Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 22 January 2024 | Download PDF

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to preside over the ‘pran-pratishtha’ ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, marking the consecration of the 51-inch idol of Ram Lalla. 
• Crafted by sculptor Arun Yogiraj, the idol depicts a five-year-old Lord Ram

Important details

• • Temple Name- Shri Ram Mandir (popularly known as Ram Mandir)
  • Location- Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India
  • Dedication- Lord Shri Rama
  • Significance- Built at Ram Janmabhoomi, birthplace of Lord Shri Rama
  • Construction Style- Indian Nagar Style
• Architect- Chandrakant B. Sompura (CBS)

• Construction Company- Larsen and Toubro (L&T)
• Project Management Company- Tata Consulting Engineers Limited (TCEL)

Ayodhya Ram Mandir History From 1528-2024

Period Event

16th Century– The temple was attacked and destroyed by Babur.

1767– The earliest record of the mosque in Descriptio Indiae.

1853– The first instance of religious violence was documented.

1858– British administration prohibits Hindu rituals.

1949– Murtis of Rama and Sita were installed inside Babri Masjid.

1950- The state took control of the mosque; Hindus allowed worship.

1980s– Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) launches movement for a temple.

1989– VHP leaders conduct Shilanyas, laying the foundation adjacent to the disputed site.

1992– Demolition of the mosque by VHP and BJP rally; inter-communal violence ensues.

2005– Terrorist attack on makeshift Ram temple; attackers killed.

2019– Supreme Court’s verdict on Ayodhya dispute; land handed to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust.

2020– Government approves plan for temple construction; land allocated for a new mosque in Dhannipur village

Ram Mandir Murti

• The Statue of Rama is a planned monument in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. It will be 181 meters (594 ft) tall, and 251 meters (823 ft) tall including the plinth and umbrella.
• The idol of Ramlala, which depicts Lord Ram as a five-year-old child, was revealed days before the consecration ceremony on Monday. The idol was made by the famous sculptor Arun Yogiraj from Karnataka. The new idol will be called Achal Murti, while the old idol will be called Utsav Murti

Various government and non-governmental organizations in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab have released mosquitofish into local water bodies to address a mosquito menace that locals have complained about.

About 

• It is also known as mosquito fish, and is widely used as a biological agent for controlling mosquito larvae.
• It is native to the waters of the south-eastern United States.
• It has been a part of mosquito-control strategies for over a century in various parts of the world, including India.
• A single full grown fish eats about 100 to 300 mosquito larvae per day.
• Also it has been part of various malaria control strategies in India since 1928, including the Urban Malaria Scheme.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared Gambusia one of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world. 

• The Mpemba effect is the name given to the observation that a liquid (typically water) which is initially hot can freeze faster than the same liquid which begins cold, under otherwise similar conditions. 
• There is disagreement about its theoretical basis and the parameters required to produce the effect.
• The Mpemba effect is named after Tanzanian scientist Erasto Bartholomeo Mpemba, who described it in 1963 as a secondary school student. 

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Mission, designed to observe natural processes and changes in earth’s complex ecosystems, is on track for an “early 2024” launch.

About

• NISAR is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory jointly developed by NASA and ISRO. 
• It is an SUV-size satellite weighing 2,800 kilograms.
• It consists of both L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
• NISAR will be the first satellite mission to use two different radar frequencies (L-band and S-band) to measure changes in our planet’s surface.
• SAR is capable of penetrating clouds and can collect data day and night regardless of the weather conditions.
• NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store data, and a payload data subsystem. ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the GSLV launch system, and spacecraft.
• It also consists of a large 39-foot stationary antenna reflector made of a gold-plated wire mesh which will be used to focus “the radar signals emitted and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure.
• It will measure Earth’s changing ecosystems, dynamic surfaces, and ice masses, providing information about biomass, natural hazards, sea level rise, and groundwater.
• NISAR will observe Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces globally with 12-day regularity on ascending and descending passes.

• The Ministry of Culture will be showcasing ‘Anant Sutra — The Endless Thread’ textile installation at Kartavya Path on the occasion of Republic Day.
• The wooden frames will be installed behind the spectators seated in the enclosures and showcase nearly 1,900 sarees and drapes from every corner of the country, including Bomkai from Odisha.

About

• Bomkai fabric is created using an extra weft technique on a pit loom, and combines the techniques of Ikat and embroidery. 
• The borders of the fabric often feature contrasting colors, while the pallus are decorated with intricate thread work. 
• The motifs are inspired by nature and tribal art.
• While it traces its origin to Bomkai village in Ganjam district,  it is mainly produced by the Bhulia community of Sonepur district.

• Former Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan has been appointed the chairman of the ‘Donate For Desh’ crowdfunding campaign of the party in the state.
• Congress has launched a ‘Donate for Desh’ campaign for fund collection in Odisha. 
• The campaign is part of the nationwide drive launched by the grand old party.

• Renowned sand artist from Odisha, Sudarsan Pattnaik, has crafted a massive sand sculpture of Lord Ram at Ayodhya ahead of the consecration of Ram Lalla idol.
• Pattnaik and seven of his students have crafted the 55-foot-long, 23-foot-tall and 35-foot-wide sculpture at Ram Katha Park near Saryu river at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh
• The renowned sand artist has decorated the sculpture with 500 miniature replicas of Ayodhya Ram Mandir.
• The sculpture was recognized as the world’s largest sand sculpture of Lord Ram by the World Records Book of India.

• Chief Minister laid foundation stones for 19 instream storage structures in Odisha.
• The instream storage structures will be constructed in 13 districts of Odisha with an expenditure of Rs 4,600 crore

Key points

• The instream storage structures will come up in Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Khurda, Puri, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Sundargarh districts in the state
• The instream storage structures are crucial for irrigation and drinking water projects in Odisha. 
• They will also help restore groundwater levels and boost fishery and animal husbandry in Odisha

• The Odisha government inked 11 MoUs with several corporate houses for setting up of industrial projects worth Rs 23,389.43 crore in the state.
• The Odisha government is committed to extend industrial development to every part of the state
• It is in collaboration with the CII.

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