Jaipur, December 18:
At the four-day state-level exhibition organized by the Information and Public Relations Department at Jawahar Kala Kendra since December 15 to mark the completion of two successful years of the State Government’s tenure, a large number of visitors showed keen interest in the stalls of the Tourism Department and the Art and Culture Department.
Students, tourism enthusiasts, art and culture lovers, and other visitors were seen in large numbers at the Tourism Department stall, gathering information about Rajasthan’s major tourist destinations as well as the notable initiatives and achievements of the State Government in the tourism sector over the past two years.
On the initiative of Additional Chief Secretary for Tourism, Art and Culture, Archaeology and Archives, Praveen Gupta, the exhibition showcases various aspects of tourism development in an impressive manner. Emphasizing the importance of heritage alongside development, the Tourism, Art and Culture Department has, for the first time, presented historically significant heritage records of Rajasthan in an effective and engaging way. A key highlight is that the Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner, has digitized around 17 million rare archival pages related to the state’s ancient culture and history, providing valuable research and reference material for scholars visiting Rajasthan. This information has greatly impressed visitors.
Based on the initiative of Additional Chief Secretary Praveen Gupta, rare manuscripts dating back 500 to 700 years, preserved at the Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, have also been displayed publicly for the first time at this state-level exhibition. These manuscripts—written on paper, palm leaves, birch bark, and cloth—include important works on philosophy, Ayurveda, the Ramayana, astrology, and Puranic literature. Rajasthan has ranked first in the country in working under the Gyan Bharat Mission.
The Tourism, Art and Culture Department stall also demonstrates both traditional and modern methods of manuscript conservation. Materials used for preserving manuscripts are on display, and visitors are being informed about the techniques and processes involved in manuscript conservation.
