The article explores details about the Danda Nata Festival, Ramappa Temple, UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, WhatsApp’s Tipline, Ways and Means Advances, and the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology.
The Danda Nata Festival in South Odisha
Danda Nata is a 21-day long folk dance festival celebrated in South Odisha during the ‘Chaitra’ month. The term ‘Danda’ signifies self-inflicted pain, as participants, known as ‘danduas’, go through torment to honour Lord Kali. Additionally, this festival is a part of worshipping Lord Shiva and Parvati. Midday summer dances, pond dances in the evening, and midnight fire walks by the danduas are some of the features of this festival. Originating between the 8th and 9th AD after Buddhism’s decline in Orissa, locals invite danduas for performance in their regions.
About the Ramappa Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Ramappa Temple, also called Ramalingeshwara Temple, resides in Palampet Village, nearly 67km from Warangal city, Telangana. Constructed under the supervision of Chief Commander Recherla Rudra during Ganapati Deva’s reign from the Kakatiya dynasty in the 1213 AD, the temple gets its name from its sculptor, Ramappa. The Kakatiya Heritage Trust (KHT) that oversees the temple has been pursuing the World Heritage tag for it since 2012.
| Kakatiya Dynasty Period | 1083 CE to 1323 CE |
|---|---|
| Ramappa Temple built in | 1213 AD |
| In protection of | Kakatiya Heritage Trust (KHT) |
UNESCO and its World Heritage Sites
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) works towards the identification, safeguarding, and conservation of cultural and natural heritage worldwide that are considered valuable to humanity. This mission is represented in an international treaty named the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, established by UNESCO in 1972.
WhatsApp’s Fact-checking Tipline
WhatsApp, a messaging platform owned by Facebook, instigated a fact-checking Tipline for users in India preceding the country’s elections. This initiative allows users to submit doubtful information or rumors received on WhatsApp for verification. The company has partnered with PROTO, an India-based media skilling startup, to handle the influx of queries.
Ways and Means Advances (WMA)
Recently, the Reserve Bank of India increased the limits for Ways and Means Advances (WMA) for the first half of the fiscal year 2019-20. Designed to address momentary mismatches in the government’s receipts and expenditures, this temporary loan facility was introduced on April 1, 1997. WMA allows the government to access immediate cash from the RBI, repayable after 90 days, with interest charged at the repo rate.
Discoveries at the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology
Scientists from the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) have discovered how to inhibit bacteria multiplication before cell wall formation. This findings are significant as it opens the potential for new drug delivery methods to combat anti-bacterial resistance through existing antibiotic drugs.
About The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB)
The CCMB is a premier research organization conducting high-quality basic research and training in modern biology’s frontier areas. It was established initially as a semi-autonomous Centre on April 1, 1977, with the Biochemistry Division of what is now known as Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. In 1981-82, it became a fully-fledged national laboratory, complete with its Executive Committee and Scientific Advisory Council. Based in Hyderabad, it operates under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and is recognized as a “Center of Excellence” by the Global Molecular and Cell Biology Network, UNESCO.
