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Edakal cave yields one more Tamil-Brahmi inscription
- A short inscription engraved in the Brahmi characters has been discovered in the Edakal cave on the Ambukuthi hill in Kerala's Wayanad district. This is the fifth Tamil-Brahmi inscription discovered in the caves.
- M.R. Raghava Varier, retired Professor of Epigraphy, Calicut University, who made the latest discovery, has read the record as ‘Sri Vazhumi.'
- In Dr. Varier's interpretation, the inscription appears to be a label attached to a human figure, engraved exactly in the Edakal style of drawing. The figure is shown as having a big phallus, probably denoting fertility, and suggesting Brahma, the Creator himself.
- The term, ‘Vazhumi,' could be the Tamil rendering of the Sanskrit name, Brahma
Conservation reserve status for Jawai forests
- Rajasthan will soon accord the bio-diversity rich Jawai Bandh forests in Pali district the status of a conservation reserve.
- The rich forests and the water bodies along the Jawai dam in Sumerpur tehsil have a large presence of crocodiles. The wildlife census in 2011 had put their number at 288.
- The reserve is fifth in the category in the State. The conservation reserves, a concept introduced in the Act through the amendments, replaces the “closed area” concept.
- The existing conservation reserves in the State are Jhodbede in Bikaner district, Bisalpur in Tonk district, Soonda Mata in Jalore district and Gudha Vishnoi in Jodhpur district.
- Rajasthan has a lone community reserve — also introduced after the 2002 amendment to the Act — in Rotu in Nagaur district.
- Located in the south-western transition zone of the Aravallis on the Jawai river and the Luni river basin, and in close proximity of Kumbalgarh sanctuary, the Jawai dam was built in 1957 for drinking water purposes.
- The Jawai Bandh terrain was declared a closed area in 1983 and after the 2002 amendments it ceased to exist in that category.
- the creation of the conservation reserve would provide a fillip to eco-tourism and help preserve crocodiles, aquatic life in the dam and the leopard and wolf population in the forest.
Lakshya-1 test-flight
- India's indigenously developed micro-light pilotless target aircraft ‘Lakshya-1' was successfully test-flown from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, near here, on Wednesday, as part of a routine trial.
- Lakshya-1, fitted with an advanced digitally controlled engine, was once again test-flown at about 1.10 p.m. from a mobile launcher
