Radhe Krishna
Dasavatharas of Sriman Narayana
DASAVATHARAM - AN INTRODUCTION
The Lord is seated on his majestic throne in Vaikuntha. He lies reclining on a serpent bed Adi Sesha in the ocean of milk. He descends into this material world "to give His personal protection and association to His devotees, to punish the irreligious and to re-establish religion in the world". Lord has asankhyeya (innumerable) incarnations and out of them, His most famous ten avataras are Matsya- the fish, Kurma-the tortoise, Varaha-the boar, Narasimha-the man-lion, Vamana-the dwarf brahman, Parasurama-the axe wielder, Rama-the bow wielder, Balarama-the plough wielder, Krishna- the complete Avatara and Kalki, who is yet to come.
MATSYA AVATARA
Satya Vrata was a pious sage. One day when he went to the waterfront for his evening worship, he caught a little fish in his Kamandala. He was about to let the fish back into water when the fish spoke, "Iam small, please do not let me into the water, because the bigger fish will eat me". The sage took pity on the fish and brought it to his hut. Soon the fish grew big and became too big to his kamandala. He then transferred it to a large pot. The fish grew bigger than that. Finally he let the fish into a pond. The fish swam away, but said, "In seven days there is going to be a deluge; water from the skies will flood the land and wipe out everything. Call the seven Rishis, collect samples of grains and seeds, plants and animals and be ready. I shall save you from the deluge." The sage did as he was bade; and then it rained in torrents for 18 days; flooding all the land. A beautiful golden boat came floating towards him and boarded it with all his collection of seeds, plants and animals. The huge fish appeared in the horizon. The Rishi threw the serpent Vasuki on its horn and tied it to their boat. On the way the Lord divulged to them the secret of the four Vedas. Finally when the deluge waters subsided, the fish landed them to safety and went its way. That was the first Avatara of the Lord, called Matsya Avatara.
KURMA AVATARA
Prajapati had two wives. Diti and Aditi. To the elder queen Diti were born the hundred Daityas or Asuras, and to the younger queen Aditi were born the Devas. The Asuras and Devas were always quarrelling. The Asuras grew rich and powerful and the Devas were jealous of them. They went to Vishnu and prayed for supremacy. Vishnu promised them immortality if they would churn the milky ocean. They sought the help of the Asuras, because they could not churn the ocean alone. They took the mountain Mandaragiri and wrapped the serpent Vasuki on it. The Asuras stood on the head side and the Devas on the tail side. Together they drew the snake back and forth and churned the milk ocean. Vishnu took the form of huge tortoise and placed himself below the rock, to keep it from sinking.
After many days of churning, a cup of blue liquid came up. They all thought it was Amrita, the nectar of eternal life. Only Shiva knew that it was poison, and to save the gods he came forward and drank it. Parvathi tried to stop him and held the poison in his throat; siva's neck became blue forever. The churning continued. Untold treasures of gold and gems were thrown up. Lakshmi the goddess of wealth came up, seated on a full bloomed red lotus. The elephants holding the eight quarters saluted her. Then Dhanvathri , the lord of medicinal herbs, appeared with his pot of cures for all sickness. Finally the pot of Amrita, the nectar of immortality appeared. A terrible fight ensued between the Devas and Asuras for its possession. Virochana, one of the Asuras tried to run away with it, but Garuda the king kite followed him high into sky and took it from him. The sun burnt his wings, but Garuda flew unmindfully and placed the golden pot at Vishnu’s feet. Vishnu was pleased with Garuda’s devotion and made Garuda his ever-faithful servant. Vishnu then appeared as Mohini, in the form of a beautiful dancer and asked the Devas and Asuras to line up on either side for a fair share of Amrita. Dancing her way through the lines, Mohini pretended to give Amritha to the Asuras but in reality gave it all to Devas. Only one Asura managed to hide himself with the Devas and took a portion of Amrita. Vishnu saw this and flung his discus on the Asura. The Discus cut the Asura into two. Head and body separated, but the Asura was immortal. So the head roamed freely as Ketu, swallowing the sun and the moon during eclipses; the body roamed freely as Rahu, swallowing an hour
The Devas became immortal. The Asuras felt cheated. Vishnu appeased them by giving away all the wealth to them.
VARAHA AVATARA
Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu were brothers. They came in the lineage of the Asuras. Hiranyaksha always had his eyes on gold while Hiranyanksipu was all clad in gold. With all the wealth from the churning of the ocean, the Asuras had become greedy and proud. Their desires increased day by day, and they wrought heavy damages to Mother Earth, for more and more wealth. Finally when Mother Earth could not bear the burden any more, she sank into waters, and lay weeping. Hiranyaksha continued his rule of tyrany from the waters. The Devas went to Vishnu and sought his help. Vishnu leapt out of Brahma's right nostril, in the form of a wild boar, that grew and grew till he became huge enough to lift the earth. The boar plunged into the waters and uttered the sacred Mantra AUM. The Asura Hiranyaksha could not bear the sound and came out of his hiding. Vishnu struck him dead. Then he lifted Mother Earth on his tusker teeth and came out of the waters. He held her high and consoled her by revealing the message of the Vedas. Soon good people populated the Earth again.
NARASIMHA AVATARA
Hiranyakasipu heard of his brother Hiranyaksha's death at the hands of Vishnu, and swore to avenge his death. He became an arch enemy of Vishnu and went about destroying cows, trees and sages and all that were dear to Vishnu. The gods again prayed for help from Vishnu.
Hiranyakasipu went into the mountain of the Himalayas. Standing on one leg in the cold, he performed severe penance for many many days. Finally Brahma appeared before him and said "I am pleased with your penance. Ask what you came for". "O lord of creation", said Hiranyakasipu, "The Devas cheated us of Amrita and took immortality for themselves. I too want to overcome death and become immortal". "That",said the lord of creation, "is not in my power, for all bodies must one day be dissolved. This is the law of Prakriti, and I go by it. What I can do is let you choose the manner of death, nothing more". Hiranyakasipu thought for a while and answered, "then my lord, grant that I may die neither by man nor by beast, neither on ground nor in air, neither by day nor by night, neither by weapon nor by disease". "Your wish is granted" said Brahma and disappeared.
Hiranyakasipu descended from the mountains and returned to his kingdom. There was a great jubilation everywhere. Hiranyakasipu took the throne and ruled happily. All was well. Then gradually a change took place. The boon of near immortality that Siva had given him made him a tyrant king, melting harsh punishments on subjects. The Rishis in the forest heard about all this, but bore the hardships patiently, praying for the day of redemption.
Hiranyakasipu had a queen called Khayatu. One day he took her with him to go to a distant land. On the way the queen had a strange dream that a white elephant smote her. The soothsayers said the queen was going to have a baby. The king was overjoyed to hear this and sent her back to the kingdom for rest. This was the opportune moment that the sages were waiting for.
Sage Narada was a great devotee of Vishnu. With a Tampura slung on his shoulders and a pair of wooden castanets called Chipla in hand he would go round all the worlds singing the praise of Vishnu. The sages sent Narada to the queen. The queen received sage Narada with due honours and beseeched him to entertain her with stories, to relieve the tedium of expecting. Narada sang and told her stories of Vishnu for many days. The queen sat and listened, and she would often fall asleep listening, but Narada would continue telling. All the while baby in the queen's womb lay listening in rapt attention. Soon a male child was born to the queen. This was Prahlada, the great Bhakta, devoted to Vishnu even at birth.
Messengers hastened to Hiranyakasipu and broke the glad news. The king was overjoyed. He now had everything he wanted: wealth and glory, power and penance, kingdom and vassals, above all, the boon of immortality, or so he thought. His pride and insolence grew worse, his tyranny became more terrible. His subjects dreaded him, and served for fear, not love of their king. Unmindful, the king continued his wicked ways. Meanwhile the Rishis in the forest heaved a sigh of relief that their redeemer had been born.
When Prahlada was six years of age, he was sent to the best Acharya of the land, to begin his tutelage. The king had decreed that schools must inculcate his image alone as the one worthy of worship, and chant his name alone, as the one worthy of praise. But Prahlada had already had his schooling in his mother's womb, and so he would gather his fellow-students during breaks and chat the glories of Hari Narayana. The teacher was morbidly afraid that the king might come to know of it, but he could do nothing to change the ways of the young prince.
Word reached the king's ears about what was happening in the Gurukula. The one who dared to disobey his command was his own son. Hiranyakasipu's fury knew no bounds. He ordered that the boy should be flung into burning pyre. They did as they were commanded, but the leaping flames did nothing to the child, who blissfully continued to chant Narayana…. They then hurled the child over a cliff, but the child rolled down unharmed, chanting Narayana….. They threw the child into a snake pit, full of venomous cobras. The hungry snakes came hissing towards him then stood stunned, as he chanted Narayana….. They dug a pit and buried him upto his shoulders and brought an elephant to stamp on his head and crush him. The elephant lifted its foot over his head, but did not put it down. The child continued to chant Narayana….. All this was reported to the king.
Finally the king ordered that Prahlada be brought to him. A trace of paternal love was still lingering in him. "Look, son", he entreated, "I am your father; I gave you life; I maintain you; I shall be giving you this whole kingdom one day. I have conquered death; I am above the gods; why then do you not worship me?" "Father, what you say is true", said Prahlada, "but above all of us is the Lord Narayana, who is Hari. This life we enjoy is his gift. This kingdom you possess is his. It is by his decree that we are all born, and we must all die as well".
"Hari! Hari! What Hari! Why is this Hari? Where is this Hari?" snarled the king angrily. "Why, he is the lord of Universe, he is everywhere?" said the child. "In this pillar, is he here?" growled the king, flew into a fit rage and kicked a pillar. The pillar exploded and terrible form sprang out that was neither man nor lion, but half of both. The king tried to run for his life, but the man-lion caught him at the doorway neither inside nor outside and laid him on his lap, neither on the ground nor in the air. It was evening, neither day nor night.
The man -lion Narasimha tore into Hiranyakasipu's torso and pulled out his entrails. He wore it as a garland on his neck and stromped out into the forest roaring, his claws dripping with the Asura's blood. Without any of the conditions being altered, the tyrant king met his end.
All the people gathered and entreated to Prahlada that he alone should subdue the monstrous form. Prahlada boldly entered the forest and followed the man-lion. Deep in the forest he met the man-lion and worshipped him. The man-lion became pacified and took his benign form, seated with Lakshmi on his lap. "I am pleased with your devotion. Ask for a boon and it shall be granted". Said the lord, make me desire the service to your feet as strongly as men of the world desire wealth and happiness". The lord was pleased; he granted this and also promised to protect Prahlada's clan for seven generations after him.
VAMANA AVATARA
Bali Chakravarthi was a good and a just king. He came from the ancient race of the Asuras. The great devotee Prahlada was his grandfather. Bali was a noble king. He was also immensely ambitious. The Devas were afraid of him. They feared that one day he might take over Indra's kingdom. So they went to Lord Vishnu and prayed for protection, Vishnu promised to help them. But he had also another promise to keep. To his devotee Prahlada he had promised protection for seven generations. And Bali was Prahlada's grandson.
King Bali had performed a thousand and seven Raja Suya sacrifices. He now engaged himself in performing the thousand and eighth sacrifice. This would estabilsh him as the emperor of all the worlds. The final day of the sacrifice dawned. Bali was seated high before the sacrificial fire. By his side was Sukracharya, his Guru. There were men of learning on all sides reciting from the four Vedas Rig, Yajus, Saman and Atharvana, Singers sang and dancers danced, while men , women and children thronged the field. It was a glorious sacrifice. As the sacrifice was nearing completion a young lad of infinite beauty walked into the arena.
The lad was very simply dressed. He had a single piece of cloth on his waist. There was the sacred Upavita on his shoulder. He carried a palm leaf umbrella on his left hand, a Kamandala or water spout on his right. On his right ring finger was the Pavitra, a twist of sacred Darbha grass. His chest was marked by tiny piece of deerskin tied to his Upavita. His head was shaven, leaving a beautiful tuft of hair on the top. His face was round and full of exceeding charm. His eyes were wide and lotus like, glistening likes petals with drops of dew. His body was smeared with the fragrant sandal paste. On his feet he wore the Paduka, wooden sandals with a knob held by the big toes.
When the lad strode into the sacrificial arena, all eyes turned to him. Singers stopped singing, dancers stopped dancing, the Vedic seers stopped chanting. There was a hunched silence all round.
Bali Chakravarti's concentration failed. Even he stopped performing his oblation and turned around to look. The lad walked towards Bali and stood. Bali was aghast to see a lad of such beauty and learning. "O king", said the lad in a tone ringing with the wisdom of penance, "you are performing a great sacrifice. The success of the sacrifice demands generosity. Can you make a gift for me?". "yes indeed", said the king, "ask what you want, and it shall be granted, you have my word for it". "Three steps of land I need, to make a small hut for myself" said the lad. "is that all?" laughed the king, "then take it", so saying he took the water spout , Kamandala, and poured water to solemnize the promise. But no water poured. The guru Sukracharya who saw through the disguise recognized the lad as none other than Vishnu and had remonstrated. But as his words were of no avail, he tried to stop the gift by becoming small and hiding himself in the spout of the Kamandala, so no water poured from it. The lad took the Kamandala and sent the Darbha grass of the Pavitra on his ring finger into the spout to clear to obstacle. The Pavitra pierced into Sukracharya's eye and he came out howling.
The water poured and the gift was sanctified. "Now take your land", said the king. Then miracle happened. The lad grew and grew and became Trivikrama, the Lord of three worlds. He lifted his left foot and straddled all the space on the left. then he lifted his right foot and covered all the space on his right. with two strides he had taken all the three worlds! Bali's young son Namushi saw this and protested. The gift was made to a lad, and the Lord must take the gift in the same size as he was when he came in, he said. The Lord picked him up and swirled him round and round then let him go in the air. Namushi became a satellite. "where shall I place my third step?" asked the Lord. The king humbly removed his crown, knelt and offered his head. The Lord placed his foot on the king's head and blessed him for his generosity. He made a separate kingdom for him in Patalaloka and himself stood as guardian angel for the king, thus fulfilling his promise to Prahlada.
Every year on Kartikai Deepam, the festival of lights following Deepavali, children light a firework called Maveli Vilakku. This is made of sawdust and leaves. When they swirl it in the air, myriad of sparks float and dance, giving joy to all who see it. It is believed that on this day king Mahabali returns to his old kingdom to see the happiness and well being of his faithful subjects.
PARASURAMA AVATARA
Parasurama was the younger son of sage Jamadagni and Renuka. Jamadagni lived in an Ashram serviced by Kamadhenu, the cow of plenty. Once the king Kartavirya Arjuna came for hunting into the forest and took shelter in Jamadagni's Ashram. The sage played host to the king and all his retinue with utmost cordiality. There was plenty of milk, ghee and food for all. The king was surprised. He inquired about the source of such affluence. The sage told him of his cow Kamadhenu. The king immediately took it upon himself to own the cow, claiming that as king he had a right over all that lay in his domain. Forcibly he took away the wailing cow and its calf to his kingdom.
The young son Parasurama heard about all that had happened and forthwith went to the kingdom of Kartavirya Arjuna. He challenged the king in combat, with only a bow and arrow, and an axe in hand. The king had an enormous army and arsenal, but they were no match for Parasurama, whose spiritual energy shone like the Sun and vaporised the king's arsenal like dew drops. Soon the king was exhausted and fell. Parasurama chopped off his thousand arms and cut off his head. He then brought back the cow Kamadhenu and its calf, and left it with his father Jamadagni.
Meanwhile the sons of Kartivirya Arjuna came to know of their father's death at the hands of Parasurama and swore to take revenge. They went into the forest when Parasurama was away, Jamadagni was seated before the sacred fire offering oblations.
The wicked prince cut off the sage's head and took it away on a spear, leaving the torso behind. Parasurama heard the distress cries of his mother Renuka and rushed home to find his mother beating her chest and wailing over her husband's torso. The arrogance of the kshatriyas had reached its nadir. Parasurama swore to wipe out the entire Kshatriya race from the face of the earth. Taking his axe, he set out. From kingdom to kingdom he went destroying every Kshatriya he saw. Twenty-one kings fell to the axe of Parasurama. The Rishis in the forest and the commonfolk heaved a sigh of relief.
Parasurama's aim was not to create an empire for himself but rid the earth of the arrogant warriors. His mission accomplished, he gave away various portions of the land to various Brahmanas as gift. When Rama, prince of Ayodhya was returning from Mithila, after breaking the Siva Dhanush and marrying Sita, he confronted him and challenged him to break his own bow if he could. Rama the prince of Ayodhya easily bent the bow and victoriously asked, "what would you surrender: your life or your spiritual power? "Parasurama gave away his spiritual powers to Rama, prince of Ayodhya. He then threw his axe southwards over Mahendragiri(the western ghats) and made the sea recede. He created stretch of land(which is Kerala today) and retired into it. Parasurama is the sixth Avatara of Vishnu, born to rid the world of Kshatriyas of Asuric minds.
RAGHU RAMA AVATARA
The lineage of Raghus in the lkshvaku race brought forth many good and noble kings: Dilipa, Bhagiratha, Dasaratha and so on, of which Raghurama was one. Rama is the seventh Avatara of Vishnu. His story is told in the Ramayana, an epic poem by Valmiki.
The purpose of Rama's descent on earth was to kill the evil-king Ravana, who had prayed to Siva at Kailasa and received boons of extraordinary strength and wealth. He had prayed that the gods could not touch him. Hence Rama took a mortal form to kill him. Rama's powers grew and grew as he became older. First as a young lad Sage Visvamitra taught him the two Mantras Bala and Atibala to overcome sleep and hunger. Next sage Parasurama transferred the power of his penance. Then sage Agastya gave him special arsenal to fight the Rakshasas.
Though Rama was born a king, he lived a life of austerity all his life. He was the very embodiment of Dharma. Of all the Avataras, Rama is the noblest, most respected figure, addressed as 'Maryada Purushottama'.
BALARAMA AVATARA
Balarama was the seventh son of Vasudeva and Devaki, but transferred to the womb of Rohini. He is the elder brother of Krishna. The exploits of Balarama and Krishna blend like milk and sugar. The stories of Krishna and Balarama are told in the Sri Bhagavata Purana.
KRISHNA AVATARA
Sri Krishna is the purna avatAra (complete manifestation) of Sriman nArAyaNa. Krishna was the eighth child of Vasudeva and Devaki born in captivity but grew up in Vraja under the care of Nanda and Yasoda. Krishna and Balarama grew up together and killed many demon kings including their uncle Kamsa, and in the battle between Pandavas and Kauravas, liquidated the Kaurava alliance. In the battlefield he delivered the sermon of Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. This pastime is part of the epic Mahabharata. Lord's innumerable activities are beautifully explained in Srimad Bhagavad purAna by sage vyAsa deva.
KALKI, AVATARA OF THE FUTURE
It is said that when righteousness is discarded and injustice becomes rampant, the Lord will appear as Kalki the tenth Avathara, the son of Brahmana called Vishnu Yashas, will ride a white horse and wield a long sword to destroy evil like a flood. Kalki brings to an end one cycle of the Lord's Lila or cosmic sport, which is infinite and never-ending. Those who delight in hearing his stories are fortunate, for they are freed of sin and misery.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Radhe Krishna 17-09-08
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the sequel to the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the first film from Walt Disney Pictures to feature the current logo. The film was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The movie received 4 Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and won the Academy Award for Visual Effects.
The story picks up from where the first film left off when Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) discovers his debt to the villainous Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) is due, while Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) are arrested by Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) for helping Jack Sparrow escape execution.
The film was shot back-to-back with the third film during 2005, and was released in Australia and the United Kingdom on July 6, 2006, and in the United States and Canada on July 7, 2006. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its special effects and criticism for its confusing plot and lengthy running time. Despite this, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest set several records in its first three days, with an opening weekend of $136 million in the United States, and became the third movie to gross over $1 billion in the worldwide box office, behind Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Plot
The East India Trading Company arrives in Port Royal, Jamaica, to extend its monopoly in the Caribbean and purge piracy from its waters. Leading the expansion is Lord Cutler Beckett, a powerful and ruthless EITC agent who arrests Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner as they are about to be married. Beckett threatens to execute them and the absent ex-Commodore James Norrington for aiding Captain Jack Sparrow's escape, but he offers clemency if Will agrees to hunt for Sparrow and his magical compass which points to what its possessor wants most. An informant in Tortuga leads Will to the Black Pearl run aground on Pelegosto, a cannibal-inhabited island where Jack and his crew are captive. Jack hid there after "Bootstrap Bill" Turner, Jack's former crewmate and now an indentured sailor aboard Captain Davy Jones' ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman, delivered Jack the Black Spot, a mark signifying his debt to Jones is due. Thirteen years before, Jones raised the Black Pearl from the ocean depths and made Jack its captain. In exchange, Jack must now serve aboard the Flying Dutchman for 100 years.
Will, Jack, and a few crew members escape their captors, unexpectedly recruiting Pintel and Ragetti along the way, and head for sea. Will learns that Jack has been searching for a particular key. He agrees to give Will the compass if he helps him find the key and the object it unlocks. Seeking assistance from Tia Dalma, an obeah priestess, Jack learns the compass fails to work because he does not know what he truly wants. The key, Tia tells him, unlocks the Dead Man's Chest containing Davy Jones' still-beating heart—to avoid lost love's pain, Jones carved the heart from his chest and buried it. Whoever possesses the heart controls Davy Jones, thereby controlling the world's oceans. Back at sea, the Flying Dutchman encounters Sparrow, who deviously attempts to barter Will in exchange for himself. Jones demands 100 souls within three days in exchange for Jack's freedom and keeps Will as a "good faith payment," leaving Jack only 99 more souls to harvest.
In Port Royal, Governor Weatherby Swann frees Elizabeth. Confronting Beckett at gunpoint, she forces him to validate a Letter of Marque—a royal document with which Beckett intends to recruit Sparrow as a privateer, and which Elizabeth wants for Will. Posing as a cabin boy on a merchant vessel, Elizabeth lands in Tortuga where she finds Jack and Gibbs desperately recruiting unsuspecting sailors in a pub to pay off his blood debt. A disheveled Norrington also applies. Blaming Sparrow for his ruin, he tries to shoot him and ignites an angry brawl, but Elizabeth knocks Norrington out and saves Sparrow. At the pier, Jack reveals the compass' secret to Elizabeth; it points to what the holder wants most in the world. When he convinces her that she can save Will by finding the chest, she gets a bearing. Once the ship is underway, however, an attraction arises between Jack and Elizabeth.
On Isla Cruces, Jack, Norrington, and Elizabeth find the Dead Man's Chest. Will, who has escaped the Flying Dutchman with help from his father, Bootstrap Bill, arrives with the key he stole from Davy Jones. Will wants to stab the heart to free his father, but Jack fears that with Jones dead, the Kraken will continue hunting him as there will be no one to call it off, while Norrington desires the heart to bargain back his naval career. As a three-way swordfight erupts, the arrival of Jones' crew and Pintel and Ragetti's attempt to make off with the chest complicate matters even more. Norrington ultimately escapes with the heart and the Letters of Marque while Jones' crewmembers retrieve the now-empty Dead Man's Chest.
The Flying Dutchman pursues the Black Pearl but, with the wind behind them, the Black Pearl outruns her. Jones summons the Kraken. Jack escapes the Black Pearl in the last longboat; but unable to desert his crew, he returns in time to save them. He gives the order to abandon ship before the Kraken makes its final assault. Realizing the Kraken is only hunting Jack, a deceptive Elizabeth passionately kisses him while handcuffing him to the mast. Wracked with guilt over her betrayal, Elizabeth tells the others Jack chose to remain behind, unaware that Will now believes she loves Sparrow. Jack escapes the shackles just as the Kraken resurfaces: Jack draws his cutlass and goes down fighting as the Kraken lunges for him; the colossal beast drags him and the Black Pearl to a watery grave.
Davy Jones declares Jack's debt settled, although he becomes enraged when he discovers an empty Dead Man's Chest. Meanwhile, Norrington makes his way to Port Royal and delivers the heart and the Letters of Marque to Cutler Beckett. Elizabeth, Will, and the surviving Black Pearl crew seek refuge with Tia Dalma, who asks if they would be willing to save Jack from Davy Jones' Locker. When all agree, Tia Dalma sends them on a journey to World's End to rescue Jack, saying they will need a captain who knows those waters—the resurrected Captain Barbossa.
Cast
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow: Captain of the Black Pearl. He is hunted by the Kraken because of his unpaid blood debt to Davy Jones. He is also searching for the Dead Man's Chest to free himself from Jones' servitude.
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner: A blacksmith-turned-pirate who strikes a deal with Cutler Beckett to find Jack Sparrow and his compass so he can save both himself and his fiancée Elizabeth from execution. Later he is reunited with, and seeks to free, his father, who owes a lifetime of servitude to Davy Jones.
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann: Governor Swann's daughter and Will's fiancée, who is arrested on her wedding day for helping Jack Sparrow escape. Escaping jail with help from her father, she meets up with Jack in Tortuga and joins his crew to search for both Will and the chest.
Bill Nighy as Davy Jones: Captain of the Flying Dutchman. The main antagonist, Davy Jones was once a human being. Unable to bear the pain of losing his true love, he carved out his heart and put it into the Dead Man's Chest, then buried it in a secret location. He has become a bizarre creature – part octopus, part crab, part man – and collects the souls of dead or dying sailors to serve aboard his ship for one hundred years.
Jack Davenport as James Norrington: He resigned his commission as Commodore in the Royal Navy after losing his ship and crew in a hurricane in the pursuit of Jack Sparrow and his crew. Fallen on hard times and into alcoholism, he joins the Black Pearl's crew and seeks to regain his honor and career.
Stellan Skarsgård as "Bootstrap Bill" Turner: A crewman aboard the Flying Dutchman who so happens to be Will Turner's father. He was cursed by the Aztec gold on Isla de Muerta (along with Hector Barbossa's crew). Thrown overboard after refusing to take part in the mutiny against Jack led by Barbossa, he spent years bound to a cannon beneath the crushing ocean. Found by Davy Jones, he swore to servitude aboard the Flying Dutchman crew and escaped death.
Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs: The Black Pearl's first mate and Jack Sparrow's loyal friend, he once served in the Royal Navy under Lieutenant James Norrington.
Tom Hollander as Lord Cutler Beckett: Chairman of the East India Trading Company, he travels to Port Royal to capture and recruit Jack Sparrow as a privateer. What he really desires is Davy Jones' heart, with which he can rule the seas with Jones' commanded servitude.
Lee Arenberg as Pintel: A pirate and former Black Pearl crewmember under Captain Barbossa, he was imprisoned after the Aztec curse was broken, but escaped to rejoin Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl crew.
Mackenzie Crook as Ragetti: Pintel's inseparable crewmate. He has a wooden eye, and despite being illiterate, has begun "reading" the Bible, with the excuse that "you get credit for trying."
Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma: A obeah priestess who Jack Sparrow bartered with for his magic compass. She explains the legend of Davy Jones, in addition to owning a similar locket to his.
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Weatherby Swann. Elizabeth's father and governor of Port Royal. He adores his daughter but puts little faith in Will - not considering him the best match for Elizabeth.
Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa: Barbossa's character is resurrected during this film, however, he does not appear until the final scene. Having met his demise in the previous installment, Barbossa is resurrected by the character Tia Dalma in order to save Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' locker, therefore allowing a Brethren Court conclave in order to "release" Calypso from her Human Bonds. For this role, Rush was uncredited.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the sequel to the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the first film from Walt Disney Pictures to feature the current logo. The film was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The movie received 4 Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and won the Academy Award for Visual Effects.
The story picks up from where the first film left off when Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) discovers his debt to the villainous Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) is due, while Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) are arrested by Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) for helping Jack Sparrow escape execution.
The film was shot back-to-back with the third film during 2005, and was released in Australia and the United Kingdom on July 6, 2006, and in the United States and Canada on July 7, 2006. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its special effects and criticism for its confusing plot and lengthy running time. Despite this, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest set several records in its first three days, with an opening weekend of $136 million in the United States, and became the third movie to gross over $1 billion in the worldwide box office, behind Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Plot
The East India Trading Company arrives in Port Royal, Jamaica, to extend its monopoly in the Caribbean and purge piracy from its waters. Leading the expansion is Lord Cutler Beckett, a powerful and ruthless EITC agent who arrests Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner as they are about to be married. Beckett threatens to execute them and the absent ex-Commodore James Norrington for aiding Captain Jack Sparrow's escape, but he offers clemency if Will agrees to hunt for Sparrow and his magical compass which points to what its possessor wants most. An informant in Tortuga leads Will to the Black Pearl run aground on Pelegosto, a cannibal-inhabited island where Jack and his crew are captive. Jack hid there after "Bootstrap Bill" Turner, Jack's former crewmate and now an indentured sailor aboard Captain Davy Jones' ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman, delivered Jack the Black Spot, a mark signifying his debt to Jones is due. Thirteen years before, Jones raised the Black Pearl from the ocean depths and made Jack its captain. In exchange, Jack must now serve aboard the Flying Dutchman for 100 years.
Will, Jack, and a few crew members escape their captors, unexpectedly recruiting Pintel and Ragetti along the way, and head for sea. Will learns that Jack has been searching for a particular key. He agrees to give Will the compass if he helps him find the key and the object it unlocks. Seeking assistance from Tia Dalma, an obeah priestess, Jack learns the compass fails to work because he does not know what he truly wants. The key, Tia tells him, unlocks the Dead Man's Chest containing Davy Jones' still-beating heart—to avoid lost love's pain, Jones carved the heart from his chest and buried it. Whoever possesses the heart controls Davy Jones, thereby controlling the world's oceans. Back at sea, the Flying Dutchman encounters Sparrow, who deviously attempts to barter Will in exchange for himself. Jones demands 100 souls within three days in exchange for Jack's freedom and keeps Will as a "good faith payment," leaving Jack only 99 more souls to harvest.
In Port Royal, Governor Weatherby Swann frees Elizabeth. Confronting Beckett at gunpoint, she forces him to validate a Letter of Marque—a royal document with which Beckett intends to recruit Sparrow as a privateer, and which Elizabeth wants for Will. Posing as a cabin boy on a merchant vessel, Elizabeth lands in Tortuga where she finds Jack and Gibbs desperately recruiting unsuspecting sailors in a pub to pay off his blood debt. A disheveled Norrington also applies. Blaming Sparrow for his ruin, he tries to shoot him and ignites an angry brawl, but Elizabeth knocks Norrington out and saves Sparrow. At the pier, Jack reveals the compass' secret to Elizabeth; it points to what the holder wants most in the world. When he convinces her that she can save Will by finding the chest, she gets a bearing. Once the ship is underway, however, an attraction arises between Jack and Elizabeth.
On Isla Cruces, Jack, Norrington, and Elizabeth find the Dead Man's Chest. Will, who has escaped the Flying Dutchman with help from his father, Bootstrap Bill, arrives with the key he stole from Davy Jones. Will wants to stab the heart to free his father, but Jack fears that with Jones dead, the Kraken will continue hunting him as there will be no one to call it off, while Norrington desires the heart to bargain back his naval career. As a three-way swordfight erupts, the arrival of Jones' crew and Pintel and Ragetti's attempt to make off with the chest complicate matters even more. Norrington ultimately escapes with the heart and the Letters of Marque while Jones' crewmembers retrieve the now-empty Dead Man's Chest.
The Flying Dutchman pursues the Black Pearl but, with the wind behind them, the Black Pearl outruns her. Jones summons the Kraken. Jack escapes the Black Pearl in the last longboat; but unable to desert his crew, he returns in time to save them. He gives the order to abandon ship before the Kraken makes its final assault. Realizing the Kraken is only hunting Jack, a deceptive Elizabeth passionately kisses him while handcuffing him to the mast. Wracked with guilt over her betrayal, Elizabeth tells the others Jack chose to remain behind, unaware that Will now believes she loves Sparrow. Jack escapes the shackles just as the Kraken resurfaces: Jack draws his cutlass and goes down fighting as the Kraken lunges for him; the colossal beast drags him and the Black Pearl to a watery grave.
Davy Jones declares Jack's debt settled, although he becomes enraged when he discovers an empty Dead Man's Chest. Meanwhile, Norrington makes his way to Port Royal and delivers the heart and the Letters of Marque to Cutler Beckett. Elizabeth, Will, and the surviving Black Pearl crew seek refuge with Tia Dalma, who asks if they would be willing to save Jack from Davy Jones' Locker. When all agree, Tia Dalma sends them on a journey to World's End to rescue Jack, saying they will need a captain who knows those waters—the resurrected Captain Barbossa.
Cast
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow: Captain of the Black Pearl. He is hunted by the Kraken because of his unpaid blood debt to Davy Jones. He is also searching for the Dead Man's Chest to free himself from Jones' servitude.
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner: A blacksmith-turned-pirate who strikes a deal with Cutler Beckett to find Jack Sparrow and his compass so he can save both himself and his fiancée Elizabeth from execution. Later he is reunited with, and seeks to free, his father, who owes a lifetime of servitude to Davy Jones.
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann: Governor Swann's daughter and Will's fiancée, who is arrested on her wedding day for helping Jack Sparrow escape. Escaping jail with help from her father, she meets up with Jack in Tortuga and joins his crew to search for both Will and the chest.
Bill Nighy as Davy Jones: Captain of the Flying Dutchman. The main antagonist, Davy Jones was once a human being. Unable to bear the pain of losing his true love, he carved out his heart and put it into the Dead Man's Chest, then buried it in a secret location. He has become a bizarre creature – part octopus, part crab, part man – and collects the souls of dead or dying sailors to serve aboard his ship for one hundred years.
Jack Davenport as James Norrington: He resigned his commission as Commodore in the Royal Navy after losing his ship and crew in a hurricane in the pursuit of Jack Sparrow and his crew. Fallen on hard times and into alcoholism, he joins the Black Pearl's crew and seeks to regain his honor and career.
Stellan Skarsgård as "Bootstrap Bill" Turner: A crewman aboard the Flying Dutchman who so happens to be Will Turner's father. He was cursed by the Aztec gold on Isla de Muerta (along with Hector Barbossa's crew). Thrown overboard after refusing to take part in the mutiny against Jack led by Barbossa, he spent years bound to a cannon beneath the crushing ocean. Found by Davy Jones, he swore to servitude aboard the Flying Dutchman crew and escaped death.
Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs: The Black Pearl's first mate and Jack Sparrow's loyal friend, he once served in the Royal Navy under Lieutenant James Norrington.
Tom Hollander as Lord Cutler Beckett: Chairman of the East India Trading Company, he travels to Port Royal to capture and recruit Jack Sparrow as a privateer. What he really desires is Davy Jones' heart, with which he can rule the seas with Jones' commanded servitude.
Lee Arenberg as Pintel: A pirate and former Black Pearl crewmember under Captain Barbossa, he was imprisoned after the Aztec curse was broken, but escaped to rejoin Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl crew.
Mackenzie Crook as Ragetti: Pintel's inseparable crewmate. He has a wooden eye, and despite being illiterate, has begun "reading" the Bible, with the excuse that "you get credit for trying."
Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma: A obeah priestess who Jack Sparrow bartered with for his magic compass. She explains the legend of Davy Jones, in addition to owning a similar locket to his.
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Weatherby Swann. Elizabeth's father and governor of Port Royal. He adores his daughter but puts little faith in Will - not considering him the best match for Elizabeth.
Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa: Barbossa's character is resurrected during this film, however, he does not appear until the final scene. Having met his demise in the previous installment, Barbossa is resurrected by the character Tia Dalma in order to save Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' locker, therefore allowing a Brethren Court conclave in order to "release" Calypso from her Human Bonds. For this role, Rush was uncredited.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
KUMBHABHISHEKAM REPORT - 2008
RADHE KRISHNA 13-09-08
KUMBHABHISHEKAM REPORT
SRI GNINANANDA GIRI PEETAM
DHAKSHINA KALASHYAM
THENNANGUR
JAI SATHGURU MAHARAJ
RADHE KRISHNA
With the ever flowing Grace of Sathgurunathar & Guruji, the Kumbabishekam festival at Thennangur, Dakshina Halasyam – Sri Gnianananda Giri Peetam, on Sunday the 10th February 2008, went off in a grand manner with participation & co-operation from devotees – both inland & overseas as also the visiting public.
We express our humble gratitude to one and all who lent their support in all spheres thus contributing to the total successful completion of the festivities. The preparations were all efficient under the able guidance & leadership of Poojya Sri Namananda Giri – NAMAJI.
The festival was blessed by the spiritual presence of Swami Sadasiva Giri & Swami Nithyananda Giri of Thapovanam.
Maha Abishekam to all the deities was performed immediately after the Kumbabishekam, as planned. Annadhanam, Vasthradhanam, Homams & rituals at Yagasalais were all performed with due care & sincerity.
MAHAABHISEKAM – SRI PANDURANGAN TEMPLE BY SRI ANIRUDH BADVE
Special mention must be made for the excellent arrangements for Annadhanam during the entire festival and everyone had a word of praise for the same.
As part of the main celebrations, apart from Homams, etc., Nine couples (Dhampathis) from among the devotees of our Guruji called out from all our Mandalis in India were given the opportunity to sit for the poojas to eke out Blessings of the LORD [Dhampathi Pooja] through them as representatives. Similarly nine couples among the overseas devotees of our Guruji who have surrendered themselves to the service of Sathgurunathar were also worshipped [Guru Sevaka Pooja] by offering special poojas.
Suvasini Pooja – As customary nine Suvasinis were propitiated to invoke their blessings. Similarly Kanya Pooja & Vadugan Pooja were all performed.
Homams & rituals at Yagasalais viz – Sri Matam, Sri Mennakshi Sundareswarar Alayam and Pandurangan Rukumayee temple - were all performed with religious fervor to precision timing as per prescribed methods & materials.
Meenakshi Kalyanam at Sri Mennakshi Sundareswarar Alayam followed by Panchamurthi procession joined by Garuda Sevai from Pndurangan temple were all a sight to watch enjoyed thoroughly by the devotees present on the occasion.
Pushpanjali at Sri Matam was performed by chanting Lalitha Sahasranamam by Pundits in the evening on the Kumbabishekam day in a Spiritual Ambience.
Devotees participated in the procession of holy water on Elephant from Sri Lakshmi Narayan Temple to Sri Pandurangan temple with full enthusiasm.
Being Uthirattathi Star on that day, the customary procession of the Pandurangan Rukumayee idols [worshipped by Guruji] amidst Namasankirthanam was arranged as a fitting finale to the day’s proceedings.
Devotees – especially from overseas had the opportunity to participate in the daily Padapooja amidst prayers to the golden Padukas of Sathgurunathar and Guruji, as also the Bhajans & Divyanamam sessions.
Kumbaishekam to the local kaval deivam – Selliyamman temple was also performed with spiritual fervor in the presence of Namaji, while that of vadanangur has been fixed for 9th March.
The cooperation from the local administrative authorities viz – police fire service etc as also the village folk were laudable.
The salient feature of the entire festival was the time-management during all the events. The excellent co-operation from the Priests, volunteers, devotees & the public enabled us in the strict adherence of timings and the events went off as per schedule.
Mandala Pooja has been arranged for 48 days after the Kumbabishekam which will conclude with Sahasra Kalasabishekam on Saturday the 29th March 2008.
We express our thanks to the RAJ TV and Podhigai TV, for their coverage of the festival for public viewing in their news items later.
For the benefit of our devotees, the Trust is planning to release the coverage of the festival on VCD/DVD
Radhe Krishna
RKrishnaswami
Secretary
G A Trust
31 Sadaiappan Street, Mandaveli
Chennai - 600028
Ph: +91 44 24952498
Web: www.thennangur.com
Email: gatrust@hathway.com ; namaji@hathway.com
KUMBHABHISHEKAM REPORT
SRI GNINANANDA GIRI PEETAM
DHAKSHINA KALASHYAM
THENNANGUR
JAI SATHGURU MAHARAJ
RADHE KRISHNA
With the ever flowing Grace of Sathgurunathar & Guruji, the Kumbabishekam festival at Thennangur, Dakshina Halasyam – Sri Gnianananda Giri Peetam, on Sunday the 10th February 2008, went off in a grand manner with participation & co-operation from devotees – both inland & overseas as also the visiting public.
We express our humble gratitude to one and all who lent their support in all spheres thus contributing to the total successful completion of the festivities. The preparations were all efficient under the able guidance & leadership of Poojya Sri Namananda Giri – NAMAJI.
The festival was blessed by the spiritual presence of Swami Sadasiva Giri & Swami Nithyananda Giri of Thapovanam.
Maha Abishekam to all the deities was performed immediately after the Kumbabishekam, as planned. Annadhanam, Vasthradhanam, Homams & rituals at Yagasalais were all performed with due care & sincerity.
MAHAABHISEKAM – SRI PANDURANGAN TEMPLE BY SRI ANIRUDH BADVE
Special mention must be made for the excellent arrangements for Annadhanam during the entire festival and everyone had a word of praise for the same.
As part of the main celebrations, apart from Homams, etc., Nine couples (Dhampathis) from among the devotees of our Guruji called out from all our Mandalis in India were given the opportunity to sit for the poojas to eke out Blessings of the LORD [Dhampathi Pooja] through them as representatives. Similarly nine couples among the overseas devotees of our Guruji who have surrendered themselves to the service of Sathgurunathar were also worshipped [Guru Sevaka Pooja] by offering special poojas.
Suvasini Pooja – As customary nine Suvasinis were propitiated to invoke their blessings. Similarly Kanya Pooja & Vadugan Pooja were all performed.
Homams & rituals at Yagasalais viz – Sri Matam, Sri Mennakshi Sundareswarar Alayam and Pandurangan Rukumayee temple - were all performed with religious fervor to precision timing as per prescribed methods & materials.
Meenakshi Kalyanam at Sri Mennakshi Sundareswarar Alayam followed by Panchamurthi procession joined by Garuda Sevai from Pndurangan temple were all a sight to watch enjoyed thoroughly by the devotees present on the occasion.
Pushpanjali at Sri Matam was performed by chanting Lalitha Sahasranamam by Pundits in the evening on the Kumbabishekam day in a Spiritual Ambience.
Devotees participated in the procession of holy water on Elephant from Sri Lakshmi Narayan Temple to Sri Pandurangan temple with full enthusiasm.
Being Uthirattathi Star on that day, the customary procession of the Pandurangan Rukumayee idols [worshipped by Guruji] amidst Namasankirthanam was arranged as a fitting finale to the day’s proceedings.
Devotees – especially from overseas had the opportunity to participate in the daily Padapooja amidst prayers to the golden Padukas of Sathgurunathar and Guruji, as also the Bhajans & Divyanamam sessions.
Kumbaishekam to the local kaval deivam – Selliyamman temple was also performed with spiritual fervor in the presence of Namaji, while that of vadanangur has been fixed for 9th March.
The cooperation from the local administrative authorities viz – police fire service etc as also the village folk were laudable.
The salient feature of the entire festival was the time-management during all the events. The excellent co-operation from the Priests, volunteers, devotees & the public enabled us in the strict adherence of timings and the events went off as per schedule.
Mandala Pooja has been arranged for 48 days after the Kumbabishekam which will conclude with Sahasra Kalasabishekam on Saturday the 29th March 2008.
We express our thanks to the RAJ TV and Podhigai TV, for their coverage of the festival for public viewing in their news items later.
For the benefit of our devotees, the Trust is planning to release the coverage of the festival on VCD/DVD
Radhe Krishna
RKrishnaswami
Secretary
G A Trust
31 Sadaiappan Street, Mandaveli
Chennai - 600028
Ph: +91 44 24952498
Web: www.thennangur.com
Email: gatrust@hathway.com ; namaji@hathway.com
KUMBHABHISHEKAM - THENNANGUR - 2008
RADHE KRISHNA 13-09-08
SRI MEENAKSHI SUNDHARESWARAR TEMPLE
SRI PANDURANGAN RAKUMAYEE TEMPLE
SRIMATAM
SRI MEENAKSHI SUNDHARESWARAR TEMPLE
SRI PANDURANGAN RAKUMAYEE TEMPLE
SRIMATAM
THENNANGUR (6 kms NEAR WANDHAVASI)
RADHE KRISHNA 13-09-08
HISTROY OF ALAYAMS AT THENNANGUR
MATAM
PANDURANGAN RAKUMAYEE TEMPLE
LAKSHMI NARAYANAN TEMPLE
MEENAKSHI SUNDHARESWARAR TEMPLE
NAMOH SADGURO
THE HISTORY OF ALAYAMS AT THENNANGUR
(Dakshina-Halasyam)
In Kaliyuga - as Rishi Sukha says -Kalau Sankeerthaya kesavam(the singing in praise of kesava) is the easy path to attain godhood and sprituality.
Naham vasami Vaikunte
Na yogi Hridayae Ravow
Math Baktha Yathra Gayanthi
Thatra Thishtami - Narada
"I do not reside in Vaikunta. Nor do i reside in the hearts of Yogis meditating on me. But then I do dwell in the hearts of my bakthas, singing, dancing anf chanting my name Oh! Narada" - so says the Lord and in true translation of this into parctice in Kaliyuga, Swami Haridhos Giri - the principal disciple of Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami of Tapovanam (Near Tirukoilur) and 'Guruji' to many of us (affectionately so called) set out to propagate 'Nama Sankirthanam' as his Chief mission in life. This helps one to attain sayujya, i.e. oneness with the Lord.
This mission to propagate nama sankirthanam throughout the country and abroad, motivated Guruji to build an alayam for sri Panduranga, at Thennangur and this avatar of Lord Krishna is to do and propagate Namasankeerthanam.
The Panduranga alayam is unique in several respects; it blends the cultures of the North and South roclaiming the national oneness and integration. The main Gopuram is in the architectural style of puri jagannath temple, its Rajagopuram in the South India Chola temple style; and the presiding deity of Panduranga from Maharashtra. What better example is possible for cultural integration of India, than this unique edifice?
It is this great temple to which we go and where we all pray and get blessed. it was built by the untiring efforts of our revered Guruji, with the Blessings of His Great Master.
PADA POOJAS
The Blissful Golden Padukas of both Gurumaharaj and Guruji are housed in the complex for daily worship by devotees, by performing Padapoojas, which offers unlimited Grace and Welfare both in this world and above. Donations for the Padapoojas, both ordinary and by Swarna Pushpam, are included in the enclosure.
As true disciple of Guruji, we have to surrender ourselves to Guru and in this surrender and motivation, we can always achieve things not ordinarily attainable. This Guru bakthi must be our driving force.
The temples that are built by this great saint and guru need to be visited often and participating in the activities of the shrines, can attain greater and greater successes and the blessings of Guruji. Words become redundant to convey this message. It needs to be experienced. "Guror Angri Padme Thathah Kim" says Adi Sankara.
CONCLUSION
Surrender to the Guru and true bakthi could make even an ordinary person attain great heights of fame and achievement. Our Guruji is a shining example of this truth. In a short span of time, as an individual and all alone, dependent on the nurturing bhakthi to Guru Gnanananda and with remarkable courage, our Guruji could build this vast temple-complex. This is an achievement of great dimension.
Radhe Krishna.
MADAM
The history of the Matam, takes us back to the times of Adi Sankara. Adi sankara established four Peetams of which Jyotir Matam is one, with Thotakacharya as the main functionary (Thotakacharya was Sankara's disciple). In this lineage the Fifh Peetathipathi was Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamiji. Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami was his principal disciple disciple viz. Sixth Peetathipathi.
Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami, not able to bear the separation of His Guru, who attained Samadhi on a chitra Pournami Day, left this Peetam, went to Manasarour, handing over the charge to his disciple. There at Manasarovar, he practised vigorous penance for a number of years and travelled by foot, to a number of places in India, Malaya (now Malaysia), Burma (new Myanmar) and Sri Lanka, and interacted and blessed his devotees. At last he reached Tirukoilur, South India and on the northern banks of South Pennar river, established an Ashram named Sri Gnanananda Tapovanam. He is a Siddha Purusha, transcending time and space, blessing all of us.
Swami Haridhos Giri - our Guruji - is his chief disciple and by the grace of His Guru Gnanananda, he propagated the 'bakthi' cult all over the world. He stood as a shining example of Guru-Sishya relationship and lived true to the maxim: "no grace is possible without the blessings of Guru". He entered into Jalasamadhi on 4.9.1994 at Koteeswar in Alakananda river near Rudraprayag situated in the Himalayas - en route to Badrinath.
The Thulasi-Brindavan in the centre of the Matam at Thennangur (Dhakshina Halasyam) is in memory of this great saint.
On the western side of the Matam directly facing Guruji's Brindavan is the shrine for Sri Gnanananda Swami who inspired and made people aware of the greateness of 'namasankirthanam' throughout the world through His chief disciple. He formed the very life-breath as it were, of our Guruji, and made it possible to achieve the object of constructing this Ashram complex.
On the northern side of the Matam, is the Maha Shodasi shrine, who is the presiding deity of Jyothir Mutt like Sri Kamakshi for Kanchi Mutt and Sri Sharadha Devi for sringeri Mutt. Sri Chakra and Maha Meru, manifestations of Sakthi, are taken for upasana of Ambika all along and for the first time, a rupa or form is manifested of Devi viz Maha Shodasi with all its Anga, Prtyanga Devathas such as Ganapathy, Murugan, Rudra, Varahi, Vaishnavi etc. so that devotees of all faith can have their wishes fulfilled through different arjitha sevas like Homam, Archana etc.
Timings
SRI GURUNATHAR SANNATHI / AMBAL SANNATHI
GOH POOJAI 6:00 A.M.
SUBRABATHAM / PRARTHANAI / DEEPAJYOTHI 6:15 A.M.
GANAPATHY HOMAM / ABISAEKAM / AAVARNA POOJAI 7:00 A.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 7:30 A.M.
DARSHAN / ARCHANAI / ASHTOTHRAM UPTO 12:00 NOON
ARCHANAI / ASHTOTHRAM FROM 4:00 P.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI / AAVARNA POOJAI 6:30 P.M.
DARSHAN / LALITHA SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI UPTO 8:30 P.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 8:30 P.M.
PAADA POOJAI 6:30 A.M.
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. SRI GURUNATHAR ABISHEKAM Rs.500 -
2. NAVAVARNA SAHASHRANAMA ARCHANAI Rs.300 -
3. LALITHA SAHASHRA NAMA ARCHANAI Rs.100 -
4. GANAPATHI HOMAM Rs.100 -
5. NAVAGRAHA HOMAM - Rs.150
6. SRI CHANDI HOMAM - Rs.1000
7. SRI VIDYA HOMAM - Rs.1000
8. SRI MAHA SHODASI ABISHEKAM Rs.1000 -
9. POURNAMI POOJAI - 12 MONTHS Rs.300 -
10. NITHYA PADA POOJAI Rs.500 -
11. PADA POOJAI - SWARNA PUSHPAM - Rs.1000
12. NITHYA ANNADHANAM - Rs.3500
13. ANNADANA KATTALAI [ONE DAY IN EVERY YEAR]
- Rs.25,000
14. THULABARAM - [Minimum]Rs.500
15. VASTHRAMS TO BRINDAVANAM / PADUKAIS & DEITIES - Rs.3000
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax: 24953098
MAIL:
gatrust@hathway.com
namaji@hathway.com
SRI PANDURANGA-RUKUMAYI TEMPLE
In Srimath Bhagavatham, Sri Krishna has told Uddava, that in Kaliyuga, Bhakthi through namasankirthan is the only easy way to attain spiritual salvaation and that there is no separate Avatar in Kaliyuga. All the great souls like Narada, Valmiki, Vyasa, Sukha etc. of the pervious three yugas will be appearing in the earth in different parts of the country as Purandaradasa, Jayadeva, Thulasi, Kabir, Namdev, Gnaneswar etc. to spread the cult of Bakthi and Lord Krishna will descend as Lord Panduranga at the request of Saint Pundalika and He will be gracing these saints and Bakthas to spread the greatness of Bakthi cult through His different Leelas in their lives. That time onwards devoteesstarted thronging to pandarpur to have the Blessings of Lord Panduranga, particularly on Ashada Ekadasi and Karthigai Ekadasi.
With Gurunathar's Blessings, Sri Guruji started visiting the places of these Bakthas and saints to know about their lives and infuse the same to the devotees as Maha Baktha Vijayam during his discourse sessions. On one occasion, in the course of his travels, Guruji visited the village around Pandarpur and wanted to know more about the bakthas there. In his dream, Sri Gnanananda appeared and directed him to go to pandarpur. As per this direction, when Guruji arrived at Pandarpur, the priests (Pandas) of the Panduranga temple received him and took him round the temple; after perfirming Archana and Abishekam gave him the idols of Sri Panduranga and Sri Raghumayi (Utsava Murthis) which were worshipped there for their doing so, the priests said that Sri Panduranga appeared in their dream and wanted them to do so.
From that time onwards, the idea to have a shrine for the idols, sprouted in Guruji's mind. It is the materialisation of this idea that is now making it possible for us to have this alayam for our worship at Thennangur.
As one can see, it is the blessing of His Guru alone, accomplished out Guruji to build this great alayam which provides access to the bakthas from the south to easily reach and pray here instead of going to Pandarpur. The North-South meet at the temple signify our national solidarity and integration.
The uniqueness of this alayam is reflected in the following. The Garba-Griha, Gopuram (sanctum-sanctorum) on the model of puri jagannath; the Chola type of Rajagopuram in its artistry and the presiding deities from Maharashtra. The tiny idols of Panduranga-Raghumayi manifested to a big-size (viswarupam) are a feast to the eyes. The main mandapams are decorated with mural paintings of the leelas of Sri Krishna. Bhajans and Kirtanams could be performed at the sankeerthana-mandapam, a gigantic construction with life size statues of the saints.
The Sankeerthana-mandapam presents a beautiful panorama of bhakthas of Panduranga. Is it any wonder that this comples attracts devotees of all classes, castes and creeds every day ?
As in Pandarpur, Ashada-Ekadasi in the month of Adi(June/July) Brahmotsavam is celebrated as Bhakthotsavam with bhajans in the morning and evening and the idols taken around the streets. All these festivities are for five days every year.
Timings
SUPRABATHAM -VISWAROOPAM 6:00 AM
UDHAYA KAALA THIRUVAARADHANAM PAHCHAANGA SRAVANAM, AAHVAANAM 7:00 AM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 7:30 AM
KAALA SANDHI THIRUVAARADHANAM THALIGAI/BALIGARANAM 10:00AM
UCHI KAALA AARADHANAI, RAAJA BHOGAM 11:45AM
THIRUKKAAPU 12:00AM
MANGALA HAARATHI 4:00 PM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 4:30 PM
HAARATHI, VISHNU SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI 7:00 PM
SAAYA RATCHAI, THIRUVAARADHANAM, MANTHRA PUSHPAM, GOSHTI 7:30 PM
SUDHHI 8:15 PM
EKANTHA SAYANAM, THIRUVACHAKAM, THIRUKKAAPU 8:30 PM
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. NITHYA AKANDA DEEPAKATTALAI Rs.2000 -
2. ABISHEKAM ONLY ON THURSDAYS Rs.2000 -
3. NITHYA BOGA DEEPA KATTALAI Rs.1000 -
4. SRI VENKATACHALAPATHI DARSHAN ON SATURDAY Rs.1000 -
5. KALYANA UTHSAVAM SRIVARI SEVAI - Rs.2000
6. PERUMAL SIX TIMES THALIGAI Rs.500 -
7. PUSHPAKATTALAI - ONE DAY Rs.500 -
8. SAHASRANAMA KATTALAI - ONE MONTH Rs.3000 -
9. PRATHYEKA OONJAL SEVAI - Rs.500
10. SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI Rs.100 -
11. NITHYA ASHOTHRA ARCHANAI - MONTHLY Rs.300 -
12. PRATHYEKA SAYANOTHSAVAM Rs.100 -
13. NITHYA HARATHI KATTALAI - MONTHLY Rs.150 -
14. MOOLAVAR - KOILALWAR THRIUSUDDHI Rs.2500 -
15. GARUDA SEVAI- INSIDE THE TEMPLE (Silver) - Rs.2500
16. NITHYA ABHISEKAM - SILVER PERUMAL Rs.500 -
17. MUTHANGI SEVAI - MOOLAVAR - Rs.1000
18. MUTHANGI SEVAI - UTHSAVAR - Rs.500
19. UTHIRATATHI SWAMI PURAPADU Rs.500 -
20. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.10000
21. CHANDAN KAAPU ALANKARAM - Rs.10000
22. VENNAI KAAPU ALANKARAM - Rs.10000
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax : 24953098
gatrust@hathway.com
namaji@hathway.com
SRI MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE
The ancient name of the place now called "Thennangur" was Dakshina Halasyam. As this area was once full of forests, this was also known as Shadaranya Kshetra(6 Forests).
Pandya King, desiring to have a child, was exhorted to have a yagna done with the help of Sapta Rishis. It was here, in Shadaranya this yagna was said to have been done and a girl child appeared in this yagna. The king took the child to Madurai, and named her Sri Meenakshi; therefore Dakshina Halasyam is the birth place of Sri Meenakshi. As told by Kanchi Paramacharyar in this episodical background, this temple was built.
Every year the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Kalyanam and othe festivals are performed in this temple.
Timings
SUPRABATHAM 6:00AM
ABISHEKAM TO ALL DEITIES 6:30 AM
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 7:30 AM
DARSHAN / ASHTOTHRAM UPTO 12:00 Noon
UCHI KAALA NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 12:00 Noon
ASHTOTHRAM / DARSHAN From 4:00 PM
ABISHEKAM / NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 6:00 PM
ARDHA JAAMAM 8:00 PM
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. PRADHOSHA POOJA Rs.125 -
2. ABISHEKAM TO ONE DEITY Rs.300 -
3. NAVAGRAHA POOJAI Rs.300 -
4. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.2500
5. MEENAKSHI KALYANAM (ON PANGUNI UTHIRAM DAY) - Rs.5000
6. SWAMI PURAPPADU - RS.1000
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 2493062 Telefax: 24953098
SRI LAKSHMINARAYANA TEMPLE
This is a very old temple in the village. It was in a dilapidated condition when guruji took upon himself to renovate it. By the grace of Gurunatha, Guruji has done this in a very grand fashion. It is customary in this temple to have Sita kalyanam festival, every year conducted by the Bhagavatha bakthas in the Bhajan tradition.
Timings
SUPRABATHAM -VISWAROOPAM 6:00 AM
UDHAYA KAALA THIRUVAARADHANAM PAHCHAANGA SRAVANAM, AAHVAANAM 7:00 AM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 7:30 AM
KAALA SANDHI THIRUVAARADHANAM THALIGAI/BALIGARANAM 10:00AM
UCHI KAALA AARADHANAI, RAAJA BHOGAM 11.45AM
THIRUKKAAPU 12:00AM
MANGALA HAARATHI 4:00 PM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 4:30 PM
HAARATHI, VISHNU SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI 7:00 PM
SAAYA RATCHAI, THIRUVAARADHANAM, MANTHRA PUSHPAM, GOSHTI 7:30 PM
SUDHHI 8:15 PM
EKANTHA SAYANAM, THIRUVACHAKAM, THIRUKKAAPU 8:30 PM
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. ANJANEYAR VADAMALAI Rs.250 -
2. ANJANEYAR VENNAI KAPPU Rs.300 -
3. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.2500
4. ALL OTHER ROUTINE ITEMS - SAME AS PANDURANGAN ALAYAM - -
Radhe Krishna.
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax : 24953098
HISTROY OF ALAYAMS AT THENNANGUR
MATAM
PANDURANGAN RAKUMAYEE TEMPLE
LAKSHMI NARAYANAN TEMPLE
MEENAKSHI SUNDHARESWARAR TEMPLE
NAMOH SADGURO
THE HISTORY OF ALAYAMS AT THENNANGUR
(Dakshina-Halasyam)
In Kaliyuga - as Rishi Sukha says -Kalau Sankeerthaya kesavam(the singing in praise of kesava) is the easy path to attain godhood and sprituality.
Naham vasami Vaikunte
Na yogi Hridayae Ravow
Math Baktha Yathra Gayanthi
Thatra Thishtami - Narada
"I do not reside in Vaikunta. Nor do i reside in the hearts of Yogis meditating on me. But then I do dwell in the hearts of my bakthas, singing, dancing anf chanting my name Oh! Narada" - so says the Lord and in true translation of this into parctice in Kaliyuga, Swami Haridhos Giri - the principal disciple of Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami of Tapovanam (Near Tirukoilur) and 'Guruji' to many of us (affectionately so called) set out to propagate 'Nama Sankirthanam' as his Chief mission in life. This helps one to attain sayujya, i.e. oneness with the Lord.
This mission to propagate nama sankirthanam throughout the country and abroad, motivated Guruji to build an alayam for sri Panduranga, at Thennangur and this avatar of Lord Krishna is to do and propagate Namasankeerthanam.
The Panduranga alayam is unique in several respects; it blends the cultures of the North and South roclaiming the national oneness and integration. The main Gopuram is in the architectural style of puri jagannath temple, its Rajagopuram in the South India Chola temple style; and the presiding deity of Panduranga from Maharashtra. What better example is possible for cultural integration of India, than this unique edifice?
It is this great temple to which we go and where we all pray and get blessed. it was built by the untiring efforts of our revered Guruji, with the Blessings of His Great Master.
PADA POOJAS
The Blissful Golden Padukas of both Gurumaharaj and Guruji are housed in the complex for daily worship by devotees, by performing Padapoojas, which offers unlimited Grace and Welfare both in this world and above. Donations for the Padapoojas, both ordinary and by Swarna Pushpam, are included in the enclosure.
As true disciple of Guruji, we have to surrender ourselves to Guru and in this surrender and motivation, we can always achieve things not ordinarily attainable. This Guru bakthi must be our driving force.
The temples that are built by this great saint and guru need to be visited often and participating in the activities of the shrines, can attain greater and greater successes and the blessings of Guruji. Words become redundant to convey this message. It needs to be experienced. "Guror Angri Padme Thathah Kim" says Adi Sankara.
CONCLUSION
Surrender to the Guru and true bakthi could make even an ordinary person attain great heights of fame and achievement. Our Guruji is a shining example of this truth. In a short span of time, as an individual and all alone, dependent on the nurturing bhakthi to Guru Gnanananda and with remarkable courage, our Guruji could build this vast temple-complex. This is an achievement of great dimension.
Radhe Krishna.
MADAM
The history of the Matam, takes us back to the times of Adi Sankara. Adi sankara established four Peetams of which Jyotir Matam is one, with Thotakacharya as the main functionary (Thotakacharya was Sankara's disciple). In this lineage the Fifh Peetathipathi was Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamiji. Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami was his principal disciple disciple viz. Sixth Peetathipathi.
Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami, not able to bear the separation of His Guru, who attained Samadhi on a chitra Pournami Day, left this Peetam, went to Manasarour, handing over the charge to his disciple. There at Manasarovar, he practised vigorous penance for a number of years and travelled by foot, to a number of places in India, Malaya (now Malaysia), Burma (new Myanmar) and Sri Lanka, and interacted and blessed his devotees. At last he reached Tirukoilur, South India and on the northern banks of South Pennar river, established an Ashram named Sri Gnanananda Tapovanam. He is a Siddha Purusha, transcending time and space, blessing all of us.
Swami Haridhos Giri - our Guruji - is his chief disciple and by the grace of His Guru Gnanananda, he propagated the 'bakthi' cult all over the world. He stood as a shining example of Guru-Sishya relationship and lived true to the maxim: "no grace is possible without the blessings of Guru". He entered into Jalasamadhi on 4.9.1994 at Koteeswar in Alakananda river near Rudraprayag situated in the Himalayas - en route to Badrinath.
The Thulasi-Brindavan in the centre of the Matam at Thennangur (Dhakshina Halasyam) is in memory of this great saint.
On the western side of the Matam directly facing Guruji's Brindavan is the shrine for Sri Gnanananda Swami who inspired and made people aware of the greateness of 'namasankirthanam' throughout the world through His chief disciple. He formed the very life-breath as it were, of our Guruji, and made it possible to achieve the object of constructing this Ashram complex.
On the northern side of the Matam, is the Maha Shodasi shrine, who is the presiding deity of Jyothir Mutt like Sri Kamakshi for Kanchi Mutt and Sri Sharadha Devi for sringeri Mutt. Sri Chakra and Maha Meru, manifestations of Sakthi, are taken for upasana of Ambika all along and for the first time, a rupa or form is manifested of Devi viz Maha Shodasi with all its Anga, Prtyanga Devathas such as Ganapathy, Murugan, Rudra, Varahi, Vaishnavi etc. so that devotees of all faith can have their wishes fulfilled through different arjitha sevas like Homam, Archana etc.
Timings
SRI GURUNATHAR SANNATHI / AMBAL SANNATHI
GOH POOJAI 6:00 A.M.
SUBRABATHAM / PRARTHANAI / DEEPAJYOTHI 6:15 A.M.
GANAPATHY HOMAM / ABISAEKAM / AAVARNA POOJAI 7:00 A.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 7:30 A.M.
DARSHAN / ARCHANAI / ASHTOTHRAM UPTO 12:00 NOON
ARCHANAI / ASHTOTHRAM FROM 4:00 P.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI / AAVARNA POOJAI 6:30 P.M.
DARSHAN / LALITHA SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI UPTO 8:30 P.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 8:30 P.M.
PAADA POOJAI 6:30 A.M.
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. SRI GURUNATHAR ABISHEKAM Rs.500 -
2. NAVAVARNA SAHASHRANAMA ARCHANAI Rs.300 -
3. LALITHA SAHASHRA NAMA ARCHANAI Rs.100 -
4. GANAPATHI HOMAM Rs.100 -
5. NAVAGRAHA HOMAM - Rs.150
6. SRI CHANDI HOMAM - Rs.1000
7. SRI VIDYA HOMAM - Rs.1000
8. SRI MAHA SHODASI ABISHEKAM Rs.1000 -
9. POURNAMI POOJAI - 12 MONTHS Rs.300 -
10. NITHYA PADA POOJAI Rs.500 -
11. PADA POOJAI - SWARNA PUSHPAM - Rs.1000
12. NITHYA ANNADHANAM - Rs.3500
13. ANNADANA KATTALAI [ONE DAY IN EVERY YEAR]
- Rs.25,000
14. THULABARAM - [Minimum]Rs.500
15. VASTHRAMS TO BRINDAVANAM / PADUKAIS & DEITIES - Rs.3000
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax: 24953098
MAIL:
gatrust@hathway.com
namaji@hathway.com
SRI PANDURANGA-RUKUMAYI TEMPLE
In Srimath Bhagavatham, Sri Krishna has told Uddava, that in Kaliyuga, Bhakthi through namasankirthan is the only easy way to attain spiritual salvaation and that there is no separate Avatar in Kaliyuga. All the great souls like Narada, Valmiki, Vyasa, Sukha etc. of the pervious three yugas will be appearing in the earth in different parts of the country as Purandaradasa, Jayadeva, Thulasi, Kabir, Namdev, Gnaneswar etc. to spread the cult of Bakthi and Lord Krishna will descend as Lord Panduranga at the request of Saint Pundalika and He will be gracing these saints and Bakthas to spread the greatness of Bakthi cult through His different Leelas in their lives. That time onwards devoteesstarted thronging to pandarpur to have the Blessings of Lord Panduranga, particularly on Ashada Ekadasi and Karthigai Ekadasi.
With Gurunathar's Blessings, Sri Guruji started visiting the places of these Bakthas and saints to know about their lives and infuse the same to the devotees as Maha Baktha Vijayam during his discourse sessions. On one occasion, in the course of his travels, Guruji visited the village around Pandarpur and wanted to know more about the bakthas there. In his dream, Sri Gnanananda appeared and directed him to go to pandarpur. As per this direction, when Guruji arrived at Pandarpur, the priests (Pandas) of the Panduranga temple received him and took him round the temple; after perfirming Archana and Abishekam gave him the idols of Sri Panduranga and Sri Raghumayi (Utsava Murthis) which were worshipped there for their doing so, the priests said that Sri Panduranga appeared in their dream and wanted them to do so.
From that time onwards, the idea to have a shrine for the idols, sprouted in Guruji's mind. It is the materialisation of this idea that is now making it possible for us to have this alayam for our worship at Thennangur.
As one can see, it is the blessing of His Guru alone, accomplished out Guruji to build this great alayam which provides access to the bakthas from the south to easily reach and pray here instead of going to Pandarpur. The North-South meet at the temple signify our national solidarity and integration.
The uniqueness of this alayam is reflected in the following. The Garba-Griha, Gopuram (sanctum-sanctorum) on the model of puri jagannath; the Chola type of Rajagopuram in its artistry and the presiding deities from Maharashtra. The tiny idols of Panduranga-Raghumayi manifested to a big-size (viswarupam) are a feast to the eyes. The main mandapams are decorated with mural paintings of the leelas of Sri Krishna. Bhajans and Kirtanams could be performed at the sankeerthana-mandapam, a gigantic construction with life size statues of the saints.
The Sankeerthana-mandapam presents a beautiful panorama of bhakthas of Panduranga. Is it any wonder that this comples attracts devotees of all classes, castes and creeds every day ?
As in Pandarpur, Ashada-Ekadasi in the month of Adi(June/July) Brahmotsavam is celebrated as Bhakthotsavam with bhajans in the morning and evening and the idols taken around the streets. All these festivities are for five days every year.
Timings
SUPRABATHAM -VISWAROOPAM 6:00 AM
UDHAYA KAALA THIRUVAARADHANAM PAHCHAANGA SRAVANAM, AAHVAANAM 7:00 AM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 7:30 AM
KAALA SANDHI THIRUVAARADHANAM THALIGAI/BALIGARANAM 10:00AM
UCHI KAALA AARADHANAI, RAAJA BHOGAM 11:45AM
THIRUKKAAPU 12:00AM
MANGALA HAARATHI 4:00 PM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 4:30 PM
HAARATHI, VISHNU SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI 7:00 PM
SAAYA RATCHAI, THIRUVAARADHANAM, MANTHRA PUSHPAM, GOSHTI 7:30 PM
SUDHHI 8:15 PM
EKANTHA SAYANAM, THIRUVACHAKAM, THIRUKKAAPU 8:30 PM
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. NITHYA AKANDA DEEPAKATTALAI Rs.2000 -
2. ABISHEKAM ONLY ON THURSDAYS Rs.2000 -
3. NITHYA BOGA DEEPA KATTALAI Rs.1000 -
4. SRI VENKATACHALAPATHI DARSHAN ON SATURDAY Rs.1000 -
5. KALYANA UTHSAVAM SRIVARI SEVAI - Rs.2000
6. PERUMAL SIX TIMES THALIGAI Rs.500 -
7. PUSHPAKATTALAI - ONE DAY Rs.500 -
8. SAHASRANAMA KATTALAI - ONE MONTH Rs.3000 -
9. PRATHYEKA OONJAL SEVAI - Rs.500
10. SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI Rs.100 -
11. NITHYA ASHOTHRA ARCHANAI - MONTHLY Rs.300 -
12. PRATHYEKA SAYANOTHSAVAM Rs.100 -
13. NITHYA HARATHI KATTALAI - MONTHLY Rs.150 -
14. MOOLAVAR - KOILALWAR THRIUSUDDHI Rs.2500 -
15. GARUDA SEVAI- INSIDE THE TEMPLE (Silver) - Rs.2500
16. NITHYA ABHISEKAM - SILVER PERUMAL Rs.500 -
17. MUTHANGI SEVAI - MOOLAVAR - Rs.1000
18. MUTHANGI SEVAI - UTHSAVAR - Rs.500
19. UTHIRATATHI SWAMI PURAPADU Rs.500 -
20. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.10000
21. CHANDAN KAAPU ALANKARAM - Rs.10000
22. VENNAI KAAPU ALANKARAM - Rs.10000
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax : 24953098
gatrust@hathway.com
namaji@hathway.com
SRI MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE
The ancient name of the place now called "Thennangur" was Dakshina Halasyam. As this area was once full of forests, this was also known as Shadaranya Kshetra(6 Forests).
Pandya King, desiring to have a child, was exhorted to have a yagna done with the help of Sapta Rishis. It was here, in Shadaranya this yagna was said to have been done and a girl child appeared in this yagna. The king took the child to Madurai, and named her Sri Meenakshi; therefore Dakshina Halasyam is the birth place of Sri Meenakshi. As told by Kanchi Paramacharyar in this episodical background, this temple was built.
Every year the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Kalyanam and othe festivals are performed in this temple.
Timings
SUPRABATHAM 6:00AM
ABISHEKAM TO ALL DEITIES 6:30 AM
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 7:30 AM
DARSHAN / ASHTOTHRAM UPTO 12:00 Noon
UCHI KAALA NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 12:00 Noon
ASHTOTHRAM / DARSHAN From 4:00 PM
ABISHEKAM / NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 6:00 PM
ARDHA JAAMAM 8:00 PM
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. PRADHOSHA POOJA Rs.125 -
2. ABISHEKAM TO ONE DEITY Rs.300 -
3. NAVAGRAHA POOJAI Rs.300 -
4. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.2500
5. MEENAKSHI KALYANAM (ON PANGUNI UTHIRAM DAY) - Rs.5000
6. SWAMI PURAPPADU - RS.1000
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 2493062 Telefax: 24953098
SRI LAKSHMINARAYANA TEMPLE
This is a very old temple in the village. It was in a dilapidated condition when guruji took upon himself to renovate it. By the grace of Gurunatha, Guruji has done this in a very grand fashion. It is customary in this temple to have Sita kalyanam festival, every year conducted by the Bhagavatha bakthas in the Bhajan tradition.
Timings
SUPRABATHAM -VISWAROOPAM 6:00 AM
UDHAYA KAALA THIRUVAARADHANAM PAHCHAANGA SRAVANAM, AAHVAANAM 7:00 AM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 7:30 AM
KAALA SANDHI THIRUVAARADHANAM THALIGAI/BALIGARANAM 10:00AM
UCHI KAALA AARADHANAI, RAAJA BHOGAM 11.45AM
THIRUKKAAPU 12:00AM
MANGALA HAARATHI 4:00 PM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 4:30 PM
HAARATHI, VISHNU SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI 7:00 PM
SAAYA RATCHAI, THIRUVAARADHANAM, MANTHRA PUSHPAM, GOSHTI 7:30 PM
SUDHHI 8:15 PM
EKANTHA SAYANAM, THIRUVACHAKAM, THIRUKKAAPU 8:30 PM
Aarjithasevaigal
ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. ANJANEYAR VADAMALAI Rs.250 -
2. ANJANEYAR VENNAI KAPPU Rs.300 -
3. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.2500
4. ALL OTHER ROUTINE ITEMS - SAME AS PANDURANGAN ALAYAM - -
Radhe Krishna.
REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF
G A TRUST,
31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,
MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028
PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax : 24953098
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Wisconsin River
Radhe Krishna 07-09-08
Wisconsin river
Wisconsin River
The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At approximately 430 miles (692 km) long, it is the state's longest river. The river's name, first recorded in 1673 by Jacques Marquette as "Meskousing," is rooted in the Algonquian languages used by the area's American Indian tribes, but its original meaning is obscure. French explorers who followed in the wake of Marquette later modified the name to "Ouisconsin." This was simplified to "Wisconsin" in the early 19th century before being applied to Wisconsin Territory and finally the state of Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin River originates in the forests of the Lake District of northern Wisconsin, in Lac Vieux Desert near the border of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It flows south across the glacial plain of central Wisconsin, passing Wausau and Stevens Point. In southern Wisconsin it encounters the terminal moraine formed during the last ice age, where it forms the Dells of the Wisconsin River. North of Madison at Portage, the river turns to the west, flowing through Wisconsin's hilly Western Upland and joining the Mississippi approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Prairie du Chien. Although the river was originally navigable up to the city of Portage 200 miles (320 km) from its mouth, it is now considered non-navigable beyond the lock and dam at Prairie du Sac.[1]
Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River
Origin Lac Vieux Desert
Mouth Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Basin countries United States
Length 430 mi (692 km)
Source elevation 1,683 ft (513 m)
Avg. discharge 12,000 ft³/s (340 m³/s) at mouth
Basin area 12,280 mi² (31,805 km²)
Contents [hide]
1 Geology
2 History
3 Lower Wisconsin River state riverway
4 Cities and villages along the river
5 See also
6 Notes
7 External links
Geology
The modern Wisconsin River was formed in several stages. The lower, westward-flowing portion of the river is located in the unglaciated Driftless Area, and this section of the river's course likely predates the rest by several million years. The lower reach of the river is narrower than its upstream valley, leading to the suggestion the upper portions of the ancestor of the river flowed east previous to the Pleistocene.[2] The remaining length of the river was formed gradually as glaciers advanced and retreated over Wisconsin. The stretch of river from Stevens Point north to Merrill was a drainage route for meltwater flowing away from glaciers which covered northern Wisconsin during the Wisconsin Glaciation. As the glaciers retreated further northward, the river also grew in that direction. South from Stevens Point, the meltwater would have flowed into Glacial Lake Wisconsin, a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed in the central part of the state. As temperatures warmed around 15,000 years ago, the ice dam holding the lake in place burst, unleashing a catastrophic flood that carved the Dells of the Wisconsin River and joined the upper stretches of the river with the pre-existing lower river valley that today flows from Portage to Prairie du Chien.
History
The first documented exploration of the Wisconsin River by Europeans took place in 1673, when Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet of France canoed from Lake Michigan up the Fox River until reaching the present-day site of Portage in early June. At this location the Wisconsin and Fox rivers are only 2 miles (3.2 km) distant, so the explorers could portage from the Fox to the Wisconsin River. They then continued downstream 200 miles (320 km) to the Wisconsin's mouth, entering the Mississippi on June 17. Other explorers and traders would follow the same route, and for the next 150 years the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, collectively known as the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway, formed a major transportation route between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.
Industry began to form on the Wisconsin in the early 19th century, as loggers started using the river to raft logs downstream from northern forests to sawmills in new cities like Wausau. By the 1880s, logging companies were damming the river to ensure the river had enough capacity for the logs being floated downstream. Later, at the start of the 20th century, more dams were constructed to provide for flood control and hydroelectricity. The dams also spurred tourism, creating reservoirs such as Lake Wisconsin that are popular areas for recreational boating and fishing. Today the Wisconsin is impounded in 26 places.
Despite this, a 93-mile (150 km) stretch of the Wisconsin between its mouth and the hydroelectric dam at Prairie du Sac is free of any dams or barriers and is relatively free-flowing. In the late 1980s, this portion of the river was designated as a state riverway, and development alongside the river has been limited to preserve its scenic integrity.
Lower Wisconsin River state riverway
The Lower Wisconsin River State Riverway is a state-funded project designed to protect the southern portion of the Wisconsin River from Sauk City about 93 miles all the way to the point where the Wisconsin River joins and empties into the Mississippi, about 10 miles south of the town of Prairie du Chien. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages protected lands of over 75,000 acres, including the river itself, islands, and some lands adjacent to the river. [3]
There are no dams or manmade obstructions to the natural flow of water from the hydroelectric dam just north of Sauk City all the way to where the Wisconsin joins the Mississippi. This long stretch of free-flowing river provides important natural habitats for a variety of wildlife, including white-tail deer, otter, beaver, turtles, sand hill cranes, eagles, hawks, and a variety of fish species.
There are many different recreation opportunities on the lower Wisconsin River from fishing and canoeing to tubing and camping.
Cities and villages along the river
Merrill
Merrimac
Mosinee
Muscoda
Nekoosa
Okee
Plover
Port Edwards
Portage
Prairie du Sac
Rhinelander
Rothschild
Sauk City
Schofield
Spring Green
Stevens Point
Tomahawk
Wausau
Whiting
Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Rapids
List of Wisconsin rivers
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Great Lakes Drainage
Lake Michigan
Menominee River
Wausaukee River
Pike River
Pemebonwon River
Little Popple River
Pine River
Popple River
Brule River
Peshtigo River
Little Peshtigo River
Thunder River
Rat River
Oconto River
Little River
Pensaukee River
Little Suamico River
Suamico River
Fox River
East River
Fond du Lac River
Wolf River
Pine River
Rat River
Little River
Waupaca River
Crystal River
Tomorrow River
Little Wolf River
Embarrass River
Pigeon River
Shioc River
Red River
Evergreen River
Lily River
Hunting River
White River
Mecan River
Grand River
Montello River
Red River
Mink River
Ahnapee River
Kewaunee River
East Twin River
West Twin River
Devils River
Neshota River
Manitowoc River
Branch River
Killsnake River
Pigeon River
Meeme River
Sheboygan River
Onion River
Mullet River
Black River
Milwaukee River
Kinnickinnic River
Menomonee River
Little Menomonee River
Ulao Creek
Cedar Creek
Root River
Pike River
Lake Superior
Presque Isle River
Black River
Montreal River
Bad River
White River
Potato River
Marengo River
Brunsweiler River
Tyler Forks River
Iron River
Kakagon River
Fish Creek
Sioux River
Little Sioux River
Onion River
Raspberry River
Sand River
Siskiwit River
Bark River
Cranberry River
Flag River
Iron River
Bois Brule River
Little Boise Brule River
Poplar River
Middle River
Amnicon River
Nemadji River
Black River
St. Louis River
Pokegama River
Little Pokegama River
Red River
Thompsons Creek**
Mississippi River Drainage
Mississippi River
Illinois River (IL)
Fox River
White River
Mukwonago River
Des Plaines River
Root River
Rock River
Pecatonica River
Sugar River
Little Sugar River
East Branch Pecatonica River
Yellowstone River
Yahara River
Bark River
Scuppernong River
Crawfish River
Beaver Dam River
Maunesha River
Oconomowoc River
Coney River
Ashippun River
Rubicon River
Kohlsville River
Apple River
Galena River
Sinsinawa River
Little Menominee River
Menominee River
Platte River
Little Platte River
Grant River
Little Grant River
Wisconsin River
Kickapoo River
Big Green River
Little Green River
Blue River
Pine River
Baraboo River
Lemonweir River
Little Lemonweir River
Yellow River
Little Yellow River
Plover River
Little Eau Claire River
Little Eau Pleine River
Big Eau Pleine River
Eau Claire River
Big Rib River
Little Rib River
Trappe River
Little Trappe River
Pine River
Prairie River
Copper River
New Wood River
Spirit River
Somo River
Little Somo River
Little Rice River
Tomahawk River
Willow River
Pelican River
Eagle River
Deerskin River
Bad Axe River
La Crosse River
Little La Crosse River
Black River
Trempealeau River
Buffalo River
Chippewa River
Eau Galle River
Red Cedar River
Hay River
Yellow River
Vermillion River
Sweeny Pond
Brill River
Eau Claire River
Wolf River
Yellow River
Jump River
Little Jump River
Mondeaux River
Flambeau River
South Fork Flambeau River
Elk River
Little Elk River
Turtle River
Little Turtle River
Bear River
Manitowish River
Trout River
Thornapple River
Little Thornapple River
Brunet River
Couderay River
North Fork Chief River
Teal River
Moose River
Rush River
Trimbelle River
Wind River
Big River
St. Croix River
Kinnickinnic River
Willow River
Apple River
Straight River
Trade River
Wood River
Clam River
Yellow River
Upper Tamarack River
Spruce River
Namekagon River
Totagatic River
Ounce River
Moose River
Eau Claire River
Alphabetically
Ahnapee River
Amnicon River
Apple River, tributary of Mississippi River
Apple River, tributary of St. Croix River
Ashippun River
Bad Axe River
Bad River
Baraboo River
Bark River, tributary of Lake Superior
Bark River, tributary of Rock River
Bear River
Beaver Dam River
Big Green River
Big Rib River
Big River
Black River, tributary of Mississippi River
Black River, tributary of Nemadji River
Black River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Black River, tributary of Lake Superior via upper Michigan
Blue River
Bois Brule River
Branch River
Brill River
Brule River
Brunet River
Brunsweiler River
Buffalo River
Chippewa River
Clam River
Coney River
Copper River
Couderay River
Cranberry River
Crawfish River
Crystal River
Deerskin River
Des Plaines River
Devils River
Eagle River
East Branch Pecatonica River
East River
East Twin River
Eau Claire River, tributary of Chippewa River
Eau Claire River, tributary of St. Croix River
Eau Claire River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Eau Galle River
Eau Pleine River
Elk River
Embarrass River
Flag River
Flambeau River
Fond du Lac River of Wisconsin
Fox River of Illinois and Wisconsin
Fox River of Wisconsin
Galena River
Grand River
Grant River
Hay River
Iron River, tributary of Bad River
Iron River, tributary of Lake Superior
Jump River
Kakagon River
Kewaunee River
Kickapoo River
Killsnake River
Kinnickinnic River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Kinnickinnic River, tributary of St. Croix River
Kohlsville River
La Crosse River
Lemonweir River
Little Boise Brule River
Little Eau Pleine River
Little Elk River
Little Grant River
Little Green River
Little Lemonweir River
Little Menominee River
Little Menomonee River
Little Peshtigo River
Little Platte River
Little Pokegama River
Little Rib River
Little Rice River
Little River, tributary of Oconto River
Little River, tributary of Wolf River
Little Sioux River
Little Somo River
Little Sugar River
Little Thornapple River
Little Trappe River
Little Turtle River
Little Wolf River
Little Yellow River
Manitowish River
Manitowoc River
Marengo River
Maunesha River
Mecan River
Meeme River
Menominee River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Menominee River, tributary of Mississippi River
Menomonee River
Middle River
Milwaukee River
Mink River
Mississippi River
Mondeaux River
Montello River
Montreal River
Moose River, tributary of Chippewa River
Moose River, tributary of St. Croix River
Mukwonago River
Mullet River
Namekagon River
Nemadji River
Neshota River
New Wood River
North Fork Chief River
Oconomowoc River
Oconto River
Onion River, tributary of Lake Superior
Onion River, tributary of Sheboygan River
Ounce River
Pecatonica River
Pelican River
Pemebonwon River
Pensaukee River
Peshtigo River
Pigeon River, tributary of Embarrass River
Pigeon River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Pike River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Pike River, tributary of Menominee River
Pine River, tributary of Menominee River
Pine River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Pine River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Pine River, tributary of Wolf River
Platte River
Plover River
Pokegama River
Poplar River
Popple River
Potato River
Prairie River
Presque Isle River
Raspberry River
Rat River (Peshtigo River), tributary of Peshtigo River
Rat River (Wolf River), tributary of Wolf River
Red Cedar River
Red River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Red River, tributary of St. Louis River
Red River, tributary of Wolf River
Rock River
Root River, tributary of Des Plaines River
Root River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Rubicon River
Rush River
St. Croix River
St. Louis River
Sand River
Scuppernong River
Sheboygan River
Shioc River
Sinsinawa River
Sioux River
Siskiwit River
Somo River
Spirit River
Spruce River
Straight River
Suamico River
Sugar River
Sweeny Pond
Teal River
Thornapple River
Tomahawk River
Tomorrow River
Totagatic River
Trade River
Trappe River
Trempealeau River
Trimbelle River
Trout River
Turtle River
Upper Tamarack River
Vermillion River
Waupaca River
West Twin River
White River, tributary of Bad River
White River, tributary of Fox River
Willow River, tributary of St. Croix River
Willow River, tributary of Tomahawk River
Wind River
Wisconsin River
Wolf River, tributary of Eau Claire River (Chippewa River)
Wolf River, tributary of Winnebago Pool
Wood River
Yahara River
Yellow River, tributary of Chippewa River
Yellow River, tributary of Red Cedar River
Yellow River, tributary of St. Croix River
Yellow River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Yellowstone River
Wisconsin river
Wisconsin River
The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At approximately 430 miles (692 km) long, it is the state's longest river. The river's name, first recorded in 1673 by Jacques Marquette as "Meskousing," is rooted in the Algonquian languages used by the area's American Indian tribes, but its original meaning is obscure. French explorers who followed in the wake of Marquette later modified the name to "Ouisconsin." This was simplified to "Wisconsin" in the early 19th century before being applied to Wisconsin Territory and finally the state of Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin River originates in the forests of the Lake District of northern Wisconsin, in Lac Vieux Desert near the border of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It flows south across the glacial plain of central Wisconsin, passing Wausau and Stevens Point. In southern Wisconsin it encounters the terminal moraine formed during the last ice age, where it forms the Dells of the Wisconsin River. North of Madison at Portage, the river turns to the west, flowing through Wisconsin's hilly Western Upland and joining the Mississippi approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Prairie du Chien. Although the river was originally navigable up to the city of Portage 200 miles (320 km) from its mouth, it is now considered non-navigable beyond the lock and dam at Prairie du Sac.[1]
Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River
Origin Lac Vieux Desert
Mouth Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Basin countries United States
Length 430 mi (692 km)
Source elevation 1,683 ft (513 m)
Avg. discharge 12,000 ft³/s (340 m³/s) at mouth
Basin area 12,280 mi² (31,805 km²)
Contents [hide]
1 Geology
2 History
3 Lower Wisconsin River state riverway
4 Cities and villages along the river
5 See also
6 Notes
7 External links
Geology
The modern Wisconsin River was formed in several stages. The lower, westward-flowing portion of the river is located in the unglaciated Driftless Area, and this section of the river's course likely predates the rest by several million years. The lower reach of the river is narrower than its upstream valley, leading to the suggestion the upper portions of the ancestor of the river flowed east previous to the Pleistocene.[2] The remaining length of the river was formed gradually as glaciers advanced and retreated over Wisconsin. The stretch of river from Stevens Point north to Merrill was a drainage route for meltwater flowing away from glaciers which covered northern Wisconsin during the Wisconsin Glaciation. As the glaciers retreated further northward, the river also grew in that direction. South from Stevens Point, the meltwater would have flowed into Glacial Lake Wisconsin, a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed in the central part of the state. As temperatures warmed around 15,000 years ago, the ice dam holding the lake in place burst, unleashing a catastrophic flood that carved the Dells of the Wisconsin River and joined the upper stretches of the river with the pre-existing lower river valley that today flows from Portage to Prairie du Chien.
History
The first documented exploration of the Wisconsin River by Europeans took place in 1673, when Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet of France canoed from Lake Michigan up the Fox River until reaching the present-day site of Portage in early June. At this location the Wisconsin and Fox rivers are only 2 miles (3.2 km) distant, so the explorers could portage from the Fox to the Wisconsin River. They then continued downstream 200 miles (320 km) to the Wisconsin's mouth, entering the Mississippi on June 17. Other explorers and traders would follow the same route, and for the next 150 years the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, collectively known as the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway, formed a major transportation route between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.
Industry began to form on the Wisconsin in the early 19th century, as loggers started using the river to raft logs downstream from northern forests to sawmills in new cities like Wausau. By the 1880s, logging companies were damming the river to ensure the river had enough capacity for the logs being floated downstream. Later, at the start of the 20th century, more dams were constructed to provide for flood control and hydroelectricity. The dams also spurred tourism, creating reservoirs such as Lake Wisconsin that are popular areas for recreational boating and fishing. Today the Wisconsin is impounded in 26 places.
Despite this, a 93-mile (150 km) stretch of the Wisconsin between its mouth and the hydroelectric dam at Prairie du Sac is free of any dams or barriers and is relatively free-flowing. In the late 1980s, this portion of the river was designated as a state riverway, and development alongside the river has been limited to preserve its scenic integrity.
Lower Wisconsin River state riverway
The Lower Wisconsin River State Riverway is a state-funded project designed to protect the southern portion of the Wisconsin River from Sauk City about 93 miles all the way to the point where the Wisconsin River joins and empties into the Mississippi, about 10 miles south of the town of Prairie du Chien. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages protected lands of over 75,000 acres, including the river itself, islands, and some lands adjacent to the river. [3]
There are no dams or manmade obstructions to the natural flow of water from the hydroelectric dam just north of Sauk City all the way to where the Wisconsin joins the Mississippi. This long stretch of free-flowing river provides important natural habitats for a variety of wildlife, including white-tail deer, otter, beaver, turtles, sand hill cranes, eagles, hawks, and a variety of fish species.
There are many different recreation opportunities on the lower Wisconsin River from fishing and canoeing to tubing and camping.
Cities and villages along the river
Merrill
Merrimac
Mosinee
Muscoda
Nekoosa
Okee
Plover
Port Edwards
Portage
Prairie du Sac
Rhinelander
Rothschild
Sauk City
Schofield
Spring Green
Stevens Point
Tomahawk
Wausau
Whiting
Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Rapids
List of Wisconsin rivers
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Great Lakes Drainage
Lake Michigan
Menominee River
Wausaukee River
Pike River
Pemebonwon River
Little Popple River
Pine River
Popple River
Brule River
Peshtigo River
Little Peshtigo River
Thunder River
Rat River
Oconto River
Little River
Pensaukee River
Little Suamico River
Suamico River
Fox River
East River
Fond du Lac River
Wolf River
Pine River
Rat River
Little River
Waupaca River
Crystal River
Tomorrow River
Little Wolf River
Embarrass River
Pigeon River
Shioc River
Red River
Evergreen River
Lily River
Hunting River
White River
Mecan River
Grand River
Montello River
Red River
Mink River
Ahnapee River
Kewaunee River
East Twin River
West Twin River
Devils River
Neshota River
Manitowoc River
Branch River
Killsnake River
Pigeon River
Meeme River
Sheboygan River
Onion River
Mullet River
Black River
Milwaukee River
Kinnickinnic River
Menomonee River
Little Menomonee River
Ulao Creek
Cedar Creek
Root River
Pike River
Lake Superior
Presque Isle River
Black River
Montreal River
Bad River
White River
Potato River
Marengo River
Brunsweiler River
Tyler Forks River
Iron River
Kakagon River
Fish Creek
Sioux River
Little Sioux River
Onion River
Raspberry River
Sand River
Siskiwit River
Bark River
Cranberry River
Flag River
Iron River
Bois Brule River
Little Boise Brule River
Poplar River
Middle River
Amnicon River
Nemadji River
Black River
St. Louis River
Pokegama River
Little Pokegama River
Red River
Thompsons Creek**
Mississippi River Drainage
Mississippi River
Illinois River (IL)
Fox River
White River
Mukwonago River
Des Plaines River
Root River
Rock River
Pecatonica River
Sugar River
Little Sugar River
East Branch Pecatonica River
Yellowstone River
Yahara River
Bark River
Scuppernong River
Crawfish River
Beaver Dam River
Maunesha River
Oconomowoc River
Coney River
Ashippun River
Rubicon River
Kohlsville River
Apple River
Galena River
Sinsinawa River
Little Menominee River
Menominee River
Platte River
Little Platte River
Grant River
Little Grant River
Wisconsin River
Kickapoo River
Big Green River
Little Green River
Blue River
Pine River
Baraboo River
Lemonweir River
Little Lemonweir River
Yellow River
Little Yellow River
Plover River
Little Eau Claire River
Little Eau Pleine River
Big Eau Pleine River
Eau Claire River
Big Rib River
Little Rib River
Trappe River
Little Trappe River
Pine River
Prairie River
Copper River
New Wood River
Spirit River
Somo River
Little Somo River
Little Rice River
Tomahawk River
Willow River
Pelican River
Eagle River
Deerskin River
Bad Axe River
La Crosse River
Little La Crosse River
Black River
Trempealeau River
Buffalo River
Chippewa River
Eau Galle River
Red Cedar River
Hay River
Yellow River
Vermillion River
Sweeny Pond
Brill River
Eau Claire River
Wolf River
Yellow River
Jump River
Little Jump River
Mondeaux River
Flambeau River
South Fork Flambeau River
Elk River
Little Elk River
Turtle River
Little Turtle River
Bear River
Manitowish River
Trout River
Thornapple River
Little Thornapple River
Brunet River
Couderay River
North Fork Chief River
Teal River
Moose River
Rush River
Trimbelle River
Wind River
Big River
St. Croix River
Kinnickinnic River
Willow River
Apple River
Straight River
Trade River
Wood River
Clam River
Yellow River
Upper Tamarack River
Spruce River
Namekagon River
Totagatic River
Ounce River
Moose River
Eau Claire River
Alphabetically
Ahnapee River
Amnicon River
Apple River, tributary of Mississippi River
Apple River, tributary of St. Croix River
Ashippun River
Bad Axe River
Bad River
Baraboo River
Bark River, tributary of Lake Superior
Bark River, tributary of Rock River
Bear River
Beaver Dam River
Big Green River
Big Rib River
Big River
Black River, tributary of Mississippi River
Black River, tributary of Nemadji River
Black River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Black River, tributary of Lake Superior via upper Michigan
Blue River
Bois Brule River
Branch River
Brill River
Brule River
Brunet River
Brunsweiler River
Buffalo River
Chippewa River
Clam River
Coney River
Copper River
Couderay River
Cranberry River
Crawfish River
Crystal River
Deerskin River
Des Plaines River
Devils River
Eagle River
East Branch Pecatonica River
East River
East Twin River
Eau Claire River, tributary of Chippewa River
Eau Claire River, tributary of St. Croix River
Eau Claire River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Eau Galle River
Eau Pleine River
Elk River
Embarrass River
Flag River
Flambeau River
Fond du Lac River of Wisconsin
Fox River of Illinois and Wisconsin
Fox River of Wisconsin
Galena River
Grand River
Grant River
Hay River
Iron River, tributary of Bad River
Iron River, tributary of Lake Superior
Jump River
Kakagon River
Kewaunee River
Kickapoo River
Killsnake River
Kinnickinnic River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Kinnickinnic River, tributary of St. Croix River
Kohlsville River
La Crosse River
Lemonweir River
Little Boise Brule River
Little Eau Pleine River
Little Elk River
Little Grant River
Little Green River
Little Lemonweir River
Little Menominee River
Little Menomonee River
Little Peshtigo River
Little Platte River
Little Pokegama River
Little Rib River
Little Rice River
Little River, tributary of Oconto River
Little River, tributary of Wolf River
Little Sioux River
Little Somo River
Little Sugar River
Little Thornapple River
Little Trappe River
Little Turtle River
Little Wolf River
Little Yellow River
Manitowish River
Manitowoc River
Marengo River
Maunesha River
Mecan River
Meeme River
Menominee River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Menominee River, tributary of Mississippi River
Menomonee River
Middle River
Milwaukee River
Mink River
Mississippi River
Mondeaux River
Montello River
Montreal River
Moose River, tributary of Chippewa River
Moose River, tributary of St. Croix River
Mukwonago River
Mullet River
Namekagon River
Nemadji River
Neshota River
New Wood River
North Fork Chief River
Oconomowoc River
Oconto River
Onion River, tributary of Lake Superior
Onion River, tributary of Sheboygan River
Ounce River
Pecatonica River
Pelican River
Pemebonwon River
Pensaukee River
Peshtigo River
Pigeon River, tributary of Embarrass River
Pigeon River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Pike River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Pike River, tributary of Menominee River
Pine River, tributary of Menominee River
Pine River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Pine River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Pine River, tributary of Wolf River
Platte River
Plover River
Pokegama River
Poplar River
Popple River
Potato River
Prairie River
Presque Isle River
Raspberry River
Rat River (Peshtigo River), tributary of Peshtigo River
Rat River (Wolf River), tributary of Wolf River
Red Cedar River
Red River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Red River, tributary of St. Louis River
Red River, tributary of Wolf River
Rock River
Root River, tributary of Des Plaines River
Root River, tributary of Lake Michigan
Rubicon River
Rush River
St. Croix River
St. Louis River
Sand River
Scuppernong River
Sheboygan River
Shioc River
Sinsinawa River
Sioux River
Siskiwit River
Somo River
Spirit River
Spruce River
Straight River
Suamico River
Sugar River
Sweeny Pond
Teal River
Thornapple River
Tomahawk River
Tomorrow River
Totagatic River
Trade River
Trappe River
Trempealeau River
Trimbelle River
Trout River
Turtle River
Upper Tamarack River
Vermillion River
Waupaca River
West Twin River
White River, tributary of Bad River
White River, tributary of Fox River
Willow River, tributary of St. Croix River
Willow River, tributary of Tomahawk River
Wind River
Wisconsin River
Wolf River, tributary of Eau Claire River (Chippewa River)
Wolf River, tributary of Winnebago Pool
Wood River
Yahara River
Yellow River, tributary of Chippewa River
Yellow River, tributary of Red Cedar River
Yellow River, tributary of St. Croix River
Yellow River, tributary of Wisconsin River
Yellowstone River
Saturday, September 6, 2008
WISCONSIN
Radhe Krishna 06-09-08
WISCONSIN
Dells Boats
We can see www.dellsboats.com site for the tour details.
Jean_Nicolet
Capitol_Madison
Bluff
Wisconsin_welcome_sign
Wisconsin
Wisconsin (Pronunciation (help•info) IPA: /wɪsˈkɒnsɨn/ or IPA: /wɪˈskɒnsɨn/) (French: Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States. It borders two of the five Great Lakes, and four other U.S. states (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota). Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee.
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
o 2.1 Introduction to the West
o 2.2 Borders
o 2.3 Economy
• 3 Geography
o 3.1 Climate
• 4 Demographics
o 4.1 Religion
• 5 Economy
• 6 Law and government
o 6.1 Politics
o 6.2 Lawmakers in Wisconsin
• 7 Important municipalities
• 8 Education
o 8.1 Colleges and universities
• 9 Music
o 9.1 SummerFest
• 10 Sports
• 11 Miscellaneous topics
• 12 See also
• 13 Footnotes
• 14 Bibliography
• 15 External links
EtymologyThe word Wisconsin has its origins in the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact.[3] French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousing in his journal.[4] This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsin by other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th Century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.[5]
Through the course of its many variations, the Algonquian source word for Wisconsin, together with its original meaning, have grown obscure. However, a leading theory holds that the name originated from the Miami word Meskonsing, meaning "it lies red", a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows by the reddish sandstone of the Wisconsin Dells.[6] Numerous other theories have also been widely publicized, including claims that name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning "red stone place," "gathering of the waters," or "great rock."[7]
History
Introduction to the West
In 1634, the Frenchman Jean Nicolet was the first European to explore Wisconsin. He founded the Green Bay colony. During the next 100 years, the area was settled primarily by French fur traders. France then transferred the territory to Britain in 1763. The United States acquired the Wisconsin territory after the Revolution in 1783 but it remained under British administration until the War of 1812. The nineteenth century saw settlement by Yankees, Cornish miners, and German, Scandinavian and Swiss settlers.
Wisconsin, bordered by the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois, as well as Lakes Michigan and Superior, has been part of United States' territory since the end of the American Revolution; the Wisconsin Territory (which included parts of other current states) was formed on July 3, 1836. Wisconsin ratified its constitution on March 13, 1848, and was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state.
Economy
Wisconsin's economy was originally based on farming (especially dairy), mining, and lumbering. In the 20th century, tourism became important, and many people living on former farms commuted to jobs elsewhere. Large-scale industrialization began in the late 19th century in the southeast of the state, with the city of Milwaukee as its major center. In recent decades, service industries, especially medicine and education, have become dominant. Wisconsin's landscape, largely shaped by the Wisconsin glaciation of the last Ice Age, makes the state popular for both tourism and many forms of outdoor recreation.
Geography
The state is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1.5 million acre (6,000 km²) Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the state's highest point, Timms Hill. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River. This region is part of the Driftless Area, which also includes portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. This area was not covered by glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation.
The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin is characterized by bluffs carved in sedimentary rock by water from melting Ice Age glaciers.
Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest.
The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a popular vacation destination for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin has many lakes of varied size; in fact Wisconsin contains 11,188 square miles (28,977 km²) of water, more than all but three other states (Alaska, Michigan and Florida). The distinctive Door Peninsula, which extends off the eastern coast of the state, contains one of the state's most beautiful tourist destinations, Door County. The area draws thousands of visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and ever-popular fish boils.
Areas under the management of the National Park Service include the following:[8]
• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail
• North Country National Scenic Trail
• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Additionally there is one national forest managed by the US Forest Service in Wisconsin:
• Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Climate
The highest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, and was 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in Couderay, on both February 2 and 4, 1996, and was –55 °F (-48 °C).[9]
Demographics
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2000, Wisconsin had a population of 5,363,675. 6.4% of Wisconsin's population was reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population.
Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following the period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom were Cornish, who settled the southwest area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees," migrants from New England and upstate New York; in the early years of statehood, they dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics and education. Between 1850 and 1900, large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including Germans, Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian), and smaller groups of Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Finns, Irish, Poles and others. In the 20th century, large numbers of Mexicans and African Americans came, settling mainly in Milwaukee; and after end of the Vietnam War came a new influx of Hmongs.
The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%).[10] German is the most common ancestry in every county in the state, except Menominee, Trempealeau and Vernon.[11] Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state.[12] The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although Germans settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegians settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Small colonies of Belgians, Swiss, Finns and other groups settled in their particular areas, with Irish and Polish immigrants settling primarily in urban areas.[13] African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. Menominee County is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority.
86% of Wisconsin's African American population lives in five cities: Milwaukee, Racine, Madison, Kenosha and Green Bay; Milwaukee itself is home to nearly three-fourths of the state's African Americans. Milwaukee ranks in the top 10 major U.S. cities with the highest number of African Americans per capita.[citation needed] In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African Americans.
33% of Wisconsin's Asian population is Hmong, with significant communities in Milwaukee, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Appleton, Madison, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Oshkosh, and Manitowoc.[14]
Numerous ethnic festivals are held throughout Wisconsin to celebrate its heritage. Such festivals include Summerfest, Oktoberfest, Festa Italiana, Bastille Days, Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), Brat(wurst) Days in Sheboygan, Cheese Days in Monroe and Mequon, African World Festival, Indian Summer, Irish Fest and many others.
Religion
The largest denominations are Roman Catholic and Lutheran, primarily of the ELCA, Missouri Synod, and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The religious affiliations of the people of Wisconsin are shown below:[15]
• Christian – 85%
o Protestant – 55% (Lutheran–23%, Methodist–7%, Baptist–5%, Presbyterian–2%, United Church of Christ–2%, Other Protestant or general Protestant–15%)
o Roman Catholic – 29%
o Other Christian – 1%
• Other religions – 1%
• Non-religious – 15%
Economy
According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wisconsin’s gross state product was $211.7 billion. The per capita personal income was $32,157 in 2004. Wisconsin's state budget is facing a $652.3 million shortfall.[16]
The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is often perceived as a farming state. It produces more dairy products than any other state in the United States except California,[17] and leads the nation in cheese production. Wisconsin ranks second behind California in overall production of milk and butter, and it ranks third in per-capita milk production, behind Idaho and Vermont.[18] Based on poll results, a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese were chosen for Wisconsin's 50 State Quarters design.[19] Wisconsin ranks first in the production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing.
Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not surprising that a large part of the state's manufacturing sector deals with food processing. Some well-known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone frozen pizza, Johnsonville brats, and Usinger's sausage. Kraft Foods alone employs over 5,000 people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and the site of the headquarters of Miller Brewing Company, the nation's second-largest brewer. At one time, Schlitz, Blatz, and Pabst were cornerstone breweries in Milwaukee. Today, Milwaukee's economy is more diverse with an emphasis on health care. In 2004, four of the city's ten largest employers (including the top two) were part of the health care industry.[20]
The largest employers in Wisconsin in 2007 were: 1) Wal-Mart; 2) Menards; 3) Walgreens; 4) Kohl's; 5) Kohler; 6) Marshfield Clinic; 7) Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center; 8) Quad/Graphics; 9) Target Stores; and 10) Shopko.[21]
Wisconsin is also home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the Kohler Company, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls, Briggs & Stratton, Miller Electric, Milwaukee Electric Tool Company, Bucyrus International, Super Steel Products Corp., Oshkosh Truck, and Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay has 24 paper mills along its 39 mile (63 km) stretch.
The development and manufacture of health care devices and software is a growing sector of the state's economy with key players such as GE Healthcare, Epic Systems, and TomoTherapy.
Tourism is also a major industry in Wisconsin – the state's third largest, according to the Department of Tourism. This is largely attributed to the 90 attractions in the Wisconsin Dells family vacation destination area, which attracts nearly 3 million visitors per year. Tourist destinations such as the House on the Rock near Spring Green and Circus World Museum in Baraboo also draw thousands of visitors annually, and festivals such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow draw national attention along with hundreds of thousands of visitors. Door County is a popular destination for boaters due to the large number of natural harbors, bays and ports on the Bay of Green Bay and Lake Michigan side of the peninsula that forms the county.
Wisconsin collects personal income tax based on four income-level brackets, which range from 4.6% to 6.75%. The state sales and use tax rate is 5%. Fifty-nine counties have an additional sales/use tax of 0.5%.[22] The counties surrounding Milwaukee County have an additional 0.1% tax imposed upon them to fund the new baseball stadium, Miller Park, which was constructed around the turn of the century. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect 5.6% tax on their retail sales.
The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles but does levy an annual registration fee. Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts. Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agricultural uses, rather than for its possible development value. Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities, and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities.
Wisconsin does not assess a tax on intangible property. Wisconsin does not collect inheritance taxes. Wisconsin's estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposes its own estate tax on certain large estates.[23]
Law and government
The capital is Madison.
The Wisconsin State Capitol
State Executive Officers
• Governor: James Doyle, Jr. (D)
• Lieutenant Governor: Barbara Lawton (D)
• Attorney General: J.B. Van Hollen (R)
• Secretary of State: Douglas LaFollette (D)
• Treasurer: Dawn Marie Sass (D)
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Non-partisan Office): Elizabeth Burmaster
See also:
• Wisconsin Constitution
• Governors of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin State Legislature
o Wisconsin State Senate
o Wisconsin State Assembly
• Wisconsin Supreme Court
• U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin
• Map of congressional districts
• List of U.S. Senators from Wisconsin
Politics
The Little White Schoolhouse of Ripon
During the period of the Civil War, Wisconsin was a Republican and pro-Union stronghold. Ethno-religious issues in the late 19th century caused a brief split in the Republican coalition. Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party, but later of the revived Progressive Party. Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between Republicans and Democrats. Republican Senator Joe McCarthy was a controversial national figure in the early 1950s. Recent leading Republicans include former Governor Tommy Thompson and Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.; prominent Democrats include Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, and Congressman David Obey.[24]
Much of the state's political history involved coalitions among different ethnic groups. The most famous controversy dealt with foreign language teaching in schools. This was fought out in the Bennett Law campaign of 1890, when the Germans switched to the Democratic Party because of the Republican Party's support of the Bennett Law, which led to a major victory for the Democrats.
The cities of Wisconsin have been active in increasing the availability of legislative information on the internet, thereby providing for greater government transparency. Currently three of the five most populous cities in Wisconsin provide their constituents with internet based access of all public records directly from the cities’ databases. Wisconsin cities started to make this a priority after Milwaukee began doing so, on their page, in 2001. One such city, Madison, has been named the Number 1 digital city by the Center for Digital Government in consecutive years. Nearly 18 percent of Wisconsin’s population has the ability to access their municipality’s information in this way.
Lawmakers in Wisconsin
The last election in which Wisconsin supported a Republican Presidential candidate was in 1984. However, both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising because it was a "swing," or pivot, state. Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by only 5,700 votes, and John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 11,000 votes. Republicans had a stronghold in the Fox Valley but elected a Democrat, Steve Kagen, of Appleton, for the 8th Congressional District in 2006. Republicans have held Waukesha County. The City of Milwaukee heads the list of Wisconsin's Democratic strongholds, which also includes Madison and the state's Native American reservations. Wisconsin's largest Congressional district, the 7th, has been a Democratic stronghold since 1969. Its representative, David Obey, chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
• Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, "Fighting Bob" La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the controversial anti-Communist censured by the Senate during the 1950s.
• In the early 20th century, the Socialist Party of America had a base in Milwaukee. The phenomenon was referred to as "sewer socialism" because the elected officials were more concerned with public works and reform than with revolution (although revolutionary socialism existed in the city as well). Its influence faded in the late 1950s, largely because of the red scare and racial tensions.[25] The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was Emil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan, was mayor of Milwaukee from 1916 to 1940; and a third, Frank P. Zeidler, from 1948–1960. Socialist newspaper editor Victor Berger was repeatedly elected as a U.S. Representative, although he was prevented from serving for some time because of his opposition to the First World War.
• William Proxmire, a Democratic Senator (1957–89) dominated the Democratic party for years; he was best known for attacking waste and fraud in federal spending.
• Democrat Russ Feingold was the only Senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001.
• Democrat Tammy Baldwin from Madison was the first, and is currently the only, openly lesbian U.S. Representative.[26]
• In 2004, Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee, became Wisconsin's first African-American U.S. Representative.
In 2006, Democrats gained in a national sweep of opposition to the Bush administration, and the Iraq War. The retiring GOP 8th District Congressman, Mark Green, of Green Bay, ran against the former Attorney General, Jim Doyle for governor. Green lost by 8% statewide, making Doyle the first Democratic Governor to be re-elected in 32 years. The Republicans lost control of the state Senate. Although Democrats gained eight seats in the state Assembly, Republicans retained a five vote majority in that house.
Important municipalities
Wisconsin's self-promotion as "America's Dairyland" sometimes leads to a mistaken impression that it is an exclusively rural state. However, Wisconsin contains cities and towns of all sizes. Over 68% of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas, with the Greater Milwaukee area home to roughly one-third of the state's population.[27] Milwaukee is slightly larger than Boston and is at the northern edge of an urban area bordering Lake Michigan that stretches southward into greater Chicago and northwestern Indiana. With over 602,000 residents Milwaukee proper is the 22nd-largest city in the country.[28] The string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis. Madison's dual identity as state capital and college town gives it a cultural richness unusual in a city its size. With a population of around 220,000, Madison is also a very fast-growing city. Medium-size cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties.
Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more (as of the 2006 census estimate)[29] include:
• Milwaukee, population 573,358, largest city
• Madison, population 223,389, state capital
• Green Bay, population 100,353
• Kenosha, population 96,240, part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area
• Racine, population 79,592, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Appleton, population 70,191
• Waukesha, population 67,814 part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Oshkosh, population 64,084
• Eau Claire, population 63,297
• Janesville, population 62,998
• West Allis, population 58,710, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• La Crosse, population 50,266
Education
Colleges and universities
Wisconsin, along with Minnesota and Michigan, was among the Midwestern leaders in the emergent American state university movement following the Civil War in the United States. By the turn of the century, education in the state advocated the "Wisconsin Idea," which emphasized for service to the people of the state. The "Wisconsin Idea" exemplified the Progressive movement within colleges and universities at the time.[30] Today, public education in Wisconsin includes both the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System, headquartered in Madison, and the 16-campus Wisconsin Technical College System which coordinates with the University of Wisconsin. Notable private colleges and universities include Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Edgewood College, Beloit College, and Lawrence University, among others.
See also: List of colleges and universities in Wisconsin
See also: List of high schools in Wisconsin
See also: List of school districts in Wisconsin
Music
Music stage at Summerfest in 1994, currently called the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, with Downtown Milwaukee and an approach to the Hoan Bridge in the background.
Wisconsin has more country music festivals than any other state,[citation needed] including Miller Lite Presents Country Fest, Bud Light Presents Country Jam USA, the Coors Hodag Country Festival, and the ever-popular Ford Presents Country USA.
SummerFest
The state's largest city, Milwaukee, also hosts "The World's Largest Music Festival," Summerfest, every year. This festival is held at the lakefront Henry Maier Festival Park just south of downtown.
Sports
Main article: Sports in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in three sports: American football, baseball, and basketball. Lambeau Field, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin is home to the National Football League's Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been part of the NFL since the league's second season in 1921 and currently hold the record for the most NFL titles, earning the city of Green Bay the self-given nickname "Titletown". The Green Bay Packers are one of the most successful small-market professional sports franchises in the world and have won 12 NFL championships, including the first two AFL-NFL Championship games (Super Bowls I and II) and Super Bowl XXXI. The city fully supports their team, as evidenced by the 60,000 person waiting list for season tickets to Lambeau Field, which is referred to as the "frozen tundra" and is considered by many football enthusiasts to be "hallowed ground." The Milwaukee Brewers, the state's major league baseball team, are based out of Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before Miller Park was opened in 2001, the Brewers played their home games at County Stadium. In 1982, the Brewers won the American League Championship, marking their most successful season. The Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association play home games at the Bradley Center. The Bucks won the NBA Championship in 1971. The state also has minor league teams in hockey (Milwaukee Admirals) and baseball (the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, based in Appleton.)
In addition to professional teams, Wisconsin is home to many successful college sports programs. The Wisconsin Badgers, teams based out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, hold many NCAA division championship titles in their respective sports. This includes a historic dual-championship in 2006 when both the women's and men's hockey teams won national titles. The Wisconsin football team has also seen much success after the hiring of Barry Alvarez as head coach. Alvarez lead the Badgers to three Rose Bowl victories, including back to back victories in the years 1999 and 2000. The Badgers football program, playing at Camp Randall Stadium, enjoys similar loyalty to the Packers; both teams are known to sell out their entire schedules far in advance.
The Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference are the state's other major collegiate program. They are known nationally for their Men's Basketball team which, under the direction of Al McGuire, won the NCAA National Championship in 1977. The team, led by Dwyane Wade, returned to the Final Four in 2003.
Miscellaneous topics
The Milwaukee Art Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.
Known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin is also known for cheese. Citizens of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites, although a common nickname (sometimes used pejoratively) among non-residents is "Cheeseheads." This is due to the prevalence and quality of cheesemaking in the state, and for the novelty hats made of yellow foam in the shape of a triangular block of cheese. Cheese curds are an extremely popular treat, exported as gifts throughout the country. The state is also known for its alcohol production and consumption, and it is historically home to a large number of breweries and bars per capita. A lesser known, but still significant nickname for Wisconsin is "The Copper State," referring to the copper mines in the northwestern part of the state.
Wisconsin is very popular for outdoor activities especially hunting and fishing. One of the most popular game animals is the Whitetail deer. In 2005, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported the population of Wisconsin's deer herd to be about 1.4-1.5 million. It is common for over 600,000 deer hunting licenses to be sold each year.[31] Visitors to Wisconsin during the Thanksgiving holiday will see many hunters in rural areas wearing blaze orange gear for Wisconsin's gun-deer hunting season.
The Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee is known for its unique architecture. The Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens cover over 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land on the far west side of the city. Madison is home to the Vilas Zoo which is free for all visitors, and the Olbrich Gardens conservatory, as well as the hub of cultural activity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is also known for Monona Terrace, a convention center that was designed by Taliesin Architect Anthony Puttnam, based loosely on a 1930s design by Frank Lloyd Wright, a world-renowned architect and Wisconsin native who was born in Richland Center.[32] Wright's home and studio in the 20th century was at Taliesin, south of Spring Green. Decades after Wright's death, Taliesin remains an architectural office and school for his followers.
Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germany's Hesse, Japan's Chiba Prefecture, Mexico's Jalisco, China's Heilongjiang, and Nicaragua.[33]
The shape of the Wisconsin along with the Door County peninsula, have lead many of its residents to refer the state in the shape of a hand. Often pointing on their hand to someone unfamiliar with certain locations.
Langlade has a unique soil that is rarely found outside of the county called Antigo Silt Loam.
Badger State
State Animal:
Badger
State Domesticated Animal: Dairy Cow
State Wild Animal: White-tailed Deer
State Beverage: Milk
State Fruit: Cranberry
State Bird: Robin
State Capital: Madison
State Dog: American Water Spaniel
State Fish: Muskellunge
State Flower: Wood Violet
State Fossil: Trilobite
State Grain: Corn
State Insect: European honey bee
State Motto: Forward
State Song: On, Wisconsin!"
State Tree: Sugar Maple
State Mineral:Wisconsin
Wisconsin (Pronunciation (help•info) IPA: /wɪsˈkɒnsɨn/ or IPA: /wɪˈskɒnsɨn/) (French: Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States. It borders two of the five Great Lakes, and four other U.S. states (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota). Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee.
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
o 2.1 Introduction to the West
o 2.2 Borders
o 2.3 Economy
• 3 Geography
o 3.1 Climate
• 4 Demographics
o 4.1 Religion
• 5 Economy
• 6 Law and government
o 6.1 Politics
o 6.2 Lawmakers in Wisconsin
• 7 Important municipalities
• 8 Education
o 8.1 Colleges and universities
• 9 Music
o 9.1 SummerFest
• 10 Sports
• 11 Miscellaneous topics
• 12 See also
• 13 Footnotes
• 14 Bibliography
• 15 External links
EtymologyThe word Wisconsin has its origins in the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact.[3] French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousing in his journal.[4] This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsin by other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th Century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.[5]
Through the course of its many variations, the Algonquian source word for Wisconsin, together with its original meaning, have grown obscure. However, a leading theory holds that the name originated from the Miami word Meskonsing, meaning "it lies red", a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows by the reddish sandstone of the Wisconsin Dells.[6] Numerous other theories have also been widely publicized, including claims that name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning "red stone place," "gathering of the waters," or "great rock."[7]
History
Introduction to the West
In 1634, the Frenchman Jean Nicolet was the first European to explore Wisconsin. He founded the Green Bay colony. During the next 100 years, the area was settled primarily by French fur traders. France then transferred the territory to Britain in 1763. The United States acquired the Wisconsin territory after the Revolution in 1783 but it remained under British administration until the War of 1812. The nineteenth century saw settlement by Yankees, Cornish miners, and German, Scandinavian and Swiss settlers.
Wisconsin, bordered by the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois, as well as Lakes Michigan and Superior, has been part of United States' territory since the end of the American Revolution; the Wisconsin Territory (which included parts of other current states) was formed on July 3, 1836. Wisconsin ratified its constitution on March 13, 1848, and was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state.
Economy
Wisconsin's economy was originally based on farming (especially dairy), mining, and lumbering. In the 20th century, tourism became important, and many people living on former farms commuted to jobs elsewhere. Large-scale industrialization began in the late 19th century in the southeast of the state, with the city of Milwaukee as its major center. In recent decades, service industries, especially medicine and education, have become dominant. Wisconsin's landscape, largely shaped by the Wisconsin glaciation of the last Ice Age, makes the state popular for both tourism and many forms of outdoor recreation.
Geography
The state is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1.5 million acre (6,000 km²) Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the state's highest point, Timms Hill. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River. This region is part of the Driftless Area, which also includes portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. This area was not covered by glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation.
The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin is characterized by bluffs carved in sedimentary rock by water from melting Ice Age glaciers.
Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest.
The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a popular vacation destination for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin has many lakes of varied size; in fact Wisconsin contains 11,188 square miles (28,977 km²) of water, more than all but three other states (Alaska, Michigan and Florida). The distinctive Door Peninsula, which extends off the eastern coast of the state, contains one of the state's most beautiful tourist destinations, Door County. The area draws thousands of visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and ever-popular fish boils.
Areas under the management of the National Park Service include the following:[8]
• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail
• North Country National Scenic Trail
• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Additionally there is one national forest managed by the US Forest Service in Wisconsin:
• Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Climate
The highest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, and was 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in Couderay, on both February 2 and 4, 1996, and was –55 °F (-48 °C).[9]
Demographics
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2000, Wisconsin had a population of 5,363,675. 6.4% of Wisconsin's population was reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population.
Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following the period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom were Cornish, who settled the southwest area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees," migrants from New England and upstate New York; in the early years of statehood, they dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics and education. Between 1850 and 1900, large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including Germans, Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian), and smaller groups of Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Finns, Irish, Poles and others. In the 20th century, large numbers of Mexicans and African Americans came, settling mainly in Milwaukee; and after end of the Vietnam War came a new influx of Hmongs.
The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%).[10] German is the most common ancestry in every county in the state, except Menominee, Trempealeau and Vernon.[11] Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state.[12] The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although Germans settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegians settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Small colonies of Belgians, Swiss, Finns and other groups settled in their particular areas, with Irish and Polish immigrants settling primarily in urban areas.[13] African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. Menominee County is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority.
86% of Wisconsin's African American population lives in five cities: Milwaukee, Racine, Madison, Kenosha and Green Bay; Milwaukee itself is home to nearly three-fourths of the state's African Americans. Milwaukee ranks in the top 10 major U.S. cities with the highest number of African Americans per capita.[citation needed] In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African Americans.
33% of Wisconsin's Asian population is Hmong, with significant communities in Milwaukee, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Appleton, Madison, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Oshkosh, and Manitowoc.[14]
Numerous ethnic festivals are held throughout Wisconsin to celebrate its heritage. Such festivals include Summerfest, Oktoberfest, Festa Italiana, Bastille Days, Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), Brat(wurst) Days in Sheboygan, Cheese Days in Monroe and Mequon, African World Festival, Indian Summer, Irish Fest and many others.
Religion
The largest denominations are Roman Catholic and Lutheran, primarily of the ELCA, Missouri Synod, and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The religious affiliations of the people of Wisconsin are shown below:[15]
• Christian – 85%
o Protestant – 55% (Lutheran–23%, Methodist–7%, Baptist–5%, Presbyterian–2%, United Church of Christ–2%, Other Protestant or general Protestant–15%)
o Roman Catholic – 29%
o Other Christian – 1%
• Other religions – 1%
• Non-religious – 15%
Economy
According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wisconsin’s gross state product was $211.7 billion. The per capita personal income was $32,157 in 2004. Wisconsin's state budget is facing a $652.3 million shortfall.[16]
The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is often perceived as a farming state. It produces more dairy products than any other state in the United States except California,[17] and leads the nation in cheese production. Wisconsin ranks second behind California in overall production of milk and butter, and it ranks third in per-capita milk production, behind Idaho and Vermont.[18] Based on poll results, a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese were chosen for Wisconsin's 50 State Quarters design.[19] Wisconsin ranks first in the production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing.
Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not surprising that a large part of the state's manufacturing sector deals with food processing. Some well-known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone frozen pizza, Johnsonville brats, and Usinger's sausage. Kraft Foods alone employs over 5,000 people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and the site of the headquarters of Miller Brewing Company, the nation's second-largest brewer. At one time, Schlitz, Blatz, and Pabst were cornerstone breweries in Milwaukee. Today, Milwaukee's economy is more diverse with an emphasis on health care. In 2004, four of the city's ten largest employers (including the top two) were part of the health care industry.[20]
The largest employers in Wisconsin in 2007 were: 1) Wal-Mart; 2) Menards; 3) Walgreens; 4) Kohl's; 5) Kohler; 6) Marshfield Clinic; 7) Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center; 8) Quad/Graphics; 9) Target Stores; and 10) Shopko.[21]
Wisconsin is also home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the Kohler Company, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls, Briggs & Stratton, Miller Electric, Milwaukee Electric Tool Company, Bucyrus International, Super Steel Products Corp., Oshkosh Truck, and Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay has 24 paper mills along its 39 mile (63 km) stretch.
The development and manufacture of health care devices and software is a growing sector of the state's economy with key players such as GE Healthcare, Epic Systems, and TomoTherapy.
Tourism is also a major industry in Wisconsin – the state's third largest, according to the Department of Tourism. This is largely attributed to the 90 attractions in the Wisconsin Dells family vacation destination area, which attracts nearly 3 million visitors per year. Tourist destinations such as the House on the Rock near Spring Green and Circus World Museum in Baraboo also draw thousands of visitors annually, and festivals such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow draw national attention along with hundreds of thousands of visitors. Door County is a popular destination for boaters due to the large number of natural harbors, bays and ports on the Bay of Green Bay and Lake Michigan side of the peninsula that forms the county.
Wisconsin collects personal income tax based on four income-level brackets, which range from 4.6% to 6.75%. The state sales and use tax rate is 5%. Fifty-nine counties have an additional sales/use tax of 0.5%.[22] The counties surrounding Milwaukee County have an additional 0.1% tax imposed upon them to fund the new baseball stadium, Miller Park, which was constructed around the turn of the century. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect 5.6% tax on their retail sales.
The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles but does levy an annual registration fee. Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts. Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agricultural uses, rather than for its possible development value. Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities, and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities.
Wisconsin does not assess a tax on intangible property. Wisconsin does not collect inheritance taxes. Wisconsin's estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposes its own estate tax on certain large estates.[23]
Law and government
The capital is Madison.
The Wisconsin State Capitol
State Executive Officers
• Governor: James Doyle, Jr. (D)
• Lieutenant Governor: Barbara Lawton (D)
• Attorney General: J.B. Van Hollen (R)
• Secretary of State: Douglas LaFollette (D)
• Treasurer: Dawn Marie Sass (D)
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Non-partisan Office): Elizabeth Burmaster
See also:
• Wisconsin Constitution
• Governors of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin State Legislature
o Wisconsin State Senate
o Wisconsin State Assembly
• Wisconsin Supreme Court
• U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin
• Map of congressional districts
• List of U.S. Senators from Wisconsin
Politics
The Little White Schoolhouse of Ripon
During the period of the Civil War, Wisconsin was a Republican and pro-Union stronghold. Ethno-religious issues in the late 19th century caused a brief split in the Republican coalition. Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party, but later of the revived Progressive Party. Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between Republicans and Democrats. Republican Senator Joe McCarthy was a controversial national figure in the early 1950s. Recent leading Republicans include former Governor Tommy Thompson and Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.; prominent Democrats include Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, and Congressman David Obey.[24]
Much of the state's political history involved coalitions among different ethnic groups. The most famous controversy dealt with foreign language teaching in schools. This was fought out in the Bennett Law campaign of 1890, when the Germans switched to the Democratic Party because of the Republican Party's support of the Bennett Law, which led to a major victory for the Democrats.
The cities of Wisconsin have been active in increasing the availability of legislative information on the internet, thereby providing for greater government transparency. Currently three of the five most populous cities in Wisconsin provide their constituents with internet based access of all public records directly from the cities’ databases. Wisconsin cities started to make this a priority after Milwaukee began doing so, on their page, in 2001. One such city, Madison, has been named the Number 1 digital city by the Center for Digital Government in consecutive years. Nearly 18 percent of Wisconsin’s population has the ability to access their municipality’s information in this way.
Lawmakers in Wisconsin
The last election in which Wisconsin supported a Republican Presidential candidate was in 1984. However, both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising because it was a "swing," or pivot, state. Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by only 5,700 votes, and John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 11,000 votes. Republicans had a stronghold in the Fox Valley but elected a Democrat, Steve Kagen, of Appleton, for the 8th Congressional District in 2006. Republicans have held Waukesha County. The City of Milwaukee heads the list of Wisconsin's Democratic strongholds, which also includes Madison and the state's Native American reservations. Wisconsin's largest Congressional district, the 7th, has been a Democratic stronghold since 1969. Its representative, David Obey, chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
• Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, "Fighting Bob" La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the controversial anti-Communist censured by the Senate during the 1950s.
• In the early 20th century, the Socialist Party of America had a base in Milwaukee. The phenomenon was referred to as "sewer socialism" because the elected officials were more concerned with public works and reform than with revolution (although revolutionary socialism existed in the city as well). Its influence faded in the late 1950s, largely because of the red scare and racial tensions.[25] The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was Emil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan, was mayor of Milwaukee from 1916 to 1940; and a third, Frank P. Zeidler, from 1948–1960. Socialist newspaper editor Victor Berger was repeatedly elected as a U.S. Representative, although he was prevented from serving for some time because of his opposition to the First World War.
• William Proxmire, a Democratic Senator (1957–89) dominated the Democratic party for years; he was best known for attacking waste and fraud in federal spending.
• Democrat Russ Feingold was the only Senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001.
• Democrat Tammy Baldwin from Madison was the first, and is currently the only, openly lesbian U.S. Representative.[26]
• In 2004, Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee, became Wisconsin's first African-American U.S. Representative.
In 2006, Democrats gained in a national sweep of opposition to the Bush administration, and the Iraq War. The retiring GOP 8th District Congressman, Mark Green, of Green Bay, ran against the former Attorney General, Jim Doyle for governor. Green lost by 8% statewide, making Doyle the first Democratic Governor to be re-elected in 32 years. The Republicans lost control of the state Senate. Although Democrats gained eight seats in the state Assembly, Republicans retained a five vote majority in that house.
Important municipalities
Wisconsin's self-promotion as "America's Dairyland" sometimes leads to a mistaken impression that it is an exclusively rural state. However, Wisconsin contains cities and towns of all sizes. Over 68% of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas, with the Greater Milwaukee area home to roughly one-third of the state's population.[27] Milwaukee is slightly larger than Boston and is at the northern edge of an urban area bordering Lake Michigan that stretches southward into greater Chicago and northwestern Indiana. With over 602,000 residents Milwaukee proper is the 22nd-largest city in the country.[28] The string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis. Madison's dual identity as state capital and college town gives it a cultural richness unusual in a city its size. With a population of around 220,000, Madison is also a very fast-growing city. Medium-size cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties.
Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more (as of the 2006 census estimate)[29] include:
• Milwaukee, population 573,358, largest city
• Madison, population 223,389, state capital
• Green Bay, population 100,353
• Kenosha, population 96,240, part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area
• Racine, population 79,592, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Appleton, population 70,191
• Waukesha, population 67,814 part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Oshkosh, population 64,084
• Eau Claire, population 63,297
• Janesville, population 62,998
• West Allis, population 58,710, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• La Crosse, population 50,266
Education
Colleges and universities
Wisconsin, along with Minnesota and Michigan, was among the Midwestern leaders in the emergent American state university movement following the Civil War in the United States. By the turn of the century, education in the state advocated the "Wisconsin Idea," which emphasized for service to the people of the state. The "Wisconsin Idea" exemplified the Progressive movement within colleges and universities at the time.[30] Today, public education in Wisconsin includes both the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System, headquartered in Madison, and the 16-campus Wisconsin Technical College System which coordinates with the University of Wisconsin. Notable private colleges and universities include Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Edgewood College, Beloit College, and Lawrence University, among others.
See also: List of colleges and universities in Wisconsin
See also: List of high schools in Wisconsin
See also: List of school districts in Wisconsin
Music
Music stage at Summerfest in 1994, currently called the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, with Downtown Milwaukee and an approach to the Hoan Bridge in the background.
Wisconsin has more country music festivals than any other state,[citation needed] including Miller Lite Presents Country Fest, Bud Light Presents Country Jam USA, the Coors Hodag Country Festival, and the ever-popular Ford Presents Country USA.
SummerFest
The state's largest city, Milwaukee, also hosts "The World's Largest Music Festival," Summerfest, every year. This festival is held at the lakefront Henry Maier Festival Park just south of downtown.
Sports
Main article: Sports in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in three sports: American football, baseball, and basketball. Lambeau Field, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin is home to the National Football League's Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been part of the NFL since the league's second season in 1921 and currently hold the record for the most NFL titles, earning the city of Green Bay the self-given nickname "Titletown". The Green Bay Packers are one of the most successful small-market professional sports franchises in the world and have won 12 NFL championships, including the first two AFL-NFL Championship games (Super Bowls I and II) and Super Bowl XXXI. The city fully supports their team, as evidenced by the 60,000 person waiting list for season tickets to Lambeau Field, which is referred to as the "frozen tundra" and is considered by many football enthusiasts to be "hallowed ground." The Milwaukee Brewers, the state's major league baseball team, are based out of Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before Miller Park was opened in 2001, the Brewers played their home games at County Stadium. In 1982, the Brewers won the American League Championship, marking their most successful season. The Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association play home games at the Bradley Center. The Bucks won the NBA Championship in 1971. The state also has minor league teams in hockey (Milwaukee Admirals) and baseball (the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, based in Appleton.)
In addition to professional teams, Wisconsin is home to many successful college sports programs. The Wisconsin Badgers, teams based out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, hold many NCAA division championship titles in their respective sports. This includes a historic dual-championship in 2006 when both the women's and men's hockey teams won national titles. The Wisconsin football team has also seen much success after the hiring of Barry Alvarez as head coach. Alvarez lead the Badgers to three Rose Bowl victories, including back to back victories in the years 1999 and 2000. The Badgers football program, playing at Camp Randall Stadium, enjoys similar loyalty to the Packers; both teams are known to sell out their entire schedules far in advance.
The Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference are the state's other major collegiate program. They are known nationally for their Men's Basketball team which, under the direction of Al McGuire, won the NCAA National Championship in 1977. The team, led by Dwyane Wade, returned to the Final Four in 2003.
Miscellaneous topics
The Milwaukee Art Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.
Known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin is also known for cheese. Citizens of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites, although a common nickname (sometimes used pejoratively) among non-residents is "Cheeseheads." This is due to the prevalence and quality of cheesemaking in the state, and for the novelty hats made of yellow foam in the shape of a triangular block of cheese. Cheese curds are an extremely popular treat, exported as gifts throughout the country. The state is also known for its alcohol production and consumption, and it is historically home to a large number of breweries and bars per capita. A lesser known, but still significant nickname for Wisconsin is "The Copper State," referring to the copper mines in the northwestern part of the state.
Wisconsin is very popular for outdoor activities especially hunting and fishing. One of the most popular game animals is the Whitetail deer. In 2005, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported the population of Wisconsin's deer herd to be about 1.4-1.5 million. It is common for over 600,000 deer hunting licenses to be sold each year.[31] Visitors to Wisconsin during the Thanksgiving holiday will see many hunters in rural areas wearing blaze orange gear for Wisconsin's gun-deer hunting season.
The Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee is known for its unique architecture. The Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens cover over 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land on the far west side of the city. Madison is home to the Vilas Zoo which is free for all visitors, and the Olbrich Gardens conservatory, as well as the hub of cultural activity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is also known for Monona Terrace, a convention center that was designed by Taliesin Architect Anthony Puttnam, based loosely on a 1930s design by Frank Lloyd Wright, a world-renowned architect and Wisconsin native who was born in Richland Center.[32] Wright's home and studio in the 20th century was at Taliesin, south of Spring Green. Decades after Wright's death, Taliesin remains an architectural office and school for his followers.
Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germany's Hesse, Japan's Chiba Prefecture, Mexico's Jalisco, China's Heilongjiang, and Nicaragua.[33]
The shape of the Wisconsin along with the Door County peninsula, have lead many of its residents to refer the state in the shape of a hand. Often pointing on their hand to someone unfamiliar with certain locations.
Langlade has a unique soil that is rarely found outside of the county called Antigo Silt Loam.
Badger State
State Animal: Badger
State Domesticated Animal: Dairy Cow
State Wild Animal: White-tailed Deer
State Beverage: Milk
State Fruit: Cranberry
State Bird: Robin
State Capital: Madison
State Dog: American Water Spaniel
State Fish: Muskellunge
State Flower: Wood Violet
State Fossil: Trilobite
State Grain: Corn
State Insect: European honey bee
State Motto: Forward
State Song: "On, Wisconsin!"
State Tree: Sugar Maple
State Mineral: Galena (Lead sulfide)
State Rock: Red Granite
State Soil: Antigo Silt Loam
State Dance: Polka
State Symbol of Peace: Mourning Dove
State Rock: Red Granite
State Soil: Antigo Silt Loam
WISCONSIN
Dells Boats
We can see www.dellsboats.com site for the tour details.
Jean_Nicolet
Capitol_Madison
Bluff
Wisconsin_welcome_sign
Wisconsin
Wisconsin (Pronunciation (help•info) IPA: /wɪsˈkɒnsɨn/ or IPA: /wɪˈskɒnsɨn/) (French: Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States. It borders two of the five Great Lakes, and four other U.S. states (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota). Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee.
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
o 2.1 Introduction to the West
o 2.2 Borders
o 2.3 Economy
• 3 Geography
o 3.1 Climate
• 4 Demographics
o 4.1 Religion
• 5 Economy
• 6 Law and government
o 6.1 Politics
o 6.2 Lawmakers in Wisconsin
• 7 Important municipalities
• 8 Education
o 8.1 Colleges and universities
• 9 Music
o 9.1 SummerFest
• 10 Sports
• 11 Miscellaneous topics
• 12 See also
• 13 Footnotes
• 14 Bibliography
• 15 External links
EtymologyThe word Wisconsin has its origins in the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact.[3] French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousing in his journal.[4] This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsin by other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th Century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.[5]
Through the course of its many variations, the Algonquian source word for Wisconsin, together with its original meaning, have grown obscure. However, a leading theory holds that the name originated from the Miami word Meskonsing, meaning "it lies red", a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows by the reddish sandstone of the Wisconsin Dells.[6] Numerous other theories have also been widely publicized, including claims that name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning "red stone place," "gathering of the waters," or "great rock."[7]
History
Introduction to the West
In 1634, the Frenchman Jean Nicolet was the first European to explore Wisconsin. He founded the Green Bay colony. During the next 100 years, the area was settled primarily by French fur traders. France then transferred the territory to Britain in 1763. The United States acquired the Wisconsin territory after the Revolution in 1783 but it remained under British administration until the War of 1812. The nineteenth century saw settlement by Yankees, Cornish miners, and German, Scandinavian and Swiss settlers.
Wisconsin, bordered by the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois, as well as Lakes Michigan and Superior, has been part of United States' territory since the end of the American Revolution; the Wisconsin Territory (which included parts of other current states) was formed on July 3, 1836. Wisconsin ratified its constitution on March 13, 1848, and was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state.
Economy
Wisconsin's economy was originally based on farming (especially dairy), mining, and lumbering. In the 20th century, tourism became important, and many people living on former farms commuted to jobs elsewhere. Large-scale industrialization began in the late 19th century in the southeast of the state, with the city of Milwaukee as its major center. In recent decades, service industries, especially medicine and education, have become dominant. Wisconsin's landscape, largely shaped by the Wisconsin glaciation of the last Ice Age, makes the state popular for both tourism and many forms of outdoor recreation.
Geography
The state is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1.5 million acre (6,000 km²) Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the state's highest point, Timms Hill. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River. This region is part of the Driftless Area, which also includes portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. This area was not covered by glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation.
The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin is characterized by bluffs carved in sedimentary rock by water from melting Ice Age glaciers.
Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest.
The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a popular vacation destination for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin has many lakes of varied size; in fact Wisconsin contains 11,188 square miles (28,977 km²) of water, more than all but three other states (Alaska, Michigan and Florida). The distinctive Door Peninsula, which extends off the eastern coast of the state, contains one of the state's most beautiful tourist destinations, Door County. The area draws thousands of visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and ever-popular fish boils.
Areas under the management of the National Park Service include the following:[8]
• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail
• North Country National Scenic Trail
• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Additionally there is one national forest managed by the US Forest Service in Wisconsin:
• Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Climate
The highest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, and was 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in Couderay, on both February 2 and 4, 1996, and was –55 °F (-48 °C).[9]
Demographics
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2000, Wisconsin had a population of 5,363,675. 6.4% of Wisconsin's population was reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population.
Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following the period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom were Cornish, who settled the southwest area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees," migrants from New England and upstate New York; in the early years of statehood, they dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics and education. Between 1850 and 1900, large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including Germans, Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian), and smaller groups of Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Finns, Irish, Poles and others. In the 20th century, large numbers of Mexicans and African Americans came, settling mainly in Milwaukee; and after end of the Vietnam War came a new influx of Hmongs.
The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%).[10] German is the most common ancestry in every county in the state, except Menominee, Trempealeau and Vernon.[11] Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state.[12] The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although Germans settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegians settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Small colonies of Belgians, Swiss, Finns and other groups settled in their particular areas, with Irish and Polish immigrants settling primarily in urban areas.[13] African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. Menominee County is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority.
86% of Wisconsin's African American population lives in five cities: Milwaukee, Racine, Madison, Kenosha and Green Bay; Milwaukee itself is home to nearly three-fourths of the state's African Americans. Milwaukee ranks in the top 10 major U.S. cities with the highest number of African Americans per capita.[citation needed] In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African Americans.
33% of Wisconsin's Asian population is Hmong, with significant communities in Milwaukee, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Appleton, Madison, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Oshkosh, and Manitowoc.[14]
Numerous ethnic festivals are held throughout Wisconsin to celebrate its heritage. Such festivals include Summerfest, Oktoberfest, Festa Italiana, Bastille Days, Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), Brat(wurst) Days in Sheboygan, Cheese Days in Monroe and Mequon, African World Festival, Indian Summer, Irish Fest and many others.
Religion
The largest denominations are Roman Catholic and Lutheran, primarily of the ELCA, Missouri Synod, and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The religious affiliations of the people of Wisconsin are shown below:[15]
• Christian – 85%
o Protestant – 55% (Lutheran–23%, Methodist–7%, Baptist–5%, Presbyterian–2%, United Church of Christ–2%, Other Protestant or general Protestant–15%)
o Roman Catholic – 29%
o Other Christian – 1%
• Other religions – 1%
• Non-religious – 15%
Economy
According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wisconsin’s gross state product was $211.7 billion. The per capita personal income was $32,157 in 2004. Wisconsin's state budget is facing a $652.3 million shortfall.[16]
The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is often perceived as a farming state. It produces more dairy products than any other state in the United States except California,[17] and leads the nation in cheese production. Wisconsin ranks second behind California in overall production of milk and butter, and it ranks third in per-capita milk production, behind Idaho and Vermont.[18] Based on poll results, a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese were chosen for Wisconsin's 50 State Quarters design.[19] Wisconsin ranks first in the production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing.
Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not surprising that a large part of the state's manufacturing sector deals with food processing. Some well-known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone frozen pizza, Johnsonville brats, and Usinger's sausage. Kraft Foods alone employs over 5,000 people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and the site of the headquarters of Miller Brewing Company, the nation's second-largest brewer. At one time, Schlitz, Blatz, and Pabst were cornerstone breweries in Milwaukee. Today, Milwaukee's economy is more diverse with an emphasis on health care. In 2004, four of the city's ten largest employers (including the top two) were part of the health care industry.[20]
The largest employers in Wisconsin in 2007 were: 1) Wal-Mart; 2) Menards; 3) Walgreens; 4) Kohl's; 5) Kohler; 6) Marshfield Clinic; 7) Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center; 8) Quad/Graphics; 9) Target Stores; and 10) Shopko.[21]
Wisconsin is also home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the Kohler Company, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls, Briggs & Stratton, Miller Electric, Milwaukee Electric Tool Company, Bucyrus International, Super Steel Products Corp., Oshkosh Truck, and Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay has 24 paper mills along its 39 mile (63 km) stretch.
The development and manufacture of health care devices and software is a growing sector of the state's economy with key players such as GE Healthcare, Epic Systems, and TomoTherapy.
Tourism is also a major industry in Wisconsin – the state's third largest, according to the Department of Tourism. This is largely attributed to the 90 attractions in the Wisconsin Dells family vacation destination area, which attracts nearly 3 million visitors per year. Tourist destinations such as the House on the Rock near Spring Green and Circus World Museum in Baraboo also draw thousands of visitors annually, and festivals such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow draw national attention along with hundreds of thousands of visitors. Door County is a popular destination for boaters due to the large number of natural harbors, bays and ports on the Bay of Green Bay and Lake Michigan side of the peninsula that forms the county.
Wisconsin collects personal income tax based on four income-level brackets, which range from 4.6% to 6.75%. The state sales and use tax rate is 5%. Fifty-nine counties have an additional sales/use tax of 0.5%.[22] The counties surrounding Milwaukee County have an additional 0.1% tax imposed upon them to fund the new baseball stadium, Miller Park, which was constructed around the turn of the century. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect 5.6% tax on their retail sales.
The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles but does levy an annual registration fee. Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts. Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agricultural uses, rather than for its possible development value. Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities, and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities.
Wisconsin does not assess a tax on intangible property. Wisconsin does not collect inheritance taxes. Wisconsin's estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposes its own estate tax on certain large estates.[23]
Law and government
The capital is Madison.
The Wisconsin State Capitol
State Executive Officers
• Governor: James Doyle, Jr. (D)
• Lieutenant Governor: Barbara Lawton (D)
• Attorney General: J.B. Van Hollen (R)
• Secretary of State: Douglas LaFollette (D)
• Treasurer: Dawn Marie Sass (D)
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Non-partisan Office): Elizabeth Burmaster
See also:
• Wisconsin Constitution
• Governors of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin State Legislature
o Wisconsin State Senate
o Wisconsin State Assembly
• Wisconsin Supreme Court
• U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin
• Map of congressional districts
• List of U.S. Senators from Wisconsin
Politics
The Little White Schoolhouse of Ripon
During the period of the Civil War, Wisconsin was a Republican and pro-Union stronghold. Ethno-religious issues in the late 19th century caused a brief split in the Republican coalition. Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party, but later of the revived Progressive Party. Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between Republicans and Democrats. Republican Senator Joe McCarthy was a controversial national figure in the early 1950s. Recent leading Republicans include former Governor Tommy Thompson and Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.; prominent Democrats include Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, and Congressman David Obey.[24]
Much of the state's political history involved coalitions among different ethnic groups. The most famous controversy dealt with foreign language teaching in schools. This was fought out in the Bennett Law campaign of 1890, when the Germans switched to the Democratic Party because of the Republican Party's support of the Bennett Law, which led to a major victory for the Democrats.
The cities of Wisconsin have been active in increasing the availability of legislative information on the internet, thereby providing for greater government transparency. Currently three of the five most populous cities in Wisconsin provide their constituents with internet based access of all public records directly from the cities’ databases. Wisconsin cities started to make this a priority after Milwaukee began doing so, on their page, in 2001. One such city, Madison, has been named the Number 1 digital city by the Center for Digital Government in consecutive years. Nearly 18 percent of Wisconsin’s population has the ability to access their municipality’s information in this way.
Lawmakers in Wisconsin
The last election in which Wisconsin supported a Republican Presidential candidate was in 1984. However, both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising because it was a "swing," or pivot, state. Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by only 5,700 votes, and John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 11,000 votes. Republicans had a stronghold in the Fox Valley but elected a Democrat, Steve Kagen, of Appleton, for the 8th Congressional District in 2006. Republicans have held Waukesha County. The City of Milwaukee heads the list of Wisconsin's Democratic strongholds, which also includes Madison and the state's Native American reservations. Wisconsin's largest Congressional district, the 7th, has been a Democratic stronghold since 1969. Its representative, David Obey, chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
• Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, "Fighting Bob" La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the controversial anti-Communist censured by the Senate during the 1950s.
• In the early 20th century, the Socialist Party of America had a base in Milwaukee. The phenomenon was referred to as "sewer socialism" because the elected officials were more concerned with public works and reform than with revolution (although revolutionary socialism existed in the city as well). Its influence faded in the late 1950s, largely because of the red scare and racial tensions.[25] The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was Emil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan, was mayor of Milwaukee from 1916 to 1940; and a third, Frank P. Zeidler, from 1948–1960. Socialist newspaper editor Victor Berger was repeatedly elected as a U.S. Representative, although he was prevented from serving for some time because of his opposition to the First World War.
• William Proxmire, a Democratic Senator (1957–89) dominated the Democratic party for years; he was best known for attacking waste and fraud in federal spending.
• Democrat Russ Feingold was the only Senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001.
• Democrat Tammy Baldwin from Madison was the first, and is currently the only, openly lesbian U.S. Representative.[26]
• In 2004, Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee, became Wisconsin's first African-American U.S. Representative.
In 2006, Democrats gained in a national sweep of opposition to the Bush administration, and the Iraq War. The retiring GOP 8th District Congressman, Mark Green, of Green Bay, ran against the former Attorney General, Jim Doyle for governor. Green lost by 8% statewide, making Doyle the first Democratic Governor to be re-elected in 32 years. The Republicans lost control of the state Senate. Although Democrats gained eight seats in the state Assembly, Republicans retained a five vote majority in that house.
Important municipalities
Wisconsin's self-promotion as "America's Dairyland" sometimes leads to a mistaken impression that it is an exclusively rural state. However, Wisconsin contains cities and towns of all sizes. Over 68% of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas, with the Greater Milwaukee area home to roughly one-third of the state's population.[27] Milwaukee is slightly larger than Boston and is at the northern edge of an urban area bordering Lake Michigan that stretches southward into greater Chicago and northwestern Indiana. With over 602,000 residents Milwaukee proper is the 22nd-largest city in the country.[28] The string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis. Madison's dual identity as state capital and college town gives it a cultural richness unusual in a city its size. With a population of around 220,000, Madison is also a very fast-growing city. Medium-size cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties.
Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more (as of the 2006 census estimate)[29] include:
• Milwaukee, population 573,358, largest city
• Madison, population 223,389, state capital
• Green Bay, population 100,353
• Kenosha, population 96,240, part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area
• Racine, population 79,592, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Appleton, population 70,191
• Waukesha, population 67,814 part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Oshkosh, population 64,084
• Eau Claire, population 63,297
• Janesville, population 62,998
• West Allis, population 58,710, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• La Crosse, population 50,266
Education
Colleges and universities
Wisconsin, along with Minnesota and Michigan, was among the Midwestern leaders in the emergent American state university movement following the Civil War in the United States. By the turn of the century, education in the state advocated the "Wisconsin Idea," which emphasized for service to the people of the state. The "Wisconsin Idea" exemplified the Progressive movement within colleges and universities at the time.[30] Today, public education in Wisconsin includes both the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System, headquartered in Madison, and the 16-campus Wisconsin Technical College System which coordinates with the University of Wisconsin. Notable private colleges and universities include Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Edgewood College, Beloit College, and Lawrence University, among others.
See also: List of colleges and universities in Wisconsin
See also: List of high schools in Wisconsin
See also: List of school districts in Wisconsin
Music
Music stage at Summerfest in 1994, currently called the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, with Downtown Milwaukee and an approach to the Hoan Bridge in the background.
Wisconsin has more country music festivals than any other state,[citation needed] including Miller Lite Presents Country Fest, Bud Light Presents Country Jam USA, the Coors Hodag Country Festival, and the ever-popular Ford Presents Country USA.
SummerFest
The state's largest city, Milwaukee, also hosts "The World's Largest Music Festival," Summerfest, every year. This festival is held at the lakefront Henry Maier Festival Park just south of downtown.
Sports
Main article: Sports in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in three sports: American football, baseball, and basketball. Lambeau Field, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin is home to the National Football League's Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been part of the NFL since the league's second season in 1921 and currently hold the record for the most NFL titles, earning the city of Green Bay the self-given nickname "Titletown". The Green Bay Packers are one of the most successful small-market professional sports franchises in the world and have won 12 NFL championships, including the first two AFL-NFL Championship games (Super Bowls I and II) and Super Bowl XXXI. The city fully supports their team, as evidenced by the 60,000 person waiting list for season tickets to Lambeau Field, which is referred to as the "frozen tundra" and is considered by many football enthusiasts to be "hallowed ground." The Milwaukee Brewers, the state's major league baseball team, are based out of Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before Miller Park was opened in 2001, the Brewers played their home games at County Stadium. In 1982, the Brewers won the American League Championship, marking their most successful season. The Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association play home games at the Bradley Center. The Bucks won the NBA Championship in 1971. The state also has minor league teams in hockey (Milwaukee Admirals) and baseball (the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, based in Appleton.)
In addition to professional teams, Wisconsin is home to many successful college sports programs. The Wisconsin Badgers, teams based out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, hold many NCAA division championship titles in their respective sports. This includes a historic dual-championship in 2006 when both the women's and men's hockey teams won national titles. The Wisconsin football team has also seen much success after the hiring of Barry Alvarez as head coach. Alvarez lead the Badgers to three Rose Bowl victories, including back to back victories in the years 1999 and 2000. The Badgers football program, playing at Camp Randall Stadium, enjoys similar loyalty to the Packers; both teams are known to sell out their entire schedules far in advance.
The Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference are the state's other major collegiate program. They are known nationally for their Men's Basketball team which, under the direction of Al McGuire, won the NCAA National Championship in 1977. The team, led by Dwyane Wade, returned to the Final Four in 2003.
Miscellaneous topics
The Milwaukee Art Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.
Known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin is also known for cheese. Citizens of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites, although a common nickname (sometimes used pejoratively) among non-residents is "Cheeseheads." This is due to the prevalence and quality of cheesemaking in the state, and for the novelty hats made of yellow foam in the shape of a triangular block of cheese. Cheese curds are an extremely popular treat, exported as gifts throughout the country. The state is also known for its alcohol production and consumption, and it is historically home to a large number of breweries and bars per capita. A lesser known, but still significant nickname for Wisconsin is "The Copper State," referring to the copper mines in the northwestern part of the state.
Wisconsin is very popular for outdoor activities especially hunting and fishing. One of the most popular game animals is the Whitetail deer. In 2005, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported the population of Wisconsin's deer herd to be about 1.4-1.5 million. It is common for over 600,000 deer hunting licenses to be sold each year.[31] Visitors to Wisconsin during the Thanksgiving holiday will see many hunters in rural areas wearing blaze orange gear for Wisconsin's gun-deer hunting season.
The Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee is known for its unique architecture. The Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens cover over 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land on the far west side of the city. Madison is home to the Vilas Zoo which is free for all visitors, and the Olbrich Gardens conservatory, as well as the hub of cultural activity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is also known for Monona Terrace, a convention center that was designed by Taliesin Architect Anthony Puttnam, based loosely on a 1930s design by Frank Lloyd Wright, a world-renowned architect and Wisconsin native who was born in Richland Center.[32] Wright's home and studio in the 20th century was at Taliesin, south of Spring Green. Decades after Wright's death, Taliesin remains an architectural office and school for his followers.
Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germany's Hesse, Japan's Chiba Prefecture, Mexico's Jalisco, China's Heilongjiang, and Nicaragua.[33]
The shape of the Wisconsin along with the Door County peninsula, have lead many of its residents to refer the state in the shape of a hand. Often pointing on their hand to someone unfamiliar with certain locations.
Langlade has a unique soil that is rarely found outside of the county called Antigo Silt Loam.
Badger State
State Animal:
Badger
State Domesticated Animal: Dairy Cow
State Wild Animal: White-tailed Deer
State Beverage: Milk
State Fruit: Cranberry
State Bird: Robin
State Capital: Madison
State Dog: American Water Spaniel
State Fish: Muskellunge
State Flower: Wood Violet
State Fossil: Trilobite
State Grain: Corn
State Insect: European honey bee
State Motto: Forward
State Song: On, Wisconsin!"
State Tree: Sugar Maple
State Mineral:Wisconsin
Wisconsin (Pronunciation (help•info) IPA: /wɪsˈkɒnsɨn/ or IPA: /wɪˈskɒnsɨn/) (French: Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States. It borders two of the five Great Lakes, and four other U.S. states (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota). Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee.
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
o 2.1 Introduction to the West
o 2.2 Borders
o 2.3 Economy
• 3 Geography
o 3.1 Climate
• 4 Demographics
o 4.1 Religion
• 5 Economy
• 6 Law and government
o 6.1 Politics
o 6.2 Lawmakers in Wisconsin
• 7 Important municipalities
• 8 Education
o 8.1 Colleges and universities
• 9 Music
o 9.1 SummerFest
• 10 Sports
• 11 Miscellaneous topics
• 12 See also
• 13 Footnotes
• 14 Bibliography
• 15 External links
EtymologyThe word Wisconsin has its origins in the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact.[3] French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousing in his journal.[4] This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsin by other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th Century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.[5]
Through the course of its many variations, the Algonquian source word for Wisconsin, together with its original meaning, have grown obscure. However, a leading theory holds that the name originated from the Miami word Meskonsing, meaning "it lies red", a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows by the reddish sandstone of the Wisconsin Dells.[6] Numerous other theories have also been widely publicized, including claims that name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning "red stone place," "gathering of the waters," or "great rock."[7]
History
Introduction to the West
In 1634, the Frenchman Jean Nicolet was the first European to explore Wisconsin. He founded the Green Bay colony. During the next 100 years, the area was settled primarily by French fur traders. France then transferred the territory to Britain in 1763. The United States acquired the Wisconsin territory after the Revolution in 1783 but it remained under British administration until the War of 1812. The nineteenth century saw settlement by Yankees, Cornish miners, and German, Scandinavian and Swiss settlers.
Wisconsin, bordered by the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois, as well as Lakes Michigan and Superior, has been part of United States' territory since the end of the American Revolution; the Wisconsin Territory (which included parts of other current states) was formed on July 3, 1836. Wisconsin ratified its constitution on March 13, 1848, and was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state.
Economy
Wisconsin's economy was originally based on farming (especially dairy), mining, and lumbering. In the 20th century, tourism became important, and many people living on former farms commuted to jobs elsewhere. Large-scale industrialization began in the late 19th century in the southeast of the state, with the city of Milwaukee as its major center. In recent decades, service industries, especially medicine and education, have become dominant. Wisconsin's landscape, largely shaped by the Wisconsin glaciation of the last Ice Age, makes the state popular for both tourism and many forms of outdoor recreation.
Geography
The state is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1.5 million acre (6,000 km²) Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the state's highest point, Timms Hill. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River. This region is part of the Driftless Area, which also includes portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. This area was not covered by glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation.
The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin is characterized by bluffs carved in sedimentary rock by water from melting Ice Age glaciers.
Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest.
The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a popular vacation destination for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin has many lakes of varied size; in fact Wisconsin contains 11,188 square miles (28,977 km²) of water, more than all but three other states (Alaska, Michigan and Florida). The distinctive Door Peninsula, which extends off the eastern coast of the state, contains one of the state's most beautiful tourist destinations, Door County. The area draws thousands of visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and ever-popular fish boils.
Areas under the management of the National Park Service include the following:[8]
• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail
• North Country National Scenic Trail
• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Additionally there is one national forest managed by the US Forest Service in Wisconsin:
• Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Climate
The highest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, and was 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in Couderay, on both February 2 and 4, 1996, and was –55 °F (-48 °C).[9]
Demographics
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2000, Wisconsin had a population of 5,363,675. 6.4% of Wisconsin's population was reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population.
Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following the period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom were Cornish, who settled the southwest area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees," migrants from New England and upstate New York; in the early years of statehood, they dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics and education. Between 1850 and 1900, large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including Germans, Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian), and smaller groups of Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Finns, Irish, Poles and others. In the 20th century, large numbers of Mexicans and African Americans came, settling mainly in Milwaukee; and after end of the Vietnam War came a new influx of Hmongs.
The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%).[10] German is the most common ancestry in every county in the state, except Menominee, Trempealeau and Vernon.[11] Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state.[12] The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although Germans settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegians settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Small colonies of Belgians, Swiss, Finns and other groups settled in their particular areas, with Irish and Polish immigrants settling primarily in urban areas.[13] African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. Menominee County is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority.
86% of Wisconsin's African American population lives in five cities: Milwaukee, Racine, Madison, Kenosha and Green Bay; Milwaukee itself is home to nearly three-fourths of the state's African Americans. Milwaukee ranks in the top 10 major U.S. cities with the highest number of African Americans per capita.[citation needed] In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African Americans.
33% of Wisconsin's Asian population is Hmong, with significant communities in Milwaukee, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Appleton, Madison, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Oshkosh, and Manitowoc.[14]
Numerous ethnic festivals are held throughout Wisconsin to celebrate its heritage. Such festivals include Summerfest, Oktoberfest, Festa Italiana, Bastille Days, Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), Brat(wurst) Days in Sheboygan, Cheese Days in Monroe and Mequon, African World Festival, Indian Summer, Irish Fest and many others.
Religion
The largest denominations are Roman Catholic and Lutheran, primarily of the ELCA, Missouri Synod, and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The religious affiliations of the people of Wisconsin are shown below:[15]
• Christian – 85%
o Protestant – 55% (Lutheran–23%, Methodist–7%, Baptist–5%, Presbyterian–2%, United Church of Christ–2%, Other Protestant or general Protestant–15%)
o Roman Catholic – 29%
o Other Christian – 1%
• Other religions – 1%
• Non-religious – 15%
Economy
According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wisconsin’s gross state product was $211.7 billion. The per capita personal income was $32,157 in 2004. Wisconsin's state budget is facing a $652.3 million shortfall.[16]
The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is often perceived as a farming state. It produces more dairy products than any other state in the United States except California,[17] and leads the nation in cheese production. Wisconsin ranks second behind California in overall production of milk and butter, and it ranks third in per-capita milk production, behind Idaho and Vermont.[18] Based on poll results, a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese were chosen for Wisconsin's 50 State Quarters design.[19] Wisconsin ranks first in the production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing.
Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not surprising that a large part of the state's manufacturing sector deals with food processing. Some well-known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone frozen pizza, Johnsonville brats, and Usinger's sausage. Kraft Foods alone employs over 5,000 people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and the site of the headquarters of Miller Brewing Company, the nation's second-largest brewer. At one time, Schlitz, Blatz, and Pabst were cornerstone breweries in Milwaukee. Today, Milwaukee's economy is more diverse with an emphasis on health care. In 2004, four of the city's ten largest employers (including the top two) were part of the health care industry.[20]
The largest employers in Wisconsin in 2007 were: 1) Wal-Mart; 2) Menards; 3) Walgreens; 4) Kohl's; 5) Kohler; 6) Marshfield Clinic; 7) Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center; 8) Quad/Graphics; 9) Target Stores; and 10) Shopko.[21]
Wisconsin is also home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the Kohler Company, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls, Briggs & Stratton, Miller Electric, Milwaukee Electric Tool Company, Bucyrus International, Super Steel Products Corp., Oshkosh Truck, and Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay has 24 paper mills along its 39 mile (63 km) stretch.
The development and manufacture of health care devices and software is a growing sector of the state's economy with key players such as GE Healthcare, Epic Systems, and TomoTherapy.
Tourism is also a major industry in Wisconsin – the state's third largest, according to the Department of Tourism. This is largely attributed to the 90 attractions in the Wisconsin Dells family vacation destination area, which attracts nearly 3 million visitors per year. Tourist destinations such as the House on the Rock near Spring Green and Circus World Museum in Baraboo also draw thousands of visitors annually, and festivals such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow draw national attention along with hundreds of thousands of visitors. Door County is a popular destination for boaters due to the large number of natural harbors, bays and ports on the Bay of Green Bay and Lake Michigan side of the peninsula that forms the county.
Wisconsin collects personal income tax based on four income-level brackets, which range from 4.6% to 6.75%. The state sales and use tax rate is 5%. Fifty-nine counties have an additional sales/use tax of 0.5%.[22] The counties surrounding Milwaukee County have an additional 0.1% tax imposed upon them to fund the new baseball stadium, Miller Park, which was constructed around the turn of the century. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect 5.6% tax on their retail sales.
The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles but does levy an annual registration fee. Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts. Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agricultural uses, rather than for its possible development value. Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities, and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities.
Wisconsin does not assess a tax on intangible property. Wisconsin does not collect inheritance taxes. Wisconsin's estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposes its own estate tax on certain large estates.[23]
Law and government
The capital is Madison.
The Wisconsin State Capitol
State Executive Officers
• Governor: James Doyle, Jr. (D)
• Lieutenant Governor: Barbara Lawton (D)
• Attorney General: J.B. Van Hollen (R)
• Secretary of State: Douglas LaFollette (D)
• Treasurer: Dawn Marie Sass (D)
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Non-partisan Office): Elizabeth Burmaster
See also:
• Wisconsin Constitution
• Governors of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin State Legislature
o Wisconsin State Senate
o Wisconsin State Assembly
• Wisconsin Supreme Court
• U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin
• Map of congressional districts
• List of U.S. Senators from Wisconsin
Politics
The Little White Schoolhouse of Ripon
During the period of the Civil War, Wisconsin was a Republican and pro-Union stronghold. Ethno-religious issues in the late 19th century caused a brief split in the Republican coalition. Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party, but later of the revived Progressive Party. Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between Republicans and Democrats. Republican Senator Joe McCarthy was a controversial national figure in the early 1950s. Recent leading Republicans include former Governor Tommy Thompson and Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.; prominent Democrats include Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, and Congressman David Obey.[24]
Much of the state's political history involved coalitions among different ethnic groups. The most famous controversy dealt with foreign language teaching in schools. This was fought out in the Bennett Law campaign of 1890, when the Germans switched to the Democratic Party because of the Republican Party's support of the Bennett Law, which led to a major victory for the Democrats.
The cities of Wisconsin have been active in increasing the availability of legislative information on the internet, thereby providing for greater government transparency. Currently three of the five most populous cities in Wisconsin provide their constituents with internet based access of all public records directly from the cities’ databases. Wisconsin cities started to make this a priority after Milwaukee began doing so, on their page, in 2001. One such city, Madison, has been named the Number 1 digital city by the Center for Digital Government in consecutive years. Nearly 18 percent of Wisconsin’s population has the ability to access their municipality’s information in this way.
Lawmakers in Wisconsin
The last election in which Wisconsin supported a Republican Presidential candidate was in 1984. However, both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising because it was a "swing," or pivot, state. Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by only 5,700 votes, and John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 11,000 votes. Republicans had a stronghold in the Fox Valley but elected a Democrat, Steve Kagen, of Appleton, for the 8th Congressional District in 2006. Republicans have held Waukesha County. The City of Milwaukee heads the list of Wisconsin's Democratic strongholds, which also includes Madison and the state's Native American reservations. Wisconsin's largest Congressional district, the 7th, has been a Democratic stronghold since 1969. Its representative, David Obey, chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
• Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, "Fighting Bob" La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the controversial anti-Communist censured by the Senate during the 1950s.
• In the early 20th century, the Socialist Party of America had a base in Milwaukee. The phenomenon was referred to as "sewer socialism" because the elected officials were more concerned with public works and reform than with revolution (although revolutionary socialism existed in the city as well). Its influence faded in the late 1950s, largely because of the red scare and racial tensions.[25] The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was Emil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan, was mayor of Milwaukee from 1916 to 1940; and a third, Frank P. Zeidler, from 1948–1960. Socialist newspaper editor Victor Berger was repeatedly elected as a U.S. Representative, although he was prevented from serving for some time because of his opposition to the First World War.
• William Proxmire, a Democratic Senator (1957–89) dominated the Democratic party for years; he was best known for attacking waste and fraud in federal spending.
• Democrat Russ Feingold was the only Senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001.
• Democrat Tammy Baldwin from Madison was the first, and is currently the only, openly lesbian U.S. Representative.[26]
• In 2004, Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee, became Wisconsin's first African-American U.S. Representative.
In 2006, Democrats gained in a national sweep of opposition to the Bush administration, and the Iraq War. The retiring GOP 8th District Congressman, Mark Green, of Green Bay, ran against the former Attorney General, Jim Doyle for governor. Green lost by 8% statewide, making Doyle the first Democratic Governor to be re-elected in 32 years. The Republicans lost control of the state Senate. Although Democrats gained eight seats in the state Assembly, Republicans retained a five vote majority in that house.
Important municipalities
Wisconsin's self-promotion as "America's Dairyland" sometimes leads to a mistaken impression that it is an exclusively rural state. However, Wisconsin contains cities and towns of all sizes. Over 68% of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas, with the Greater Milwaukee area home to roughly one-third of the state's population.[27] Milwaukee is slightly larger than Boston and is at the northern edge of an urban area bordering Lake Michigan that stretches southward into greater Chicago and northwestern Indiana. With over 602,000 residents Milwaukee proper is the 22nd-largest city in the country.[28] The string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis. Madison's dual identity as state capital and college town gives it a cultural richness unusual in a city its size. With a population of around 220,000, Madison is also a very fast-growing city. Medium-size cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties.
Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more (as of the 2006 census estimate)[29] include:
• Milwaukee, population 573,358, largest city
• Madison, population 223,389, state capital
• Green Bay, population 100,353
• Kenosha, population 96,240, part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area
• Racine, population 79,592, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Appleton, population 70,191
• Waukesha, population 67,814 part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Oshkosh, population 64,084
• Eau Claire, population 63,297
• Janesville, population 62,998
• West Allis, population 58,710, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• La Crosse, population 50,266
Education
Colleges and universities
Wisconsin, along with Minnesota and Michigan, was among the Midwestern leaders in the emergent American state university movement following the Civil War in the United States. By the turn of the century, education in the state advocated the "Wisconsin Idea," which emphasized for service to the people of the state. The "Wisconsin Idea" exemplified the Progressive movement within colleges and universities at the time.[30] Today, public education in Wisconsin includes both the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System, headquartered in Madison, and the 16-campus Wisconsin Technical College System which coordinates with the University of Wisconsin. Notable private colleges and universities include Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, Edgewood College, Beloit College, and Lawrence University, among others.
See also: List of colleges and universities in Wisconsin
See also: List of high schools in Wisconsin
See also: List of school districts in Wisconsin
Music
Music stage at Summerfest in 1994, currently called the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, with Downtown Milwaukee and an approach to the Hoan Bridge in the background.
Wisconsin has more country music festivals than any other state,[citation needed] including Miller Lite Presents Country Fest, Bud Light Presents Country Jam USA, the Coors Hodag Country Festival, and the ever-popular Ford Presents Country USA.
SummerFest
The state's largest city, Milwaukee, also hosts "The World's Largest Music Festival," Summerfest, every year. This festival is held at the lakefront Henry Maier Festival Park just south of downtown.
Sports
Main article: Sports in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in three sports: American football, baseball, and basketball. Lambeau Field, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin is home to the National Football League's Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been part of the NFL since the league's second season in 1921 and currently hold the record for the most NFL titles, earning the city of Green Bay the self-given nickname "Titletown". The Green Bay Packers are one of the most successful small-market professional sports franchises in the world and have won 12 NFL championships, including the first two AFL-NFL Championship games (Super Bowls I and II) and Super Bowl XXXI. The city fully supports their team, as evidenced by the 60,000 person waiting list for season tickets to Lambeau Field, which is referred to as the "frozen tundra" and is considered by many football enthusiasts to be "hallowed ground." The Milwaukee Brewers, the state's major league baseball team, are based out of Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before Miller Park was opened in 2001, the Brewers played their home games at County Stadium. In 1982, the Brewers won the American League Championship, marking their most successful season. The Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association play home games at the Bradley Center. The Bucks won the NBA Championship in 1971. The state also has minor league teams in hockey (Milwaukee Admirals) and baseball (the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, based in Appleton.)
In addition to professional teams, Wisconsin is home to many successful college sports programs. The Wisconsin Badgers, teams based out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, hold many NCAA division championship titles in their respective sports. This includes a historic dual-championship in 2006 when both the women's and men's hockey teams won national titles. The Wisconsin football team has also seen much success after the hiring of Barry Alvarez as head coach. Alvarez lead the Badgers to three Rose Bowl victories, including back to back victories in the years 1999 and 2000. The Badgers football program, playing at Camp Randall Stadium, enjoys similar loyalty to the Packers; both teams are known to sell out their entire schedules far in advance.
The Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference are the state's other major collegiate program. They are known nationally for their Men's Basketball team which, under the direction of Al McGuire, won the NCAA National Championship in 1977. The team, led by Dwyane Wade, returned to the Final Four in 2003.
Miscellaneous topics
The Milwaukee Art Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.
Known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin is also known for cheese. Citizens of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites, although a common nickname (sometimes used pejoratively) among non-residents is "Cheeseheads." This is due to the prevalence and quality of cheesemaking in the state, and for the novelty hats made of yellow foam in the shape of a triangular block of cheese. Cheese curds are an extremely popular treat, exported as gifts throughout the country. The state is also known for its alcohol production and consumption, and it is historically home to a large number of breweries and bars per capita. A lesser known, but still significant nickname for Wisconsin is "The Copper State," referring to the copper mines in the northwestern part of the state.
Wisconsin is very popular for outdoor activities especially hunting and fishing. One of the most popular game animals is the Whitetail deer. In 2005, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported the population of Wisconsin's deer herd to be about 1.4-1.5 million. It is common for over 600,000 deer hunting licenses to be sold each year.[31] Visitors to Wisconsin during the Thanksgiving holiday will see many hunters in rural areas wearing blaze orange gear for Wisconsin's gun-deer hunting season.
The Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee is known for its unique architecture. The Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens cover over 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land on the far west side of the city. Madison is home to the Vilas Zoo which is free for all visitors, and the Olbrich Gardens conservatory, as well as the hub of cultural activity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is also known for Monona Terrace, a convention center that was designed by Taliesin Architect Anthony Puttnam, based loosely on a 1930s design by Frank Lloyd Wright, a world-renowned architect and Wisconsin native who was born in Richland Center.[32] Wright's home and studio in the 20th century was at Taliesin, south of Spring Green. Decades after Wright's death, Taliesin remains an architectural office and school for his followers.
Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germany's Hesse, Japan's Chiba Prefecture, Mexico's Jalisco, China's Heilongjiang, and Nicaragua.[33]
The shape of the Wisconsin along with the Door County peninsula, have lead many of its residents to refer the state in the shape of a hand. Often pointing on their hand to someone unfamiliar with certain locations.
Langlade has a unique soil that is rarely found outside of the county called Antigo Silt Loam.
Badger State
State Animal: Badger
State Domesticated Animal: Dairy Cow
State Wild Animal: White-tailed Deer
State Beverage: Milk
State Fruit: Cranberry
State Bird: Robin
State Capital: Madison
State Dog: American Water Spaniel
State Fish: Muskellunge
State Flower: Wood Violet
State Fossil: Trilobite
State Grain: Corn
State Insect: European honey bee
State Motto: Forward
State Song: "On, Wisconsin!"
State Tree: Sugar Maple
State Mineral: Galena (Lead sulfide)
State Rock: Red Granite
State Soil: Antigo Silt Loam
State Dance: Polka
State Symbol of Peace: Mourning Dove
State Rock: Red Granite
State Soil: Antigo Silt Loam
Monday, September 1, 2008
Sri Raghavendra Swamy
RadheKrishna 01-09-08
Abhisheka to Sri Raghavendra Swamy
Sri Raghavendra Swami Aradhanai Bangalore
Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mnatrlaya
Abhisheka to Sri Raghavendra Swamy Brundavana Mantralaya
Nava Brundavana
Tirupathi
Abhisheka to Tirupathy Venkateshwara
Abhisheka to Sri Raghavendra Swamy
Sri Raghavendra Swami Aradhanai Bangalore
Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mnatrlaya
Abhisheka to Sri Raghavendra Swamy Brundavana Mantralaya
Nava Brundavana
Tirupathi
Abhisheka to Tirupathy Venkateshwara
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