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Gifts to spouses of G20 heads draw on art heritage of India
According to officials, the three gift items, representing the rich traditional art culture of the country, will be presented to the spouses of the G20 leaders.
A Cheriyal scroll painting from Telangana, a handwoven Tussar silk stole, and a handcrafted bell metal figurine of a woman made by artisans from Chattisgarh are among the gifts that first ladies or spouses of heads of state from around the world, who will gather for the upcoming G20 Summit, will receive during their visit to the Indian Agricultural Research (IARI) at Pusa campus on Saturday, officials familiar with the matter said.
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According to officials, the three gift items, representing the rich traditional art culture of the country, will be presented to the spouses of the G20 leaders in a specially curated goodie bag. The visit to the institute is part of the itinerary planned for spouses of the leaders that also includes a visit to the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) for a curated shopping experience, and Rajghat.
The Cheriyal scroll painting — the art form is centuries-old — depicts myths and legends in narrative scrolls, said a senior official at the institute who asked not to be named. “Rooted in local and artful motifs, these paintings are one of the oldest art forms of the region, embodying its rich storytelling traditions.”
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Cheriyal scrolls have geographical indication (GI) status that is given to products that have a specific geographical origin and that possess qualities or a reputation arising from their provenance.
The handwoven heritage stoles, which will also be presented, have been meticulously crafted from Tussar silk sourced from the Sal forests of Chhattisgarh. “The silk stoles have been dyed from freshly extracted vegetable sources i.e Marigold flowers and turmeric. They are completely sustainable as the yarn is hand reeled and the fabric is hand woven,” the official added.
The handcrafted bell metal figurine of a woman preparing food has been prepared by artisans from Chattisgarh taking inspiration from their surroundings using ancient lost-wax technique. “The technique used in preparing this figurine is similar to the process used for creation of Harappan civilisation’s famous dancing girl artifact,” the official said.
Explaining the lost-wax technique, the official said, “In this technique, a wax sculpture of an image is covered in clay which is then baked. Once the clay is heated the wax melts leaving a negative image of the sculpture inside the hardened clay. Molten metal is then poured into it. Then they separate the metal image from the clay casing.”
During their visit to IARI-Pusa campus, the spouses will also meet millet farmers from different states, and will also be served millet-based snacks cooked over live counters by celebrity chefs Kunal Kapur, Ajay Chopra and Anahita Dhondy.
The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets based on a proposal moved by India and backed by over 70 nations. In her Budget 2023-24 speech, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman called for making India a global hub for millets, terming coarse cereals as “Shree Anna”. Nearly 25 million marginal farmers grow millets in 13 Indian states. The country produces nearly 18 million tonnes of millets annually, which are also known as coarse cereals, such as jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet) and ragi (finger millet), among many other local varieties.
“They will also visit millet fields of the IARI inside Pusa campus. They will also be shown a documentary on India’s agricultural progress capturing the country’s journey from being a net importer of food to being a food surplus country. The documentary will also showcase the recent advancements in farming including use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and startups,” said a second official at Pusa, who too asked not to be named
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare will also be preparing two millet- based rangolis (colourful floor decorations created for special events) to greet the visitors at the NASC Complex of the institute. “The rangolis will capture two themes i.e harmony of harvest and unity in sustenance. They will narrate stories of India’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, unity, and global food security. They serve as colourful symbols of our shared responsibility in fostering a world where sustenance knows no boundaries,” the second official added.
