NEW DELHI: On the eve of the G20 leadership summit, the culture ministry on Friday launched a portal of the mega exhibition—‘Bharat: The Mother of Democracy’—to be held at Bharat Mandapam for global leaders attending the conference.
The content on the history of democracy in India showcasing 7,000 years of democratic ethos starting from the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation to 2019 is available in 16 languages including German, French, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, and Russian besides English and Hindi.
The portal is divided into five sections and 22 sub-sections starting from Sindhu-Saraswati Civilisation (6000-2000BCE), Mahajanapada and Gantantra (7-8 BCE), Vijaynagar Empire (14-16 century), and Mughal emperor Akbar reign (1556-1605) to Constitution of India (1947) and Elections in Modern India (1952 onwards). Each section has a brief with images.
The visitors can also download a brochure in the language of their choice. The catalogue also has the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I am proud to represent a country which has the distinction of being named as the ‘Mother of Democracy’. We have had a great tradition of democracy for thousands of years. Our diversity is the hallmark of our strong democracy. A country that has dozens of languages, hundreds of dialects, different lifestyles, and cuisines. This is the best example of a vibrant democracy,” his message reads.
The website-- www.motherofdemocracyg20.com-- is curated by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), which is a centre for research, academic pursuit and dissemination in the field of the arts under the ministry.
“In Bharat that is India, the view or the will of the people in governance has been the central part of life since earliest recorded history…According to the Indian ethos, democracy comprises the values of harmony, freedom of choice, freedom to hold multiple ideas, acceptability, equality, governance for the welfare of the people, and inclusivity in society. All of these allow its common citizens to lead a dignified life,” states the introduction of the portal.