'Statues with mini skirts, purses': PM Modi on how 'modernity, fashion' are centuries old

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday drew an interesting link between the ‘modern’ mini skirt and the attires of statues in Odisha's Konark temple. It was at the inaugural National Creators' Awards ceremony in Delhi that PM Modi unveiled the surprising connection between contemporary fashion and ancient sculptures in Konark.

Observing that many see mini skirts as symbols of modernity, he pointed out that statues in centuries-old Konark temples also sport mini skirts and purses.

“Many people consider mini skirts to be a symbol of modernity," India Today quoted PM Modi as saying. “But if you go to Konark, you will see statues in the centuries-old temples sporting mini skirts and purses on their arms.”

PM Modi handed the Heritage Fashion Icon award to 19-year-old Janhvi Singh, a content creator renowned for her focus on spirituality and culture, particularly in advocating traditional Indian textiles and attire on her platform.

After presenting the award to Singh, PM Modi talked about the connection between contemporary fashion trends and ancient sculptures at the Sun Temple in Konark to highlight how India has long been a trailblazer when it comes to fashion.

“This goes to show that even hundreds of years ago, those sculptors had a sense of fashion,” PM Modi remarked, as per the report.

Further, PM Modi advocated for promoting Indian wear globally, emphasising the potential in the international fashion market. The awards aim to leverage creativity for positive transformation across various fields.

PM Modi also addressed the prevailing trend of favouring ready-made garments and called for a more robust promotion of Indian wear on the international stage. 

PM Modi expressed confidence in the vast potential of Indian fashion in the global market and urged a renewed focus on traditional attire to showcase India's unique cultural identity to the world.

The government, in a statement, highlighted the National Creators' Awards as a catalyst for leveraging creativity to foster constructive transformation across various spheres. 

The awards recognised outstanding contributions in storytelling, advocacy for social change, environmental stewardship, education, and gaming.

Notable recipients included Pankhti Pandey, honoured as the 'Green Champion' for her dedication to environmental causes, Keerthika Govindasamy recognised as the best storyteller, and singer Maithili Thakur receiving the 'Cultural Ambassador of the Year' award.

Gaurav Chaudhary, known as Technical Guruji, was celebrated as the Best Creator in the Tech Category, and Kamiya Jani was lauded as the Favourite Travel Creator. The awards collectively highlighted the diverse and impactful contributions of creators in shaping various facets of society and culture.