A Glowing Recognition: How Diwali Made It to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List (2025)
Table of Contents
Source: Indian Express
Relevance: GS Paper I – Indian Heritage and Culture; GS Paper II – International Institutions
Important Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- UNESCO, Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), Representative List, Social Practices and Rituals, Oral Traditions, Performing Arts, Traditional Craftsmanship, Community-based Heritage, Safeguarding Measures, 2003 Convention
For Mains:
- Cultural Diplomacy, Soft Power, Heritage Preservation, Living Traditions, Identity & Cultural Diversity, Artisanal Livelihoods, Diaspora Engagement, Globalisation and Cultural Vulnerability, Intangible Heritage Governance
Why in News?
Diwali, or Deepavali, has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for 2025. With this recognition, Diwali becomes the 16th Indian element added to the global list, which now features around 700 elements from 140 countries. The announcement came during a key session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee held at the Red Fort, a year after the inscription of West Bengal’s Durga Puja.
What is the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List?
UNESCO distinguishes between tangible cultural properties—monuments, archaeological sites, natural sites—and intangible cultural heritage, which includes living traditions, skills, and expressions passed down through generations.
The ICH list broadly covers five domains:
- Oral traditions
- Performing arts
- Social practices, rituals, and festive events
- Knowledge related to nature and the universe
- Traditional craftsmanship
Practices such as Garba, Kumbh Mela, and even global examples like French baguette-making fall within this category. These practices reinforce cultural identity and diversity and are considered vital for humanity’s collective heritage.
How Many Indian Elements Are on the List?
UNESCO’s ICH list includes around 700 elements globally. Prior to Diwali’s inscription, India had 15 elements, such as:
- Kumbh Mela
- Durga Puja of Kolkata
- Garba of Gujarat
- Yoga
- Vedic chanting tradition
- Ramlila
The 20th session of the ICH panel is underway in New Delhi. For the next cycle, India has nominated Bihar’s Chhath Puja for consideration.
How Does an Element Make It to the List?
UNESCO requires intangible heritage to be:
- Inclusive
- Representative
- Community-based
A notable example is the inscription of France’s baguette-making tradition, which UNESCO described as part of daily ritual and social life. UNESCO’s leadership emphasised that such skills and social habits must be preserved for future generations.
As globalisation and conflicts reshape societies, conserving communities’ social histories becomes more urgent. The ICH list also contains an Urgent Safeguarding List. In 2022, four elements were flagged as endangered:
- Vietnam’s Chăm pottery-making
- Chile’s Santa Cruz de Cuca pottery
- Albania’s Xhubleta garment
- Turkiye’s Ahlat stonework
What Does the Recognition Mean for Diwali?
India’s nomination also aimed to highlight the festival’s significance for the large Indian diaspora, which plays a crucial role in sustaining cultural practices abroad.
The Intergovernmental Committee under the 2003 Convention supports member states by:
- Providing guidance on best heritage practices
- Recommending safeguarding measures
- Mobilising resources for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund
Diwali’s inscription:
- Enhances the festival’s international visibility
- Encourages safeguarding and transmission of its traditions
- Strengthens recognition of Diwali as a living cultural expression
- Boosts tourism and cultural exchange
- Supports sustainable livelihoods for artisans involved in crafts such as diya-making, rangoli, textiles, sweets, and performance traditions
What Does the Recognition Mean for Diwali and India?
1. Cultural Safeguarding and Documentation
- The inscription encourages enhanced documentation, transmission, and protection of ritual practices, ensuring long-term cultural continuity.
2. Boost to Tourism and Cultural Economy
- UNESCO recognition often increases tourism flows and international cultural exchanges, benefiting festival-related sectors.
3. Support for Artisan Livelihoods
- Communities engaged in diya-making, rangoli art, textiles, and sweets gain increased visibility and economic opportunity.
4. Strengthening India’s Soft Power
- The festival becomes a tool for projecting India’s cultural identity, enhancing diaspora engagement and international goodwill.
5. Global Cultural Dialogue
- Diwali joins global traditions recognised for strengthening community bonds, aiding UNESCO’s mission to build social harmony amid globalisation and conflict.
Broader Cultural and Governance Implications
- Highlights the increasing vulnerability of community traditions to commercialisation, migration, urbanisation, and conflict.
- Reinforces the need for India to strengthen:
- Institutional frameworks for cultural preservation
- Community-led safeguarding mechanisms
- Financial and policy support for artisans and tradition-bearers
- Encourages states to engage more actively with UNESCO conventions and international heritage governance.
India’s Cultural Heritage on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List
| No. | Heritage Element | Year | Description |
| 1 | Nawrouz | 2024 | A traditional spring festival celebrating nature, the sun, the universe, renewal, and harmony; symbolises rebirth and the arrival of spring across Asia. |
| 2 | Garba of Gujarat | 2023 | A ritualistic devotional dance performed during Navaratri to worship feminine energy (Shakti); circular formations represent cosmic rhythm and creation. |
| 3 | Durga Puja in Kolkata | 2021 | An annual celebration of Goddess Durga, marked by artistic pandals, elaborate rituals, cultural performances, and mass community participation. |
| 4 | Kumbh Mela | 2017 | One of the world’s largest peaceful gatherings; devotees take a holy dip in sacred rivers, seeking spiritual purification and merit. |
| 5 | Yoga | 2016 | Ancient Indian practice combining physical discipline, mental concentration, and spiritual development for holistic well-being. |
| 6 | Traditional Brass & Copper Utensil-making of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru | 2014 | Craft tradition involving handmade brass and copper utensils using age-old metallurgy techniques and community-based craftsmanship. |
| 7 | Sankirtana of Manipur | 2013 | Ritual singing, drumming, and dancing during religious ceremonies and life-cycle events of the Vaishnava community. |
| 8 | Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh | 2012 | Recitation of sacred Buddhist texts by lamas, reflecting Ladakh’s monastic traditions and spiritual philosophy. |
| 9 | Kalbelia Folk Songs & Dances of Rajasthan | 2010 | Traditional songs and dances of the Kalbelia community, using fluid, snake-like movements that recall their history as snake charmers. |
| 10 | Chhau Dance | 2010 | Dance-drama depicting stories from epics, folklore, and abstract themes, performed in three regional styles in eastern India. |
| 11 | Mudiyettu – Ritual Theatre of Kerala | 2010 | Community ritual theatre portraying the mythological battle between Goddess Kali and demon Darika, performed collectively by villages. |
| 12 | Ramman Festival of Garhwal | 2009 | Annual religious festival combining theatre, ritual, and dance to honor the local deity Bhumiyal Devta in Uttarakhand. |
| 13 | Tradition of Vedic Chanting | 2008 | One of the oldest oral traditions preserving Sanskrit hymns, ritual verses, and philosophical ideas passed down for millennia. |
| 14 | Ramlila – Traditional Performance of the Ramayana | 2008 | Folk re-enactment of Lord Rama’s life story with songs, narration, dialogue, and strong community participation. |
| 15 | Kutiyattam – Sanskrit Theatre | 2008 | A 2,000-year-old classical theatre tradition from Kerala blending Sanskrit drama, stylised acting, gestures, and temple rituals. |
Conclusion
Diwali’s inscription on the UNESCO ICH List is both a cultural honour and a strategic opportunity. It affirms the festival’s significance as a dynamic, community-led tradition that continues to shape social life across India and abroad. The recognition elevates India’s global cultural standing, enhances safeguarding efforts, and strengthens livelihoods dependent on traditional skills. As India deepens its engagement with UNESCO’s heritage framework, the festival’s light becomes part of the shared cultural legacy of humanity
UPSC PYQ
Q. Which one of the following was the latest inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO? IAS/2024
(a) Chhau dance
(b) Durga Puja
(c) Garba dance
(d) Kumbh Mela
Correct Answer: (c) Garba dance
CARE MCQ
Q. Which one of the following festivals has been nominated by India for the next cycle of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List?
(a) Bihu
(b) Chhath Puja
(c) Hornbill Festival
(d) Theyyam
Correct Answer: (b) Chhath Puja
Explanation:
India has sent a nomination dossier for Bihar’s Chhath Puja for the next evaluation cycle of UNESCO’s ICH List
