Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar: Heritage, culture mapping of 75% of Indian villages completed
New Delhi: As part of the ambitious Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD) initiative aimed at preserving and showcasing India's cultural heritage, 75% of the country’s villages have been mapped, with their cultural profiles now available on a dedicated portal.
According to the Ministry of Culture, out of 6.5 lakh villages, details of the cultural and heritage of 4.84 lakh villages have been documented, as reported by the New Indian Express on Tuesday.
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan have emerged as leaders in this cultural mapping effort. In Uttar Pradesh, over 71,000 villages have been documented, with Azamgarh district contributing the highest number of entries—2,502 villages.
In Madhya Pradesh, Chhindwara leads with 2,214 villages mapped, out of a total of 42,625 villages documented in the state. In Barmer district of Rajasthan, where 39,386 villages have been documented, 2,903 villages have been profiled, added the report.
The National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM), announced in 2017, aims to preserve and promote the nation’s diverse cultural heritage. The initiative is being executed by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
The MGMD portal was launched in June 2023 as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commemorating 75 years of India’s independence. The portal features a wide range of cultural elements, including customs, historical significance, art forms, traditional cuisines, prominent artists, traditional dress, and local landmarks.
The portal places special emphasis on intangible cultural heritage, such as linguistic diversity, oral traditions, folklore, and local festivals. It also ensures representation of tribal regions and marginalised communities.
Additionally, a special "Unique Stories" section offers a diverse collection of local tales and captivating narratives. It has received over 2,000 contributions.
To offer a comprehensive cultural experience, 360-degree walkthrough videos of 750 villages have been uploaded to the portal.
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Karnataka School Edu Dept prohibits children from being made to dance to obscene songs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.
It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.
"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.
"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.
The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.
Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.
