Updated: Nov 16, 2025, 08:49 pm IST

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused foreign historians of deliberately omitting India’s glorious moments from recorded history, asserting that the country’s folk arts and songs have preserved them for generations.

Addressing the 10-day Uttarakhand Mahotsav-2025, Adityanath said such cultural festivals are crucial in keeping folk traditions alive and connecting people with their heritage.

“If such events are not celebrated, many in today’s fast-paced world may become alienated from their traditions and culture,” he said. He called folk music and arts the “true custodians of history,” emphasizing that “many glorious moments of India were deliberately left out by foreign historians so that our citizens don’t get to know their true heritage. But through folk songs and traditions, those proud tales are still alive among us.”

Adityanath urged people to take pride in their motherland and heritage, adding, “Folk arts, traditions, cuisine, and culture must be preserved and given a platform.”

The chief minister also highlighted the Uttarakhand Mahotsav as a confluence of Awadhi and Uttarakhandi cultures, citing Lord Ram of Awadh and Badrivishal of Uttarakhand, along with the four dhams of the state, as key elements of the festival’s significance.

Recalling notable leaders from Uttarakhand, Adityanath mentioned the late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna, late Narayan Datt Tiwari, and freedom fighter Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali. He also praised Uttarakhand as a “land of valour,” noting that both India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, late General Bipin Rawat, and the current CDS, General Anil Chauhan, hailed from the state.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also addressed the event, emphasizing the importance of preserving and promoting India’s cultural heritage.