Today in History (January 18^th, 1919)

On this day, the Paris Peace Conference began in Versailles, France, to formally end World War II and dictate terms for the defeated axis powers.

Summary of Today’s News

Guru Gobind Singh

• He was the 10th and last human Guru of the Sikhs.
• Born as Gobind Rai on December 22, 1666, in Patna, Bihar,
• Guru Gobind Singh was the son of the ninth Guru Teg Bahadur.
• He became the spiritual and temporal leader of the Sikhs on November 11, 1675, at the age of nine, following the martyrdom of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, at the hands of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1675.
• He was renowned as a warrior, a poet, and a prophet.
• He is fondly remembered by Hindus and Sikhs as a defender of the faith and a champion of equality and justice.
• The he founded the Sikh warrior community called the Khalsa in 1699.
  • Guru Govind Singh introduced the Five Ks, the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times.
  • These five Ks are
    • Kesh: uncut hair,
    • Kangha: a wooden comb,
    • Kara: an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist,
    • Kirpan: a sword, and
    • Kacchera: short breeches.
• Throughout his life, he engaged in numerous battles against the Mughal Empire and their allies, totaling 21 battles.
• He further codified Sikh law, wrote martial poetry and music, and was the reputed author of the Sikh work called the Dasam Granth (“Tenth Volume”).
• Guru Gobind Singh proclaimed that he was the last of the personal Gurus.
• From that point forward, the Sikh Guru was to be the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh Holy Book).
• He was assassinated in 1708, at the age of 41.
• His birth anniversary is called Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti,
• The death anniversary of Guru Govind Singh is called Guru Gaddi Diwas.

Panama Canal

• Scientists recently stumbled upon a lost forest in the Panama Canal, dating back around 22 million years.

Key points about Panama Canal

• It is a man made waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.
• It is like Suez Canal which connects Red sea with Mediterranean Sea.
• The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a way for maritime trade.
• It was cut through one of the narrowest saddles of the isthmus that joins North and South America.
• It is one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world, the other being the Suez Canal.
• It is approximately 80 kilometers long.

Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL).

• According to defence officials, two South American countries have shown interest in the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers.

Key points about Pinaka

• Pinaka is a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL).
• It is designed and developed by the DRDO.
• It was first used during the Kargil War, where it successfully neutralized Pakistan Army positions on the mountain tops.
• Features:
  • It consists of a multi-tube launcher vehicle, a replenishment-cum-loader vehicle, a replenishment vehicle, and a command post vehicle.
  • The rocket launcher has two pods containing six rockets each and can neutralise an area of 700 × 500 square metres within 48 seconds.
  • It has a range of 60 to 75 kilometers.

Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival

Key points

• The first festival was held in 2015.
• The aim was to recognise the role played by the Nyishi tribal group in conserving hornbills in Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR).
• Other objectives were to raise alternative sources of income for the region and to create awareness in the rest of India about the wonders of PTR and its surrounding areas.
• This year, the festival’s theme is Domutoh Domutoh, Paga hum Domutoh.
  • It translates to ‘Let Our Hornbills Remain’ in the Nyishi language.