President Murmu Lauds Maha Kumbh As Reflection Of India's Civilisational Heritage

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu addressed the nation on Saturday, on the eve of the 76th Republic Day. In her address, she stressed the significance of the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, a mega religious event held every 12 years. Talking about Hindu’s largest sacred gathering, President Murmu said, "The Maha Kumbh showcases the richness of India's civilisational heritage."

The Maha Kumbh Mela event, which takes place from January 13 to February 26, has already seen over 10 crore pilgrims take a holy dip at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers.

President Murmu also talked about India's linguistic diversity, noting that the government has recognised Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, and Prakrit as classical languages. "We're promoting research in 11 classical languages to conserve and celebrate this richness," she said.

Furthermore, the President expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming Archaeological Experiential Museum in Gujarat's Vadnagar. "The museum will bring together arts, crafts, and cultural elements from different eras, showcasing our rich heritage," she said.

In her televised speech, the president also said India is a hub of great linguistic diversity.

"In order to conserve as well as celebrate this richness, the government has recognised Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit as classical languages. This category already includes Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia. The government is proactively promoting research in 11 classical languages now," she said. Murmu said she is looking forward to the completion of India's first Archaeological Experiential Museum in Gujarat Vadnagar which is being developed next to an excavation site that shows evidence of human settlement from around 800 BCE.

"The museum will bring together in one place a wide range of arts, crafts and cultural elements from different eras," she said.