Knowledge Nugget | Diwali’s UNESCO recognition: Many angles UPSC aspirants should focus on

Why in the news?

Recently, India’s nomination for ‘Deepavali, the festival of light’ was inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for 2025. Apart from Deepavali in India, traditional saree weaving art of Tangail also secured a place in the list. In this context, let’s know about the intangible cultural heritage list in detail. 

Key Takeaways:

1. UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) lists living traditions, skills and expressions passed down through generations. These aren’t objects but practices that strengthen identity and diversity and are considered imperative for humanity. It broadly covers five domains: 

(i) Oral traditions, 

(ii) Performing arts, 

(iii) Social practices/rituals/festivals, 

(iv) Nature/universe knowledge,

(v) Traditional craftsmanship. 

2. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established this list to ensure better protection of important intangible cultural heritages across the world and spread awareness of their significance.

3. Intangible cultural heritage, according to UNESCO, is “traditional, contemporary and living at the same time”, “inclusive”, “representative”, and “community-based”. It is “an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalisation” — and “an understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of different communities helps with intercultural dialogue, and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life”.

4. UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List now features around 700 elements corresponding to 140 countries. India currently has 16 elements inscribed on the list, including the Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, the tradition of Vedic chanting, and Ramlila. 

5. For the next year’s cycle, India has sent a nomination dossier for Bihar’s Chhat Puja for consideration of the committee.

Significance of Inclusion of Diwali on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list

1. Diwali’s inscription on the list elevates the festival’s status, encourages safeguarding its traditions and increases its international visibility as a living cultural expression.

2. In a tangible sense, it will boost tourism and cultural exchanges, and look to ensure a sustainable livelihood for artisans who contribute to keeping its traditions alive.

3. India’s pitch for Deepavali is also aimed at the large Indian diaspora. The Intergovernmental Committee advances the objectives of the 2003 Convention signed by member countries and ensures their effective implementation across member states. It offers guidance on best practices, recommends safeguarding measures and mobilises resources for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

Full Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity 2025

1. Amateur theatre acting in Czechia | Czechia

2. Bagpipes and bagpipe playing in Bulgaria: transmission of knowledge and skills | Bulgaria3

3. Behzad’s style of miniature art  | Afghanistan

4. Bisht (men’s Abaa): skills and practices | Qatar – Bahrain – Iraq – Jordan – Kuwait – Oman – Saudi Arabia – Syrian Arab Republic – United Arab Emirates

5. Brussels’ rod marionette tradition | Belgium

6. Christmas Bram and Sambai of Gales Point Manatee, Belize | Belize

7. Commandaria wine | Cyprus

8. Cuarteto: music, dance and lyrics in the city of Córdoba, Argentina | Argentina

9. Deepavali | India

10. Family tradition circus in Chile | Chile

11. Festivity of the Virgen of Guadalupe – Patroness of Sucre | Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

12. Gifaataa, Wolaita people New Year festival | Ethiopia

13. Guruna, a practice of pastoral, socio-cultural and artistic retreats centered on livestock among the Massa | Chad – Cameroon

14. Hadrami Dan gathering | YemenJoropo in Venezuela | Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

15. Koshary, daily life dish and practices associated with it | Egypt

16. Mvet Oyeng, musical art, practices and skills associated with the Ekang community | Gabon – Cameroon – Congo

17. The Confraternity of flowers and palms | El Salvador

18. The practice of Cuban Son | Cuba

19. The zaffa in the traditional wedding | Djibouti – Comoros – United Arab Emirates – Iraq – Jordan – Mauritania – Somalia

20. Traditional Saree weaving art of Tangail | Bangladesh

BEYOND THE NUGGET: New literary works in UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MoW) Programme

1. UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MoW) programme, launched in 1992, is an international cooperation strategy aimed at safeguarding, protecting, and facilitating access to and the use of documentary heritage, particularly rare and endangered heritage.

2. Beginning in 1997, the Register has been biennally updated, with the exception of a lengthy gap between 2017 and 2023, with between nine (in 1999) and 78 (in 2017) additions. In any year, at most two submissions from a country are added.

3. This year, manuscripts of the Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra were added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, taking the total number of inscriptions from India in the list to 14.

📍Natyashastra: Natyashastra is an ancient Sanskrit treatise on performing arts. It is traditionally attributed to the sage Bharata. Comprising 36,000 verses, the “Naṭyashastra embodies a comprehensive set of rules that define natya (drama), abhinaya (performance), rasa (aesthetic experience), bhava (emotion), sangita (music),” the UNESCO citation says.

📍Bhagavad Gita: Bhagavad Gita is a Sanskrit scripture comprising 700 verses that are organised in 18 chapters, embedded in the sixth book (Bhishma Parva) of the epic poem Mahabharata. It is traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa.

4. Notably, last year, three Indian literary works — Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and Sahṛdayaloka-Locana—were added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register. Let’s also know about these literary works.

📍Ramcharitmanas: This manuscript was authored by Goswami Tulsidas.

📍Panchatantra: Attributed to Vishnu Sharma, this is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in verse and prose.

📍Sahṛdayaloka-Locana: Written by 15th-century Kashmiri scholars Acharya Anandvardhan and Abhinavagupta, it was chosen for its aesthetic significance.

Post Read Question

(1) With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. It is a song and dance performance

2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance

3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 only

(2) With reference to India’s culture and tradition, what is ‘Kalaripayattu’? (UPSC CSE 2014)

(a) It is an ancient Bhakti cult of Shaivism still prevalent in some parts of South India

(b) It is an ancient style bronze and brass work still found in the southern part of the Coromandel area

(c) It is an ancient form of dance-drama and a living tradition in the northern part of Malabar

(d) It is an ancient martial art and a living tradition in some parts of South India

(Sources: A glowing recognition: How Diwali made it to UNESCO heritage list, Deepavali festival on Unesco Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity 2025, Bhagavad Gita, Natyashastra manuscripts enter UNESCO register; proud moment: PM Modi)

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