Latest news with #UNESCOWorldHeritageTentativeList
The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
Stolen 150-year-old kalash from Ahmedabad's Sarkhej Roza recovered, four held
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch police have recovered the 150-year-old sacred 'Panjtan Pak Kalash', stolen from the Sarkhej Roza mausoleum, a nationally protected monument in the Gujarat capital. The police have arrested four persons for the theft, while four others are absconding. The theft, reported at the Sarkhej police station on July 1, involved the disappearance of a Panjtan Pak Kalash — a religious urn made of Panchdhatu (five metals) — from the dome of Sheikh Ahmad Khattu Ganj Bakhsh's mausoleum, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajit Rajian. It was installed on the dome of the mausoleum of Sheikh Ahmad Khattu Ganj Bakhsh — the spiritual mentor of Sultan Ahmad Shah, founder of Ahmedabad. The artefact is deeply revered in the Islamic faith and holds significant cultural and spiritual value for devotees, who tie threads of mannat (faith) to it. Sarkhej Roza was built around 1445 CE. 'Considering the religious and cultural sensitivity of the site, a special team of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch immediately initiated a thorough investigation and arrested four persons, while four more are at large,' Mr. Rajian said. 'Panjtan Pak' refers to the five holy members of Prophet Muhammad's family. 'Architecturally, the site represents a 575-year-old Indo-Islamic masterpiece, protected by the Archaeological Survey of India since 1921. It is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List and played a pivotal role in Ahmedabad's recognition as a World Heritage City in 2017,' Mr. Rajian said. The police official said: 'The probe included extensive CCTV footage review, aerial drone surveys of nearby lakes and remote areas, and the use of technical surveillance. We traced the accused to Kadi town in Mehsana district, where they were reportedly planning to sell the artefact.' The four accused arrested were: Sureshbhai Dharmshibhai Dantani (40), a labourer from Chaprama, Kadi, Mehsana, originally from Peparana village in Harij taluka, Patan district; Gopalbhai Dharmshibhai Dantani (30), labourer, and younger brother of Sureshbhai, with the same residential details; Munnabhai Jayantibhai Dantani (23), labourer, also from Chaprama, with family roots in Chanasma, Patan; and Vishnubhai Chunabhai Dantani (22), labourer, resident of Rajvinagar, Jotana, Mehsana, originally from Shedhal, Chanasma, Patan. While those absconding are: Dinesh Dharmshibhai Dantani, resident of Chaprama, Kadi, Mehsana, native of Peparana, Patan; Kishorbhai Somabhai Dantani, resident of Mahemdabad, Kheda district; Jaliben Somabhai Dantani, resident of Chaprama, Kadi, Mehsana, a native of Peparana, Harij, Patan, and Dasu Dantani, a resident of Pendarpur, Chanasma, Patan.
The Age
01-07-2025
- The Age
Sign of the times on the home front
'Your recent interest in Burra (C8), South Australia, evoked childhood memories,' writes Phillip Moore of Middle Cove. 'During World War II, my mother took me to visit her bridesmaid who was married to the resident headmaster (and sole teacher) at Booborowie, some 50 kilometres north of Burra. The present population is a couple of hundred, and I suspect it was much the same then. We travelled by train. On the journey, we alighted twice at the wrong place and had to be redirected by the train guard. This came about because all the destination signs on the railway stations had been removed and randomly relocated because of the threat of invasion.' Pamela Kerr of Moonta Bay has more: 'The Cornish mining sites of Moonta and Burra were added to Australia's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in September last year. Any Column8-ers who visit will find me doing my volunteer stint at the Visitor Information Centre (the old railway station) on Thursday afternoons.' In the lead-up to Wimbledon, Mick Miller of Ettalong Beach notes that Australia's Maya Joint 'just won the Eastbourne Open tennis title. I wonder if she suffers from tennis elbow.' A number of Gilligan's Island (C8) pundits have rained on George Zivkovic's position that the SS Minnow (with a top speed of 12 knots) would only have ended up 42 miles from civilisation. Ron Schaffer of Bellevue Hill reports that ''the weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed' and she was blown rapidly far off-course.' David Gordon of Cranebrook adds: 'Sixty years ago, when my father was stationed in Guntur, India, one of his subordinates was caught in a typhoon that lashed the East Coast and was swept into the Bay of Bengal. Fortunately, he was rescued — 300 km offshore! The SS Minnow may have experienced something like that, George.'
Sydney Morning Herald
01-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sign of the times on the home front
'Your recent interest in Burra (C8), South Australia, evoked childhood memories,' writes Phillip Moore of Middle Cove. 'During World War II, my mother took me to visit her bridesmaid who was married to the resident headmaster (and sole teacher) at Booborowie, some 50 kilometres north of Burra. The present population is a couple of hundred, and I suspect it was much the same then. We travelled by train. On the journey, we alighted twice at the wrong place and had to be redirected by the train guard. This came about because all the destination signs on the railway stations had been removed and randomly relocated because of the threat of invasion.' Pamela Kerr of Moonta Bay has more: 'The Cornish mining sites of Moonta and Burra were added to Australia's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in September last year. Any Column8-ers who visit will find me doing my volunteer stint at the Visitor Information Centre (the old railway station) on Thursday afternoons.' In the lead-up to Wimbledon, Mick Miller of Ettalong Beach notes that Australia's Maya Joint 'just won the Eastbourne Open tennis title. I wonder if she suffers from tennis elbow.' A number of Gilligan's Island (C8) pundits have rained on George Zivkovic's position that the SS Minnow (with a top speed of 12 knots) would only have ended up 42 miles from civilisation. Ron Schaffer of Bellevue Hill reports that ''the weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed' and she was blown rapidly far off-course.' David Gordon of Cranebrook adds: 'Sixty years ago, when my father was stationed in Guntur, India, one of his subordinates was caught in a typhoon that lashed the East Coast and was swept into the Bay of Bengal. Fortunately, he was rescued — 300 km offshore! The SS Minnow may have experienced something like that, George.'
Zawya
24-03-2025
- Zawya
Jian'ge County in Guangyuan Hosts Handover Ceremony for Over 12,000 Ancient and Famous Trees
GUANGYUAN, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 24 March 2025 - On March 12, marking the 47th Arbor Day of China, the "Shu Road Cuiyun Corridor Ancient Cypress Conservation Handover Ceremony" was held in Jian'ge County, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. More than a hundred town and township cadres, forest rangers and villagers witnessed this special handover event, who gathered to witness the transfer of responsibility for the stewardship of more than 12,000 ancient and famous trees. Among these venerable beings, the eldest boasts an impressive age of approximately 2,300 years. Since the Ming Dynasty, Jian'ge County has upheld a tradition of conducting handover ceremonies for ancient cypresses along its trade routes during the transition between incoming and outgoing officials. As part of this practice, the officials meticulously count the number of ancient cypresses and record their survival and growth conditions in the area. To this day, the handover of ancient and famous trees remains a vital aspect of transfer of duty in Jian'ge County, symbolizing the enduring commitment to safeguarding these venerable trees across generations. Located in the northern part of Sichuan, Jian'ge County stands as a pivotal landmark along the ancient, a trade route boasting a history of more than 2,000 years. Renowned for its wealth of transportation relics and cultural landscapes that bear witness to the passage of time, it has earned the title of "a living fossil of ancient land transportation". As early as 2015, the ancient Shu Road was already added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, and has since been nominated as a candidate for both World Natural and Cultural Heritage status. Within the ancient Shu Road, a stretch of nearly 300 kilometers lies in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, renowned as the section with the most abundant relics and historical narratives. Particularly notable is the Cuiyun Corridor in Jian'ge County, which boasts the world's largest, oldest, and most extensive cluster of ancient trees planted along an historic route. Currently, a total of 7,803 ancient trees remain, including 7,778 ancient cypresses with an average age of 1,050 years. The verdant trees block out sunlight, creating an ethereal atmosphere that makes walking beneath them feel like stepping into a living painting. In recent years, the ancient Shu Road has gradually emerged as a sought-after destination among both Chinese and foreign tourists thanks to its unique charms. On March 13, 82-year-old American explorer Hope Justman, accompanied by her friends, explored iconic sites such as Jianmen Pass and the Cuiyun Corridor, immersing themselves in the rich culture of the Shu Road and the timeless grandeur of its ancient trees. This marked her 25th journey along this millennia-old historic route. To better protect the ancient and famous trees, local authorities perform "physical check-up" for them on a regular basis, including inspections for hollowing and decay, cleaning and treating damaged areas of trunks, and performing "minimally invasive surgeries". Over the past three years, Jian'ge County has successfully restored and rescued 2,478 endangered and weakened ancient cypresses. On March 15, China officially enacted the Regulations on the Protection of Ancient and Famous Trees, marking the first time the country has established standardized management and protection practices for these trees through administrative legislation. Notably, the Regulations drew inspiration from the ancient cypress handover system of the Cuiyun Corridor along the historic Shu Road. Hashtag: #JiangeCounty The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. JIANMENGUAN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
