Rig Veda, 'Ashtadhyayi' displayed in G20 'Culture Corridor' under name of 'Bharat'
New Delhi (PTI): Rig Veda inscriptions and Panini's grammar treatise 'Ashtadhyayi', India's submissions to the G20 'Culture Corridor' curated at the Summit venue, have been displayed under the name of 'Bharat'.
Rig Veda, an ancient Indian text, and the country's submission to the international project under the 'symbols of democracy' category has been exhibited in a big glass case, alongside objects from the US, France, Canada and Argentina.
A nameplate in English mounted on the case briefly describes each of these rare items and places they have been sourced from.
There has been no official unveiling of the 'Culture Corridor -- G20 Digital Museum', which has been put up in the wide hallway skirting the 'Summit Meeting Room' and the 'Leaders' Lounge' at the newly-built Bharat Mandapam, and is not open to the public yet.
The project, which was curated especially for the G20 Summit under India's presidency of the grouping, was informally unveiled on September 9, day one of the summit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed the G20 meeting with the country name identified as 'Bharat'.
While India and Bharat, both names are used to refer to the country in English and Hindi, 'India' has been used customarily in international fora.
The G20 Summit thus further extended the 'India vs Bharat' debate, triggered after the G20 dinner invitation sent out by the Rashtrapati Bhavan referred to President Droupadi Murmu as the "President of Bharat".
The exhibition of artefacts -- in physical and digital form -- has been set up on the same floor where the leaders' meetings took place. They walked through this corridor while moving into and out of the summit room.
As part of this project, conceptualised about six months ago, India asked each G20 member and invited countries to make submissions under four categories -- physical object of cultural significance, "iconic cultural masterpiece" in digital format, high-resolution digital content depicting the intangible heritage and natural heritage of each of the countries.
India's submission under the object of cultural significance category is Panini's grammar treatise 'Ashtadhyayi' composed in the 5th-6th century BCE. A digital panel next to it displays the Indian tricolour and the name 'Bharat' above it.
The text displayed on the panel can be read in six languages -- English, French, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish and Arabic. Certified original copies of the US' Charters of Freedom, a 'fahua'-lid jar from China are among the other historic items displayed at the Bharat Mandapam as part of a G20 'Culture Corridor'.
In the immersive zone, digital components, comprising intangible cultural heritage, natural heritage, iconic cultural masterpieces, and symbols of democracy submitted by the membership, have been displayed.
The exhibit also showcases a 12-foot digital cube which displays the iconic masterpieces through anamorphic content, including Mona Lisa, the 16th century masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci which is hung at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
In the intangible heritage category, India's submission is -- Yoga, Kumbh Mela, Vedic Chanting, lost wax tradition of bronze casting and double ikkat weaving Patan Patola of Gujarat.
In the natural heritage category, India's submission is -- the Himalayas, the Ganga, the India Ocean, the Living Root Bridge of Meghalaya, and the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Visuals of submissions made by India under the natural heritage category played on the three-piece mega screen with the title 'Bharat - Himalayas, Ganga, & Living Root Bridge', and with 'Bharat - Kumabh Mela And Yoga' when visuals on Kumbh Mela and Yoga, a submission made in the category of intangible cultural heritage, played in the immersive zone.
The Grand Canyon in the US and the Wadden Sea in the Netherlands are among the submissions from other countries in the natural heritage category.
Traditional archery -- Turkiye; Jeju Haenyeo (women divers) -- Republic of Korea; and Bolshoi Ballet -- Russia are among the submissions from other countries in the intangible cultural heritage category.
In the iconic cultural masterpiece category, Bhimbhetka cave paintings in Madhya Pradesh, dating back to approximately 30,000 years, has displayed in digital format from India's side.
An archaeological treasure, Bhimbetka has around 243 rock shelters and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the digital cube, visuals of the cave painting plays with the caption in English, mentioning the country name as 'Bharat.
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Karnataka Maritime Board announces plans for Mangaluru Water Metro Project
Mangaluru (Karnataka), Nov 4: After being endowed with multi connectivity facilities like three national highways, port and airport, Mangaluru city is now looking at a significant move towards sustainable urban mobility as the Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB) has announced plans for the Mangaluru Water Metro Project (MWMP), officials said on Monday.
This ambitious initiative aims to transform public transportation in the state, utilising National Waterways to connect areas along the Nethravathi (NW-74) and Gurupura (NW-43) rivers, they said.
Set to become India's second-largest water transport system after Kochi, the project promises an eco-friendly, economical and efficient mode of travel, the officials said.
According to officials, the MWMP will connect isolated communities from Bajal to Maravoor, enhancing accessibility and promoting the holistic development of these regions. The initiative is expected to boost local livelihoods and improve the standard of living through integrated transport networks.
According to the project report available with PTI, the MWMP will be rolled out in phases, with the initial stretch covering 30 kilometres along the Nethravathi and Gurupura river backwaters.
The priority route, beginning at Bajal on the Nethravathi and extending to the Maravoor Bridge on the Gurupura, will feature around 17 modern Metro stations.
Key locations such as Someshwara Temple, Ullal and the New Mangalore Port are included in the proposed route. State-of-the-art electric and diesel catamaran boats will be deployed, equipped with essential amenities to ensure a high standard of comfort and operational efficiency.
A comprehensive Feasibility Report (FR) will assess the project's viability, presenting a detailed cost-benefit analysis, market potential, operational strategies and environmental considerations.
"The report will objectively evaluate the project's merits and challenges, providing crucial information for decision-makers, stakeholders and investors," they said.
Officials in the port and fisheries subdivision told PTI that key areas of analysis has been based on assessing the potential to decongest old port areas, exploring the feasibility of cargo movement using Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) water metros, examining water level variations influenced by tidal flows, integration with feeder services to ensure seamless last-mile connectivity, demand forecasts over a 25-year period, based on extensive socio-economic research of usage and utility of the MWMP.
The project's Terms of Reference (ToR) emphasise sustainable development, involving thorough site identification, user demand assessments and environmental impact studies. Comprehensive surveys such as LIDAR mapping, bathymetric studies and topographical analysis will ensure accurate planning and implementation, the officials told.
Furthermore, technical collaborations with national institutes of repute will support studies on wave tranquillity, vessel height clearance and infrastructure recommendations for jetties and repair facilities, they said.
A detailed environmental monitoring programme will assess air and water quality, noise levels and aquatic biodiversity in line with Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEF&CC) guidelines, the officials added.
The officials of the Maritime Board said the MWMP promises significant economic and environmental benefits, from easing traffic congestion to reducing air pollution. The project will also explore non-fare revenue streams and develop models to ensure financial sustainability.
A socio-economic impact assessment will measure the project's contribution to regional development, backed by projected revenue from passenger fares and ancillary services, a senior official said.
The Board also aims at championing cleaner and greener transportation and to set a precedent for sustainable urban mobility, positioning Mangaluru as a progressive city that leverages its waterways, he added.
