Ahilyabai Holkar's Birth Anniversary

 

Ahilyabai Holkar, born on 31 May 1725, Chaundi village, Hyderabad [now in Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra], India, was a ruler of the Malwa territory, a part of the Maratha Confederacy, from 1767 to 1795. She is one of the few women to have led an Indian polity during the era. She served first as regent and then as ruler of the Holkar Dynasty with its seats at Maheshwar and Indore in central India,  in a period considered the zenith of the Holkar dynasty. She was also known for her philanthropy, especially the building of multiple Hindu temples. She is known as Punyashlok (“One as Pure as the Sacred Chants”).

World Multiple Sclerosis Day

Observed globally on May 30 every year, World Multiple Sclerosis Day is a dedicated healthcare awareness event. Its primary goal is to highlight the significant financial, social, and cultural challenges faced by individuals affected by multiple sclerosis.

Beyond raising awareness, the day emphasizes the importance of fostering inclusion, acceptance, and comprehensive support for people living with this chronic neurological condition, encouraging communities and policymakers alike to promote understanding and improve the quality of life for those impacted.

World Multiple Sclerosis Day: What Is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is among the most common disorders impacting the central nervous system. According to the World MS Day website, the estimated number of people living with MS worldwide is approximately 2.9 million.

MS is characterized as an inflammatory disease that causes demyelination. It affects a fatty substance called myelin, which normally surrounds and protects nerve fibres. The loss of myelin disrupts the nerves’ ability to transmit electrical signals to and from the brain effectively.

Common symptoms of MS include blurred or disoriented vision, tingling sensations in the limbs, tremors, memory difficulties, and persistent fatigue.

World Multiple Sclerosis Day: History And Significance

Founded in 2009, the first World MS Day was initiated by the MS International Federation (MSIF), a distinctive global network comprising various MS organizations. This federation offers support to individuals affected by multiple sclerosis through a dedicated team of staff and volunteers around the world.

The MSIF includes representatives from many countries, such as Greece, Argentina, Australia, the United States, India, Kenya, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and Spain, reflecting its broad international reach.

World MS Day holds great significance as it offers a vital platform to educate the public about multiple sclerosis and the challenges faced by those living with the condition.

MS affects millions globally and remains a chronic, often disabling disease surrounded by stigma and misunderstanding. By observing World MS Day, we help break down these barriers, promote greater empathy, and encourage stronger support for individuals impacted by MS, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and compassionate society.

 

Feast of St. Joan of Arc

The Feast of St. Joan of Arc—Patroness of Soldiers and of France is celebrated on May 30^th. It commemorates the saint's martyrdom on May 30, 1431, when she was burned at the stake for heresy. Considered as one of the Catholic Church’s most popular saints, St. Joan is often invoked by individuals who need to accomplish a very difficult, nearly impossible task.

Born Jeanne la Pucelle in 1412 in Domremy, France, St. Joan, at the age of 17, led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years’ War, a prolonged conflict between France and England from 1337 to 1453. Attributing her victories to divine guidance, Charles VII was able to assume his rightful throne as king of France with her at his side.

Following her execution, there were many who felt that Joan of Arc should not have been burned, but honoured and made a saint for her communications with God, and her hand in leading the French to freedom from the English.

Sadly, it was not for several years until she was even cleared of the charges. In 1452, the process of clearing her name would begin, and during that same time the Church declared that a religious play made in her honour at Orleans would qualify as a pilgrimage.

This set the stage for the sainthood of Joan of Arc, and the creation of a Joan of Arc Day, or St. Joan of Arc feast day to honour her. The push to make her a saint and create a Feast Day of Joan of Arc would gain some steam during the 16th century when Joan of Arc became a symbol of the Catholic League.

By 1849, Monsignor Felix Dupanloup, who was the Bishop of Orleans, made the attempt for Joan of Arc's beatification and a creation of a Joan of Arc Day, until his death in 1878. Sadly, he did not live to see how the process would turn out for Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc would finally have her beatification in the year 1909, which would lead to the creation of a Feast of St. Joan of Arc. Her official canonization would happen on May 16, 1920, with the Joan of Arc Feast Day being set for May 30. Her canonization was performed by Pope Benedict XV at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. May 30 was chosen as the day for the Saint Joan of Arc Feast Day because it was the day she was burned at the stake. In all, 489 years passed between her death and her canonization, a notoriously long period of time for sainthood.

However, since the creation of the Feast Day of Joan of Arc and her sainthood, Joan of Arc has become one of the most popular saints in the history of the Catholic Church. Joan of Arc Festival or feast is celebrated on May 30th.

 

Dr. Tonse Madhava Ananth Pai's Death Anniversary

Tonse Madhava Ananth Pai, who passed away on 29 May 1979, aged 81, was an Indian physician, educationist, banker and philanthropist, most well-known for building the university town of Manipal, India.

He was the first to start a private, self-financing medical college offering MBBS in India. Pai established the Kasturba Medical College in 1953 and Manipal Institute of Technology in 1957, which was followed by a string of other education institutions including Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Manipal Pre-University College. He, along with his brother Upendra Ananth Pai, also established Syndicate Bank originally in Udupi, Karnataka, which has its headquarters now in Manipal and Bangalore. He was responsible for its popular Pigmy Deposit Scheme.

 

World Dugong Day

 

World Dugong Day is celebrated on May 28th every year. This creature of over 800 pounds is a cousin of the manatee. Also called a sea cow, the dugong is a marine mammal that grazes on seagrasses in shallow coastal waters of the Indian and Western Pacific oceans. The dugong has been hunted for thousands of years for its meat and oil and still is in a few countries in northern Australia and the Pacific islands. Despite being protected in many parts of the world, its long lifespan of 70 years and slow reproduction rate led to a decline in its population. The IUCN list considers it vulnerable to extinction.

 

Whooping Crane Day

Whooping Crane Day is celebrated annually on May 28 to honour the most endangered species of crane. Cranes are typically almost entirely white as adults. Their non-white characteristics consist of black wingtips and facial markings. It is common knowledge that whooping cranes mate for life. The colour of the newborn chickens is cinnamon brown. The male and female whooping cranes lack gender-specific names, unlike most other animals. They are believed to engage in ornate courtship rituals, which typically consist of dances and unison calls.

History Of Whooping Crane Day

In 1973, the population of Whooping Cranes numbered fewer than 50 individuals, putting it on the brink of extinction. The International Crane Foundation, based in Baraboo, Wisconsin, aids in the global conservation of cranes and their ecosystems. The organization provides information, leadership, and motivation to assist in the resolution of issues influencing cranes. To protect and restore Whooping Crane populations and their ecosystems, people must collaborate. The holiday provides a crucial opportunity to educate the public about the plight of Whooping Cranes. More members of society can comprehend what these magnificent organisms experience. This enables us to develop protective measures for them. Once we have a deeper understanding of an animal species, we can aid in their survival and growth.

The Whooping Crane is regarded as one of the world’s oldest surviving bird species. They are well-known, but few individuals are particularly interested. Cranes may be familiar to the average American, but their lifestyles and the challenges they face in their environments are unknown. Cranes represent longevity and faithfulness. The Crane is also symbolic of chastity, vigilance, longevity, and good fortune. In some cultures, cranes also have negative connotations. They can be used to symbolize deceit, mortality, and even the devil. Approximately eleven of the fifteen species are currently threatened with extinction due to hunting, habitat degradation, and poisoning. The conservation of endangered animals has proven to be difficult.

 

 

Three Little Pigs short animated film released in 1933

 

Released on May 27th, 1933, in the USA, the short Three Little Pigs film was such a hit with audiences that some theatres held it over for weeks after it was scheduled to run (in fact, some theatres drew beards on the characters’ faces on the poster, to illustrate how long it was playing).

Additionally, Three Little Pigs gave the country a song that provided hope during the difficult Depression, and the short has become one of Walt Disney and animation’s most iconic films.

Ninety-two years later, the impact of this eight-minute film still resonates.

The famous fable dates back to the 1840s and was first suggested as the basis of a “Silly Symphony” by Walt’s wife, Lillian, and her sister, Hazel Sewell (head of the ink and paint department at the Studio).

The Disney story team removed the fable’s darker elements focusing on the titular characters, the Fifer Pig, who plays the flute; the Fiddler Pig, who fiddles the day away; and the Practical Pig, who is focused on building a sturdy house of brick to protect him when the Wolf comes to the door.

And, the Big Bad Wolf (one of Disney’s first indelible villains) does arrive, huffing and puffing at the houses of straw and stick built by the Fifer and Fiddler Pig. He does indeed blow them both down, and they seek refuge at the brick house of the Practical Pig.

The Wolf tries to huff and puff here but to no avail. He then attempts to come down the chimney but slides into a boiling pot, shooting back up the chimney and leaving the Pigs victorious and safe inside the sturdy house.

Directed by the legendary Burt Gillett, with animation by other legends Norm Ferguson, Dick Lundy, Fred Moore, and Art Babbit, Three Little Pigs crafted indelible personalities for its main characters that not only connected with audiences but also made others in the animation industry take notice.