Top Ten Tallest Buildings in Dubai

The tallest buildings of Dubai are:

1. Emirates Office Tower

2. Burj al Arab

3. Emirates Hotel Tower

4. 21st Century Tower

5. Chelsea Tower

6. The Tower

7. Shangri-La Hotel

8.Capricorn Tower

9&10. Murjan Tower, Mesk Tower

Mukesh Ambani's New Residence - ANTILIA

Mukesh Ambani's new residence - a 27-storey glass-fronted building will have parking for 168 cars, three helipads, a theatre and 600 staffers for its upkeep.

Mukesh Ambani's new residence being constructed in Mumbai's Altamount Road is the stuff myths are made of.

Named after the mythical island Antilia, the house-in-the-making will be completed by next year. It is being built on a 4,532 sq metre plot that was acquired by Ambani in 2002.

27 FLOORS: According to the plan, the house will rise to a height of 173.12 meters, equivalent to that of a regular 60-storeyed residential building . However, Antilia will have only 27 storeys in all.

SIX FLOORS FOR PARKING : The first six floors wil l be reserved for parking alone, and that too for cars belonging only to Mukesh's family. Space for a total of 168 imported cars has been earmarked here.

ENTERTAINMENT FLOOR: The eighth floor will have an entertainment centre comprising a mini-theatre .

BALCONIES WITH GARDENS : The rooftop of the mini-theatre will serve as a garden, and immediately above that, three more balconies with terrace gardens.

HEALTH FLOORS: While the ninth floor will have a 'refuge' floor - meant to be used for rescue in emergencies - two floors above that will be set aside for health. It will have facilities for athletics and a swimming pool, while the other will have a hea lth club.

FOR GUESTS: There will be a two-storeyed glass-fronted apartment for the Ambani family's guests above the health floors.

FAMILY: The four floors at the top, that will provide a view of the Arabian Sea and a superb view of the city's skyline, will be for Mukesh, his wife Neeta, their three kids and Mukesh's mother Kokilaben .

AIR SPACE FLOOR: Two floors above the family's residence will be set aside as maintenance areas, and on top of that will be an 'air space floor,' which will act as a control room for helicopters landing on the helipad above. There will be three helipads there.

STAFF: Nearly 600 staffers are expected to work in the building.

COST: House with a Price Tag of Rs.4000 crore for 6 people and 600 staff

Eternal Expressions of Love : Khajuraho Temple

In the temple architecture of India, the Khajuraho complex remains unique. One thousand years ago, under the generous and artistic patronage of the Chandela Rajput kings of Central India, 85 temples, magnificent in form and richly carved, came up on one site, near the village of Khajuraho.

The amazingly short span of 100 years, from 950 AD - 1050 AD, saw the completion of all the temples, in an inspired burst of creativity.

Today, of the original 85, only 22 have survived the ravages of time; these remain as a collective paean to life, to joy and to creativity; to the ultimate fusion of man with his creator.

Why did the Chandelas choose Khajuraho or Khajirvahila - garden of dates, as it was known then - as the site for their stupendous creations ? Even in those days it was no more than a small village. It is possible given the eclectic patronage of the Chandelas and the wide variety of beliefs represented in the temples, that they had the concept of forming a seat of religion and learning at Khajuraho. It is possible that the Chandelas were also believers in the powers of Tantrism; the cult which believes that the gratification of earthly desires is a step closer to the attainment of the infinite. It is certain however, that the temples represent the expression of a highly matured civilization.

Yet another theory is that the erotica of Khajuraho, and indeed of other temples, had a specific purpose. In those days when boys lived in hermitages, following the Hindu law of being "brahmacharis" until they attained manhood, the only way they could prepare themselves for the worldly role of 'householder' was through the study of these sculptures and the earthly passions they depicted.

The creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon. The legend that describes the origin of this great dynasty is a fascinating one : Hemavati, the beautiful young daughter of a Brahmin priest was seduced by the moon god while bathing in the Rati one evening. The child born of this union between a mortal and a god was a son, Chandravarman. Harassed by society, the unwed mother sought refuge in the dense forest of Central India where she was both mother and guru to her young son. The boy grew up to found the great Chandela dynasty. When he was established as a ruler, he had a dream-visitation from his mother, who implored him to build temples that would reveal human passions, and in doing so bring about a realization of the emptiness of human desire. Chandravarman began the construction of the first of the temples, successive rulers added to the fast growing complex.

Prime Attractions of Khajuraho:

The architectural style of the Khajuraho temples is very different from the temple prototype of that period. Each stands, instead of within the customary enclosure, on a high masonry platform. Combined with the upward direction of the structure, which is further accentuated by vertical projections, the total effect is one of grace and lightness, reminiscent of the Himalayan peaks. Each of the chief compartments has its own roof, grouped in such a way that the highest is in the centre, the lowest over the portico, a triumph of skill and imagination in recreating the rising peaks of a range. The temples of Khajuraho are divided into three geographical groups Western, Eastern and Southern. The Western group is certainly the best known, because it is to this group that the largest and most typical Khajuraho temple belongs : the Kandariya Mahadev. Perfectly symmetrical, it soars 31 km high. Though the four temples that stand at the corners of the main shrine are now in ruins, the main shrine has an exquisitely carved entrance arch with a multitude of themes. Celestial beings, lovers serenading musicians movements captured in stone, frozen in time, yet retaining a quality of warm, pulsating life. The very stone seems to have taken on the living, breathing quality of the carved figures. Beyond the archway of the Kandariya Mahadev, lie the six interior compartments; the portico, main hall, transept, vestibule, sanctum and ambulatory. The ceilings are particularly noteworthy and the pillars supporting them have intricately carved capitals. The transept's outer walls have three horizontal panels showing deities of the Hindu pantheon, and groups of lovers, a pageant of sensuousness, vibrantly alive.

The Temples

» Chaunsat Yogini

Also in the western group is the Chaunsat Yogini, the only granite temple in the Khajuraho group. Dedicated to Kali, it is also unique in being quadrangular in plan. Only 35 of the original 65 cells remain and no image of Kali has survived not surprisingly, since this is the earliest surviving shrine of the group dated to 900 AD. Another Kali Temple (originally dedicated to Vishnu) is the Devi Jagadambe Temple.

» Chitragupta temple

North of it facing eastward to the rising sun, is the Chitragupta temple, dedicated to the sun-god, Surya. The image of this powerful deity in the inner sanctum is particularly imposing 5ft high, and driving a seven-horsed chariot. The group scenes depicted are equally spectacular royal processions, elephant-fights, hunting scenes, group dances. The lavish lifestyle of the Chandelakings and their court is here in all its pomp and glory.

» Vishwanath Temple

Similar in plan to the Kandariya Mahadev is the Vishwanath Temple. Lions flank the northern steps and elephants the southern, leading up to the temple. Within, there is an impressive three headed image of Brahma. Since the first few Chandela rulers were devotees of Vishnu, there are some important Vaishnavite temples in the Khajuraho group, the finest of which is the Lakshmana Temple. The lintel over the entrance shows the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, with Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort. The sanctum is richly carved and has a three-headed idol of Vishnu's incarnations, Narsimha and Varaha. The boar incarnation also appears in another Vaishnavite shrine, the Varaha Temple. The statue here is a mammoth 9 ft high one, its surface covered with figures from the Hindu Pantheon.

» The Matangeswara Temple

The Khajuraho temples are no longer living places of worship, with a few exceptions. The Matangeswara Temple for example is still a place of worship. Dedicated to Shiva it has an 8 ft high lingam. South of this temple is the open air Archaeological Museum, which has a beautiful displayed collection of statues and friezes collected from the area the remains of long vanished temples

» Hindu and Jain Temples

Hindu and Jain temples make up the Eastern Group, which lies close to the Khajuraho village. The largest Jain temple, Parswanath, is in this group. Exquisite in detail the sculptures on the northern outer wall make this temple perhaps the finest in the group. The themes of these carvings are the timeless ones of every day, mortal activity. A woman sits bent pensively on a letter, a lovely young girl removes a thorn from her foot, the master craftsmen of Khajuraho display here their deep understanding of the trifles that make up a human life. Within, the sanctum has a throne, which faces a bull emblem of the first tirthankara, Adinath. The actual image of Parswanath from which the temple derives its name was installed as recently as 1860.

» Ghantai Temple

The other Jain temple in this group is the Ghantai Temple. Though almost in ruins now, it still bears evidence of its original splendour. Particularly, arresting is the frieze which depicts, in graphic detail, the 16 dreams of Mahavira's mother and a multi-armed Jain goddess riding on a winged Garuda. North of Parswanatha is the more modestly sized Adinatha Temple.

» Chaturbhuj Temple

5 km from the Khajuraho village, lies the Southern Group of temples. The fine Chaturbhuj Temple in this group has a massive intricately carved image of Vishnu in the sanctum.

»Brahma, Vamana and Javari Temples

Duladeo Temple another of the southern group, is a little away from the road to the Jain group of temples. Though remains of temples belonging to the Khajuraho group have been discovered at Jatkari, 3 km away and even at Maribag in Rewa, it is at the 3 main groups that the imperishable glory of Khajuraho, the sensuous celebration of life, the aspiration towards the infinite, remains.

Interior Designing

Do you have a habit of scourging furniture shops? Do you always critically look at someone's home decor? Do you keep doing up your home with newer and better knick-knacks? Do you sometimes feel that some homes do not reflect the owner's personality?

If you have said yes to any of the above, you are well on your way to being a good interior designer.

Interior design does not require an introduction. Most of us have come across this speciality sometime in our lives and like all careers, it is boom-time for interior designers too. So, if you are looking at making a career in interior design, here's some helpful information.

What is interior designing?

Interior design is the process of shaping the experience of interior space. So it's not just interior decoration but it also involves aspects of environmental psychology, architecture and product design.

While some would say it is just the art of putting some furniture together, interior designers beg to differ. Experts say that interior design is a creative process that understands the client's need, creates a conceptual design, reviews the design, and produces a final cut design document or plan.
Many a time, an interior designer works closely with the architect to define the finer nuances of a home. However, these are absolutely different branches looking at different aspects of a home. While your architect will tell you the dimensions of your bathroom and even the tiles to be used, your interior designer will tell you the best fittings and how the bathroom will compliment your mood.

Who can become an interior designer?

There is quite a big debate on that front. Everyone agrees that you need to be a creative person if you want to be an interior designer. However, some feel that you need added qualifications.

"You need creativity, financial acumen, interest and knowledge of materials to be a good interior designer," says Parthajeet Sarma, director of iDream Advisory Services Private Limited.
Sarma is actually an architect however he has been involved in interior design with as much success.
He adds, "(Some) One who has an eye for detail and loves solving cryptic puzzles would make a good interior designer. I am not an interior designer but an architect -- however I have been involved in this industry for 12 years now."

The key word then is interest. The rest falls in after that. Create a checklist and tick from interest, creativity, financial knowledge and the willingness to learn about brick and mortar.

What are the career prospects?

Interior designers are in demand. Industry experts say there is a dearth of good interior designers.

"Interior designers are in much demand now due to the retail boom in India," says Shubha Jain who offers interior design courses at the International Institute of Fashion Design (Mumbai). "Career prospects range from starting their own firms and taking up projects, to working as a designer for malls, hotels and design companies. Interior designers are also employed by big architectural firms to cope with project load."

But success will not come instantly. Once you finish your training, you will need to work hard to get some recognition. "Yes, the career prospects are good," says Sarma, "But be prepared to slog it out during the initial years. If you do that and you are intrinsically good at design, you will surely shine. Be warned however that this is not like doing an MBA from an IIM where you join at the top and retire at the top."