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Heritage 365, under the aegis of the Neemrana Music Foundation, recently brought together hoteliers, fashion designers and craftsmen on the same platform by organising a two-day exhibition on 25 and 26 November in the national capital. Encompassing art and craft, garments and textiles, gems and jewellery, fashion, lifestyle products and heritage travel, this exhibition focused on the artistic treasures of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion, Aman Nath, Chairman of Neemrana group of hotels said, “We hope that heritage will not just be locked away as a vestige of the past — that more and more craft products will be used daily by discerning guests. This will improve many rural lifestyles, bringing Bharat closer to India. Also, using heritage properties for holidays will take development to far flung regions and make India more proud — all 365 days.”
The two-day expertly curated exhibition brought together 130 participants. The thematic focus of Heritage 365 came alive through revivalist textiles and crafts from nationally awarded craftsmen and weavers, re-imagined by the country’s foremost creative minds.
Traditional kundan, polki and silver jewellery were on display along with contemporary fashion accessories. There were also selected handicrafts, objets d’art, hand tufted carpets, lacquer products, blue pottery, miniature and Gond art, all rooted in our traditional artisanal craft forms.
With invaluable support of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh tourism and in association with the Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA), Heritage 365 positions this platform as a showcase for various forts, havelis and boutique travel destinations that dot Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. As part of the world of heritage tourism, the travel and hospitality sector aims to showcase truly hidden and unexplored gems that Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have to offer to expats, domestic and international tourists, in the luxury budget and adventure segment.
Dipika Roy Choudhury of Madhya Pradesh tourism tells Guardian 20, “We have a balanced approach towards promotion as well as preservation. At the same time, we have to also make sure that more and more people can come in with a lot of ‘heritage walks’ ideas. So basically we are trying to develop tourism without disturbing the ecosystem and by also bringing about good experience for tourists.”
Traditional kundan, polki and silver jewelllery were on display along with contemporary fashion accessories. There were also selected handicrafts, objets d’art, hand tufted carpets, lacquer products, blue pottery, miniature and Gond art, all rooted in our traditional artisanal craft forms.
Traditional kundan, polki and silver jewelllery were on display along with contemporary fashion accessories. There were also selected handicrafts, objets d’art, hand tufted carpets, lacquer products, blue pottery, miniature and Gond art, all rooted in our traditional artisanal craft forms.
Heritage 365 had also invited Italian ambassador H.E. Lorenzo Angeloni who graced the occasion with these words, “The principle that ‘the Republic will preserve the landscape and historic and artistic patrimony of the nation’ is enshrined in the Italian Constitution. It is part of our DNA. Cultural heritage is certainly one of the most important assets of Italy, which is home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. From 21- 27 of November, Italy also celebrates The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, an yearly event promoting Italy’s gastronomic culture abroad, exhibiting its quality and excellence. Cuisine is one of the essential components of Italy’s identity and culture. Italy has been the first country to invest in eco-gastronomic tourism, linking heritage, territories and specific culinary traditions.”
Furthermore, Heritage 365 is doing a partnership with Yes Bank to boost livelihood of the country. Rana Kapoor, MD and CEO of YES BANK and Chairman of YES Institute said, “YES Culture is proud to partner with Heritage 365– an initiative committed to the revival, preservation and promotion of India’s rich craft heritage. India is home to highly skilled and trained artisans or karigars who will benefit immensely from such initiatives to boost their livelihood prospects. Through this unique platform which brings together artisans, craftsmen and designers, we aim to promote craft tourism and the diverse craft heritage of India’s states and provide further impetus to India’s creative economy and the concept of ‘Crafted in India’, as an extension of the Government’s ‘Make in India’ strategic initiative.”
Senior President of Yes Bank, Preeti Sinha also spoke to Guardian 20 about the partnership: “Heritage 365, we feel, is connected to Heritage tourism. So, it has three stages where people can travel and visit states to see handmade crafts and textiles materials but overall, one term has been emphasised most upon, and that is DICE which is design, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. So we are also bringing about the concept of cultural entrepreneurs. Tourist firms, all they do are increase numbers of tourists, so there is a multiplier effect of tourism on the economy. For us, culture is an important economic activity for the country. We supported because we wanted better livelihood of people.”