Comprehensive Cultural Mapping Highlights India’s Rich Rural Heritage

New Delhi- The Ministry of Culture, under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative, has successfully mapped cultural and heritage aspects of India’s rural landscape. According to Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, details of 4.84 lakh villages out of 6.5 lakh across the country have been identified and uploaded on the MyGov India – Geographical Mapping of Cultural Diversity (MGMD) portal.

The MGMD programme provides a comprehensive record of India’s intangible cultural heritage, documenting linguistic diversity, including local dialects, scripts, and patterns of language usage, as well as oral traditions such as folk tales, epics, proverbs, and traditional knowledge systems.

It also captures folklore and performing arts, including music, dance, theatre forms, and ritual practices, along with local festivals and fairs, covering religious, seasonal, and community-specific celebrations. This initiative aims to preserve and showcase the cultural richness of India’s villages, making it accessible for research, education, and tourism purposes.

Among the states, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of villages documented at 71,076, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 49,625, Rajasthan with 39,386, Bihar with 39,143, and Jharkhand with 38,336, while other states and union territories have also contributed significantly to this comprehensive cultural mapping. This large-scale documentation underscores the Government’s commitment to safeguarding India’s cultural heritage and ensuring its continued relevance in modern society.