Culture Ministry set to organise 'Mother of Democracy' exhibition at G20 venue

'Ours is the country that flourished with the planned and organised cities of the Sindu-Saraswati civilisation in about 5000 BCE. Democracy is an age-old concept in India,' the ministry said in a statement.

A replica of the 'Dancing Girl' - the Mohenjo Daro-era bronze sculpture, an AI anchor, and the history of Indian democracy will be part of the exhibits in the 'Mother of Democracy' exhibition, which the Culture Ministry is organizing as part of a G20 event.

The replica of the 'Dancing Girl' will stand at a height of five feet and will rotate on an elevated podium in the center of the exhibition hall, according to culture ministry officials. The history of Indian democracy will also be presented through 26 interactive panels, they added.

These exhibits will cover various aspects, including the Sindhu-Saraswati civilization, the Vedic era, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, Maha Janpada and Gantantra, the advent of Jainism and Buddhism, Kautilya & Arthashastra, Megasthenes in India, Emperor Ashoka's life, Fa Hsien’s travels, Khalimpur copper plate inscriptions, Shrenisangha, and Uthiramerur.

Exhibits will also include displays on Krishnadeva Raya, Mughal emperor Akbar, Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, India’s local self-governance model, the Constitution of India, and elections in India. In all, officials said, 7000 years of democratic history will be etched out. Officials said that an AI anchor will welcome the delegates and the heads of states by narrating the history and tradition of the Indian democratic system.

“Ours is the country that flourished with the planned and organised cities of the Sindu-Saraswati civilisation in about 5000 BCE. Democracy is an age-old concept in India. While other civilisations were in their nascent stage, India had already developed a mature system of democracy. As per the Indian ethos, democracy comprises the values of freedom, acceptability, equality, and inclusivity in a society and allows its common citizens to lead a quality and dignified life,” the ministry said in a statement. 

In the last general election, held in 2019, the total number of electors were 911.9 million, while the total voters were 105.9 Million. The voter turnout was 67.40 per cent and 8054 candidates competed for 543 seats. Elections took place across 10,37,848 polling stations, and in two places,polling booths were created for 1 voter each.