Père Lachaise Cemetery Scavenger Hunt

What you should leave on the graves of Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Marcel Proust, Georges Méliès and others. Finding them is part of the fun.

Think of Père Lachaise Cemetery as a large park — that just so happens to have a bunch of dead people buried in it

Think of Père Lachaise Cemetery as a large park — that just so happens to have a bunch of dead people buried in it

On the first day of class, a lot of my college professors would have everyone state an interesting fact about themselves. My go-to response was, “I like to hang out in cemeteries.”

I thought it was just odd enough to make me seem mysterious and it revealed my quirky nature.

“At one point, the oversized testicles were removed, with the rumor being that the cemetery manager used them as paperweights.”

It’s also true. I’m a sucker for cemeteries, whether they’re small graveyards tucked next to a church, with moldering tombstones or grand affairs with elaborate statues like the Cimiterio Monumentale I stumbled upon in Milan, Italy.

I’m a cemetery aficionado, a connoisseur, if you will. And hands down, there’s one cemetery that beats out all competitors: Père Lachaise in Paris, France.

Jim Morrison’s grave is barricaded off. Apparently his fans can be a bit unruly and destructive to other tombs

Jim Morrison’s grave is barricaded off. Apparently his fans can be a bit unruly and destructive to other tombs

It’s no surprise that Père Lachaise is said to be the most visited cemetery in the world. Situated in Paris’ 20th arrondissement, the necropolis is named for Father François d’Aix de La Chaise, who heard the many confessions of King Louis XIV.

There are 70,000-some graves packed into the 109 acres, many of them of famous individuals of all stripes. It became a scavenger hunt of sorts to use the map to try to locate particular graves — and once you find them, you realize many have a certain way people pay tribute to the ghosts of these great men and women.  

 

The iconic shot from Mélièrs’ A Trip to the Moon

The iconic shot from Mélièrs’ A Trip to the Moon

WHO: Georges Mélièrs, 1861-1938

FAMOUS FOR: Helping create the birth of cinema

WHAT TO LEAVE: Film canisters or something photography-related

Our first stop was at Méliers’ grave. He’s famous for A Trip to the Moon — you might have seen the iconic image of a rockship that lands in the eye of the Man in the Moon. The gorgeous and magical movie Hugo is a worthy tribute to Mélièrs.

This was our first hint at how difficult finding particular graves can be. We were sure we were in the right spot, but just couldn’t find Mélièrs’ tombstone. A nice older gentleman must have known what we were looking for — he came over and pointed down into a mass of tombstones. I spoke with him briefly in French. We realized the grave was a couple of rows deep on a narrow side path.

“There goes the stereotype of French people being rude,” Duke said. 

We still couldn’t find a way down into the depths, but then we saw a couple coming up the hill from the main road, like the entrance to a secret passage.

Leave something photo- or film-related on Mélièrs’ grave — or just a note

Leave something photo- or film-related on Mélièrs’ grave — or just a note

Wally’s note reads, “Thanks for all the magic!”

Wally’s note reads, “Thanks for all the magic!”

One never knows when some graveyard dirt will come in handy

One never knows when some graveyard dirt will come in handy

Oscar Wilde, the dandy himself

Oscar Wilde, the dandy himself

WHO: Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900

FAMOUS FOR: Writer (The Portrait of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest), witticist, gay pioneer

WHAT TO LEAVE: A lipstick kiss

Wilde had some great lines. My personal favorite has always been: “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”

His grave is one of the more interesting ones at Père Lachaise. Part of the Art Deco stone monolith is an angular angel, with massive wings and anatomically correct privates. At one point, the oversized testicles were removed, with the rumor being that the cemetery manager used them as paperweights.

In the 1990s, a new tradition started: People would leave lipstick kisses on Wilde’s grave. It’s a sweet idea, and one I think Wilde himself would approve of. But the cemetery staff kept cleaning them off, which was causing irreparable damage.

So, in 2011, a glass wall was erected around the grave. So you can leave a kiss for Wilde — without damaging his tomb.

I didn’t happen to have any lipstick, so I wrote him a nice note and left that instead.

Even with a glass barrier, people still find ways to kiss Wilde’s grave. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind

Even with a glass barrier, people still find ways to kiss Wilde’s grave. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind

Wally is wild about Wilde

Wally is wild about Wilde

Édith Piaf

Édith Piaf

WHO: Édith Piaf, 1915-1963

FAMOUS FOR: Songstress (“La Vie en Rose”)

WHAT TO LEAVE: Roses

You’ll have to hunt for a grave marked, “Famille Gassion-Piaf.” I didn’t have any flowers, so I tried to draw one on a note I left on her tomb.

Not Wally’s best work, but he wanted to offer Piaf a flower of sorts

Not Wally’s best work, but he wanted to offer Piaf a flower of sorts

Marcel Proust

Marcel Proust

WHO: Marcel Proust, 1871-1922

FAMOUS FOR: Writer (In Search of Lost Time)

WHAT TO LEAVE: Métro ticket stubs

I couldn’t find anything about why people decided to start leaving subway ticket stubs. I could make up some bullshit about the subway trains symbolizing the passage of time — but it was probably the only thing a tourist had in their pocket, others followed suit, and a tradition was born.

These were the main graves we left tributes on. There are plenty of other celebrities’ graves to hunt down at Père Lachaise. When in doubt, bring a pad of paper and write a note about how the person touched your life. Or start your own tradition.

If you’ve never spent an afternoon wandering through a cemetery, Père Lachaise is a great place to start. You’re sure to be converted. It might sound creepy, but it’s really not. Maybe it even helps us, in some small way, accept the inevitability of death. –Wally

Coconut Macaroons Recipe

A cookie recipe that’s sure to brighten your day.

Delectable toasted coconut macaroons, like the ones we had after our hamman in Fès, Morocco

Springtime weather in Chicago can be wildly unpredictable at best. Sure, you made it through winter, but March often throws a combination of wind, rain and, more than occasionally, snow our way. Days can vary from sunny and warm to cold and rainy up until the end of May, before summer officially arrives.

Recently, on one of these blustery and chilly early spring days, I was humming “Holiday” by Madonna and daydreaming about a faraway rooftop bar with vibrant pink bougainvillea in bloom and the delicious, bite-size, toasty, golden coconut macaroons with soft chewy centers we were served at Palais Amani in Fès, Morocco.

This simple recipe, adapted from Ina Garten, is bound to make your day better. It always reminds me of the ones we enjoyed on a warm and sunny afternoon on our spa day in the historic medina. A perfect combination of toasted coconut, meringue-fluffy egg whites and sweetened condensed milk yield a dense and slightly tangy interior.

These confections are not to be confused with macarons, the meringue-based French cookie filled with buttercream, ganache or fruit curd.

 

Makes: 24 to 30 cookies

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

It doesn’t take much to whip up a batch of these little balls of sunshine

It doesn’t take much to whip up a batch of these little balls of sunshine

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 extra-large egg whites at room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

 

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl.

Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1¾-inch-diameter ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

 

Go ahead — you deserve a little to time to relax, and if you fancy a cup of tea, might I suggest chamomile? –Duke

Les Portes de Paris – The Doors of Paris

If you’re one of those people who love pictures of doors, come right in.

 

You’ve seen the posters. They show pictures of doors found throughout a particular city.

What is it about doors that so peaks our interest? Doors simultaneously close you off and welcome you in. There’s a sense of mystery surrounding them: What world will you discover once you cross the threshold?

As we wandered around Paris, Duke periodically snapped pics of doors. In lieu of making our own poster, here’s a sampling of some of the most stylish doors of a stylish city. 

While doors are lovely and all, Duke and I much prefer to take photos of the stray cats found throughout a city. They’ve got more personality. –Wally

The Monsters of “Supernatural,” Season 1, Episodes 20-22

Many of the legends about vampires aren’t true. Learn how to make holy water and the exorcism prayer to fight even the most powerful demons. Plus: the Devil’s Trap!

The rite of exorcism and the secret to making holy water will come in handy to defeat vampires and demons!

Dracula bores me. I’ve tried reading it twice and gave up pretty quickly.

But Buffy the Vampire Slayer? That’s another story. My friends and I were so obsessed with it, we’d have viewing parties every week, gathering at one of our homes, ordering pizza and drinking beer and watching one of the best shows on TV.

Before Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was fighting all sorts of evil — and doing so while dressed fabulously and making clever quips

“Most vampire lore is crap.”
— John Winchester

Vampires finally make an appearance on Supernatural, and it’s a moment of comedic gold that Dean and Sam, after all the crazy shit they’ve seen, still think vampires are a myth. Turns out they were wrong. Dead wrong.

 

S1E20: “Dead Man’s Blood”

Much of what we know about vampires turns out to be wrong

Monster: Vampire

Where it’s from: Legends of vampire-like creatures date back to the ancient civilizations of Persia, Greece, Egypt, China and Japan. But the vampire we’re familiar with today comes from Romania and other parts of Eastern Europe.

If you’re interested in finding a vamp, the Romanians have an interesting method, according to LiveScience: Take a 7-year-old boy, dress him in white and put him on a white horse. Let them wander a graveyard at midday — whatever grave the horse stops at houses a vampire!

Description: Babies born with a third nipple in Romania were thought to be vampires.

Much of our modern-day depictions of vampires were solidified by Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Bela Lugasi’s take on the famously charming bloodsucker.

We can thank Bram Stoker and Bela Lugasi for our modern-day versions of vampire lore

They’re undead humans, with pale skin (caused by an aversion to sunlight, one would imagine) and sharp fangs (so they don’t need a straw to consume their favorite beverage). Unlike zombies, which are more savage and don’t seem to retain any of their humanity, vampires keep much of the personality of the person they once were. They tend to be pretty intelligent and can pass as living humans.

What it does: Some vampires are said to be able to turn into bats or wolves or smoke. In some legends, vampires cannot come into your house without being invited. Some are said not to reveal reflections in mirrors. They’re supposed to have supernatural strength. They don’t age and can be immortal. Some have hypnotic mind control they can exert over humans.

Some legends say that vampires have the ability to turn into a bat at will

But the one thing that pretty much every tale agrees upon: Vampires vant to sock your blood.

On the show, the vampires take their victims back to their nest, where they bleed them for days.

How to defeat it: “Most vampire lore is crap,” Daddy Winchester tells his sons.

So take this advice with a grain of the salt Dean and Sam are so fond of.

Supporting this take is Thought Catalog, which reports that the idea of a vampire being harmed by sunlight is a fairly recent literary invention.

The jury’s still out on crosses and holy water as well.

Europeans would stab certain corpses through the chest at burial to prevent them from returning from the dead. This led to the belief that a stake through the heart would dispatch a vampire.

Decapitation also seems to work well. Play it safe and stuff the mouth full of garlic for good measure.

If you’re being chased by a vamp and happen to have a bag of salt handy (and after watching Supernatural, who doesn’t?), LiveScience reveals this neat trick: You need only spill the salt on the ground behind you, and the vampire is obligated to stop and count each and every grain before continuing the pursuit.

According to Supernatural, dead man’s blood is like poison to vampires, though it wears off after a while.

In addition, you can hide your scent from vamps with this trick: Burn trillium, saffron and skunk cabbage. Rub the ashes on your clothes, and the suckers won’t smell you coming.
 

S1E21: “Salvation”

Not all demons are horrific distortions of nature — some take the form of a beautiful woman

Monster: Demons, including murderous Meg and the Big Baddie, the main villain of Season 1

Where it’s from: All over the world

Description: Most demons are grotesque, but there are a few that are actually hot like Meg. Upon closer inspection, though, you’ll usually note some sort of perversion of nature — they might have hawk claws, for instance, or maybe a serpent’s tail.

What it does: The demon that killed the boys’ mom and Sam’s girlfriend has strong telekinetic powers and can make bodies fly through the air with its mind. It also has a penchant for burning women on bedroom ceilings and torching houses on the night a child turns six months old. We all have our fetishes.

How to defeat it: You know the demon is coming if there’s been a pattern of electrical storms and cattle deaths. It’ll soon be upon you when there are electrical disturbances like lights flickering and you smell traces of sulfur.

If you’re fighting a minor demon, hallowed ground could protect you. But as this Big Bad says, “Maybe that works in the minor leagues, but not with me.”

Try creating a huge batch of holy water by dropping a rosary into a vat of water and say this prayer in Latin:

Prayer to Make Holy Water

Deus, qui ad salutem humani generis maxima quæque sacramenta in aquarum substantia condidisti: adesto propitius invocationibus nostris, et elemento huic, multimodis purificationibus præparato, virtutem tuæ benedictionis infunde; ut creatura tua, mysteriis tuis serviens, ad abigendos dæmones morbosque pellendos divinæ gratiæ sumat effectum; ut quidquid in domibus vel in locis fidelium hæc unda resperserit careat omni immunditia, liberetur a noxa. Non illic resideat spiritus pestilens, non aura corrumpens: discedant omnes insidiæ latentis inimici; et si quid est quod aut incolumitati habitantium invidet aut quieti, aspersione hujus aquæ effugiat: ut salubritas, per invocationem sancti tui nominis expetita, ab omnibus sit impugnationibus defensa. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

If you happen to have that magic Colt gun, aim well — and aim quickly. That sucker can dematerialize before being shot.


S1E22: "Devil's Trap"

You, too, can trap demons in elaborate magic summoning circles like King Solomon supposedly did

Monster: Demon

How to defeat it: Peruse The Lesser Key of Solomon, a 17th century grimoire filled with sigils to call forth and control demons.

The Key of Solomon’s magic circle and triangle from the manuscript of Sir Hans Sloane, a famous collector who bequeathed his books to the British Museum

The Devil’s Trap is a great way to trap powerful demons

The Devil’s Trap, as Dean says, is “like a satanic roach motel.” Draw it on the ground, lure in a demon — and it will be unable to leave it.

Make sure not to smudge it, though. “A devil’s trap loses its power if its lines are erased or partially erased,” according to Reference. “The circle must remain intact in order to keep the demon trapped inside.”

In this episode, we learn that Meg is actually an innocent girl possessed by a demon. (Demons are obsessed with possessing people, remember?)

The fellas decide to perform an exorcism, even though her body sustained fatal injuries from a previous fall, and the only thing keeping her alive is the demon’s spirit.

Here’s what you need to say if you want to try your own exorcism, from The Hunting. By the way, it seems like it’d be a good idea to learn Latin if you plan on being a hunter like the Winchesters.

Practice your Latin — you’ll need it for exorcisms and making holy water

The Rite of Exorcism

Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica

Ergo, draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica, adjuramus te,

Cessa decipere humanas creaturas, eisque æternæ perditionìs venenum propinare

Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciæ, hostis humanæ salutis,

Humiliare sub potenti manu Dei, contremisce et effuge, invocato a nobis sancto et terribili Nomini quem inferi tremunt

Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, Domine.

Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica

Ergo, draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica, adjuramus te … cessa decipere humanas creaturas, eisque æternæ perditionìs venenum propinare

Ut Ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus,

Audi nos.

If someone looks like this, there’s a pretty good chance they’re possessed by a demon

And here it is in English:

We exorcise you, every impure spirit, every satanic power, every incursion of the infernal adversary, every legion, every congregation and diabolical sect.

Therefore, accursed dragon and every diabolical legion, we adjure you.

Cease to deceive human creatures and give to them the poison of eternal damnation.

Begone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man’s salvation.

Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, tremble and flee when we invoke the holy and terrible name which causes hell to tremble.

From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Lord.

We exorcise you, every impure spirit, every satanic power, every incursion of the infernal adversary, every legion, every congregation and diabolical sect.

Therefore, accursed dragon and every diabolical legion, we adjure you … Cease to deceive human creatures and give to them the poison of eternal damnation.

That Thy church may serve Thee in secure liberty secure, we ask Thee,

Hear us.

You’re all set to take on even the most powerful demon. Just watch out for projectile vomiting of pea soup! –Wally

“Babies born with a third nipple in Romania were thought to be vampires.”

Beng Mealea, the Lotus Pond Temple

You’ll feel like Indiana Jones exploring this ancient Khmer temple outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia, where the Two Brothers movie was filmed.

Beng Mealea, the most fun temple to explore in the Angkor area

Located about 90 minutes from the city of Siem Reap, Cambodia, Beng Mealea is an otherworldly set of ruins far from the typical crowds of the Angkor Archaeological Park. The site was not opened to the general public until it was cleared of landmines in late 2003.

As we drove to the destination, our guide Kimsan explained that it was inaccessible prior to the completion of the paved royal highway. I was just happy not to revisit the unpaved “dancing” dirt roads of Phnom Kulen.

“One of our party members was fiddling with his camera — and, much to our horror, almost tumbled into the stone-filled moat.”

Duke and Wally had a blast playing Indiana Jones as they explored the remote Beng Mealea, or Lotus Pond Temple

While the “Tomb Raider Temple,” Ta Prohm, is striking, it is downright manicured compared to Beng Mealea.

There are worse jobs than guarding Beng Mealea

Its Khmer name translates as “Lotus Pond,” and the structure was built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II. Our group and a few guards were the only presence there.

The temple is comprised of a moat, a handful of libraries and galleried courtyards. Verdant and overgrown, we felt like explorers discovering a lost world as we clambered and crawled over piles of moss-covered rubble and sprawling roots, occasionally coming across an intricately carved sandstone fragment.

Piles of stone rubble that have tumbled down from Beng Mealea’s upper walls lie haphazardly throughout the site

Rubble Rubble

Devoid of restoration, colossal piles of fallen sandstone blocks overgrown with gnarled vines and tree roots give you a good idea of what French archeologists saw when these ruins were discovered. The result is a serene and atmospheric temple dappled by sunlight streaming through the jungle canopy above. If I wasn’t bitten by the travel bug before, I was now.

One of the temple libraries, which at one time held sacred manuscripts

There are some safety measures in place, thanks to Jean-Jacques Annaud’s 2004 movie Two Brothers, starring two tiger cubs, set in 1920s French Indochina, which was filmed here. Narrow wooden walkways that were used to operate a camera dolly intersect the temple ruins, making it easier to navigate some of the areas. However, once off this path, each step needs to be carefully negotiated to prevent a fall. One of our party members was fiddling with his camera — and, much to our horror, almost tumbled into the stone-filled moat.

Sandstone corbels mimicking wood now compete with the real thing

“Verdant and overgrown, we felt like explorers discovering a lost world as we clambered and crawled over piles of moss-covered rubble and sprawling roots.”

Keep a lookout for death’s head spiders — their venom is more poisonous than that of a scorpion

Lichen-covered carvings at Beng Mealea, where nature has reasserted itself 

Beng Mealea was our favorite temple on our Cambodian trip and brought out the inner adventurer in all of us. –Duke

The Indian Caste System Explained

Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, untouchable: How did the caste system get started, what is the difference between castes — and how does this shameful practice persist to this day?

 

Quite a few Asian cultures I’ve experienced think of the head as the holiest of body parts and the feet as the filthiest. Sure, that can be taken literally — but it applies on the spiritual level as well.

In India, they’ve taken this concept to the next level, connecting body parts with actual societal classes. They’ve used that belief to help justify a horrific system of oppression.

“The “untouchables” are forced to perform the worst jobs, including cleaning public toilets, raising so-called unclean animals like pigs, curing hides and sweeping streets.”

What is the caste system?

Think of it as the opposite of the American Dream. In the caste system, people are born into their situation in life, including the occupations open to them. And because they can only marry people within their caste, it’s a vicious cycle that never ends.

“Rooted in religion and based on a division of labor, the caste system, among other things, dictates the type of occupations a person can pursue” as well as the social interactions he or she is allowed, according to Dummies, the company that brings us those …for Dummies books.

“The most obvious problem with this system was that under its rigidity, the lower castes were prevented from aspiring to climb higher, and, therefore, economic progress was restricted,” the site reports.

Each caste is said to have come from a different part of the body of Brahma, the Hindu creator god

What exactly are the main castes — and how do they relate to the body?

Each caste is affiliated with a part of the body of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation.

Brahmins: These are the top dogs. They’re mostly priests, teachers and scholars who supposedly came from Brahma’s heads, or mouths (he had four).

Brahmins are the highest caste in India, composed of priests and those lucky enough to be well educated

Kshatriyas: These are the warriors and rulers, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they originated from Brahma’s arms. Nowadays, they tend to be bureaucrats working in public administration, maintenance of law and order, and defense.

The highest secular class, Kshatriyas include the subcaste Rajputs. Traditionally, they were warriors

Vaishyas: This caste consists of the merchants and traders (e.g., businessmen) as well as farmers, cattle herders and artisans. Hindu myth states that they were created from Brahma’s thighs.

The Vaishya caste includes farmers and those involved in business

Shudras: Also called Sudras, this low caste is comprised of menial laborers and service providers. They derive from Brahma’s feet.

A still from the 2012 Hindi movie Shudra: The Rising?, about the poor treatment of this low caste (I’m pretty sure most of them aren’t this hot)

Avarnas/Dalits: The “untouchables” are forced to perform the worst jobs, including cleaning public toilets, raising so-called unclean animals like pigs, curing hides and sweeping streets. Dalit is the more modern term for this class and translates to “oppressed.”

So low on the totem pole, they’re technically outside of the caste system, Dalits, or untouchables, are relegated to jobs deemed too unclean for the rest of society

These castes get broken down into subsets as well by region.

 

How did the caste system get started?

It was written in the book — the Manusmriti, that is. This tome, dating back to 1000 BCE or more, is widely regarded to be the most important and authoritative book on Hindu law, the BBC reports. It “acknowledges and justifies the caste system as the basis of order and regularity of society.”

This social stratification might go back even further than that, according to The Logical Indian: The site states that the first mention was called “the Varna system” and was in the Rig Veda, an ancient Indian hymnal believed to have been written between 1500 and 800 BCE.

 

How does the caste system work?

“The upper and lower castes almost always lived in segregated colonies, the water wells were not shared, Brahmins would not accept food or drink from the Shudras, and one could marry only within one’s caste,” according to the BBC.

If it sounds awful, it was: The caste system trapped people into a social stratification they couldn’t escape from.

The ancient texts helped perpetuate stereotypes about each caste, the Logical Indian reports. “Brahmins were considered to be pure, wise and gentle; Kshatriyas were linked with anger, pleasure and boldness; Vaishyas were deemed to be hard-working people living off the plough; and Shudras were associated with violence and impurity, worthy of contempt.”

 

Isn’t the caste system supposed to have been abolished?

It was, in 1950. Legally, at least. The constitution banned discrimination on the basis of caste, and, in an attempt to correct historical injustices and provide a level playing field to the traditionally disadvantaged, the authorities announced quotas in government jobs and educational institutions for the lowest castes.

By 1990, the quota rose to just under 50%, applying to groups the government classified by such charming names as “Other Backward Classes,” “Scheduled Castes” and “Scheduled Tribes.”

Mahatma Gandhi fought for the rights of the Dalits, calling them Harijans, or the Children of God.

 

What about the deadly protests against the caste system?

“Outbreaks of violent protests have raked into an ugly spotlight the views of those people who are dissatisfied with affirmative action,” CNN writes.

In February 2016, the Jats, a well-off group of farmers and traders from Northern India, protested. By the end, 30 people had been killed while clashing with the police, buildings were burned, and canals damaged.

 

Have there been any success stories for those from lower castes?

K.R. Narayanan, the first Dalit president in India — and hopefully not the last

There have been some strides towards equality thanks to the quota system, including the election of a Dalit president, K.R. Narayanan, in 1997.

Despite this, only one Harijan in 3,000 can read (compared with India’s average of one in six) and Harijans make up 33% of India’s landless, The Guardian writes.

Some of the lower castes have sought refuge in Buddhism, while others have found urban centers to be an easier place to mix with other castes.

Discrimination and prejudice continue to this day, our friend Prakash told us when we visited Vadodara, India. He’s a Dalit, whose parents are both school janitors. He explained that many Indians today judge people by their skin color. The lower castes tend to have darker skin, which is seen as less desirable by many.

“If it sounds awful, it was: The caste system trapped people into a social stratification they couldn’t escape from.”

These images come from the manuscript Seventy-two Specimens of Castes in India. They were all hand-painted portraits of people living in Madura, India. The album dates back to 1837 and was compiled by the Indian writing master at an American missionary school and was given to a Reverend William Twining. –Wally

Angkor Wat, a Little Bit of Heaven in Siem Reap

Discover why this is our favorite ancient Hindu and Buddhist temple complex and a must-experience part of Cambodia tourism.

The legendary Angkor Wat

I was well into adulthood before taking my first international trip abroad. When I was growing up, I often daydreamed about exotic destinations, visiting the library and collecting travel brochures from AM&A’s, one of the local department stores that had an in-store travel agency. I even remember draping wild grapevines from the rafters of our family’s basement and pretending I was somewhere in the Italian countryside.

Buddhist monks in saffron robes cross the bridge that leads to the giant temple

I’m not the most spiritual individual — I tried to smuggle a communion wafer out of church when I was growing up; I wanted to see what the body of Christ looked like, after all. But when the ancient and magnificent temple of Angkor Wat lay before us, I was awestruck by its jaw-dropping scale and grandeur. It’s believed to be the largest religious structure in the world. It’s no wonder UNESCO named Angkor Wat a World Heritage Site in 1992.

“Some believe that Angkor Wat appeared overnight, constructed by divine forces.”

Translated from Khmer, the name Angkor Wat literally means “City Temple.” Built by King Suryavarman II, it was the former capital of the Khmer empire and has remained in continuous use since its completion in the early 12th century. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu but eventually shifted to Theravada Buddhism in the 14th century.

The complex is oriented to the west, which has led several historians to believe that Suryavarman intended it to be his tomb. Symbolically, west is the direction of the setting sun and death, but is also associated with Vishnu, who the temple was originally dedicated to. Suryavarman’s devotion is also shown in the posthumous name he was given, Paramavishnuloka, which means “He Who Is in the Supreme Abode of Vishnu.” Whether this anecdote is true or not, it does makes for an interesting theory.

Our group poses in front of Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world. Take that, Saint Peter’s!

Wat an Adventure!

Angkor Wat is composed of a series of elevated towers, covered galleries, chambers, porches and courtyards on different levels linked by stairways. The most famous and best preserved of the temples located within the Angkor Archeological Park, it has been featured on Cambodia’s national flag since 1863.

Four of the five towers represent the peaks surrounding Mount Meru, the home of Hindu gods, with the larger central shrine tower acting as the mythic mount itself. According to local lore, the temple was ordered by the deity Indra, the King of the Gods, to act as an earthly palace for his son Precha Kat Mealea. Some even believe that it appeared overnight, constructed by divine forces.

Originally a Hindu temple, you now find shrines to the Buddha tucked into various nooks throughout Angkor Wat

The concentric galleries represent the outer lands, with the inner courtyard containing the central tower. This was the most sacred part of the complex and most likely held a statue of Vishnu.

The moat surrounding Angkor Wat, fed by a canal from the Siem Reap River,  simulates the ocean encircling Mount Meru. It provided water to the city’s inhabitants and was an integral part of their agrarian culture — it served to irrigate rice fields, and the crops were used as a form of currency.

Many of the bas-relief carvings at Angkor Wat depict warfare

The stone causeway leading to the temple is flanked by a naga balustrade whose ends culminate with its seven raised snake heads.

The outer gallery of Angkor Wat contains intricate bas-relief carvings depicting historical events and stories from Hindu mythology. It has more than 3,000 representations of heavenly nymphs known as apsaras carved into its walls. Each apsara is unique, from its elaborate headdress to its plaited hair and jewelry.

Three of the 3,000 depictions of buxom celestial spirits known as apsaras

A sandstone structure located within the heart of the temple complex is believed to have served as one of the libraries at Angkor Wat. The symmetrical cruciform structure would have held sacred manuscripts. Some of the columns have been replaced with cement copies for structural support.

An eight-armed statue of Vishnu stands to the south of the central tower, which may originally have been enshrined within. The statue is known as Ta Reach, and it is worshipped by Hindu visitors and Buddhist locals as well, as its head was replaced by that of a Buddha.

Sugiva, the Monkey King, and his army of warriors

The centuries-old Angkor Wat temple is an integral part of the Khmer legacy and worthy of spending several hours wandering through. Be sure to head there early to avoid the crowds. –Duke

Take a virtual tour of Angkor Wat!


Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

The Most Incredible 360 Panorama Virtual Reality Pics Ever

AirPano’s aerial photography and VR videos of the world’s most famous landmarks reveal sights you'd never see otherwise.


Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

Iguazu Falls, on the border of Argentina and Brazil, are the largest waterfalls in the world. The AirPano photographers said that filming them has been one of the highlights of the project.

The photos are immersive. They engulf you. You almost feel as if you’re there. You can swoop around a famous site you’ve always wanted to see — only now it’s as if you’ve developed the ability to fly as well as teleport.

These 360-degree aerial panoramas are thanks to AirPano, a Russian not-for-profit that features 3,000 of these impressive images.

Two of AirPano’s photographers, Sergey Semenov and Sergey Rumyantsev, answered some questions about this ambitious, one-of-a-kind project. –Wally


How did the AirPano project get started?

In 2006, we learned how to take spherical panorama shots on land. In those years, this was not an easy task: It required a special panoramic tripod head, a sufficiently deep knowledge of shooting panoramas, and it demanded a lot of manual work.

At that time, we also had a lot of experience in photography from helicopters and airplanes, and suddenly Oleg Gaponyuk, the founder of the AirPano project, got an idea: Why not break all of the existing laws of taking panorama shots on land, and try to do it in the air?

We figured out how to take a spherical shot in the sky, where it is impossible to use a high-precision panorama head, because the helicopter can shift by many meters while shooting, due to the blowing of the wind.

After several unsuccessful attempts, we finally figured it out, and the result exceeded all of our expectations. The effect was stunning, and the viewer felt like they were sitting in the helicopter and seeing the surrounding landscape with their own eyes.

The AirPano team


What's AirPano’s mission?

When we realized what a stunning impression aerial panoramas produce, we decided to do a project called “100 Places on the Planet Which You Should See From a Bird’s-Eye View.”

We wanted to share with the audience fantastic, awesome, incredible impressions, inaccessible to most people.

After shooting the first 100 places, we didn’t stop there, and now on our website you can find panoramas of more than 300 places of our planet — from the North Pole to Antarctica.
 

Why is this project so passionate for you?

Few people have the opportunity to see the most interesting places on our planet from a bird’s-eye view.

First of all, it would require a significant amount of time spent traveling. Secondly, the best spots are far from civilization, in places with no airplanes or helicopters nearby. Thirdly, the most popular places have restrictions on flying, and lastly, it’s too expensive. Our project gives this opportunity to everyone, regardless of their location or wealth.

As photographers, we have visited over 100 countries around the world, and we have seen unbelievable scenery with our very own eyes. When it became clear that everything can be shown to people in a new way, we decided that we should do it. But back in 2006, Andrei Zubetz and Gaponyuk, the founders of AirPano, had no idea that the project would be so successful.

 

How has the project grown?

In the beginning we had a goal to capture the most 100 beautiful places of the world from above. We have captured all of them and we couldn’t stop. So our current goal is to keep shooting.

Technology evolves, so we come back to places where we’ve already been, but capture them in new format with high resolution. For example, we have now created 360-degree videos of some of our favorite waterfalls.

Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe


How do you get those amazing panoramic photos and videos?

We shoot our air panoramas in a variety of ways: large helicopters and a radio-controlled “flying” camera. We use a typical SLR camera with a wide-angle lens. The process is not very long and it takes 30 seconds to shoot a single sphere.


Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

Antarctica


What’s the most interesting thing that has happened on your travels?

We’ve been in 300 places around the world, so it’s difficult to choose the most interesting thing in all these journeys. We’ve been on the Drake Passage on the way to Antarctica, on South and North Pole. We’ve seen a volcano eruption. And we’ve also created aerial panoramas from the stratosphere.


Were you ever in any danger?

Yes. We’ve walked by lava pipes. We’ve captured footage of wild animals on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia and in Africa. We’ve met angry elephant in the savanna, who were following our car. When we were capturing rafting on the Zambezi River, one of our operators fell from the boat.


Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

The Raja Ampat archipelago in Indonesia

We’ve embedded footage of your favorite spots. What did you like best about them?

We are landscape photographers; we love beautiful views. There are the most spectacular views from above and from the ground of these places. There is a powerful energy and untouched nature.


Where would you love to go that you haven't yet?

The main places where we’d like to go are the United Kingdom and Japan. We have tried a lot to get there, but we have problems with getting permissions for aerial shooting. Also we love volcanoes, waterfalls and tropical beaches, so all these directions interest us.

Bayon Temple: The Star of Angkor Thom

Angkor Wat’s rival features serenely smiling giant faces and a battle between gods and demons.

The smiling heads that are found throughout the Bayon Temple complex most likely depict the king — not the Buddha as many assume

Growing up, I was fascinated by ancient cultures. I remember a book series I had from National Geographic on lost civilizations. On the cover of one of them was the image of a mysterious smiling stone face, which I would later discover belonged to the Bayon Temple, located in the Angkor Archeological Park in Cambodia.

I spent a lot of time playing in the fields surrounding my childhood home, pretending one day that I was a calligrapher from the Ming Dynasty and the next that the concrete foundation of an old barn was actually an undiscovered Roman temple. That’s why our visit to the Angkor complex was a dream come true.

“Over 200 large stone faces with almond-shaped eyes and enigmatic smiles are carved into the towers.”

After a quick breakfast at our favorite spot in Siem Reap, Blue Pumpkin, a French patisserie, our group departed for Angkor Thom, the 12th century capital of the Khmer Empire. Indeed, its name means “Great City.”

We arrived shortly after 9 a.m. and were delighted to see that there were not yet many other tourists circulating amongst the ruins.

Duke and Wally were giddy kicking off their exploration of Angkor wandering Bayon, with its intricately carved bas reliefs and giant stone faces

The Battle for the Nectar of Immortality

The bridge approaching Bayon is flanked by a combined total of 108 guardian deities. To the left are 54 giant figures of devas (gods) and on the right asuras (demons) whose faces have an expressive range of emotions. Both rows are holding a naga (serpent) as if they were engaged in a tug of war. Some of the heads on these figures are copies; the original ones have been removed and are at the Angkor Conservancy in Siem Reap.

On one side of the bridge leading into Angkor Thom, demons called asuras use a giant snake to churn out the Nectar of Immortality. Gods do the same on the left. Which side do you think Wally and I liked most?

According to Hindu mythology, the sculptures are a narrative depicting the Churning of the Sea of Milk. At the suggestion of the god Vishnu, the devas and asuras, consummate enemies, worked together for a millennium to churn the ocean by pulling on the body of Vasuki, the king of the serpents, to release amrita. This is defined as “the Nectar of Immortal Life,” which, curiously, is also the Sanskrit term for female ejaculate. That must be the longest session of tantric sex in the history of the world!

When the amrita finally emerged, along with several other treasures, the devas and asuras fought over it. However, Vishnu, in the form of Mohini the Enchantress, managed to lure the asuras into handing over the amrita, which she then distributed to the devas.

Rahu, an asura, disguised himself as a deva and tried to drink some amrita himself, but Surya (the sun god) and Chandra (the moon god) alerted Vishnu to this deception. Vishnu then decapitated Rahu just as he started to swallow the nectar, leaving only his head immortal.

Prasat Bayon

Angkor Thom is encircled by a moat, now dry, that surrounds the fortified city and was said to have been filled with crocodiles to deter potential invaders.

A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992, Prasat Bayon served as the state temple and stood at the geographical center of King Jayavarman VII’s new capital, Angkor Thom. Built primarily as a Mahayana Buddhist shrine dedicated to Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, some historians believe the faces to be of Jayavarman himself, thus allowing the king to take on the attributes of someone whose capable of reaching enlightenment but delays it to save others from suffering.

The massive gate pavilion topped with large carved faces watches approaching visitors

The Bayon Temple complex was built under the direction of the Mahayana Buddhist ruler Jayavarman VII, who ascended to the Khmer kingdom’s throne at Angkor in 1181 CE. He erected the site for Buddhist worship, although it later was renovated and used as a Hindu temple. Various forms of Hindu and Buddhist worship were practiced side-by-side and successively in the ancient royal courts of Southeast Asia.

Classical Khmer kings promoted the concept of divine kingship that was transferred to the Buddhist kings. Usually the Hindu god chosen for this personal identification was Shiva, but sometimes it was Vishnu, or, for some, a godly image of Buddhist origins. Khmer temples thus often portray the ruling king incarnated as the god, whose shrines are within a monument on Earth that models the design of the cosmos and heavens.

After the death of Jayavarman, some of the features of Bayon were altered according to the religious belief of his successors. The pineapple-shaped towers are an architectural representation of the peaks of Mount Meru, the abode of gods. The complex contains Hindu and Theravada Buddhist elements that were not part of the temple’s original plan.

An intricately detailed bas relief of dancing apsaras, celestial nymphs

The ground level gallery of the complex is full of intricately carved bas reliefs. The absence of a wooden roof above these pillars bathes the reliefs with sunlight. Some of the carvings depict scenes of epic battles between the Khmer and Cham warriors. Others are of everyday life: bookies taking bets at a cockfight, men fishing in Tonlé Sap or monks trying to remove the sarong of a young girl. Scandalous!

Prasat Bayon is the purrfect place for a catnap

 

Don’t Lose Your Head

Describing a visit to Bayon in 1912, the French novelist Pierre Loti wrote:

“I looked up at all those towers, rising above me, overgrown in the greenery and suddenly shivered with fear as I saw a giant frozen smile looming down at me … and then another smile, over there in another tower … and then three, and then five, and then ten.”

As you climb up to the top level, you reach the central tower and sanctuary, or prasat, which is believed to have once been covered in gold. Over 200 large stone faces of the Avalokitesvara with their almond-shaped eyes and enigmatic smiles are carved into the 54 towers, giving this temple its majestic character.

A couple of officers decided to join our group photo at Bayon in Cambodia

The iconic face towers of Prasat Bayon were distinct among the many Angkor temples and made me feel like being a kid again. It’s no wonder our guide kicked off our tour of Angkor with this stunning ruin. –Duke

Banteay Srei, Angkor’s Pretty in Pink Temple

Delicate carvings and animal-headed guardians make this intimate citadel one of the must-see Siem Reap attractions.

Banteay Srei, with its carvings from Hindu mythology on its pink walls, is like something out of a storybook

We all called it the Pink Temple because of the rose-hued sandstone used to build it. Somehow it’s fitting that this was the only temple not built for a king — and, in fact, only women could enter its inner sanctum, our guide Kimsan told us.

“You can imagine the statues springing to life should anything threaten this gorgeous fairytale complex.”

Banteay Srei was a citadel for women that housed libraries

Its real name is Banteay Srei, the Women’s Citadel, though some translate this as Citadel of Beauty. Located about half an hour from the tourist base of Siem Reap, Cambodia, it’s a definite inclusion on any itinerary of the area. Completed in 967 CE and expanded until the 14th century, it’s one of the best-preserved structures in the Angkor Wat region. It wasn’t rediscovered until 1914.

The Pink Temple’s rosy-hued sandstone allowed for elaborate carvings

Banteay Srei is a Hindu temple, primarily to worship Lord Shiva the Destroyer, though the northern buildings are dedicated to Vishnu the Preserver. It’s said to be the most Indian-influenced of all the temples, and the carvings were the most ornate we saw on our trip.

In this image, the demon king Ravana tries to lift Mount Kailash, where Lord Shiva is meditating, and bring it back to his own kingdom

Part of the fun of exploring Banteay Srei is crossing the wide moat on the narrow footpath.

The temple was built to honor the Hindu god of destruction, Shiva

Once you make that crossing, you’re transported to another world. The pinkish structures are now tinged with green lichen, calling to mind a forgotten palace from a Hindu epic.

Gods called devatas pose in niches, guarded by animal-headed warriors

The most impressive part of Banteay Srei is the exterior decoration. The walls are covered with curlicues and flourishes that evoke climbing vines. Nestled in niches throughout are gods and goddesses known as devatas. Both sexes are topless, the women with breasts as large and perfectly round as melons.

In 1923, an art thief named André Malraux stole four of the figures, but he was caught shortly thereafter, and the devatas were returned to Banteay Srei to pose for tourists and pilgrims once again.

Most of the walls of Banteay Srei are covered with complex carved ornamentation

Some of the buildings in this intimate complex once housed libraries. Guess those women were smart.

These statues keep watch over the interior of Banteay Srei citadel

My personal favorite part of Banteay Srei are its guardians. Humanlike creatures with the heads of animals are found throughout the inner part of the complex. They’re resting in a pose that's somehow between sitting and kneeling. Some have what I thought to be the head of an eagle, like the Hindu deity Garuda — though they also could have been monkeys. Others sport what might be the head of a lion, though it’s hard to say. And some just look like dudes with cheesy mustaches.

Some of the guardians have the heads of animals, and some just have mustaches

These are the citadel’s protectors, and you can imagine them springing to life should anything threaten this gorgeous fairytale complex. –Wally