Nagpur, Dec 10 (LatestNewsX) – Maharashtra’s Cultural Affairs Minister, Ashish Shelar, told the state legislature on Wednesday that the festival of “Diwali” has now been added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a development he said will boost the global visibility of Indian traditions.
He explained that last year, following the direction of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state secured UNESCO recognition for “Maratha Military Architecture,” a tangible cultural asset. The addition of “Diwali” to the intangible list is a source of immense pride, he added, noting that the Central Government’s Ministry of Culture had put the festival forward for the 2025‑26 review.
Shelar went on to highlight how “Diwali” captures the shift from darkness to light, from despair to hope and from struggle to success, embodying a hopeful outlook on life. He said the celebration is deeply intertwined with Maharashtra’s farming practices and Marathi customs, and that the festival’s ancient roots reflect the country’s broader nature‑based celebratory culture, which carries universal significance. The new designation, he said, will help propagate Indian festivals, customs and, by extension, Indian culture worldwide.
The minister expressed his thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. He attributed India’s rich cultural heritage’s historic acknowledgment to persistent advocacy and strong leadership.
According to the Department of Cultural Affairs, intangible heritage refers to living, non‑physical expressions that are transmitted from one generation to the next. The department added that being listed is the ultimate global honor for a cultural practice. It draws international focus to the element, fostering respect for diverse ways of life and mobilizing both domestic and foreign resources to safeguard and pass on the tradition to future generations, reinforcing identity and continuity among its practitioners.
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