Press Release:Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

Bharat Pavilion: From Kala to Code – receives overwhelming response at WAVES 2025

Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 5:10PM | Location: PIB Mumbai

Mumbai, 4 May 2025

The Bharat Pavilion, an immersive viewing zone that took visitors through the continuum of India’s storytelling traditions at WAVES 2025, has received an overwhelming reception and response from the public. The Pavilion, under the theme "From Kala to Code", offered a compelling narrative of India's evolution in media and entertainment—from oral and visual traditions to cutting-edge digital innovations.

The Bharat Pavillion presented the soul of India, balancing our rich cultural heritage with the new waves of technical advancements that are already underway. On the inaugural day of WAVES 2025, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited the Pavilion. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, External Affairs Minister Shri S. Jaishankar, Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and many other dignitaries visited the pavilion and appreciated its role in telling the story of Bharat. The pavilion also garnered huge footfall, leaving people in awe and wonder on discovering the many treasures of our nation.

Celebrating India’s creative journey, the Bharat Pavilion was not just an exhibition of content but a powerful expression of India as a creator. It projected India’s cultural depth, artistic excellence, and emerging dominance in global storytelling. The Pavilion was structured into four thematic zones, each reflecting a different dimension of India’s creative legacy:

Shruti – On Oral Traditions: Honouring India’s ancient oral narrative heritage, this zone explored how rhythm and melody preserved collective memory.

Key highlights:

Guru-Shishya Parampara: Tribute to oral knowledge systems.
Mystical Whispers: Vedic chants and spiritual traditions.
Dhun: Museum of Melodies: Display of classical Indian instruments.
Echoes of the Land: Immersive folk soundscapes.
Making Waves with Music: From Gauhar Jaan to global maestros.
Spotify Stage: Live classical performance by Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash, and younger family members.
India on Air: Legacy of All India Radio.
Playback Nation: 100 years of iconic playback singing.
Cassette to Cloud: Evolution of music formats.
Podcast Central: Rise of spoken word audio.
Whispers of Wisdom: Growth of audiobooks in India.

Kriti – Inscriptions and written tradition: This zone highlighted the written word’s role in preserving India’s civilizational memory.

Key highlights:

First Signs: Early cave paintings and communication.
Imprints of Indus: Interactive Indus Valley experience.
Ramayana Across Civilizations: Epic’s journey through Asia.
Edicts of Bharat: Ashoka’s inscriptions.
Wisdom Preserved: Manuscripts from ancient libraries.
Memoirs of Metal: Copperplate documentation.
The Power of Print: Rise of Indian journalism.
The Indian Shelf: Interactive digital library of iconic books.
Cover Story: Celebrating Indian magazines.
The Comics Corner: From classic comics to graphic novels.

Drishti – Visual Traditions

Focusing on visual storytelling, this zone spanned from cave art to modern cinema.

Key highlights:

Kala Yatra: LED tunnel showcasing India’s visual art evolution.
The Eternal Rhythm: Holographic display of Harappa’s Dancing Girl.
The Essence of Emotion: Interactive exploration of Navarasa.
Nataraja Display: Visual homage to Shiva as the cosmic dancer.
Folk Chronicles: Folk dances, puppetry, and tribal expressions.
Frames of the Past: Film evolution screenings.
Wall of Fame: Celebrating icons of Indian cinema.
Lights Camera Legacy: Tributes to film creators and technicians.
TV through the Years: Display from Doordarshan to the streaming era.

Creator’s Leap

This zone showcased India’s innovation in future-facing storytelling technologies.

Key highlights:

Displays of Indian advances in AI, XR, gaming, metaverse, and animation.
Showcasing emerging Indian intellectual properties.
Interactive demos reflecting the future of storytelling.

The Bharat Pavilion at WAVES 2025 offered a multi-sensory celebration of India's storytelling traditions and innovations. It reaffirmed India's identity as a creative powerhouse, rooted in heritage and looking to the future.