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- Why in News?
- June 11 marks the birth anniversary of Sant Kabirdas, a 15th-century mystic poet and saint born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
- Key Provisions:-
- Kabir was a prominent voice in the Bhakti movement, known for rejecting religious orthodoxy, caste discrimination, and idol worship. He promoted devotion to a formless, universal God through Nirguna Bhakti.
- Kabir’s teachings live on through his poetry, preserved in various collections. The Kabir Bijak is maintained by the Kabirpanth sect in Varanasi and other parts of Uttar Pradesh. The Kabir Granthavali is linked with the Dadupanth tradition in Rajasthan. Many of his hymns also feature in the Guru Granth Sahib, compiled by Sikh Guru Arjan Dev.
- His verses span multiple dialects and styles—some are in sant bhasha, the spiritual language of Bhakti poets, while others take the form of ulatbansi, or paradoxical sayings that challenge conventional thought. Kabir’s legacy continues to inspire spiritual seekers across traditions.
- Why in News?
- Sri Lanka is observing the sacred Poson Poya festival today, commemorating the arrival of Buddhism on the island over two millennia ago. Celebrated on the full moon day in June, Poson Poya holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for Sri Lankan Buddhists.
- Key Provisions:-
- The festival marks the historic event when Arahat Mahinda, the son of Indian Emperor Ashoka, delivered the first Buddhist sermon to King Devanampiyatissa at Mihintale, symbolizing the formal introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
- Poson Poya emphasizes core Buddhist values, particularly Ahimsa or non-violence. In a world still grappling with conflict and division, the message of peace and compassion remains profoundly relevant. For Buddhists, this sacred day ranks just below Vesak in importance, and is often observed with pilgrimages, meditation, and acts of generosity.
- The celebration serves as a reminder of Sri Lanka’s deep-rooted spiritual heritage and the enduring influence of Buddhist teachings on its national identity.
- Why in News?
- The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment in Germany has made significant progress in estimating the mass of one of the universe’s most mysterious particles— the neutrino—by studying the decay of molecular tritium.
- Key Provisions:-
- KATRIN is one of the world’s leading efforts to measure the absolute mass of neutrinos, which are known for their elusive nature. These particles are electrically neutral, incredibly light, and interact so weakly with matter that trillions pass through our bodies every second without a trace.
- By precisely observing how tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, decays and emits electrons, KATRIN aims to set tighter limits on neutrino mass. This helps scientists understand fundamental questions in physics, such as the structure of the universe and why it contains more matter than antimatter.
- The experiment represents a major step forward in particle physics and brings researchers closer to uncovering the hidden properties of neutrinos.