2/13/24, 4:01 PM Cultural Revival Under PM Modi

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Tuesday, 13 February, 2024

Cultural Revival Under PM Modi

no concrete steps were being taken to bring back stolen Indian heritage that was being showcased around the world; often
displayed as proud colonial conquests.
SNS | New Delhi | September 16, 2022 10:49 pm

Photo: SNS

I
ndia’s culture, our traditions, and our way of life have been called timeless by travellers of ancient. While
people have noted the travelers, not many mentioned the leaders who were at the helm during those times.

Anything associated with Indian culture, be it handicrafts and locally made products – such as Khadi – to products
from cottage industries like forest produce was thought to be beneath western standards and therefore, best
avoided. Moreover, no concrete steps were being taken to bring back stolen Indian heritage that was being
showcased around the world; often displayed as proud colonial conquests.

But, in Gujarat, with Chief Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, the situation was dramatically different.

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THE GUJARAT CONNECTION

CM Modi, during his reign, himself a great admirer of India’s vast and vibrant culture had systematically revamped
and redeveloped cultural centers across the state. Be it the development of tourism-related infrastructure around
the ancient Indus-valley sites like Dholavira and Lothal, redeveloping of the Lakhpat Gurudwara, or building a
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2/13/24, 4:01 PM Cultural Revival Under PM Modi

whole festival around the culture and traditions of the Rann of Kutch.
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Tuesday, 13 February, 2024
Besides, he also contributed to the promotion of Uttarayan (where people traditionally flew kites) as the
International Kite Festival. Even the Vibrant Gujarat Summits were accompanied by mega exhibitions showcasing
Gujarat’s history, it’s culture, geography, and past achievements.

As a result, this cultural connection manifested itself as a newfound pride felt by the Gujarati people. Be it Navratra
celebrations or handloom products – through CM Modi’s initiatives, the people found their own expressions of
cultural pride and appreciation.

SPEARHEADING CULTURAL REVIVAL

When Narendra Modi was elected as the Prime Minister, his first action – bowing down at the steps of the
Parliament – was an expression of unabashed cultural pride and the fearless idea of expressing it; the Indian
Parliament is often called the ‘Temple of Democracy’.

Over the last eight years, India has witnessed an unprecedented revival and acceptance of vibrant local culture
across the country. This may very well be attributed to the idea that is propagated from the very top – be Vocal for
Local.

PM Modi is often seen sporting the attire, headdresses, and local style of the places he visits – be it the Chess
Olympiad where he was seen sporting a chessboard pattern Veshti, his visits to Himachal Pradesh when he wears
the Kumaoni cap, or the events where PM Modi is seen wearing a complete local attire in the Northeast.

On Women’s Day, he purchased traditional handloom items from small village/cottage workshops which were
managed by women – this triggered a flood of orders being placed from across the country and may easily have
been a life-changing event for many small artisans. Similarly, in 2015, he urged people to buy at least one Khadi
product for Gandhi Jayanti and regularly promoted the same which resulted in a four-fold sale in Khadi between
2014 and 2022.

The PM Modi-led administration has been actively following up with nations around the world for the repatriation
of stolen artifacts to India. Due to the Prime Minister’s personal involvement, this push to retrieve India’s stolen
heritage has resulted in around 250 artifacts coming home since 2014. That is over 250 in about 8 years, in
comparison, just one artifact was returned to India between 2004-2014 (one full decade).

Even during official visits of world leaders to India, PM Modi makes it a point to take them to culturally and
historically important locations. Be it Japanese PM Shinzo Abe attending the Ganga Aarti in Varanasi, Chinese
President Xi Jinping to Mahabalipuram, French President Macron to Varanasi, or South Korean President Moon Jae
into Swaminarayan Temple in Delhi – today, visits of foreign dignitaries are not restricted to the power corridors of
New Delhi but are organised to showcase India’s vibrant culture.

MAKING CULTURE ACCESSIBLE

Another important aspect of PM Modi’s approach when it comes to India’s cultural heritage is accessibility. Over
the years redevelopment projects have added necessary infrastructure and amenities to spiritual and cultural sites
across the country.

Consider for example a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath shrine in Varanasi before 2014. Not only would one have to
wait for several days before a train or a flight ticket to be finally booked, but the entire experience would also have
been so tiring that one would need a vacation to recuperate – be it the precariously narrow roads, dirty ghats or 
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2/13/24, 4:01 PM Cultural Revival Under PM Modi

the never-ending herculean push through the crowds.

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Tuesday, 13 February, 2024
Today, however, thanks to the UDAN scheme, airports have come up even in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, the Vande
Bharat express – one of the best trains run by the Indian Railways also runs between the National Capital and
Varanasi (in addition to a plethora of other new and existing trains).

Once you reach Varanasi, the infrastructure is modern enough to rival some of the best cities in India and abroad
but is also designed keeping in mind the requirements of the city – multi-level parking spaces and widened roads
have all but ended the traffic woes, and the ghats are now sparkling clean – thanks to the Prime Minister himself
picking up a broom while launching the Swachh Bharat Mission from the ghats of Kashi.

The newly inaugurated Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is what steals the show. The dingy alleyways and unkept streets
have given way to a state-of-the-art corridor that is equipped with rest areas, museums, hospice spaces, and eating
spaces.

The entire process of visiting Baba Vishwanath has been made hassle-free and more importantly an experience
where one can learn about the culture and history.

It would have been easy to attribute this to the MP from Varanasi, but, similar redevelopment projects have been
successfully completed across the country be it Somnath, Konark, Deoghar, or Kedarnath.

The PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive) and Swadesh Darshan are among some of
the schemes that have helped bring the culture closer to the people and vice versa.

PM Modi even during his monthly Mann ki Baat makes it a point to wish the entire country for a festival or a
cultural event that may be celebrated primarily in just one part so that the people are aware of the culture in
different parts of India; and proud of it.

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