Celebrating heritage and conservation at Purana Qila

Rhythmic beats of dhol, classical music and chimes of the ghunghroo resonated through the expansive lawns of Purana Qila as artistes staged tales from the Mahabharat to celebrate the history of the iconic monument. An ode to the cultural heritage of the city, the event was hosted by Sabhyata Foundation on March 31 to announce that Purana Qila will undergo a makeover to provide enhanced visitor experiences. While External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was the chief guest for the evening, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi, Ministry of Culture Secretary Govind Mohan and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Director General Yadubir Singh Rawat were among the attendees. Dalmia Bharat’s MD and CEO Puneet Dalmia was also present at the event.

We have to be more aware of our history: MEA S Jaishankar
In his formal address, the External Affairs Minister said, “Today it is not only a journey in cultural heritage, restoration, conservation and promotion, but also that of cultural treasures... When I look at the epics of the world, I must say there is none that can really be compared with Mahabharat in terms of not just the complexity and subtlety, but actually how relevant it is even today to look at the world and all its challenges and its opportunities. If we are to become a self-confident nation seeking to project our civilisational power to the world, we have to develop our own mindset, develop our own metaphors, in fact, be much more aware of our history and that is why, to me, programmes like this are invaluable.”

‘We have so much, but we don’t know how to tell the story well’
Puneet Dalmia, MD & CEO, Dalmia Bharat, said at the event, "Monuments are storytellers and through them we can understand the incredible talent and deep knowledge that our civilisation had. Many of us who grew up in Delhi never visited heritage monuments here, but when we go abroad we spend time and money on seeing the pyramids in Egypt, Acropolis in Athens and museums across Europe and USA. I have heard a lot of criticism about this, ‘Look how well things are presented overseas and we have so much, but we don’t know how to tell the story well.’ This must change. Citizens don’t have to criticise, but collaborate with the government and be a part of the solution."

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