After ODOP and ODOC, CM Yogi pushes ‘One District, One Art’ campaign
Lucknow, November 13: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made a strong call to promote ‘One District, One Art’ in the state, following the One District-One Product (ODOP) and One District-One Cuisine (ODOC).
Chief Minister attended the ‘Dharahara’ program organized on the 63rd foundation day of the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy at the Sant Gadge Ji Maharaj Auditorium in Gomti Nagar.
He said that many conspiracies were hatched to destroy India’s culture and permanently enslave it, but our eternal culture and folk arts kept the nation’s soul alive even in adverse circumstances. On this occasion, he directed the Culture Department to immediately address the Academy’s human resource shortage.
Chief Minister said that many cultures of the world have been wiped out, but even the sword and mental slavery could not erase India’s culture. Our folk traditions have kept India’s cultural spirit and self-respect alive for generations. However, after independence, many of our folk arts and musical instruments were neglected. Neglecting culture means not only the disappearance of art, but also the end of important chapters of identity.
Chief Minister directed the Culture Department and all academies to prioritize the ‘One District, One Art’ program in the state, providing a platform for artists across the state and promoting the unique art of each district. Artists should perform and people should experience the spiritual power of Indian music.
Inspiring young artists, the Chief Minister said that the world is changing rapidly. Young people should make full use of technology, digital media, and artificial intelligence and experiment with new things to the world, but never forget the fragrance of the soil, folk tunes, the teachings of their gurus, and their cultural roots. Technology is for ease of life, not for breaking cultural roots and ties.
Chief Minister praised the artists’ excellent performances of endangered musical instruments (Vichitra Veena, Sarangi, Pakhawaj, etc.) at the Sangeet Natak Academy. He said that these performances reassure us that our heritage is in safe hands.
The Chief Minister directed Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Amrit Abhijat, from the stage to immediately address the Academy’s manpower shortage. To do this, form a board or committee for selection, and allow age relaxation if necessary, but the posts should not remain vacant.
Highlighting the importance of music, the Chief Minister said that in India, music is not just entertainment, but a path to worship God. Lord Shiva’s Damru gave rise to the Maheshwar Sutras, while the flute of Lord Krishna and the Veena of Goddess Saraswati connect us to the sound of Naad.
He paid tribute to the Lucknow, Banaras, Agra, and Rampur gharanas, along with the contributions of Pandit Birju Maharaj, Lachhu Maharaj, Girija Devi, and Begum Akhtar.
He also made special mention of folk arts such as the Raslila of Braj, the Birha of Purvanchal, and the Alha of Bundelkhand, which carry forward the guru-shishya tradition.
