- The Kumbh Mela has concluded. Kumbh Mela is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth. During the festival pilgrims bathe or take a dip in the holy Ganges. The festival is held at Prayagraj (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation. In 2019, it was held at Prayagraj.
- The Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019 has secured place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest crowd management, largest sanitation drive and largest painting exercise of public site.
- In 2017, Kumbh Mela was included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- A total of 13 Intangible cultural heritage elements from India have been inscribed till date on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These include a) Tradition of Vedic Chanting, b) Ramleela, c) Kutiyattam, d) Ramman, e) Mudiyettu, f) Klabelia folk songs and dances, g) Chhau dance, h) Buddhist chanting of Ladakh, i) Sankirtana, j) Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, k) Yoga, l) Novruz, and, m) Kumbh mela.
- UNESCO’s Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage is a list of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide. It aims at better protection of these intangible cultural heritages and raise awareness about their significance. The list was established in 2008 when the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage came into effect. There are two types of lists: a) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and b) List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
- Intangible Cultural Heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills –as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces that communities, groups or individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. Examples include oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, the knowledge and skills to produce traditional craft.
