Kolkata Durga Puja Enters UNESCO’s ‘Intangible Heritage’ List; CM Mamata Banerjee Calls It “More Than A Festival”

0
276



On Wednesday, December 15, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has inscribed Kolkata’s Durga Puja, an annual festival held in honour of goddess Durga on its ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ list. The list celebrates culture across the globe. This is a proud moment not just for Bengalis and believers of goddess Durga but for all Indians.

UNESCO announced the joyful news on social media in a Tweet that reads, “Durga Puja in Kolkata has just been inscribed on the #IntangibleHeritage list. Congratulations #India,”

Indian politicians including West Bengal’s CM Mamata Banerjee expressed their delight in a Tweet highlighting that Durga Puja is not just a festival, it’s an emotion.

PM Narendra Modi also took to his Twitter handle to celebrate the good news.

On the official website, UNESCO describes Durga Puja as “the best instance of the public performance of religion and art, and as a thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers. The festival is characterized by large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas, as well as by traditional Bengali drumming and veneration of the goddess. During the event, the divides of class, religion and ethnicities collapse as crowds of spectators walk around to admire the installations,”

Durga Puja making it into the list of ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ is a testimony to its significance. According to the Department of State Information and Cultural Affairs of West Bengal, this is the first time a region from Asia has received recognition of this time.

SEE ALSO: Miss Universe 2021: Who Is Harnaaz Sandhu? And What Are Indians Googling About Her





Source link