The National Museum, New Delhi gets ready to celebrate the rich heritage of Northeast India under the Ministry of DoNER & NEC’s initiative titled #DestinatioNorthEastIndia.
As part of the celebrations of #AzadiKaAmrutMahotsav to commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glory of its people’s culture and achievements, the National Museum, New Delhi will celebrate ‘Destination Northeast India’ from November 1-7, 2021.
The National Museum, New Delhi houses an outstanding collection of artefacts representing the cultural diasporas of Northeast India.
Contributing to the celebration of ‘Destination North East India’, the National Museum is organising a week-long series of cultural performers, online lectures, and tours of the Northeast Lifestyle Gallery to highlight the diverse artistic traditions and communities of the Northeast states.
“The musical troupes represent around eighty performers from the Northeast region of the nation which includes Agragami dance and cine art team, Panthoibi Jagoi Marup, Mizoram Cultural Troupe, and Naga-Tangkhul Group,” the Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
The cultural performances present glimpses of indigenous lifestyle and the very ecology of the region pivotal in shaping the tangible and intangible culture and socioeconomic pursuits.
Also read: RSS plans on expanding base in Northeast, Kashmir by 2025
The celebration will be inaugurated at 11 am on Monday (Nov 1), followed by Cultural performances (Satriya Dance, Manipur Kamba Thoibi and Lion Dance (Programme schedule enclosed).
The cultural performances will be live-streamed through Social Media handles of the National Museum (https://twitter.com/NMnewdelhi; https://www.facebook.com/Nationalmuseumnewdelhi; https://www.instagram.com/nmnewdelhi/;https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNkKt0hp9OL1G0o1XMX1ncw)
A series of online learning sessions discussing various themes pertaining to art and culture of Northeast India will also be part of the event.
Also read: Northeast United FC appoints Khalid Jamil as head coach
In the National Museum, the gallery dedicated to Northeastern Lifestyle is rooted through a plethora of exhibits in textiles, jewellery, utility tools and personal adornments, etc., which stands as an inclusive symbol of indigenous identity.
Most significantly, the gallery showcases the agency and voice of the diverse communities from North-East India.
The textiles and costumes from various communities such as the Naga, Mizo, Khasi, Adi, Mishmi, Rabha, and Karbi celebrate the colour of unity of their ordinances and value the differences. Textile weaving is one of the most important craft practices by the womenfolk.
The essence of tribal lifestyle is also celebrated through the vigorous dance of life and death with symbolic masks found among the Buddhist tribes such as Monpa, Memba, Khamba, Khamti and Singpho from Arunachal Pradesh.
The exhibition establishes a dialogue exploring socio-economy aspects, polity, individual agency, gender, religion, natural emblems, equity and power and eventually visualize trans-culturality.