Uttar Pradesh

• 25 May 2023

Shri Ramcharitmanas now the Longest Song in the World: Guinness World Record Created in the Name of Jagdish of Banaras

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on 23 May 2023, Shri Ramcharitmanas has now become the longest song in the world. Dr. Jagdish Pillai of Banaras, Uttar Pradesh has lent his voice to the Shri Ramcharitmanas song of 138 hours 41 minutes and 20 seconds.

Key Points:

• It is known that earlier this record was in the name of America and the United Kingdom. Along with being recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, this record was recorded in the name of America and has now been named after India.
• Dr. Jagdish Pillai has become the Guinness World Record holder for the maximum number of times i.e. 5 times from Uttar Pradesh.
• State AYUSH Minister Dr. Dayashankar Mishra Dayalu presented the Guinness certificate to Dr. Jagadish Pillai at his home.
• It is worth mentioning that Dr. Jagadish Pillai, despite not being a Hindi speaker, sung such a long song by himself composing it in Awadhi in such a beautiful & emotional way with bhajans-kirtans and got it registered in the Guinness Book. It took him four years to complete this work.
• Shri Ramcharitmanas' song has been aired on more than 100 audio channels across the world. That's why Guinness World Records has recorded Shri Ramcharitmanas as the longest officially released song i.e. officially recognized longest song in the world.
• It is known that the longest song ever was 115 hours 45 minutes which was sung by Mark Christopher Lee and The Pocket Gods living in St. Albans Hertfordshire (UK) on 1 December 2021. He achieved this record by playing only one type of instrumental music.
• Dr. Jagadish Pillai said that since 2016 he has been wishing to break the record of the world's longest song. He says that when there are books like Ramayana, Mahabharata in India, then this record should also be in the name of India. Being in Awadhi language, first took the help of friend Pradeep Mishra to understand the colloquial and pronunciation.
• After this, friend Deepak Jaiswal was contacted for recording. Deepak Jaiswal was also awarded with Guinness Participation Certificate.
• It is worth mentioning that Dr. Jagadish Pillai had registered the name of Banaras in the Guinness Book of World Records for the first time in 2012. He broke a Canadian record in 2012 by making an animation movie in the shortest possible time. What the Canadian did in six hours, Dr. Pillai did in three and a half hours.
• The second record was set for the longest line of postcards with 16,300 postcards. For the third time, under the Largest Poster Awareness Campaign and for the fourth time, under the Yoga Public Awareness Campaign, he had registered his name in the Guinness Record by making the longest envelope.
• Dr. Pillai, who has done PhD in Vedic Science, is the author of more than 5 hundred books.

BHU will work on converting Coal into Methane

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on 23 May 2023, the Ministry of Coal has given the country's first ambitious project of its kind on green energy to the scientists of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh, under which scientists will work on converting coal into methane in its original condition inside the ground.

Key Points:

• In view of the energy crisis, the Ministry has given this important project on biomethanization of coal. Under this study, it will be seen how the organic method is effective in converting coal into 'methane' in in-situ (that natural and original condition, in which coal remains inside the ground) condition.
• This study will be done by Prof. Prakash Kumar Singh of Geology Department of BHU and Prof. Ashalata Singh of Botany.
• Pro. Prakash Singh and Prof. Ashalata Singh's team, in another project at DST, is studying how to reduce sulphur by biochemical techniques from sulphur-rich coal found in the Northeast of India and some other places. This can avoid the environmental damage caused by sulphur.
• Two results emerge from this study. Firstly, green energy can be obtained by converting coal into methane in the ground itself. Second, by stopping coal mining, the environment will also be saved from the adverse effects.
• Recently senior officials of CMPDI, Coal India visited BHU and learned about the details of the project.