Raipur (thestates.news) | Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi presented a Bastar Dhokra Tree of Life metal sculpture from Chhattisgarh to New Zealand Prime Minister Mr Christopher Luxon as a diplomatic gift, highlighting India’s rich cultural heritage and bringing global recognition to the state’s centuries-old tribal craft.
The gesture has been hailed as a matter of pride for Chhattisgarh, with the traditional Bastar Dhokra art representing the state’s tribal culture, craftsmanship and artistic legacy on the international stage.
Chhattisgarh government, under Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, has been promoting the preservation and global outreach of the state’s tribal arts and traditional crafts through various initiatives, while the Culture Department, guided by Culture Minister Shri Rajesh Agrawal, has been working to document, preserve and popularise the state’s cultural heritage.
As per officials, Bastar’s Dhokra art, crafted using the ancient lost-wax casting technique, is among the world’s oldest metal craft traditions. The Tree of Life sculpture symbolises interconnectedness, prosperity, harmony between humans and nature, and reflects India’s philosophy of coexistence.
The motif also resonates with New Zealand’s Māori concept of Whakapapa, representing the deep connection between life, nature and ancestry. Like the Dhokra Tree of Life, which depicts all living beings as part of an interconnected with all life forms, Whakapapa also views people, land, rivers, forests and ancestors as part of a continuous lineage, making both traditions powerful expressions of humanity’s enduring bond with nature and shared heritage.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s selection of this sculpture as an international diplomatic gift is a significant recognition of Chhattisgarh’s cultural strength on the global stage. It is expected to boost the morale of the state’s tribal artists and artisans, open new markets for local handicrafts, and give Chhattisgarh’s rich art, culture and tribal heritage greater international recognition
