Newsletters
✊ @Evening: China Protests, 'Vivah Panchami' And More
1. 📰 Catch up
The Kerala High Court asked the state government to submit a report on actions taken after the violent protests against Vizhinjam port.
Rahul Gandhi avoided taking sides in Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot tussle by saying that both Congress leaders are assets.
The Centre told the Supreme court that enactment against forced religious conversion is necessary to protect the vulnerable sections of society.
The first flight from Arunachal Pradesh's Donyi Polo airport flagged off by aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
With Sensex at 62,504.80 and Nifty at 18,562.80, the Indian stock market reached record high levels despite shaky global cues.
2. 🔁 History repeating itself?
Protests in China over Covid lockdown have spread from Shanghai to Beijing.
Protesters called on Chinese President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party to step down.
They shouted slogans against the arbitrary lockdowns by the government and demanded an end to it and Covid tests.
Reports emerged about crackdowns by Chinese authorities where several protesters were detained.
The gravity: Authoritarian China is not used to protests of the scale and size we have begun seeing over Xi’s Covid lockdowns since Tiananmen Square in 1989.
This is likely to be another turning point for the country, as this time, the lockdown is destroying its own people’s livelihoods at a time when China’s growth is slowing down.
In contrast, the protests did not spread in 1989, despite the crackdown by Deng Xiaoping, as Deng duly delivered on the prosperity he promised to a poor nation in due course.
3. 📘 Amish's War of Lanka
What it is: The book is not exactly a retelling of the Ramayana.
It is a creative fiction that is set in the times of Ramayana.
Amish integrates ancient lore with modern knowledge to give English-speaking Indians a universe of the fantastic.
Pros and cons: The book opens up the imagination of a new generation—through the context of Ramayana—to one’s own history with the respect that history deserves.
However, the impression that it creates of certain characters may be problematic as the young generation which has not read the original Ramayana may take this portrayal as the true one.
Read complete book review by Aravindan Neelakandan here.
4. 🚀 Orion spacecraft looking back
Orion spacecraft broke the record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth of a human-rated spacecraft on Saturday.
The record was previously held by Apollo 13 at 248,655 statute miles from Earth.
At the time of reporting, the spacecraft was 2,68,013 miles away from Earth and 43,435 miles away from the moon.
Mission highlights: On 21 November, Orion passed within about 130 km of the Moon’s surface as it went around the far side, marking its closest lunar approach on Artemis I.
Orion will travel approximately 40,000 miles (roughly 64,374 km) beyond the Moon and return to Earth as part of its first assignment.
The spacecraft is expected to splash down into the Pacific Ocean on 11 December.
5. 🎊 The wedding of Ram and Sita
Vivah Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of the shukla fortnight of Margasheesh (Agahan) month.
It is believed to be the day when Lord Ram and Devi Sita got married.
The day is grandly celebrated in Janakpur of Nepal and Ayodhya of India.
Celebration in Ayodhya is focused on Kanak Mahal temple which is believed to be the residence of Ram and Sita.
It is said that Kaikeyi gifted this palace to Sita on munh-dikhayi and it was constructed by Lord Vishwakarma.
Ram's baarat (wedding procession) is taken out, followed by phere of Ram and Sita for celebrating this day.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
