Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday inaugurated an international art and craft festival at the Gaiety theatre saying this gives a platform to the artists to interchange and understand their traditions and customs.
Presiding over the International Arts and Craft festival organised by a Goa-based event management group in association with Institute of Integrated Rural Development (IIRD), he said the festival will give a platform to the artists from across the length and breadth of the country and an opportunity to the people of the State to have glimpse of the rare craft & art-forms.
"It would give impetus to art and craft lovers around the globe," he said.
The Chief Minister said it is a great moment that 200 artists will exhibit their art work during the 45-day festival both in Shimla and Dharamsala and the unique feature of the festival was the art and craft exhibition by the Army personnel and their families bringing forth the new perspective of the ‘Fauji World’ besides revealing the softer talent hidden behind the courage and chivalry of army Jawans.
The Chief Minister said that Himachal was a treasure house of various forms of art and culture as evident from its age old rich traditions, paintings on Chamba Rumal (Handkerchief) which is famous world wide, its Kangra Paintings of ancient times depicting scenes of Courtyards and Gods and Goddesses, its handloom and handicraft, its temple architecture etc.
"This reminds me of the clear direction for preservation of traditional architecture of the ancient old temples of the State," said the Chief Minister. He said no alteration would be tolerated in designs and architect of temples of the State, adding that even the ancient glory of the historic Gaiety Theatre was maintained while renovating it. Similarly the old wood craft work on the temples, its architecture, won’t be allowed to changes while renovating or repairing them.
He said to organise such functions and to provide an opportunity to the artists or to host any type of cultural events or exhibitions, the government plans to open Indoor Stadiums in all the district headquarters of the State for which a provision of `25 crore has been made. "This will give a fillip to host big cultural events all over the State and would also add to the inflow of tourists and artists of repute from all over," he said.
Virbhadra Singh also honoured a differently-abled girl child of RKMV college Shimla named Muskan for performing on the occasion. Muskan is out of those differently-abled children adopted by Umang Foundation, an NGO to provide them higher studies. He said that those people or NGO’s which work with dedication for the welfare of the society and for upliftment of the poor, weaker and downtrodden sections needs to be recognised and honoured as it also sets an example for the others to follow the suit.
Curator and Organiser of the festival, Anant Vikas gave details about the itinerary of the 45 days art festival to be held in Shimla and Dharamsala. He said that this was a fourth major art festival by SPANDAN, which provides a platform to bring together talented artists from across India and the world.
Forest Minister, Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Mayor, Sanjay Chauhan, Director, Information and Public Relations, MP Sood, Director, Art, language and Culture, Arun Sharma and others were present on the occasion.