In News:

• Manipur recently celebrated the Ningol Chakouba Festival, a unique cultural tradition that reinforces the bond of love between married women and their paternal families.
• As part of the annual celebrations, the Department of Fisheries, Manipur organized the Annual Fish Fair-cum-Fish Crop Competition at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal, a day before the festival.
  • The event aims to make fish available to the public at affordable prices, as fish curry is an essential part of the festive feast.

About Ningol Chakouba Festival

• Meaning:
  • Ningol – married woman (sister or daughter)
  • Chakouba – feast or communal meal

Thus, Ningol Chakouba translates to “feast of married women”.

• When Celebrated:Observed annually on the second day of Hiyangei month (October–November) of the Meitei lunar calendar.
• Main Ritual:Married women and their children visit their maternal homes for a grand feast and reunion with their brothers and parents.
  • The sons of the family formally invite their married sisters about a week in advance.
  • Women arrive in traditional attire, bringing fruits, vegetables, and local delicacies as offerings.
  • After a shared meal, brothers present gifts to their sisters as a token of love and respect.

Cultural Essence and Significance

• The festival serves as a symbol of familial unity, respect for women, and continuity of social ties even after marriage.
• It highlights the importance of kinship in Manipuri society and reinforces the bond between daughters and their parental homes.
• Beyond Manipur, the festival is now celebrated by Manipuri communities across India and abroad, preserving cultural identity among the diaspora.

Historical Background

• Origin: Traced back to the reign of King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, one of Manipur’s earliest rulers.
  • At that time, Queen Laisana used to invite her brother Poireiton to the royal palace annually for a feast—originally called “Piba Chakouba” (Piba meaning brother/son).
• Transformation:
  The tradition evolved during the reign of King Chandrakirti Singh (1831–1886), who invited his sisters instead of brothers due to logistical challenges in visiting them.
  • Since then, the celebration became known as “Ningol Chakouba”, centered on the affection between sisters and brothers.

Associated Event: Fish Fair-cum-Fish Crop Competition

• Organized by the Department of Fisheries, Government of Manipur, every year a day before Ningol Chakouba.
• Purpose:
  • Ensure easy availability of fresh fish at affordable prices for the festival.
  • Promote local fish farmers and aquaculture in the state.
• Venue: Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal.
• Cultural Link: Fish dishes, especially fish curry, are a mandatory part of the feast, symbolizing prosperity and togetherness.

In News:

• Ukraine has reportedly carried out a long-range missile strike on a Russian chemical plant in Bryansk using UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, marking one of the most significant deep-penetration attacks into Russian territory since the beginning of the war.
• The strike, which reportedly bypassed Moscow’s air defence systems, triggered retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Russia on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk, leading to civilian casualties and power outages.
• The episode underscores the escalation in the Ukraine–Russia conflict and highlights the growing strategic role of Western-supplied precision weaponry in modern warfare.

About the Storm Shadow Missile

• Type: Long-range, air-launched stealth cruise missile
• Developed by:United Kingdom and France (known as SCALP EG in France)
• Manufacturer:MBDA Systems
• Operational Since: Early 2000s
• Primary Role: Designed to destroy high-value, well-protected targets such as:
  • Airbases
  • Radar installations
  • Command and control centres
  • Port and fuel storage facilities

The missile’s combination of low observability, precision guidance, and deep-penetration warhead makes it one of the most advanced conventional strike weapons in the world.

Technical Specifications and Features

Stealth and Precision Capabilities

• Designed for “fire and forget” operations, requiring minimal pilot input after launch.
• Terrain-following capability allows the missile to fly under radar coverage, reducing detection probability.
• The infrared imaging seeker enables precise terminal guidance even in adverse weather conditions.
• Known for its “deep-strike capability”, allowing it to destroy hardened and strategic installations from a safe stand-off distance.

Global Operators

The Storm Shadow/SCALP EG is in service with several countries, including:United Kingdom, France, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and India – where it is integrated with the Rafale fighter jets operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), enhancing India’s precision-strike capabilities.

In News:

• Representatives from several Central Asian countries — including India — have endorsed a six-year work programme (2021–2026) under the Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) to identify and conserve priority transboundary regions crucial for the survival of 17 iconic mammal species across the region.
• The meeting was hosted by Uzbekistan, under its presidency of the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

About the Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI)

• Launched: 2014, during CMS COP11 (Quito, Ecuador).
• Objective: To halt and reverse the population decline of migratory mammals across 14 Central Asian countries, through coordinated conservation action.
• Framework: Provides a regional platform for cooperation among Range States to address shared threats such as habitat loss, poaching, migration barriers, and climate change.

Key Features

• Species Covered (17 total):Argali sheep, Asiatic cheetah, Asiatic wild ass, Bukhara deer, Eurasian lynx, Gobi bear, Goitered gazelle, Kiang, Mongolian gazelle, Pallas’s cat, Persian leopard, Przewalski’s horse, Saiga antelope, Snow leopard, Urial, Wild camel, and Wild yak.
• Range States Involved:Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; with Iran and the Russian Federation participating online.
• Collaborating Organizations: Over 15 conservation institutions, including IUCN, government agencies, and NGOs, are supporting the work programme’s implementation.
• Current Programme of Work: Adopted for 2021–2026, focuses on ecosystem-based conservation, improved connectivity, and data-sharing between range states.

Recent Meeting Outcomes

• Countries reaffirmed commitment to joint action for migratory mammal conservation, emphasizing that species conservation transcends national borders.
• Success stories shared included recovery trends in Saiga antelope, Bukhara deer, and Persian leopard populations.
• Delegates discussed persistent challenges such as fragmented habitats, climate change impacts, illegal hunting, and limited cross-border coordination.
• Uzbekistan’s Minister of Ecology Aziz Abdukhakimov highlighted the importance of a unified regional approach, stating that “these species know no borders, and neither should our conservation efforts.”

About the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)

• Also known as: Bonn Convention.
• Established: 1979 in Bonn, Germany.
• Under the Aegis of: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• Mandate: To promote the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats worldwide.
• Nature: The only global and UN-based intergovernmental treaty exclusively focused on migratory species conservation.
• Instruments:
  • Legally binding Agreements
  • Non-binding Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)
• Decision-making Body:Conference of the Parties (COP).
• Next Milestone:CMS COP15 will be held in Brazil (March 23–29, 2026), where the CAMI resolution will be reviewed and updated.

In News:

President Droupadi Murmu recently made a historic visit to the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple in Kerala, becoming the first woman head of state to offer prayers at the sacred hill shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa.

She is only the second President of India to visit the temple, after V. V. Giri in the 1970s. The visit holds deep symbolic and constitutional significance, coming in the backdrop of the 2018 Supreme Court judgment on women’s entry to the shrine.

About Sabarimala Temple

• Location: Situated in the Western Ghats, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala.
• Deity: Dedicated to Lord Ayyappa (also known as Dharma Shasta), the son of Lord Shiva and Mohini (the female incarnation of Vishnu).
• Altitude: Located atop a hill at 4,134 ft above sea level, surrounded by dense forests forming part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
• Access: Pilgrims undertake a challenging trek through forests and hills to reach the sanctum.
• Pilgrimage: Open to devotees mainly during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season (November–January).
• Scale: Among the largest annual pilgrimages in the world, attracting 40–50 million devotees annually.

Rituals and Traditions

• Vratham (Austerity): Pilgrims observe a 41-day penance before visiting the shrine, maintaining celibacy, vegetarianism, and spiritual discipline.
• Inclusivity: Sabarimala is one of the few Hindu temples that welcomes devotees of all faiths.
• Religious Harmony: Near the temple lies Vavaru Nada, dedicated to Vavar, a Muslim saint believed to be Lord Ayyappa’s companion—symbolizing interfaith harmony.

Architecture

• The temple blends traditional Kerala and Dravidian architectural styles.
• Built on a 40-foot-high plateau, it features:
  • A sanctum sanctorum (Sreekovil) with a copper-plated roof and four golden finials (kalasams).
  • Two mandapams (halls) for rituals and gatherings.
  • A flagstaff symbolizing devotion.
  • The iconic 18 sacred steps (Pathinettam Padi), each representing a spiritual or philosophical stage to liberation.

Sabarimala Case: The Women’s Entry Controversy

• Traditional Practice: Women of menstruating age (10–50 years) were historically barred from entering the temple, as the deity is considered a Naishtika Brahmachari (eternal celibate).
• Judicial Intervention:
  • In 2018, the Supreme Court of India (in Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala) declared the ban unconstitutional, citing gender equality and freedom of religion under Articles14, 15, 25, and 26 of the Constitution.
  • The verdict led to widespread protests across Kerala.
  • The issue remains under review by a larger constitutional bench, reflecting the ongoing debate between faith and fundamental rights.

In News:

In a remarkable development, birdwatchers have reported the first-ever sighting of the Indian Scops-Owl (Otus bakkamoena) near the Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary in Vijayanagara district, Karnataka.

About the Indian Scops-Owl

• Scientific Name:Otus bakkamoena
• Family: Strigidae
• Distribution: Widely found across India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Iran.
• Habitat: Occupies forests, scrublands, and agricultural areas; it is non-migratory, remaining within a localized territory throughout the year.

Distinctive Features

• Size: Measures around 17–25 cm in height, with a wingspan of about 45 cm.
• Appearance: Characterized by ear-like tufts, a stocky body, short tail, and cryptic plumage of browns and greys that blend seamlessly with tree bark.
• Eyes: Large, bright yellow eyes (sometimes dark in appearance) with black pupils, providing enhanced nocturnal vision.
• Feathers: Soft and fluffy, aiding silent flight and insulation against cool night air.
• Behavior: A nocturnal predator, feeding mainly on insects and small invertebrates, playing an important role in natural pest control.
• Conservation Status:IUCN Red List:Least Concern

Ecological and Conservation Significance

• The sighting near Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary—a region primarily known for its sloth bear population and dry deciduous ecosystem—indicates a broader ecological range for the species than previously recorded.
• Experts suggest the observation could either represent an undocumented resident population or a rare dispersal event. Either case underscores the need for detailed ornithological surveys to assess the owl’s breeding and habitat patterns in the region.
• From a conservation perspective, the finding reinforces the importance of protecting lesser-known habitats within Karnataka, which continue to support undiscovered or rarely documented species.