Karam Festival

Source: IE Context: The Karma or Karam festival is a significant tribal harvest celebration, centered around the worship of the Karam tree, symbolizing Karam Devta, the god of strength, youth, and vitality. Celebrated by tribes such as the Munda, Oraon, Ho, and Santhal across states like Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, the festival marks …

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 16 September 2024

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 16 September 2024 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles   InstaLinks :  Insta Links help you think beyond the  current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These …

Great Stupa of Sanchi

Source: IE Context: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited the replica of the East Gate of Sanchi’s Great Stupa displayed outside the Humboldt Forum museum in Berlin.    

Lothal

Source: IE Context:  A new study by IIT Gandhinagar has provided fresh evidence supporting the existence of a dockyard at Lothal, Gujarat, during the Harappan Civilization. The research reveals that the Sabarmati River, which now flows 20 km away, once ran close to Lothal, enhancing its significance as a major trade route. The study suggests …

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 3 September 2024

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 3 September 2024 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles   InstaLinks :  Insta Links help you think beyond the  current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These …

Ramon Magsaysay Award  

Source: IE Context: Hayao Miyazaki, a renowned Japanese filmmaker and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, has won the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Award, recognized for his contributions to animated films that resonate across ages. His work is distinguished by its gentle, hand-drawn visuals and deep themes, including pacifism, environmentalism, and strong female characters. Miyazaki’s films, such as …

Centres Demand Autonomy for Classical Language Promotion

Syllabus: Arts and Culture  Source: Th  Context:  The centres for the promotion of classical languages Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia are demanding autonomy to improve their functioning.   What is the issue involved? Current System: Under the current system, these centres operate under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, which requires pre-approval for …

National Film Awards

Source: PIB Context: The 70th National Film Awards for 2022, highlighted significant achievements in Indian cinema across various categories. Marathi cinema received notable recognition, including: Best Marathi Film: Vaalvi (The Termite), won the Best Marathi Film award. Best Documentary and Best Narration: Murmurs of the Jungle, secured awards for Best Documentary and Best Narration/Voice-Over. Best …

Stonehenge’s centre stone

 Source: IE  Context: Recent geochemical analysis reveals that Stonehenge’s central Altar Stone, a six-tonne sandstone slab, originated from the Orcadian Basin in northern Scotland, over 800 km from its current location in southern England. This discovery challenges previous beliefs that the stone came from southwest Wales, suggesting that the construction of Stonehenge involved a much …

Lunisolar calendar

Source: TOI  Context: At the ancient site of Gobekli Tepe in southern Turkey, a researcher has identified what might be the world’s oldest lunisolar calendar, believed to track the movements of the moon and sun. The V-shaped markings on a stone pillar are thought to document a significant comet strike around 10,850 B.C., which had …

Kerala’s Jewish communities

Source: IE  Context: The recent death of the last Paradesi Jewish woman in Kerala, marks a significant moment in this community’s history. Kerala’s Jewish community, once thriving, has dwindled to near extinction. From a peak population of 20,000-50,000 in the 1940s, India’s Jewish population is now estimated at 4,000-5,000, mostly Marathi-speaking Bene Israel on the …