New Delhi: The inaugural edition of the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav, a platform to showcase the cultural and economic fabric of the eight Northeast states, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam on 6 December.
At the curtain-raiser press conference last week, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia said the festival was a culmination of Modi’s “vision of the region’s development through its entrepreneurial potential, and global outreach”.
The three-day event, organised by the government, will focus on combining entrepreneurial opportunities, displaying indigenous products, and will be rounded off with many cultural events featuring talent from these states. Mascot Purvi, an embodiment of elements from all 8 states, was also unveiled at the press conference Friday.
Explaining why the name Ashtalakshmi was chosen for the event, Scindia referred to the eight different forms of Hindu goddess Lakshmi. “The eight avatars of Lakshmi—prosperity, opulence, purity, wealth, knowledge, duty, agriculture, animal husbandry—represent the essence of the Northeast,” he said.
Incidentally, Modi had also called the region “Ashtalakshmi” at an event last month in Assam.
“For me, the entire northeast, including Assam, is ‘Ashtalakshmi’. The sun of development will rise from Eastern India, which will give new energy to the resolve of developed India,” he had said at the Bodoland Mahotsav in Delhi.
At the press meet, Scindia said he has appealed to the chief ministers to encourage local products, and organise buyer-seller meets to boost opportunity.
He took the example of the “Queen Pineapple” – a much-revered crop in Tripura – which is exported to the world. “We have created task forces for different products to analyze their value chain, and help producers get maximum profit,” Scindia added.
The minister said there would be a banker’s summit in December in the northeast to make financers meet local entrepreneurs, startups and industries “to increase credit and banking facilities”. An investor summit will follow next April-May in Delhi.
He said a commemorative postal stamp will also be launched on the opening day of the Mahotsav.
One key highlight of the event will be a fashion show which will see leading designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Rahul Mishra and Rajesh Pratap Singh use textiles from the region in their creations.“We are organising a musical night on 6 December and bringing Shillong Choir and other artistes too. Music is the beating heart of the region, and every state will be recognised through its festival,” Scindia told ThePrint. (EOM)
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also Read: Manipuri rice & Kerala pork on the same plate—Delhi festival celebrates unity of the regions