UPSC Prelims News 23 November 2022

UPSC Prelims News of 23 November 2022

Nicobari Hodi Craft

Context: The Geographical Indications Registry has received an application seeking the GI tag for the Nicobari hodi craft. It is the first such application from the Union Territory.

About Nicobari Hodi:

• Nicobari hodi is an outrigger canoe, very commonly operated in the Nicobar group of islands. It is the traditional craft of the Nicobari tribe.
• The technical skills needed for building a hodi are based on indigenous knowledge inherited by the Nicobarese from their forefathers.
• The hodi is constructed using either locally available trees or from nearby islands. The design of the canoe varies slightly from island to island.
• Process:
  • The master carpenter travels to the islands where the search is to be made for the tree to make Hodi craft.
  • After selection, the terms and conditions under which the owner will allow the tree to be felled have to be determined.
  • A 60 to 80 year old tree with a straight trunk or one with a slight incline to one side is preferred.
  • The selected trunk has to be free of branches along the required length and should be sufficiently wide in girth to provide for the desired width.
• Use of hodi: Hodis are used for transporting people and goods between islands, fishing and racing purposes.

UPSC Prelims News 22 November 2022

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD)

Context: The fourth edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) will take place in New Delhi.

About IPRD:

• IPRD is a high level international annual conference of the Indian Navy. The National Maritime Foundation is Navy’s knowledge partner and chief organizer of IPRD.
• Objective: The dialogue seeks to foster exchange of ideas and promote deliberations on regionally relevant maritime issues.
  • The aim of each successive edition of the IPRD is to review both opportunities and challenges that arise within the Indo-Pacific.
  • Being a Track 1.5 event, the IPRD seeks for a balanced representation from government and non-government agencies and institutions.

 The 2022 Edition:

• Theme: The theme of IPRD-2022 edition is the ‘Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative’ (IPOI).
• Seven pillars:
  • Maritime Security, Maritime Resources, Maritime Ecology, Disaster Risk-reduction and Management, Trade-Connectivity and Maritime Transport, Capacity-building and Resource sharing, and Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation.
• Events: As part of the event, globally renowned speakers will explore how the areas of maritime cooperation provided in the IPOI could be optimally and inclusively operationalized.

Shadani Darbar

Context: Pakistan issued 100 visas to Indian pilgrims to allow them to visit Shadani Darbar in Hayat Pitafi.

About Shadani Darbar:

• Located in Hayat Pitafi, Ghotki district, Shadani Darbar is believed to be the biggest Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Sindh province.
• It was founded in 1786 by Sant Shadaram Sahib, whose anniversary the pilgrims have travelled to celebrate.

About Sant Shadaram Sahib and Other Gaddisars

• Sant Shadaram was born in a Lohana khatri family in Lahore in October 1708. He is believed to be the descendent of Lord Ram’s son, Lav, and also an avatar of Lord Shiva.
• In 1768, he reached Mathelo, the capital of Sindh during the reign of Raja Nand, where he built a Shiv temple and enlightened the sacred holy fire (Dhuni Sahib).
• After Sant Shadaram, the darbar has seen eight other ‘gaddisars’, or heads.
• The fifth gaddisar was a woman, Mata Sahib Hassi Devi, who took over the post in 1852.
• The current, ninth gaddisar is Dr Yudhister Lal, who lives primarily in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur.

1974 India-Pakistan Protocol:

• Under the protocol, pilgrims from both countries get visas to visit certain religious shrines without having to go through the usual immigration process.
• The pilgrims can travel only in groups and the number of such groups is fixed each year.
• Fifteen shrines in Pakistan and five in India are covered under this protocol.

Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site

Context: Upon the recommendation of the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board, the state government has declared Arittapatti and Meenakshipuram villages in Madurai district as the first biodiversity heritage site in the State.

More on the News:

• The declaration has been made under the Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002: Under this section, State governments, in consultation with the local bodies, can declare certain areas as biodiversity heritage sites under this Act.

About the Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site:

• Ecological significance of the site:
  • The site houses around 250 species of birds including three important raptors – birds of prey, namely the Laggar Falcon, the Shaheen Falcon and Bonelli’s Eagle.
  • It is also home to wildlife such as the Indian Pangolin, Slender Loris and pythons.
  • The area is surrounded by a chain of seven hillocks or inselbergs that serve as a watershed, charging 72 lakes, 200 natural springs and three check dams.
• Historical significance of the site: The site is home to several megalithic structures, rock-cut temples, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions and Jain beds.

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