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
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
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