PM Modi’s gifts to G20 leaders showcase India’s rich cultural diversity

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Kangra miniature paintings to US President Joe Biden

• Kangra miniature paintings portray ‘Shringar Rasa’ and depict love on a natural backdrop.
• The art originated in a small hill state ‘Guler’ in the first half of the 18th century when a family of Kashmiri painters trained in the Mughal Style of painting sought shelter at the court of Raja Dalip Singh of Guler.
• The Kangra paintings are made by painters from Himachal Pradesh using natural colours.

Handmade textile from Gujarat to UK counterpart, Rishi Sunak

• The handmade textile of Gujarat meant to be an offering in the temple shrines called Mata niPachedi.
• Mata Ni Pachedi was crafted by the nomadic community of Waghris.
• The craft pays homage to the various incarnations of Mata, the divine singular form of the goddess and displays narrative depictions of epics of Mata or Devi or Shakti.

‘Pithora’ to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

• A Pithora is a ritualistic tribal folk art by the Rathwa artisans from Chhota Udaipur in Gujarat.
• These paintings are depictions of the cave paintings that tribals used to make reflecting the social, cultural and mythological life and beliefs of those tribals.
• A Pithora as a mural has a special significance in the annals of cultural anthropology.
• The paintings bear a striking resemblance to the Aboriginal dot painting from the indigenous communities of Australia.

PatanPatola Dupatta (scarf) [Patan] was gifted to Italy

• The (Double Ikat) PatanPatola textile was woven by the Salvi family in the Patan area of Northern Gujarat.
• Patole is a term derived from the Sanskrit word “Pattu” meaning silk fabric that can be traced back to ancient times.
• The complex motifs placed in this exquisite Dupatta (scarf) are inspired by the ‘Rani kiVav’, a stepwell in Patan, built in the 11th century AD
• The PatanPatola Dupatta is packed in a ‘Sadeli’ box, which in itself is a decorative piece.
• Sadeli is a highly skilled woodcraft, native to the Surat area of Gujarat.

Agate Bowl (Kutch) was presented to France, Germany, and Singapore

• Gujarat is known for its agate craft.
• The semi-precious stone formed of chalcedonic-silica, is found in underground mines of Rajpipla and Ratanpur in riverbeds and extracted to produce a variety of ornamental objects.·         The Agate bowl gifted to French President Emmanuel Macron, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from Kutch, Gujarat can be seen in various contemporary designs as home decor objects and fashion jewellery.
• The healing powers attributed to agate stones have sustained the use of agate over centuries.

Silver Bowl and Kinnauri Shawl gifted to Indonesia

• The unique and finely crafted bowl is made of pure silver whereas the Kinnauri shawl, as the name suggests, is the speciality of the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
• The designs of the shawls show influence from Central Asia and Tibet.
• The silver bowl is a centuries-old craft perfected by the traditional and highly skilled metalsmiths of the Surat region in Gujarat

Kanal Brass Set gifted to Spain

• Kanal, which is gifted to Spain by India is a large, straight brass trumpet, over a metre long, played in parts of Himalayan India.
• It is used on ceremonial occasions, such as the processions of village deities. It is also used to welcome the leaders of Himachal Pradesh.
• These traditional musical instruments are now increasingly used as decor objects and are manufactured in the Mandi and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh by skilled metal craftspersons.