The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation Four Refurbished Heritage Buildings in Kolkata today. These are Old Currency Building, the Belvedere House, the Metcalfe House and the Victoria Memorial Hall.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister termed it as a special day, as it begins a nationwide campaign to preserve India's art, culture and heritage, and to Reinvent, Rebrand, Renovate and Rehouse them.
Centre of Heritage Tourism for the World:
Shri Modi said that India always wanted to protect and modernize its cultural heritage and structures. It is with this spirit that the Union Government has taken up the endeavour to develop India as major centre of Heritage Tourism in the World.
He mentioned that five 5 Iconic Museums in the country will be made in keeping with the International standards. This is being started from the Indian Museum in Kolkata, which is one of the oldest museums in the world, he added.
Shri Modi said that inorder to generate resources, take care of the management of these iconic cultural heritage centres, the union government is considering to launch Indian Institute of Heritage Conservation which would be given the status of a deemed university.
Prime Minister said the renovation work of four Iconic Galleries of Kolkata- Old Currency Building, Belvedere House, Victoria Memorial and Metcalfe House has been completed. He also said that Government is taking efforts towards developing Belvedere House into a Museum of the World.
Shri Modi said that Government of India is contemplating to set up a museum of "Coinage & Commerce" at the Indian Government Mint in Kolkata.
Biplabi Bharat
Prime Minister said , "3 of the 5 galleries of Victoria Memorial were closed for a long time and that it is not a good situation. We are now trying to restart them, It is my urge that some space should also be provided for showcasing India's Freedom fighters. I feel it should be called "Biplabi Bharat". Here we can showcase leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh, Ras Behari Bose, Khudi Ram Bose, Bagha Jatin, Binoy, Badal, Dinesh etc"
He said keeping in mind the decades old sentiments of India towards Subhas Chandra Bose a museum had been set up at the Red Fort in Delhi and that an island in the archipelago of the Andaman & Nicobar had been named after him.
Tributes to Iconic Leaders of Bengal
Prime Minister said in the new era, the iconic leaders and sons of soil of West Bengal who dedicated their lives for the freedom of the country should be paid proper tributes.
"Now we are celebrating the 200th Birth Anniversary of Shri Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Similarly the year 2022 when India celebrates its 75th Independence, is also the 250th birth anniversary of renowned social reformer and educationist Shri Raja Ram Mohan Rai. We need to remember his efforts in uplifting the self confidence of the country, his efforts in promoting welfare of youth, women and girl child. In this spirit we should celebrate his 250th birth anniversary as a festival of grandeur."
Preserving Indian History
Prime Minister said that preserving Indian Heritage, India's Great Leaders, India's History is one of the main aspect of Nation Building.
"It is very sad that the History of India written during the British regime had left out many important aspects out of it. I would like to quote what Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore wrote in 1903, ' India's history is not what we study and memorize for our exams. It only talks about how people from outside have tried to conquer us, how children tried to kill their fathers and how brothers fought among themselves for the throne. This kind of depiction of history does not talk about how the Indian citizens, Indian people were living. It does not give them any importance' ".
"Gurudev also said, ' Whatever may be the strength of the storm, more important is how the people who faced it dealt with it.'
"Friends this quote of Gurudev reminds that those historians have only seen the storm only from outside. They have not gone inside the houses of those who were facing the storm. Those who see it from outside have no understanding of how the people were dealing with it then".
"Many such issues of the country were left behind by these historians", he said.
"During that period of instability and war, who were keeping up the conscience of the country, who were carrying our great traditions to the next generations"
"This was done by our art, our literature, our music, our saints, our monks"
Promoting Indian Tradition and Culture
"One witnesses special traditions related to various types of art and music in every corner of India. Similarly the influence of intellectuals and saints is also visible in every region of India. These individuals, their ideas, different forms of art and literature have enriched the history. These great personalities have led some of the biggest social reforms in the history of India. The path shown by them still inspires us today."
"The Bhakti movement was enriched by the songs and thoughts of several social reformers. Sant Kabir, Tulsidas, and several others played a key role in awakening the society."
Prime Minister said, “We must remember what Swami Vivekananda had said during his interaction at Michigan University- 'The present century might be yours, but the 21st century will belong to India'. We must continue working hard to fulfill his vision.
संस्कृति और साहित्य की तरंग और उमंग से भरे कोलकाता के इस वातावरण में आकर मन और मस्तिष्क आनंद से भर जाता है।
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
ये एक प्रकार से मेरे लिए खुद को तरोताज़ा करने का और बंगाल की वैभवशाली कला और सांस्कृतिक पहचान को नमन करने का अवसर है: PM @narendramodi
अभी जब प्रदर्शनी देखी, तो ऐसा लगा था जैसे मैं उन पलों को स्वयं जी रहा हूं जो उन महान चित्रकारों, कलाकारों, रंगकारों ने रचे हैं, जीए हैं।
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
बांग्लाभूमि की, बंगाल की मिट्टी की इस अद्भुत शक्ति, मोहित करने वाली महक को मैं नमन करता हूं: PM @narendramodi
भारत की कला, संस्कृति और अपनी हैरिटेज को 21वीं सदी के अनुसार संरक्षित करने और उनको Reinvent, Rebrand, Renovate और Rehouse करने का राष्ट्रव्यापी अभियान आज पश्चिम बंगाल से शुरु हो रहा है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
केंद्र सरकार का ये प्रयास है कि भारत के सांस्कृतिक सामर्थ्य को दुनिया के सामने नए रंग-रूप में रखे, ताकि भारत दुनिया में हैरिटेज टूरिज्म का बड़ा सेंटर बनकर उभरे: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
ये भी तय किया गया है कि देश के 5 Iconic Museums को International Standard का बनाया जाएगा। इसकी शुरुआत विश्व के सबसे पुराने म्यूजियम में से एक, Indian Museum Kolkata से की जा रही है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
बिप्लॉबी भारत नाम से म्यूज़ियम बने, जिसमें नेताजी सुभाषचंद्र बोस, ऑरबिंदो घोष, रास बिहारी बोस, खुदी राम बोस, देशबंधु, बाघा जतिन, बिनॉय, बादल, दिनेश, ऐसे हर महान सेनानी को यहां जगह मिलनी चाहिए: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
जब आज़ाद हिंद सरकार के 75 वर्ष पूरे हुए तो लाल किले में ध्वजारोहण का सौभाग्य मुझे खुद मिला। नेताजी से जुड़ी फाइलों को सार्वजनिक करने की मांग भी बरसों से हो रही थी, जो अब पूरी हो चुकी है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
अभी हम सभी ईश्वर चंद्र विद्यासागर जी की 200वीं जन्मजयंति मना रहे हैं। इसी तरह 2022 में जब भारत की आज़ादी के 75 वर्ष होंगे, तब एक और सुखद संयोग बन रहा है। साल 2022 में महान समाज सुधारक और शिक्षाविद राजा राममोहन राय की 250वीं जन्मजयंति आने वाली है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
ये बहुत दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण रहा कि अंग्रेजी शासन के दौरान और स्वतंत्रता के बाद भी देश का जो इतिहास लिखा गया, उसमें इतिहास के कुछ अहम पक्षों को नजरअंदाज कर दिया गया: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
गुरुदेव ने अपने एक लेख में एक बहुत महत्वपूर्ण उदाहरण भी दिया था आंधी और तूफान का। उन्होंने लिखा था कि “चाहे जितना भी तूफान आए, उससे भी ज्यादा अहम होता है कि संकट के उस समय में, वहां के लोगों ने उस तूफान का सामना कैसे किया”: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
भारत को आदि शंकराचार्य, थिरुनावुक्कारासार जैसे कवि संतों का आशीर्वाद मिला। अंदाल, अक्का महादेवी, भगवान बशवेश्वर, गुरु नानक देव जी द्वारा दिखाया गया मार्ग, आज भी हमें प्रेरणा देता है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
राजनीतिक और सैन्यशक्ति तो अस्थाई होती है, लेकिन कला और संस्कृति के जरिए जो जनभावनाएं अभिव्यक्त होती हैं, वो स्थाई होती हैं।
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
और इसलिए, अपने समृद्ध इतिहास को, अपनी धरोहर को संजोकर रखना, उनका संवर्धन करना भारत के लिए, हर भारतवासी के लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण है: PM @narendramodi
हम सभी को स्वामी विवेकानंद जी की वो बात हमेशा याद रखनी है, जो उन्होंने मिशिगन यूनिवर्सिटी में कुछ लोगों से संवाद के दौरान कही थी।
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 11, 2020
स्वामी विवेकानंद ने उन्हें कहा था- “अभी वर्तमान सदी भले ही आपकी है, लेकिन 21वीं सदी भारत की होगी”: PM @narendramodi
