Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Deepavali, one of India’s foremost cultural and spiritual festivals, was on December 10 included in the Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List. Unesco announced the development on its official X handle, stating: “BREAKING. New inscription on the #IntangibleHeritage List: Deepavali, #India. Congratulations!”
Reacting to the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to the social media platform X and wrote, “People in India and around the world are thrilled. For us, Deepavali is very closely linked to our culture and ethos. It is the soul of our civilisation. It personifies illumination and righteousness. The addition of Deepavali to the Unesco Intangible Heritage List will contribute to the festival’s global popularity even further.” “May the ideals of Prabhu Shri Ram keep guiding us for eternity,” he added.
A total of 67 nominations submitted by nearly 80 countries, including India’s Deepavali festival, were examined during the week-long key session of Unesco’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which began at Delhi’s Red Fort on December 8. The 20th session of the Committee is being held at the iconic Mughal-era monument. This marks the first time India is hosting a session of the Unesco panel.
Chhath Puja — a festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God — was also nominated for Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Union Ministry of Culture has written to the Sangeet Natak Akademi to review a proposal received in this regard and take appropriate action.