Amazon Quiz (June 2, 2022): Which is the “first festival in Asia” to be added to the ‘Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ by UNESCO?
Durga Puja
Taiwan Lantern Festival
Thaipusam
Phi Ta Khon
Answer: Durga Puja
UNESCO‘s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in 2021, added Durga Puja to its ‘Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’.
“The festival is characterized by large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas, as well as by traditional Bengali drumming and veneration of the goddess. During the event, the divides of class, religion and ethnicities collapse as crowds of spectators walk around to admire the installations,” wrote UNESCO, announcing its decision to include the festival to the list.
Meanwhile, Eric Falt, director of UNESCO New Delhi, expressed his confidence “that this inscription will offer encouragement to the local communities that celebrate Durga Puja, including all the traditional craftspeople, designers, artists, and organisers of large-scale cultural events, as well as tourists and visitors.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also said she was “proud and honoured for what we have achieved,” but took the opportunity to take a jab at the BJP, accusing the saffron party of “spread[ing] lies that I don’t allow Durga Puja celebrations in the state.”
While Durga Puja is celebrated in several states around India, namely, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, the festival is primarily West Bengal-centric, with Kolkata alone holding more than 3,000 community pujas each year.
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