India’s Deepavali festival has officially been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The announcement came on Wednesday during a key session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, currently held at Delhi’s Red Fort.
This year marks the first time India is hosting the committee’s annual meeting, now in its 20th edition, running from December 8 to 13. Attendees at the session celebrated the announcement with chants of “Vande Mataram” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, highlighting the moment’s significance for the Indian delegation.
With Deepavali now recognised, India’s tally on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list rises to 15, joining other celebrated elements such as the Kumbh Mela, Kolkata’s Durga Puja, Gujarat’s Garba dance, yoga, Vedic chanting, and Ramlila, the dramatic retelling of the Ramayana.
Delhi’s Art, Culture, Language and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra called the inclusion a significant milestone for India’s cultural identity, praising the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in securing the recognition. He highlighted how UNESCO’s acknowledgment underscores the depth of India’s spiritual traditions and the enduring importance of the festival.
Understanding Intangible Cultural Heritage
According to UNESCO, intangible cultural heritage goes beyond monuments or artefacts and includes living traditions and expressions passed down through generations. These may encompass:
- Oral traditions and performing arts
- Rituals and festive practices
- Community knowledge of nature and the universe
- Traditional craftsmanship
UNESCO emphasizes that the value of intangible heritage lies not just in the practice itself, but in the knowledge, skills, and identity it transmits from one generation to the next. Such heritage fosters dialogue, mutual respect, and social cohesion, making it crucial in a globalized world.
Key characteristics of intangible cultural heritage include:
- Traditional and Contemporary: Practices reflect inherited customs while adapting to modern life.
- Inclusive: Shared across regions or cultures, passed down and contributing to community identity.
- Representative: Defined by the communities maintaining it, not exclusivity.
- Community-Based: Heritage exists only when recognised and upheld by the community itself.
Deepavali’s recognition by UNESCO highlights the festival’s enduring cultural, spiritual, and social significance, celebrating India’s vibrant heritage on a global platform.
