History

Vaikom Satyagraha: A Centenary (1924-2024)

Background

• Vaikom, Kerala: Temple town in Travancore (princely state)
• Untouchables denied entry to temples

Trigger

• 1917: T.K. Madhavan (Ezhava leader) raised temple entry issue in “Deshabhimani”
• 1923: INC (Kerala) resolved anti-untouchability as a key issue
• Vaikom chosen for the first-ever satyagraha (1924)

Satyagraha Details

• Lasted 604 days (March 1924 – Nov 1925)
• Leaders: T.K. Madhavan, E.V.R. Periyar, M.K. Gandhi, Narayana Guru

Impact

• Testing ground for Gandhian Satyagraha principles
• Led to the Temple Entry Proclamation (1936) by Travancore Maharaja
• Growth platform for INC in Kerala
• First human rights struggle in India
• Formation of SNDP (social reform for lower castes)

Legacy

• Pivoted moment in freedom struggle – highlighted caste injustice and social reform needs
• Vaikom Satyagraha Memorial Museum and Gandhi statue planned by Kerala government (2014)

 

Art and Culture

Bohag Bihu: Assam’s Vibrant New Year Celebration

Bihu: Essence of Assam

• Celebrated across Assam with immense enthusiasm.
• Marks the changing agricultural seasons.

Three Bihu Festivals

1. Bohag Bihu (April):
   • Also called Rongali Bihu.
   • Assamese New Year and spring festival.
   • Time for merriment, feasting, and Bihu dance.
2. Magh Bihu (January):
   • Also called Bhogali Bihu (“festival of food”).
   • Marks the harvest season’s end.
   • Features bonfire (meji) lighting and feasting.
3. Kati Bihu (October):
   • Also called Kongali Bihu.
   • Less flamboyant, focuses on agricultural well-being.
   • Involves lighting an earthen lamp near the Tulsi plant.

Significance of Each Bihu

• Bohag Bihu:Celebrates New Year and the beginning of seeding time.
• Kati Bihu:Marks the completion of sowing and transplanting of paddy crops.
• Magh Bihu:Celebrates the end of the harvesting period and thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.

Current News: Bohag Bihu

• Increased demand for traditional Assamese Gamosa (cloth) ahead of Bohag Bihu festivities.

Environment

International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT)

Focus on Arctic Environmental Changes

• INTERACT is an infrastructure project for studying environmental changes in the Arctic and surrounding areas.
• Established under SCANNET, an existing Arctic network.
• Spans across northern Europe, North America, Greenland, Iceland, and northern alpine areas.

Importance of INTERACT

• Capacity Building:Provides access to research stations, resources, and expertise for global scientists.
• Multidisciplinary Approach:Research goes beyond climate change, encompassing:
  • Glaciology (ice studies)
  • Permafrost (frozen ground)
  • Climate
  • Ecology
  • Biodiversity
  • Biogeochemical cycling (element movement)
• International Collaboration:Scientists worldwide collaborate using INTERACT’s resources to tackle complex environmental issues.

Recent Discovery: Stations revealed a loss of more than 1,000 billion tonnes of Arctic ice in the past four decades.

Science and Tech

Genetic Profiling

• Understanding Individual DNA:Analyzes genetic makeup of cells/tissues.
• Applications:
  • Disease Diagnosis: Identifies genetic variations linked to health conditions.
  • Treatment Planning: Informs personalized medicine approaches.
  • Forensic Science: DNA fingerprinting for identification in criminal investigations or paternity testing.
  • Wildlife Conservation: WII creating a national elephant DNA database for conservation purposes.

 

Punnett Square

Predicting Offspring Traits

• A tool to predict the likelihood of genetic outcomes in offspring.
• Developed by British geneticist Reginald Punnett.

How it Works

• Arranged in a grid, listing possible traits from each parent on opposing sides.
• Each square represents a combination of traits an offspring might inherit.
• Visualizes the probability of different traits appearing in the offspring.

 

Geography

Afar Depression: A Rift Valley Poised for a New Ocean

Afar Triangle/ Depression: Three Tectonic Plates Meet

• Location: Horn of Africa
• Significance: Afar Triangle is part of the East African Rift System, a vast zone of geological activity.
• Formation: Convergence of three tectonic plates (Nubian, Somali, Arabian) over millions of years.

A Future Ocean in the Making

• Evidence: 2005 – 35-mile rift opened in Ethiopia, signifying ongoing continental separation.
• Prediction: In 5-10 million years, continued plate movement will split Africa, creating a new ocean basin.
• Source of the new ocean: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden waters flooding the Afar region and the East African Rift Valley.
• Consequence: Eastern Africa could become a separate continent.

 

Katchatheevu Island

Island in Dispute

• Uninhabited island in Palk Strait, believed to be formed by a 14th-century volcanic eruption.
• Claimed by both India and Sri Lanka (formerly British colonies) since 1921.

Ceded to Sri Lanka

• 1974: Indian government led by Indira Gandhi ceded the island to Sri Lanka.
• Island lies on Sri Lanka’s side of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
• Recognized as Sri Lankan territory under India-Sri Lanka agreement.

Point of Contention

• Fishing rights for Indian fishermen:
  • Fishermen from Rameswaram, India, traditionally fish in the area.
  • View it as their historic fishing ground.