Art and Culture 

Rare copper plates documenting Devaraya I’s coronation during Vijayanagara Empire unveiled in Bengaluru - The Hindu 

A set of copper plates dating back to early 15th Century from the reign of Devaraya I of the Sangama Dynasty were unveiled recently by Falcon Coins Gallery with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Copper Plates of Devaraya I

• Script: Written in Sanskrit and Kannada using Nāgarī script.
• Issue: Issued during the coronation of King Devaraya I (Saka 1328 / 1406 CE).
• Unique seal: Features Vamana instead of the traditional Varaha of the Vijayanagara Empire.
• Historical Significance:
  • Confirms the coronation date of Devaraya I.
  • Provides detailed genealogy of the Sangama Dynasty:
  • Lineage traced from Chandra, Yadu, Sangama to Harihara, Kampa, Bukka, Mãrapa, and Muddapa.

Sangama Dynasty 

• Overview: Sangama was the first dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire, ruling from 1334 to 1485 AD.
• Founders: Harihara I and Bukka I, who expanded the empire by annexing Hoysala territories.
• Historical Accounts:
  • The chronicle of Nuniz narrates the early rise of Vijayanagara power, aligning with available epigraphic records.
    Muhammad Tughlaq seized Anegundi (~1336), after which local leadership collapsed.
  • Tughlaq appointed the former minister “Deorao” (Harihara Deva I) as chief, who then established Vijayanagara city on the south bank of the river.
• Succession: Harihara I was succeeded by his brother Bukka, who ruled for 37 years, followed by his son Harihara II.
• Expansion: Vijayanagara became a haven for Hindu refugees, outcasts, and warriors displaced by Muslim invasions.
• Political Caution: Early rulers avoided royal titles, and Brahmin inscriptions refrained from calling them kings initially.

Geography 

How did the Myanmar earthquake occur? - The Hindu

The powerful earthquake in Myanmar on March 28 had its source in central Myanmar, about 20 km from Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. Mandalay, located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy river, is close to one of the most seismically active faults in the region, called the Sagaing fault, named after a town not far from Mandalay on the river’s opposite side.

Earthquake Prone South Asia

• Reason: Region lies near major tectonic features - Himalayas, Shillong Plateau, Indo-Burman Range, Andaman-Nicobar subduction zone.
• Tectonic stress from Indian-Eurasian Plate collision: Causes frequent seismic activity.
• Historic earthquakes:
  • 1792 Arakan coast quake (M8.5) caused tsunami & soil liquefaction.
  • Ongoing seismic activity in Chittagong-Tripura belt.
• Shallow to deep earthquakes: Southeast Asia experiences earthquakes at 5–400 km depth due to complex tectonics.
• Geodynamics of Sagaing Fault: Formed by oblique convergence of India and Eurasia plates.

• Sagaing fault: Separates Central Myanmar Lowlands & Indo-Burman Range.
• Location: Between the Indian plate and the Burma microplate.
• Motion: Fault accommodates 15–25 mm/year slip rate, accounting for ~55% of plate motion.
• Nature of plate movement: Horizontal movement (strike-slip), with shallow earthquakes (10–15 km).
• Implications for India: India being highly earthquake-prone, must adopt tested safety protocols and disaster mitigation measures.

Why Naini Lake is seeing record-low water levels this year - Indian Express 

The Naini Lake, one of Nainital’s key attractions, has recorded a water level of 4.7 feet — marking a five-year low.

Naini Lake

• Location: Natural freshwater lake of tectonic origin, located in Nainital, Uttarakhand.
• Origin: Mentioned in Skanda Purana as Tri-Rishi-Sarovar & discovered by the British in early 1800s.

• Features: Crescent/kidney-shaped lake with an outlet at the southeastern end.
• Perimeter: 2 miles; Depth: 6 m to 28 m.
• Main feeder: Balia Nala; also fed by 26 major drains, including 3 perennial ones.
• Surrounding Landmarks: Mallital: Northern end; Tallital: Southern end.
• Significance: Bridge at Tallital houses Gandhi's statue and the world’s only post office on a lake bridge.
• Associated Lakes in Kumaon Hills: Sattal Lake, Bhimtal Lake, Naukuchiyatal Lake.
   

Environment 

India’s critical efforts to tackle air pollution could worsen warming - The Hindu

Rapidly reducing aerosol emissions, which are part of air pollution, without concurrently reducing greenhouse gas emissions could expose a large fraction of the world’s most vulnerable people to a sudden acceleration of warming and extreme heat in highly polluted regions like India.

Greenhouse Gases vs. Aerosols

• Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): Trap heat, cause long-term global warming. GHGs are well-mixed and long-lived (e.g., CO₂ lasts centuries)
• Aerosols: Reflect sunlight, reduce surface temperature, impact water cycle. Aerosols are short-lived (days to weeks) and localized in effect.
• Thermal Power: TPPs (70% of electricity) emit sulphur dioxide, forming sulphate aerosols.
• Impact of Sulphate aerosols: Highly reflective, contributing to 50–60% of aerosol load in India.
• Air pollution control: Involves removing sulphur dioxide from flue gases.
• Impact of Aerosols: India warmed by 0.54°C (1906–2005), but without aerosols, warming would be ~2°C. Aerosols offset about 1.5°C of warming.
• Climate change report (2020) findings: 0.7°C warming (1901–2018) in India, partially offset by aerosols and land-use changes.
• Global average warming: ~1.3°C above pre-industrial levels.
• Aerosols cause uneven global cooling: Northern Hemisphere: 0.9°C; Southern: 0.3°C which weakens Indian monsoon rainfall.
• Remote effects observed: China’s aerosol cuts worsened North American heatwaves.
• Increased Indian aerosol load: May reduce rainfall.
• Health and Climate Implications:
  • GHGs: Cause heat stress
  • Aerosols: Cause respiratory diseases.
• Policy Recommendations:
  • Develop better heat action plans; current city plans lack long-term focus.
  • Aerosol removal may increase heat but improve rainfall and health.
  • Trade-offs must be weighed, but health benefits outweigh warming risks.
     

Sci and Tech 

Chandrayaan’s ChaSTE takes the moon’s temperature - The Hindu

Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) is the first instrument to measure temperatures in situ near the moon’s south pole. Scientists used this data to report that water ice is more prevalent on the moon than expected.

ChaSTE Probe

• Overview: A temperature probe used on the Moon.
• Development: By ISRO’s VSSC and PRL Ahmedabad.
• Role: Capable of penetrating up to 10 cm into the lunar surface using a motor.
• Sensors: Equipped with 10 temperature sensors.
• Function: Measures temperature profile of lunar topsoil near the South Pole.
• Findings: Surface temperature: 40–50°C; at 80 mm

INSV Tarini reaches Cape Town on final stopover of global circumnavigation - The Hindu

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini recently arrived at Cape Town, South Africa, marking the fourth and final stopover in their global circumnavigation expedition, Navika Sagar Parikrama II.

INSV Tarini

• Overview: Indigenously built 56-foot sailing vessel of the Indian Navy, commissioned in February 2017.
• Construction: Built by Aquarius Shipyard Ltd., Goa under Make in India.
• Key Features:
  • Equipped with a Raymarine navigation suite, satellite communication, and emergency steering.
  • Designed to operate under extreme maritime conditions.
• Naming: Named after Tara-Tarini shrine in Odisha, historically revered by sailors. 'Tarini' in Sanskrit means both boat and saviour.
• Navika Sagar Parikrama II: Flagged off on October 2, 2024.
• Total distance: 23,400 nautical miles (~43,300 km) over eight months.
• Route:
  • Fremantle (Australia)
  • Lyttelton (New Zealand)
  • Port Stanley (Falkland Islands, UK)
  • Cape Town (South Africa)
• Conclusion: May 2025, return to Goa.