BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 13th January 2026 : The state government is working to revive lost traditional culture, including folk songs, Baul songs, Jatrapala, drama, kirtan, etc., and the people of Alpana Gram are keeping culture alive through art.
This was stated by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath today after inaugurating the three-day-long Alpana and Pithepuli Festival 2026 at Alpana Gram in Lankamura. The festival will continue till January 15.
The Minister said that whatever one does should be done with heart and soul.
“There is no other country like India. India has seas, oceans, hills, and many other things which you will not find anywhere else. That is why people from all over the world come to India to witness its beauty. I have seen here how people are connected with their soil. People are cultivating various vegetables in Alpana Gram. The people of Alpana Gram are keeping culture alive through art. It has built a bridge between tradition and modernity. This is what India is. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been stressing this matter,” he said.
The Minister said that during winter many programmes such as Pithe Puli Utsav, Gramin Mela, Nagar Kirtan, Lok Sangeet, Jaatra, etc., are organised across the nation, where nature, agriculture, and relationships of thousands of years are deeply connected.
“This time is not only a time of happiness but also a time of success for farmers, which comes after spending a lot of time working in the soil. Agriculture is not a one-person job but a family and social process. Farmers unite society, and the Pithe Puli Utsav is an example of this. The state government has made efforts to revive lost traditional culture like folk songs, Baul songs, Jatrapala, drama, kirtan, etc. This culture is our own. The more the present generation practises and preserves this culture, the more the state and the country will benefit,” he said.
He said that the Alpana and Pithepuli Festival is a festival of soil and nature.
“The people of this village are connected to the soil. They have made this village a blend of modernity and tradition. Alpana village has become popular today. Its message has reached the country and abroad. Many people come to visit this village. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said: be digital, be modern, be smart, but retain your roots. Retain your traditions and culture, and only then will the country truly move forward,” the Minister said.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given priority to the development of four categories: women, farmers, youth, and the poor.
“Only when these four categories are developed will the country move forward as a whole. The most important thing in the world is agriculture. Farmers are the basis of food production. They hold the entire society together. Farmers are our breadwinners. The main objective is the overall economic development of farmers,” the Minister said.
