Brain Rot’

Context: Recently, brain rot’ — a term was now officially recognised as the Oxford Word of The Year for 2024.

What is brain rot?

• It refers to  a decline in mental or intellectual abilities caused by excessive consumption of trivial or unchallenging online content.
• Origin: The term was first used in 1854 by Henry David Thoreau.
• Modern Usage: It has gained popularity in recent years, particularly among younger generations, to describe the negative impact of social media and online culture.
• Online Culture: It’s associated with specific online trends and memes, like “Skibidi Toilet” and “only in Ohio.”
• Mental Health Impact: It has sparked discussions about the potential harm of excessive social media use on mental health.
• Significance
  • Digital Age Phenomenon: It highlights the impact of digital culture on language and society.
  • Self-Awareness: Younger generations are using the term to reflect on the potential downsides of social media.
  • Cultural Conversation: It contributes to ongoing discussions about technology, mental health, and the future of online culture.

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CINBEX EXERCISE

Context: Recently, The first edition of Exercise CINBAX, a joint table-top exercise between the Indian Army and Cambodian Army was conducted. 

About Exercise CINBAX

• Location: Conducted at the Foreign Training Node, Pune, India.
• Objective : To plan and simulate Counter-Terrorism (CT) operations 
• Focus Areas:
  • Setting up a Joint Training Task Force for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.
  • Planning CT operations and discussing contingencies.

Ramappa Temple

Context: Recently, the Union government has approved loans under the Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme to develop the Ramappa Region Sustainable Tourism Circuit.

About Ramappa Temple

• The Ramappa Temple, also known as the Rudreshwara Temple, is located in Telangana, India.
• It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya ruler Kakati Ganapathi Deva.
  • Constructed under the supervision of Chief Commander Rudra Samani.
• The temple is named after its chief sculptor Ramappa, making it unique as it is probably the only temple in India named after its architect.
• UNESCO Recognition: In 2021, the Ramappa Temple was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana.

Key Architectural Features

• It is a prime example of the Kakatiya architectural style.
• One of the most distinctive features of the temple is its earthquake-proof architecture. 
  • The bricks used to build the gopuram (temple tower) are made from a mixture of clay, acacia wood, chaff, and myrobalan fruit. 
  • These bricks are lightweight and can float on water, making the temple resilient to seismic activity.
• The construction of the temple utilized the sandbox technique,
  • In this technique, the foundation pit was filled with a mixture of sand-lime, jaggery, and black myrobalan fruit. 
  • This mixture acts as a cushion during earthquakes, preventing structural damage.
• The temple has many intricately carved pillars, which are positioned in such a way that they interact with the sunlight. 
  • One of these pillars features a carving of Lord Krishna and, when gently struck, produces musical notes.
• Cultural and Religious Significance: The Ramappa Temple is primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva and is locally known as Sri Rudreshwara Swamy Temple.
  • The temple follows a Trikutalayam (three deities) structure, as it houses idols of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Surya.

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4)

Context: ISRO recently said that Indian astronauts who have been selected for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) have completed the initial phase of training.

About Axiom-4 Mission (Ax-4)

• The Axiom-4 Mission (Ax-4) is a private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS) that is a significant step in the space cooperation between India and the United States. 
  • It will be the fourth flight of Axiom Space after Axiom Mission 1, Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3.
• The mission is operated by Axiom Space, a privately funded American space infrastructure developer, in collaboration with NASA. 
• Mission objectives: To establish a sustainable human presence in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and dock with the ISS for 14 days. 
• Spacecraft: The mission will use a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. 
• Indian astronauts: Two Indian astronauts, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, were selected for the mission. 
  • They began training in the U.S. in August 2024. Shukla will be the second Indian to travel to space.

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Ajmer Sharif, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and Shahi Jama Masjid

Context: Recently, petitions have been filed in courts requesting a survey of the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, based on claims that it was constructed by demolishing Hindu and Jain temples.

• Similar petitions have also been filed regarding the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, alleging it was built on the site of the ancient Hari Har Mandir.

About Ajmer Sharif 

• Holiest Shrines: The Ajmer Sharif Dargah is among the holiest Muslim shrines in India, located in Ajmer, Rajasthan. 
• It is dedicated to Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti, a revered Sufi saint from Persia.
• Construction: The shrine was built by Mughal Emperor Humayun to honor Khwaja Chishti after his passing.
• Contributions: 
  • Buland Darwaza Construction (1460s): Sultan Mahmud Khan Khalji and his son Ghiyasuddin built the Buland Darwaza, the dargah’s massive northern gateway.
  • White Marble Dome (1532): The current white marble dome of the Ajmer Dargah was built in 1532, during the reign of the Mughal emperor Humayun
  • Expansion Under Akbar: The major expansion of the shrine occurred during Emperor Akbar’s reign. 
    • Akbar, a devout follower of the Chishti sect, visited the dargah 14 times by 1579.
    • In the early 1570s, Akbar had the Akbari Masjid built to the west of the shrine’s southern entrance.
  • Jahangir’s Gold Railing (1616): In 1616, Jahangir ordered the construction of a gold railing with lattice work around the tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, enhancing the shrine’s architectural splendor.
  • Shah Jahan’s Contributions: Emperor Shah Jahan contributed to the construction of mosques within the shrine complex.

About Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti

• Arrival in Ajmer: Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti, believed by some to be a descendant of Prophet Muhammad, arrived in Ajmer via Lahore in 1192 and settled there, where he lived until his death in 1236 AD.
• Ghori Conquest: He came to India at the time of the Ghori conquest.
• First Follower: Moinuddin accepted Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki as his first follower.
• Chishti Order: He is believed to have introduced and established the Chisti Order in India. 
• Beliefs: The main beliefs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti were achieving oneness with Allah, devotion to the Divine, leading a pure life, use of simple language, the tolerance between people of different faiths, showing compassion and charity for the helpless and poor.

About the Shahi Jama Masjid, Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh

• Protected Monument Status: The Jama Masjid “is a protected monument”, notified on December 22, 1920 under Section 3, sub-section (3) of Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904.
• National Importance: It has been “declared as a Monument of National importance and figures on the website of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the list of centrally protected monuments.
• Historical Significance: It is one of three major mosques built during Mughal Emperor Babur’s reign, along with those in Panipat and Ayodhya.