Foreign historians hid India's glorious past, folk traditions preserved it: Adityanath

Lucknow, Nov 16 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused foreign historians of deliberately omitting India's glorious moments from its recorded history, saying they have been kept alive for ages through folk arts and songs.

Addressing the 10-day Uttarakhand Mahotsav-2025 here, Adityanath said such festivals play a vital role in keeping the country's folk traditions and culture vibrant.

“If such events are not celebrated, many people in today's fast-paced world may become alienated from their traditions and culture,” Adityanath said.

Calling folk music and folk arts the true custodians of history, the chief minister said, “They have preserved our history. Many glorious moments of India were deliberately left out by foreign historians so that our citizens don’t get to know their true heritage. But through folk songs and traditions, those proud tales are still alive among us." He also urged people to take pride in their motherland and its heritage.

“We should feel proud of our motherland and ‘Devbhoomi’. Folk arts, traditions, cuisine, and culture must be preserved and given a platform,” he said.

Adityanath also said the Uttarakhand Mahotsav represents a blend of Awadhi and Uttarakhandi cultures.

“It includes Lord Ram of Awadh and Badrivishal of Uttarakhand. The four ‘dhams’ of Uttarakhand also add to the glory of this festival,” he said.

It is a matter of pride for Uttar Pradesh and the country that Uttarakhand produced leaders like the late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna and the late Narayan Datt Tiwari, who made significant contributions to the state and the nation, Adityanath said, as he also recalled freedom fighter Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali.

Both India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), late General Bipin Rawat, and the current CDS, General Anil Chauhan, hailed from Uttarakhand, Adityanath said, calling it a “land of valour”.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also addressed the event. PTI ABN ARI