Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Monday expressed happiness over the inclusion of the famous Ratha Jatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri and Bali Jatra in the list of National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Sangeet Natak Academi.
Calling the development as a proud moment for the people of Odisha, CM Majhi also said that the state is looking forward to the global recognition of the timeless tradition of Odisha by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
“Delighted that Ratha Jatra & Bali Jatra, symbols of Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, have been listed in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage by @sangeetnatak. This is a proud moment for every Odia, and we look forward to their well-deserved recognition on @UNESCO’sglobal stage,” wrote CM Majhi on his X handle Monday.
It is pertinent here to mention that in fulfillment of its obligations under the UNESCO convention on ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage), a statute to which India is a signatory, the Ministry of Culture, has declared the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s apex body on culture, as the nodal centre for coordinating India’s nominations for various lists and other actions such as developing and maintaining the National Inventory of ICH.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi’s nomination as the ICH Nodal agency has been endorsed, as required by the Akademi’s constitution, by its duly constituted Executive Board and General Council.
These intangible heritage elements following approval are later placed on the UNESCO Representative List as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
As many as 15 intangible cultural heritage elements of India have been on the prestigious UNESCO’s Representative List of ICH of Humanity. The list of ICH of India includes the Gujarati folk dance Garba, Kolkata’s Durga Puja, Chau Dance, etc. The UNESCO ICH refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, and cultural spaces that are recognized as part of the cultural heritage of a community, group, or individual.
IANS
