T20I shirt no.65 (formerly 55)He played in the tour match between Sri Lanka Board President’s XI vs Indian national cricketteam in August 2015.In March 2018, he was named in Kandy’s squad for the 2017–18 SuperFour Provincial Tournament. He was the leading wicket-taker for Kandy during the tournament,with ten dismissals in two matches.The following month, he was also named in Kandy’s squadfor the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.In August 2018, he was named in Galle’ssquad the 2018 SLC T20 League.[7] He was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament,finishing with thirteen dismissals in six matches. In March 2019, he was named in Kandy’ssquad for the 2019 Super Provincial One Day Tournament. In October 2020, he was drafted bythe Dambulla Viiking for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League.He made hisTwenty20 International (T20I) debut for Sri Lanka against India on 9 February 2016.[11] He tookthe wickets of two Indian top order batsmen in his very first over. At the end, with the help ofother seamers, India were all out for 101 and Sri Lanka won the match comfortably to lead the 3match series 1–0. For his bowling performance of 3 for 29 runs, Rajitha won man of the matchas well. With this victory, Sri Lanka regained the number one spot in the T20I rankings.1In May2018, he was named in Sri Lanka’s Test squad for their series against the West Indies.He madehis Test debut for Sri Lanka against the West Indies on 14 June 2018. He took his first Testwicket by dismissing Kraigg Brathwaite.In March 2019, during the fourth ODI against SouthAfrica, Rajitha and Isuru Udana made the highest partnership for the tenth wicket for Sri Lankain an ODI match, with 58 runs. However, Rajitha did not score any runs in the partnership,finishing the innings not out without scoring.In June 2019, he was added to Sri Lanka’s squadfor the 2019 Cricket World Cup, for the team’s last two matches of the tournament. He replacedNuwan Pradeep, who had contracted chickenpox.On 27 October 2019, in the first T20I matchagainst Australia, Rajitha conceded 75 runs from his four overs, and were the most expensivebowling figures in a T20I match.In July 2018, he was named in Sri Lanka’s One DayInternational (ODI) squad for their series against South Africa. He made his ODI debut for SriLanka against South Africa on 1 August 2018. He took his first ODI wicket by dismissingQuinton de Kock.Chandrasekara Arachchilage Kasun Rajitha, a right-hand medium-fast bowler from Sinhala,plays all forms of international cricket for Sri Lankan national team. A fiery quickie from an Islandwhere fast bowlers were never in abundance, he was an immensely talented pacer who couldget seam movement at a sharp pace, and from a high release point.He made his List A Debut on Dec 5, 2014, playing for Badureliya Sports Club against Sri LankaArmy Sports Club at Maggona. Later in August 2015, he represented the Sri Lankan BoardPresident’s XI against Indian National Cricket Team. The Matara-born rose to fame after pickinga fifer against the touring Indians which included the ever-reliable top-order of Rohit Sharma,Shikhar Dhawan, and Virat Kohli.Following his success in the domestic T20 league taking 10wickets in 6 matches for Kandy in the Super T20 Provincial Tournament, he made his Twenty20International debut against India on 9 February 2016, taking two top-order wickets anddismissing India on 101. His bowling figures of 3/29 won him the man of the match in his firstT20I game.With his tall stature and high-arm bowling action, he was able to clock 140 kmph quite often butthe lack of accuracy proved to be a nightmare for the young fast bowler who was being droppedmore often than not.Despite the shortcomings in his skillset, he bounced back even stronger in the Super FourProvincial Tournament in 2017-18. He was the leading wicket-taker with ten dismissals in twomatches. After a breathtaking domestic season, he made a comeback to Sri Lanka’s Test squadagainst the West Indies. The seamer made his debut against Maroon Caps itself on 14 June2018.The same year, he was named in Sri Lanka’s ODI squad against South Africa. Eventually, hemade his ODI debut against South Africa on 1 August 2019, and picked the prized scalp ofQuinton De Cock as his maiden wicketIn June 2019, he was added to Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup for thelast two matches, replacing Nuwan Pradeep who contracted Chicken Pox.The pacer is also remembered for his most expensive spell in a T20I game against Australiaconceding 75 runs in his 4 overs.However, with his speed, agility, and skillset, he offers SriLanka a utility that is intimidating.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Ramdara is a temple built near Loni in the 1970s on the ruins of anancient temple. The main shrine is that of Shiva, but the temple is renowned for the idols ofRam, Lakshman, and Sita. Next to the temple is also an ashram of Shri Devipuri Maharaj alsoknown as Dhundi Baba. The temple also has an impressive Nandi. There is a small pond nextto the temple. The temple complex is surrounded by thick vegetation and is home to manydifferent types of birds.The ancient Ramdara temple was rebuilt in 1970 by Dhundhi Baba and isdevoted to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It also houses an ashram of Shri Devi Puri Maharajlocally known as Dhundhi Baba. He was instrumental in rebuilding the temple and giving it itspresent shape.TripotoGet AppSearchMenuSPONSOREDchevron rightRamdara TempleRAMDARA TEMPLEPhoto of shivakumar prajapatiBy shivakumar prajapatiPuneRamdara temple is a perfect blend of Nature,tranquility,religion and history. It is located at Lonikalbor village in outskirts of Pune city. Temple was built by Shri Devipuri Maharaj (Dhundi baba)in 1970 with the help of villagers near the ancient relics found in the hills. According to localsthere were some ancient temple dating to antiquity there and a well which was believed to havebeen used by God Ram and Goddess Sita in ancient times. Baba personally designed theTemple according to the ancient Science of `Vastu Shastra’ and designed the moat and Lakewhich harvested rain water during the Monsoons.Distance of temple: It is 25 kms from Pune station and 18 kms from Hadapsar.How to reach temple: Best way to reach temple is by own vehicle (2 wheeler or 4wheeler).There are no direct buses till temple. One can hire a car. After crossing Loni toll nakain few minutes one can see small bridge after crossing it take immediate right turn and proceedtowards village and then take a right turn from chowk and travel 6-7 kms to reach temple..Roadcondition is pathetic.Parking Charges: Parking charges is 20 rs for two wheelers and 40 rs for Four Wheelers.Temple visiting hours: Opening time of temple is 9 am and closing time of temple is 5 pm.Place to eat: There are 2 restaurants near parking where one can have breakfast andlunch.Wadapav,Misal pav and Bhel in Breakfast and Maharashtrian thali in Lunch. Food isaverage quality. Alternatively one can pack food and can eat in the premises of temple.Ramdara temple is not visible from distance as it is surrounded by hills. The Temple standing onthe Lake was dedicated to Lord Shiva and has a Huge Nandi at the entrance; however thebeautiful idols of of Lord Rama, Sita mata and Shri Laxmana as well as that of Shri Dattatreya ininner shrine make this place more divine. The Shiva Linga was carved and installed by DhundiBaba himself and in it is embedded the sacred souvenirs he had kept from his days as awandering monk visiting the 12 Jyotirlingas and Manosaravar in Tibet. There are also idols andsculptures of different God,Goddess and Saints beautifully carved on the walls. There is alsoashram of Shri Devipuri Maharaj beside main temple. Temple is surrounded by beautiful Lake,Coconut and palm trees all around. Lotus flowers and Ducks can be seen in Lake. There is awalkway around Lake and one can see lots of birds. There is a huge tree (Umbar tree) at thestart of the walkway (near Arch) which is home to many small birds. The location of templealong with abundance of trees in the vicinity makes this place serene and beautiful. Bestlocation for photography and videography.one can spare few hours at this place for inner peaceand complete satisfaction of my mind.TripotoGet AppSearchMenuSPONSOREDchevron rightRamdara TempleRAMDARA TEMPLEPhoto of shivakumar prajapatiBy shivakumar prajapatiPuneRamdara temple is a perfect blend of Nature,tranquility,religion and history. It is located at Lonikalbor village in outskirts of Pune city. Temple was built by Shri Devipuri Maharaj (Dhundi baba)in 1970 with the help of villagers near the ancient relics found in the hills. According to localsthere were some ancient temple dating to antiquity there and a well which was believed to havebeen used by God Ram and Goddess Sita in ancient times. Baba personally designed theTemple according to the ancient Science of `Vastu Shastra’ and designed the moat and Lakewhich harvested rain water during the Monsoons.Distance of temple: It is 25 kms from Pune station and 18 kms from Hadapsar.How to reach temple: Best way to reach temple is by own vehicle (2 wheeler or 4wheeler).There are no direct buses till temple. One can hire a car. After crossing Loni toll nakain few minutes one can see small bridge after crossing it take immediate right turn and proceedtowards village and then take a right turn from chowk and travel 6-7 kms to reach temple..Roadcondition is pathetic.Parking Charges: Parking charges is 20 rs for two wheelers and 40 rs for Four Wheelers.Temple visiting hours: Opening time of temple is 9 am and closing time of temple is 5 pm.Place to eat: There are 2 restaurants near parking where one can have breakfast andlunch.Wadapav,Misal pav and Bhel in Breakfast and Maharashtrian thali in Lunch. Food isaverage quality. Alternatively one can pack food and can eat in the premises of temple.Ramdara temple is not visible from distance as it is surrounded by hills. The Temple standing onthe Lake was dedicated to Lord Shiva and has a Huge Nandi at the entrance; however thebeautiful idols of of Lord Rama, Sita mata and Shri Laxmana as well as that of Shri Dattatreya ininner shrine make this place more divine. The Shiva Linga was carved and installed by DhundiBaba himself and in it is embedded the sacred souvenirs he had kept from his days as awandering monk visiting the 12 Jyotirlingas and Manosaravar in Tibet. There are also idols andsculptures of different God,Goddess and Saints beautifully carved on the walls. There is alsoashram of Shri Devipuri Maharaj beside main temple. Temple is surrounded by beautiful Lake,Coconut and palm trees all around. Lotus flowers and Ducks can be seen in Lake. There is awalkway around Lake and one can see lots of birds. There is a huge tree (Umbar tree) at thestart of the walkway (near Arch) which is home to many small birds. The location of templealong with abundance of trees in the vicinity makes this place serene and beautiful. Bestlocation for photography and videography.one can spare few hours at this place for inner peaceand complete satisfaction of my mind.TripotoGet AppSearchMenuSPONSOREDchevron rightRamdara TempleRAMDARA TEMPLEPhoto of shivakumar prajapatiBy shivakumar prajapatiPuneRamdara temple is a perfect blend of Nature,tranquility,religion and history. It is located at Lonikalbor village in outskirts of Pune city. Temple was built by Shri Devipuri Maharaj (Dhundi baba)in 1970 with the help of villagers near the ancient relics found in the hills. According to localsthere were some ancient temple dating to antiquity there and a well which was believed to havebeen used by God Ram and Goddess Sita in ancient times. Baba personally designed theTemple according to the ancient Science of `Vastu Shastra’ and designed the moat and Lakewhich harvested rain water during the Monsoons.Distance of temple: It is 25 kms from Pune station and 18 kms from Hadapsar.How to reach temple: Best way to reach temple is by own vehicle (2 wheeler or 4wheeler).There are no direct buses till temple. One can hire a car. After crossing Loni toll nakain few minutes one can see small bridge after crossing it take immediate right turn and proceedtowards village and then take a right turn from chowk and travel 6-7 kms to reach temple..Roadcondition is pathetic.Parking Charges: Parking charges is 20 rs for two wheelers and 40 rs for Four Wheelers.Temple visiting hours: Opening time of temple is 9 am and closing time of temple is 5 pm.Place to eat: There are 2 restaurants near parking where one can have breakfast andlunch.Wadapav,Misal pav and Bhel in Breakfast and Maharashtrian thali in Lunch. Food isaverage quality. Alternatively one can pack food and can eat in the premises of temple.Ramdara temple is not visible from distance as it is surrounded by hills. The Temple standing onthe Lake was dedicated to Lord Shiva and has a Huge Nandi at the entrance; however thebeautiful idols of of Lord Rama, Sita mata and Shri Laxmana as well as that of Shri Dattatreya ininner shrine make this place more divine. The Shiva Linga was carved and installed by DhundiBaba himself and in it is embedded the sacred souvenirs he had kept from his days as awandering monk visiting the 12 Jyotirlingas and Manosaravar in Tibet. There are also idols andsculptures of different God,Goddess and Saints beautifully carved on the walls. There is alsoashram of Shri Devipuri Maharaj beside main temple. Temple is surrounded by beautiful Lake,Coconut and palm trees all around. Lotus flowers and Ducks can be seen in Lake. There is awalkway around Lake and one can see lots of birds. There is a huge tree (Umbar tree) at thestart of the walkway (near Arch) which is home to many small birds. The location of templealong with abundance of trees in the vicinity makes this place serene and beautiful. Bestlocation for photography and videography.one can spare few hours at this place for inner peaceand complete satisfaction of my mind.Ramdara is a Ram temple on the outskirts of Pune andsituated on Pune Solapur highway. It is surrounded by water on three sides, and also by lushgreen trees and coconut groves. It is a great place to spend a few hours with family and friends.The main deity of Ramdara Temple is Lord Shiva, however the beautiful idols of Lord Rama,Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman inside the main temple have made the temple famous asRamdara. Outside the main sanctum, you will find other Hindu deities.There is also a sculpturalrepresentation of the Dasha-avatars of Lord Vishnu inside Ramdara Temple. You also see theGanesha temple within the temple area. The temple also has an ashram of Shri DevipuriMaharaj also known as Dhundi Baba.How to reach this TempleBy Air-Nearest airport from Ramdara Temple is Pune airport. From here you can easily reachthis temple by using local transport.By Train- The nearest railway station from Ramdara Temple is at Solapur which is at a distanceof about 15 kms from this temple. From here you can easily reach this temple by using localtransport services.Those few moments could be all for manyand when they left…It was with the feeling that their entire life had been worth living just forthose few moments of seeing such a wonderful and incredible man and as he was in person.To me he was not only all these things but he was also my beloved Babaji ( A name for a lovingFather figure in Hindi) while to the world he was the legendary Dhundi Baba or 10008 DeviPuri Maharaj. A Sage and Hermit. Seer and Rishi who was a legend even in his life time. A lifeso extraordinary in every way.. To those of us who had the honor and blessings of ever meetingand knowing him closely all we can say is.”.Baba there was never another like you and willnever will be ever again.. and though you have gone..you remain a part of us, deeply embeddedin our hearts and memories as you will always remain a part of the beautiful hills and valleys ofRamadara and the temple and Hermitage you created and left behind for all us to experience apeace so deep and immortal.that still gives us hope that there is a purpose and beauty in life..and that you lived such as incredible one before you passed on to the other shore .. ( ReadOn..)The Legend of 10008 Devipuri Maharaj of Ramdara.It was the Year 1950.. India had justbecome independent. There was a lot of buzz and activity at the S.R.P.F ( Special ReservePolice Force). Head Quarters in the City of Daund in South Maharashtra .Squardon leaderShinde was a Tall and Young officer who hailed from Satara and a Maratha clan known for itscourage, military acumen and patriotismThis Leader was known as an excellent officer..who was loved by his men and who was knownto be a man of great spiritual qualities and discipline as well a man who was both strict and yetvery kind and just to all his men…On March 17th there was a special program in which the Inspector General of State Policewas the chief Guest. Officer Shinde was in charge of the ceremony. He spent the previous dayin overseeing the rehearsals and all the arrangements for the big day. On March 17th He wasseen by hundreds of people to lead the police parade and received the guard of honor by theI.G ( Inspector General) of the State himself.The program was also attended by senior officers and police personnel from all over the district.The SRPF is also a reserve Para military force till this day.For years he had had a vision..it wasof an ancient temple lying hidden in a remote land amongst hills.He could almost see the pathand road to this place.. Once again he left Girnar and headed for the mountain ranges near thehilly routes of the Western Ghats alone and on foot.On ” Gopal Ashtami” of August 1954 he reached Loni village near Poona and then walked to aforested area in the hilly slopes of a Mountain near the village of Phursingi.. This remote areawas known as Ramadara..by the locals. They said there were some ruins of an ancient templedating to antiquity there and a Well which was believed to have been used by Sri Rama and SriSita Ma, during the Historical period when they both :The Heroic king Rama and his Queen Sitawere in exile. Now..This land and hill slope was abandoned and belonged to no one.The wandering monk made this forest his home and built a little thatched hut nestled in thehills and lived alone . Wandering shepherds, hunters and peasants would see this tall and quietman with long matted hair, practicing intense meditation and spiritual practices on a high hill

known as Shivalaya. When their sheep were hurt or they were hungry he would offer them foodand treat them with the wild plants that grew on the hillocks.Many manyyears passed in this fashion. He would talk of God and ask them about their families and theysaw many wonderful things and felt a deep peace and love in his company.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Anjaneri, one of the forts in the mountain range ofNasik-Trimbakeshwa. Anjaneri is located 20 km away from Nasik by Trimbak Road. It is apopular trekking spot, especially in the rainy season.Anjaneri is an attraction of Nasik city, whichis also an important fort in the Trimbakeshwar region. Situated at 4,264 feet (1,300 m) abovesea level, it lies between Nasik and Trimbakeshwar near Godavari river. It neighbors theBrahmagiri range, significant in Hindu traditions as meditation spot of Sage Gautam. In some ofthe Puranas it is relayed that Hanuman’s mother, Anjana Devi, was the daughter of MaharishiGautama and Ahalya. When she refused to defend her mother against the accusation ofadultery, she was cursed by Ahalya that she too would suffer shame by giving birth to a Vanarachild before she was married. Anjana Devi, it is said, then resolved to undertake strict penancein the hills near her father’s hermitage. Standing on one leg, she became so absorbed inmeditation that an anthill is supposed to have grown around her. Due to the intensity of hertapas, Indra’s throne began to shake and the gods were disturbed by the strong energies thatwere released. Sage Narada was dispatched to seek Shiva’s help in containing these energieswho then incarnated as her son Hanuman.The Brahma Purana while extolling the greatness ofthe Godavari and the pilgrimage places along its course, narrates that a celestial nymph namedAnjana mocked Indra for having a thousand eyes and she was cursed to be born on earth with amonkey face. Her friend, Adrika, also annoyed Indra by meowing like a cat and was cursed tobe born as a human being with the face of a cat. Both the nymphs were born among theVanaras and were later married to Kesari, the king of Anjaneri’s Vanara Kingdom. When SageAgastya took up residence in this forest, Anjana and her friend Adrika served him with greatdevotion and he granted them each the boon of having an illustrious son. While walking in theforest one day, Anjana attracted the wind god Vayu and Adrika attracted Nirṛti. In due course,Anjana gave birth to Hanuman and her friend to Adri. When their sons grew older, their divinefathers advised them to take their mothers on pilgrimage to the Godavari River. Anjana bathedat a sacred place called Anjana tirtha, while Adrika took a bath at Marjari tirtha, obtainingrelease from Indra’s curse and regained their heavenly forms.Anjaneri is the birthplace of LordHanuman, and is named after Lord Hanuman’s mother, Anjani. The Bhavartha Ramayana of thefamous Marathi saint-poet Eknath, states that Anjana Devi, intent on obtaining an exemplaryson, performed severe austerities on top of the Anjaneri Hill for 7,000 years, with Shiva grantingher boon by incarnating as her as son in the form of Hanuman.Located 20 km away from Nashiktowards Triambakeshwar road, Anjaneri hills hold a lot of historical and religious significance. Asper the Hindu mythology, Anjaneri is the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. Situated at 4264 feetabove sea level, Anjaneri hills hosts a beautiful fort which is famous amongst the hikers and canbe reached via Anjaneri village. Caves, temples, waterfalls and lakes are some of the commonsights along the trek to Anjaneri Fort.Anjaneri fort trek is one of the famous treks inNasik-Triambakeshwar mountain range of Maharashtra. It is an attraction of Nashik city andTriambakeshwar region.Located 20 km away from Nasik and 6 km from Triambakeshwar. It is situated at an altitude of4263 feet from the sea level.The locals believe that the fort is the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. Therefore, it is considered asone of the religious places among Hindu devotees.There are many small Jain temples, caves and a foot-shaped lake on the way to the mainHanuman temple.There is also a temple built for Anjani Maata who gave birth to Hanuman. It is unique as there isno other temple built for Anjani Maata.Anjaneri Parvat is quite significant amongst the devoteesas locals say that the cave on the top of the hill was the place where Goddess Anjana gave birthto Lord Hanuman. And that’s how the mountain got its name. Along with the cave, believed tobe the place where Lord Hanuman was born, there’s Anajani Mata temple. A lot of other placesassociated with the life of Lord Hanuman are also there, which can be seen while trekking onthe hill. One such place is a cave, which is believed to be the spot where Lord Pawan Dev tookBal Hanuman when he was hit by the ‘vajra’ of Lord Indra. Also, there is a Mata Anjana temple;the place where Goddess Anjani meditated for a kid, and Shiva ultimately appeared in front ofher to bless a boon. There are two pindies inside the temple; the big one is of Mata Anjana andthe small one is of Bal Hanuman. A cave decorated with inscriptions that are as old as 1000years also appears while trekking on the hill.From the base village/ entry gate, it will take 45minutes of walk to reach the starting point. You can treat this walk as a warm-up for the trek.You can also drive upto the starting point.At the starting point to can see two pinnacles which are called as “Navara” and Navari.After another 30 minutes of trek, you will reach the Anjaneri Fort. There are some caves andtemples inside the fort and during the rainy season, you will experience a continuous waterstream on the stairs. One needs to be very careful while using those stairs in rainy season asthose are bit slippery. But once you complete the fort stairs, a plain area comes. Such abeautiful place it is. Those who like to have a picnic, this is the perfect spot. For here you get tocapture both amazing sunrise as well as sunset.To reach the Anjaneri temple, you have to crossthree mountains. When you cross the fort, you have already crossed the first mountain andcame on second. Top of the second mountain is a plain area and you need to walk around 1 kmto reach the Indra Sarovar Lake.From here, you have to trek to the 3rd mountain for another almost 1 km, you will get to see firstglimpse of the main temple. A small temple of Anjani Mata (Mother of Lord Hanuman) with littleHanuman.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: The Bhimashankar Mandir (also known as Bhimashankar orBhimashankar Jyotirlinga) is a Shiva mandir situated in its eponymous village, Bhimashankar, inPune district of Maharashtra. It is a key pilgrimage centre and one of the 12 Jyotirlinga in theworld. The temple’s Shiva lingam is one of the three Jyotirlinga of Maharashtra.The mandir issituated on a mountain. It is 110 kilometers away from Pune. The temple’s vicinity has rare plantand animal species.The mandir is located in Khed taluka, in the Bhimashankar forest range.The Bhima River originates from the Bhimashankar village, and the hills of the Manmad villageare present near it, there are old rock carvings of the God Bhimashankar, Bhootings andAmba-Ambika on these hills.According to Namdev, a saint in the medieval era, SaintJnaneshwar went to Tryambakeshwar and then Bhimashankar. Namdev himself has also visitedthis place.The temple is built in the Nagrara style, which combines traditional and moderndesigns. The temple hall was constructed during the 18th century by Nāna Phadnavis ofPeshwa. The Gopura-shikhara of the temple was built by Nāna Phadnavis. The village ofKharosi was granted to the temple by King Shivaji. The daily religious observance was fundedthrough the financial resources which derived from the people of the area.He offered one hereat Bhimashankar and the others in Menavali, near Wai, in front of a Shiva temple on the banksof the Krishna River, the Banshanker Temple in Pune, the Omkareshwar Temple in Pune, andthe Ramlinga Temple in Pune (Shirur).The shrine is linked to the legendary asura known asTripura. The story goes that Tripura did penance, and Brahma, delighted with Tripura’s penance,manifests and grants him three wishes. Tripura demanded that he be invulnerable to the gods,devils, yakshas, and gandharvas. His three “puras” should be unbreakable, and he should beable to travel anywhere in the universe. All his desires were fulfilled. Tripura embarked on aconquest to subjugate three Loka. Indra, the deity associated with the heavens, was alsovanquished. Indra made the decision to seek blessings from the deity Shiva and performedpenance. Shiva made a vow to annihilate Tripura.On the peak of the Sahyadri hills, it is said thatShiva assumed the form of “Bhīmā Shankara” at the behest of the Gods, and the sweat thatspilled from his body after the battle is said to have formed the Bhimarathi river.The architecturalstyle of Bhimashankar is characterised by the use of the Nagara style, which is commonly foundin northern India. The building style has some similarities to the Hemadpanthi style, which iscommon in the Deccan region. It is claimed that the old temple was built on a SwayambhuShiva Linga.Furthermore, it can be seen that the Ling is located precisely in the center of theGarbhagriha (Sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. The garbhagriha and antarala are constructedusing indigenous stone in the Indo-Aryan architectural style, which is also commonly found inJain temples. The pillars and door frames of the temple are covered with intricate carvings ofdeities and human figures.In addition to the Bhimashankar Mandir, devotees also take darshanof the deities of temples present in the vicinity. There is a shrine for Siva Ganams, Shaakini andDaakini, who assisted Shiva in the battle against the demon Tripurasur.There are other temples near the main temple, such as Kamalaja mata, who is an incarnation ofGoddess Parvathi and who aided Shiva in his battle against Tripurasur.Behind the Bhimashankar temple is Mokshakund Tirtha. The custom is to take a bath in thekund before proceeding to the temple. The kund is the result of Maha-muni Kaushika’slegendary penance here. Additionally, there are the Jnyankund that Dattatreya created and theSarvatirth connected to the goddess Bhashitadevi. Kusharanya tirth is located to the south ofthe temple, and it is from here that the Bhima River begins to flow eastward.A minor shrine dedicated to Lord Shani can be seen within the temple’s grounds.The “ShaniTemple” is situated within the main complex of the Bhimashankar temple.Between the two pillars in front of the “Shani” shrine, there is an enormous antique Portuguesechurch bell. Behind the temple, there is a narrow walk that goes to the riverbanks. Outside thetemple, there is a large area of forest that is sometimes broken up by forts on the mountainsnearby.Jyotirlingas are sacred shrines of Lord Shiva; it is believed that Lord Shiva himself visitedthese places and hence they have a special place in the hearts of devotees. There are 12 ofthem in India.Jyotirlinga means ‘column or pillar of light’. The ‘stambha’ symbol represents that there is nobeginning or end.When Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had an argument about who was the supreme god, LordShiva appeared as a column of light and asked each one to find the ends. Neither could do it. Itis believed that the places where these columns of light fell is where the jyotirlingas are located.Set amidst dense forests filled with a variety of flora and fauna, and lakes and mountains, theBhimashankar Jyotirlinga is a popular destination for nature-seekers as well as pilgrims.TheBhimashankar temple is a testament to the skills of the Vishwakarma sculptors. It was builtaround the 13th century. Structures such as the shikhara (spires) were added by Marathaempire statesman, Nana Phadnavis, in the 18th century.The Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is also believed to have facilitated worship herethrough his endowments.Special features of Bhimashankar TempleIt is believed that the ancient shrine was built around a swayambhu linga i.e. a linga thatoriginated on its own. The linga is exactly at the center of the floor, in the temple’s sanctum.There are intricate carvings of divine and human beings on the pillars, and doorframes of thetemple. You can also see scenes from mythology depicted here.There is also a shrine for Lord Shaneeshwara inside the temple. A statue of Lord Shiva’s mount,Nandi, can be found at the entrance of the temple as is common in Shiva temples.According toone legend, a demon called Tripurasura performed penance in the Bhimashankar jungle toplease Lord Shiva and ask him for the gift of immortality. Lord Shiva was pleased with hisdevotion and granted him immortality on the condition that he would use his power to help thelocal people. Tripurasura agreed with Him. However, over time, he forgot his promise and beganto harass both humans and the gods. When the gods begged Lord Shiva to do something tostop the ensuing chaos, the Lord prayed to his consort Goddess Parvati. Both of them appearedas Ardhanari Nateshwara and killed Tripurasura, after which peace prevailed.According to another legend, in the Dakini forests on the ranges of the Sahyadri Mountains livedan asura (demon) named Bhima with his mother Karkati. He was, in fact, the son ofKumbharkarna, the younger brother of King Ravana. When he learnt that Lord Vishnu had killedhis father in his avatar as Rama, he was furious. He vowed revenge and performed severepenance to please Lord Brahma.In return, Brahma blessed him with immense strength, which he used to terrorize the world. Heimprisoned an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Kamrupeshwar and demanded that he pray to himinstead of Lord Shiva. When Kamrupeshwar refused to do so, Bhima raised his sword todestroy the Shivalinga. That is when Lord Shiva appeared before him and reduced him toashes. The place where Lord Shiva manifested himself is the spot the Shivalinga is believed tobe now.Interesting facts about Bhimashankar JyotirlingaBhimashankar has been declared a wildlife sanctuary; it is a reserved forest area, and as it ispart of the Western Ghats, it is rich in flora and fauna.The state animal of Maharashtra, the Malabar Giant Squirrel, is a rare animal found here.While Bhimashankar is accessible round the year, at 3,500 feet above sea level, it would bebest to visit it post monsoon as it experiences heavy showers in the monsoon period. You canalso visit it in the winter months; so August to February is a good time for a visit. It would beideal to visit this divine destination during Mahashivratri.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Ellora Caves are a multi-religious rock-cut cave complex withinscriptions dating from the period 6th century CE onwards, located in the Aurangabad Districtof Maharashtra, India. They are also called verul caves.There are over 100 caves at the site, allexcavated from the basalt cliffs in the Charanandri Hills, 34 of which are open to public.TheEllora caves are situated in state of Maharashtra about 29 kilometres (18 miles) northwest of thecity of Sambhaji Nagar, 300 kilometres (190 miles) east-northeast of Mumbai, 235 kilometres(146 miles) from Pune and about 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the Ajanta Caves, 2.3kilometres (1.42 miles) from Grishneshwar Temple (India).Ellora occupies a relatively flat rocky region of the Western Ghats, where ancient volcanicactivity had created multilayered basalt formations, known as the Deccan Traps. The volcanicactivity that formed the west-facing cliff that houses the Ellora caves occurred during theCretaceous period. The resulting vertical face made access to many layers of rock formationseasier, enabling architects to pick basalt with finer grains for more detailed sculpting.The construction at Ellora has been studied since British colonial rule. However, the overlappingstyles between the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves has made it difficult to establish agreementconcerning the chronology of their construction.The disputes generally concern: one, whetherthe Buddhist or Hindu caves were carved first and, two, the relative dating of caves within aparticular tradition. The broad consensus that has emerged is based on comparing the carvingstyles at Ellora to other cave temples in the Deccan region that have been dated, textualrecords of various dynasties, and epigraphical evidence found at various archaeological sitesnear Ellora and elsewhere in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.The Great Kailasatemple (Cave 16) is attributed to Krishna I (c. 757–783 CE), the successor and uncle ofDantidurga. A copper plate inscription found in Baroda, Gujarat, states that a great edifice wasbuilt on a hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura (Ellora)The carvings at Ellora were at one time profuselyKumbharkarna, the younger brother of King Ravana. When he learnt that Lord Vishnu had killedhis father in his avatar as Rama, he was furious. He vowed revenge and performed severepenance to please Lord Brahma.In return, Brahma blessed him with immense strength, which he used to terrorize the world. Heimprisoned an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Kamrupeshwar and demanded that he pray to himinstead of Lord Shiva. When Kamrupeshwar refused to do so, Bhima raised his sword todestroy the Shivalinga. That is when Lord Shiva appeared before him and reduced him toashes. The place where Lord Shiva manifested himself is the spot the Shivalinga is believed tobe now.Interesting facts about Bhimashankar JyotirlingaBhimashankar has been declared a wildlife sanctuary; it is a reserved forest area, and as it ispart of the Western Ghats, it is rich in flora and fauna.The state animal of Maharashtra, the Malabar Giant Squirrel, is a rare animal found here.While Bhimashankar is accessible round the year, at 3,500 feet above sea level, it would bebest to visit it post monsoon as it experiences heavy showers in the monsoon period. You canalso visit it in the winter months; so August to February is a good time for a visit. It would beideal to visit this divine destination during Mahashivratri.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Ellora Caves are a multi-religious rock-cut cave complex withinscriptions dating from the period 6th century CE onwards, located in the Aurangabad Districtof Maharashtra, India. They are also called verul caves.There are over 100 caves at the site, allexcavated from the basalt cliffs in the Charanandri Hills, 34 of which are open to public.TheEllora caves are situated in state of Maharashtra about 29 kilometres (18 miles) northwest of thecity of Sambhaji Nagar, 300 kilometres (190 miles) east-northeast of Mumbai, 235 kilometres(146 miles) from Pune and about 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the Ajanta Caves, 2.3kilometres (1.42 miles) from Grishneshwar Temple (India).Ellora occupies a relatively flat rocky region of the Western Ghats, where ancient volcanicactivity had created multilayered basalt formations, known as the Deccan Traps. The volcanicactivity that formed the west-facing cliff that houses the Ellora caves occurred during theCretaceous period. The resulting vertical face made access to many layers of rock formationseasier, enabling architects to pick basalt with finer grains for more detailed sculpting.The construction at Ellora has been studied since British colonial rule. However, the overlappingstyles between the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves has made it difficult to establish agreementconcerning the chronology of their construction.The disputes generally concern: one, whetherthe Buddhist or Hindu caves were carved first and, two, the relative dating of caves within aparticular tradition. The broad consensus that has emerged is based on comparing the carvingstyles at Ellora to other cave temples in the Deccan region that have been dated, textualrecords of various dynasties, and epigraphical evidence found at various archaeological sitesnear Ellora and elsewhere in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.The Great Kailasatemple (Cave 16) is attributed to Krishna I (c. 757–783 CE), the successor and uncle ofDantidurga. A copper plate inscription found in Baroda, Gujarat, states that a great edifice wasbuilt on a hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura (Ellora)The carvings at Ellora were at one time profuselypainted. The rock was covered with a lime plaster which was painted. The plaster and the painthas survived in places.The famous Bengali filmmaker (and author) Satyajit Ray wrote the crimethriller novel Kailashey Kelenkari in 1974, featuring fictional detective Feluda. In the novel,Feluda travels to the Ellora caves to uncover a smuggling racket involving illegal trade ofhistorical artifacts from Indian temples, including the largest cave at Ellora, the Kailasa Temple.Satyajit’s son Sandip Ray adapted the novel into a movie of the same name in 2007.Theauthenticity of Ellora Caves is expressed through the architectural forms and designs such asthe viharas (monasteries), chaityagriha (sanctuary), and monolithic temples belonging to threedifferent faiths. The materials, locations, and natural setting also play significant roles indetermining the authenticity of the property. The Ellora Caves are authentic in terms of the formsand designs, materials and substance, and locations and setting of paintings, rock-cutarchitecture, sculptures, and unfinished temples of three different faiths, i.e. Buddhism,Brahmanism, and Jainism.The management of the Ellora Caves is carried out by theArchaeological Survey of India (ASI), while the buffer zones are jointly managed by the ASI, theForest Department, and the Government of Maharashtra. Various legislation, including theAncient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (1958) and its Rules (1959),Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act(2010), Forest Act (1927), Forest Conservation Act (1980), Municipal Councils, NagarPanchayats and Industrial Townships Act, Maharashtra (1965), and Regional and TownPlanning Act, Maharashtra (1966), governs the overall administration of the property and itsbuffer zones. A detailed condition survey of all caves has been undertaken as a part of theComprehensive Conservation Management Plan and implementation is underway.Sustaining the Outstanding Universal Value of the property over time will require developing andimplementing a framework to address issues such as visitor management as well asenvironment management; long-term monitoring for seepage and cracking patterns in all thecaves; and capacity building of conservation staff at the property, with the objective of ensuringthe long-term protection of attributes that sustain the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity andauthenticity of the property.The invaluable ensemble of 34 caves at Ellora in the Charanandrihills of western India’s Maharashtra State showcases a spirit of co-existence and religioustolerance through the outstanding architectural activities carried out by the followers of threeprominent religions: Buddhism, Brahmanism, and Jainism. The rock-cut activity was carried outin three phases from the 6th century to the 12th century. The earliest caves (caves 1–12),excavated between the 5th and 8th centuries, reflect the Mahayana philosophy of Buddhismthen prevalent in this region. The Brahmanical group of caves (caves 13–29), including therenowned Kailasa temple (cave 16), was excavated between the 7th and 10th centuries. Thelast phase, between the 9th and 12th centuries, saw the excavation of a group of caves (caves30–34) reflecting Jaina philosophy.Amongst the caves of the Buddhist group, Cave 10 (Visvakarma or Sutar-ki-jhopari, theCarpenter’s cave), Cave 11, and Cave 12 (Teen Tal, or three-storied monastery, the largest inthis category) are particularly important. These caves mark the development of the Vajrayanaform of Buddhism and represent a host of Buddhist deities. The prominent caves of theBrahmanical group are Cave 15 (Dasavatara, or Cave of Ten Incarnations), Cave 16 (Kailasa,

the largest monolithic temple), Cave 21 (Ramesvara), and Cave 29 (Dumar Lena). Amongstthese, Cave 16 is an excellent example of structural innovation, and marks the culmination ofrock-cut architecture in India featuring elaborate workmanship and striking proportions. Thetemple is decorated with some of the boldest and finest sculptural compositions to be found inIndia. The sculpture depicting Ravana attempting to lift Mount Kailasa, the abode of Siva, isespecially noteworthy. The remains of beautiful paintings belonging to different periods arepreserved on the ceilings of the front mandapa (pillared hall) of this temple. The Jaina group ofcaves (caves 30 – 34) is exquisitely carved with fine, delicate sculptures, and includes finepaintings dedicated to the Digambara sect. Through their art and architecture, the Ellora Cavesserve as a window to ancient India, including socio-cultural phenomena, material culture,politics, and lifestyles.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia’s largestcities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design.Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with thearched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby. Sydney Tower’s outdoorplatform, the Skywalk, offers 360-degree views of the city and suburbs.Aboriginal Australianshave inhabited the Greater Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, and Aboriginal engravingsand cultural sites are common. The traditional custodians of the land on which modern Sydneystands are the clans of the Darug, Dharawal and Eora peoples. During his first Pacific voyage in1770, James Cook charted the eastern coast of Australia, making landfall at Botany Bay. In1788, the First Fleet of convicts, led by Arthur Phillip, founded Sydney as a British penal colony,the first European settlement in Australia.The inhabitants subsisted on fishing, hunting, andgathering plants and shellfish. The diet of the coastal clans was more reliant on seafoodwhereas hinterland clans ate more forest animals and plants. The clans had distinctiveequipment and weapons mostly made of stone, wood, plant materials, bone and shell. Theyalso differed in their body decorations, hairstyles, songs and dances. Aboriginal clans had a richceremonial life, part of a belief system centering on ancestral, totemic and supernatural beings.People from different clans and language groups came together to participate in initiation andother ceremonies. These occasions fostered trade, marriages and clan alliances.Britain hadbeen sending convicts to its American colonies for most of the eighteenth century, and the lossof these colonies in 1783 was the impetus to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay.Proponents of colonisation also pointed to the strategic importance of a new base in theAsia-Pacific region and its potential to provide much-needed timber and flax for the navy.AfterPhillip’s departure in December 1792, the colony’s military officers began acquiring land andimporting consumer goods from visiting ships. Former convicts engaged in trade and openedsmall businesses. Soldiers and former convicts built houses on Crown land, with or withoutofficial permission, in what was now commonly called Sydney town. Governor William Bligh(1806–08) imposed restrictions on commerce and ordered the demolition of buildings erectedon Crown land, including some owned by past and serving military officers. The resulting conflictculminated in the Rum Rebellion of 1808, in which Bligh was deposed by the New South WalesCorps.The best things to do in Sydney include exploring historic streets and museums, as wellas shopping in thriving markets and modern retail centres. This vibrant city is known for itsyacht-studded harbour, superb beaches, and the iconic Opera House with its towering sailstructure.Once a British colony of exiled convicts, Sydney has grown into Australia’s most diverse andcosmopolitan city with an exciting food, arts and entertainment scene. You can enjoy coastalwalks and its spectacular Harbour Bridge that could be climbed by day or seen in its fullglittering glory at night from a rooftop bar. Here are just a few ideas on things to see and do inSydney.Sydney’s Opera House is an architectural masterpiece that’s become one of the world’smost recognisable landmarks. Among the 40 shows a week performed here, you can choosefrom live music concerts, ballet, modern dance, opera, symphony orchestras and plays. TheOpera House not only attracts talents from around the world but is home to seven residentperforming arts companies including Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet.Take a tour to learn more about its colourful history and backstage stories, or head up to theOpera Bar relax with a sea view. For an elegant meal before the show, book a table atBennelong, serving modern Australian cuisine in a cathedral-like setting.On thisadrenalin-pumping guided tour over the arch, you’ll hear stories about the history of the bridgeand the city as you take in the amazing views over Sydney harbour. It doesn’t come cheap, butthe price includes all safety equipment and photos taken by the guide (cameras are notpermitted).Joining the tour is the only way to navigate the arch, but if you’re keen to explore the bridgeindependently there’s a footpath parallel to the road that’s free. You could also pay a small feeand do the 200-step climb up the Pylon Lookout, which also offers a fabulous bird’s eye view ofthe harbour.There are plenty of guided boat trips around Sydney’s coastline, but a cheap andeasy way to do it is by catching a ride to Manly on the ferry. The 30-minute trip from CircularQuay to Manly glides under the Harbour Bridge and past the Sydney Opera House, giving you aclose-up view from the water.The sturdy wooden ferry has been operating this route since 1855, with a newer fast ferrymaking the trip in less than 20 minutes. Linger on for at least a few hours to relax in a sea-viewcafé and take a swim at one of Manly’s lovely beaches.Sydney Fish Market is not only a hugecentre of trade for local fisherfolk, it offers a full foodie experience with many restaurants, cafes,bakeries, gourmet delis and wine shops on site.Book an early-morning tour to watch the daily fish auctions in action and see more than 100species of seafood for sale. Or take the Brunch Tour to explore the market and watch someoyster shucking before settling in for a tasty brunch with the catch of the day – sashimi, prawns,king crabs, and more. Seafood cooking classes are also available.Sydney has a great range ofplaces to shop, but 2 Victorian-era shopping centres add a dash of regal beauty to theexperience. Find a mix of luxury and affordable fashion brands at Queen Victoria Building, whichhas been revived to its 1890s splendour with intricate stain-glass windows and its originalstaircase. Go for an elegant break from shopping with high tea in the QVB Tea Room.The Strand Arcade is a historic glass-domed landmark just a few blocks away, where Australiandesigner brands like Aje and Dion Lee are among its mix of high-end boutique stores, cafes andrestaurants.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Ujjain is an ancient city beside the Kshipra River in the centralIndian state of Madhya Pradesh. An important Hindu pilgrimage destination, it’s known for thecenturies-old Mahakaleshwar Temple, a towering structure with a distinctively ornate roof.Nearby, Bade Ganesh Temple houses a colorful statue of Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindudeity. Harsiddhi Temple features a pair of tall dark pillars studded with lamps.An ancient citysituated on the eastern bank of the Shipra River, Ujjain was the most prominent city on theMalwa plateau of central India for much of its history. It emerged as the political centre of centralIndia around 600 BCE. It was the capital of the ancient Avanti kingdom, one of the sixteenMahājanapadas. During the 18th century, the city briefly became the capital of the Scindia stateof the Maratha Empire, when Ranoji Scindia established his capital at Ujjain in 1731. Itremained an important political, commercial and cultural centre of Central India until the early19th century, when the British administrators decided to develop Indore as an alternative to it.Ujjain continues to be an important place of pilgrimage for Shaivites, Vaishnavites andShaktas.The ancient walled city of Ujjain was located around the Garh Kalika hill on the bank ofriver Kshipra, in the present-day suburban areas of the Ujjain city. This city covered an irregularpentagonal area of 0.875 km2. It was surrounded by a 12 m high mud rampart. Thearchaeological investigations have also indicated the presence of a 45 m wide and 6.6 m deepmoat around the city.Ujjain is ancient and historical city that is 5000 years old. It is described asthe best city in Adi Brahma Puran and it is called mokshda and bhukti-mukti in AgniPuran andGaruda Puran. There was a time when this city had been a capital of a big empire.This city has a glorious history. As per religious books this city has never seen destruction forthe god of destruction Mahakal himself resides here. As per Garuda Puran there seven citiesthat can provide salvation and out of them Avantika city is considered the best as theimportance of Ujjain is little bit more than other cities.This city has a Jyotirling out of 12Jyotirlings, one city out of seven salvation providing cities, Gadhkalika and Harsiddhi, the twoShakti Peeths, and sacred Kumbh that takes place in four cities of India. The cave of kingBhartari is found here and it is believed that Ujjain has foot prints of God Vishnu.” Vishnaw: Padamvantika ”God Rama himself performed his father’s last rites after his death at Ujjain and therefore theplace where the ritual took place called ‘RamGhat’. The ‘Shahi Bath’of Simhasta takes place onthis RamGhat.As per Purans, Ujjain has many names 1. Ujjaini, 2. Pratikalpa, 3. Padmavati, 4. Avantika, 5.Bhogwati, 6. Amravati, 7. Kumudwati, 8. Vishala, 9 Kushasthati etc. There was a time when thiscity became the capital of Avanti Janpada and therefore it is known as Avantikapuri.Great Scholars of varied fields like Kaalidas, Varahmihir, Banabhatta, Rajashekera,Pushpadanta, Shankaracharya, Vallabhacharya, Bhartahari, Diwakar, Kattayayan and Bhas hadtheir association with Ujjain. Mughal emperor Akbar made this city his regional capital. Marathasruled over here prior to 18th century. Sindhiya Dynasty rulers worked for the promotion of Hindureligion. In 1235, Iltutmish invaded and plundered this city. King Vikramaditya made this city hiscapital the great scholar od Sanskrut Kaalidas was in this court. In the years 1810, Sindhiashifted their capital from Ujjain to Gwalior. In this city itself king Bhartari took the “VairaagyaDiksha”. In Naatha Tradition of religious sect through his teacher Guru Gorakshnaath. Forcenturies, Ujjain has been a center of religion for Hindu, Jain and Buddha religion.Ujjain isdescribed at length in SkandPurana and is considered the place of origination of Mangal Griha.As per AgniPuran, Ujjain is salvation giving city. It is a city of gods. As per SkandPurana, Ujjainhas 84 Mahadevs, 64 YOGINIS, 8 Bhairavs and 6 Vinayakas. Great Poet Kaalidas praises thebeauty of Ujjain and according to him Ujjain is a fallen part of heaven.Scientific and natural importance of UjjainOne great importance of Ujjain is its central location scientifically. Astrology began anddeveloped in this centrally located city of Mahakaal.Ujjain has provided the system of calculation of time to India and Foreign countries. This type ofthe natural geographical and astrological importance of Ujjain is needed to be understood.Importance of Ujjain GeographicallyOn the beautiful bank of Kshipra and on the plateau of Malwa, Ujjain is situated at the height of491.74o above sea level and at 23.11o longitude north and 75.50o East latitude. Ujjain has afine moderate temperature and therefore the climate is found pleasant here generally.The city,lying on the first meridian of the ancient Hindu geographers, was the capital (as Ujjayini) of theAryan Avanti kingdom (6th–4th century BCE). In the 2nd century BCE Ujjain was the seat of theemperor Ashoka, the last of the Mauryan rulers and one of the most influential early Buddhists.The city was known to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE as Ozene, thecapital of the western satraps—i.e., the Greek, Scythian, and Parthian rulers of western India.An important trade centre in ancient times, it passed to Chandra Gupta II of Magadha in 400CE. In 1235 Iltutmish of Delhi sacked Ujjain, and it remained in Muslim hands until its capture in1750 by the Sindhias, who made it their capital. With the transfer of the capital to Lashkar inGwalior (1810) and the rise of Indore, Ujjain declined in importance. It was constituted amunicipality in 1887.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotivemanufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda andincorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in theworld, producing about 10 million vehicles per year.The company was originally founded as aspinoff of Toyota Industries, a machine maker started by Sakichi Toyoda, Kiichiro’s father. Bothcompanies are now part of the Toyota Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world.While still a department of Toyota Industries, the company developed its first product, the TypeA engine, in 1934 and its first passenger car in 1936, the Toyota AA.After World War II, Toyota benefited from Japan’s alliance with the United States to learn fromAmerican automakers and other companies, which gave rise to The Toyota Way (amanagement philosophy) and the Toyota Production System (a lean manufacturing practice)that transformed the small company into a leader in the industry and was the subject of manyacademic studies.In the 1960s, Toyota took advantage of the rapidly growing Japanese economy to sell cars to agrowing middle-class, leading to the development of the Toyota Corolla, which became theworld’s all-time best-selling automobile. The booming economy also funded an internationalexpansion that allowed Toyota to grow into one of the largest automakers in the world, thelargest company in Japan and the ninth-largest company in the world by revenue, as ofDecember 2020. Toyota was the world’s first automobile manufacturer to produce more than 10million vehicles per year, a record set in 2012, when it also reported the production of its 200millionth vehicle.Toyota was praised for being a leader in the development and sales of more fuel-efficient hybridelectric vehicles, starting with the introduction of the Toyota Prius in 1997. The company nowsells more than 40 hybrid vehicle models around the world. More recently, the company hasalso been criticized for being slow to adopt all-electric vehicles and focusing on the developmentof hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, like the Toyota Mirai, a technology that is costlier and has fallenfar behind electric batteries.As of 2022, the Toyota Motor Corporation produces vehicles under four brands: Daihatsu, Hino,Lexus and the namesake Toyota. The company also holds a 20% stake in Subaru Corporation,a 5.1% stake in Mazda, a 4.9% stake in Suzuki, a 4.6% stake in Isuzu, a 3.8% stake in YamahaMotor Corporation, and a 2.8% stake in Panasonic, as well as stakes in vehicle manufacturingjoint-ventures in China (FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota), the Czech Republic (TPCA), India(Toyota Kirloskar) and the United States (MTMUS).Toyota is listed on the London Stock Exchange, Nagoya Stock Exchange, New York StockExchange and on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, where its stock is a component of the Nikkei 225and TOPIX Core30 indices.Toyota entered the United States market in July 1958, attempting tosell the Toyopet Crown. The company faced problems almost immediately, the Crown was a flopin the U.S. with buyers finding it overpriced and underpowered (because it was designed for thebad roads of Japan, not high-speed performance). In response, exports of the Crown to theUnited States were suspended in After the successes of the 1970s, and the threats of importrestrictions, Toyota started making additional investments in the North American market in the1980s. In 1981, Japan agreed to voluntary export restraints, which limited the number ofvehicles the nation would send to the United States each year, leading Toyota to establishassembly plants in North America. The U.S. government also closed the loophole that allowedToyota to pay lower taxes by building truck beds in America.December 1960.Toyota received itsfirst Japanese Quality Control Award at the start of the 1980s and began participating in a widevariety of motorsports. Conservative Toyota held on to rear-wheel-drive designs for longer thanmost; while a clear first in overall production they were only third in production offront-wheel-drive cars in 1983, behind Nissan and Honda. In part due to this, Nissan’s Sunnymanaged to squeeze by the Corolla in numbers built that year.Toyota received its first JapaneseQuality Control Award at the start of the 1980s and began participating in a wide variety ofmotorsports. Conservative Toyota held on to rear-wheel-drive designs for longer than most;while a clear first in overall production they were only third in production of front-wheel-drivecars in 1983, behind Nissan and Honda. In part due to this, Nissan’s Sunny managed tosqueeze by the Corolla in numbers built that year.Toyota received its first Japanese QualityControl Award at the start of the 1980s and began participating in a wide variety of motorsports.Conservative Toyota held on to rear-wheel-drive designs for longer than most; while a clear firstin overall production they were only third in production of front-wheel-drive cars in 1983, behindNissan and Honda. In part due to this, Nissan’s Sunny managed to squeeze by the Corolla innumbers built that year.The Toyota Way is a set of principles and behaviors that underlie thecompany’s approach to management and production (which is further defined as the ToyotaProduction System).The company has been developing its corporate philosophy since 1948 and passing it on asimplicit knowledge to new employees, but as the company expanded globally, leaders officiallyidentified and defined the Toyota Way in 2001. Toyota summarized it under two main pillars:continuous improvement and respect for people. Under the continuous improvement pillar arethree principles: challenge (form a long-term vision), kaizen (a continual improvement process),and genchi genbutsu (“go and see” the process to make correct decisions). Under the respectfor people pillar are two principles: respect and teamwork.In 2007, Toyota released an update ofits full-sized truck, the Tundra, produced in two American factories, one in Texas and one inIndiana. Motor Trend named the 2007 Toyota Camry “Car of the Year” for 2007. It also beganthe construction of two new factories, one in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, and the other in BlueSprings, Mississippi, USA.In 1950, Toyota was split into Toyota Motor Co. and Toyota MotorSales Co. (sales arm of Toyota); the two companies merged in 1982 to create one unifiedcompany, with then-Toyota Motor Co. President Eiji Toyoda becoming chairman. Chairmenlisted prior to 1982 below were for the pre-merger Toyota Motor Co. only.Toyota has beeninvolved in many global motorsports series, providing vehicles, engines and other auto partsunder both the Toyota and Lexus brands.Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) is Toyota’s performance brand that is used in many of the world’smajor motorsports contests. Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, based in Cologne, Germany,competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship, while the Finland-based Toyota GazooRacing WRT participates in the FIA World Rally Championship. Toyota Gazoo Racing SouthAfrica competes in the Dakar Rally. Between 2002 and 2009, the Toyota Racing team competedin Formula One. Toyota won the highest class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 5 consecutive timesfrom 2018 to 2022, competing with the Toyota TS050 Hybrid and Toyota GR010 Hybrid.Toyota Racing Development USA (TRD USA) is responsible for participation in majormotorsports contests in the United States including NASCAR, NHRA, Indy Racing League andFormula Drift.Toyota also makes engines and other auto parts for other Japanese motorsports includingSuper Formula, Super GT, Formula 3, and Toyota Racing Series.Toyota established the ToyotaTechnological Institute in 1981, as Sakichi Toyoda had planned to establish a university as soonas he and Toyota became successful. Toyota Technological Institute founded the ToyotaTechnological Institute at Chicago in 2003. Toyota is supporter of the Toyota DrivingExpectations Program, Toyota Youth for Understanding Summer Exchange ScholarshipProgram, Toyota International Teacher Program, Toyota TAPESTRY, Toyota CommunityScholars (scholarship for high school students), United States Hispanic Chamber of CommerceInternship Program, and Toyota Funded Scholarship.Agricultural biotechnologyToyota invests in several small start-up businesses and partnerships in biotechnology, including:P.T. Toyota Bio Indonesia in Lampung, IndonesiaAustralian Afforestation Pty. Ltd. in Western Australia and Southern AustraliaToyota Floritech Co., Ltd. in Rokkasho-Mura, Kamikita District, Aomori PrefectureSichuan Toyota Nitan Development Co., Ltd. in Sichuan, ChinaToyota Roof Garden Corporation in Miyoshi-Cho, Aichi PrefectureAisin, another member of theToyota Group of companies, uses the same Toyota wordmark logo to market its home-usesewing machines. Aisin was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda after he founded the Toyota MotorCorporation. According to Aisin, he was so pleased with the first sewing machine, he decided toapply the same Toyota branding as his auto business, despite the companies beingindependent from each other.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Bellis perennis The Daisy plant.the daisy, is a European species of the family Asteraceae, often considered the archetypalspecies of the name daisy. To distinguish this species from other plants known as daisies, it issometimes qualified as common daisy, lawn daisy or English daisy.The sweet simplicity and genuine beauty of the daisy have made the flower an internationalemblem of innocence and purity. Its fresh, crisp appearance has come to symbolize newbeginnings, and its bright, spirit-lifting colors are known to spread happiness like wildfire.3 more daisy facts that make this flower specialIn addition to its one-of-a-kind personality, the daisy has plenty of other qualities that set it apartfrom other flowers.1. The daisy is two flowers in oneThe large outer petals make up one flower, and the cluster of tiny petals that form the center“eye” make up another.2. Daisy leaves are consumableHigh in vitamin C, the leaves of a daisy are actually very closely related to the artichoke.3. Daisies can be turned into medicineSome health benefits of daisies include relieving indigestion, soothing coughs, slowing bleeding,and easing back pain.Because daisies are composite flowers, they are actually two flowers that have blendedtogether in complete harmony. So, they have a meaning of true love. If you’ve got ananniversary coming up or want to send some romantic gesture flowers, then daises are aperfect choice.White daisyLike most white flowers, white daisies represent purity and innocence with their bright and freshappearance. White daises can be included in wedding flowers or wedding decor, which will lookamazing for a spring wedding! Or, sent to new parents as a congratulations bouquet.Pink daisyPink daisies have a meaning of gentleness, love and romance. So, if you have a specialsomeone in your life, or you want to confess your feelings, pink daisies are ideal to send. Theyalso symbolise feminine energy – making them great to give to any woman you admire.Blue daisyBlue daises have a meaning of long-term loyalty and trust so you can send them to a friend, along-term partner or a family member who you care very much for. These daisies are pretty rareto find but not impossible. They look very similar to asters, which are actually part of the daisyfamily.Orange daisyOrange daisies represent happiness, joy, friendship and warmth. They are the most joyful typeof daisies to send and receive! The perfect pick-me-up, you’ll easily make someone’s day with abunch of bright orange daisies.Facts about daisies!Want to know even more? Here are some fun facts about daisies!Daisies provide a valuable food source for honeybees and bumblebees. So just another reasonto love having them around!The daisy is April’s birth month flower.Daisies grow all year round.They are found everywhere on earth except Antarctica.Daisy, any of several species of flowering plants belonging to the aster family (Asteraceae). Thename daisy commonly denotes the oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), the Shasta daisy (L.×superbum), and the English, or true, daisy (Bellis perennis). These and other plants calleddaisies are distinguished by a composite flower head composed of 15 to 30 white ray flowerssurrounding a centre consisting of bright yellow disk flowers, though other colour combinationsare commonMembers of the genus Bellis are perennials that have solitary flower heads borneon long stalks; the disk flowers are yellow, the ray flowers white or purple. The English daisy (B.perennis) is often used as a bedding plant. It has numerous spoon-shaped, slightly hairy leavesnear its base that form a rosette. The plant has leafless flower stalks and hairy bracts (leaflikestructures) below the flower heads. Some varieties of the English daisy have double flowers;others may have pink or red ray flowers surrounding the bright yellow disk. Like the oxeye, theEnglish daisy is native to Europe but has become a common wild plant in much of NorthAmerica.Other daisies include the Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) of the floral industry,marguerite daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens), painted lady daisy (Tanacetum coccineum), andpyrethrum daisy (Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium) and various members of the generaChrysanthemum and Erigeron.dicotyledonous flowering plants within the Asteraceae (orComposite) family, and in particular is associated with the true, common, or English daisy (Bellisperennis) and the oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare, sny. Chrysanthemum leucanthemum).Daisies are characterized by the star-shaped flower head, consisting of a densely packedcluster of numerous, small, individual flowers (florets). Both of these species have a cente