Lok Sabha Question No. 1192 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Shri Jagdambika Pal, Smt. Kriti Devi Debbarman, Shri Naba Charan Majhi, Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta, Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi, Shri Praveen Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1192 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025

## NATIONAL INVENTORY OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

## 1192. SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:

SMT. KRITI DEVI DEBBARMAN:

SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:

SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

SHRI SUKANTA KUMAR PANIGRAHI:

SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:

SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state :-

(a) whether the Government has taken steps to ensure timely updating the National Inventory of  Intangible  Cultural  Heritage  (ICH)  by  the  Sangeet  Natak  Akademi,  particularly  for  the documentation, preservation and promotion of marginalised, tribal and lesser-known cultural traditions from the country especially Odisha, including those of the Kandhamal Lok Sabha Constituency;

(b)  the  details  of  the  initiatives  launched  and  grants  sanctioned  along  with  progress  made under  various  Government  initiatives  such  as  the  Guru-Shishya  Parampara  Scheme,  the UNESCO  Intangible  Cultural  Heritage  (ICH)  nomination  processes  and  youth-oriented programmes  of  the  Zonal  Cultural  Centres  (ZCCs)  and  their  effectiveness  in  preserving endangered arts;

(c)  the  details  of  the  regional  cultural  bodies,  cultural  practitioners,  organisations  and stakeholders  from  the  country  especially  Odisha  have  been  involved  or  supported  under these schemes and the manner in which activities of said programmes/initiatives be digitally documented and shared nationally and globally;

(d)  the  list  of  Indian  cultural  practices  recognised  as  intangible  cultural  heritage  so  far, especially from Uttar Pradesh; and

(e)  the  present  status  of  the  development  of  Boudh  under  the  Buddhist  Circuit,  including details  of  conservation  works,  tourism  enhancement  initiatives  and  any  proposals  under consideration for national or UNESCO-related recognition of Buddhist heritage sites in the district/State?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a)  Yes Sir, Ministry of Culture through Sangeet Natak Akademi has been taking steps to ensure timely  updation  of  National  Inventory  of  Intangible  Cultural  Heritage  (ICH)  List  that  covers documentation, preservation of ICH element across the country.
- (b)  Ministry of Culture implements several schemes throughout the country  to preserve and promote rich cultural and heritage of India. Guru-Shishya Parampara scheme provide financial support for all genres of performing arts activities like dramatic groups, theatre groups, music ensembles, children theatre etc. and imparting training of artists by their respective Guru on regular  basis  in  line  with  Guru-Shishya  Parampara. The  Ministry  of  Culture  has  established seven  Zonal  Cultural  Centres  (ZCCs) to  preserve  and  promote  India's  folk  arts  and  culture across  the  country.  These  centers,  with  headquarters  in  Patiala,  Nagpur,  Udaipur,  Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur, and Thanjavur, work to protect, disseminate, and develop regional cultural diversity, involve youth, and document vanishing art forms.

As per UNESCO regulation one nomination is submitted in every two year cycle for including in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. For 2025-26 cycle, Deepawali has been nominated for including in ICH list. Chhath Mahaparv has been nominated for the cycle 2026-27.

- (c) There are 43 organizations under Ministry of Culture for promotion of cultural activities across the  country.  The  details  are  placed  at Annexure I .  The  Eastern  Zonal  Cultural  Centre  (EZCC) organizes  various  cultural  programmes  and  initiatives,  such  as  the  "Guru  Shishya  Parampara" scheme, which includes traditional art forms from Odisha like Gotipua Dance and Paika akhada.
- d) India currently has 15 elements inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural  Heritage  of  Humanity  including  Kumbh  Mela  from  Uttar  Pradesh  in  the  year  2017. Chhatth Mahaparv has been nominated for the ICH List for the Year 2026-27. The details of these elements are placed at Annexure II.
- (e)  Ministry  of  Tourism  through  its  central  sector  schemes  extends  financial  assistance  to  the State  Governments/UT Administrations  for  development  of  Buddhist Tourism.  The  'Buddhist Circuit' has been identified as one of the thematic circuits for development under the Swadesh Darshan  Scheme.  The  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  (ASI)  under  the  Ministry  of  Culture undertakes conservation  and preservation of various monuments including protected Buddhist Sites, under the Annual Conservation program.

Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir, India are included in UNESCO representative list of ICH.

*****

## Annexure-I  referred  in  part  (c)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  1192  for  reply  on 08.12.2025 for National Inventory Of Intangible Cultural Heritage

## LIST OF ATTACHED / SUBORDINATE OFFICES & AUTONOMOUS ORGANIZATIONS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

|   S. No | Organization                                                       | S. No   | Organization                                       |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|----------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Archaeological Survey of India                                     | 23.     | Lalit Kala AKademi                                 |
|       2 | National Archives of India                                         | 24.     | Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies |
|       3 | National Gallery of Modern Arts                                    | 25.     | National Council of Science Museums                |
|       4 | National Museum                                                    | 26.     | Prime Ministers Museum& Library,                   |
|       5 | National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property | 27.     | National School of Drama                           |
|       6 | Central Reference Library                                          | 28.     | Indian Institute of Heritage                       |
|       7 | National Library, Belvedere                                        | 29.     | Nav Nalanda Mahavihara                             |
|       8 | Anthropological Survey of India                                    | 30.     | Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation              |
|       9 | National Monument Authority                                        | 31.     | Rampur Raza Library                                |
|      10 | Allahabad Museum                                                   | 32.     | Sangeet Natak Akademi                              |
|      11 | Asiatic Society                                                    | 33.     | Sahitya Akademi                                    |
|      12 | Centre for Cultural Resources & Training,                          | 34.     | Salar Jung Museum                                  |
|      13 | Central Instt. Of Buddhist Studies                                 | 35.     | Victoria Memorial Hall                             |
|      14 | Central University Of Higher Tibetan Studies                       | 36.     | National Culture Fund                              |
|      15 | Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies                     | 37.     | North Zone Cultural Centre,                        |
|      16 | Delhi Public Library                                               | 38.     | South Zone Cultural Centre,                        |
|      17 | Gandhi Smiriti &Darshan Samiti                                     | 39.     | South Central Zone Cultural Centre                 |
|      18 | Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manava Sangrahalaya                        | 40.     | North East Zone Cultural Centre                    |
|      19 | Indian Museum                                                      | 41.     | West Zone Cultural Centre                          |
|      20 | Indira Gandhi National Centre For the Arts                         | 42.     | Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre                      |
|      21 | Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library                               | 43.     | North Central Zone Cultural Centre                 |
|      22 | Kalashetra Foundation                                              |         |                                                    |

## Annexure-II referred in part (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1192 for reply on 08.12.2025 for National Inventory Of Intangible Cultural Heritage

## Indian ICH heritage inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the ICH of Humanity

|   S. No. | ICH Heritage                                                                                                                    |   Year of Inscription | State/ Union Territory                                  |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Tradition of Vedic chanting                                                                                                     |                  2008 | All states                                              |
|        2 | Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana                                                                            |                  2008 | All states                                              |
|        3 | Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre                                                                                                    |                  2008 | Kerela                                                  |
|        4 | Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas, India                                                   |                  2009 | Uttarakhand                                             |
|        5 | Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala                                                                             |                  2010 | Kerela                                                  |
|        6 | Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan                                                                                     |                  2010 | Rajasthan                                               |
|        7 | Chhau dance                                                                                                                     |                  2010 | Eastern India (West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha)          |
|        8 | Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir, India |                  2012 | UT of Ladakh, UT of Jammu &Kashmir                      |
|        9 | Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur                                                                     |                  2013 | Manipur                                                 |
|       10 | Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India                        |                  2014 | Punjab                                                  |
|       11 | Yoga                                                                                                                            |                  2016 | All States                                              |
|       12 | Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz                              |                  2016 | All states                                              |
|       13 | Kumbh Mela                                                                                                                      |                  2017 | Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh |
|       14 | Durga Puja in Kolkata                                                                                                           |                  2021 | West Bengal                                             |
|       15 | Garba of Gujarat                                                                                                                |                  2023 | Gujarat                                                 |