UNESCO declares Kumbh Mela as India’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’

UNESCO declares Kumbh Mela as India’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’

The list describes Kumbh Mela as “the festival of the sacred Pitcher” where pilgrims bathe or take a dip in a sacred river.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said it is “a matter of immense joy and pride for India” that the Kumbh Mela was declared as India’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ by UNESCO. The event was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The annual congregation of pilgrims was one of the 33 new additions this year. The list includes forms of expression that testify to the diversity of the intangible heritage and raise awareness of its importance.

The list describes Kumbh Mela as “the festival of the sacred Pitcher” where pilgrims bathe or take a dip in a sacred river. “The congregation includes ascetics, saints, sadhus, aspirants-kalpavasis and visitors. The tradition plays a central spiritual role in the country, encapsulating a diverse range of cultural customs. Knowledge and skills relating to Kumbh Mela are mainly imparted through the teacher-student relationship, but transmission and safeguarding are also ensured through oral traditions and religious and historical texts,” the statement reads.

The decision was taken by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage meeting in Jeju, South Korea. Other additions on the list include Bangladesh’s traditional art of Shital Pati weaving, which basically refers to the art form of weaving strips of green cane into a handcrafted mat, usually used for prayer purposes.

 

News Source: indianexpress.com

You might also like

Slider

Cruise service to start between Goa and Mumbai from next month

Cruise line services between Goa and Mumbai will begin by the first week of December and hotels are requested to construct floating jetties to facilitate ferrying tourists to their resorts,

Latest

Russia’s 5 changes to increase Indian Railways’ train speed to 200 kmph

A protocol for this project was signed between the railway ministries of the two countries in October last year. Russian Railways is helping India’s national transporter increase the speed of

Latest

DCT Abu Dhabi concludes successful participation at ATM 2018

77 industry stakeholders join Abu Dhabi delegation as part of four-day showcase The participation of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) at Arabian Travel