Art and Culture

• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the Shree Mandir Parikrama Prakalpa (SMPP) on January 17, 2024.
• The SMPP is a massive peripheral development project around Puri’s 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple.
• Mr. Patnaik arrived in Puri after three days of rituals performed at the temple, presided over by Puri’s titular king Dibyasingh Dev.
• The Temple heritage corridor is designed to enhance the visual connection between devotees and the shrine.

Q: 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple is located in which city and state?

a. Puri, Odisha
b. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
c. Jaipur, Rajasthan
d. Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Ans : a. Puri, Odisha

• Pran Pratishtha program for Ram Lala Virajman at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi complex begins on January 16, 2024.
• The program continues until January 21, with the consecration ceremony scheduled for January 22.
• The consecration event will have the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and other dignitaries.
• The program starts at 12:20 and concludes by 1:00 pm on January 22.
• Over 150 traditions, sects, saints, religious leaders, and distinguished dignitaries will be present during the ceremony.
• The Pran Pratishtha ritual will be supervised by Laxmikant Dixit of Varanasi and performed during the Abhijeet Nakshatra.
• The idol of Ramlala, weighing 150 to 200 kg, will undergo rituals involving water, fruits, and other offerings before the Prana Pratistha.

Q: When does the Pran Pratishtha program for Ram Lala Virajman at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi complex begin?

a) January 21, 2024
b) January 16, 2024
c) January 22, 2024
d) January 15, 2024

Ans : c) January 22, 2024

Festivals of harvest – Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Uttarayan, and Magh Bihu were celebrated in different parts of the country on 15 July 2024. These festivals mark the end of winter and the onset of longer days. These festivals are celebrated with cultural diversity, featuring traditions like kite flying, bonfires, and delightful feasts across the country.

In Tamil Nadu, Thai Pongal, as it is called is the beginning of the Tamil month Thai, which is celebrated by Tamils living all over the World. The season is celebrated for three days. Today the people offer their harvest to the Sun in the morning.

Q: What is the significance of Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Uttarayan, and Magh Bihu festivals?

a) End of summer
b) Onset of monsoon
c) End of winter and onset of longer days
d) Celebration of spring

Ans : c) End of winter and onset of longer days