Deepavali Inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List

Why in News? The Festival of Lights, Deepavali, was officially inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Key Points:

• Inscription Date/Context: The inscription was announced on Wednesday (December 10, 2025) during the 20th session of the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee held in New Delhi, India.
• Significance: Deepavali is now the 16th element from India to be inscribed on the list.
• Heritage Acknowledgment: UNESCO acknowledges Deepavali as a living heritage that:
  • Strengthens social bonds and unity.
  • Supports traditional craftsmanship (e.g., potters crafting ‘diyas’).
  • Reinforces values of generosity and well-being.
  • Commemorates the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.
• Global Recognition: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers highlighted that the recognition would contribute to the festival’s global popularity and acknowledge the cultural and spiritual significance of the festival.

What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?

• Intangible Cultural Heritage refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills—as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts, and cultural spaces associated with them—that communities, groups, and in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.
• It is considered “intangible” because it is living and constantly evolving, passed down from generation to generation.

Five Main Domains of ICH:

UNESCO identifies five broad areas in which ICH is manifested:

1. Oral traditions and expressions (including language as a vehicle of ICH).
2. Performing arts (such as traditional music, dance, and theatre).
3. Social practices, rituals, and festive events (e.g., festivals like Deepavali or rituals like Mudiyettu).
4. Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe (e.g., traditional medicine, farming practices).
5. Traditional craftsmanship (e.g., the Thatheras craft of utensil making).

India and the UNESCO ICH List:

• With the recent inclusion of Deepavali, India now has 16 elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This makes India one of the countries with the largest number of recognized ICH elements.

Key Indian Inscriptions (Chronological):