In a bid to preserve its art and cultural legacy, India has nominated the typical Gujarati folk-dance-form ‘Garba’ for its inclusion in UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.1
Earlier in December 2021, the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage included Durga Puja to its 2022’s representative list.2
Curtis, during his phenomenal address praised India for its rich cultural diversity, adding- “it has a whole breadth and diversity in its intangible cultural heritage.”
India currently has 14 Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) elements that are inscribed on the list- Ramlila, Vedic Chants, Kumbh Mela, Kalbelia, Chhau Dance, Buddhist Chanting, Koodiyattam, Mudiyett, Nawruz, Sankirtana, Ramman, Traditional Brass and Copper Craft of Utensil making, Yoga, and the latest being Kolkata’s Durga Puja.
....
- 1. Meanwhile, the latest nomination will be considered for the next year’s listing, a top official mentioned on Saturday, August, 27, 2022. UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Secretary, Tim Curtis signified the related details during a presentation held at the National Museum in New Delhi to mark the UNESCO tag, awarded to West Bengal’s Durga Puja festival last December.
- 2. “The latest nomination will be considered for the next year cycle. The nomination files will be examined by the evaluation body mid-2023 and the inscription will be decided at the 2023 session of the committee by the end of next year,” Curtis declared. In one of his presentation slides that carried an image of Garba performers, with a caption ‘Garba of Gujarat — India’s next element’ mentioned that the “file was currently undergoing technical treatment by the Secretariat.”