HP Current Affairs - UPSC Preparation Made Easy

31st, May, 2023

Importance for Prelims: History, geography, political, art & culture and socio-economic development of Himachal Pradesh.

Significance for the Mains Exam:

PAPER-IV: GENERAL STUDIES-I: UNIT III: Society and Culture in Himachal Pradesh: Culture, customs, fairs and festivals, and religious beliefs and practices, recreation and amusement.

In the Kutlehar Assembly of Una, the three-day Piplu fair for the area was started.
The fair is organised on the occasion of Nirjala Ekadashi.
At the temple in Piplu village, people from the Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Bilaspur districts pray to the Nar Singh god.
They also offer a part of their agriculture produce to the deity, seeking blessings for good health and prosperity.

The Piplu fair is held every year for three days in the village of Piplu in the Una district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It happens on Nirjala Ekadashi, which is in June.
Nar Singh Devta is a Hindu god that people from all over the state worship. The fair is in his honor.

The fair is a big culture event in the area, and thousands of people come from all over Himachal Pradesh and the states next to it to take part. People dress in their native clothes for the fair, which makes it a colorful event. There are booths that sell food, clothes, jewelry, and arts, among other things. There are also shows by folk singers and artists.
he highlight of the fair is the religious procession that is held on the first day of the fair. The procession starts from the Nar Singh Devta temple and goes through the village. The procession is led by priests and devotees who carry religious flags and banners. The procession is followed by a large crowd of people who sing and dance.
The Piplu fair is a famous place for tourists to go, and it’s a great way to learn about Himachal Pradesh’s culture and traditions.

(News Source: The Tribune)

Importance for Prelims: Geography of Himachal Pradesh.

Significance for the Mains Exam:

PAPER-IV: GENERAL STUDIES-I: UNIT II: Geography of Himachal Pradesh: Relief, Drainage, Vegetation cover and types.

An official said on Tuesday that paragliding is a good thing to do at the Bandla hill place in the Bilaspur district.
Under the supervision of Avinash Negi, Director of the Mountaineering Institute in Manali, a test flight was taken from Bandla to Luhnu ground to evaluate the site. The site was allowed for paragliding, said Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq. Because it is flat, Bilaspur is a good place for sports.

The Bandla Hills are a famous place for tourists to visit in the Himachal Pradesh district of Bilaspur. It is about 17 kilometers from the city of Bilaspur and is known for its beautiful views, chances to paraglide, and religious importance.
Bandla is a village in the area of Himachal Pradesh called Bilaspur. The height of Bandla Dhar is 1350 meters above sea level. The village has a beautiful view of the town of Bilaspur.
From the top of the hill, you can see the Govind Sagar Lake, the city of Bilaspur, and the Dhauladhar mountain range, among other things. Paragliding is also popular on the hill, and there are several schools that give lessons and tandem flights.

Bandla Hills is not only a beautiful place to look at, but it is also a place where people go to pray. On top of the hill is the Siddh Peeth of Baba Balak Nath, a Hindu saint who is said to have reached wisdom there. On the top of the hill, there is a temple for Baba Balak Nath. This is a famous place for Hindu pilgrims to visit.
From Bilaspur, Bandla Hills is a great place to go for a day trip. It is a beautiful place to take in the scenery, go paragliding, or visit a religious pilgrimage spot.

(News Source: The Tribune)

Importance for Prelims: Indian and World Geography physical, social, economic geography of India and the world.

Significance for the Mains Exam:

PAPER-IV: GENERAL STUDIES-I: UNIT II: Aspects of the Physical Geography of India – Structure and Relief, Climate, Soils and Vegetation, Geomorphic set up (Mountain Ranges and Rivers and other Water Bodies).

Even though the state is getting more rain than usual before the monsoon, the monsoon rains are expected to be less than usual. The Shimla Meteorological Center says that there is a 50% chance that the summer rains in Northwest India, including Himachal, will be below average.
“Quantitatively, it is likely to be 92% of the Long Period Average (LPA), which is 734.4 mm in the state,” said Surender Paul, Director of the Shimla Meteorological Centre. “In terms of where the monsoon rains fall, many places along the foothills of the Himalayas are likely to get normal or less rain than usual,” he said.

The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is moving toward the north because:

Near the equator, there is a belt of warm, wet air called the ITCZ. During the time before the monsoons, the ITCZ moves north, sending warm, moist air from the tropics to the Indian subcontinent. Warm, damp air rises over the Himalayas, which makes clouds and rain fall.

Low-pressure areas are formed over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea:

Low-pressure areas are places where the air pressure is low. Storms and heavy rain often happen in these places. Low-pressure bands often form over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea before the monsoon season. These areas of low pressure bring moisture to the Indian region, which can cause it to rain heavily.

The southwesterly winds getting stronger:

Winds that blow from the southwest to the northeast are called southwesterly winds. During the time before the rain, these winds are at their strongest. Warm, wet air from the Arabian Sea is carried by southwesterly winds to the Indian subcontinent. Warm, damp air rises over the Himalayas, which makes clouds and rain fall.

The Himalayas’ snow and glaciers melting:

Pre-monsoon rain is also caused by the melting of snow and glaciers in the Himalayas. The snow and ice in the Himalayas start to melt before the rainy season. This water runs off the mountains and into rivers and streams as it moves downhill. Floods and floods can be caused by the water in these rivers and streams. But it can also lead to rain before the summer.
Rain that falls before the spring is an important source of water for farming and making hydroelectric power in Himachal Pradesh. It can, however, also lead to floods and landslides.