Chhattisgarh's Dokra Art to Meghalaya Shawl: Modi Gifts Traditional Artwork to Greek PM and His Wife

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis with a traditional ‘Dokra’ art piece crafted by artisans from Chhattisgarh and an exquisite Meghalaya shawl on Friday.

PM Modi arrived in Athens for a one-day state visit on Friday after departing from South Africa, where he attended the 15th BRICS Summit. During his visit, PM Modi engaged in comprehensive discussions with his Greek counterpart, Mitsotakis.

Dokra Art

Following the talks, an Dokra artwork featuring a peacock shaped boat was presented to Mitsotakis. “Dokra art, also called Dokra is one of India’s prehistoric art forms. One of the earliest expressions of this ancient art is the dancing girl artefact found from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappan excavations," an official statement read.

Named after the ‘Dhokar Damar,’ a nomadic Indian tribe indigenous to the central and eastern regions of the country, this distinctive and captivating art form’s prevalent motifs features depictions of Hindu deities, goddesses and a variety of animals.

Dokra Art involves the use of non-ferrous metal casting through the intricate lost-wax casting method. This metal casting technique boasts a history of more than 4,000 years in India, and its practice continues to endure. “There are two main processes of lost wax casting: solid casting and hollow casting. Artisans of Dhokra art are mainly from Central and Eastern India. This particular art-piece is crafted by artisans from Chattisgarh," the statement read.

Meghalaya shawl

A exquisitely woven traditional shawl from Meghalaya was also presented to Greek Prime Minister’s wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis.

According to an official statement on the gifts, Meghalaya shawls have a rich history and its regal heritage tracing back centuries. Originally woven for Khasi and Jaintia royalty, these shawls symbolised their ‘power and status,’ and worn exclusively during ceremonial and festive occasions.

“The designs used in Meghalaya shawls were highly symbolic. For instance, the use of animal motifs such as tigers and elephants was a symbol of power and strength, while the use of floral patterns was a symbol of beauty and grace," it said.

Revered for their “warmth and softness," the artistry behind Meghalaya shawl weaving demands great skill and creativity." With women weavers predominantly at the helm, these artisans dedicate countless hours to weave intricate designs and patterns using traditional weaving techniques. Crafted from locally sourced wool and enriched with natural dyes, the essence of authenticity flows through every thread, it added.

“The shawls are highly prized for their exquisite craftsmanship and intricate designs. The shawls have also gained international recognition and are sought after by textile enthusiasts worldwide," the statement read.

Strategic Alliance

India and Greece took a significant step by upgrading their relationship to a “strategic partnership," as Prime Minister Modi and Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis jointly committed to invigorate various aspects of their alliance. Notably, this new phase of collaboration is primed to focus on enhancing defense and security cooperation, trade expansion, and the advancement of emerging technologies.

“Prime Minister Mitsotakis and I decided to take India-Greece relations to the level of strategic partnership," Modi said following his talks with his Greek counterpart.

PM Modi announced the mutual decision to establish an institutional dialogue framework involving India and Greece’s national security advisors. “We have decided to boost cooperation in areas of defence and security, infrastructure, education, new and emerging technologies, and agriculture," Modi said.

He said both sides also focused on enhancing cooperation to combat terrorism. In the area of defence and security, both the countries agreed on strengthening defence industrial cooperation apart from military ties, he said.

Referring to the Ukraine crisis, Modi said India and Greece support diplomacy and dialogue to resolve it.

He also thanked people of Greece and the country’s President Katerina N Sakellaropoulou for awarding him with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour award.

In a post on X later, PM Modi said, “Held very fruitful talks with Mitsotakis in Athens. We have decided to raise our bilateral relations to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ for the benefit of our people. Our talks covered sectors such as defence, security, infrastructure, agriculture, skills and more,"

Mitsotakis expressed mutual readiness to tackle diverse challenges, particularly during the ongoing turmoil and conflict in Ukraine.

In recent years “our relations have greatly improved and there is scope for a very wide-range of bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, defence, culture and tourism", he said. “Our first objective is to double our bilateral trade," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)