Himachal folk art expo at National Museum from Friday

About 240 folk artefacts, including textiles, 'mohras' and masks, from medieval and modern Himachal Pradesh, will be on display at "Unknown Masterpieces of Himachal Folk Art" that opens on Friday at the National Museum here.

The exhibition aims to highlight the folk art tradition of Himachal Pradesh and offers an idea of what must have existed in "Punjab Hill States", Himachal's erstwhile British name.

The show, which will run till July 31, will pay a tribute to K.C. Aryan, founder of the Museum of Folk, Tribal, and Neglected Art. A majority of exhibits have been sourced from Aryan's collection.

"National Museum wants to conserve our cultural heritage, not only of classical nature, but also of folk relations. Art of all natures must be taken care of," Sanjib Kumar Singh, museologist and spokesperson of the National Museum, told IANS.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel.

--IANS

sj/pg/pcj