The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday added West Bengal’s largest annual festival, the Durga Puja, to its “Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.
The decision to inscribe “Durga puja in Kolkata” in the list was taken on Wednesday, the second day of the 16th session of the intergovernmental committee, which is being held in Paris from December 13 to 18.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to laud the moment saying, “A matter of great pride and joy for every Indian! Durga Puja highlights the best of our traditions and ethos. And, Kolkata’s Durga Puja is an experience everyone must have.”
G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister For Culture, Tourism And Development Of North Eastern Region (DoNER) said, “Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a recognition of the confluence of our rich heritage, culture, rituals & practices and a celebration of the feminine divinity & the spirit of womanhood. Jai Maa Durga!”
“The festival was particularly praised for its all-inclusive approach cutting across barriers of religion, gender and economic strata,” said an official of the Union ministry of culture who is posted in West Bengal.
As per the inscription on the UNESCO’S website, “Durga Puja is seen as the best instance of the public performance of religion and art, and as a thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers. The festival is characterized by large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas, as well as by traditional Bengali drumming and veneration of the goddess.
“During the event, the divides of class, religion and ethnicities collapse as crowds of spectators walk around to admire the installations.”
The last time an Indian festival got this recognition was the Kumbh mela in 2017 and Yoga in 2016. Traditional brass and copper craft of Punjab got the recognition in 2014, while Manipur’s Sankirtana ritual singing got it in 2013.