KUMBH MELA |
The Maha Kumbh Mela holds deep roots in Hindu mythology and stands as one of the largest and most significant spiritual gatherings globally.
About Kumbh Mela
Rotating Pilgrimage Sites: Celebrated four times every 12 years at four sacred riverbank locations:
- Prayagraj (confluence of Ganges, Yamuna, and Sarasvati).
- Haridwar (Ganges).
- Nashik (Godavari).
- Ujjain (Shipra).
Astrological Significance
- Determined by Celestial Alignments:The timing of each Kumbh Mela is based on the astrological positions of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter.
- Holy Occasion:Celebrations occur when these celestial alignments are considered most auspicious in Hindu belief.
Ritual Practices
Sacred Dip: Pilgrims immerse themselves in the holy waters to:
- Purify their sins.
- Free themselves and their ancestors from the cycle of rebirth.
- Attain Moksha (spiritual liberation).
Cultural Heritage: In 2017, Kumbh Mela was acknowledged by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
RIVER CITY ALLIANCE |
Purpose of Ganga Utsav : Organized by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the event commemorates the declaration of the Ganga River as the National River of India.
Objectives:
- Promote Ganga conservation.
- Highlight its cultural and spiritual importance.
- Raise public awareness about cleanliness.
About River City Alliance (RCA)
- Established:Launched in November 2021 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- Objective:Facilitate collaboration among riverine cities for sustainable urban river management.
Key Objectives
- Networking:Connect cities to share knowledge and best practices in river conservation.
- Capacity Building:Train urban local bodies to manage rivers sustainably.
- Technical Support:Assist in implementing river rejuvenation projects.
- Initial Members:Started with 30 member cities.
- Current Status:Expanded to 110 river cities across India.
- Eligibility:Open to all river cities in India, with membership available anytime.
- Launch of GRCA:Building on RCA’s success, the Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) was initiated by NMCG at COP28 in Dubai.
- Scope and Membership:
- Covers 275+ river cities across 11 countries.
- Includes international funding agencies and knowledge partners.
- Represents cities like The Hague, Adelaide, and Szolnok.
- Participating Countries:India, Egypt, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Japan.
- Aim: Foster international cooperation in river management and conservation.
MAJOR ATMOSPHERIC CHERENKOV EXPERIMENT (MACE) OBSERVATORY |
Why in News: The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Observatory was officially inaugurated
Background
The MACE Observatory is a significant milestone for India, positioning the country as a global leader in cosmic-ray research.
About MACE Observatory
- Location: Situated in Hanle, Ladakh, at an altitude of approximately 4,300 meters, it is the world’s highest imaging Cherenkov telescope.
- Significance: It holds the distinction of being the largest imaging Cherenkov telescope in Asia.
- Construction:Built by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with assistance from the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) and other Indian industry partners.
- Objective: The observatory is designed to study high-energy gamma rays.
- Gamma Ray Interaction:Gamma rays, unable to penetrate the Earth’s surface, interact with the atmosphere to produce high-energy particles that emit Cherenkov radiation.
- Telescope Role: The telescope captures these Cherenkov flashes to trace gamma rays back to their cosmic sources.
VENUS |
Why in News: India is poised to broaden its space exploration endeavors beyond the Moon and Mars, with the Union Cabinet granting approval for the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) on Wednesday, September 18.
Background
The Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) seeks to enhance our understanding of Venus’s surface, subsurface, atmospheric processes, and the Sun’s influence on its atmosphere.
About Venus
- Position: Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is often called Earth’s “twin” due to its similar size and mass.
- Rotation:It rotates in a retrograde direction, opposite to most planets, including Earth.
- Brightness:Venus is the third brightest celestial object in the sky after the Sun and Moon.
- Year vs. Day:A year on Venus (225 Earth days) is shorter than a day on Venus (243 Earth days), making its day longer than its year.
- Atmosphere: Composed primarily of carbon dioxide (~96%) with dense clouds of sulfuric acid.
- Results in a runaway greenhouse effect, making Venus the hottest planet.
- Surface Temperature:Averages around 465°C, enough to melt lead.
- Atmospheric Pressure: 92 times greater than Earth’s at sea level.
- Water:Lacks liquid water due to extreme heat and pressure.
- Soviet Union, USA, ESA, and Japan: All have conducted missions to Venus.
- NASA’s Mariner 2: The first spacecraft to visit a planet beyond Earth, flying past Venus on December 14, 1962.
- ESA’s Venus Express:Provided insights into Venus’s atmosphere and magnetic field.
Akatsuki (Japan): Studied Venus’s climate, cloud formation, and weather patterns. Communication with the spacecraft was lost in April 2024.
