General Awareness

ART AND CULTURE - June 2019

Jun 2019

Nov 02, 2019

Hardeep Puri launches Guru Nanak Chair at Birmingham University

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated a new Guru Nanak Chair, supported by the Indian government, at the University of Birmingham to enable research around the teachings of the founder of the Sikh religion.
The minister announced the new Chair to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, during a visit to Birmingham where he delivered an Annual Lecture on the Contemporary Relevance of Guru Nanak's Teachings.
The lecture has been organised by the India Institute of the university.

UNESCO Designates Mumbai As Member Of UCCN In Field Of Films, Hyderabad In Field Of Gastronomy

UNESCO has designated Mumbai as a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of FILM and Hyderabad in the field of GASTRONOMY. Culture Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel has congratulated the people of Mumbai and Hyderabad for this unique distinction.
UCCN, created in 2004, is a network of cities which are thriving, active centres of cultural activities in their respective countries. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 246 cities.
The member cities that form part of the Network come from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations.

MP Government Sanctions Rs 12 Crore To Develop State's Sikh Religious Places

The Madhya Pradesh government sanctioned Rs 12 crore for development of six prominent sikh religious places in the state as religious tourism centres.
The government also decided to set up a museum and a research institute at Jabalpur in memory of Guru Nanak Dev.
The museum and research centre will involve an expenditure of Rs 20 crore. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the CM with a committee constituted to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
The Sikh religious places which will get Rs 2 crore each include Tekri Sahib in Bhopal, Imli Sahib in Indore, Betma Sahib, Gurudwara at Omkareshwar, Guru Nanak ghat Gurudwara at Ujjain and Gurudwara at Gwari Ghat, Jabalpur.

Nov 01, 2019

Chhath Puja Festival: 'Kharna' To Be Observed

In Bihar, on the second day of Chhath Puja festival 'Kharna' would be observed. After paying obeisance to the God, devotees would take prasad of 'Kheer'.
With this, 36 hours long fast of devotees without water would begin.
On November 2, 2019 devotees would offer Sandhya Arghya to the setting Sun on the ghats of river, ponds and water bodies.
The four day long festival will end on 3rd November, 2019 morning with Pratah Arghya offered to the rising Sun.

Imran Khan Announces Concessions For Sikh Pilgrims Going To Kartarpur

A week ahead of the formal inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor connecting two Sikh shrines in India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced some concessions for Sikh pilgrims going to Darbar Sahib gurdwara at Kartarpur in Pakistan's Punjab where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, spent the last years of his life.
He waived off 2 requirements: they won't need a passport-just a valid ID and they no longer have to register 10 days in advance. Also, no fee to be charged on day of inauguration & on Guruji's 550th birthday.
India may not welcome the move given that New Delhi has been pressing for a waiver of a $20 service charge on any Indian devotee crossing into Pakistan for the pilgrimage on all days — something Pakistan has not agreed to.

Arunachal Pradesh To Host Its 1st Multilingual Writers' Meet

For the first time, Arunachal Pradesh will host the Multilingual Writers' Meet at its oldest town Pasighat in East Siang District. The two-day event will be held at the auditorium of College of Horticulture and Forestry.
Sahitya Academi in collaboration with Central Agricultural University, Imphal and Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society, Itanagar are hosting the meet.
25 prominent multilingual writers and poets from all parts of India and many literary dignitaries of the host state will attend the event.

Oct 30, 2019

Nirmala Sitharaman Releases Special Commemorative Coin Of Paramahansa Yogananda

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has released a special commemorative coin on Paramahansa Yogananda to mark his 125th Birth Anniversary.
Ms Sitharaman said, Paramahansa Yogananda was a great son of India, who became so recognized globally.
She said, the importance lies in his universal message of bringing harmony among mankind and making it so acceptable globally even when communications modes were limited.

Nagaland Partners With Madhya Pradesh Under 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'

Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' programme has brought in the states of Nagaland and Madhya Pradesh as one to celebrate the spirit of national integration through a deep and structured engagement between the two states.
The Directorate of Higher Education of Government of Nagaland as the nodal department of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' has conducted various activities undertaken in partnership with Madhya Pradesh.
With Madhya Pradesh as a partner state, Nagaland under this programme has the endeavour of sharing and learning knowledge of culture through various activities undertaken by the nodal department- the State directorate of Higher Education along with Art & Culture, Tourism, Industries and Commerce.

Oct 29, 2019

Portals of Kedarnath & Yamunotri Dham Closed with Vedic Rituals

The portals of Kedarnath and Yamunotri Dham closed on the auspicious occasion of Bhaidooj.
The portal of Kedarnath shrine closed at 5.30 am amidst vedic chants and rituals. A large number of pilgrims were present to witness the heavenly moment. Pilgrims will now get to worship Lord Kedarnath at Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath for the next six months.
This year more than 9 lakh pilgrims visited the Kedarnath shrine.
Yamunotri Dham portals also closed in the presence of thousands of pilgrims. The portals of the shrine were closed according to the rituals at 12.25 pm.
The palanquin of Goddess Yamuna was then carried to Kharsali where the poojaarchana will be performed for the rest of the winter season. This year record number of pilgrims visited Yamunotri Dham.

Arunachal Pradesh: 7th edition of Tawang Festival begins with Fanfare & Fervour

In Arunachal Pradesh, the 7th edition of the Tawang Festival began with much fanfare and fervour in Tawang.
United States' Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster declared the Festival open. Speaking on the occasion, the US Ambassador extended his gratitude to the people of Tawang for the exceptional hospitality offered to him and his entourage.
He said that he was mesmerised by the colourful people, their dresses, custom and traditions which offer other parts of the world to learn and know.

Air India depicts 'Ik Onkar' on Tail to mark 550th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev

In a unique gesture to mark 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Devji, Air India has depicted Sikh religious symbol 'Ik Onkar' on the tail of one of its aircraft. The flight is set to fly from Amritsar to Stansted in the United Kingdom.
Air India will fly its aircraft thrice a week on the Mumbai-Amritsar-Stansted route. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh hailed the Air India's initiative and said that it is heart warming.

Bangladesh to Hold World's Second Largest Muslim Congregation 'BishwaIjtema'

Bangladesh will hold the first phase of BishwaIjtema, the second largest congregation of Muslim community after Hajj, from January 10 to 12, 2020 in Dhaka. The second phase of the Ijtema will be held from January 17 to 19, 2020.
This was announced by the State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Md Abdullah.
The decision was taken in the preparatory meeting held under the chairmanship of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in Dhaka.
BishwaIjtema is an annual event which is held in a 160 acre field on the bank of the Turagriver at Tongi on the outskirts of Dhaka since 1967.

Oct 28, 2019

ASI Finds 8th Century Objects

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unearthed a 2000-year old historic trade settlement in Andhra Pradesh's Gottiprolu village, along with a Pallava-period Vishnu statue.
The excavation done, 80 kilometres east of Tirupati and Nellore, by the ASI team has discovered the remains of a huge settlement surrounded by a massive brick enclosure. Among many antiquities unearthed, is a life-sized Vishnu sculpture and a wide variety of pottery of the early centuries of the current era.
As per the ASI, a major find from the project was a two-metre high, four-armed Vishnu standing over a pedestal carrying chakra and conch in his upper right and left hands respectively.
The lower right is in bestowing boon and the left hand in ''katihastha (resting on the hip) posture."
On the basis of iconographical features such as elaborate headgear, thick holy thread and decorative drapery, ASI has dated it to 8th-century AD in the Pallava period, which is said to have ruled the area from early 4th to late 9th century AD.
However, other finds, like elliptical, circular and rectangular brick structures, possibly date back to a much earlier time.

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