The Indian Museum, Kolkata founded in 1914

 

The Indian Museum (formerly called Imperial Museum of Calcutta before independence) is a massive museum in Central Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is the ninth oldest museum in the world and the oldest and largest museum in Asia, by size of collection. It has rare collections of antiques, armour and ornaments, fossils, skeletons, mummies and Mughal Paintings. It was founded by the Asiatic Society of Bengal in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, on February 2, 1814. The founder curator was Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish botanist.

The present building, opened in 1875, comprises sections devoted to geology, zoology, industry, archaeology, art, and ethnology. The coin room contains the largest collection of Indian coins in the world.

The art section is noted for its textiles, carpets, lacquer-work, glass and pottery. The gallery displays examples of Persian and Indian paintings, and the geological section is the largest in Asia and one of the most important in the world. There is a large collection of statues and bronzes from various Asian civilizations, including life-size models of people and animals of the regions of India.

World Ostrich Day

World Ostrich Day was first celebrated in 2020 to raise awareness of the two remaining species of Ostrich. The second day of the second month was chosen because the Ostrich has just two toes on each foot. This day was chosen by Jade Tinker, an ungulates keeper from Auckland Zoo.

There are two species of Ostrich, the Common (Red Necked) Ostrich and the Somali (Blue Necked) Ostrich.

The Common Ostrich Struthio camelus is common and so is of least concern whereas the Somali Ostrich Struthio molybdophanes is vulnerable as the region it inhabits is going through some political strife and there are bandit groups.

The Common Ostrich is now farmed worldwide for its meat, skin and feathers. In the 1980's Ostrich farming was seen to be a big investment but it largely failed. Just because you have a pair of birds doesn't mean they will breed. Ostrich racing takes place in South Africa and the US.

There were a number of Ostrich species and subspecies occurring elsewhere in Africa and Arabia but all are now gone. The last recorded Ostrich in Arabia was in the 1960's.

Why celebrate World Ostrich Day?

·       Ostriches are a unique species that play a vital role in the natural world. 

·        Ostriches are known for their speed and two-toed feet. 

·        Ostriches are often depicted in art as symbols of beauty, nobility, and playfulness. 

·        Ostriches are flightless birds native to Africa. 

·       Ostriches are threatened by hunting and habitat destruction.

International Face and Body Art Day

Every year, on February 1st, the world celebrates International Face and Body Art Day. It is believed that face and body artist Katie Miyaki established International Face and Body Art Day in 2012 to honour face and body painting, tattoos, piercings, performance art, and scarification. It grew as a grassroots movement within the face and body art community. Artists and enthusiasts around the world came together to celebrate the day and showcase their craft and promote the appreciation of this unique form of artistic expression.

Significance of International Face and Body Art Day

International Face and Body Art Day holds significance as a global celebration of creativity, cultural expression, and self-adornment. It provides a forum for global artists and art lovers to showcase their skills, share diverse creative practices and promote an appreciation of face and body art. The day promotes community spirit, artistic collaboration and the exploration of identity through the transformative power of artistic expression on the human canvas through events, workshops and social media engagement.

Bishnu Prasad Rabha's Birth Anniversary

Bishnu Prasad Rabha, born on 31 January 1909, in Dacca, Bengal Presidency, British India, was an Indian cultural figure from Assam, known for his contributions in the fields of music, dance, painting, literature as well as political activism. As an advocate of people's cultural movement, he drew heavily from different genres of classical and folk cultural traditions. Considered a doyen of the Culture of Assam, the People of Assam affectionately call him Kalaguru (meaning: "the master of the arts"). He is also called by Marxists as Sainik Silpi (sainik "soldier", silpi "artist") for his active participation in the armed struggle, led by the Revolutionary Communist Party of India (RCPI).

World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day (World NTD Day)

 

World Neglected Tropical Diseases (World NTD Day) is a global healthcare event celebrated on 30^th January every year since 2021 with the goal of celebrating achievements made toward control of the World Neglected Tropical Diseases and encouraging everyone to join the growing movement in eradicating and eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a set of 20 diseases that include parasites, protozoa, bacterial, and viral diseases that are primarily seen in tropical regions. They significantly impact underdeveloped societies (low-income areas) and disproportionately affect children and women. Access to quality water, health care facilities, and sanitation are less in these low-income regions. More than 100 crore people globally suffer from the terrible health, social, and economic effects of these neglected tropical diseases.

World Automobile Day

World Automobile Day is celebrated every year on January 29th. It marks the day in 1886 when Karl Benz, a German inventor, applied for a patent for his ‘Motorwagen,’ the first practical car that could be sold. This car, known as the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, was the world’s first petrol-powered car.

However, 117 years prior, French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot had already constructed the first steam-powered road vehicle in 1769. Then, 39 years later, in 1808, François Isaac de Rivaz, a French-Swiss inventor, designed and built the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine.

In fact, it was 78 years after this revolutionary discovery that Karl Benz applied for a patent for his ‘Motorwagen’ car in 1886. Nevertheless, it was the American-made Model T, manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in 1908, that first gained dominance in the market. Released at a price affordable to the general public, this car was quickly adopted in the United States. It rapidly overtook horse-drawn carriages and established the ‘Ford Model T’ as a favorite in the market.

From the first car patent, in just 138 years, we have progressed to autonomous cars that operate without human involvement and even to vehicles capable of flying. Indeed, by 2036, marking 150 years since the first practical car, the Benz Motorwagen, it is expected that our roads will be dominated by autonomous vehicles powered by the most eco-friendly fuels.

 

George Fernandes' Death Anniversary

  

George Fernandes, who passed away on 29 January 2019, in New Delhi, aged 88, was an Indian trade unionist, statesman, journalist, freethinker, and member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar for a short while, and a member of Lok Sabha for a very long period, starting from Bombay in 1967 but mostly representing Bihar. He was a key member of the Janata Dal and the founder of the Samata Party. He held several ministerial portfolios including communications, industry, railways, and defence.