IndiaPosted at: Sep 16 2026 6:55PM


PM mementos auction to feature Balaji idol, Jagannath Rath Yatra artwork

New Delhi, Sep 16 (UNI) A Balaji idol and a painting depicting the Rath Yatra of the Jagannath Temple will be among the highlights of the eighth edition of the e-auction of gifts and mementos received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with more than 1,500 items going under the hammer from September 17 to October 31.
The auction will be conducted through the official PM Mementos portal, with the items ranging from traditional handicrafts and paintings to shawls, pagdis, carpets, and contemporary works representing different regions of the country.
Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, speaking ahead of the auction on Wednesday, said the base and floor prices had been determined through a process involving customs officials, art curators, artists and officials of the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). The items have also been assessed for their physical condition, artistic background, and other details.
Among the objects listed for the auction are Gond-themed paintings, works depicting Radha-Krishna, a “Tree of Life” artwork with a base price of Rs 7.5 lakh, and a Jagannath Yatra family artwork valued at Rs 6 lakh. A Karnataka artwork has a base price of around Rs 13 lakh, while a Radha-Krishna painting carries a base price of Rs 5.4 lakh, the Minister said.
Shekhawat said 7,741 mementos had been auctioned across the previous editions, with about 92,000 bidders registering, including individuals, corporates, art galleries, institutions and universities. Responding to a query, the minister said the majority of buyers, who comprise institutions, universities, corporates, art curators, and even individuals, have been Indian, though some NRIs have also participated.
The minister said proceeds from the auction would be used for Namami Gange-related work. In the past seven auctions, the government has raised around Rs 52 crore through the exercise.
He said the auction also reflected Modi’s stated view that gifts received in public office should ultimately be returned to the nation.
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Tags: #PM mementos auction to feature Balaji idol# Jagannath Rath Yatra artwork
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