IMPORTANT DAYS-OCTOBER

Oct 1 International Day of Older Persons

International Day of Older Persons is a special day for older persons or senior citizens all over the world. International Day of Older Persons is an ocassion where in special attention and focus on Eldelry Care is highlighted. Traditionally, this day is held to honor the elders, give gifts, talk and spend quality time with them.

To reiterate our pledge to continue to do our best to look after our Elders and to check whether we are doing enough or are we making enough amends, International Day of Older Persons had been established. According to Psychiatrists, fulfilling the physical, psychological and emotional needs of elders is the key to keep them healthy and happy. Intentional or unintentional neglect, impudence and maltreatment inside the families and in the society, often lead to high levels of stress among elders. This in turn could lead to various physical ailments, psychological and emotional disorders and even cause death in some cases.

On December 14, 1990, the UN General Assembly made October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons, following up on initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing, which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the assembly. The International Day of Older Persons was observed for the first time throughout the world on October 1, 1991. In 1991 the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons.

Oct 1 World Vegetarian Day

World Vegetarian Day seeks to bring awareness to the health benefits of living a vegetarian lifestyle.  Education programs which highlight environmental issues and ecological projects, as well as campaigns for the humane treatment of animals occur around this day.  World Vegetarian Day in an informal holiday, observed on October 1st each year.  

Facts about World Vegetarian Day

• A low-fat vegetarian diet is the most effective way to improve or prevent coronary artery disease.
• Plants produce more than 10 times the amount of protein than can be produced per acre by animals. (Source: USDA)
• Humans consume more than 80 billion animals yearly. (Source: USDA)
• A meat-eating person who lives to the age of 75, will typically consume parts of over 15,000 animals.
• It takes 150 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of wheat.  To produce 1 pound of meat, more than 4,000 gallons of water are needed.

World Vegetarian Day Top Events and Things to Do

• Go meatless for a day.
• Host a vegetarian potluck and have everyone contribute a vegetarian menu item.
• Pledge to eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Attend a vegetarian festival.
• Learn more about the environmental and ecological impacts becoming a vegetarian can have.

Oct 1 National Voluntary Blood Donation Day

National Voluntary Blood Donation Day is getting celebrated in India at 1^st of October every year to share the need and importance of the blood in the life of an individual. It was first started celebrating on 1^st of October in the year 1975 through the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology. Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology was first established at 22^nd of October in the year 1971 under the leadership of Mrs. K. Swaroop Krishen and Dr. J.G. Jolly.

Transfusing or donating blood or its components to the needy person has become very important part of the humanity in the modern health care system. It does not matter who is the blood donor or blood receiver, a donor can be a receiver in the future as well as a receiver can be a healthy donor in the nearest future. So donating blood without any expectation is the great humanity and vital part in the life saving process. Do not donate blood only to your relatives or friends, donate blood to voluntarily for any human being is the real humankind as it can save many lives.

To make aware the people towards the blood donation, a variety of events, awareness programmes, camps and supplementary promotional activities are organized in all states at the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. There are various criteria for the blood donors according to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940. The age of blood donors should be between 18 – 60 years, weight 45 kg or above, pulse rate range 60 to 100/ minute, BP normal, Hb 12.5gm/100ml and body temperature should not exceeds 37.5 degree centigrade.

Oct 2 Gandhi Jayanthi

Mahatma Gandhi was a ‘Great Political and Spiritual Leader’, who was responsible for the Independence of India. His Philosophy and Ideology of ‘Ahimsa’ (non violence) was a primary factor in pressurising the British Government to leave India. His Philosophy and Ideology took the form of ‘Satyagraha’ (holding on to truth).

He conceived and developed the terminology and effectively applied it to many of his resistance's against the tyranny of the British Colonisers. He organised ‘Civil Disobedience’, ‘Non-cooperation Movement’ and the ‘Quit India Movement’. Apart from this, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns to ease poverty, expand women's rights, build religious and ethnic amity, end untouchability and increase economic self-reliance. His efforts inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world, some of which were - Nelson Mandela's struggle against Apartheid in South Africa and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaigns during the civil rights movement in the United States. It was because of these achievements that he was revered as the ‘Father of Nation’ world over. In India he was referred to as ‘Bapu’ or ‘Bapuji’ - Gujarati Equivalent of the title ‘Father of Nation’ which was bestowed upon him. Gandhi is also often referred ‘Mahatma’, which means ‘Great Soul’, an honorific first applied to him by Rabindranath Tagore. Such was his persona that the United Nations General Assembly declared 2nd of October as the ‘International Day of Non-Violence’, as 2nd October is Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday Date. The resolution to this effect was announced on 15th June 2007.

International Day of Non-Violence
Non-violence is a philosophy and strategy for social change that rejects the use of violence. Practitioners of non-violence may use diverse methods in their campaigns for social change, including critical forms of education and persuasion, civil disobedience and non-violent direct action, and targeted communication via mass media. It was using the policy that Mahatma Gandhi, lead a decades-long non-violent struggle against British rule in india, which eventually helped india win its independence in 1947. The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Non-Violence is a global observance that promotes non-violence through education and public awareness. It is annually held on October 2 to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday.

More reading :https://targetstudy.com/knowledge/day/406/mahatma-gandhi-jayanti.html ,

                  https://targetstudy.com/knowledge/day/112/international-day-of-non- violence.html

Oct 2 - Birth Anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri 

  

       Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi. Shastri's birth name was Lal Bahadur Srivastava. In 1917, aged 12, he decided to drop his caste-derived surname of 'Srivastava'.

      He studied at the East Central Railway Inter College in Varanasi and later graduated from Kashi Vidyapeeth in 1926 where he was given the title of Shashtri (scholar).

     Shastri married Lalita Devi from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh in 1928. He had six children with her—Kusum, Hari Krishna, Suman, Anil, Sunil and Ashok.

      Lal Bahadur Shastri was elected the Prime Minister of India in 1964. Under his tenure as the Prime Minister, Shastri lead the country during India-Pakistan war in 1965 and it was during this war that he coined the slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kishan'. It soon began the national slogan. Shastri dealt with many basic problems during his tenure in various ministries - food shortage, unemployment and poverty. To overcome the acute food shortage, he devised a long-term strategy - 'Green Revolution'. Apart from the Green Revolution, he also helped in promoting the White Revolution.

The National Dairy Development Board was formed in 1965 during Shastri reign as Prime Minister. Varanasi International Airport is named after him.

Prime Minister Shastri died in Tashkent, on the day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to a heart attack. However, his death was surrounded by controversies where people allege conspiracy. He was the first Prime Minister of India to die overseas. He was eulogised as a national hero and the Vijay Ghat memorial was established in his memory.

Lal Bahadur Shastri was the first person to be posthumously awarded India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.

Courtesy: http://www.mid-day.com

Oct 2-8 Wild Life Week

With a view to preserve the fauna of India, particularly to take urgent steps to prevent extinction of any species, the Government of India established an Indian Board of Wild Life (IBWL) in 1952. The Board has since been doing pioneering work to arouse public consciousness in favour of wildlife preservation. One of it's work is  to arouse a general awakening in the common man in favour of protection of wildlife. Therefore, the IBWL decided to observe the Wildlife Week from October 2 - 8 every year.
Wildlife refers to all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. India is country which has a rich and diverse wildlife. According to one study, India is one of those countries which is home to about 60-70% of the world's biodiversity. In spite of national parks and protected areas many species are either endangered or on the brink of extinction. The market for wildlife products encourages killing of the whales, poaching of tigers and elephants for their their tusks and bones, rare migratory birds are captured and sold in the black markets around the world. Some species of birds have gone extinct in recent times, including the Pink-headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea) and the Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa). Indian wildlife is closely associated with legendary beliefs and folk lores. Wildlife preservation needs active and planned wildlife management under which all forms of life can progress side by side with human progress, each in its own sphere of influence and utility and without any detriment to human interests. Wildlife Week intends to not only educate young people but also to correct the flaws in the conservation effort by the government.

 Oct 4 World Animal Day

World Animal Day or unofficially world animal lover day is a cause for celebration for anyone who loves animals-irrespective of their national, geographical or religious beliefs. The day was formulated at a convention of ecologists in Florence as a method of highlighting the plight of endangered species. October 4 was thus chosen as World Animal Day and quite appropriately so as it is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. But this in no way makes it a religious festival, though of course it does speak a religion, the religion of love towards animals.

The day is celebrated variously in different countries the world round. The main concern as enunciated by the animal welfare day organization is to celebrate and be thankful to the animal life in all its multifarious forms, to value and preserve humankind's relationship with the animal kingdom and most importantly to acknowledge the various indispensable life-sustaining roles animals play in our lives-of being our pets, our friends and companions. To be conscious and grateful of the precious completeness which animals enrich our life with, to make it a wholesome unit. 
 

Oct 5 World Teachers' Day

As all are aware September 5 is observed as Teachers' Day in India to commemorate her Second President Sri Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. But in most countries of the world October 5 is celebrated as World Teachers' Day.

It is rather interesting that Teachers' Day is being celebrated in various countries on various dates. (Read : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teachers_Day)

Teachers' Day celebrates the role teachers play in providing quality education at all levels. This enables children and adults of all ages to learn to take part in and contribute to their local community and global society. It is celebrated on different dates and different months in various countries. On October 5, 1966, the Special Intergovernmental Conference on the Status of Teachers in Paris, France, was closed and the "Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers" was signed by representatives of UNESCO and International Labour Organization. On October 12, 1997, the 29th session of UNESCO's General Conference was opened. During this conference, on November 11, 1997, the "Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel" was adopted. On October 5, 1994, the first World Teachers' Day was held. This event has been organized on the same date each year since then. However, local events may be on some other date close to October 5, so that they do not fall during fall (northern hemisphere) or spring (southern hemisphere) school vacations. In 2002, Canada Post issued a postage stamp to commemorate World Teachers' Day. 
 

Oct 5 World Habitat Day

The United Nations’ (UN) World Habitat Day is annually celebrated on the first Monday of October to reflect on the state of human settlements and people’s right to sufficient shelter. It also aims to remind people that they are responsible for the habitat of future next generations.
The UN’s World Habitat Day was first celebrated in 1986 with the theme “Shelter is my right”. Nairobi was allocated as the host city for the observance that year. This annual event is held on the first Monday of October with a new theme each year. An important highlight of the day is the “Habitat Scroll of Honour” award, which was launched by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHSP) in 1989. It is believed to be the world’s most prestigious human settlements award and aims to acknowledge initiatives that make outstanding contributions in areas such as shelter provision, highlighting the plight of the homeless, leadership in post conflict reconstruction, and developing and improving the human settlements and the quality of urban life.  The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN–HABITAT) is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It was established in 1978 and has its headquarters at the UN office in Nairobi, Kenya. It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

Oct 8 Indian Air Force Day

The Air Force Day was officially started celebrating at 8^th of October in the year 1932 as an auxiliary air force of Indian Empire. The Indian Air Force, air arm of the Indian armed forces, has its prime responsibility of securing the Indian airspace as well as to carry out the aerial warfare during any clash.

The India Air Force has been engaged in the four wars with the Pakistan and one with People’s Republic of China after its independence. The operations carried out by it are Operation Meghdoot, Operation Vijay – the invasion of Goa, Operation Cactus and Operation Poomalai. It has also been involved in the United Nations peacekeeping missions. The President of the country serves to the India Air Force as a Commander-in-Chief.

The Indian Air Force has the strength of about 170,000 personnel and more than 1,400 aircraft and considered as one of the leading air forces of world. It has the responsibility to safeguard the Indian Territory from all risks, provide help during natural calamities to the affected areas.

It was started celebrating in order to increase the awareness about the importance of Indian air force in any organization of the national security by both officially and publicly. The Indian Air Force has involved in the following:

• World War II
• Sino-Indian War
• Operation Cactus
• Operation Vijay
• Kargil War
• Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
• Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
• Congo Crisis
• Operation Poomalai
• Operation Pawan

Oct 8 World Sight Day

World Sight Day is a global event that focuses on bringing attention on blindness and vision impairment. It is observed on the second Thursday of October each year.

The world's population is ageing and people are living longer but blindness from chronic conditions is also rising, according to WHO. About 80 percent of the world's 45 million blind people are aged over 50 years. About 90 percent of blind people live in low-income countries, where older people, especially older women, face barriers to getting the necessary eye health care. Yet, many age-related conditions leading to blindness such as cataract, refractive error and glaucoma. These can be easily and cheaply treated or cured. Timely intervention can often delay or reduce their effects on vision.

Lions Clubs International partnered with blindness prevention organizations worldwide to commemorate the first World Sight Day on October 8, 1998. This event was later integrated into VISION 2020, a global initiative that the IAPB (International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) coordinates.

This initiative is a joint program between WHO and the IAPB. International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness is a coordinating, umbrella organization to lead an international effort in mobilizing resources for blindness prevention activities. It was set up on January 1, 1975, by the late Sir John Wilson, the Founder President. The founding members were the World Blind Union, and the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (now the International Council of Ophthalmology).

Oct 9 World Post Day

From the earliest times in history, postal services existed in the form of messengers who travelled large distances on foot or horseback. In the 1600s and 1700s, many countries set up national postage systems and entered into bilateral agreements for the exchange of mail between countries. By the late 1800s there was a large web of bilateral agreements that made the distribution of international mail complicated, non-transparent and inefficient. World Post Day marks the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union's establishment and is annually held on October 9. The union aimed to create and maintain a structure for the free flow of international mail around the world.

The work of the Universal Postal Union continues to be very important to global communication and trade, even in the era of digital communication. In areas and communities with a high level of access to digital communication, postal services are important for distributing goods bought in Internet stores. In communities with lower levels of access to digital communication, postal services remain vital for the distribution of information and goods. Post offices and trucks used to deliver mail to outlying areas are also becoming service points to bring digital communication to many more people. Moreover, the union is working on ways to bring electronic money transfer services to rural areas in countries in the Middle East and in north-east Africa.

Oct 10 World Mental Health Day

WMHDay was observed for the first time on 10 October 1992 and continues to be the official day of commemoration every year. It was started as an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health by the then Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter and It has become the largest and most widely promoted education and advocacy program of the Worlld Federation for Mental Health.

Thousands of people with mental health conditions around the world are deprived of their human rights. They are not only discriminated against, stigmatised and marginalised but are also subject to emotional and physical abuse in both mental health facilities and the community. Poor quality care due to a lack of qualified health professionals and dilapidated facilities leads to further violations.

The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October, is "Dignity in mental health". This year, WHO will be raising awareness of what can be done to ensure that people with mental health conditions can continue to live with dignity, through human rights oriented policy and law, training of health professionals, respect for informed consent to treatment, inclusion in decision-making processes, and public information campaigns.

Oct 11 International Day of Girl Child

The International Day of the Girl Child initiative began as a project of Plan International, a non-governmental organization that operates worldwide. The idea for an international day of observance and celebration grew out of Plan International's Because I Am a Girl campaign, which raises awareness of the importance of nurturing girls globally and in developing countries in particular. Plan International representatives in Canada approached the Canadian federal government to seek to the coalition of supporters raised awareness of the initiative internationally.

International Day of the Girl Child was formally proposed as a resolution by Canada in the United Nations General Assembly.

Rona Ambrose, Canada's Minister for the Status of Women, sponsored the resolution; a delegation of women and girls made presentations in support of the initiative at the 55th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly voted to pass a resolution adopting October 11, 2012 as the inaugural International Day of the Girl Child. The resolution states that the Day of the Girl recognizes.

The observation supports more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender. This inequality includes areas such as right to education/access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination, violence against women and unfree child marriage. 

Oct 13 International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction

A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard like flood, tornado, volcano eruption, earthquake, or landslide. These affect the environment and lead to financial, environmental and / or human losses. Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, volcanic eruptions and other natural disasters are an inevitable part of life. Many people around the world have lost their lives, homes or access to essential facilities, such as hospitals, due to natural disasters, including earthquakes, droughts, tsunamis, heavy flooding, hurricanes or cyclones. Some of these disasters have caused economic damage to some countries. The UN acknowledges that education, training, and information exchanges are effective ways to help people become better equipped in withstanding natural disasters.

On December 22, 1989, the UN General Assembly designated the second wednesday of october as the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. This event was to be observed annually during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, 1990-1999. On December 20, 2001, the assembly decided to maintain the observance to promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. In 2009, the UN General Assembly decided to change the earlier second wednesday of october schedule. It designated October 13th as the official date and also changed the name to International Day for Disaster Reduction.

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction is thus annually observed to raise the profile of disaster risk reduction. It also encourages people and governments to participate in building more resilient communities and nations. The World Disaster Reduction Campaign is coordinated by the secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Oct 15 International Day of Rural Women

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Rural Women directs attention to both the contribution that women make in rural areas and the many challenges that they face. It also celebrates and honours the role of rural women on October 15 each year. It recognizes rural women’s importance in enhancing agricultural and rural development worldwide.

The International Day of Rural Women was first celebrated as an official UN observance on October 15, 2008. This day recognizes the role of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. The idea of honouring rural women with a special day was put forward at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in 1995. It was suggested that October 15 be celebrated as “World Rural Women’s Day,” which is the eve of World Food Day, to highlight rural women’s role in food production and food security. “World Rural Women’s Day” was previously celebrated across the world for more than a decade before it was officially a UN observance.

Oct 15 Global Handwashing Day 

Global Handwashing Day is observed every year on 15th October every year in an effort to raise awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention. As a campaign it aims to motivate and mobilize millions around the world to wash their hands with soap. Although people around the world wash their hands with water, very few wash their hands with soap at the critical occasions. More handwashing with soap means lower rates of infectious disease: Clean Hands Save Lives! Initiated in 2008 by the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap (PPPHW).

Handwashing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrhoeal and acute respiratory infections, which take the lives of millions of children in developing countries every year. Together, they are responsible for the majority of all child deaths. Yet, despite its lifesaving potential, handwashing with soap is seldom practised and difficult to promote. The challenge is to transform handwashing with soap from an abstract good idea into an automatic behaviour performed in homes, schools, and communities worldwide. Turning handwashing with soap before eating and after using the toilet into an ingrained habit could save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention, cutting deaths from diarrhoea by almost half and deaths from acute respiratory infections by one-quarter. A vast change in handwashing behaviour is critical to meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths among children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015.

Oct 15 World White Cane Day

World Health Organization (WHO) defines blindness as the inability to count fingers in daylight at a distance of 3 metres. There is a vast majority of blind people in developing countries. It has been found that there is a high prevalence in Saudi Arabia and the lowest incidence in Europe.

Two thirds of the blindness found in developing countries is preventable. The primary cause is cataract, which comprises 50 to 60 percent of all cases. This, however, is curable by a minor surgery. Trachoma (and associated bacterial conjunctivitis) is another important cause of blindness. Malnutrition, lack of vitamin A, causes permanent blindness. These can be prevented and that is why the White Cane Day is important. It spreads awareness and rallies support for the blind.

The mission of White Cane Day is to educate the world about blindness and how the blind and visually impaired can live and work independently while giving back to their communities, to celebrate the abilities and successes achieved by blind people in a sighted world and to honor the many contributions being made by the blind and visually impaired.

Oct 16 World Food Day

World Food Day was established by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) member countries at the Organization's Twentieth General Conference in November 1979. The date chosen - 16 October - is the anniversary of FAO. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. At the FAO's 20th session in Rome, Italy, in November 1979 the conference called for the observance of World Food Day on October 16, 1981, and on the same date each year.

According to Food and Agriculture Organization - The food crisis is stalking the small-scale farms and rural areas of the world, where 70 percent of the world's hungry live and work. With an estimated increase of 105 million hungry people in 2009, there are now 1.02 billion malnourished people in the world, meaning that almost one sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger. Both public and private investments are needed, more specifically through targeted public investment to encourage and facilitate private investment, especially by farmers themselves. The FAO aims to raise levels of nutrition across the globe, improve agricultural productivity at all levels, enhance the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy. It also provides assistance to countries changing their agricultural policy, to aid regions out of famine situations, to help implement appropriate technology and facilitate a neutral environment to discuss issues around food production. World Food Day is also held to commemorate the founding of the United Nations' (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

For more reading hit on to :

 

Oct 17 Anti Poverty Day

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was first observed in the year 1987 at Paris, France where 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the Trocadéro to honour victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear. But it was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1992 .

One of the main aims of the day is to make the voice of the poor heard. To this end, commemorations often include testimonies from people living in poverty, describing their own experiences or those of people they know. Various non-government organizations and community charities organise different types of events to raise the voice towards this issue.

Oct 1-10 Navarathri Festival

 

          The nine-day festival of Navaratri in Hindu religion is dedicated to the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga. Navratri 2016 dates are from October 1 to October 10. Chaitra Navratri 2017 is from March 28 to April 5 as per Hindu calendar. The most important Navratri in a year is the Sharadiya Navratra which begins on the first day of the bright half of Ashvin or Ashwayuja (September-October) as per traditional Hindu calendar.

In South India Goddess Durga is worshipped during the first three days, Goddess Lakshmi during the next three days and Goddess Saraswathi is worshipped during the last three days.

The Navarathri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar, the festival may be held for a day more or a day less.

Navarathri Day 1 Pratipada : Ghatasthapana Shailpuhtri Puja

Navarahtri Day 2 Dwitiya : Chandra Darshan Brahmacharini Puja

Navarathri Day 3 Tritiya : Sindoor Tritiya Chandraghanta Puja

Navarathri Day 4 chaturthi : Varad Vinayaka Chauth

Navarahtri Day 5 Panchami : Upang Lalita Vrat Skandamata Puja

Navarahtri Day 6 Shashthi : Saraswati Awahan Katyayani Puja

Navarathri Day 7 Saptami : Saraswati Puja Kalarathri Puja

Navarahtri Day 8 Ashtami : Durga Ashtami Mahagauri Pujan Sandhi Puja, Maha Ashtami

Navarathri Day 9 Navami : Ayudha Puja Durga Visarjan, Maha Navami

On Sunday devi wears red/maroon. On Monday devi wears white or cream. On Tuesday devi wears orange. On Wednesday devi wears green. On Thursday devi wears yellow. On Friday devi wears silver. On Saturday devi wears blue or peacock.

Apart from the Navarathri in September – October, there are three other Navratris in a year. The most important among the three is the Chaitra Navarahtri or the Navaratri in March-April. This is also known as Vasant Navarathri or Ram Navarathri.

The other two Navarathris are Magha Navarathri (January – February) and Ashada Navarathri (June – July). These two Navarathris are also known as Gupt Navarathri and is mainly observed only in certain regions of India. Thus there are four important Navarathris in a year in a traditional Hindu lunar calendar.

For complete reading on Navarathri : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navratri

Oct 21 Azad Hind Day

Azad Hind or Free India was a part of a political movement originated in the 1940s outside of India with the purpose of allying with Axis powers to free India from British Rule. It was announced by Indian nationalists-in-exile with Nethaji Subhas Chandra Bose as the master mind during the latter part of the Second World War in Singapore. After completing the task of reorganising the Indian Independence League and launching preparations for revolutionising the army, and with the support of the Indian communities throughout Southeast Asia Netaji formed the Provisional Government of Azad Hind (Free India) in Germany. Founded on 21 October 1943, the government was inspired by the concepts of Subhas Chandra Bose who was also the leader of the government and the Head of State of this Provisional Indian Government-in-exile. The government proclaimed authority over Indian civilian and military personnel in Southeast Asian British colonial territory and prospective authority over Indian territory to fall to the Japanese forces and the Indian National Army during the Japanese thrust towards India during the Second World War. The government of Azad Hind had its own currency, court and civil code, and in the eyes of some Indians its existence gave a greater legitimacy to the independence struggle against the British.

Immediately after the formation of the government-in-exile, Azad Hind declared war against the Anglo-American allied forces on the Indo-Burma Front. Its army, the "Azad Hind Fauj", (Indian National Army or the INA) went into action against the British Indian Army and the allied forces as part of the Imperial Japanese Army in the Imphal-Kohima sector. The INA had its first major engagement at the battle of Imphal where, under the command of the Japanese Fifteenth Army, it breached the British defences in Kohima, reaching the salient of Moirang before suffering a catastrophic defeat as the Allied forces held, and Allied air dominance and compromised supply lines forced both the Japanese and the INA to retreat.

The supposed death of Bose is seen as the end of the entire Azad Hind Movement.

Oct 11 Muharram

As per the Muslim traditions many centuries ago in 61 AH (approximately october 20th 680 A.D.) during the pre-Islamic period in the Arabian peninsula, there were many warring tribes. This situation was prevalent because of the absence of a strong leadership. As a result, there were regular conflicts and battles, even on minor issues. However, fighting was prohibited in four months of the year. These months were considered sacred and Muharram was one of these months. The inhabitants on the banks of rivers Euphrates and Tigris were traditional rivals. Their animosity was contained to some extent by Prophet Muhammad. But when his son-in-law Hazrat Ali was the Caliph (muslim civil and religious leader considered to be Allah's representative on earth), the old enmity re-surfaced. Hazrat Ali had two descendants, Hazrat Imam Hussain and Hazrat Imam Hassan. Hussain was the ruler of the part of the empire known today as Iran. The other part in modern Iraq was ruled by the Umayyads.

Hussain was called upon by the Shiahs of Kufa, a small town in the Umayyad kingdom, to accept their allegiance and claim his place as the leader of the Islamic community. This was against the wishes of the ruler of Kufa, Yazid, who instructed his governor, Ibn-e-Ziad to take appropriate action. Meanwhile, in response to the call of the Shiahs, Hussain accompanied by his family members, headed for Kufa. When they reached Karbala, en route to Kufa, the forces of the governor surrounded them and their 70 men. Hussain, his family and his troops were tortured and killed, and Hussain's head was severed and presented to the king. They received no help from the Shiahs of Kufa. As this tragic incident happened on the tenth day of Muharram, Shia Muslims consider this a day of sorrow. His martyrdom at Karbala represents a conscious confrontation with anti-Islamic forces and a courageous resistance for a sacred cause. The tragedy was that the one who stood up to defend Islam was cut down in so cruel a manner. It is for this reason that the death of Imam Hussain is mourned annually in the Muslim world.

Muharram is the name of a month which marks the beginning of the new year as per the Islamic calendar (hijrah calendar). Muharram is one of four months of a year which has been designated as holy according to the Islamic calendar, the other three being - Dhul-Qa'adah, Dhul-Hijjah and Rajab. The date of Muharram is not fixed because the Islamic calendar is lunar. The Islamic calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year so Muharram moves from year to year when compared with the Gregorian calendar. The word 'Muharram' is derived from the word 'Haram' which means 'Forbidden' and as such it is unlawful and unholy to indulge in any type of quarrel during this month. It is both, a festival of celebration and day of mourning. As a solemn occasion, it is to be observed to mourn the martyrdom of the revered Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad. It is a sanctified month as a whole and is observed for 10 days and the most important day of this month is Tenth day, by the end of which the mourning culminates.
There are a lot of variations in the way this occasion is observed. The two sects of Muslims - Shia and Sunni have their own practices. These practices pertain to the way they fast and mourn.

For more reading : https://targetstudy.com/knowledge/day/261/muharram.html

Oct 24 The United Nations Day

The United Nations Organization (UNO-UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace. There are about 192 member states, including nearly every sovereign state in the world. From its offices around the world, the UN and its specialized agencies decide on substantive and administrative issues in regular meetings held throughout the year.

It was on October 24, 1945 that the United Nations (UN) came into force when the five permanent members of the security council ratified the charter that had been drawn up earlier that year. These members were: France, the Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. Since 1948, the event's anniversary has been known as United Nations Day. It is an occasion to highlight, celebrate and reflect on the work of the United Nations and its family of specialized agencies.

The foundations for a “League of Nations” were laid in the Treaty of Versailles, which was one of the treaties to formally end World War I. The treaty was signed in Versailles, France, on June 28, 1919. The league aimed to encourage disarmament, prevent outbreaks of war, encourage negotiations and diplomatic measures to settle international disputes and to improve the quality of life around the world. However, the outbreak of World War II suggested that the League of Nations needed to take on a different form. The ideas around the United Nations were developed in the last years of World War II, particularly during the UN Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, the United States, beginning on April 25, 1945. The UN was officially created when a UN charter was ratified on October 24 that year.

United Nations Day was first observed on October 24, 1948. The UN recommended that United Nations Day should be a public holiday in member states since 1971. There were also calls for United Nations Day to be an international public holiday to bring attention to the work, role and achievements of the UN and its family of specialized agencies. These have been spectacular, particularly in the fields of human rights, support in areas of famine, eradication of disease, promotion of health and settlement of refugees. The UN does not work alone but together with many specialized agencies, including: the World Health Organization (WHO); the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); International Labour Organization (ILO); United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); and United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Oct 24- World Polio Day

World Polio Day was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. Use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus, developed by Albert Sabin, led to the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988. Since then, GPEI has reduced polio worldwide by 99%.

However, in 2012, transmission of indigenous wild poliovirus continued in three countries: Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In April 2012, the World Health Assembly declared the completion of polio eradication a programmatic emergency for global public health.

Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 90% to 95% of infections cause no symptoms. Another 5 to 10% of people have minor symptoms such as: fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, neck stiffness and pains in the arms and legs. These people are usually back to normal within one or two weeks. In about 0.5% of cases there is muscle weakness resulting in an inability to move. This can occur over a few hours to few days. The weakness most often involves the legs but may less commonly involve the muscles of the head, neck and diaphragm. Years after recovery post-polio syndrome may occur, with a slow development of muscle weakness similar to what the person had during the initial infection.

Polio virus is usually spread from person to person through infected feces entering the mouth. It may also be spread by food or water containing human feces and less commonly from infected saliva. Those who are infected may spread the disease even if no symptoms are present for up to six weeks. The disease may be diagnosed by finding the virus in the feces or detecting antibodies against it in the blood.

The disease is preventable with the polio vaccine; however, a number of doses are required for it to be effective. In 2013 polio affected 416 people down from 350,000 cases in 1988. In 2014 the disease was only spreading between people in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. In 2015 wild polio was eliminated in Nigeria.

More reading about Poliomyelitis : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliomyelitis

Oct16 Maharshi Valmiki Jayanthi

Maharshi Valmiki, the author of the great Indian epic Ramayana, was a Hindu sage who lived around the beginning of the first millennium B.C. He is referred to as the 'Adi Kavi', the original creator of the Hindu 'sloka' - a verse form in which most of the great epics such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and other works are composed.

He was a Brahman by birth belonging to the lineage of Bhrigu. Fate consigned him to a family of robbers which brought him up. Accidental contact with the Saptarsis - the Seven Sages and with the sage Narada changed his life. By the repetition of Ramanama or the name of Ram, he attained the supreme state of a 'maharshi' or great sage. Since a 'valmika' or an anthill had grown over his body during his long period of austerities and poised state of penance, he came to be known as Valmiki.

A contemporary of the heroes of the Ramayana, Maharshi Valmiki gives very little information about himself since he was a sage who had completely dedicated his life to contemplation on God and service to humanity. History has no account of his life except that he figures briefly and modestly on two occasions in the course of the epic he wrote.
He is one of the first sages whose hermitage Ram visits along with his wife and brother on his way to Chitrakoot after leaving Ayuodhya. Valmiki welcomes them with love, affection and reverence and utters just one word 'asyatam' (be seated). He feels honored when Ram accepts his request and sits a while.
The other occasion is when Ram banishes Sita, it is Valmiki that shelters her and rears up her twin sons Luv and Kush. When they recite the epic poem in his royal court, Ram invites Valmiki and requests him to bring Sita along so she can prove her chastity before the elders and sages. Valmiki is offended yet keeps his composure and says Sita would comply with Ram's wishes for he is her husband. While presenting Sita in the Mandapa (prayer hall) Valmiki utters words that highlight the penance and perseverance which Valmiki practiced his entire life.

Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Maharshi Valmiki is worshipped and prayed on this day. Shobha yatras, meetings and distribution of free food is arranged in many places. Many devotees also take out processions in honor of Maharshi Valmiki, and offer prayers to his portrait. There are many Valmiki temples in India, Which are beautifully decorated with flowers and prayers are offered in them, number of incense being lighted fill the atmosphere with purity and happiness. Many devotees go to Lord Rama temples and recite verses from Ramayana in memory of Maharshi Valmiki.

For more reading :   http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-saints/valmiki/maharishi-valmiki-jayanti.html

Oct 27 World Day of Audio-visual Heritage

Audio-visual means both sound and visual component. It also refers to the production or use of such works, or the equipment involved in presenting such works. Audiovisual components include a wide variety of platforms. These include television, radio, CD's, DVD's, video recording, audio recording etc. Various means of audio-visual serve a great purpose in many fields of study. Throughout the history various important audio-video records have been destroyed due to negligence or lack of proper storage and conservation.

To address this issue, the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is annually observed on October 27 to build global awareness of issues on preserving audiovisual material, such as sound recordings and moving images. It also focuses on acknowledging the importance of audiovisual documents as an integral part of national identity.

Oct 28 World Animation Day

October 28th is proclaimed International Animation Day, commemorating the first public performance of Emile Reynaud’s Theatre Optique at the Grevin Museum in Paris in 1892. Theatre Optique or Optical Theater was a machine that used a projector and mirrors to create images on a screen. The images were painted on a ribbon wound into a spool. Another spool unwound the ribbon as the images were projected on the screen. Acting as his own projectionist and accompanied by a pianist, Reynaud showed 3 cartoons during the show. Each cartoon was 15 minutes long and was created by putting together about 600 individually drawn images on the ribbon.

Animation is the proces of creating moving images by displaying static images in quick succession. Each image differs from the previous image very slightly, and it is these differences that create the movement in the sequence. Traditionally, animated sequences were created by hand drawn pictures and paintings. Today, technological advances have made it possible for artists to create images directly on a computer.

This event began in 2002, and in recent years, was observed in more than 40 different countries, on every continent, all over the world. For the first time, countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mozambique and Poland participated. Some countries extended it to several cities and several days, especially in France and Brazil, but also in Canada, Hungary, India, Israel, Portugal, Sweden and USA.

Oct 29 World Internet Day

International Internet Day is celebrated worldwide, every year on 29th of October. Since the year 2005 the International Internet Day has been famously celebrated to commemorate a momentous day in the history of telecommunications and technology. This was the event of the sending of the first message, first electronic message which was transfered from one computer to another in 1969. This was situated in California, in the USA. Today the International Internet Day is also an on-line project germinating from the society, of the society and for the society. The International Internet Day project is open to everyone and anyone just as access to the internet is open and free for everyone.

Looking back at the history of the event would inform us that the journey to this era of easy communication wasn't exactly as simple as surfing up information on Google. For starters , the present scenario has been preceded by years of attempts including failed attempts to render digital data visible to everyone, instead of using teleprinters and other devices. At the time when history was being made, Internet was known as ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). This was in 1969 when Charley Kline, a student programmer at the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles)transmitted the first ever message on 29th of October in 1969.

This event was to follow only few months after the first man landed on the moon. Charley Kline, working under the supervision of Professor Leonard Kleinrock, transmitted a message from the computer housed at the UCLA to a computer positioned at the Stanford Research Institute's computer. The two computers, one at the UCLA was the SDS Sigma 7 Host computer and the receiver was the SDS 940 Host at the Stanford Research Institute. Interestingly enough the message was a text message comprising the word 'login'. But as it would transpire only the letter L and O could be transmitted across, because following the initial transmission the system collapsed and the transmission crashed.

The Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching, using standard IP (Internet Protocol). Now Internet has become one of the most important part of our life. Most of us cannot think of spending one day without internet. Internet has made our lives much easy.

Oct 29 World Stroke Day

Stroke is a non-communicable disease that attacks millions of people worldwide every year. The World Stroke campaign aims to encourage people to understand stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high blood cholesterol. The campaign also promotes healthy living and ways to recognize the warning signs of stroke and how to take action.

Many organizations across the world honor stroke survivors, their families, and caregivers on World Stroke Day. The day also honors people who have made scientific advances in treating stroke related illnesses. Activities include fun runs, awareness workshops, and free stroke screening tests. Awards are presented to recognize people who work towards treating and preventing stroke.

Stroke has been and continues to be a widespread disease worldwide, afflicting over 15 million people each year. Of those 15 million, almost six million die and a further five million are left permanently disabled. A new person suffers a stroke every six seconds. The idea to create a day of awareness began in the 1990s with the European Stroke Initiative. Due to financial limitations, however, the effort was limited only to Europe. The European Stroke Organization continued the project, and celebrates its awareness day on May 10. The WSO World Stroke Day began in 2004 at the World Stroke Congress in Vancouver, Canada. Under the direction of Dr. Vladimir Hachinski, a working group was formed, which was incorporated into a World Stroke Proclamation in October 2006. Around the same time, the International Stroke Society and the World Stroke Federation merged to form the World Stroke Organization, which took over the management of World Stroke Day.

Oct 31 National Re-dedication Day

Popularly known as the Iron Lady of India, Indira Gandhi earned a formidable reputation across the globe as a ‘statesman’. Her sheer sense of politics and exceptional skills catapulted her position in the Indian politics, so much so that she went on to become the first woman elected to head a democratic country. Till date, she is the only woman to hold the office. Born in a politically influential dynasty and growing in an intense political atmosphere, Indira Gandhi had learned the trick of the trade quite early in life. She possessed an authoritarian streak and became the central figure of the Indian National Congress party, post her father’s death. She was known for her political ruthlessness and extraordinary centralization of power. It was during her premiership that India became the regional power in South Asia with considerable political, economic, and military clout. She also presided over a state of emergency and made considerable changes to the Indian Constitution. She used the army to resolve numerous internal disputes and encouraged a culture of sycophancy and nepotism, due to which she rubbed many Indians on the wrong side. Gandhi initialized the Operation Blue Star, which gave her a critical reputation and eventually scripted her assassination.

The untimely death of Lal Bahadur Shastri saw numerous contenders for the position of the Prime Minister. However, unable to come to a single conclusion, Indira Gandhi was chosen as the compromised candidate as they thought her to be easily manageable. She became the Prime Minister of India in January 1966. Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India and continued to serve the same until 1977. However, she returned to office in 1980 and continued till 1984 when she was assassinated.

She imposed a State of Emergency in India in June 1975, which lasted for 21 months until March 1975. She ruled by decree during Emergency and brought the entire country under the rule of the Central government.

She initiated the Operation Blue Star to strip clean the Golden Temple from the terrorists supporting Bindranwale. It eventually led to her assassination on 31 October 1984 by her own Sikh bodyguards for her role in storming the sacred Golden Temple.

Read more at : http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/indira-gandhi-47.php

Oct 31 World Savings Day

The World Savings Day was established on October 31, 1924, during the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks) in Milano, Italy. The Italian Professor Filippo Ravizza declared this day the "International Saving Day" on the last day of the congress. Which is also known as 'World Thrift Day' . It aims at the promotion of savings all over the World.

Nowadays the focus of the banks that organise the World Savings Day is on developing countries, where many people are unbanked. In India the Union government has launched the Jan Dhan Yojana for promoting the habit of savings among the common folk. The government has also taken steps to take banks to the common people. 

Savings banks play an important role in enhancing savings in these countries with certain campaigns and initiatives such as working with non governmental organisations in order to double the number of savings accounts held by the poor.

Courtesy:        https://targetstudy.com/,     http://www.indiacelebrating.com,   

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

and some more sites.