UNESCO commends the participation of marginalized groups and individuals as well as women
One of the country’s largest cultural carnival and street art festival, Durga Puja in Kolkata received a significant international recognition on Wednesday by making it to UNESCO’s representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
“Durga Puja in #Kolkata has just been added to the #IntangibleHeritage list! The inscription in the Representative List is one of the many ways by which #UNESCO advocates for the promotion and protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage,” tweeted the UNESCO office in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy and the West Bengal government welcomed the announcement. “It is a matter of great pride and joy for every Indian! Durga Puja highlights our best traditions and ethos. And, Kolkata’s Durga Puja is an experience that everyone should have,” Mr Modi said on social media.
A press statement by the Government of West Bengal described the inclusion of Durga Puja in Kolkata as a proud and historic moment. “It is a red letter day for us. Bengal in real sense is now Biswa Bangla,” the press note added.
The state government’s note emphasizes that UNESCO also appreciated the organizations concerned in Kolkata for their initiative to involve marginalized groups and individuals as well as women in their participation for the protection of the intangible cultural heritage.
Renowned art historian Tapti Guha-Thakurta, who was the field expert in drafting the culture ministry’s dossier for UNESCO, said Kolkata’s creative and commercial economy would get a boost with a “well-recognised”
“The artistic profile that Kolkata’s Durga Puja has taken over the past two decades is unparalleled… Over the years, Durga Puja has provided a platform for artistic activism where artists can make statements about contemporary social and political issues. are.” Ms. Guha-Thakurta, who has written a book, Named after a goddess: Durga Puja of contemporary Kolkata,
With the inclusion of Durga Puja, the number of elements in the list of intangible cultural heritage from India has increased to 14. The latest addition to the list ahead of Durga Puja is the Kumbh Mela, the largest peaceful gathering of pilgrims on earth. Which was inscribed in 2017. Yoga was included in 2016.
Ms. Guha-Thakurta said the only large-scale festival included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List is the Kumbh Mela, and there are other special rituals that are endangered. “We had to explain that Durga Puja is not in danger. It is flourishing and it is changing. There is no question of preserving a religious tradition for a small community. All this has made Durga Puja a complicated affair.”
A dossier was submitted in March 2019 with the voices of various stakeholders and the list of signatories who wanted the centuries-old festival to be included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
“The festival is characterized by large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas as well as traditional Bengali drums and veneration of the goddess. During the event, divisions of class, religion and ethnicity are broken as crowds of spectators flock to admire the establishments,” the UNESCO website said.
Experts also point out that what is unique about Durga Puja in Kolkata is that it is the source of livelihood for a large number of people, including artisans.
Ananya Bhattacharya, Director, Ananya Bhattacharya said, “The inscription of Kolkata’s Durga Puja in UNESCO’s representative list acknowledges the festival’s contribution to traditional arts and crafts, well-being of communities and economic empowerment and activating creativity.” Banglanatakdot.com, a social enterprise working for sustainable development through revival of heritage.
Earlier this year, the British Council in India mapped the creative economy of Durga Puja to over ₹32,000 crore for the year 2019 and said the festival contributes 2.58% to West Bengal’s GDP.
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