Durga Puja added to UNESCO's ICH list; Netizens express pride as congratulations pour in

With UNESCO placing India’s acclaimed ‘festival of joy’ Durga Puja in its representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (ICH), congratulatory messages have poured in from all ends, and the heart of every Indian has been filled with the immense pride and joy.

From Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with other ministers have expressed immense joy at the announcement. 

Celebrations resonate on Durga Puja being recognised by UNESCO

Sharing his exhilaration, PM Modi took to Twitter and wrote in the Bengali language, "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."

While West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee termed Durga Puja to be more than a festival and said that it ‘unites everyone.’ In her tweet, she wrote, “Proud moment for Bengal! To every #Bengali across the world, Durga Puja is much more than a festival, it is an emotion that unites everyone. And now, #DurgaPuja has been added to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. We are all beaming with joy!”

Expressing delight over the jubilant news, Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on the microblogging site,"The auspicious Durga Puja reflects India’s splendid cultural heritage and spirit of unity. It is great to learn that this iconic festival has been inscribed on UNESCO’s #IntangibleHeritage list. Every Indian is immensely proud.”

Other ministers, including Piyush Goyal, Hardeep Singh Puri, GK Reddy, Meenakshi Lekhi and BJP President JP Nadda also shared their happiness on Twitter.
 

Durga Puja- Representative of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

The festival of Durga Puja has been added to the UN body's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision comes during the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is currently underway. 

Announcing the decision, UNESCO on Wednesday, Dec 15 stated, "Durga Puja is an annual festival celebrated in September or October, most notably in Kolkata, in West Bengal of India, but also in other parts of India and amongst the Bengali diaspora. It marks the ten-day worship of the Hindu mother-goddess Durga. In the months preceding the festival, small artisanal workshops sculpt images of Durga and her family using unfired clay pulled from the Ganga River. The worship of the goddess then begins on the inaugural day of Mahalaya, when eyes are painted onto the clay images to bring the goddess to life. It ends on the tenth day when the images are immersed in the river from where the clay came."

Image: ANI/ AP