Govt Unveils 'Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar' Project to Document Village Heritage

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, responsible for culture, tourism, and the development of the North Eastern Region, announced a groundbreaking project in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The initiative, titled “Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar” (MGMD), is set to spotlight the cultural richness embedded in villages across the nation.

Developed in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) under the Ministry of Culture, MGMD is a pivotal component of the National Mission on Cultural Mapping.

Preserving Village Life

G. Kishan Reddy emphasized the significance of the MGMD programme in preserving and promoting India’s cultural heritage.
He highlighted that the initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to safeguarding and celebrating the diverse cultural identity each village contributes to the nation.
The documentation and mapping under MGMD are poised to serve as a testament to the unique cultural tapestry woven by Indian villages.

National Mission on Cultural Mapping

The primary objective of MGMD is to make the wealth of information about Indian villages accessible to both virtual and real-time visitors.
This aligns with the broader goals of the National Mission on Cultural Mapping, reflecting the government’s commitment to document and map the cultural diversity inherent in villages across the country.

Web Portal Launch

On July 27, the MGMD programme reached a milestone with the launch of a new web portal. This portal serves as a user-friendly platform, allowing researchers, enthusiasts, and the general public easy access to a trove of information about India’s villages.

Categories of Information

The information collected under MGMD is thoughtfully categorized into seven broad categories, offering a comprehensive exploration of cultural nuances:

Arts and Crafts Village
Ecologically Oriented Village
Scholastic Village Linked with Textual and Scriptural Traditions of India
Epic Village linked with Ramayana, Mahabharata, or Puranic legends and oral epics
Historical Village linked with Local and National History
Architectural Heritage Village
Any other characteristic that may need highlighting, such as fishing village, horticulture village, shepherding village, etc.

This inclusive approach ensures a thorough exploration of the diverse cultural roots that define each village, presenting a holistic picture of India’s rich heritage.
As MGMD unfolds, it promises to deepen the understanding and appreciation of India’s cultural mosaic.