Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi visited the 45-day sculpture workshop at Nazrul Kalakshetra, a cultural centre in Agartala on Friday. She also visited Chabimura, a tourist spot in Gomati District on the last day of her three day Tripura visit.
While visiting the Nazrul Kalakshetra, Lekhi said that India’s strength lies in its traditional civilization, culture, and heritage, and urged every Indian to respect each other’s language, religion, and culture.
She also said that the sculptures made in the workshop will be displayed in various locations in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to enhance its beauty and showcase the talent of Tripura’s artists.
She said that this is the first-of-its-kind initiative taken in the country, and it will help to attract more tourists and visitors to Tripura and the northeastern region. She said that about 10 million people visit Varanasi every year, and this initiative will expose them to the excellent craftsmanship of Tripura’s artists.
She also said that the state has many tourist destinations that are full of Indian classical culture, such as Chabimura and Unakoti, and the tourism infrastructure of the state needs to be improved through more promotion and publicity.
The workshop at the Nazrul Kalakshetra, which is being jointly implemented by the North East Centre for Cultural Development (NECCD) and the Lalit Kala Academy, has 50 sculptures being given shape by the artists, said workshop coordinator Suman Mazumdar.
During her visit, Lekhi was accompanied by the Director of the Department of Information and Culture, Bimbwisar Bhattacharjee, Joint Director Supriya Chakma, and other officials of the department during her visit to Nazrul Kalakshetra. She left the state for Delhi later in the day.