Best wishes Paaventhan on your Birthday

Each year your birthday reminds me

That I really want to say

I am very glad I know you;

I think of you each day.

I hope you enjoy your birthday,

All the pleasures it has in store,

And because I appreciate you,

I hope you have many more!

Many More Happy Returns of the Day Jaypee

On your birthday,
I wish for you the fulfillment
of all your fondest dreams.
I hope that for every candle
on your cake
you get a wonderful surprise.
I wish for you that
whatever you want most in life,
it comes to you,
just the way you imagined it,
or better.
I hope you get as much pleasure
from our friendship as I do.
I wish we were sisters,
so I could have known you
from the beginning.
I look forward to
enjoying our friendship
for many more of your birthdays.
I'm so glad you were born,
because you brighten my life
and fill it with joy.

Happy Birthday Jaypee!

May Allah shower blessings on you… Many More Happy Returns of the Day Jaypee...

With Love Haseem

Best wishes Rekha on your Birthday

On your birthday,
I wish for you the fulfillment
of all your fondest dreams.
I hope that for every candle
on your cake
you get a wonderful surprise.
I wish for you that
whatever you want most in life,
it comes to you,
just the way you imagined it,
or better.
I hope you get as much pleasure
from our friendship as I do.
I wish we were sisters,
so I could have known you
from the beginning.
I look forward to
enjoying our friendship
for many more of your birthdays.
I'm so glad you were born,
because you brighten my life
and fill it with joy.

Happy Birthday!

May Allah shower blessings on you… Many More Happy Returns of the Day Rekha...

With Love Haseem

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Review

Here in the unenchanted world of ordinary movie going, it has been about two and a half years since “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the first installment in Walt Disney and Walden Media’s mighty “Chronicles of Narnia” franchise. In wartime England, where the Pevensie children live when they’re not consorting with talking lions and battling witches, a year or so has gone by. But in Narnia itself, to which the four plucky Pevensies return in “Prince Caspian,” the second movie in the series, centuries have passed, and everything has changed. The grand hall where Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy were made monarchs of the realm has fallen into ruin, and the friendly woodland creatures with their homey British accents and computer-animated fur seem to have vanished from the scene.

When the exiled child kings and queens are thrown back into Narnia (thanks to a sudden outbreak of special effects in a London tube station), they seem no longer to be in a children’s fantasy story but rather in some kind of Jacobean tragedy, a reminder that C. S. Lewis was, along with everything else, a scholar of English Renaissance literature. In a dark castle in a dark forest, men with heavy armor and beard-shadowed faces quarrel and conspire. Instead of fauns and Turkish delight, there are murder and betrayal, and a grave, martial atmosphere lingers over the story, even when the spunky dwarfs and chatty rodents return. (Aslan the lion also shows up eventually, speaking in the soothing voice of Liam Neeson.)

So “Prince Caspian” is quite a bit darker than “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” both in look and in mood. It is also in some ways more satisfying. Its violent (though gore-free) combat scenes and high body count may rattle very young viewers, but older children are likely to be drawn into the thick political intrigue. The relative scarcity of digital effects in the first part of the movie allows the director, Andrew Adamson, and the director of photography, Karl Walter Lindenlaub, to explore the beauty of the Narnian landscape by more traditional cinematic means. Its lush glades and rocky escarpments provide a reminder that the supernaturalism of fairy tales originates in the magic of the natural world.

And tales of heroic adventure, however fanciful, are grounded in human problems of power, cruelty and conflict. “Prince Caspian” is named for its square-jawed, rather bland hero (played by Ben Barnes), but its major source of dramatic energy is the villain, Caspian’s uncle Miraz, who is played with malignant grandeur by the great Italian actor Sergio Castellitto. Miraz is a classic royal usurper, who has taken the throne from Caspian’s father, the rightful king, and who plans to pass it along to his own newborn son once Caspian is out of the way. His court is a viper’s nest of double-dealing and shifting allegiance.

Cue grumpy dwarfs, swashbuckling mice and apple-cheeked Pevensies. And hail the popular struggle of the Narnian underground! Since the Telmarines took over and suppressed the old magic, a hardy remnant of Narnians has been hiding amid the pacified trees, sustaining themselves with the legends of King Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Queen Lucy (Georgie Henley), Queen Susan (Anna Popplewell) and High King Peter (William Moseley). When these rulers return, they rescue Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage), a small, angry Narnian taken prisoner by Miraz’s soldiers, and eventually join Prince Caspian, who exchanges some long, half-smoldering looks with Susan.

In spite of this hint of romance, what ensues is basically a war movie, with elaborate battle sequences in a castle courtyard and on a grassy plain, accompanied by thundering hoofbeats, whizzing arrows, clanking swords and Harry Gregson-Williams’s rousing score. These sections are ostensibly what the public wants to see, and certainly what the producers pay heavily to bring to life. There is a risk of sameness and tedium, which Mr. Adamson does not entirely overcome, though he and his fellow screenwriters, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, sprinkle in enough witty dialogue to keep the movie’s long middle from feeling like too much of a slog.

The main characters, whose sometimes fractious sibling dynamic provided the first “Narnia” movie with a hint of psychological complexity, seem a little flatter here, as if they’ve grown accustomed to their jobs as action heroes. And “Prince Caspian” isn’t really about them, anyway, except insofar as the kids in the audience identify with their courage and good sense.

On Spot of Prince Caspian

The cloak of allegory in which Lewis swathed the Narnia books is worn lightly on the screen, and some of their charm and novelty has been chipped away — not so much by any lapse on the part of the filmmakers as by a sense of familiarity. Tales of good and evil set in enchanted lands populated by mythical beasts are ubiquitous these days, which may diminish the power of each new spell. The Pevensie children can withdraw to London between episodes, but moviegoers are unlikely, and also perhaps unwilling, to escape from Narnia and the other increasingly numerous, and therefore increasingly mundane, places like it.

Verdict: This return to Narnia reveals a darker world that doesn't quite mesh with the film's kid-friendly sensibility.

Rating: 3 & ½ Stars on 5

Running Time: 116 minutes

MPAA Rated: PG for epic battle action and violence.

Best wishes Beulah Margaret on your Birthday

Instead of counting candles,

Or tallying the years,

Contemplate your blessings,

As your birthday nears.

Consider special people

Who love you, and who care,

And others who’ve enriched your life

Just by being there.

Think about the memories

Passing years can never mar,

Experiences great and small

That have made you who you are.

Another year is a happy gift,

So cut your cake, and say,

"Instead of counting birthdays,

I count blessings every day!"

Once a year I get the chance

To wish you birthday cheer.

It pleases me no end to say,

I wish you another great year.

So happy birthday to you Maggie,

From the bottom of my heart.

And may your good times multiply,

Till they’re flying off the chart!

May Allah shower blessings on you… Many More Happy Returns of the Day Maggie...

With Love Haseem

Islam

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

"Reciting Salawath on our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is an activity that will be accepted by Allah, even if we don't have Ikhlas (piety)".

The literal meaning of Islam is peace; surrender of one’s will i.e. losing oneself for the sake of God and surrendering one’s own pleasure for the pleasure of God. The message of Islam was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) 1400 years ago. It was revealed through angel Gabriel (on whom be peace) and was thus preserved in the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran carries a Divine guarantee of safeguard from interpolation and it claims that it combines the best features of the earlier scriptures. The prime message of Islam is the Unity of God, that the Creator of the world is One and He alone is worthy of worship and that Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) is His Messenger and Servant. The follower of this belief is thus a Muslim - a Muslim’s other beliefs are: God’s angels, previously revealed Books of God, all the prophets, from Adam to Jesus (peace be on them both), the Day of Judgment and indeed the Decree of God. A Muslim has five main duties to perform, namely; bearing witness to the Unity of God and Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) as His Messenger, observing the prescribed prayer, payment of Zakat, keeping the fasts of Ramadhan and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca. Islam believes that each person is born pure. The Holy Quran tells us that God has given human beings a choice between good and evil and to seek God’s pleasure through faith, prayer and charity. Islam believes that God created mankind in His image and by imbuing the attributes of God on a human level mankind can attain His nearness. Islam’s main message is to worship God and to treat all God’s creation with kindness and compassion. Rights of parents in old age, orphans and the needy are clearly stated. Women’s rights were safeguarded 1,400 years ago when the rest of the world was in total darkness about emancipation.

Islamic teachings encompass every imaginable situation and its rules and principles are truly universal and have stood the test of time. In Islam virtue does not connote forsaking the bounties of nature that are lawful. On the contrary one is encouraged to lead a healthy, active life with the qualities of kindness, chastity, honesty, mercy, courage patience and politeness. In short, Islam has a perfect and complete code for the guidance of individuals and communities alike. As the entire message of Islam is derived from the Holy Quran and indeed the Sunnah and Hadith (the traditions and practices of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings on him) it is immutable in the face of change in time and place. It may appear rigid to the casual eye, in actual fact it is most certainly an adaptable way of life regardless of human changes. Islam teaches that the path to spiritual development is open to all. Any individual who searches the One Creator can seek nearness to God through sincere and earnest worship; it is central to establishing a relationship with the Almighty. This positive message for humanity fills hearts with hope and courage. At present there are 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide and they form the majority in more than 50 countries of the world. Today Islam is the fastest growing faith in the world - its beautiful message is reaching millions in the far corner of the earth.

Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "Islam is based on five articles:

1. To bear witness that there is none worthy of worship save Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.

2. To observe Prayer (Salat).

3. To Pay Zakat (Alms giving)

4. To perform the Pilgrimage to the House of Allah (Hajj).

5. To observe fasting during Ramadhan." (Bukhari) Abdullah ibn Amr bin Aas, may Allah be pleased with them, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "A Muslim is one against whose tongue and hands other Muslims are secure, and an Emigrant is one who departs from what Allah has forbidden." (Bukhari)

A Muslim expresses his/her faith (Iman) in the following words: Ash-hadu anla ilaha illal-Lahu Wahdahu la Sharika Lahu wa-ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu

The English translation of the Shahadah is as follows: I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One, without any partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. The declaration of faith consists of two distinct parts, i.e., the absolute belief in the Unity of Allah (God) and the belief in the Holy Prophet Muhammad as a mortal human being and the Messenger of Allah. Islam's fundamental belief is the Unity of God. All other beliefs hang on this belief. Therefore the acknowledgement and 'bearing witness' of this is the key to the Muslim faith. Unless this is observed one cannot be a Muslim.

A Muslim accepts Allah as the only God, and only Master, Lord and Ruler with no partner sharing in any way His Being, Powers and Attributes. He is One; He is Unique; He is not the father of any one, nor He has or had any father. He is Almighty and Self-Sustaining. He is there forever, and will be there forever. A Muslim believes in Allah as the Ruler and must not disobey Him. In fact everything that exists in the universe obeys Him. He is the Fashioner of all the Universes that may exist. The belief in the Prophet Muhammad (on whom be peace) as the servant and Messenger of Allah completes one’s faith. The Holy Prophet was the greatest of all the Prophets of Allah, yet he was only a human being with no share in Divinity. This is a very important belief that keeps Muslims from associating partners with Allah. This part of the Declaration of Faith where reinforces the first part of Allah being the only Supreme Being with no partners also establishes the absolute authority of the Holy Prophet as the Messenger of Allah, who must be obeyed as well in all the matters of faith. The Holy Prophet is the last prophet who brought us the last Book (the Holy Quran) to be followed. He lived among his people for a long time and his life is documented in utmost detail. He lead his followers by example. The way he lived his life and admonished his followers to live their lives is called Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. The second part of the Declaration of Faith makes obeying and following the advice of the Prophet Muhammad equally important to the belief in absolute Unity of Allah. This declaration make one to completely submit to the Will of Allah and that is why one who declares this belief is called a Muslim - one who completely submits to the will of Allah.

Salat is one of the five pillars of Islam; it is a most important constituent of the faith. It is prayer of a very high level. The Holy Quran repeatedly enjoins the offering of salat and indeed declares it to be a fundamental trait of a believer. The benefits of salat are countless. The Holy Quran says: "And enjoin Prayer on thy people, and be constant therein. We ask thee not for provision; it is We that provide for thee. And the end is for the righteous". Salat strengthens man's spiritual faculties. It is the best way to form a relationship with one's Creator. It purifies one's spirit, and through it, constant remembrance of Allah delivers one of the self that incites to evil. God created man to worship Him and salat is the most excellent kind of worship. The Holy Quran also says: "Recite that which has been revealed to thee of the Book, and observe Prayer. Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil, and remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest virtue. And Allah knows what you do." (29:46) Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be on him, say: "Tell me if one of you had a stream running at his door and he should take a bath in it five times every day would any dirt be left upon him? He was answered: No dirt would be left on him. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) observed: This is the case of the five prayers. Allah wipes out all faults in consequence of them." (Bukhari)

As for the punishment of not observing the salat, all matters of reward and punishment rest solely with Allah. Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: "Giving up prayer is tantamount to disbelief and associating partners with Allah." (Muslim) Five Daily Prayers Salat, the obligatory Muslim prayer, is said at appointed time fixed in relation to the sun's position. The time of Fajr, the Morning Prayer begins at dawn and ends just before sunrise. The time of Zuhr, the midday prayer, begins after the sun has crossed the zenith point and has begun to decline. The Asr prayer is said when the sun has further advanced in decline, in the late afternoon. The time of the Maghrib prayer begins immediately after sunset. It lasts till dusk. The Isha prayer can be said after dusk has finally disappeared, giving way to darkness of the night.

Fajr Zuhr Asr Maghrib Isha'

Along with salat, another important form of worship is fasting. It is obligatory for each Muslim, apart from some exemptions, to fast in the month of Ramadhan. During the hours of fasting, food and drink and conjugal relations between husband and wife are forbidden. It is enjoined that during fasting one should pay attention to remembrance of God and study the Holy Quran in abundance. One should try to curtail one's worldly pastimes as much as possible during Ramadhan, and to be particularly inclined towards charity and alms giving. Human life is dependent on food and drink and the continuation of the human race depends on the marital relationship. While fasting one refrains from them both, as if bearing witness to God that for His pleasure man gives up the factors (temporarily) upon which his very existence depends. The various other benefits of fasting are that man gets to exercise sacrificing physical comfort and to endure hunger and thirst. Fasting creates a sense of equality between the rich and the poor. By developing an appreciation of hunger and thirst, it makes the well-off think of the needs of the poor and impresses a feeling of compassion in their hearts. It makes them appreciate, through the practicality of it, the state a human being endures when hungry and thirsty. Ramadhan is a most effective and excellent means of spiritual development for mankind.

Zakat (Alms giving) is a part of devotion enjoined upon Muslims by the Holy Quran. It is a means where the well-off pay a set amount of their wealth. Zakat means to purify oneself. It is obligatory on Muslims to pay a little percentage of their accumulated wealth towards Zakat, which is used for the benefit of the needy and the poor. Zakat is not levied on one's property that is in personal use, rather on the assets which have a means of increasing and which are surplus to one's needs. It is a means of social justice and order. It teaches sympathy of the highest order.

Hajj is the fifth Pillar of Islam and another form of worship. It is an annual pilgrimage to the holy sites in Mecca which each adult Muslim, who can afford it, has to perform once in life time. Apart from the financial aspect, the ability to afford the pilgrimage also means that one is able to travel and perform the Hajj in peace. Muslims perform Hajj in order to visit for themselves the holy sites where their faith started. More importantly it is a pilgrimage to the Ka'aba, which we believe is the first place of worship ever built on this earth; Muslims thus refer to it as House of God. The ceremony of Hajj is also symbolic of the Unity of God; all Muslims gather from four corners of the earth in one spot at an appointed time and worship God. There are no difficulties to perform Hajj apart from the obvious financial commitment in order to travel to Mecca. That is the reason why, strictly speaking, Hajj is only obligatory to those who have fulfilled all their worldly needs and have no pressing commitments left and indeed can afford the passage to Mecca. It is a Muslim belief that God is everywhere and He answers those who truly seek Him. In this respect indeed going to a particular place to seek the pleasure and nearness to God is not the issue. However, it is the physical presence of being in the holiest of the holy places for the Muslim faith and indeed the congregational worship with millions of other fellow Muslims that leaves an indelible mark on the spiritual life of a person. It is a most supreme form of worship and is most desirable to God. During Hajj, the person who intends to perform it is required to travel to Mecca during the prescribed days and observe all the rites and ceremonies.

During Hajj Muslims from all corners of the world gather in Mecca and perform the rites of Hajj and thus strengthen the bond of Muslim unity. During Hajj each place brings to mind some event of the blessed life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings on him). It refreshes the memory of the supreme sacrifices made by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings on him) for the sake of Islam.

There are six articles of faith in Islam:

1. Belief in Allah

2. Belief in Angles,

3. Belief in the Books (Scriptures) of Allah

4. Belief in the Prophets of Allah,

5. Belief in the Day of Judgment and

6. Belief in the Divine Laws Umar ibn Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, relates: We were sitting in the company of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, when suddenly a man arrived. He was wearing clean, white clothes and his hair was jet black. He did not look as though he were a traveler and he was not known to any of us. He sat down close to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his knees touching the knees of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He said: O Muhammad, tell me something about faith. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied: "Faith is that you should believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books and His Prophets; that you should believe in the Day of Judgment and that you should believe in the Divine Laws relating to good and evil." (Tirmidhi) Ali ibn Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that he Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "The faith is that one recognizes God at heart, accepts Him verbally and acts on His commandments." (Ibni Majah)

Pyramid

A pyramid is any three-dimensional polyhedron where the faces other than the base are triangular and converge on one point, called the apex. The base of a pyramid can be any polygon; it is typically a square or a triangle, leading to four or three non-base faces.

A pyramid is said to be regular if its base is a regular polygon and its upper faces are congruent isosceles triangles.

Cutting off the top of a pyramid, using a plane parallel to the plane of the base, leaves a frustum of a pyramid, sometimes called a flat-topped pyramid, though it no longer satisfies the definition of a pyramid.

Pyramid-shaped structures were built by many ancient civilizations.

List of Pyramids Worldwide

India

Many giant granite temple pyramids were made in South India during the Chola Empire, many of which are still in religious use today. Examples of such pyramid temples include Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. However the largest temple pyramid in the area is Sri Rangam in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu. The Brihadisvara Temple was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1987; the Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram were added as extensions to the site in 2004.

China

There are many flat-topped pyramids in China. The First Emperor of Qin (circa 221 B.C.) was buried under a large pyramid outside modern day Xi'an. In the following centuries about a dozen more Han Dynasty royals were also buried under flat-topped pyramidal earth works.

Egyptian pyramids

The ancient pyramids of Egypt

The most famous pyramids are the Egyptian pyramids — huge structures built of brick or stone, some of which are among the largest man-made constructions. In Ancient Egypt, a pyramid was referred to as mer, literally "place of ascendance." The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. Until Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1300 A.D., it was the tallest building in the world. The base is over 13 acres in area.

It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one of the seven to survive into modern times. The Ancient Egyptians capped the peaks of their pyramids with gold and covered their faces with polished white limestone, though many of the stones used for the purpose have fallen or been removed for other structures.

France

There is a Roman era pyramid built in Falicon, France. There were many more pyramids made in France in this period.

Greece

Pyramid of Hellinikon

There are several structures in Greece that archaeologists have called pyramids. Dotted throughout the landscape are remains of buildings that were described by ancient travelers as pyramids, they were first excavated by Americans and Germans in the early 1930s and the 1990s.

Pausanias, a Greek traveler in the second century A.D. described several of the structures as pyramids. One of these pyramids was located in Hellenikon, Ελληνικό in Greek, a village near Argos near the ancient ruins of Tiryns. The story surrounding the monument was that it was built as a polyandria, a common grave, for those soldiers who had fallen in the struggle for the throne of Argos back in the 14th Century B.C. He described the structure as something that resembled a pyramid with the decorations of Argolic shields, showing the military connection to it. Another pyramid that Pausanias saw on his journeys was at Kenchreai, another polyandria dedicated to the Argives and Spartans who lost their lives at the Battle of Hysiai in 669 B.C. Unfortunately neither of these structures remain fully intact today to test how closely they resembled the pyramids of Egypt nor is there any proof that they even resembled an Egyptian pyramid at all.

There are two surviving pyramid-like structures still available to study, one at Helleniko and the other at Ligourio, a village near the ancient theatre Epidaurus. With these two pyramid’s base stones remaining, it is possible to determine that Grecian pyramids existed, but were not used as the Egyptians used them. These buildings were not constructed in the same manner as the pyramids in Egypt. The buildings at Helleniko and Ligourio were no more than 100 feet tall and were surrounded by walls, with the base of the Helleniko pyramid being nine meters by 7 meters. The stone used to build the pyramids was limestone quarried locally and was cut to fit, not into freestanding blocks like the Great Pyramid of Giza. The base of the structures also differed from the Egyptian pyramids as they were rectangular, not square. This simple construction shape made it very difficult to make the top of the building come together in a point. As such, it makes more sense that these structures could have been peaked by a roof or platform.

There are no remains or graves in or near the structures. Instead, the rooms that the walls housed were made to be locked from the inside. This coupled with the platform roof, means that one of the functions these structures could have served was as watchtowers. Another possibility for the buildings is that they are shrines to heroes and soldiers of ancient times, but the lock on the inside makes no sense for such a purpose.

The dating of these ‘pyramids’ has been made from the pot shards excavated from the floor and on the grounds. The latest dates available from scientific dating have been estimated around the 5th and 4th centuries. There are many researchers who have given dates to the structures that pre-date the pyramids at Giza, but the method to obtain these dates was thermo luminescence of the stone. Normally this technique is used for dating pottery, but here researchers have used it to try and date stone flakes from the walls of the structures. This has created some debate about whether or not these ‘pyramids’ are actually older than Egypt, which is part of the Black Athena controversy. The basis for their use of thermo luminescence in order to date these structures is a new method of collecting samples for testing. Scientists from laboratories hired out by the recent excavators of the site, The Academy of Athens, say that they can use the electrons trapped on the inner surface of the stones to positively identify the date that the stones were quarried and put together.

The issue with this method is that they date the pyramids with a margin of error of up to over 700 years. This method dated the Helleniko pyramid to 2730 B.C. with an error factor of plus or minus 720 years. It also dated the Ligourio pyramid to 2260 B.C. with an error of plus or minus 710 years. Though these initial dates are indicative of these structures being built before the pyramid complex at Giza, it also means that they could have been built well after Khufu’s Great Pyramid was erected. Some archaeologists, however, have indicated that these samples may have been very select in their choice of which stones to sample. Further excavations of the site at Helleniko reveal that it was constructed on a previously existing structure, giving a possibility that the new methods of dating may be a misinterpretation.

Along with these two structures there are 14 more pyramid-like buildings, or their remains, scattered throughout the rest of the country side of Greece. These sites do not get as much attention as the two at Helleniko and Ligourio as they are the only ones mentioned in surviving accounts of ancient travelers

Mesoamerican pyramids

Pyramid in the Mayan city of Chichen-Itza, Mexico

Pyramid of the Sun on the city of Teotihuacán, Mexico

A number of Mesoamerican cultures also built pyramid-shaped structures. Mesoamerican pyramids were usually stepped, with temples on top, more similar to the Mesopotamian ziggurat than the Egyptian pyramid. The largest pyramid by volume is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, in the Mexican state of Puebla. This pyramid is considered the largest monument ever constructed anywhere in the world, and is still being excavated. There is an unusual pyramid with a circular plan at the site of Cuicuilco, now inside Mexico City and mostly covered with lava from an ancient eruption of Xictli. Pyramids in Mexico were often used as places of human sacrifice.

Mesopotamian pyramids

The Mesopotamians also built pyramids, called ziggurats. In ancient times these were brightly painted. Since they were constructed of mud-brick, little remains of them. The Biblical Tower of Babel is believed to have been a Babylonian ziggurat.

North American pyramids

Many mound-building societies of ancient North America built large pyramidal earth structures known as platform mounds. Among the largest and best-known of these structures is Monk's Mound at the site of Cahokia, which has a base larger than that of the Great Pyramid at Giza. While the North American mounds' precise function is not known, they are believed to have played a central role in the mound-building people's religious life.

Nubian pyramids

Nubian pyramids were constructed (roughly 220 of them) at three sites in Nubia to serve as tombs for the kings and queens of Napata and Meroë.

The Nubians built more pyramids than the Egyptians, but they are smaller. The Nubian pyramids were constructed at a steeper angle than Egyptian ones and were monuments to dead kings.

Pyramids were still being built in Nubia up to AD 300.

Rome

Pyramid of Cestius

The 27-meter-high Pyramid of Cestius was built by the end of the first century BC and still exists today, close to the Porta San Paolo. Another one, named Meta Romuli, standing in the Ager Vaticanus (today's Borgo), was destroyed at the end of the 15th century.

These Roman imitations of Egyptian monuments are important as contemporary "portraits" of the Egyptian ones, providing some sense of their original color and smoothness.

Medieval Europe

Pyramids have occasionally been used in Christian architecture of the feudal era, e.g. as the tower of Oviedo's Gothic Cathedral of San Salvador. In some cases this leads to speculations on masonic or other symbolical intentions.

Modern pyramids

The Louvre Pyramid, a modern pyramid built as an entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris

Examples of modern pyramids are:

• The Louvre Pyramid in Paris, France, in the court of the Louvre Museum, is a 20.6 meter (about 70 foot) glass structure which acts as an entrance to the museum. It was designed by the American architect I. M. Pei and completed in 1989.
• The Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, California, designed by William Pereira.
• The 32-story Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee (built in 1991) was the home court for the University of Memphis men's basketball program, and the National Basketball Association's Memphis Grizzlies until 2004.
• The Slovak radio building in Bratislava, Slovakia. This building is shaped like an inverted pyramid.
• The Walter Pyramid, home of the basketball and volleyball teams of the California State University, Long Beach, campus in California, United States, is an 18-story-tall blue pyramid.
• The Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, United States, is a 30-story pyramid with light beaming from the top.
• The Summum Pyramid, a 3 story pyramid in Salt Lake City, Utah, used for instruction in the Summum philosophy and conducting rites associated with Modern Mummification.
• The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana, Kazakhstan.
• The three pyramids of Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas.
• The Co-Op Bank Pyramid or Stockport Pyramid in Stockport, England is a large pyramid-shaped office block in Stockport in England. (The surrounding part of the valley of the upper Mersey has sometimes been called the "Kings Valley" after the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.)
• The GoJa Music Hall in Prague.
• The Muttart Conservatory greenhouses in Edmonton, Alberta.
• The unfinished Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang.
• Small pyramids similar to those of the Louvre can be found outside the lobby of the Citicorp Building in Long Island City, Queens NY.

Bhoothnath Movie Review

Banner: B R Films

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla Shahrukh Khan, Aman Siddiqui, Priyanshu Chatterjee

Direction: Vivek Sharma

Production: Ravi Chopra

In Nath Villa, situated in Goa, there lives the spirit of the owner who frightens away anyone who comes to live there. However, the ghost meets his match in a kid who befriends him and even makes him doubt whether he really is a bhoot!

Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla move to Goa after SRK gets an official transfer. With them is their naughty son Banku (Aman Siddiqui). As SRK has to report for duty the next day, it's left to Juhi to get the bungalow in order. But no one is willing to work in this house, as tales of it being haunted is folklore in Goa. In his quest to frighten the family away Bhoothnath (Amitabh Bachchan) fails, and instead falls in love with Banku and the two are soon inseparable.

Bhoothnath teaches Banku that life is not magic, but lots of hard work. He follows him to school for some hilarious episodes. Juhi is rattled with Banku's constant chatter about his 'Angel Friend'. Banku then requests his friend to meet his mother. The story then unfolds. Bhoothnath is Kailash Nath, the owner of the bungalow, 'Nath Villa'. He sends his son to America for further studies who returns only for his mother's funeral. He also tries to sell the bungalow. Kailash Nath is not interested. For him, his house is a treasure of memories. Unable to get his way, the son leaves for the US with his wife and kid. In trying to stop them, Kailash Nath falls down the stairs and dies. His spirit continues to reside in the bungalow.

This film is perfectly timed. With the holiday season well into its second month, it's sure to find a huge audience with kids tagging their parents along.

It's your normal, ordinary drama that we see on screen, but credit to the makers for adding an interesting twist in the form of a ghost with loads of special effects. Amitabh as Bhootnath is scary at first. He portrays well his transformation; from scary to lovable. His yearning for being with his son is well enacted which traps him in the house as a ghost.

Aman as Banku is likeable. Comparisons are likely to be made with TAARE ZAMEEN PAR star Darsheel Safary. To be fair to Aman, he does a decent job. Juhi Chawla plays her sweet self yet again and Shah Rukh Khan in a guest appearance adds his special touch to the proceedings.

Music is where the makers could have scored heavily, peppering the film with peppy numbers. Sadly, it fails to pass muster. They make up in special effects though. There is one particular scene, when Kailash Nath falls off the steps and runs out of the house after his son. When he comes back in, he is in for a shock because he realizes he has just died. You can't help but think of the Demi Moore-Patrick Swayze starrer GHOST. Also there is one particular scene when Banku falls off the steps and he is rushed to Holy Spirit Hospital. This one is in Mumbai! Another sore point is the sudden disappearance of Rajpal Yadav who plays Anthony the drunk. There is no link to his sudden absence on screen.

On the whole, BHOOTHNATH is a well-told story that has all it takes to appeal to kids and kids at heart, besides striking a chord with the families. Has the merits and potential to end the dry spell at the box-office.

Verdict: BHOOTNATH will have lots of kids for company.

Rating: 4 stars on 5

Birthday

Birthday is the name given to the particular date each year on which many people in many cultures celebrate the anniversary they were born. It is often marked by a birthday party and/or friends when gifts are given to the person celebrating the birthday. It is also customary to treat people specially on their birthday, either generally acceding to their wishes, or subjecting them to a rite of transition.

It is thought the large-scale celebration of birthdays in Europe began with the cult of Mithras, which originated in Persia but was spread by soldiers throughout the Roman Empire. Such celebrations were uncommon previously so practices from other contexts such as the Saturnalia were adapted for birthdays. Because many Roman soldiers took to Mithraism, it had a wide distribution and influence throughout the empire until it was supplanted by Christianity. The Jewish perspective on birthday celebrations is disputed by various rabbis.

The celebration of birthdays is not universal. Some people prefer name day celebrations, and Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate either, considering their origins to be pagan festivals along with Christmas and Easter. Some adults loathe celebrating it as it reminds them that they are getting progressively older.

Traditions

A birthday is considered a special day for the person, and so the person will often get special treatment from friends and family. This is especially true for children, who eagerly anticipate their own special day. In addition to parties, people often receive gifts on their birthday. Birthday parties for children often include fun games, which are relevant to the local culture, or the visit of a magician to entertain. Typical birthday party decorations include balloons, streamers and confetti. There are also traditions of surprise parties. Not all traditions are equally generous. In certain circles, the birthday boy or girl is expected to treat their party guests; this varies depending on the local culture and may involve party gifts or other nice gesture. In some cultures, the birthday at which the youngster reaches the legal age for alcohol consumption may be celebrated with a party at which free or abundant alcoholic drinks are available.

In most English-speaking countries it is traditional to sing the song Happy Birthday to You to the honored person celebrating a birthday. The Happy Birthday song tune is thought to be the most frequently sung melody in the world. Similar songs exist in other languages such as "Lang zal hij/zij leven" (and several others) in Dutch, "Zum Geburtstag Viel Glück" in German, "Feliz Cumpleaños" in Spanish, "Sto lat" in Polish, "Lá Bhreithlá Shona Duit" in Irish, "Joyeux Anniversaire" in French, "Tanti Auguri a te" in Italian and "Iyi ki dogdun, Mutlu Yillar Sana" in Turkish. This happens traditionally at a birthday party while someone brings a birthday cake into the (often darkened) room. Druze is a religion which celebrate this event

Birthday cake

The birthday cake is traditionally highly decorated, and typically covered with lit candles when presented, the number of candles signifying the age of the celebrant. The person whose birthday it is makes a silent wish and then blows out the candles. If done in one breath, the wish is supposed to come true (but only if the person keeps the wish to himself or herself). "Trick" candles have also been used to play practical jokes on the birthday boy or girl. These candles do not go out when blown upon, making it difficult to get the wish associated with blowing out all of the candles. It is also common for the "birthday boy" or "birthday girl" to cut the initial piece of the cake as a newlywed couple might with a wedding cake. If the knife touches the bottom, or when withdrawn from the cake comes out with pieces of cake adhering to it, the birthday boy or girl may have to kiss the nearest person of a different sex.

Birthday cakes date back as far as the Middle Ages when the English would conceal symbolic items such as gold coins, rings and thimbles inside their cakes. Each item was associated with a prediction. For example, a person finding a gold coin in a birthday cake would supposedly become wealthy; a person discovering a thimble would never marry.

For special birthdays and for when the number of candles might be considered impractical or a fire hazard, special candles are substituted for the many individual candles in the shape of a numeral. For example, on the fifth birthday, there may be one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral five, and on the fiftieth birthday there may be two candles on the cake, one in the shape of the numeral five followed by the other in the shape of the number zero.

Birthday cakes are often designed especially for what the person who has the birthday likes. They may be home-made or purchased.

Special Birthdays

Notable birthdays can include:

• When the most significant digit changes, for example one's 1st, 10th, 20th, 30th, 50th, or 100th birthdays.
• Certain coming-of-age years often accompanied by an increase in legal privileges and responsibilities; in Western nations these often traditionally happen at ages 12, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 21.
• One's champagne birthday, also called a golden birthday, is the day when the age someone turns is the same as the day in the month he or she was born. It is also common for the birthday individual to have champagne, thus champagne birthday. For example, someone born on January 31st would celebrate his or her golden birthday when he or she turns 31. According to the Dictionary of American Regional English, this meaning is most prevalent in Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota, although it is used elsewhere.
• One's platinum birthday is the birthday when the age matches the concatenated numeric value of the month and the day. For example, somebody turning 43 on 4/3 would be celebrating their platinum birthday. This time-honored tradition originated in east central Minnesota. (This, however, is not advantageous if you were born on, say, December 15, as very few people live to age 1,215.)
• One's Beddian birthday is the day when the age one turns is the same as the last two digits of one's birth year. For example, people born in 1954 would celebrate their Beddian birthday when they turned 54 in 2008. This birthday is named for a NYC firefighter, Bobby Beddia, who noted this coincidence days before he was killed in a seven-alarm blaze near Ground Zero.
• In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday (often 18th or 21st), and at different ages gains different rights and responsibilities — voting, certain drug use (for example, alcohol, purchasing tobacco), eligibility for military draft or voluntary enlistment, purchasing lottery tickets, vehicle driving licences, etc.
• The birthdays of historically significant people, like national heroes or founders, are often commemorated by an official holiday. Some saints are remembered by a liturgical feast (sometimes on a presumed birthday). By analogy, the Latin term Dies natalis 'birthday' is applied to the anniversary of an institution (such as a university).
• Many cultures have one or more coming of age birthdays:

• Jewish boys have a bar mitzvah on or around their 13th birthday. Jewish girls observe a bat mitzvah on or around their 12th birthday, or sometimes on or around their 13th birthday in Reform and Conservative Judaism.
• In some Christian traditions, generally Catholic and Anglican, Confirmation is the ritual by which a young person receives a Sacrament thought to bestow certain gifts of the Holy Spirit. The timing of the reception of this Sacrament serves, on a sociological level, as a sort of "rite of passage" into adulthood.
• In Latin America the quinceañera celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.
• Some girls and a few boys in the United States have "sweet sixteen" birthday parties.
• In the United Kingdom 18th and 21st are traditional coming of age birthdays.
• In many Asian countries, the 14th birthday is celebrated as the day one becomes a man, or a woman, in society.
• Many Filipino girls celebrate their 18th birthdays with a cotillion and debutante ball, commonly known as a debut.

Official/Alternative birthdays and name day

Some notables, particularly monarchs, have an official birthday on a fixed day of the year, which may not necessarily match their actual birthday, but on which celebrations are held. Examples are:

• The King's or Queen's Official Birthday in Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; in Canada this day is known as Victoria Day.
• Jesus of Nazareth's traditional birthday is celebrated as Christmas Day around the world: 25 December. As some Eastern churches use the Julian calendar, 25 December falls on 7 January in the Gregorian calendar every year until 2100.
• The Grand Duke's Official Birthday in Luxembourg: 23 June.
• The King's official birthday in Belgium: November 15 (on saint Leopold, liturgical feast of the dynasty's founder's patron saint).
• The Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia celebrates his federal official birthday on the first Saturday of June.
• Koningsdag or Koninginnedag in the Kingdom of the Netherlands is fixed on 30 April (Queen's Day; celebration of the reigning Queen's accession). Queen Beatrix fixed it at the birthday of her mother, the previous Queen, to avoid the winter weather associated with her own birthday in January.

While it is uncommon to have an official holiday for a republican head of state's birthday, this can become a permanent posthumous honour, especially in the case of a so-called father of the fatherland, for example George Washington (best known as Presidents' Day; also celebrated in the US is Lincoln's Birthday)

In cases where a mythical figure's actual birthday is unknown, it is common for a particular date to be substituted.

People born on leap day (February 29), which occurs only during leap years, often celebrate their birthday in other years on February 28, or March 1 (the first day they have, measured in whole years, a new age).

In some Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox countries such as France, Hungary, or Greece, it is common to have a 'name day'/'Saint's day'. This is celebrated in much the same way as a birthday, but is held on the official day of a saint with the same Christian name as the birthday boy/girl; the difference being that one may look up a person's name day in a calendar, or easily remember common name days (for example, John or Mary); however in pious traditions, the two were often made to concur by giving a newborn the name of a saint celebrated on its birthday, or even the name of a feast, for example, Noel or Pascal (French for Christmas and "of Easter"). In some countries, name days are celebrated with much more elaborate festivities than birthdays; in the past, birthdays often were not celebrated at all in those countries.

In school, a half-birthday or other unbirthday is sometimes celebrated for those whose birthdays do not fall on a school day (especially for birthdays falling during holiday and vacation periods).

All racehorses traditionally celebrate their birthday on (that is, calculate their age in years from) 1 August in the Southern Hemisphere, and on 1 January in the Northern Hemisphere.

Technical issues

A person's birthday is usually recorded according to the time zone of the place of birth. Thus people born in Samoa at 11:30 PM will record their birthdate as one day before UTC and those born in the Line Islands will record their birthdate one day after UTC. They will apparently be born two days apart, while some of the apparently older ones may be younger in hours. Those who live in different time zones from their birth often exclusively celebrate their birthdays at the local time zone. In addition, the intervention of Daylight Saving Time can result in a case where a baby born second being recorded as having been born up to an hour before their predecessor (but the time the clock is changed back is such that the second of twins does not have an earlier birthday).