Mahavir Jayanti

• The President and Vice President of India have greeted the people on occasion of ‘Mahavir Jayanti’.

About Mahavir Jayanti

• Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most auspicious festivals in the Jain community.
• This day marks the birth of Vardhamana Mahavira, who was the 24th and the last Tirthankara who succeeded the 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha.
• According to Jain texts, Lord Mahavira was born on the 13th day of the bright half of the moon in the month of Chaitra.
• This festival is celebrated widely by the Jain community in memory of the last spiritual teacher of the religion. A procession is called with the idol of Lord Mahavira called the Rath Yatra. Reciting stavans or Jain prayers, statues of the lord are given a ceremonial bath called abhisheka.

Lord Mahavira

• Mahavir was born to King Siddhartha of Kundagrama and Queen Trishala, a Lichchhavi princess in the year 540 BC in the Vajji kingdom, identical with modern day Vaishali in Bihar.
• Mahavira belonged to the Ikshvaku dynasty.
• There are several historians who believe that he was born in a place called Ahalya bhumi and the land has not been plowed for hundreds of years by the family that owns it.
• Lord Mahavir was named Vardhamana, which means “one who grows”.
• He abandoned the worldly life at the age of 30 and attained ‘kaivalya’ or omniscience at the age of 42.
• Mahavira taught ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity) and aparigraha (non-attachment) to his disciples and his teachings were called Jain Agamas. Ordinary people were able to understand the teachings of Mahavira and his followers because they used Prakrit.
• It is believed that the Mahavira passed away and attained moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) at the age of 72 in 468 BC at a place called Pavapuri near modern Rajgir in Bihar.

Jainism

• The word Jaina comes from the term Jina, meaning conqueror.
• Tirthankara is a Sanskrit word meaning 'Ford maker', i.e., one who is able to ford the river, to cross beyond the perpetual flow of earthly life.
• Jainism attaches utmost importance to ahimsa or non-violence. It preaches 5 mahavratas (the 5 great vows):
  • Ahimsa (Non-violence)
  • Satya (Truth)
  • Asteya or Acharya (Non-stealing)
  • Aparigraha (Non-attachment/Non-possession)
  • Brahmacharya (Celibacy/Chastity)
• Among these 5 teachings, the Brahmacharya (Celibacy/Chastity) was added by Mahavira.
• The three jewels or Triratna of Jainism include Samyak Darshana (right faith), Samyak Gyana (right knowledge) and Samyak Charitra (right conduct).
• Jainism is a religion of self-help. There are no gods or spiritual beings that will help human beings. It does not condemn the varna system.
• In later times, it got divided into two sects: Shvetambaras (white-clad) under Sthalabahu and Digambaras (sky-clad) under the leadership of Bhadrabahu.
• The important idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated: even stones, rocks, and water have life. Non-injury to living beings, especially to humans, animals, plants, and insects, is central to Jaina philosophy.
• According to Jaina teachings, the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through karma. Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma and achieve the liberation of the soul.
• The practice of Santhara is also a part of Jainism. It is the ritual of fasting unto death. Swetambara Jains call it Santhara whereas Digambars call it Sallekhana.

World Haemophilia Day

Haemophilia day is celebrated on April 17 every year, the day aims to increase awareness about haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders.

• The day is celebrated in the honor of Frank Schnabel, founder of the World Federation of Haemophilia (WHF).
• This year, the theme of World Haemophilia Day is Outreach & Identification—“The first step to care”.
• Since 1989, World Haemophilia Day is the day on which the whole bleeding disorders community comes together to celebrate the continuous advances in treatment while raising awareness and bringing understanding and attention to the issues related to proper care to the wider public.

Haemophilia

• It is a medical condition, mostly inherited, in which the ability of blood to clot is severely reduced so that even a minor injury can cause severe bleeding.
• People with Haemophilia do not have enough clotting factor - a protein in blood that controls bleeding.
• It is quite rare. About 1 in 10,000 people are born with it.
• Major Types of HaemophiliaThe most common type of Haemophilia is called Haemophilia A. This means the person does not have enough clotting factor VIII (factor eight). 
  • Haemophilia B is less common. A person with Haemophilia B does not have enough factor IX (factor nine).
• Men are more vulnerable to haemophilia than women.
• Symptoms
  • Big bruises.
  • Bleeding into muscles and joints.
  • Spontaneous bleeding (sudden bleeding inside the body for no clear reason).
  • Prolonged bleeding after getting a cut, removing a tooth, or having surgery.
• Haemophilia is diagnosed by taking a blood sample and measuring the level of factor activity in the blood.
• Treatment
  • The main treatment for Haemophilia is Replacement Therapy.
  • Concentrates of clotting factor VIII (for Haemophilia A) or clotting factor IX (for Haemophilia B) are slowly dripped or injected into a vein. These infusions help replace the clotting factor that is missing or low.
• Stats
  • According to the World Federation of Haemophilia’s Annual Global Survey 2017, there were over 1.96 lakh persons living with Haemophilia across the world in 2017.
  • In the country-wise data, India emerges with the highest count at nearly 19,000. Experts believe that 80% of cases go unregistered in India due to the absence of proper diagnostic facilities in the remote areas, so the actual count is close to 2 lakh.

World Federation of Haemophilia(WFH)

• It is an international not-for-profit organization that was established in 1963.
• It is a global network of patient organizations in 140 countries and has official recognition from the World Health Organization.
• Its mission is to improve and sustain care for people with inherited bleeding disorders around the world.

Important Facts For Prelims (17th April 2019)

Vayoshreshtha Samman

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment as the nodal ministry for the cause of senior citizens, has been celebrating the International day of Older Persons since 2005 by conferring Vayoshreshtha Sammans to eminent senior citizens and institutions in recognition of their services towards the cause of elderly persons, especially indigent senior citizens.
• In 2013, the Vayoshreshtha Sammans were upgraded as a “National Award”.
• The Awards are given to institutions/organisations/individuals from any part of the country.
• Given in 13 categories, nominations for the year 2019 awards have started.

International day of Older Persons (IDOP)

• On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated 1st October as the ‘International Day of Older Persons’.
• It is celebrated every year to pay attention to the particular needs and challenges faced by many older people.
• The theme for the year 2018 celebration was " Celebrating Older Human Rights Champions".
  
  

Saturn’s Moon Titan

• Using data from Cassini spacecraft, scientists have found that the Saturn's moon Titan has lakes of liquid Methane.
• With this discovery, Titan becomes the only planetary body in our solar system other than Earth which has stable liquid on its surface.

Saturn

• It is the second largest planet after Jupiter in our Solar System.
• Saturn is a Jovian planet i.e. it is completely made up of gas.
• Along with Uranus and Neptune, Saturn is the only planet which has rings.
• As of now, Saturn has 53 confirmed moons orbiting it.
• Titan is largest of all moons of the Saturn and second largest moon in Solar system after Jupiters Ganymede.

Cassini

• Launched: Oct. 15, 1997
• End of Mission: Sept. 15, 2017
• Significance: Cassini orbited and studied the Saturn and its moons in detail.
• Cassini mission also landed the Huygens probe on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in January 2005.

Grafting Technology

• The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has evolved grafting technology – to boost the yield of Brinjal.
• It is the method in which the cut stem of two different plants- one with root and other without root, are joined together in such a way that the two stem grows as a single plant. This new plant has the characteristics of both the plants.
• The cut stem of plant having root is called stock and the cut stem of another plant is called Scion.
• It boosts plant growth by increasing the uptake of nutrients and developing resistance to soil-borne diseases with suitable rootstocks.
• Grafting is used in a variety of plants like roses, apples, avocado, etc.

Home Expo India 2019

• The 8th edition of HOME EXPO INDIA 2019 opened at India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida.
• It has been organized by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).
• EPCH is the nodal export promotion body for handicrafts in India and plays an important role with the main objective of boosting trade in handicrafts and also projects India’s image in the global market as a reliable supplier.

Notre-Dame de Paris

• It is a medieval Catholic cathedral located on an island in Seine River in the Paris, France.
• The cathedral is consecrated to the Virgin Mary and considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.
• The cathedral construction began in 1160 and completed by 1260.
• In 1804, the cathedral was the site of the Coronation of Napoleon I as Emperor of France.
• It contains Holy Crown of Thorns the most precious item of Holy relics and relics from the crucifixion of Jesus- a piece of the cross on which he was nailed and one of the nails.