Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) Union Minister of Culture Kumari Selja inaugurated an exhibition of artifacts and paintings from Kazakhstan here Wednesday.

Part of ‘Days of Culture of Kazakhstan’ festival at the Kazakhstan embassy here, the exhibition will be open till Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, Selja said both “India and Kazakhstan have rich heritage and culture”.

“The range of objects in the exhibition is very large, covering metalware, armaments, precious metal articles and other objects of significance,” she said.

The exhibits include artifacts sourced from the Kazakh State Museum of Gold and Precious Metals.

Among them, the Saka warrior gold jewellery dating from the second half of the 1st millennium BC, as well as items of traditional armament and applied art of the Kazakhs from end of 1st century BC to the beginning of 20th century and re-construction of the warrior leader of the Saka period are of special historical significance, she said.

The minister said India has established the India Cultural Centre at Almaty in Kazakhstan in May 1994.

“The centre is well-equipped to teach Indian dances. It is also playing an important role in popularising Hindi in Kazakhstan by holding regular Hindi classes. This centre has also organised an exhibition ‘Kalpana’, comprising a collection of figurative Indian paintings in three important cities of Kazakhstan. I am told this exhibition was a great success there,” Selja said.

The minister said such mutual co-operation and organisation of cultural events and exhibition between both the countries will go a long way in cementing mutual cultural relations.

“It will also give an opportunity to people of both the countries to appreciate our rich cultural heritage,” Selja said.