Rajput School at Chopasani

Read all about a unique school with a research center right at the center of its location.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harpreet-kaur-kapoor-847bb311/detail/recent-activity/posts/

Mrutyunjay

A novel written in Marathi language but hold a readers attention the entire time. You will not wish to put the book down until you finish reading it. It is available in many languages so do try and get hold of the copy and read it. Historical, mythological and yet contemporary. A part of outstanding literature.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mrutyunjay-harpreet-kaur-kapoor/?published=t

Guru Gobind Singhji, The Tenth Guru of the Sikhs

Read the short article on the history of the tenth guru, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/guru-gobind-singh-tenth-sikhs-harpreet-kaur-kapoor/?published=t on linkedin.

Mehrangarh Underseige

Uploaded my new book called Desert Chronicles: Mehrangarh Underseige. This book deals with that chapter in History which led to Mehrangarh fort falling under siege for many months, the reason why it took place and what did it result in. You willfind the book on smashwords.com just follow the link https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1076915

Sun Temples in India

Read an article on Sun Temples of India on linkedin.Here is a ink. Please do read and get back with comments. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sun-temples-india-harpreet-kaur-kapoor/

Come, Walk with me II

The land of Royalty, sprinkled with vast sand deserts and colourful people, mystical practices, mythical heroes, famous warriors and women to die for. Everything but everything is charming, beautiful and attractive in Rajasthan, the colourful state that few words can describe it. You have to feel it to know – the people, the land, the art, architecture and everything that makes it. No one thing can be said that this explains it all. The love for something so beautiful and rich cannot be just explained. Read on to feel a little about my favourite place, maybe someday it will draw my readers to come to India, and Rajasthan to really see and feel it all. My new book on Smashwords.com

Monumental Kumbhalgarh by Harpreet Kaur

My coffee table book is now available across in book stores, or on net you can buy them anywhere.

Desert Chronicles IV - Rajputs and Rajputana

This book talks about the Rajputs, what and who they are. This book gives information about their origin, their clans, ruling centers, culture etc. This book is good source for those who wish to know more about the Rajputs. This book is available for $3 at smashwords.com. You ca read a small sample before downloading the entire book.

Desert Chronicles - III, Forts of Rajasthan

This is the third in the series I am writing called the Desert Chronicles. This one is on the stone sentinels or forts located within the state of Rajasthan, India. Rajasthan was a war zone from 5th century onwards until after independence. Its constant guardians have been the forts and watch towers guarded by brave, sacrificing and sometimes reckless generation of Rajputs.

Archaeology: Techniques and Methods

Hi Everyone
If you wish to get hold of my book Archaeology: Techniques and Methods get in touch with me via email - harpreet786@gmail.com and I will send you a copy of my book at discounted price.
Harpreet Kaur
Author

Have uploaded a new book on smashwords.com. It is a cookbook consisting of recipes from the state of Rajasthan. It may not contain every recipe but does have many.Here in this book i have compiled a few recipes for those who love to cook and those who love to eat. This is the second book in the series that I have started called Desert Chronicles. These recipes in fact describe the way the people of Rajasthan have evolved their cooking to suit their budget as well as their need for food that looks good and is finger licking good.
Here is a linkl
https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Harpreet+Kaur

Many people may have read these stories as love stories or as part of their history lesson. But the stories are real and these individuals lived and died for their people and country. They contributed a lot to their country’s history. These stories have a very strong hold on the people of Rajasthan and India. Follow my latest book https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/34503.

Ebook Description
The story revolves around Arsalan a ten-year-old boy who belongs to the royal family. They live in the land of Ar and the story belongs to the 12th century, when kings ruled and people followed them blindly. The boy is mischievous and is looking for adventures everyday of his life in school, at home or in the playground.
Check out my new ebook on
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/29666

"Saint from Ajmer, The (E-Book)"
by Harpreet Kaur

Price: $9.95




Product Details

ISBN: 978-1-4512-2394-1

# Pages: 120 Pages

Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5

Format: E-Book

Latest News:
Product Description
"Ajmer, an ancient city, stands on the highest plateau of the Aravalli range. Famous as the capital of the Chauhan empire, it became the center of the world for thousands of people who found solace at the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Born in Sajistan, he became the follower of Chistiya sect and found place among the chosen five Khwajas, known well in the world.He laid the foundations of the Chishtiya order in Ajmer, which soon spread across India. His firm faith in Wahdat al-wujud (the Unity of Being) provided the ideological support to his mystic mission?their aim is to live for God alone. The early Chistis did not ask for formal conversion to Islam to being a prerequisite of a follower. He interpreted religion in terms of human service and always told his disciples to reach the highest level of devotion was by - "to redress the misery of those in distress - to fulfill the needs of the helpless and to feed the hungry." This book is an effort to give an insight into this great saint's life and his teachings."

Check out my new book on smashwords.com. This e-book is dedicated to the cult of mother goddess called Shakti derived from its source - Lord Shiva.

new book

This book is based on my diary when we went on an archaeological dig in Karnataka. Log on to access or download at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16195.

My new book has been posted on www.smashwords.com. Its called Come, walk with me!Please check the link below. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/11626

Quotes

Please do check out my new ebook on samshwords.com or follow the link and you can download it. These are a collection of quotes of famous people.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=quotes

Do check it out.

The Saint From Ajmer

For Immediate Release

Contact: Shawn Street – Public Relations
pr@publishamerica.com
www.publishamerica.com

PublishAmerica Presents The Saint from Ajmer by Harpreet Kaur

Frederick, MD January 19, 2010 -- PublishAmerica is proud to present The Saint from Ajmer by Mumbai, Maharashtra, India author Harpreet Kaur.

Ajmer, an ancient city, stands on the highest plateau of the Aravalli range. Famous as the capital of the Chauhan empire, it became the center of the world for thousands of people who found solace at the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Born in Sajistan, he became the follower of Chistiya sect and found place among the chosen five Khwajas, known well in the world.He laid the foundations of the Chishtiya order in Ajmer, which soon spread across India. His firm faith in Wahdat al-wujud (the Unity of Being) provided the ideological support to his mystic mission - their aim is to live for God alone. The early Chistis did not ask for formal conversion to Islam to being a prerequisite of a follower. He interpreted religion in terms of human service and always told his disciples to reach the highest level of devotion was by—“to redress the misery of those in distress - to fulfill the needs of the helpless and to feed the hungry.” This book is an effort to give an insight into this great saint’s life and his teachings.

Harpreet Kaur is also the author of Archaeology: Methods and Techniques. Since her childhood, she had heard so many stories about this revered saint, which actually set her on a journey of self-discovery as well to find out more about him and Ajmer.

PublishAmerica is the home of 40,000 talented authors. PublishAmerica is a traditional publishing company whose primary goal is to encourage and promote the works of new, previously undiscovered writers. Like more mainstream publishers, PublishAmerica pays its authors advances and royalties, makes its books available in both the United States and Europe through all bookstores. PublishAmerica offers a distinctly personal, supportive alternative to vanity presses and less accessible publishers.

Exploring Temple of Ranakpur

The journey to visit the temple of Ranakpur started at about 11.30am and we would have to travel for an hour and half to reach it. We were traveling by a mini van from Rani to Ranakpur, around 60kms. Ranakpur is situated approximately 96 km from Udaipur.

Built during the reign of the liberal monarch Rana Kumbha in the 15th century, this temple is huge and covers over 48,000 sq. feet area. There are three small shrines, twenty four pillared halls and eligibly domes supported by over 1444 columns.

It is said to be inspired by Kailash Parbat and indeed, when you drive through the huge gate everything is hidden behind a huge wall. Walk through the cool garden area with beautiful flowers and into the main temple complex, you are left breathless. Within the garden is the Sun Temple dedicated to Surya (the Sun God). The temple has polygonal walls, and is adorned with the carvings of warriors, horses and solar deities riding chariots.

Umpteen number of shikharas crowd the top section of this famous temple. Strict rules on security, baggage’s, and cameras leave you irritated and wanting, but it is all for good measure indeed. You will not be allowed to take pictures of the gods but I saw many foreigners take pictures with zoom lenses and video cameras and they were not refused. We still suffer from the malady of ‘gori chamadi’ is best.

Behind the ticket counter is a entire complex of small rooms for the Jain sadhus and sadhvis who wish to stay there. After buying the tickets, paying for the cameras and leaving the mobiles behind etc, one is made to remove the shoe before you can climb the stairs into the temple. The temple has entrance on all four sides, but there is an anomaly which may raise a doubt in your mind – which I will explain later.

The Shikharas make a beautiful picture that create a rise and fall with the help of small and tall ones mixed within each other giving you a feeling of watching a mountain range. With the Aravalli’s making a beautiful backdrop. The outside limestone walls are carved with intricate designs all reflection of the Hindu temples.

Climbing the stairs with a platform after every dozen or so stairs give you a feeling of climbing a hill, after reaching through and entering the main hall one is left awe struck. The entire temple seems to be held up with pillars of which none two are alike.

It is one of the five Jain pilgrimages. The main temple has a Chaumukha shrine dedicated to Adinathji, the first Jain tirthankara.

The columns are intricately carved having nymphs playing the flute, in various dance postures are a beautiful sight to behold. The assembly hall has two big bells weighing 108 kgs that are rung at said times.

The corridor around the temple has mandapas (porticoes) with various types of carved images. A shikhar (spire) over each mandapa. The temple has four small shrines, and rises to three storeys. The shrines have 80 spires supported by 420 pillars.

The main temple is faced by two other temples dedicated to Parasvanath and Neminath. These have exquisite figures similar to Khajuraho sculptures.

Begun in the 14th century the temple took over 50 years to complete under the auspicious orders of Rana Kumbha, ruler of Mewar. Dedicated to Adinath, the temple also has smaller temples inside dedicated to Neminath, Parsvanath and the Suryadev temple within the premises but outside the main temple area.

You will enjoy reflecting deeply within yourself while watching the green Aravalli hills behind, the cool and quiet atmosphere within from the balconies or mandapas located at intervals for tired pilgrims to rest. You feel one with yourself, facing east there is a small shrine located on a hillock close to the main temple. It is said to be dedicated to a sadhu who sat here in meditation. It also has a miniature structure or copies of temples version of the route the sadhu may have followed on his journey till he reached here which is marked with footsteps climbing the hills, steps or in temples.

A kilometer behind and above the Ranakpur temple and within the hills is a beautiful small shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva visited by but a few who know. It is a hard climb uphill, with no other way of reaching it, but through the thick jungles – only for dedicated worshippers of lord Shiva.

There are also many stories that revolve around this temple basically all are questions – some say it is a Hindu temple donated to the Jains on an happy occasion by the ruler of Mewar proof of which lies in the small mandapa on the outside of the temple to the east – said to either hold a garuda or a nandi; a priest there said it once held the statue of a Garuda and this was a Vaishnavaite temple, pillars have conch shells and pushpalatas carved on them. There is also yalis made on the edges of the roofs, plus there is a small statue placed inside what is a square holder that is very similar to what usually holds a linga, the tree in the centre with a temple below.

The Rajput rulers were well known for their generosity indeed and have been known to give away acres and acres of land and temples to every religious sect in times of joy and celebration. This, a temple is a grand dream that was made into a reality and is today a part of our heritage.

There are one beautiful carvings made out of a single marble rock for eg, the 108 heads of snakes and numerous tail with Adinath standing below it. A masterpiece not found elsewhere and in it you will not find the end of the tails and their face is seen pointing in all four directions.

The temple is said to have been inspired by a dream that Dharna Shah had of a celestial vehicle. The architect was Deepaka and an inscription near the main shrine states:- in 1439 Deepaka, an architect, constructed the temple at the direction of Dharanka, a devoted Jain.

Ranakpur is located in Desuri tehsil, near Sadri town, in Pali district of Rajasthan. It is located midway between Jodhpur and Udaipur, in a valley on the western side of the Aravalli Range.