Intangible Cultural Heritage of India

• UNESCO inscribed Deepavali on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity during the 20^th ICH Committee session hosted at New Delhi’s Red Fort.
• Deepavali becomes India’s 16^th element on UNESCO’s ICH list, following recent additions such as Kumbh Mela (2017), Kolkata Durga Puja (2021) and Garba of Gujarat (2023).

What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?

• UNESCO defines “intangible” as “expressions that have:
  • Passed from one generation to another.
  • Evolved in response to their environments.
  • Contributed to giving us a sense of identity and continuity.
• According to an official document by UNESCO, ‘intangible cultural heritage’ includes “oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.”
• UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was established in 2008.

India’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

1. Deepavali  (2025)
2. Garba of Gujarat (2023)
3. Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021)
4. Kumbh Mela (2017)
5. Navroz (2016)
6. Yoga (2016)
7. Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab (2014)
8. Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur (2013)
9. Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir (2012)
10. Chhau dance (2010)
11. Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan (2010)
12. Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala (2010)
13. Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas (2009)
14. Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre (2008)
15. Tradition of Vedic chanting (2008)
16. Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana (2008)