Prahlad Patel launches portal to showcase Indian culture

 Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel unveiled a portal on Indian culture on Tuesday which, he said, brings together all the cultural resources of the country on a single platform.

Created by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay over the last three years, the portal -- www.indianculture.gov.in -- is a digital resource of documents, artefacts, paintings and other items available in the archive.

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"We are unable to display most of our artefacts for the public. Our history and culture should be out in the public domain so that more and more people can see it and experience it. This portal will have all our heritage collection in digital format, be it from our museums, libraries or ASI sites," Patel said.

The minister said the project is a part of the prime minister's Digital India initiative to showcase information about the rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage of India both at home and abroad.

The portal hosts documents, images, audio-video files and other data from archives, museums, academies, and libraries across the nation. On this portal, information about more than 90 lakh items is available currently.

Patel said that from toy carts of the Indus Valley Civilisation to the charkha of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian culture encapsulates the words of the Shastras and the finesse of Deccan court painters, from the calm on Buddha's visage to the battle scars on armours, from rare images of monuments to bite-sized anecdotes and detailed accounts of Indian UNESCO World Heritage Site are available on the portal.

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The process of collecting and showcasing content on the portal is ongoing and over time, the information presented will be enhanced in quality and quantity, he added.

The portal is more than a repository, it is a proud culmination of the melange of Indian cultures that has co-existed and thrived for more than 5,000 years, Patel said.

The content available on the portal comprises mainly rare books, e-books, manuscripts, artefacts from museums, virtual galleries, archives, photo archives, gazetteers, Indian National Bibliography, videos, images, cuisine, UNESCO and musical instruments of India among others.

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The content on the portal is available in English and Hindi languages in an interactive, user-friendly interface. As envisioned by the ministry, the portal also will be available in other regional languages in the future