Mahakavi Kalidas' works make us realise need to save environment: Vice-prez Dhankhar

Ujjain, Nov 12 (PTI) Stressing on raising awareness about tackling the problem of climate change, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday noted that legendary poet Kalidas' literary works in ancient India dwelt on the need to save the environment.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 66th All-India Kalidas Festival in Ujjain, Dhankhar said, "Today's burning problem is related to the environment. From the compositions of Mahakavi Kalidas, we realize that protection of the environment is important for our existence." The Vice-President called for participation from all stakeholders in addressing the serious problem of climate change, a phenomenon that refers to long-term shifts in the Earth's temperatures and weather patterns.

"We must remember that we have no other place to live except the Earth," Dhankhar told the gathering.

Kalidas is called the "Kulguru (a person occupying exalted position) of the poet community" and his immortal works in Sanskrit like "Abhigyan Shakuntalam", "Meghadutam", "Kumar Sambhavam" and "Ritu Sanhar" and "Malavika Agnimitram" have a wonderful confluence of human emotions, he maintained.

Notably, more than 190 countries, including India, have gathered at Azerbaijan's capital Baku for the 29th round of annual climate talks, the Conference of Parties, COP29. The session of the COP to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is being held from November 11 to 22.

Dhankhar pointed out that there is no other country in the world other than India which has such a rich cultural heritage.

He said the cultural roots of the country tell the citizens the philosophy, essence and value of life as well as the importance of their existence.

"It is important to note that a country and society which does not preserve its culture and cultural heritage cannot survive for long. We have to pay full attention to our culture," Dhankhar said.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Swami Govind Dev Giri also addressed the function.

In the festival, the National Kalidas Awards were given to winners in different categories -- Uday Bhawalkar and Arvind Parikh (classical music), Dr Sandhya Purecha and Guru Kalawati Devi (classical dance), PR Daroj and Raghupati Bhatt (Rupankar arts) and Bhanu Bharti and Rudraprasad Sengupta (theatre).

The Bhoj Shrestha Kriti Award was given to Acharya Balkrishna Sharma. PTI HWP MAS RSY