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Yogi Adityanath hails Unesco recognition for Deepavali, highlights festival’s Ayodhya connection
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath says this global recognition honours a festival that symbolises the triumph of light over darkness and the spirit of new beginnings
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday hailed the inclusion of Deepavali in Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. He emphasised the special significance of this recognition for Uttar Pradesh.
“For Uttar Pradesh, this honour is especially meaningful. Ayodhya, the sacred land of Prabhu Shri Ram, is where Deepavali was first celebrated,” Adityanath wrote on X.
“The inscription of Deepavali on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List is a proud recognition of a festival that celebrates light over darkness and new beginnings. This global acknowledgment reflects India’s growing cultural stature under the leadership of Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi Ji,” he wrote.
“May Ayodhya’s eternal light continue to guide humanity towards truth and harmony,” he added.
He said this global recognition honours a festival that symbolises the triumph of light over darkness and the spirit of new beginnings. The achievement, he noted, further reinforces India’s cultural strength and the universal relevance of its traditions.
He added that the growing acceptance of India’s festivals and traditions by the global community is a highly encouraging development. Expressing optimism, he said, “The eternal light of Ayodhya will continue to inspire humanity to walk the path of truth and harmony.”
It is not merely a festival, but a way of life that guides society towards unity and shared values, he said.
Deepavali or Diwali -- the festival of lights -- was inscribed in Unesco’s ‘Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ at a meeting of the global body hosted at the Red Fort in Delhi.
The 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), and the first one hosted by India, is underway from December 8 to 13 at the Red Fort.
India currently has 15 elements inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, including the Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, the tradition of Vedic chanting and Ramlila - the traditional performance of the epic ‘Ramayana’.
