Vedic Heritage Portal

March 28, 2023

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) has recently launched the Vedic Heritage Portal, a digital repository of vedic knowledge and traditions from across the country. This portal is the result of a seven-year effort and an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore. The Vedic Heritage Portal is a one-stop solution for researchers and others who seek information about the Vedic heritage of India. It was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy during the IGNCA’s 36th Foundation Day celebrations.

Mapping the Vedic Heritage of the Country

The Vedic Heritage Portal is an effort to map the Vedic heritage of India. The portal offers detailed information about oral traditions, textual tradition in the form of published books/manuscripts, or implements (yajna-related objects). The aim of the portal is to collate information for making Vedas accessible to people and provide a forum for further dialogue. It is a digital platform that preserves and promotes the ‘Vedas’, which are an intangible heritage of humanity as per the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Content on the Vedic Heritage Portal

Over 550 hours of audio-visual content related to more than 18,000 Vedic mantras have been uploaded on the website, prepared in conjunction with people who know Vedas, Vedic research institutes, Vedapathi families, and experts from all over the world. The Vedic Heritage Portal is available in a mix of English and Hindi, besides audio content in Sanskrit. The portal also includes research articles and lectures on scientific subjects explaining the relevance of ‘Vedic knowledge’ in the perspective of modern science.

IGNCA’s Future Plans

Apart from the Vedic Heritage Portal, the IGNCA is planning to create a museum dedicated to the Vedic implements, or vessels used in yajna. The museum will showcase over 250 vessels from the vedic traditions of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. IGNCA is also working on a project called Vrihattar Bharat, which will explore cultural linkages of India with 40 other countries, including South East Asian Nations such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Mongolia.

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