UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed ‘Garba of Gujarat’ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 18^th session in Kasane, Botswana.
• The inclusion of Garba now makes it India’s 15^th inscription on the List.

ABOUT GARBA

• A ritualistic and devotional dance performed throughout the State of Gujarat, and across India, Garba is celebrated for nine days during the festival of Navaratri.
• The festival is dedicated to the worship of the feminine energy or Shakti.
• The cultural, performative, and visual expressions of this feminine energy are expressed through the Garba dance.
• The performative and visual celebration of Garba takes place within homes and temple courtyards, public spaces in villages, urban squares, streets, and large open grounds.
  • Garba thus becomes an all-encompassing participatory community event.
• In addition to being a religious ritual, Garba fosters social equality by diluting socio-economic, gender, and rigid sect structures. It continues to be inclusive and participative by diverse and marginalized communities, strengthening community bonds.
• The 14 other elements from India that have been inscripted to UNESCO’s representative list of ICH are
  • Ramlila;
  • yoga;
  • vedic chanting;
  • Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre of Kerala;
  • Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas;
  • Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala;
  • Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan;
  • Chhau dance of eastern India;
  • Buddhist chanting of Ladakh;
  • Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur;
  • traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making in Punjab;
  • Nawrouz;
  • Kumbh Mela and
  • Durga Puja in Kolkata.

WHAT IS INTANGIBLE CULTURE HERITAGE?

• It is the practices, expressions, knowledge and skills that communities, groups and sometimes individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage.
• The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage currently has some 704 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 143 countries.