New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) India's Kumbh Mela has beenrecognised by UNESCO as an "intangible cultural heritage ofhumanity" and held up as the world's largest peacefulgathering of pilgrims.
The external affairs ministry today said the recognitionwas accorded by the Inter-governmental Committee for theSafeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, an entitywhich works under UNESCO.
The decision to recognise the Kumbh Mela was taken at itsongoing meeting in Jeju, South Korea.
The inscription of the Kumbh Mela was recommended by theexpert body which examines the nominations submitted by memberstates. The committee observed it was the largest peacefulcongregation of pilgrims on earth.
"The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding ofthe Intangible Cultural Heritage under UNESCO inscribed the'Kumbh Mela' on the Representative List of Intangible CulturalHeritage of Humanity during its 12th session held at Jeju,South Korea," the MEA said.
The session, which started on December 4, is to end onDecember 9.
It said the inscription was the third in two yearsfollowing 'Yoga' and 'Nouroz'.
While recommending the Kumbh Mela, the expert committeeobserved it was the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrimson earth.
"The committee observed that 'Kumbh Mela' is the largestpeaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth. The festival, heldin Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik, represents asyncretic set of rituals related to worship and ritualcleansing in holy rivers in India," the MEA said.
"As a religious festival, the tolerance and inclusivenessthat Kumbh Mela demonstrates are especially valuable for thecontemporary world," the MEA said in its statement.
The committee also took note of the fact that knowledgeand skills related to the 'Kumbh Mela' were transmittedthrough the Guru-Shishya parampara (teacher-studentrelationship) by way of saints and sadhus teaching theirdisciples about traditional rituals and chants.
Reacting to the recognition, Culture Minister MaheshSharma said it was a proud moment for India.
"A very proud moment for us as sacred Kumbh Mela is justinscribed as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity byUNESCO," he tweeted.
In 2003, the UNESCO General Conference had adopted theConvention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage asan international treaty, acknowledging that cultural heritagewas more than tangible places, monuments and objects and thatit also encompassed traditions and living expressions.
The Kumbh Mela joins new elements from Botswana,Colombia, Venezuela, Mongolia, Morocco, Turkey and the UnitedArab Emirates on the UNESCO list. ASG MPBBDS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.