Appooppanthaadi -42

Shanghai's high rise buildings were widely used by the denizens for another purpose too once upon a time - to jump from the top and end life! During the Cultural Revolution under the stewardship of their supreme leader Chaiman Mao, all through China, a systemic elemination of rebellion and dissent was well in operation.

Many were taken into custody without any specific charges framed against them. Fate of the ones who were taken away like this were never known to the outer world after that. Many others were forced to commit suicide. The government mechanism ensured that dissenting souls were driven to taking their own lives. In Shanghai, thus, the sky scrappers came in  handy to such desperate human beings. Those days, it is said, people in the city were very scared of walking past the high rise buildings for fear that, anytime a 'free falling object' might fall on them from atop the buildings

To read more about Cultural Revolution in China, click the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution

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Like in many other big cities in China, Shanghai too has a well built metro rail system. The underground mass transit system is simply superb that can outshine any other metros in the world. All the tourist attractions in the city have easy access through the metro rail. Let the Chennai Metro get completed. Then, Shanghai Metro will look just a shadow of the Chennai Metro. Hopefully, Shanghai-isation of India will start from Chennai shortly!

There are a few Buddha Temples in the Shanghai city. One among them is Jing'an Temple and the other is the famous Jade Budda Temple. There is another temple near the Yu Garden too. The Jing'an Temple is located near one of the metro stations itself. To gain entry to the temple, one has to cough up 30 Yuans.

Though the authorities consider it as a tourist spot and hence charge a fee to enter, most of the visitors consider it as a sacred place of worship. People do different types of rituals inside the temple.  They prostrate in front of the huge idols of the Lord. The prayer is offered in a kneeled down position. The Lord who was against idol worshpping has himself been made an idol and worshipped. I too kneeled in front of the Lord.

The most attractive thing, in my opinion, at the Jing'an Temple was the Ashok Pillar at the entrance. Inside the temple, entry to anywhere, including the places where prayers are offered, everyone wears shoes. Even prayers are offered with shoes on.




  "Do Not Kiss" was the message the young girl wanted to give through the writing on chest part of the Tee she was wearing inside the Jade Buddha temple! She was avidly paying obeisance whereever she spotted Budda idol inside the temple

Click the link for more photos : Shanghai Budha Temples and more...


A few meters away,  a magnificient foot over bridge is located. It has an escalator to climb. Most of the busy roads have foot over bridges at regular intervals. Foot over bridges are very common in China cities. Overbridges with electric lifts are also seen at many locations.  Still there are so many pedestrians crossing the roads just like we do in our country.