UPSC QUIZ 15.09.2023

Explanation:

• India's rich tribal heritage and craftsmanship was remarkably showcased at the 18th G20 Summit, which was selected and showcased by TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India), Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• The Tangkhul Naga tribe of Longpi village, Manipur practices this extraordinary pottery style.
• Longpi pottery differs in appearance because a potter's wheel is not used in its manufacture; Everything is made by hand.
• The distinctive grey-black cooking pots, stout kettles, quirky bowls etc. are Longpi's trademark products, but now new designs are being added to expand the product line as well as beautify the existing pottery.

Explanation:

• Ancient terracotta figurines have been found during archaeological exploration from the megalithic dolmen site near Moodbidri.

Key points

• Archaeological explorations from the megalithic dolmen site at Mudu Konaje near Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada have found unique terracotta figurines in various states of being along with bone and iron fragments.
• These statues appear to be from 800-700 BC.
• Of these eight idols, there are two cows, a mother goddess, two peacocks, a horse, a hand of the mother goddess and an unknown object.
• The megalithic site at Mudu Konaje was discovered by historian and researcher Pundikai Ganapayya Bhat in the 1980s.
• It was the largest megalithic dolmen site consisting of nine dolmens on the slope of a stone hill.

Explanation:

• First Farmers Global Seminar was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the International Treaty Secretariat in Rome from 12-15 September 2023 in India.

Objective of Farmers Global Seminar

• To promote the implementation of treaties related to farmers' rights.
• To promote discussion on innovative strategies, policies, best practices and exchange of knowledge.
• It also aims to champion farmers as important custodians of agricultural biodiversity and pillars of global food security.
• This seminar highlighted that India's law to protect plant varieties and farmers' rights in the context of the challenges of climate change is being emulated across the world.

Explanation:

• A devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Morocco, with its epicenter near Marrakesh, causing numerous casualties and damage to buildings in the area.
• According to the latest reports, at least 632 people have been killed, mainly in Marrakesh and neighboring provinces, and 329 people have been injured.

Causes of the Earthquake in Morocco

• The earthquake resulted from the convergence of the African plate and the Eurasian plate along a complex plate boundary.
• The earthquake's faulting mechanism was classified as "oblique-reverse," indicating movement along the fault plane where the upper block moves up and over the lower block within the Moroccan High Atlas Mountain range.
• Faults are fractures in rock formations that enable rock blocks to move relative to each other. Rapid movement along faults can trigger earthquakes.
• Faults are categorized by their dip (angle with respect to the surface) and slip direction.

Explanation:

• On 13th September, 1948, India's military action known as "Operation Polo" was launched to integrate the princely state of Hyderabad, a significant event in Indian history.
• The Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Shah, had hesitated to join India or Pakistan after Independence, capitalizing on the Indian government's preoccupation with the Kashmir conflict.
• A standstill agreement signed in November 1947 maintained the status quo between Hyderabad and India for a year, allowing the Nizam to continue governing independently.
• However, escalating tensions, cross-border raids, and intentions to establish an independent state, prompted India to act.
• The operation saw well-planned military thrusts from multiple directions, ultimately leading to the surrender of the Hyderabad state forces.
• This pivotal campaign, carried out under the watchful eye of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, culminated in a ceasefire declaration on 17th September, 1948 effectively placing Hyderabad under Indian control by 18th September, 1948.