Deepavali Festival Earns UNESCO Cultural Heritage Honors

UNESCO has officially recognized India's Deepavali festival by adding it to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This noteworthy inclusion was announced during a significant UNESCO meeting in Delhi, marking a first for India in hosting the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Deepavali, India's iconic festival of light, has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This significant recognition was declared during a crucial UNESCO meeting at Delhi's historic Red Fort.

In a first for the country, India is hosting the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is gathering for its 20th session from December 8 to 13. As news of Deepavali's inclusion broke, chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' resonated throughout the venue.

Deepavali joins 15 other Indian heritage elements on UNESCO's prestigious list, alongside the Kumbh Mela, Kolkata's Durga Puja, Gujarat's Garba dance, yoga, Vedic chanting traditions, and Ramlila performances of the epic 'Ramayana'.

(With inputs from agencies.)