The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced and addressed the 14th Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav at Bikaner, Rajasthan today (February 27, 2023).
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that festivals like Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav not only promote the art and culture of the country, but also strengthen the feeling of national unity. Such cultural events provide opportunities to people to know and understand our rich and prosperous culture and the characteristics of different regions.
The President said that combining technology with traditions and science with art is necessary. New experiments are being done in every field with the help of science and technology. Technology is also being adopted in the field of art and culture. We can widen the reach of our country’s art, traditions and culture through new technology. We all should be proud of India’s rich and prosperous culture. At the same time, we should give place to new ideas and thinking in our traditions, so that we can connect our youth and future generations with these traditions. It is very important that our youth and children understand the importance of the precious heritage of the country.
The President said that we all know that change is the law of life. Changes in arts, traditions and culture also come with time. It is natural for art style, lifestyle, dress, food and drink to change with time, but some basic values and principles should continue from generation to generation, only then we can keep Indianness alive. The spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, peace and non-violence, love for nature, compassion for all living beings, moving ahead with determination – there are many values that bind all of us in one thread.
The President said that life and time of today’s people are running very fast. That’s why it is not easy to pass on the heritage of our art and culture to the coming generations. She urged the prominent personalities, scholars, art lovers and artists to identify the talent of rural artists and widely showcase their talent. She further asked them to find ways and make efforts so that today’s generation, especially youth and children, could understand and learn the art and culture.