka were all involved in its construction.

          Today, St. Salvator is considered to be one of the most valuable examples of early-Baroque architecture in Prague. It has a beautiful Baroque facia, with porticos decorated with sand-stone sculptures of saints by Jan Jirí Bendl. A niche in the wall houses a sculpture of the Virgin Mary.

A Frontal View of St Salvator Church

Another Frontal View of the Church

A side view of the St Salvator Church through Karlova Street 

The Rear View of St Salvator Church

Another Rear view of the Church

The church of St. Francis of Assisi, Prague

          The church of St. Francis of Assisi is located at the Square of the Knights of the Cross with Klementinum and Charles Bridge as its neighbours. Built in Baroque style between 1679 – 1685 it stands on the site of the original church of St. Francis of Assisi from 1270. The project was realized by the prominent architects Gaudenzio Casanova and Domenico Canevalle according to construction plans of Jean Baptiste Mathey.

          There are three round gaps in the floor - the evidence that the church was built on the remains of the former church. It was consecrated in honour of St. Francis of Assisi three years after its completion and the consecration was carried out by the Prague archbishop Jan Bedřich of Wallenstein. The forty meters high bricked cupola is the dominating and the most fascinating feature of the church.

Church of St Fransis Assisi, Prague

A view of the Church from Charles Bridge

Another view of the Church from the Charles Bridge

A view of the Church from inside the Square

The Old Town Bridge Tower

          The Old Town Bridge Tower (Staroměstská mostecká věž) is an impressive Gothic structure guarding one end of Charles Bridge, and heralding entrance to Prague's Old Town.Work on the tower's construction began shortly after the foundation stone for Charles Bridge was laid in 1357, on the orders of Emperor Charles IV. It was completed in 1380.

          The Old Town Bridge Tower was conceived as a triumphal arch through which the Kings of Bohemia would march on their coronation procession from the Old Town up to Prague Castle.It also served a military purpose, forming part of the fortification system of Prague, built to protect the Old Town against northern invaders.

A view of Old Town Bridge Tower from inside the Square

A view of the Old Bridge Tower from Karlova Street

The Clementinum, Prague

          The Clementinum (Klementinum in Czech) is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries; the City Library was also nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. In 2009, the Technical library and the Municipal library moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6.^[1] It is in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic. 

The Metal Board on the Building

Name of the Street marked at the Rear  of Klementinum

Eastern Entrance of Clementium Prague

Entrance to Clementium from Krizovnicka Street

Side view of Klementium from the Rear of the Building

Side view of Klementium from the Front side

Another view of Klementium

Statue of Charles IV, Prague

          Statue of Charles IV., the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia, is situated at the Knights of the Cross Square near the Charles Bridge. It is one of the most important neo-Gothic statues in Central Europe.

Statue of Emperor Charles IV at the Kings of Cross Square

Another View of the Statue

A View of the Castle from the Knights of the Cross Square

A long Shot of Prague Castle from Knights of the Cross Square

Another view of the Castle from Knights of the Cross Square

The Information pertaining to the Tourist Spots is kind Courtesy Wikipedia