Prez Murmu’s ‘At Home’ invitation for R-Day a hat tip to NE traditions

Agartala: The ‘At Home’ invitation for 77th Republic Day by President Droupadi Murmu includes cane and bamboo jewellery from Tripura, highlighting the living tradition of the northeast.The invitation box is handcrafted using a woven bamboo mat, a traditional weaving technique in Tripura. It also showcases Manipur’s Longpi black pottery, Mon Shugu paper from Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya’s green bamboo weave, woven nettle fabric and embroidery from Sikkim, orange wild rhea and stinging nettle products from Nagaland and handwoven Puan Chei from Mizoram.The specially designed Republic Day invitation celebrates the vibrant living traditions of the northeast and honours the skilled artisans of the eight states in the region, known as Ashtalakshmi, a senior official said here on Monday.The invitation kit also includes a woven bamboo mat-based box from Tripura, designed to hold a decorative wall-hanging panel representing the northeastern heritage. Guests attending the reception will be greeted in a traditional manner, with a specially designed Eri silk stole draped over their shoulders, incorporating symbols of regional flora and fauna.The stole is made of Eri silk, known as ‘peace silk’ or ‘Ahimsa silk,’ which is an integral part of the textile tradition and economy of the northeast. The invitation card highlights the traditional crafts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura, created through a collaborative effort between artisans and the project team.The invitation box also includes a finely woven scroll featuring an octagonal bamboo design, which, when unfolded, reveals a carefully arranged showcase of handcrafted pieces celebrating the diverse artistic traditions of the northeast.