Amazing Tree

At a glance you may be confused the above tree with a massive trunk with a 'Baobab' tree (which is renowned to possess the largest tree trunks of the world) but, this is yet another unknown specie which is seen in the close proximity of a hermitage deep in the dense forest in 'Andra Pradesh' in India.

Now have a close look at the bark and experience the unbelievable figures of creatures engraved in the surface of the entire tree trunk!!
Absolutely real!!!

The Place Above The Cloud

Beyond of human mind...sometimes we wonder how powerful God creation may effect us in many way.

Ancient crystal decanter brings $6M Cdn at auction

rare treasure from an ancient Islamic dynasty sold for more than $6 million Cdn at a London auction on Tuesday.

A 1,000-year-old decanter painstakingly hand-carved from a single, flawless piece of crystal sold to an anonymous buyer for about $6.1 million, including the buyer's premium for Christie's auction house.

Earlier this year, an auction house in southwestern England had mistaken the intricately crafted artifact for a mere 19th century French wine pitcher and given it a pre-sale estimate of less than $400.

However, once at auction, the slim-necked, gold-embellished decanter drew the attention of eagle-eyed collectors, who launched a bidding war that eventually drove up the price to approximately $400,000.

After the ewer was correctly identified, however, that sale was annulled.

According to Christie's, the ewer is "one of the rarest and most desirable works of art from the Islamic world."

The rock crystal ewer dates from the late 10th or early 11th century, and is one of only seven similar vessels known to have survived the court of Cairo's Fatimid rulers.

When the dynasty was overthrown, its members were forced to sell their treasures, including the rare, exquisite ewers.

Among the six others known to exist, one is held by London's Victoria and Albert Museum while another is in the collection of the Louvre in Paris.

Article From : CBCnews.ca

Muslim Countries of Africa/Asia/Middle East/South East Asia: Circa 2000

Today there are nearly 65 states or countries with significant or majority populations who are Muslim. They include some of the largest nations in the world in terms of population, such as Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Others are small countries like Qatar and Djibouti. Many are secular republics such as Indonesia, or monarchies such as Saudi Arabia, or so-called “Islamic states” such as Iran. Some are democracies, such as Malaysia. No majority Muslim state exists in Europe or the Americas. In almost all of those states where a majority of the population is Muslim, a belief in Islam serves as a common bonding among diverse inhabitants in politics and life. It is a source of faith and a significant foundation of social identity and community relations. Almost all of these Muslim states are also developing nations that have only recently emerged from European colonialism.