environ: SharmaNew Delhi, Sept 13 (PTI) Union minister Mahesh Sharmatoday said India's rich culture, traditions and social harmonyare its strength and appealed to the people to celebratefestivals in a way that does not harm others or environment.
The culture minister said respect for India today is on anew high globally because of "our rich culture, heritage andsocial harmony".
Speaking at the inauguration of 'Deep Dharohar' festivalorganised by the Ministry of Culture here, he said the worldrespects "Bharat, Bharatiyata and Bharatwasiyon (India,Indianness and its people)".
"Today, India is identified in a new way across theworld. Be it the President of USA, or China. Today, therespect for Bharat, Bharatiyata and Bharatwasiyon is on a newhigh globally," he said.
The 'Deep Dharohar' festival was inaugurated by lighting1,000 diyas by the participating artistes and artisans andchildren at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
The minister said that India's strength is in "richculture, traditions, our social harmony".
"These are our strengths. So let us celebrate ourfestivals in a way that it doesn't harm others or ourenvironment," said Sharma.
The minister also released a book titled 'LivingTraditions, Tribal and Folk Paintings of India' publishedunder the matrix of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' by theCultural Mapping team of the ministry and Centre for CulturalResources and Training (CCRT).
The book celebrates the rich living traditions of tribaland folk art of India and the seminal role they play in theday-to-day lives of tribal and rural people. PTI ASG SKCTIR.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.