christmas around the world

A Circle of Life

A Circle of Life by Noppawan Nuansiri

The beginning of life is pure like white cloth. As life progresses, the emptiness of white is replaced by colors representing different stages. The lifecycle becomes a colorful and unique piece of art.

-- Lower Pierce Reservoir :: Singapore -- HDR

-- Lower Pierce Reservoir :: Singapore -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

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Lower Pierce Reservoir Singapore

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Lower Peirce Reservoir (Chinese: 贝雅士蓄水池下段) is one of the oldest reservoirs in Singapore. It is located near the MacRitchie Reservoir and the Upper Peirce Reservoir. It was originally created as the Peirce Reservoir but was designated as lower upon the creation of the Upper Peirce Reservoir. It is 6 hectares in size and contains many trees that are over 100 years old.

There is a Lower Peirce Trail, which is a 900-metre boardwalk that takes visitors through a mature secondary forest. The reservoir is the source of the Kallang River, the longest river in Singapore.

History
Originally known as the Kallang River Reservoir, Singapore's second reservoir was impounded across the lower reaches of the Kallang River in 1910. In 1922, it was renamed Peirce Reservoir in commendation of the services of Robert Peirce, who was the municipal engineer of Singapore from 1901 to 1916.

In 1975, a major water supply project to develop new water resources was undertaken to support Singapore's rapid housing and industrialisation programmes. A dam was constructed at the upper reaches of the Peirce Reservoir, forming the Upper and Lower Peirce Reservoirs.

Upper Peirce Reservoir was officially opened by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 27 February 1977.

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5 shots stitched into one[-0, 0, +0], AF28-75mm F/2.8 Tamron lens

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HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer (Photomatix)
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1 mask layer Hue/ Saturation / Blues
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-- Peaceful Pondicherry :: My Beautiful home town :: 2011 -- HDR

-- Peaceful Pondicherry :: My Beautiful home town :: 2011 -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

Pondicherry INDIA
This My Beautiful Hometown

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry (help·info)) is a Union Territory of India. It is a former French colony, consisting of four non-contiguous enclaves, or districts, and named for the largest, Pondicherry.

In September 2006, the territory changed its official name from Pondicherry to the vernacular original,[1] Puducherry, which means "New village"[2] in the Tamil language. The territory is called புதுச்சேரி (Putuccēri) or பாண்டிச்சேரி (Pāṇṭiccēri) in Tamil, or "Pondichéry" in French. It is also known as The French Riviera of the East (La Côte d'Azur de l'Est).

Geography
Puducherry consists of four small unconnected districts: Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam on the Bay of Bengal and Mahé on the Arabian Sea. Puducherry and Karaikal are by far the larger ones and are both enclaves of Tamil Nadu. Yanam and Mahé are enclaves of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala respectively. The territory has a total area of 492 km²: Puducherry (city) 293 km², Karaikal 160 km², Mahé 9 km² and Yanam 30 km². It has 900,000 inhabitants (2001).

History
The History of Puducherry can be traced back to the 2nd century. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, of the early 2nd century, mentions a marketplace named Poduke (ch. 60), which G.W.B. Huntingford identified as possibly being Arikamedu (now part of Ariyankuppam), about 2 miles from the modern Pondicherry. Huntingford further notes that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937, and archeological excavations between 1944 and 1949 showed that it was "a trading station to which goods of Roman manufacture were imported during the first half of the 1st century AD".

French influence
A remarkable degree of French influence in Puducherry exists to this date. Puducherry was designed based on the French (however originally Dutch) grid pattern and features neat sectors and perpendicular streets. The entire town is divided into 2 sections, the French Quarter (Ville Blanche or 'White town') and the Indian quarter (Ville Noire or 'Black Town'). Many streets still retain their French names, and French style villas are a common sight in Puducherry. In the French quarter, the buildings are typically colonial style with long compounds and stately walls. The Indian quarter consists of houses lined with verandas and houses with large doors and grills. These French and Indian style houses are identified and their architecture preserved from destruction by an organization named INTACH. The use of French language can be still seen in Puducherry.

Pondicherry still has a large number of Indian and a small number of non-Indian descent residents with French passports. These are descendants of those who chose to remain French when the then ruling French Establishment presented the people of Puducherry with an option to either remain French or become Indians at the time of Puducherry's transfer to India in 1954. Apart from the monuments pertaining to the French period, there is the French Consulate in Puducherry and several cultural organisations. Another important one is 'Le Foyer du Soldat'. It is a legion hall for soldiers who served in the different French wars.

Of the cultural organisations the French Institute of Pondicherry, the Pondicherry Centre of the École française d'Extrême-Orient and a branch of the Alliance Française are noteworthy. A French-medium school system, the Lycée Français de Pondichéry, continues to operate under the aegis of the French Minister of National Education (France).

Official languages of government
Official languages of Puducherry are French, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Status of each languages varies differently with respect to each district. When communicating between districts of different languages, generally English is used for convenience

1.Tamil: Language used by the Puducherry Government, especially used when communicating within and between the Tamil majority districts of (Puducherry and Karikal) along with issuing official decrees. Also the official Language in Tamil Nadu state.

2.French: It is also the official language of Puducherry Union territory. It was the official language of French India (1673–1954) and its official language status was preserved by the Treaty of Cession signed by the Indian Union and the French Republic on 28 May 1956.

French remained as the de jure official language of Puducherry U.T by the Article XXVIII of the Treaty of Cession, which states that
The French language shall remain the official language of the Establishments so long as the elected representatives of the people shall not decide otherwise (English version)

Regional official languages
1. Tamil: An official language of Puducherry. It is the most widely spoken language in the territory. Puducherry, being a neighbour of Tamilnadu, shares much of its culture.

2. French: As Puducherry was once a colonial enclave of France, French remains an official language.

3. Telugu: Another official language of Puducherry, but used more within Yanam (Telugu district). Telugu is widely spoken in Pondicherry by Reddys, Chettys and Naidus. So, more correctly, it is considered a regional official language of Puducherry while being the official language of Yanam District. It also has an official language status in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

4. Malayalam: Another official language of Puducherry, but used only within Mahé (Malayalam district). So, more correctly, it is considered a regional official language of Puducherry while being the official language of Mahé District. It also has an official language status in Kerala State and the Lakshadweep Islands Union Territory.

Language spoken in numbers
As of 2001, number of people speaking in each official languages are,

Tamil: 820,749 (In Puducherry and Karaikal Districts)
Malayalam: 36,823 (In Mahe District only)
Telugu: 31,362 (In Puducherry and Yanam Districts)
French: Above 10,000

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-- National Day Parade 2011 :: Singapore -- HDR

-- National Day Parade 2011 :: Singapore -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

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The Float@Marina Bay.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Singapore National Day Parade (Abbreviation: NDP, simplified Chinese: 国庆庆典; traditional Chinese: 國慶慶典; pinyin: guóqìng qìngdiǎn, Malay: Perbarisan Hari Kebangsaan, Tamil: தேசிய தின அணிவகுப்பு) is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang (1966 - 1974), the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over Singapore or The Float@Marina Bay. The upcoming parade, National Day Parade, 2011, will be held at The Float@Marina Bay.

Venues and themes
The venue of the parade is usually at the historical grounds of the Padang, where the declaration of Singapore's independence was held. Since the first parade in 1966, all the way to 1975, the venue was located in this central area to bring the parade closer to the people. In 1976, the parade was held for the first time at the newly completed National Stadium, where the much larger capacity allowed for more to view the parade live.

Although offering about 60,000 seats in the National Stadium, the demand for tickets remained high. Hence there were several attempts to decentralise the venue to bring the celebration closer to more Singaporeans. From 1975 to 1983, celebrations were alternated between a decentralised event and one centered at the Padang or stadium. From 1984, the parade was held twice at the stadium before being brought back to the Padang. This three year cycle was repeated up to 1994.

From 1995, it was decided that the Padang would be used as the venue every five years. The Padang, although historically important, posed a greater logistical challenge and also offered fewer seats for spectators. The event and rehearsals also required the closing of surrounding roads. There was a need to construct temporary spectator stands around the field. The site remained, however, the only feasible venue for the mobile column, as the heavy vehicles could not be driven onto the stadium track. The Padang was used as the main performance venue for the 2005 parade, with fringe activities decentralised to Marina South, Jurong East, Yishun and Tampines.

Arrangements needed review by the early 2000s when plans were made to rebuild the National Stadium[citation needed]. Several alternate locations were mooted, including the utilisation of the Marina Padang, which is physically bigger and less likely to disrupt daily functions in the city.

On 16 October 2005, it was announced that that 2006 NDP would be held at the old stadium for the last time before moving to The Float at Marina Bay [1]. The 130 metre by 100 metre platform would be used for the next five years until the new stadium is completed. Although offering a seating capacity of only 27,000, which is less than National Stadium, there is a vast area for 150,000 extra spectators along the Marina Bay waterfront.

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The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

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The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is a five-star luxury hotel located near the mouth of the Singapore River, in the Downtown Core of Central Area, Singapore. It was originally known as The Fullerton Building, and also as the General Post Office Building.

Fullerton Building
The Fullerton Building was named after Robert Fullerton, the first Governor of the Straits Settlements (1826–1829) Commissioned in 1919 as part of the British colony's centennial celebrations, the building was designed as an office building by Major P.H. Keys of Keys & Dowdeswell, a Shanghai firm of architects, which won the project through an architectural design competition. The architectural firm also designed the Capitol Theatre and the Singapore General Hospital.

Fort Fullerton and the Singapore Stone
The northern end of the building covers the site of Fort Fullerton, a fort built in 1829 to defend the settlement against any naval attacks. In 1843, the fort was extended after a sandstone monolith, the Singapore Stone, with an inscription possibly dating back to the 13th century was demolished. A fragment of this monolith was salvaged and preserved in the collection of the National Museum at Stamford Road. The fort gave way to the first General Post Office and the Exchange Building in 1874.Plans to erect Fullerton Building were drawn up in 1920. However, due to a lack of funds, construction only began in February 1924. Built at a cost of $4.1 million and after delays of a few months, the building was completed in June 1928.
The Fullerton Building was opened on 27 June 1928 by the Governor, Sir Hugh Clifford, who suggested the building be named after Robert Fullerton. The building had five founding tenants: the General Post Office, The Exchange, Singapore Club (now Singapore Town Club), the Marine Department, and the Import and Export Department (later the Ministry of Trade and Industry). It also housed the Chamber of Commerce, and various government departments dealing with agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

General Post Office
The General Post Office (GPO) was the anchor tenant, which only moved in a fortnight after the Fullerton Building's official opening. GPO covered the two lower floors with postal halls, offices and sorting rooms. There were mail drops through which mail would fall to a band conveyor on the basement and dispatched up to the sorting room. The basement was connected to a 35-metre subway that ran underneath Fullerton Road to a pier, where overseas mail would be transferred to or picked up from ships.

Singapore Club
The exclusive Singapore Club rented premises on the upper floors of the building to provide for their members' need and comfort. There were rooms where members dined, lounged, conferred, and played billiards and cards. Bedrooms on the attic storey provide accommodaton for members. When the Economic Development Board (EDB) was formed in 1961, it evicted the Singapore Club from the Fullerton Building. Subsequently, the Singapore Club relocated to Clifford House at Collyer Quay and then to Straits Trading Building on Battery Road near Boat Quay, vacating Fullerton Building for use by EDB and more government offices.

World War II
In the last days before Britain's surrender to Japan in 1942, the building was used as a hospital, with makeshift operation rooms for wounded British soldiers. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Governor Sir Shenton Thomas and Lady Thomas sought refuge in the sleeping quarters of the Singapore Club. The Fullerton Building was also where General Percival discussed with Sir Shenton the possibility of surrendering Singapore to the Japanese. Subsequently, Fullerton Building became the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration in Singapore

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-- Random shots of kids -- 02

-- Random shots of kids -- 02 , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

Random shots of kids arund Singapore

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-- Random shots of kids -- 01

-- Random shots of kids -- 01 , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

Random shots of kids arund Singapore

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-- Blue Morning :: Lower Seletar Reservoir -- HDR

-- Blue Morning :: Lower Seletar Reservoir -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

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Lower Seletar Reservoir Singapore.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lower Seletar Reservoir (Chinese: 实里达蓄水池下段 ; Malay: Takungan Air Seletar Bawah) is a reservoir located in the northeastern part of Singapore, to the east of Yishun New Town. The reservoir has a surface area of 3.6 km, and a capacity of 9.5 million. The mean depth of the reservoir is 2 m, with a maximum depth of 5.5 m. The shoreline length is 14.3 km.

History
Lower Seletar Reservoir was constructed under the Sungei Seletar/Bedok Water Scheme, completed in 1986. The scheme involved the damming of Sungei Seletar to form Lower Seletar Reservoir, the creation of Bedok Reservoir from a former sand quarry and the construction of Bedok Waterworks. Its unique feature was the construction of nine stormwater collection stations to tap the storm runoffs of the surrounding urbanised catchments. Eight of these collection stations are ponds at Yishun, Tampines, Bedok and Yan Kit new towns.

Shot
3 exposure shot bracketing [-3, 0, +3], AF28-75mm F/2.8 Tamron lens

Process
HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer (Photomatix)
1 mask layer Hue/ Saturation Master
Adjust selective colors Red,Cyan, Blue
2 mask layer Curves for contrast
2 mask Levels layer for brightness
Added black strips

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-- Esplanade Bridge :: Singapore -- HDR

-- Esplanade Bridge :: Singapore -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON.

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View from Merlion Park, Singapore.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Esplanade Bridge is a 260 metre-long (850 ft.) road bridge that spans across the mouth of the Singapore River in Singapore with the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay on its northern abutment and the Merlion on the southern. The 70 metre-wide (230 ft.) low-level concrete arched bridge has seven spans and supports two four-lane carriageways and walkways along both sides.

The bridge was built to provide faster vehicular access between Marina Centre and the financial district of Shenton Way. Construction of the bridge began in early 1994 and was completed in March 1997. The main contractor was Obayashi Corporation. The bridge then blocked views of the Merlion statue from the Marina Bay waterfront, raising a need for the original Merlion statue to be relocated from the back to the front of the bridge.

Shot
3 exposure shot bracketing [-3, 0, +3], AF28-75mm F/2.8 Tamron lens

Process
HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer (Photomatix)
1 mask layer Hue/ Saturation Master
1 mask layer Hue/ Saturation yellows
1 mask layer Hue/ Saturation / Blues
2 mask layer Curves for contrast
2 mask Levels layer for brightness
Added black strips

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-- sunrise at Tanjung Pinang :: Indonesia -- HDR

-- sunrise at Tanjung Pinang :: Indonesia -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Back to SG.

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Tanjung Pinang (Tanjungpinang) is the main town on the island of Bintan.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tanjung Pinang or Tanjungpinang is the capital and second largest city of the Indonesian province of Riau Islands after Batam. A city with about 200,000 residents,[citation needed]) it is a trading port between islands in the Riau archipelago. Tanjung Pinang is located on south of Bintan island and has ferry and speedboat connections to Batam, Singapore (40 km away), and Johor Bahru.

Tanjung Pinang was a political center 500 years ago, when the Portuguese won the battle of Malacca and the Sultan Mahmud of Malacca fled to Tanjung Pinang to create a resistance against the Portuguese's very hostile expansion.

Tanjung Pinang has always played a leading role in Malay culture. A few hundred years ago, Tanjung Pinang became a powerful trading port, attracting regional, Western, Indian and Chinese traders. Migrants including Chinese were also attracted, much in the same way how Malacca had developed into a regional power three centuries earlier.

Landmarks
The cultural center for stage performances of Malay music and dances is located in Tanjung Pinang. The center organizes regularly festivals and other performance. Culture happenings such as music and dance. Renowned Buddhist temples are located outside central Tanjung Pinang in a small town named Senggarang.

Shot
5 exposure shot bracketing [-5, 0, +5], AF28-75mm F/2.8 Tamron lens

Process
Usual way of process, HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer option Photomatix and PS

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-- Tanjung Pinang :: Indonesia -- HDR

-- Tanjung Pinang :: Indonesia -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Back to SG.

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Tanjung Pinang (Tanjungpinang) is the main town on the island of Bintan.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tanjung Pinang or Tanjungpinang is the capital and second largest city of the Indonesian province of Riau Islands after Batam. A city with about 200,000 residents,[citation needed]) it is a trading port between islands in the Riau archipelago. Tanjung Pinang is located on south of Bintan island and has ferry and speedboat connections to Batam, Singapore (40 km away), and Johor Bahru.

Tanjung Pinang was a political center 500 years ago, when the Portuguese won the battle of Malacca and the Sultan Mahmud of Malacca fled to Tanjung Pinang to create a resistance against the Portuguese's very hostile expansion.

Tanjung Pinang has always played a leading role in Malay culture. A few hundred years ago, Tanjung Pinang became a powerful trading port, attracting regional, Western, Indian and Chinese traders. Migrants including Chinese were also attracted, much in the same way how Malacca had developed into a regional power three centuries earlier.

Landmarks
The cultural center for stage performances of Malay music and dances is located in Tanjung Pinang. The center organizes regularly festivals and other performance. Culture happenings such as music and dance. Renowned Buddhist temples are located outside central Tanjung Pinang in a small town named Senggarang.

Shot
5 exposure shot bracketing [-5, 0, +5], AF28-75mm F/2.8 Tamron lens

Process
Usual way of process, HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer option Photomatix and PS

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-- East Coast Park :: Singapore -- HDR

-- East Coast Park :: Singapore -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

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East Coast Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The East Coast Park (Chinese: 东海岸公园; Malay: Taman Pantai Timur) is a beach park located on the southeastern coast of Singapore. It was opened in the 1970s, when the government completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong which extends from Changi to Tanjong Rhu. It also serves various key neighborhood communities such as Tanjong Rhu, Marine Parade, Bedok and Tampines.


Sea Coast off East Coast Park


Sunrise at East Coast Park, Singapore
The 185 hectare East Coast Park is the largest park in Singapore, and is built entirely on reclaimed land with a man-made beach, where swimming is possible. The beach is protected by breakwaters, with no other natural features. The park is easily accessible by East Coast Park Service Road with numerous exits along the East Coast Parkway. The place has ample parking space with many carparks near the park. The park is also accessible via public transport in the form of bus services, available on East Coast Park Service Road. Underpasses link the park to the nearby Marine Parade housing estate.
The park is a popular place for families and friends to relax and enjoy themselves. The park has barbecue pits, entertainment facilities, chalets, food and beverage, and amenities for sports activities. A cycling and inline skating track runs along the perimeter of the park, which measures over 15 km long.

Shot
Single exposure shot AF28-75mm F/2.8 Tamron lens

Process
Usual way of process, HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer option Photomatix and PS

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-- Beautiful Saturday Morning :: Singapore -- HDR

-- Beautiful Saturday Morning :: Singapore -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

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Singapore River view from under the Helix Bridge with Marina bay sands.

Shot
Usual Standard three exposure shot bracketing [-3, 0, +3], 11-18mm sony lens

Process
HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer option Photomatix
1 mask layer Hue/ Saturation Master
1 mask layer Hue/ Saturation yellows
2 mask layer Curves for contrast
Added black strips

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-- The Artscience Museum :: Marina Bay Sands -- HDR

-- The Artscience Museum :: Marina Bay Sands -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

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The wide view from Helix Bridge with Artscience Museum at Marina bay sands crosses Singapore River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The ArtScience Museum is one of the attractions at Marina Bay Sands, an integrated resort in Singapore owned by the US Las Vegas Sands company. Opened on 17 February 2011 by Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, it is the world's first ArtScience museum.[1]
Although it has a permanent exhibition, ArtScience Gallery, the ArtScience Museum mainly hosts touring exhibitions curated by other museums. These visiting exhibitions are recast through the lens of ArtScience.

Architecture
The architecture is said be a form reminiscent of a lotus flower.[2] It is designed by the architect Moshe Safdie.
Referred to as "The Welcoming Hand of Singapore" by Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson, the ArtScience Museum is anchored by a round base in the middle, with ten extensions referred to as "fingers". The design concept for each finger denotes various gallery spaces sporting skylights at the "fingertips" which are included as sustainable illumination for the dramatically curved interior walls.

Gallery spaces
The ArtScience Museum has 21 gallery spaces with a total area of 50,000 square feet (6,000 square meters)

Shot
Single exposure shot AF28-75mm F/2.8 Tamron lens

Process
Usual way of process, HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer option Photomatix and PS

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-- 50mm Focus :: 002 @ Buddha tooth relic templ :: Singapore --

-- 50mm Focus :: 002 @ Buddha tooth relic templ :: Singapore -- , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

-- 50mm Focus :: 001 @ Buddha tooth relic templ :: Singapore --

-- 50mm Focus :: 001 @ Buddha tooth relic templ :: Singapore -- , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

-- I will Pray for everyone -- HDR

-- I will Pray for everyone -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

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Shot, at Buddha tooth relic temple, Chinatown Singapore.

Process
HDR Tone mapped detail enhancer option
Curves for contrast
Levels
Hue/Saturation Master / yellow / reds
Used unsharp mask (as always) on the background layer
Added black strips
Manual crop

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-- Sunset at Langkawi :: Malaysia -- HDR

-- Sunset at Langkawi :: Malaysia -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

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Sunset at Langkawi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Langkawi,officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata Kedah[1]) is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On July 15, 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah had consented to the change of name to Langkawi Permata Kedah in conjunction with his Golden Jubilee Celebration. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 64,792, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.[2]

Climate and Weather
A sunny, hot and humid, tropical climate with an average annual temperature of about 32 degrees Celsius. The rainy season is during August/September, although there are occasional showers throughout the year.

-- Statue of Murugan :: Batu Caves Malaysia -- HDR

-- Statue of Murugan :: Batu Caves Malaysia -- HDR , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

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Batu Caves Malaysia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Standing at 42.7 meter (140.09 ft) high, the world's tallest statue of Murugan, a Hindu deity, is located outside Batu Caves, near the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The statue, which cost approximately Rupees 24 million, is made of 1550 cubic metres of concrete, 250 tonnes of steel bars and 300 litres of gold paint brought in from neighboring Thailand.

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-- The Indian Elephant --

-- The Indian Elephant -- , originally uploaded by Pappu | Photography  :: Busy Busy @ work.

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Pondicherry INDIA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

he Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years. The species is pre-eminently threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.[1]

Characteristics
In general, Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants and have the highest body point on the head. The tip of their trunk has one finger-like process. Their back is convex or level.[2] Indian elephants reach a shoulder height of between 2 and 3.5 m (6.6 and 11.5 ft), weigh between 2,000 and 5,000 kg (4,400 and 11,000 lb), and have 19 pairs of ribs. Their skin color is lighter than of maximus with smaller patches of depigmentation, but darker than of sumatranus. Females are usually smaller than males, and have short or no tusks.[3]
The largest Indian elephant was 3.43 metres (11.3 ft) high at the shoulder.[4] In 1985, two large elephant bulls were spotted for the first time in Bardia National Park, and named Raja Gaj and Kanchha. They roamed the park area together and made occasional visits to the females. Raja Gaj stood 11.3 ft (3.4 m) tall at the shoulder and had a massive body weight. His appearance has been compared to that of a mammoth due to his high bi-domed shaped head. His forehead and domes were more prominent than in other Asian bull elephants.[5]
Indian elephants have smaller ears, but relatively broader skulls and larger trunks than African elephants. Toes are large and broad. Unlike their African cousins, their abdomen is proportionate with their body weight but the African elephant has a large abdomen as compared to the skulls.

Distribution and habitat
Indian elephants are native to mainland Asia: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malay Peninsular, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and China. They inhabit grasslands, dry deciduous, moist deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. In the 1990s, their estimated population size was[6]
70–150 in the southern parts of Vietnam;
100–125 in Nepal, where their range is restricted to a few protected areas in the Terai along the border with India. In 2002, estimates ranged from 106 to 172 resident and migratory elephants, with most of them in Bardia National Park.[7]
150–250 in Bangladesh, where only isolated populations survive in the Chittagong Hills;
200–250 in China, where they survive only in the prefectures of Xishuangbanna, Simao, and Lincang of southern Yunnan;
250–500 in Bhutan, where their range is limited to protected areas in the south along the border with India;
250–600 in Cambodia, where they primarily inhabit the mountains of the south-west and in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri Provinces;
500–1,000 Laos, where they remain widely but patchily distributed in forested areas, both in the highlands and lowlands;
2,100–3,100 in Malaysia;
2,500–3,200 in Thailand, mainly in the mountains along the border with Myanmar, with smaller fragmented populations occurring in the peninsula in the south;
4,000–5,000 in Myanmar, where populations are highly fragmented, and occur in the northern and western hill ranges, in Pegu Yoma of central Myanmar, Tenasserim and Shan State;
26,390–30,770 in India, where populations are restricted to four general areas:
in the Northeast — from the eastern border of Nepal in northern West Bengal through western Assam along the Himalaya foothills as far as the Mishmi Hills, extending into eastern Arunachal Pradesh, the plains of upper Assam, and the foothills of Nagaland, to the Garo Hills of Meghalaya through the Khasi Hills, to parts of the lower Brahmaputra plains and Karbi Plateau; isolated herds occur in Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and in the Barak Valley districts of Assam:
in the Northwest — at the foot of the Himalayas in Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh, ranging from Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary to the Yamuna River;
in the central part — in Orissa, Jharkhand, and in the southern part of West Bengal, with some animals wandering into Chattisgarh;
in the South — eight populations are fragmented from each other in northern Karnataka, in the crestline of Karnataka–Western Ghats, in Bhadra–Malnad, in Brahmagiri–Nilgiris–Eastern Ghats, in Nilambur–Silent Valley–Coimbatore, in Anamalai–Parambikulam, in Periyar–Srivilliputhur, and one in Agasthyamalai.