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klguy
03-24-2008, 09:58 AM
Aiks - this is not the Nirvana that people normally think of (those heavenly places in India, Himalayas etc).

This is the Nirvana Memorial Park, a resting place for the dead!!!! It's situated in Semenyih, near Kajang, Selangor.

Mods, do feel free to move this to the correct place if necessary although I think it's a fantastic place for landscape shots.

Okay...let's get on with the travelogue...

On Saturday (Mar 22, 2008), my missus and her brother got both families together to fulfil our Chingming obligations to my departed parents-in-law. We had decided on this day to avoid the bumper-to-bumper crawl that will be the norm from Monday onwards..

So we started off at 7.30am thinking we'll be the first. I was shocked to find the Memorial Park looking like a war zone at that early hour - smoke and ashes floating in the air, caused by the burning of offerings and gifts to the deceased...


01 - Mist n smoke in the early morning..

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There are several sections to the memorial park, catering for the super rich, the well-off and the not so rich. Those who can afford it, will be buried in their individual plots, fully landscaped. The not-so-well-off can always stay in condominiums and serviced apartment....

02 - view of the individual plots

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03 - the plots are arranged in neat rows, allowing visitors to walk comfortably without stepping on the graves. And all graves are cleared numbered, making it eay to locate.

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As mentioned, let us have a look at the condominiums and serviced apartments. To avoid paying a large sum for individual plots, some people prefer to cremate their loved ones. The ashes are then placed in a vase and the vase in turn stored in the service apartment / condominiums. These are just special wall-like structures with niches in them to store the ashes.

And you even have a center courtyard where prayers and offerings can be conducted. But no swimming pool allowed !!!!


04 - the condominiums..

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05 - view of the center courtyard

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more coming next.....

klguy
03-24-2008, 10:09 AM
Besides the graves n condominiums, the main focal point of the park is a temple. This is where the guardian deity (god) of the entire park have his home. And all must pay homage to him when visiting the park.

06 This is the main alter for the deity, with offerings to him..

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07 - Rows and rows of empty places are readily available on tables for the devotees to place their offerings. The earlier devotees will place their offerrings on the front most rows...

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08 - This is how it's done..

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09 - offering joss / incense sticks to the deity.

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10 - lighting joss-sticks from the numerous oil lamps placed at strategic locations..

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part 3 coming next......

klguy
03-24-2008, 10:25 AM
More shots of the various parts of the temple....


11 - the park employs a large number of workers to keep the place spick and span. Here's one worker whose job is to remove the burnt out joss sticks to make place for new ones...

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12. The standard decorative lanterns usually found in temples.

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13 oil lamps are placed everywhere, making it easy to light your joss-sticks.

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Apart from the main temple, there are special pergolas built in each section of the park. Each pergola will house a deity, so visitors to that particular section need not walk the long distance to the main temple...

14 - a deity housed in a local pergola

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Just facing the main temple, is a gigantic structure of a dragon. This dragon is claimed to be the biggest n longest in Asia. I can't remember the length but within the main part of the body are more condominiums for the dead. In fact the staff here refer to these as the fully serviced apartments : fully airconditioned and priests / monks are employed to make regular prayer and offering sessions. You get what you pay for. To have an idea of how big the main body is, I had taken an elevator to go from the top level to the bottom. And at regular spots, there are AV shows about the Nirvana park and the services offerred.

15 - just the head of the dragon.....

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last part coming up....

15 - the front part of the dragon.

klguy
03-24-2008, 10:32 AM
And now, the interesting part for all the landscape addicts out there.

The Park had spent millions of RM on landscaping - you have mini waterfalls, bubbling streams and ponds, lovely moss covered gardens etc. And the entire place is well maintained by an army of gardeners...

16 - a typical tree covered lake (pond ???)

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17 - bridge over peaceful waters....

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18 - the parting shot, after carrying out my filiel duties...


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C & C most appreciated....

noordin
03-24-2008, 11:05 AM
May they all rest in peace!

swleong
03-24-2008, 11:30 AM
RIP :pray:

The colors look a bit saturated to me...:)

orionmystery
03-24-2008, 02:52 PM
A nice place to RIP indeed :)

I think you may have over compressed some of the images. Can see the compression artifact :(

kiankheong
03-24-2008, 03:56 PM
My aunt's ash is placed inside the dragon, very near to the dragon's head.

I find it weird that it is fully air-conditioned inside the dragon. In fact, it's actually quite cosy. :0

kiankheong
04-09-2008, 01:53 PM
Went there to pay respect to my aunt, only shot a few pictures.

1. Goddess of Mercy
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5409/dsc9304copy01ht6.jpg

2.
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4756/dsc9310copy01oc2.jpg