UNESCO Recognizes Kumbh Mela “Intangible Cultural Heritage“
Kumbh Mela, considered the world’s largest congregation of religious pilgrims, joins new elements from Botswana, Colombia, Venezuela, Mongolia, Morocco, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates on the list.
The Kumbh Mela has been recognized by UNESCO as an “intangible cultural heritage of humanity“, a tweet by the international organization said. UNESCO Recognizes Kumbh Mela “Intangible Cultural Heritage”
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage under the UN body inscribed Kumbh Mela on the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” at its 12th session in Jeju, South Korea. The meeting, which opened on December 4, will end on December 9, 2017.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday tweeted that it is “a matter of immense joy and pride for India”.
The list describes Kumbh Mela as “the festival of the sacred Pitcher” where pilgrims bathe or take a dip in a sacred river. “The congregation includes ascetics, saints, sadhus, aspirants-kalpavasis and visitors. The tradition plays a central spiritual role in the country, encapsulating a diverse range of cultural customs. Knowledge and skills relating to Kumbh Mela are mainly imparted through the teacher-student relationship, but transmission and safeguarding are also ensured through oral traditions and religious and historical texts,” the statement reads.
The inscription of elements on the list helps countries which are a part of UNESCO’s convention for safeguarding cultural heritage to mobilize international cooperation and assistance for ensuring that communities continue to practice and transmit such aspects of their heritage. UNESCO Recognizes Kumbh Mela “Intangible Cultural Heritage”
The Kumbh Mela, held in Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik, represents a synergistic set of rituals related to worship and cleansing in holy rivers. UNESCO Recognizes Kumbh Mela “Intangible Cultural Heritage”
At any given place, the Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years. There is a difference of around 3 years between the Kumbh Melas at Haridwar and Nashik; the fairs at Nashik and Ujjain are celebrated in the same year or one year apart. The exact date is determined, as per Vikram Samvat calendar and the principles of Jyotisha, according to a combination of zodiac positions of the Jupiter, the Sun and the Moon. At Nashik and Ujjain, the Mela may be held while a planet is in Leo ; in this case, it is also known as Simhastha. At Haridwar and Allahabad, an Ardha (“Half”) Kumbh Mela is held every sixth year; a Maha (“Great”) Kumbh Mela occurs after 144 years.
