(From left) Mandar, nagara, turhi (musical instruments) and akhara, where tribal functions are held. File pictures

Ranchi, April 18: The logo for the 34th National Games to be held here would incorporate five traditional cultural symbols of Jharkhand — nagara, dhumkudia, akhara, mandar and turhi.

Artists assigned by the state government to design the logo have finalised four compositions with the five symbols, which would soon be submitted to the officials of the art, culture, sports and youth affairs department.

“As soon as these compositions come to us, we would choose one of them and finalise the logo for the Games,” said Ravi Shankar Verma, the secretary of the department.

He said the government had earlier zeroed in on the cultural symbols for the logo of the National Games. “As Jharkhand is a state known for its cultural aspects, the logo comprising cultural symbols will preach the real identity of the state,” he added.

Earlier, the government had invited tenders from several artists across the state to design the logo.

After going through several entries, the design and theme that was given by Digikraft Multimedia and Communications was chosen. The artists of Digikraft have been asked to submit their four compositions as soon as possible.

The mascot, Chhouwa (boy in Nagpuri), for the National Games was finalised about a year ago.

Settling for traditional cultural symbols as the logo of the Games would be in line with the very purpose of projecting Jharkhand’s unique cultural identity.

While nagara, mandar and turhi are the symbols of traditional music of Jharkhand, akhara and dhumkudia denote the importance of “community life” in the state.

The certificates of winners of various items of the National Games would have this logo as it would find place in the documents maintained or issued during the major event.

The 33rd National Games, which was held in Assam in February 2007, also had a traditional symbol as the logo. Rang Ghar, the emblem, was a two-storeyed building in Shibsagar, Assam that was constructed during the reign of Swragadeo Pramatta Singha in 1746.

The building was the royal sports pavilion from where Assam kings witnessed games and sports at Rupahi Pathar (pathar means field in Assamese).