19 May - Mohini Ekadashi

 

Mohini Ekadashi is a significant Hindu observance that falls on the 11th day (Ekadashi) of the waxing phase of the moon (Shukla Paksha) in the month of Vaishakha, according to the Hindu calendar. This usually corresponds to April or May in the Gregorian calendar. Mohini Ekadashi is particularly noted for its association with the avatar of Lord Vishnu in the form of Mohini, the enchanting female form.

Significance of Mohini Ekadashi

1. Spiritual Benefits: Observing Mohini Ekadashi is believed to cleanse devotees of their sins and provide them with spiritual merit. It is said to help in overcoming past misdeeds and leading a righteous life.

2. Devotional Practices: On this day, devotees fast and engage in prayers, chanting, and reading scriptures related to Lord Vishnu. The fast is considered highly meritorious and is believed to bring spiritual benefits and blessings from Lord Vishnu.

3. Mythological Importance: The significance of Mohini Ekadashi is rooted in the legend of Lord Vishnu taking the form of Mohini to distribute the nectar of immortality (amrita) among the gods and to save them from the demons. This story highlights the divine play of Lord Vishnu in protecting the universe.

Rituals and Observances

• Fasting: Devotees undertake a strict fast, refraining from grains, beans, and certain other foods. Some may observe a waterless fast, while others may consume fruits and milk. The fast typically begins from sunrise on Ekadashi and ends after sunrise the next day (Dwadashi).

• Prayer and Worship: Devotees perform special prayers and rituals dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Temples often hold special services and recitations of Vishnu-related texts like the Vishnu Sahasranama (a list of a thousand names of Lord Vishnu).

• Reading Scriptures: Reading or listening to stories from the Bhagavad Gita and other holy texts is common. Devotees often recount the legend of Mohini to remember the divine intervention of Lord Vishnu.

• Charity and Acts of Kindness: Many people engage in charitable activities and offer food, clothes, and other essentials to the needy as part of their devotion.

Observing Mohini Ekadashi

1. Preparation: Before Ekadashi, devotees often prepare by cleaning their homes and setting up altars for worship. They may also take a purification bath early in the morning.

2. Fasting and Worship: On the day of Mohini Ekadashi, devotees abstain from certain foods and engage in day-long prayers and meditation. They visit temples, participate in devotional singing (bhajans), and meditate on Lord Vishnu’s virtues and deeds.

3. Breaking the Fast: The fast is broken on the following day (Dwadashi) after performing rituals and offering food to Lord Vishnu. Devotees break their fast with sattvic food, which is pure and balanced according to Ayurvedic principles.

Conclusion

Mohini Ekadashi is a deeply spiritual day that offers devotees an opportunity to purify their minds and bodies through fasting, prayer, and reflection. Observing this Ekadashi is believed to bring blessings from Lord Vishnu and help devotees progress on their spiritual journeys. Through fasting, worship, and acts of kindness, devotees honor the divine intervention of Lord Vishnu in the form of Mohini, reaffirming their faith and dedication.

 

19 May - Girish Karnad birth anniversary

 

Girish Karnad was an acclaimed Indian playwright, actor, and director, known for his significant contributions to Indian theatre and cinema. He was born on 19 May 1938 in Matheran, Maharashtra, and he passed away on 10 June 2019. Karnad wrote his plays primarily in Kannada, and his works often explored themes of mythology and history, bringing them into contemporary relevance.

Karnad's work in cinema was equally significant, both as an actor and director. He appeared in and directed numerous films in Kannada, Hindi, and other Indian languages.

Throughout his career, Karnad received numerous accolades, including the Jnanpith Award, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan, recognizing his outstanding contribution to literature and the arts. His legacy continues to influence and inspire the realms of theatre, film, and literature in India and beyond.

19 May - Max Ferdinand Perutz birth anniversary

Max Ferdinand Perutz, born on 19 May 1914, was an Austrian-born British molecular biologist, who shared the 1962 *Nobel Prize* for Chemistry with John Kendrew, for their studies of the structures of _haemoglobin and myoglobin._ He went on to win the _Royal Medal_ of the Royal Society in 1971 and the _Copley Medal_ in 1979.

19 May - Malcolm X birth anniversary

 

Malcolm X, born on 19 May 1925, was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a popular figure during the civil rights movement.

19 May - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk birth anniversary

 

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk born on 19 May 1881, was a Turkish field marshal, revolutionary statesman, author, and founder of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first President from 1923 until his death in 1938.

19 May - Jean-Pierre Christin developed centigrade temperature scale

 

On 19 May 1743, Jean-Pierre Christin developed the centigrade temperature scale.

*Jean-Pierre Christin,* was a French physicist, mathematician, astronomer and musician. His proposal in 1743 to reverse the Celsius thermometer scale (from water boiling at 0 degrees and ice melting at 100 degrees, to where zero represented the freezing point of water and 100 represented the boiling point of water) was widely accepted and is still in use today.

His *thermometer* was known in France before the Revolution as the thermometer of Lyon. One of these thermometers was kept at the Science Museum in London.

*Celsius*

The Celsius scale, also known as the centigrade scale, is a temperature scale used by the International System of Units (SI). As an SI derived unit, it is used by all countries except the United States, the Bahamas, Belize, the Cayman Islands and Liberia. It is named after the Swedish astronomer *Anders Celsius,* who developed a similar temperature scale. The degree Celsius (symbol: °C) can refer to a specific temperature on the Celsius scale or a unit to indicate a difference between two temperatures or an uncertainty. Before being renamed to honor Anders Celsius in 1948, the unit was called centigrade, from the Latin centum, which means 100, and gradus, which means steps.