Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted traditional artefacts representing the rich heritage and culture of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat to world leaders he met on the sidelines of the G20 summit at Bali in Indonesia.
Official sources said PM Modi presented 'Kangra miniature paintings' to US President Joe Biden which portray ' Shringar Rasa'. These paintings depict love and devotion in a natural backdrop. The sentiment of devotion and surrender to the divine remains the central theme of these 'Pahari' paintings. The artesans of Kangra use only natural colors to make these paintings. To his UK counterpart, Rishi Sunak, Modi gifted 'Mata Ni Pachedi', a handmade Gujarat textile, offered in temples of the Goddess.
To the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, the host of the G-20 Summit, Modi presented a 'Kinnauri' shawl hand-made by artesans from Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh and a designer silver bowl made by artesans from Surat. The Prime Minister presented Spain's PM with a Kanal brass set which is a large, straight brass trumpet played usually in the Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh.
Also read: Indonesia hands over G20 presidency to India as Bali Summit ends
'Pithora', a ritualistic tribal folk art by the Rathwa artesans from Chhota Udaipur in Gujarat was presented to Australian PM Anthony Albanese. The painting bears a striking resemblance to the aboriginal dot paintings of the communities of Australia. The Prime Minister has focused on traditional artefacts associated with Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Incidentally, polls in the hill state were held on November 12 while Gujarat is slated for assembly polls on December 1 and 5.
