New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday shared a glimpse of a special invitation, handcrafted by artisans from the North Eastern states, for guests invited to the ‘At Home’ event being hosted by her on the occasion of the 77th Republic Day.
President Murmu shared a short film on the invitation kit on her social media handle, and wrote: “Here’s a glimpse of the specially designed ‘At Home’ invitation that has been sent from the President of India to the guests for the 77th Republic Day. The invitation kit this year celebrates the living traditions of India’s North Eastern Region. This invitation is a tribute to the skilled artisans and craftspeople of the Ashtalakshmi states.”
The invitation kit includes a box made from a woven bamboo mat from Tripura for a wall-hanging-type, panelled invite that showcases traditional art from all the eight states of the North East.
The decorative motifs on the cover and the box of the invitation draw inspiration from the Assamese manuscript painting style.
The motifs on the fabric panel represent the flora and fauna of the North Eastern region. Other highlights include woven nettle fabric and embroidery from Sikkim, green bamboo weave from Meghalaya, Mon Shugu Paper from Arunachal Pradesh, Gogona — a bamboo jaw harp from Assam, and bamboo jewellery from Tripura, orange wild rhea and stinging nettle fabric from Nagaland, handwoven Puan Chei from Mizoram, Longpi Black Pottery from Manipur and an Eri Silk stole.
The President’s “At Home” on Republic Day is a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 26, gathering dignitaries, prominent citizens and cultural figures for a cultural showcase, often themed around India’s diverse regions, highlighting crafts, art and achievements, and serving as a festive counterpart to the main Republic Day parade.
Apart from the Chief Guests invited to the Republic Day Parade, the Vice President and the Prime Minister attend the event. European Council President Antonio Costa and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be the Chief Guests at this year’s Republic Day Parade.
Many eminent citizens who have made remarkable contributions in different fields share space with the beneficiaries of various developmental programmes of the government.
The President’s Secretariat also organises a display of vibrant artistic and cultural elements during the event.
This year’s Republic Day Parade will uniquely blend 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, India’s military might, including BrahMos and Akash missiles, and rich cultural diversity through 30 vibrant tableaux, according to the Ministry of Defence.
(IANS)
