It's just past noon on Friday, November 29. Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is taking questions from the media following a curtain-raiser for the first Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav to celebrate North-East Indian culture, produce, crafts and business potential, when he says something that should interest design-heads nationwide: his Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER ministry) has been working with the eight states of the North-East to develop iconography that can represent each state across India and the world.
Of course, it's not unusual for cultural festivals and even business summits in India and abroad to have icons. Think, Hornbill Festival, Burning Man festival and everything in-between. The Ashtalakshmi Mahotsava, which is scheduled to take place at the Bharat Mandapam (formerly Pragati Maidan) from December 6-8, too has one in "Purvi" - a North-Eastern girl figure whose dress contains design elements from Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
But to have an icon that draws on the culture, tradition or festival (each North-Eastern state has one that is unique to it) and builds the "pehchaan" of a state nationally and internationally for the long term is unusual. Indeed, the task will have its challenges. Ethnic violence in Manipur again flared through much of 2024, a reminder of the tensions between tribes in these states.
Having said that, the minister in his responses at the press conference at the National Media Centre is trying to underline a longer-term vision for the region. For example, the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsava in Delhi this weekend is set to be followed by an investor summit in Delhi in April/May 2025 and a banking summit in the North-East - also mid-2025 - to encourage more business in, and with, the North-East. "Of the 1,500 orchids in demand globally, 650 are grown in our North-East region. The North-East's Queen Pineapple goes to every part of the world... the DoNER ministry has set up five task forces to establish and improve the value chain for products like agarwood and palm oil so that the farmers and producers can get a larger share of their trade," Jyotiraditya Scindia says in Hindi. As for the investor summit, he says road shows in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai so far have resulted in memorandums of understanding (MoUs) amounting to some Rs 9,500 crore and letters of intent (LoI) of Rs 18,000-20,000 crore as of November 29 this year. He adds that road shows in other cities, taking the chief ministers of these states across India and even overseas, may be on the menu too.
Coming back to the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsava, which in light of the minister's responses may be seen as part of a bigger whole, it is set to have a mix of cultural, business and technical segments. To carry the design legacy forward, there's going to be a commemorative stamp that will be released at the festival inauguration. Then, there will be eight pavilions for the eight states - each one inspired by an iconic monument in that state. There will be galleries for tourism, Moga silk, Eri or Ahimsa silk. A fashion show with a mix of North-Eastern designers and designers who are well-known in India and abroad - examples include Rahul Mishra and Abraham & Thakore. There will be buyer-seller meets as well as technical sessions to chart a roadmap for the North-East. A "grameen haat" will have 320 participants - 40 from each state - to bring what they consider the best the state has to offer. And an investor roundtable. As for the cultural element, of course, there are live dance and music performances, with the Shillong Chamber Choir as one of the headliners on opening day (December 6).
Here are glimpses from the rest of the programme, shared by the ministry:
- Cultural performances, including the Ashtalakshmi Symphony featuring musical acts like the Shillong Chamber Choir (on December 6), PANGPARI from Mizoram (December 7), SOFIYUM from Sikkim (December 7), BASAV from Manipur (December 8) and the FEATHERHEADS HAOKUI band (December 8).
- Also on December 8, there will be a performance of Tai Khamti dance from Arunachal Pradesh. Daily dance performances highlighting forms like the Bihu dances of Assam and the folk dances of Nagaland are also planned.
- An Ashtalakshmi Grameen Haat, with 320 artisans, organic producers, and farmers displaying indigenous products, on all three days.
- Over 250 artisans and entrepreneurs displaying handicrafts, handlooms and agricultural-horticultural produce, and 34 products with geographical indication (GI tags) on all three days. Expect a taste of indigenous fruits, organic products, and Eri and Muga Silk products.
- The technical sessions focusing on areas such as women's leadership, information technology, energy, healthcare, sports, arts, and culture in the North-East.
- An Investors' Roundtable "to build and strengthen networks, partnerships, and joint initiatives, while providing an in-depth look at the numerous opportunities for business growth and new investments in the northeast".
- Buyer-seller meets for sectors like handlooms and handicrafts, agriculture and horticulture, gems and jewellery, and tourism.
- Design conclave and fashion shows.
For more information and to register for free, visit https://www.ashtalakshmimahotsav.com
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