Bengal’s Durga Puja gets UNESCO’s heritage status

"Durga Puja in Kolkata has just been inscribed on the intangible heritage list. Congratulations India," the organization said in a tweet attaching a photo of the goddess with the hashtag 'living heritage'.

PM Modi has hailed UNESCO's decision as 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," said the Prime Minister.

The Chief Minister underlined that Durga Puja was not just a festival, but an emotion.

"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!" she tweeted.

The Ministry of Culture, too, took to the microblogging platform to extend its wishes to the residents of the city on this achievement.

"Overjoyed that 'Durga Puja in Kolkata' joins the @UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Many congratulations! It is a confluence of the rich heritage and culture of the county's art, crafts, rituals, and practices. Jai Maa Durga!" the ministry wrote.

The department of state information and cultural affairs in Bengal issued a statement to congratulate the people of the state as well as the country.

"The 16th Committee of UNESCO for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in its meeting held on 15th December 2021 in Paris has inscribed Durga Puja in Kolkata on the representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," it said.

The department also noted that this was the "first festival in Asia" to get such recognition.

"It is a red-letter day for us. In a real sense, Bengal is now Biswa Bangla. Our congratulations to all the people of Bengal, the country, and the world. We convey our thanks and gratitude to UNESCO for the recognition bestowed on this great festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," the statement maintained.

Suvaprasanna, the chairman of the West Bengal Heritage Commission, said the annual Red Road carnival, which displays the craftsmanship that goes into the making of Durga Puja pandals, has made more people across the world aware of the grandeur that is synonymous with the festival.