Current India

People, places and events

Places

• Taj Mahal-1700’s

• Built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife.

• Shah Jahan was the nephew of a Muslim emperor

• Taj Mahal cost so much money to build that it drained the empire of money and contributed to the fall of the empire.

Mt. Everest

• Located in the Himalaya Mountains on the boarder of Nepal and China.

• World’s tallest mountain

• First successful climb to the top was in 1953 by a man named Edmund Hillary from New Zealand.

Current Cost to Climb Mt. Everest

• Climbing Mount Everest is not cheap. • Passports and Visas: $75+• Airfare• $2,580 to $8,000 – Round trip :• Permits issued in Nepal cost $10,000 • $40,000 (Per person for guided trip up North Ridge Route) • Oxygen (High quality oxygen and oxygen canisters are

essential to the success and safety of climbers.) – $30,000 • Helicopter evacuation from Base Camp (in case of

emergencies) – $5,000 • Equipment and Clothing: $8,000

Estimated total=$70,000 to $100,000

Problems facing Mt. Everest

• Popularity of climbing Mt. Everest has grown.

• Too much use has caused problems. One is garbage left by visitors. Another is overcrowding.

• Because so many people are climbing and camping on the mountain, scientist fear that the mountain won’t be able to hold.

Events

• Bollywood– India’s movie industry– Produces hundreds of movies a year

Holi

• Celebrated in March

• Celebrates the harvest of grain and the beginning of spring

• Dances, bonfires and fireworks

• Throw brightly colored powder and water at each other. Represents Krishna’s (god) youth.

People

• Gandhi• Peaceful political leader in India• Helped India gain its independence from Great

Britain through civil disobedience• Lived off modest means and traveled all over the

world preaching peace through honest truth• Often times fasted for self-purification and

protest• Worked towards civil rights for Indians in South

Africa. Later moved to India

• In 1948 Gandhi was assassinated by a radical Hindu who did not agree with some of Gandhi's movements towards Indian independence

• He was 79 years old when he died

Mother Theresa

• Catholic nun who worked for charity to help needy and sick children all over the world.

• She opened missionaries and charities for children with AIDS/HIV, leprosy, tuberculosis.

• Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979

• Died in 1997. She was 87 years old