Bhubaneswar, May 21 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday expressed deep gratitude, on behalf of the people of Odisha, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for presenting handcrafted masterpieces, a silver sailboat model and a Palm Leaf Pattachitra, to King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway during his recently concluded five-nation diplomatic tour.
Taking to his X handle, CM Majhi wrote, “During his Visit to Norway, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji once again championed India’s civilisational richness, placing Odisha’s timeless artistic legacy at the heart of a significant diplomatic moment.”
He further stated that the gifts presented to the Royal Couple were thoughtfully chosen by PM Modi to reflect the depth and diversity of India’s cultural heritage.
“To Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway, Modi Ji gifted a Palm Leaf Pattachitra, a masterpiece rooted in Odisha’s temple traditions, bearing witness to centuries of intricate craftsmanship and devotional artistry. To His Majesty King Harald V of Norway, he presented a silver sailboat crafted in the celebrated Cuttack Filigree tradition, where skilled artisans weave impossibly fine threads of silver into breathtaking form, evoking both India’s storied maritime heritage and the enduring spirit of friendship between the two nations,” Majhi added.
The Chief Minister also stated that the inclusion of two of Odisha’s most iconic art forms in such a distinguished diplomatic exchange is a testament to the growing global recognition of India’s living heritage.
“It is, above all, a proud moment for the artisans of Odisha, whose hands carry forward an ancient legacy, and whose creations now speak to the world. Odisha is deeply grateful to Hon’ble PM Modi for this gracious gesture, for choosing to carry the soul of our land onto the global stage and placing its living traditions in the hands of the world,” said Majhi.
It is worth noting that Palm Leaf Pattachitra, locally known as Tala Pattachitra, is among Odisha’s oldest and most intricate traditional art forms, deeply intertwined with the Jagannath Temple tradition and the state’s rich cultural heritage.
Similarly, Cuttack’s renowned silver filigree craft, locally known as Tarakasi, is a 500-year-old intricate metal art in which artisans meticulously draw pure silver into delicate threads as fine as a spider’s web.
–IANS
gyan/pgh