Adityanath welcomes inscription of Deepavali on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list

Lucknow, Dec 10 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday welcomed the inscription of Deepavali, India's festival of lights, on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, calling it a "proud recognition" of the festival that celebrates light over darkness and new beginnings.

In a post on X, the chief minister said the honour holds special significance for Uttar Pradesh, noting that Ayodhya, the sacred land of Lord Shri Ram, is where Deepavali was first celebrated.

"May Ayodhya's eternal light continue to guide humanity towards truth and harmony," he said.

The decision was announced during the 20th session of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), being held at the Red Fort in Delhi from December 8 to 13. Chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' marked the moment of recognition.

India now has 15 elements inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List, including the Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, Vedic chanting and Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana. PTI CDN KSS KSS