For Thai Buddhists, funerals are extremely important moments, as they represent rebirth and the passage from one existence to another. The elaborate funeral rites recently held in honor of Thailand’s...
In the folklore of Nepal, the Yeti is an ape-like being that is taller than a human. It is said to live in the Himalayan region of Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. The people of that region use the names...
One of the world’s greatest archaeological mysteries is hidden in the Himalayas. 10,000 man-made caves have been tunneled through the rock from above or dug into the cliffside. Who built these...
Centuries removed from the prehistoric Indus Valley Region, the Mauryan and Kushan dynasties are among the most significant cultural and artistic regimes in Indian history. The prominence of the...
Experts from a wide array of organizations are examining an intricately carved skull discovered in an antique shop in Vienna in 2011. The skull, believed to be 300 years old, is completely covered...
Ryōanji, translated as Peaceful Dragon Temple, is a Zen Temple located in the northwestern part of Kyoto, Japan. This well-known temple was built during the 15th century, and is today best known for...
The remains of lama Itiligov in the Republic of Buryatia in Siberia are world famous because their exceptional preservation 79 years after his death seem to defy science. Some have long believed the...
Recently, reports of a Thai doll craze have been featured at the end of news hours, a spot typically reserved for pop culture tidbits like hijab wearing Barbies (“hijarbies”) or the birthday of the...
The largest private collection of manuscripts is remarkable not just for the number of items it possesses (over 20,000) but for the breadth and depth of human history it encompasses. The Schøyen...
The Great Bell of Dhammazedi is claimed to be the biggest bell in the world. The creation of this bell was ordered by a 15th century king of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom (a state occupying part of modern...
The Mogao Grottoes, known also as the Mogao Caves, the Dunhuang Caves, or the Thousand Buddha Caves, are a network of Buddhist cave temples in China. This site is located near the city of Dunhuang in...
Archaeologists excavating the ruins of a city of the Kushan Empire in Pakistan have discovered an ancient shrine with statuary depicting the Buddha’s entry into the world of suffering people. After...
In the state of Maharashtra, in India there lies a large breathtaking series of ancient archaeological structures known as the Ellora Caves. The Ellora Caves were used for various religious practices...
When Alexander the Great arrived in Pakistan and India two very different civilizations confronted and were influenced by each other. The first anthropomorphic representations of Buddha were...
Seven caves that served as shelters from monsoons for Buddhist monks more than 2,000 years ago (and even into the 1990s) have been discovered in the forests of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in...
The emperor Ashoka is considered to be one of India’s greatest monarchs, and was the third ruler of the Mauryan Empire. Whilst Ashoka’s conquests pale in comparison to his illustrious grandfather’s,...
One of the greatest challenges facing humanity in the 21st century is the destruction of the natural environment. Researchers have found that environmental change over the last 60 years is happening...
For 1,400 years, Kongo Gumi was a successful Japanese company involved with the construction of spectacular Buddhist temples. Until its fall in 2006, it was the world’s oldest continuously operating...
Bhutan is a small country in South Asia and the home of many sacred sites and monasteries associated with Buddhism. One of these sacred monasteries is called Paro Taktsang or Taktsang Palphug...
Mes Aynak, a 2,000-year-old Buddhist city atop a 5,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement in Afghanistan, is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Only ten percent of...
The Dalai Lama has said that he may choose not to reincarnate inside Tibet if it is not free, and that no one has the right to choose his successor for political ends. However, the Chinese government...
Just a few miles south of the Silk Road in Gansu Province, lies one of the most spectacular artistic treasure of China’s past – the Maijishan Grottoes, a series of 194 caves cut into the side of a...
Dunhuang is situated in the north western part of Gansu province in the west of China. The ancient town occupied a strategic position at the crossroads of the ancient Southern Silk Route and the main...
Nalanda University was an ancient centre of learning in India, and among the first great universities in recorded history, predating such institutions of higher learning like Al-Azhar in Egypt (10 th...
