Lok Sabha Question No. 1383 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-05
Subject: Intangible Culture of Humanity Lists
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: PARVESH SAHIB SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1383 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.03.2018

## INTANGIBLE CULTURE OF HUMANITY LISTS

## 1383.   SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  Indian  traditions  and  intangible  cultural  activities  covered  in UNESCO's Intangible Culture of Humanity Lists;
- (b) the efforts made by the Government to push for inclusion of the traditions in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
- (c) whether  efforts  are  being  made  by  the  Government  or  State  sponsored organisations for preservation of a dying tradition which has led to its revival and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether  the  same  is  being  touted  to  be  included  in  the  Register  of  Good Safeguarding Practices of the above Lists and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR CULTURE & MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a)  Madam,  a  total  of  13  Intangible  cultural  heritage  (ICH)  elements  from  India have  been  inscribed  till  date  on  the  UNESCO's  Representative  List  of  the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The list of the elements included in the aforesaid Representative List of UNESCO is annexed.
- (b)  For inclusion of an element in the UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the state parties are required to submit nomination dossier on  the  relevant  element  for  evaluation  and  examination  of  the  UNESCO Committee.

The  Ministry  of  Culture  has  appointed  the  Sangeet  Natak  Akademi,  an autonomous  organisation  under  the  Ministry  of  Culture,  as  nodal  office  for matters relating to the intangible cultural heritage including for preparation of the nomination dossiers for the Representative List of UNESCO. The Sangeet Natak  Akademi  (SNA)  accordingly  makes  necessary  interaction  with  the stakeholders, experts/officials etc. prior to finalization of the dossier in respect of  element  identified  for  the  nomination.  Being  the  nodal  office  the  SNA maintains  a  National  Inventory  of  ICH  elements  and  the  inclusion  of  the identified  element for UNESCO in the National Inventory/Register etc. of the applicant member state is also a pre-requisite for inclusion in the UNESCO's Representative List of ICH.

- (c) The Ministry of Culture makes regular Schemes as well as organisations make efforts  towards  preservation,  protection  and  promotion  of  intangible  cultural heritage  in  the  country.  Various  autonomous  bodies  under  the  Ministry  of Culture  have  comprehensive mandates in this  regard  and  are  functioning  in various spheres of preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage and diverse traditions of the country. Some of the major organisations involved in preservation of propagation of ICH are named below:
- i. Sahitya Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi
- ii. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
- iii. National School of Drama
- iv. Centre for Cultural Resources & Training
- v. Zonal Cultural Centres (seven in number)
- vi. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya
- vii. Anthropological Survey of India

Apart from these, there are a number of schemes under the implementation of the Ministry of Culture for providing financial assistance to artists & institutions involved  in  promotion/propagation  of  the  various  forms  of  the  intangible cultural  heritage.  In  addition,  the  Ministry  of  Culture  implements,  since  the year 2013-14 also, a scheme titled 'Scheme for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Diverse Cultural Traditions of India' with the aims and objectives  of  professionally  enhancing  awareness  and  interest  in  Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), safeguarding, promoting and propagating it systematically.

- (d) At present, no program/activity from India is sent for inclusion in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices of the UNESCO.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha UnStarred Question No 1383 for 05.03.2018

## Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

|   S.No. | ICH Element                                                                                                                     |   Year of Inscription |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
|       1 | Tradition of Vedic chanting                                                                                                     |                  2008 |
|       2 | Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana                                                                            |                  2008 |
|       3 | Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre                                                                                                    |                  2008 |
|       4 | Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas, India                                                   |                  2009 |
|       5 | Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala                                                                             |                  2010 |
|       6 | Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan                                                                                     |                  2010 |
|       7 | Chhau dance                                                                                                                     |                  2010 |
|       8 | Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir, India |                  2012 |
|       9 | Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur                                                                     |                  2013 |
|      10 | Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India                        |                  2014 |
|      11 | Yoga                                                                                                                            |                  2016 |
|      12 | Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz                              |                  2016 |
|      13 | Kumbh Mela                                                                                                                      |                  2017 |