My visit to Mayan Temple, Mexico 🇲🇽 ( by Lokanath Mishra) San Gervasio is the most important Mayan archeological site on Cozumel Island ( Mexico) The religious center was built as sanctuary to the Goddess Ixchel. It was popular for many Mayans to visit once in their lifetime on a type of pilgrimage. I along with my family visited the ruined temple of Goddess Ixchel on 30.09.23 . The ruins aren't as big and impressive as those on the mainland at Chichen Itza or Tulum, but the park still makes for a fascinating cultural and historical experience. During the post-classic period (1200-1530) it became the biggest and most important site in the Island of Cozumel. At the central square you will find the most important temples. Nine buildings form an enclosed patio from where three roads connect with other squares. In this area there are the most important aquifers of the island and an abundance of cenotes. It is located off the cross-island road in the central-northern portion of the island. I found that the Ancient Mayans Temples were for Everyone . The Pyramid of Kukulkan, a temple built to honor the feathered serpent god, still stands in Chichen Itza. It was long thought that the ancient stone pyramid temples of the Maya were built by their royalty. Now it turns out any number of different factions among the Maya — nobles, priests and maybe even commoners — may have built temples, scientists now suggest. The fact that different groups had the will and the power to build temples suggests "the Maya could choose which temples to worship in and support; they had a voice in who succeeded politically," The first temples of the Maya arose more than 2,000 years ago. Their word for these stone pyramids was the same as their word for mountain, and the massive stepped temples at times reached more than 200 feet. "Human sacrifice did occur at temples, but only rarely, unlike the Aztec, who sacrificed daily in the belief the sun would not rise."Only a few powerful Maya kings performed human sacrifice, and they did it to kill rulers from elsewhere. And they didn't do it to bring, say, better weather, but to highlight 'me, me, me.'" In the Cozumel ruined temple complex, my family members were surrounded by howler monkeys, toucans, spider monkeys, orchids, spiders, scorpions and 🐍 snakes. Mosquitoes 🦟 and Killer bees are now in the area, and a hive we saw in the ruined temple and We ran immediately. Mysteriously, there are six ruined temples in the complex and we came to know that Each temple might have served a different god, such as the rain god Chak, or the sun god or maize god. The building of each temple might also serve as a record of ancient power struggles. "When a new ruler comes to power, they might build their own place, or if the rulers did not predict the best time to plant crops, others might suggest, 'Come to my temple, the ruler has clearly failed. Looters had carved nine trenches into the ruined temple sites. I, along with my family also visited Cozumel island on Saturday 30.09.2023. Cozumel is the largest island of the Mexican Caribbean, which is 48 kilometers long and 16 kilometers wide, an idyllic place featuring spectacular sunsets, thrilling water activities, astonishing culture and more, that will guarantee you a great holiday. The city is just like the Berhampur city of Odisha. Houses are being constructed in cement, brick, concrete and iron etc. Plenty of mango trees, coconut trees, jack fruit trees etc are being seen in the city. There many beautiful thatched cottages in the city. This being an island, its main attractions include water activities, specially scuba diving, as it has more than 40 different dive sites, which place it as a top destination for diving amateurs and experienced divers as well, who enjoy getting into the depths of the ocean, exploring new underwater landscapes in every immersion. you can also admire Cozumel´s impressive coral reefs, colorful fishes and its abundant marine life. Here One of the must-see dive sites is called "El Cielo", (which translates as "The Sky") an idyllic place located 15 minutes away from Playa Palancar, where you can snorkel, swim and also watch the many starfish that lie on the seabed, that is why this dive site stands out from the rest. Please make sure not to disturb them and don't take them out of the water. Among other attractions you should add to your bucket list its natural parks, some of them featuring lagoons, mangroves, reefs, beaches where you can do different activities suitable for the whole family. There is also an amusement park where you and your family will learn more about the Mayans in an interactive and fun way. If you are an active traveler and you are into biking, then you will be glad to know that Cozumel is a great place for performing this activity. Discover the island's hidden trails and take in the sights and sounds at a relaxed pace. If you want to get back home with a perfect tan, there is no better way to do it than spending the day at one of its white sand beaches. Some of them have beach clubs where you can enjoy the sun by lounging in a hammock or lounge chair. You will be surprised by the warmth of the locals with open arms. On Mon, 2 Oct 2023 at 7:25 PM, Lokanath Mishra <jailoknathjee@gmail.com> wrote: Indians living in Mexico 🇲🇽 ( by Lokanath Mishra) India and Mexico have striking similarities in geo-climatic conditions, biodiversity, physiognomy and people, cultural and family values, as well as European connections of the colonial era. Both are heirs to a great civilizational heritage and contacts between them indicatively go back centuries. The Indians in the country are mainly businessmen or professionals. Many of them work with one or the other international organisation or a multinational corporation. There are also some academicians and scientists among them. They have helped to bring about a greater mutual understanding between India and their host country. Most members of the diaspora speak Spanish and have adapted themselves admirably to their foreign environment. Hinduism in Mexico is a minority religion. There were about 12,601 (0.01%) Hindus in Mexico as of 2020. Temples in Mexico A Sai Baba temple and a Vaishnav temple have been constructed in Mexico City by the Sangam Organisation. Hare Krishnas ISKCON has 8 centres in Mexico. Centre 1- Guadalajara, Pedro Moreno No. 1791, Sector Juarez, Jalisco. Centre 2- Mexico City, Tiburcio Montiel 45, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, D.F, 11850. Centre 3- Monterrey, Av. Luis Elizondo No. 400, local 12, Col. Alta Vista. Centre 4- Saltillo, Blvd. Saltillo No. 520, Col. Buenos Aires. Centre 5- Tulancingo, Apartado 252, Hildago. Centre 7- Rural Community at Veracruz. Centre 8- Additional Restaurant at Veracruz, Restaurante Radhe, Sur 5 No. 50, Orizaba, Ver. Sai Organisation There are now 29 Sai centers in Mexico. There are two Sai Schools in Mexico, one in Chihuahua and other in Cuernavaca. There are about 100 children in each school. Annual Rath Yatra is being celebrated by Iskcon, temples. Indo- Mexican people are very much instrumental in establishing Iskcon centers in Mexico. The Hare Krishna movement has been started here since 1970. Visited the Vaishnav Temple, Mexico and delivered lectures on Shri Jaganath culture and about pitru pakshya & pinda Dan. Iskcon On Mon, 2 Oct 2023 at 7:24 PM, Lokanath Mishra <jailoknathjee@gmail.com> wrote: On Wed, 27 Sep 2023 at 8:17 PM, Lokanath Mishra <jailoknathjee@gmail.com> wrote: Jai Shri Jaganath ( Shri Jaganath Temple & ISKCON temples in Mexico 🇲🇽:-( by Lokanath Mishra) —————//——//////———//———- India-Mexico relations have consistently been friendly, warm and cordial, characterised by mutual understanding and growing bilateral trade and all-round cooperation. Hindus residing in Mexico are mostly devotees of lord Shri Krishna and lord Shri Jaganath. Many Mexican people are members of ISKCON. There are eight ISKCON’ centers in Mexico 🇲🇽. There are very much similarities in between food items and vegetables of both the countries, India and Mexico. About-Tamatoes: Ever thought of making Indian curries without tomatoes? Have you ever wondered if the fruits and vegetables that you consume on a daily basis may not be native to India? You will be surprised to know that most of your everyday veggies were brought to the country through trade from around the world. Mexico is one such country, which deserves to be celebrated, for the sheer number of vegetables and fruits it has given to the world. Here are some Mexican fruits and vegetables that have become an essential part of the Indian cuisine even before globalisation set in. Tomato 🍅 Tomatoes arrived in India during the 16th century with the Portuguese explorers. Today, tomato is an integral part of Indian cuisine that it is used to make almost every dish. The quintessential tomato base in the form of puree or masala has the power to elevate your dish from ordinary to extraordinary. Corn New findings suggest that corn was cultivated more than 7000 years ago in Mexico and is now the third most important crop in India. In Indian households, corn is used to make sweet corn chat, simple subzis, pakoras and even popcorn. In fact, cornflour makes for a great thickener for soups and curries. Sapodilla / Chikoo Sapodilla or as we Indians call it chikoo, originated in Yucatan and Southern Mexico. It was introduced to India about hundred odd years ago. According to reports, they were first planted at somewhere around Mumbai in 1898, and still it continues to flourish at Dahanu in Maharashtra. Sapodilla is said to be a tropical fruit crop, which is now widely used in India not just as a fruit but also in the form of milkshake, ice-creams, fruit chaats, custard and other puddings. Avocado Avocado originated in Mexico and Central America, possibly from more than one wild species. It is a big pear shaped fruit with a stone, but is a berry actually. The early Spanish explorers recorded its cultivation from Mexico to Peru. Then avocado was introduced from Sri Lanka in the early 20th century. Now it is grown in a very limited scale and in a scattered way in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka as well as in the eastern Himalayan states of Sikkim. Nowadays it is pretty common to find nachos with avocado dips, avocado sushi, avocado juice, milkshakes and smoothies across Mumbai. Guava :/Thank the Portuguese again, this native fruit of Mexico was brought by them to Goa in the 16th century. Guavas grow in India now and are extensively used in the making of juices, jams, puddings, milkshake, smoothies, ice-creams, fruit chaat and even Indian pickles and subzis! It can also be eaten straight with black salt and chaat masala. Amrud Ki Sabji Papaya -The Portuguese also brought papaya to India from Malacca, which is originally native to Southern Mexico. In India, papaya is eaten both raw and riped. It is used for making curries, desserts, smoothies, milkshakes and ice-creams. Raw papaya is also used for making pickles and your all-time favourite tutti-frutti. Sweet Potato Sweet potato, a native of Mexico, is known as shakarkandi in India. It is roasted and sold on streets as a delicacy in North India. What’s surprising is that sweet potato was also brought by Portuguese to India in 17th century. North Indian homes have several sweet potato recipes such as chaat and even halwas. Indian people like to marry Mexican girls 👧: When the US government tightened its immigration rules in the early 1900s, Punjabi , Bihari , Telgu and Marahata immigrant workers, mostly men, were unable to bring their wives and families with them. Marriages between whites and people of colour had previously been prohibited by anti-miscegenation laws in USA till 1940 and the new immigration regulations were the final nail in the coffin. Mexican women matched Indian men perfectly. They had black hair, dark eyes, and had the same skin tone. As county clerks perceived similarities in complexion as indicators of belonging to the same race, it allowed Indian men to circumvent anti-miscegenation laws and begin their family life in America. Thousands of Indian - Mexican couples, formed intercultural alliances in the early twentieth century. Under British rule, farmers in India most of them from land-owning castes, were forced to seek wage labour abroad due to the dismal living conditions in India. Records from 1907 show that over 20,000 Indian men immigrated to the United States via Canada. Though the Alien Land Law of 1913 forbade non-citizens from owning or leasing land, some of the Indian men found ways to work around the system and gained control of cotton fields. They began to employ Mexicans, who fled to the US after being displaced by the Mexican revolution. The Indian men both married and unmarried kept Mexican women first in their homes for house work and subsequently married them. According to a report there were approximately 4000 Indian-Mexican couples in Southwestern America by the 1940s. The new community that sprang up as a result of interracial marriages were called “Mexican-Hindu,” a broad term that wasn’t entirely true as the term ‘Hindu’ referred to Hindustan rather than the religion. It is estimated that approximately 40 percent cent of these Indian men were Sikhs and the remaining Hindus and Muslims. Despite the barriers of language and religion, Indian-Mexican couples found themselves to have much in common in terms of cultural traits. Food for instance, was similar in both communities. Mexican cuisine, like Indian cuisine, was spicy and largely relied on bread, vegetables, and meats that were typically boiled or fried. Mexican tortillas and Indian chapatis were seen as nearly identical. The gorditas were stuffed with meat, while the paranthas were filled with vegetarian fare. Immigrants from Mexico and Indian grew up mostly in agrarian societies. As a result, a shared thread of agriculture and farm life provided a stable foundation for the two groups to relate to one another. Many Indian men kept four more than two wives with them because more numbers of Mexican women came to America in comparison to Mexican men. One Indian Moola Singh said during his interview that:- “I never had to explain anything about India to my Mexican family. Everything is the same, only the language is different,” Moola Singh, a resident of Selma in California, said in an interview with the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA). He has thirteen children from three marriages, all of them to Mexican women. Though there was religious differences between Indian men and Mexican women but after formation of ISKCON in the year 1967 in America 🇺🇸 majority indo-Mexican families joined Hare Krishna movement together and became the devotees of lord Shri Krishna/ lord Shri Jaganath. The men often learned Spanish to communicate with their spouses. Women, on the other hand, learned how to cook Indian food. Mexican women made rotis and parathas. And they would make Mexican food too, like beans, but mostly it was Indian. It was reported that at least seven thousand Indo - Mexican couples celebrated fifty years of their marriage. Despite the success of many of these marriages, several disapproved of the coming together of the two communities. The alliances between the two were labelled as marriages of convenience. Mexican women, according to critics, were used as a tool by Indian men who wanted their children to obtain property in their names as they couldn’t legally do so themselves. Their children are the citizens of America by birth, hence for them it was very much possible to acquire properties in USA. Although both Indian and Mexicans arrived in the United States with similar disadvantages, by the late 1920s, the Indian population had surpassed the Mexican community in terms of social status. Many Indian people were shifting away from the labouring class and were leasing and purchasing agricultural land. Mexicans, on the other hand, were moving in towns and purchasing urban land; they rarely leased or acquired rural property, and the majority of them worked as farm labourers. Marrying Indian men was, therefore, seen as one of the ways for Mexican women to climb up the social ladder since a majority of them worked on Indian men’s farms. After formation of ISKCON and construction of temples in America after 1967 due to change of immigration laws, such Indo-Mexican families joined the Hare Krishna movement and became the devotees of lord Shri Krishna and lord Shri Jaganath. They participated in annual Ratha Yatra and joined in Nagar Kirtan. These families are very much instrumental in establishing Shri Jaganath and ISKCON temples in Mexico and spreading Hare Krishna movement in 🇲🇽 Mexico.