The Colonial-Era Dramatic Performances Act

Recently, the Indian Prime Minister questioned why outdated colonial laws still existed 75 years after independence.

• He was referring to the Dramatic Performances Act, 1876, which allowed the British government to ban public performances that were considered scandalous, defamatory, seditious, or obscene.

About Dramatic Performances Act, 1876

• The law was introduced by the British to suppress Indian nationalist sentiments during the visit of Prince of Wales, Albert Edward (1875-76).
• The Act gave the government power to ban any play, pantomime, or drama in a public place.
• Plays could be banned if they were considered:
  • Scandalous or defamatory
  • Against the government
  • Corrupting public morals

What Happened to the Law After Independence?

• Though formally repealed in 2018, the law has already invalid since 1956.
• The Allahabad High Court ruled in 1956 (State vs. Baboo Lal case) that the law was unconstitutional as it violated freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(2)).

Faunal Survey in Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary

Context: A recent three-day off-season faunal survey in the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary has led to the discovery of several new species of birds, butterflies, and odonates.

Key highlights of the survey

• Conducted by: the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS) in collaboration with the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department.
• Findings: 14 bird species were newly identified, including the Grey Heron, Indian Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, and Eurasian Sparrowhawk.
  • A total of 174 bird species were observed, increasing the sanctuary’s bird count to 245.
  • Butterfly sightings: 15 butterfly species were newly recorded, including the Oriental Orchid Tit, Lesser Albatross, Tawny Coster, and Bengal Broad-tail Royal.
    • The survey documented 155 butterfly species, raising the total to 212.
  • Odonate Sightings: 8 odonate species were newly identified, such as Gomphidia kodaguensis, Orthetrum glaucum, and Ischnura senegalensis.
    • The total number of odonates in the sanctuary increased to 73.

About Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary

• Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Idukki district, in the Thodupuzha and Udumbanchola taluks in Idukki in Kerala.
• Came into existence in 1976.
• It is surrounded by the Cheruthoni and Periyar Rivers. Encompasses the catchment area of the Idukki Reservoir.
• Forest Types: Forest types include West Coast Tropical Evergreen forests, Semi Evergreen forests , Moist Deciduous Forests,Hill shoals and Grass Lands.
• Fauna: The sanctuary is home to a variety of wildlife, including:
  • Large Mammals: Elephants, Indian bison (gaur), sambar deer, wild dogs, jungle cats, tigers, and wild boars.
  • Reptiles: Several snake species, including cobras, vipers, and kraits.
• Flora: The forests in the sanctuary are dense and rich in valuable trees such as:
  • Teak, Rosewood, Jackfruit, Ebony, Cinnamon, and Bamboo (various species).

Firefly ‘Blue Ghost’ Lunar Lander

Context: In a historic achievement, a U.S. company successfully landed its spacecraft on the moon, marking only the second private mission to reach the lunar surface and the first to do so upright.

About Blue Ghost Mission 1

• The Blue Ghost Mission 1 is a private lunar mission that successfully landed on the moon on February 25, 2024. 
• It is led by USA based Firefly Aerospace.
• It is only the second private mission to achieve a lunar landing and the first to land upright.
  • In February 2024, Intuitive Machines became the first private company to achieve a soft lunar landing.
• The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which aims to reduce costs and support the Artemis program’s goal of returning humans to the moon.
• The mission aims to unravel the Moon’s mysteries with ten scientific instruments and promises to inspire further lunar exploration.

Commercial Lunar Payload Services

• Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) is a NASA program to hire companies to send small robotic landers and rovers to the Moon.
• CLPS aims to enable low-cost, frequent lunar missions by partnering with private companies to transport NASA instruments, experiments, and other payloads to the moon.
• The program was established in 2018 as part of NASA’s broader Artemis program.
• The Artemis program seeks to return humans to the moon and establish a sustainable presence.

Firefly Aerospace

• Firefly Aerospace is an American private aerospace company that focuses on developing small and medium-sized launch vehicles, in-space transportation, and lunar landers. 
• The company aims to provide cost-effective and reliable access to space for commercial, government, and scientific missions.
• It was founded in 2014 and is based in Texas, USA.

Jumping Spiders Discovered

Context: Two new species of jumping spiders have been discovered belonging to the genus Epidelaxia from the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary recently.

• Species: Epidelaxia falciformis sp. nov. and Epidelaxia palustris sp. nov., were discovered during field expeditions to Kulathupuzha in Kollam.
  • The genus Epidelaxia has been recorded from India for the first time ever. The genus was previously considered endemic to Sri Lanka.
• Conducted By: The research has been conducted by the Department of Zoology of the University of Kerala
• Published In: The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.

About the New Discovery

• They are a group of jumping spiders believed to be endemic to Sri Lanka.
• Physical Features: Females have a prominent yellow triangular-shaped mark on the prosoma (the front part of the body)
  • Both Males and Females have unique traits of the copulatory organs 
• Males: The E. falciformis species have a brown carapace with a yellow-brown stripe, while males of E. palustris feature a pale brown band along the side of their bodies. 
• Females: They exhibit similar colouration, with the added feature of white orbital setae around their eyes.
• Native: These spiders have been described as highly adapted to their environment, inhabiting the dense foliage of the Western Ghats.

Planetary Parade

Context: A planetary parade is an astronomical event where multiple planets appear to align in the night sky as seen from Earth. 

Key Highlights

• Recent Planetary Parade (February 28, 2025):
  • Seven planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune along with the Moon, appeared in alignment.
  • Closer planets were visible to the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune required telescopes.
  • Such alignments are rare; the next major parade will occur in 2040, involving six planets.
• Frequency & Rarity:
  • Parades of three or four planets happen every few years.
  • Alignments involving seven or eight planets are much rarer.

Scientific Explanation

• Planets orbit the Sun in nearly the same plane (ecliptic plane).
• As they move in their orbits, they occasionally appear lined up from Earth’s perspective.
• If planets had widely different orbital inclinations, such alignments wouldn’t be possible.

Though planetary parades have little scientific importance, they remain popular among astronomy enthusiasts for their visual appeal.

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