G20: Millets to empires, host India showcases rich heritage in Bengaluru

From a Ricky Kej show to the conjuring of the Vijayanagar Empire, delegates treated to all

On the evening of February 24, while officials from various nations were locked in negotiations over the joint statement that was to be agreed upon the next day, the G20 finance ministers, central bank governors, heads of multilateral development banks and other dignitaries were taken on a journey back in time to the glory days of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Through a long and elaborate performance, which combined dance and music with multimedia presentations and digital mapping technology, the who’s who of the global economic order were treated to a dazzling and immersive history lesson. The performance portrayed the lives and culture of the empire, which ruled most of South India from its seat of power in what is now Hampi.

At the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) in Bengaluru, host India pulled out all stops to showcase the rich heritage of Karnataka.

There were cultural events every evening on all four days of the meeting, including a performance by Grammy Award-winning Indian composer Ricky Kej and a fashion show by designer Prasad Bidapa.

Officials were keen to portray that modern-day Karnataka has a rich amalgamation of Carnatic, Hindustani as well as Western contemporary music. There were musical troupes, which combined all three, traditional ‘Kolata’ or stick dance performances, kathak recitals, and sitar concerts, as the delegates enjoyed a scrumptious spread of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes from Karnataka and other southern states.

This being the ‘International Year of the Millet’, the hosts ensured that there was a millet component in every meal, in the form of rotis, khichadi or daal.

“We even had a millet stall outside the main hall in which the finance chiefs were meeting. It had preparations like pakoras made of millets, and was quite a hit with the delegates,” said an official who was part of the organising team.

Also, this being Karnataka, coffee was another product with a big presence. Delegates thronged the stalls that had various kinds of Karnataka coffees on offer.

Inside the closed walkway tunnel between the Marriott Hotel (where delegates stayed) and the convention centre (which hosted the meetings) were a number of stalls set up by local artisans and small businesses. On display were items like Channapatna toys, handlooms, jewellery, molakalmuru sarees, kasuti embroidery, puppets, vases and decorative knick-knacks.

There was also a stall on the central bank digital currency (CBDC) by the Reserve Bank of India, where people were encouraged to try out the state-backed cryptocurrency, the ‘e₹’.