In 2021 - Durga Puja in Kolkata UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage wins the title.

Kolkata's Durga Puja festival has been recognized as 'Intangible Cultural Heritage' by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organizations- UNESCO.

14 intangible cultural heritage items from India are now inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List.

In December 2021, Durga Puja was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO Keeping this recognition in mind, Calcutta Mint released special commemorative coins

Among them, the latest celebration is the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata which has been included in the representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Before this, 13 other cultural features such as Kumbh Mela of this country, Vaishnava Sankirtan of Manipur, Chou folk dance of Purulia or Buddhist chanting of Ladakh were included in UNESCO's current cultural heritage list.

The decision was taken when UNESCO's 16th Committee in Paris inscribed Durga Puja as an intangible cultural heritage on December 15, 2021. The work of UNESCO's 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity' is to recognize the world's traditional culture and present it to the whole world. However, the social and cultural aspects of this recognition by UNESCO are more important, but the focus is on connecting people, developing economic base, expanding artistic activities, employment, tourism, inclusion of marginalized groups and inclusion of women. Many people's lives and livelihoods revolve around Durgotsavam in Kolkata, social activities including cultural programs and the influx of visitors enliven the festival. Durga Puja on the world stage adds another feather to the crown of not only Bengalis but India as a whole. It is also a moment of pride for the whole of Asia as it is the first festival in Asia to achieve UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity status.

The recognition was given on Wednesday at the end of the 16th meeting of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage or Intergovernmental Committee on Intangible Heritage.

Tapati Guha Thakurta, director of the Center for Studies in Social Sciences, Kolkata, played an important role in getting Durga Puja recognized as a UNESCO heritage site. In 2015, a book (In the Name of the Goddess: The Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata) by an alumnus of Presidency University, University of Calcutta and Oxford University was published on Durga Puja. The draft dossier was prepared by the Union Ministry of Culture to give Durga Puja the title of heritage. Started working from September 2018. The dossier was submitted in March 2019. He highlighted the comments of various parties involved in Durga Puja.

The Indian subcontinent does not have a pair of autumn festivals. In almost every state of India, including West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Bengalis celebrate this autumn festival.

This festival is celebrated every year in Bangladesh. This year, the West Bengal government applied to UNESCO for international recognition of this universal festival. After the scrutiny of that application, the announcement of recognition was made on Wednesday at the end of the virtual conference of UNESCO on December 13-18.

For several years Durga Puja festival has been held in grandeur on the Red Road of Kolkata on Dasami Puja. Hundreds of puja committees from Kolkata and surrounding areas participated in this event. Calcutta residents celebrate with the statue on Red Road. All famous stars including the film industry joined the carnival. Various socio-cultural and sports organizations of Kolkata also joined it.

In August this year, the West Bengal government through the Ministry of Human Resource Development applied to UNESCO to give the festival international status. In response to the request of the West Bengal government, UNESCO finally placed Durgotsava in the list of traditional festivals of the world.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his satisfaction after receiving the recognition. He said, "This recognition is a matter of pride and joy for every Indian." Durga Puja brings out the best aspects of our culture and traditions. Everyone should experience Durga Puja.'

In 2013, UNESCO recognized the kirtan songs of the Indian state of Manipur as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Then in 2017, Kumbh Mela, one of India's religious festivals, was also recognized.

Durga Puja' After receiving UNESCO's intangible heritage tag, India now has Gujarat's 'Gorba'; Nominated for dance. Recognition of a cultural heritage makes a country more responsible for maintaining that tradition of cultural excellence. Therefore, everyone including the puja promoters, the government should be careful to maintain this status.