Ayodhya Ram Mandir inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Current Affairs – January 2024 PSC MAHOL
• The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya’s
temple took place on January 22, 2024.
• The idol of Lord Ram has been placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in Ayodhya. The idol which is carved by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj, stands 51 inches tall and weighs
1.5 tonnes.
• It portrays Lord Ram as a five-year-old child standing on a lotus also crafted from the same stone. PM Modi performed rituals to mark the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ along with a team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit.
Key Points
Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh’s Capital – Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh’s Governor – Anandiben Patel
World’s largest lamp lit in Ayodhya ahead of opening of the Ram Temple Current Affairs – January 2024 PSC MAHOL
• The world’s largest 300-foot lamp was lit in Ayodhya using 1.25 quintals of cotton and 21,000 litres of oil.
• Soil and water from different places across the country, along with cow’s ghee were used to prepare this lamp. It is also unique because oil was specially brought from Sita Mata’s parental homeland.
Scientists gift Surya Tilak, a Mirror and Lens System for Ram Lalla idol
• Scientists from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee designed a special mirror- and lens- based apparatus which will ensure that every Ram Navami day at noon, a ray of sunlight falls directly on the forehead of the ‘achal Ram Lalla’ idol.
• It is officially called the ‘Surya Tilak mechanism’. It would be fully operational when the full temple is constructed.
• A gearbox and reflective mirrors and lenses have been arranged such that sun rays from the third floor near the shikara will be brought to Garbha Griha using well-known principles of tracking the Sun’s path.
• The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, provided technical support on the Sun’s path and Optica, a Bengaluru-based company, is involved in manufacturing the lenses and brass tubes.
India celebrates its 75th Republic Day
Current Affairs – January 2024 PSC MAHOL
• India celebrated its 75th Republic Day on January 26, 2024, Republic Day commemorates the adoption of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950. On this day, India became a sovereign republic state.
• The 2024 Republic Day parade was held at Kartavya Path in Delhi and featured the Indian army, navy, air force, police and paramilitary forces.
• The Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path showcased the themes of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat – Loktantra ki Matruka’ emphasising India’s role as a nurturer of democracy.
• For the first time, an all-women tri-services contingent participated in the parade.
• The parade featured a unique installation called ‘Anant Sutra,’ which showcased sarees and drapes from all over India.
• A 95-member contingent and a 33-member band contingent from France participated in the parade. Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) to build Masjid Muhammed bin Abdullah mosque in Ayodhya
• IICF has announced the start of construction on a grand mosque in Ayodhya, beginning in May.
• The mosque will be named ‘Masjid Muhammed bin Abdullah’ after Prophet Muhammad.
• The project is expected to take three to four years and will redefine the cityscape of Ayodhya while symbolising communal harmony.
Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh inaugurates the first all-girls Sainik School at Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the first all-girls Sainik School in Vrindavan, marking a significant advancement in women’s empowerment and educational reform in India.
• The school, known as Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School, has a capacity of nearly 870 students and is part of a broader initiative to establish 100 new Sainik Schools across India in partnership with NGOs, private entities and state governments.
• The school is affiliated with CBSE and will provide education and training guided by ex-servicemen.
• The decision to admit girls to Sainik Schools was approved in 2019 to promote gender equality in educational and career opportunities.
ISRO launches X-ray polarimeter satellite to study black holes
• ISRO successfully launched its first mission of 2024, XPoSat, along with 10 other satellites.
• XPoSat is India’s first X-ray polarimeter satellite, aims to investigate the polarisation of intense X-ray sources and study the enigmatic world of black holes.
Key Points
ISRO’s Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
ISRO’s Chairman – S. Somnath
PM Narendra Modi dedicates DFR plant in Tamil Nadu to the nation
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Demonstration Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant (DFRP) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu to the nation.
• This facility is designed to reprocess fuel from Prototype Fast Breeder Reactors (PFBR), marking a significant advancement in India’s nuclear capabilities.
• DFRP houses several indigenously designed and developed novel pieces of equipment.
PM Modi presented with a coffee table book on Srirangam
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with a coffee table book, Srirangam – The Resplendent Kingdom of Rangaraja by BJP State President K. Annamalai during his visit to Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu.
• The book titled ‘Srirangam – The Resplendent Kingdom of Rangaraja,’ published by The Hindu Group of Publication, explores the wonders of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.
• It is divided into 11 sections, and the book delves into the temple’s unique architecture, religious and cultural traditions, and various festivals celebrated there. It also includes scholarly articles, insightful reports and rare photographs from The Hindu Archives.
India recognises Farsi as one of its nine classical languages
• In a significant development aimed at strengthening cultural bonds, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that the Indian government has chosen to designate Farsi (Persian) as one of the nine classical languages in India under the New Education Policy.
• Tamil was the first language in India to receive classical language status in 2004. All the classical languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The Ministry of Culture provides guidelines regarding classical languages.
Key Points
Union Minister of Culture – G. Kishan Reddy