Only 50 pilots in the world can land here!
Paro Airport, Bhutan: No radar, no autopilot, just 18,000 ft mountains and zero room for error.
Would you dare to take this flight?
📍 Jerusalem | Rare footage of the Dome of the Rock, guarded by Muslim troops of the British Indian Army, filmed in 1917 during the First World War.
At the heart of Masjid al-Aqsa stands the Dome of the Rock (قبة الصخرة, Qubbat al-Sakhrah). Its dome, golden today, was then covered in lead and would have appeared dark grey; the gold-coloured covering was added only during restoration in the late 1950s and early 1960s
The film captures the open stone-paved courtyard, the building's distinctive octagonal structure and dome, its entrances, and people moving through the sacred precinct. It offers a rare glimpse of the site’s appearance and atmosphere more than a century ago.
🔹 Who are the men walking inside?
The Imperial War Museums catalogue identifies Indian infantry regiments changing guard at the shrine, one probably the 58th (Vaughan’s) Rifles. The original film caption states that the site was guarded by Muslim troops of the British Indian Army, showing how soldiers from the Indian subcontinent took part in guarding one of Islam’s most sacred places. Other individuals in the footage cannot be identified from the film alone.
🔹 Who ruled Jerusalem in 1917?
Jerusalem had been under Ottoman rule for around four centuries. During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire fought against Britain and its allies. British forces under General Sir Edmund Allenby captured the city in December 1917, and Allenby formally entered Jerusalem on 11 December. The city then came under British military administration, ending Ottoman rule.
🔹 A moment of transition
This footage records the Haram al-Sharif’s historic Islamic architecture and sacred spaces, with Muslim Indian soldiers on guard, at the close of the Ottoman era and the beginning of British military rule in Jerusalem.
📚 Source: Imperial War Museum
Asia’s Largest Chrysanthemum Garden Opens in Srinagar!
Asia’s largest chrysanthemum garden, Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, has opened to the public in Srinagar, adding a vibrant new attraction to Kashmir’s autumn tourism landscape. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the garden on Friday, with authorities anticipating a significant turnout of visitors.
Located within the Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden at the foothills of the Zabarwan Range, the sprawling floral attraction is spread over 100 kanals. The garden features over 3.5 lakh chrysanthemum plants, producing more than 12 million blooms in a spectacular display of colours.
With more than 70 varieties of chrysanthemums, visitors can witness a stunning palette of yellow, red, orange, pink, purple, and white flowers.
The garden is expected to remain a major attraction through autumn and early winter, with the flowers typically lasting until early December. The initiative aims to strengthen Kashmir’s tourism appeal during the autumn season, traditionally considered an off-season for tourism in the Valley.