The 22 mementos from Madhya Pradesh featured in the 8th edition of the PM Mementos e-Auction offer more than a collection of artworks, photographs and commemorative objects. Taken together, they form a visual map of the State’s living heritage, connecting traditions and historic places with indigenous artistic expression, ecological heritage, public institutions and symbols of India’s national identity.

The 22 mementos from Madhya Pradesh illustrate a central idea behind PM Mementos: a gift may originate in a particular place, community or tradition, but its story can become part of a larger national cultural memory.

A State told through its places, people and traditions

The collection moves across the cultural landscape of Madhya Pradesh. From Ujjain and Khajuraho to Udayagiri, Maheshwar, Shajapur, Neemuch, Khandwa and the forests of Sanjay Tiger Reserve, the collection reflects the many layers of the State’s identity.

 

Among the notable mementos is a small-scale metal model of Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Khajuraho, which brings the architectural and sculptural legacy of one of Madhya Pradesh’s most celebrated heritage sites into a contemporary form. Another memento represents Vishnu as Varaha from the Udayagiri Caves, linking the present with the State’s ancient sculptural heritage.

The collection also carries the memory of individuals who contributed to India’s intellectual and social development. A statue of Dr. Hari Singh Gour, educationist, jurist and social reformer, represents the contribution of education and institution-building to the State’s public life.

A framed photograph of Maheshwar Fort and its ghats highlights the architecture of the State.

Heritage that continues to live

The collection also demonstrates that heritage is not confined to monuments inherited from the past. It continues to be expressed through the beliefs, artistic practices and landscapes of contemporary communities.

The Gond Tree of Life paintings are an important example. Rooted in the traditional Gond artistic vocabulary, the works bring indigenous visual expression into the national collection, demonstrating how community-based artistic traditions continue to find contemporary forms of expression.

The collection’s numerous representations of Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, alongside depictions of Maa Rajarajeshwari of Shajapur, Mahamaya Bhadwa Mataji of Neemuch and Shri Dadaji Dhuniwale Mandir of Khandwa, similarly point to the continuing role of sacred traditions in the cultural life of the State.

From regional identity to a shared national story

The collection also moves beyond regional identity towards symbols of a wider Indian imagination.

A wooden representation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, incorporating the Ashoka Chakra and other elements of the national emblem, connects Madhya Pradesh’s local expressions of craftsmanship with one of India’s most recognisable symbols of national identity. An Atmanirbhar Bharat Jan Sampark Maha Abhiyan commemorative poster, meanwhile, represents a more contemporary aspect of public life.

The PM Mementos initiative gives this journey a public dimension. A memento presented during a moment of public interaction begins as a personal expression of appreciation or local identity. Through the e-auction, it enters a wider public space, where citizens can engage with the object and the story it carries. Each object retains its local character while collectively contributing to a larger story of India’s shared cultural inheritance.

Since its inception, the PM Mementos e-Auction has made thousands of gifts presented to the Prime Minister available to the public, with proceeds dedicated to the Namami Gange Programme.

The auction is currently live and has been extended until 31 October 2026. Interested bidders can place their bids online through the official PM Mementos e-Auction portal: https://pmmementos.gov.in

 

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M Annadurai

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