MP: Indore to renew efforts to get UNESCO heritage tag for Holi procession 'Ger'

The administration had in 2020 sought to get Ger included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but the exercise did not materialise due to the COVID-19 outbreak, official said.Talking to reporters, collector Ilaiah Raja T said, Indores Ger is famous world over.

After a gap of three years, the administration in Madhya Pradesh's Indore will renew its efforts to get the UNESCO tag for 'Ger', a large procession taken out on Holi every year, an official said on Tuesday. The administration had in 2020 sought to get 'Ger' included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but the exercise did not materialise due to the COVID-19 outbreak, official said.

Talking to reporters, collector Ilaiah Raja T said, ''Indore's Ger is famous world over. We will renew our efforts to get it recognised by the UNESCO as a cultural heritage event.” A proposal will be sent to the UNESCO to get this event recognised by collecting documents related to the cultural history and importance of 'Ger', he said.

Indore mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said, ''We want Indore's Ger to make its special place in the tourism calendar of the world. Hence, we have decided that the municipal corporation will extend full cooperation to the administration on the issue.” 'Ger' is also known as ''Phag Yatra'', during which thousands of 'huriyars' (revellers) of Indore gather without any formal call and immerse themselves in festive fervour.

On Rang Panchami, this colourful procession passes through different parts of the city and reaches the historic Rajbara (the palace of Holkars, the erstwhile rulers of Indore), where a group of huriyars revel in a shower of colours.

According to experts, the tradition of 'Ger' started in the princely period, when members of the Holkar dynasty would come out on the streets to play Holi with the general public.

During the Holkar reign, bullock carts carrying colours were brought in to shower on huriyars.