Varanasi: On the auspicious occasion of the holy Shravan month, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a unique handcrafted Shivling set made from Banaras Metal Repousse Craft during his visit to Varanasi on Saturday.
This artistic masterpiece incorporates a blend of three Geographical Indication (GI) certified crafts of Kashi — metal repousse, meenakari, and metal casting — according to an official statement.
GI expert and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Rajni Kant said the distinctive creation stands 18 inches tall and 15 inches wide, elegantly placed on a meenakari platform. The artwork includes a Shivling in an 'argha' (ritual container), a five-hooded snake, Nandi (the bull), 'prasad' offerings, a 'kalash' filled with Ganga water, a trident (trishul), and sandalwood ash (chandan bhasm), it stated.
The artwork was crafted over a week by three Kashi-based artisans and metal artists — Anil Kasera and Raghunath Kasera, along with meenakari expert Arun Kumar Verma — under the thematic guidance of the Shravan month and with support from GI specialists, it stated.
"The creation is a testament to the rich craft heritage of Kashi and showcases the strength of India's GI ecosystem," Kant said.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Modi urged artisans and weavers to take India's indigenous crafts global through the mantra of "Swadeshi and Local to Global."
He emphasised the legal significance of GI as a symbol of local identity and called for robust measures to protect and promote it.
Artisans' associations hailed the gesture as a moment of pride and a significant step towards showcasing Kashi's traditional art and culture on the world stage.
This visit was Prime Minister Modi's 51st to Varanasi — his parliamentary constituency for a running third straight term since 2014.
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