Anand Rishiji Maharaj's Death Anniversary

 

Anand Rishiji Maharaj, who passed away on 28 March 1992, aged 91, in Ahmednagar, Maharashra, India, was a Jain religious leader. The Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honour on 9 August 2002. He was awarded with the honorary title of Rashtra Sant by Maharashtra’s chief minister. He was the Second Acharya of Vardhaman Sthanakvasi Shraman Sangha.

He was born in Chinchodi, Maharashtra on 27 July 1900 and received initiation from the age of thirteen with Acharya Ratna Rishiji Maharaj, who died in Alipur, Maharashtra in 1927. He was pious from his childhood, and started taking religious lessons at an early age.

From 1964 until his death in 1992, he was the second Acharya of Vardhman Sthanakvasi Jain Shravak Sangh, a Jain religious body.

At the age of 13, Nemichand decided to spend the rest of his life as a Jain sant. His diksha (consecration) took place on 7 December 1913 at Miri in Ahmednagar district. He was then given the name Anand Rishi Ji Maharaj. He started learning Sanskrit and Prakrit Stotras under the guidance of Pandit Rajdhari Tripathi.

He gave his first pravachan to the public in 1920 at Ahmednagar. Anand Rishi Ji started many programs to benefit Shravaks. While in Ghodnadi for chaturmas, he decided to establish a religious center called Shri. Tilok Ratna Sthanakvasi Jain Dharmik Pariksha Board. It was established in Ahmednagar on 25 November 1936.

He was the founder of many educational institutes. The AnandDham, Anandrishiji Hospital, Anandrishiji Netralaya and Anandrishiji Blood Bank in Ahmednagar were built in his memory and are named after him.

He accepted santhara (preparation for death by fasting) before his death on 28 March 1992 in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.

Marc Chagall's Death Anniversary

 

Marc Chagall, who passed away on 28 March 1985, at Saint-Paul, Alpes-Maritimes, France, aged 97, was a Belorussian-born French painter, printmaker, and designer who composed his images based on emotional and poetic associations, rather than on rules of pictorial logic. Predating Surrealism, his early works, such as I and the village (1911), were among the first expressions of psychic reality in modern art. His works in various media include sets for plays and ballets, etchings illustrating the Bible, and stained-glass windows.

Respect Your Cat Day

 

Respect Your Cat Day, celebrated annually on March 28, is a day of showing regard for one's feline companions, and the holiday might have had its origins in a 1384 edict from England's King Richard II.

It is a day for cat owners to revere their pets as they were once worshiped 4,000 years ago in ancient Egypt.

On this day, cat owners are encouraged to take the time to show their cats how much they are loved and appreciated. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as giving your cat extra attention, playing with them more, or providing them with special treats.

It is also important to remember that respecting your cat means more than just showing them affection. It means providing them with a safe and comfortable environment, feeding them a healthy diet, and taking care of their physical and emotional needs.

Abraham Gesner patented kerosene in 1855.

 

Canadian Geologist Abraham Gesner patented kerosene on March 27, 1855. Gesner's discovery of kerosene helped end the era of whale oil as a primary light source. Gesner distilled coal to produce a clear liquid that burned brighter and cleaner than oil in lamps. He named the liquid kerosene, which comes from the Greek word keroselaion, meaning "wax oil". Because kerosene was derived from coal, it was also called "coal oil". Gesner's other inventions compressed coal-dust briquettes, a process for asphalt road paving, and a machine that insulated electric wire.

 

Dr. Jonas Salk successfully tests a vaccine against poliomyelitis, in 1953

 

Jonas Salk was an American virologist and medical researcher who developed one of the first successful polio vaccines.

On March 26, 1953, Dr. Jonas Salk announced on a national radio show that he had successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the crippling disease of polio.

In 1952—an epidemic year for polio—there were 58,000 new cases reported in the United States, and more than 3,000 died from the disease. For his work in helping to eradicate the disease, which is known as “infant paralysis” because it mainly affects children, Dr. Salk was celebrated as the great doctor-benefactor of his time.

International Day of the Unborn Child

 

The International Day of the Unborn Child is observed annually on March 25 to honour the value and dignity of unborn children and to promote a culture that respects all human life from conception. It was established in 1999 by Pope John Paul II, this day coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation, symbolising the moment of the Incarnation when, according to Christian belief, Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

 History of International Day of the Unborn Child

The observance of this day began in 1993 when El Salvador declared a 'Day of the Right to Be Born.' Following this, several predominantly Catholic countries officially recognised the day:

Argentina: Day of the Unborn (1998)​

Chile: Day of the Conceived and Unborn (1999)​

Guatemala: National Day of the Unborn (1999)​

Costa Rica: National Day of Life Before Birth (1999)​

Nicaragua: Day of the Unborn Child (2000)​

Dominican Republic: Day of the Unborn Child (2001)​

Peru: Day of the Unborn Child (2002)​

Paraguay: Day of the Unborn Child (2003)​

Philippines: Day of the Unborn Child (2004)​

Honduras: Day of the Unborn Child (2005)​

Ecuador: Day of the Unborn Child (2006)​

Puerto Rico: Day of the Unborn Child (2018)​

These observances reflect a global recognition of the sanctity of unborn life. ​

Significance

 

The International Day of the Unborn Child serves multiple purposes:​

Affirming Life's Value: It emphasises the inherent worth of every human being from the moment of conception.​

 

Raising Awareness: The observance highlights the rights of unborn children and advocates against practices like abortion.​

 

Promoting a Culture of Life: It encourages societies to foster environments that respect and protect life at all stages.​

 

Pope John Paul II described the day as 'a positive option in favour of life and the spread of a culture for life to guarantee respect for human dignity in every situation.' ​

Georgius Agricola's Birth Anniversary

 

Georgius Agricola, born on 24 March 1494, in Glauchau, Saxony  [Germany], was a German scholar and scientist known as “the father of mineralogy.” While a highly educated classicist and humanist, well regarded by scholars of his own and later times, he was yet singularly independent of the theories of ancient authorities. He was indeed among the first to find a natural science upon observation, as opposed to speculation. His De re metallica dealt chiefly with the arts of mining and smelting, and his De natura fossilium, considered the first mineralogy textbook, presented the first scientific classification of minerals (based on their physical properties) and described many new minerals and their occurrence and mutual relationships.