The Annamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) is known for its diverse flora, and it is part of the Western Ghats, a region recognized for its high biodiversity and endemism. The Western Ghats is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The flora of the Annamalai Tiger Reserve includes a wide variety of plant species, and here are some of the prominent ones:

1. Evergreen and Semi-Evergreen Forests: A significant portion of ATR is covered by evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. These forests are characterized by dense vegetation that remains green throughout the year. They consist of a wide array of tree species, including:

   • Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia): A valuable timber tree.
   • Teak (Tectona grandis): Known for its high-quality timber.
   • Malabar Kino (Pterocarpus marsupium): A deciduous tree with medicinal properties.

2. Grasslands: Grasslands are also found in the lower elevations of ATR. They provide grazing grounds for herbivores and support a variety of grass species and wildflowers.

3. Bamboo Groves: Bamboo is a prominent component of the flora in ATR. It includes various species of bamboo such as Bambusa arundinacea, Dendrocalamus strictus, and others. These provide habitat and food for several wildlife species.

4. Shola Forests: In the higher elevations, you can find Shola forests. These unique montane forests are often surrounded by grassy high-altitude plateaus known as "sholas." They are characterized by stunted trees and contain several endemic plant species.

5. Orchids: The Western Ghats, including ATR, is known for its rich orchid diversity. There are numerous species of orchids found in the region, many of which are endemic.

6. Medicinal Plants: ATR is home to several medicinal plants used by indigenous communities for traditional healing practices. These include species like Nothapodytes nimmoniana, which is used in the treatment of cancer.

7. Lichens and Mosses: ATR's diverse microclimates support a variety of lichens and mosses on trees and rocks.

8. Epiphytes: The trees in the rainforests of ATR are often covered with epiphytic plants like ferns, mosses, and orchids. These plants grow on the surface of other plants, utilizing them for support.

The Annamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) is inhabited by several indigenous tribal communities who have lived in the region for generations. These tribal communities have a deep connection with the forests and natural resources of the area. Some of the prominent tribes inhabiting the ATR and its surrounding regions include:

1. Toda Tribe: The Toda people are one of the indigenous tribes of the Nilgiris, a region that includes the Western Ghats, where ATR is located. They are known for their unique culture and traditional practices. The Toda people have their own language and are traditionally involved in buffalo herding.

2. Kota Tribe: The Kota tribe is another indigenous group living in the Nilgiris. They have a distinct culture and are traditionally involved in agriculture. The Kota people are skilled in the cultivation of various crops.

3. Kurumba Tribe: The Kurumba tribe is found in the Western Ghats region, including the ATR. They have a deep understanding of the forest and are known for their knowledge of herbal medicine. Some Kurumba people work as forest guides and have become valuable contributors to ecotourism in the area.

4. Irula Tribe: The Irula tribe is found in various parts of Tamil Nadu, including the regions around the ATR. They have a rich cultural heritage and are skilled in activities like snake catching, which has been a traditional occupation for some.

5. Malasar Tribe: The Malasar people are indigenous to the Nilgiris and the surrounding areas. They traditionally relied on shifting agriculture and forest resources for their livelihoods.

6. Mudugar Tribe: The Mudugar people are another tribal community in the Western Ghats region. They have a strong connection to the forests and have traditionally practiced agriculture and collection of forest produce.

7. Paliyan Tribe: The Paliyan people are found in the ATR and surrounding areas. They are known for their knowledge of the forest ecosystem and are skilled hunters and gatherers.

BABA FARID-JERUSALEM

• Legend has it that Baba Farid, a Sufi saint from Punjab, spent 40 days in deep meditation at this place.
• Although he returned to Punjab, Indian Muslims going to Mecca started visiting the walled city of Jerusalem to pray at this spot
• Over time, this place transformed into a shrine and a hospice for travelers from India.
• Baba Farid, born in 1173 CE in the village of Kothewal near Multan, hailed from a family that had migrated from Kabul to Punjab.
• He followed the Chishti order and, was one of the first Sufi saints to write his verses in Punjabi. Many of these verses are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs.
• During his travels in Punjab and beyond, he visited Jerusalem, where he prayed at the Al-Aqsa mosque and composed verses
• Lore has it that he found a modest lodge within one of the gates of Old Jerusalem, known as Bab-az-Zahra among Muslims and Herod’s Gate among Christians
• This lodge was situated within a compact khanqah dedicated structures for Sufi orders, serving as both seminaries for the order’s followers, and hospices for travelers atop a small hillock within Herod’s Gate

• After Baba Farid’s departure, the khanqah evolved into a hospice for travellers from India, earning the name Zawiya Al-Hindiya, meaning “the Lodge of Hind.”
• Remarkably, despite changing hands, including Christian crusaders, Mamluks, and Ottoman rulers, the lodge retained its association with India
• The medieval traveller Evliya Chelebi described Zawiya Al-Hindiya—the Indian hospice as one of the largest Zawiyas in the city in 1671
• Navtej Sarna, a diplomat-author, uncovered a document from 1681 that detailed a leadership dispute over the lodge, and another document mentioned a sheikh named Ghulam Mohammad Al-Lahori who engaged with the Ottoman administration in 1824, resulting in the expansion of the lodge’s facilities
• The lodge’s prominence continued during the Ottoman rule, primarily under sheikhs from South Asia. However, a significant shift occurred when the Ottoman Empire’s dissolution began in 1919.
• By 1921, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin Al-Husayni, took charge and initiated extensive renovations and rebuilding efforts. To fund these projects, the Grand Mufti sought support from Muslim patrons worldwide, including the Muslim princely states in British India
• In 1921, the Grand Mufti informed leaders of the Indian Khilafat Movement about the ‘Indian Lodge’ in dire need of repair. Khwaja Nazir Hasan Ansari, a young man from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, took on the task.
• By 1924, he had completely renovated the lodge, which provided sanctuary to numerous travellers and pilgrims from British India for the next 15 years. During World War II in 1939, the lodge served as a refuge for soldiers from British India fighting in North Africa.

• After India gained independence, Nazir Ansari sought official recognition for the lodge from the Indian embassy in Egypt, cementing its Indian identity.
• The lodge has faced several conflicts, enduring rocket strikes in 1952 and the Six Day War in 1967
• Over time, the Indian Hospice expanded to its current 7,000 square metres. It also hosts the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the Jerusalem Health Centre within its premises
• In 2000, the hospice was the site of a meeting between former Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and Palestinian leader Faisal Husseini

SUPER BLUE MOON

 

 

1. Context

Rakhi is celebrated on the Purnima of the month of Shravan — on August 30-31 will be unusual: it will be both a “blue moon” and a “super moon” and therefore, a “Super Blue Moon”, a rare trifecta of astronomical events.

This special moon will rise at 6.35 pm in Delhi on August 30, a little later in Mumbai, and about an hour earlier in Kolkata.

2. What is a Super moon?

• The orbit of the moon around the earth is not circular; it is elliptical, that is, an elongated or stretched-out circle. It takes the moon 27.3 days to orbit the earth
• It is 29.5 days from new moon to new moon, though. This is because while the moon is orbiting the earth, both the earth and the moon are also moving around the sun  and it takes additional time for the sun to light up the moon in the same way as it does at the beginning of every revolution around the earth
•  The new moon is the opposite of the full moon  it is the darkest part of the moon’s invisible phase, when its illuminated side is facing away from the earth

• The point closest to earth in the moon’s elliptical orbit is called perigee, and the point that is farthest is called apogee.
• A super moon happens when the moon is passing through or is close to its perigee, and is also a full moon
• A full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun (as seen from earth), and therefore, has its entire day side lit up.
• The full moon appears as a brilliant circle in the sky that rises around sunset and sets around sunrise.
• The moon appears ‘full’ not just on Purnima, but also on the night before and after the full moon night

 

3. What is a Blue moon?

• The term "blue moon" has two meanings. It can refer to a second full moon in a single calendar month, which is a rare occurrence. It can also refer to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons, which happens about every 2.7 years
• The second definition is the more common one, and it is the one that is used in the phrase "once in a blue moon". This phrase means that something happens very rarely.
• The moon does not actually turn blue during a blue moon. The name comes from the way that the Old English word "belewe" (meaning "betrayer") was sometimes used to refer to a second full moon in a month.
• This is because the second full moon would "betray" the farmers who were using the lunar cycle to plant their crops
• A true blue moon, when the moon actually appears blue, is a very rare occurrence. It can happen when the moon passes through dust particles from a volcanic eruption or forest fire.
• The dust particles scatter red light, making the moon appear blue.
• The next blue moon will occur on August 19, 2024. It will be a seasonal blue moon, which means that it will be the third full moon in the summer season

3.1. Reasons for the blue colour

• Sometimes, smoke or dust in the air can scatter red wavelengths of light, as a result of which the moon may, in certain places, appear more blue than usual. But this has nothing to do with the name “blue” moon
• Speaking of colours, you may have noticed that the moon appears more yellow/ orange when it is lower in the sky (closer to the horizon)
• This is because moonlight travels for longer through the atmosphere at this stage, and along the way, more of the shorter, bluer wavelengths of light are scattered, leaving more of the longer, redder wavelengths.
• The NASA explainer points out that dust or pollution can end up deepening the reddish colour of the moon

3.2. Size of the blue moon

• According to NASA, a full moon at perigee (super moon) is about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at apogee (called a “micro moon”).
• However, it is unlikely the difference in size will be noticeable by most people.
• The moon could appear somewhat brighter, though but whether you are able to make out the difference will depend on factors such as the so-called ‘Moon illusion’, and how cloudy or polluted it is at your location

 

4. Way forward

A full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun (as seen from earth), and therefore, has its entire day side lit up. The full moon appears as a brilliant circle in the sky that rises around sunset and sets around sunrise. The moon appears ‘full’ not just on Purnima, but also on the night before and after the full moon night

 

Source: indianexpress

COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY (CTBT)

1. Context

A day after indicating the possibility of revoking its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), President Vladimir Putin clarified Russia's position, stating that the move was not to resume nuclear testing but rather to maintain parity with the United States.

 

2. What is the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)?

The CTBT is a multilateral treaty that prohibits all nuclear explosions, for both civilian and military purposes, in all environments. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on September 10, 1996, but has not yet entered into force because it has not been ratified by all 44 states required to do so, including eight specific nations: China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, Egypt, and the United States.

3. The purpose of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

The CTBT has several important purposes:

• To prevent the development of new nuclear weapons and the improvement of existing arsenals.
• To reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation.
• To promote international peace and security.
• To build trust and confidence between states.
• To promote transparency and accountability in the nuclear sphere.

4. How did CTBT come into being?

• 1945: US conducts the world's first successful nuclear test.
• 1949: Soviet Union tests its first nuclear weapon, triggering a Cold War arms race.
• 1945-1996: Over 2,000 nuclear tests; 1,032 by the US, 715 by the Soviet Union, 45 by Britain, 210 by France, and 45 by China.
• Concerns grow globally about the health and environmental effects of radioactive fallout.
• 1963: Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (LTBT) bans nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater but allows underground tests.
• 1968: No agreement on a comprehensive test ban during the negotiation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
• 1974: The US and Soviet Union signed the Threshold Test Ban Treaty (TTBT) limiting tests to yields under 150 kilotons.
• 1990s: Cold War ends, leading to a breakthrough.
• 1996: The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is adopted by the UN, banning all explosive nuclear weapon tests.
• CTBT opened for signature on September 24, 1996.

5. India, USA, NPT and CTBT-Issues and India’s Apprehension

India is one of the eight key countries that have not ratified the CTBT. India has expressed several concerns about the treaty, including the following:

• India believes that the CTBT will hinder its ability to develop and maintain a credible nuclear deterrent against Pakistan and China.
• India believes that the CTBT discriminates against non-nuclear-weapon states by denying them the right to develop nuclear weapons for peaceful purposes, such as nuclear power generation.
• India is concerned about the effectiveness of the CTBT's verification regime, particularly because some nuclear-weapon states have not yet ratified the treaty.

The United States has also not ratified the CTBT. The US Senate rejected the treaty in 1999, citing concerns about the treaty's verification regime and the impact it would have on US nuclear security.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is an international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology and promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The CTBT is complementary to the NPT, as it helps to prevent the development and improvement of nuclear weapons.

6. Growing Global Concern

The radioactive fallout from these tests raised concerns worldwide about the impact on health and the environment. In response, several attempts were made to restrict nuclear testing, including the 1963 Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (LTBT), which prohibited atmospheric, outer space, and underwater tests but still allowed underground tests.

7. Impact of CTBT on Nuclear Testing

Since the CTBT came into existence, only 10 nuclear tests have taken place. India conducted two in 1998, Pakistan conducted two in 1998, and North Korea conducted tests in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016 (twice), and 2017. The United States last conducted a nuclear test in 1992, while China and France did so in 1996. The Soviet Union conducted its final test in 1990, and Russia, inheriting most of the Soviet nuclear arsenal, has never conducted a nuclear test.

8. Conclusion

The CTBT is an important treaty for the international community, and its entry into force would be a significant step towards a more peaceful and secure world. However, India has several apprehensions about the treaty, which have prevented it from ratifying it. It is important to address India's concerns to achieve the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

 

For Prelims: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, Soviet Union, Russia, India, USA, United Nations, Nuclear Tests, Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, Non-Proliferation Treaty, Partial Test Ban Treaty,  For Mains:  1. Explain India's apprehensions and concerns regarding the CTBT and its impact on the country's nuclear deterrence policy. How can these concerns be addressed to promote India's participation in the treaty? (250 words)

 

 

Previous Year Questions Prelims 1. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is associated with the ban on which of the following? (Rajasthan PTET 2012) A. Ban on certain organisations under UN laws B. Ban on money laundering activities C. Ban on nuclear tests for developing arsenals D. Ban on terrorism   Answer: C 2. What is/are the consequence/consequences of a country becoming the member of the ‘Nuclear Suppliers Group’? (2018) It will have access to the latest and most efficient nuclear technologies. It automatically becomes a member of “The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)”. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only       (b) 2 only         (c) Both 1 and 2                (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: A 3. Consider the following countries: (UPSC 2015) China France India Israel Pakistan Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)? (a) 1 and 2 only          (b) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only          (c) 2, 4 and 5 only          (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Answer: A 4. The Soviet Union broke down in the year _______. (SSC GD 2019) A. 1991         B.  1880           C.  2000           D.  1900 Answer: A 5. What is the code name of the first Nuclear test of India? (MP Police SI 2016)  A. Chagai 1­-1        B. Smiling Buddha          C. Project 596          D. Shakti 1 – 1 Answer: B Mains 1. In what ways would the ongoing U.S-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to this situation? (UPSC 2018) 2. With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (UPSC 2018) 3. Give an account of the growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is the advantage of fast breeder reactor programme in India? (UPSC 2017)

 

Source: The Indian Express

CUBISM

 

1. Context

October 25 marks the 142nd birth anniversary of the renowned Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). His work consists of thousands of paintings, drawings, engravings, sculptures, and ceramics.

 

2. What is Cubism?

• First, Cubism has nothing to do with cubes. The name ‘cubism’ seems to be derived from a snide comment by French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954), who called one of Braque’s paintings “a picture made up of small cubes”
• Unlike its predecessors, Cubism involved artists seeing an object not from a single viewpoint but from every conceivable angle.
• It was the rejection of the traditional approach to making art, where art was just a copy of nature or an object and the artists adopted age-old techniques of perspective, modelling, and foreshortening.
• Cubism is about acknowledging the two-dimensional nature of the canvas and categorically NOT about trying to re-create the illusion of three dimensions (a cube, for example)
• If Picasso and Braque were to paint a cardboard box, they would metaphorically take it apart and open it to make a flat plan, Gompertz added.
• This helped show all sides of the box at once. However, the artists would also want their composition to showcase the box’s three-dimensionality on the canvas, which the flat plane can’t do.
• So they took an imaginary walk around the box and chose the views they felt best described the object before them.
• They would then paint and rearrange these ‘views’ or ‘pieces’ on the canvas in a series of interlocking flat planes. The order was a rough approximation of the box’s original three-dimensional shape, so that it was still discernible as a cube but laid out in two dimensions

• By doing this, Picasso and Braque thought their art would invoke “a much stronger feeling of recognition” about the box or any other subject artists might create.
• Cubism was meant to make people pay more attention to everyday objects that were usually overlooked and present a more precise representation of how people actually perceive an object

3. Inspiration for Cubism

• Both Picasso and Braque took inspiration from the later works of French artist Paul Cézanne. As a Post-Impressionist painter, Cézanne began to represent nature with geometric shapes.
• For instance, a tree was painted as a combination of cylinders and an apple was a sphere. This mode of making art was central to the early development of Cubism
• Cubism was also very much a reflection of the groundbreaking developments in science and technology during the early 1900s
• Picasso and Braque were aware of Albert Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity, published in 1905, in which the scientist proposed that space and time don’t exist as independent entities, combining the three dimensions (height, width and depth) of space and one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional continuum, known as spacetime

 

4. Evolution of Cubism

• The art movement developed in two distinct phases, including the initial analytical cubism, and a later phase known as synthetic cubism, according to a report by Tate Museum
• Artworks made during the analytical cubism phase (1907-1912) mostly displayed objects from different viewpoints (as discussed before), painted in mute tones of blacks, greys and ochres
• The synthetic cubism phase (1912-1914) involved simpler shapes and brighter colours in comparison to the aforementioned phase.
• Most significantly, however, it also entailed the use of real-life objects Picasso and Braque incorporated wallpapers, newspaper cuttings, and oilcloths into their paintings.
• They used the technique to not only make Cubist paintings more legible but also to elevate the status of objects like an oilcloth from worthless rags to something unique and valuable.

5. Way forward

Cubism represented a radical departure from traditional artistic techniques and had a profound and enduring impact on the art world. It marked the birth of modern art and influenced subsequent movements such as Futurism, Constructivism, and Surrealism. Today, Cubism is celebrated for its innovation, creative vision, and its pivotal role in reshaping the course of art history

 

Source: indianexpress