Sabarimala Temple Opens for Makaravilakku Festival
Syllabus: GS1/ Culture
Context
- The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple will reopen on 30 December for the Makaravilakku festival, marking the second phase of the annual pilgrimage season.
About Makaravilakku Festival
- Makara Vilakku is one of Kerala’s most sacred festivals, celebrated annually at the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.
- It is observed on the first day of Makara Masam in the Malayalam calendar, coinciding with Makara Sankranti.
- On this divine day, devotees gather to witness two powerful events:
- Makara Jyoti: The bright celestial star (Sirius) appearing in the eastern sky.
- Makara Vilakku: The sacred light that appears thrice from the forests of Ponnambalamedu.
- These two sightings are considered spiritually transformative, symbolizing the presence, blessings, and grace of Lord Ayyappa.
- The key rituals during the Makaravilakku festival include Kalamezhuthu Pattu, Nayattu Vili, and Guruthi, performed before the closing of the shrine doors.
Source: TH
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
Syllabus: GS1/History
In News
- Prime Minister of India paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the historic occasion of December 30, 1943, when Netaji unfurled the tricolor at Port Blair with unmatched courage and valor.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
- Early Life: He was an Indian nationalist leader who played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence against British rule.
- He was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Odisha
- He studied at the University of Calcutta and later went to England for the Indian Civil Services (ICS) exam.
- Political career : He abandoned ICS aspirations to join the Indian National Congress (INC), advocating for complete independence rather than moderate reforms.
- He was Elected INC President in 1938 and 1939 but resigned due to differences with Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders over non-violent strategies.
- Contributions in Freedom struggle: Bose’s vision for India’s freedom was to leverage the support of Axis powers during World War II.
- He escaped from house arrest in India in 1941, travelling through Afghanistan to Germany, where he sought support from Adolf Hitler.
- In 1943, he went to Japan, where he took command of the Indian National Army (INA), which had been formed by Indian prisoners of war and expatriates.
- The INA’s actions and post-war trials had a strong psychological impact, weakening British authority.
- Death: He died in a plane crash in Taiwan in August 1945; circumstances remain mysterious and controversial.
- Legacy: He is remembered as a symbol of courage and determination; numerous institutions, monuments, and awards are named after him.
Source: PIB
INSV Kaundinya
Syllabus: GS1/Ancient History
Context
- Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Kaundinya, sailed on her maiden overseas voyage from Gujarat to Oman.
About
- INSV Kaundinya is a stitched sail ship, based on a 5th century CE ship depicted in the paintings of Ajanta Caves.
- It is named after Kaundinya, the Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia.
- It has been constructed using traditional stitched shipbuilding techniques, employing natural materials and methods that date back centuries.
- The project was undertaken through a tripartite agreement between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy and Hodi Innovations as part of India’s efforts to rediscover and revive indigenous knowledge systems.
- The voyage retraces ancient maritime routes that once connected the western coast of India with Oman.
- Significance: The expedition is expected to significantly enhance bilateral relations between India and Oman by reinforcing shared maritime heritage and strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties.
Source: PIB
New BIS Standard for Incense Sticks
Syllabus: GS2/ Health/ Governance
Context
- The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, released IS 19412:2025 – Incense Sticks (Agarbatti) — Specification, an Indian Standard developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
About the notified standards
- The standard classifies Agarbatti into machine-made, hand-made, and traditional masala agarbattis, and prescribes requirements for raw materials, burning quality, fragrance performance, and chemical parameters.
- The standard specifies prohibited use of certain insecticidal such as Alethrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and fipronil, as well as synthetic fragrance intermediates like benzyl cyanide, ethyl acrylate, and diphenylamine.
Incense Sticks Sector in India
- India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of agarbattis, with the industry estimated at around ₹8,000 crore annually and exports of about ₹1,200 crore to more than 150 countries.
- Supports a vast ecosystem of artisans, MSMEs, and micro-entrepreneurs.
- The sector supports a large ecosystem of artisans, MSMEs and micro-entrepreneurs, providing substantial employment, particularly for women in rural and semi-urban areas.
| Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) – The Bureau of Indian Standards is the National Standards Body of India under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. – It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 which came into effect on 12 October 2017. – Headquarters: New Delhi. – Functions: a. Formulation of Indian Standards (IS) across many sectors. b. Product Certification Schemes, both voluntary and compulsory. c. Release of Quality Control Orders (QCOs): Making compliance with certain Indian Standards mandatory for some products. – The schemes operated by BIS are, Product Certification (ISI mark), Management Systems Certification, Hall Marking of Gold and Silver Jewellery/Artefacts and Laboratory Services for the benefit of the industry and in turn aiming at consumer protection. |
Source: PIB
Maiden Flight Test of Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket
Syllabus: GS3/Defence
In News
- The maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) was successfully conducted at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.
| Do you know? – The Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR 120) has been designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment in collaboration with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, with support from the Defence Research and Development Laboratory and the Research Centre Imarat. 1. The “120” denotes its maximum strike range of around 120 kilometres. a. It is an extended-range, precision-guided rocket developed for the Indian Army’s Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). |
The Pinaka Multiple Launcher Rocket System (MLRS)
- It is a long-range artillery weapon system developed by DRDO for the Indian Army.
- It is known for its rapid response and precision and it significantly enhances the Army’s operational capabilities in modern warfare.
- Trials : The maiden trial of the 120-km-range Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket was carried out and it received clearance for induction into the Indian Army by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC),
- The Pinaka system has also emerged as a major success in the defence export segment.
- It has been procured by Armenia, while several European countries, including France, have shown interest in the system.
Source :TH
Lambda-Cold Dark Matter (LCDM)
Syllabus: GS3/Space
Context
- A new study from Yonsei University (South Korea) suggests that the expansion of the universe may be slowing down, challenging the standard ΛCDM (Lambda-Cold Dark Matter) model which predicts acceleration.
- The researchers suggest that dark energy may actually be weakening, putting the brakes on the universe’s acceleration.
Expansion Theory
- The universe was explosively born in a ‘Big Bang’ in the void some 13.8 billion years ago, it expanded, engendering galaxies, star clusters, solar systems, and planets.
- Edwin Hubble in the 1920s established that the universe is expanding.
- This acceleration is attributed to dark energy, which makes roughly up to 68% of the universe, often modeled as Einstein’s cosmological constant (Λ).
The Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) Model
- Over the years, cosmologists have tried to map the overall spread of matter through the early universe.
- In the standard cosmological model, ΛCDM model, dark matter and dark energy — the mysterious force that drives the expansion of the universe — comprise about 95% of the universe.
- The interplay between these components influences how the primordial fluctuations evolved into the large-scale structures that we observe today.
| Dark Matter and Dark Energy – The content of the Universe is widely thought to consist of three types of substance: normal matter, dark matter and dark energy. – Roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy, dark matter makes up about 27% and the rest everything observed adds up to less than 5% of the universe. – Dark Matter: Unlike normal matter, dark matter does not interact with the electromagnetic force. This means it does not absorb, reflect or emit light, making it extremely hard to spot. a. Dark matter works like an attractive force — a kind of cosmic cement that holds the universe together. This is because dark matter does interact with gravity. b. Since dark matter doesn’t emit, absorb or reflect light, astronomers can only study its gravitational effect on visible matter, such as stars and galaxies. – Dark Energy: Dark energy is a repulsive force — a sort of anti-gravity — that drives the universe’s ever-accelerating expansion. a. Dark energy is the far more dominant force than Dark matter. |
Source: TH
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