New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that heritage is a shared consciousness of humanity and called the world to come together to promote each other's heritage and amplify the spirit of human welfare. Speaking after inaugurating the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Mr Modi also said that India’s heritage is not merely history but also science.
Underscoring the significance of heritage, the Prime Minister said, “Heritage is not only history. Rather, a shared consciousness of humanity. Whenever we look at historical sites, it lifts our mind from the current geopolitical factors.”
Mr Modi encouraged people to use this potential of heritage for the betterment of the world, using it to connect hearts. “It is India’s clarion call to the world to come together to promote each other's heritage, amplify the spirit of human welfare, encourage tourism and create more job opportunities through the 46th World Heritage Committee meeting,” he said.
Recalling a time when heritage was ignored in the pursuit of development, the Prime Minister said, “India’s vision is development as well as heritage -- Vikas bhi, virasat bhi.”
Elaborating on the pride in heritage pledge during the last 10 years, the Prime Minister mentioned unprecedented steps such as the Kashi Viswanath Corridor, Shri Ram Mandir and the modern campus of ancient Nalanda University. “This resolve of India regarding heritage is linked with the feeling of serving the entire humanity. Indian culture talks about us, not just about self,” he said.
Noting that the world holds various centres of heritage, the Prime Minister threw light on India’s ancient eras and said, “India is so ancient that every point of time in the present moment is a reflection of its glorious past.”
Referring to New Delhi, the Prime Minister said that it is the centre of thousands of years of heritage and one can find heritage and history at every step of the way.
He gave the example of the 2000-year-old Iron Pillar, which has been rust-resistant and gives a glimpse of India’s metallurgical prowess in the past.
“India’s heritage is not merely history but also science,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr Modi noted that India’s heritage is witness to the journey of top-notch engineering, as he mentioned the 8th-century Kedarnath temple situated at an altitude of 3.500 meters, which remains a challenging place for infrastructure development today due to incessant snowfall during the winter.
He also touched upon the Brihadeeswara temple in the south of India, built by Raja Chola and its marvellous architectural layout and idol.
The Prime Minister also mentioned Dholavira and Lothal in Gujarat. Dholavira, is famed for its urban planning and water management systems as ancient as 3,000 BC to 1,500 BC. Similarly, Lothal had amazing planning for the citadel, lower planning and an elaborate network of streets and drainage.
The Prime Minister asserted, “India’s history and sense of history are older and more elaborate than normal, leading to the need for new perspectives to witness the past with technological developments and new discoveries.”
Referring to the artefacts returned from abroad, the Prime Minister mentioned that more than 350 heritage items have been brought back in recent times. “This return of ancient heritage artefacts is a display of global generosity and respect for history,” he said, pointing out the growing research and tourism opportunities in the field as technology progresses.
The World Heritage Committee meets annually and is responsible for managing all matters related to world heritage and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the World Heritage list.
India is hosting the World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time. The Prime Minister also took a walkthrough of the various exhibitions showcased on the occasion.
The Prime Minister extended a warm welcome to all the dignitaries and guests from around the world, especially the director general of Unesco Audrey Azoulay and expressed confidence that the World Heritage Committee meeting will script new records in history similar to other global meets in India.
