Odisha seeks UNESCO heritage tag for Rath Yatra

The Odisha government has sought the Centre’s support for nominating Puri’s Jagannath Rath Yatra on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, officials said on Monday.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has forwarded a proposal of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to the Centre and sought the intervention and support of the Union Ministry of Culture and Tourism for taking the nomination forward on priority. In a letter to Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on August 1, Majhi said the Rath Yatra is not merely a religious festival but a timeless civilisational tradition.

“The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is not merely a religious festival but a timeless civilisational tradition that embodies India’s rich cultural diversity, inclusivity, spirituality, craftsmanship, music, dance and community participation”.

The Chief Minister said the centuries-old festival attracts millions of devotees and visitors from across the world and remains one of the most enduring symbols of India’s living heritage. Its inscription on UNESCO’s List would further strengthen global recognition of India’s rich intangible cultural traditions and contribute significantly to their preservation and promotion for future generations, he said.

Majhi informed the Union minister that the SJTA had already submitted all supporting documents in the prescribed format. “Considering the outstanding cultural significance of the festival and its universal message of harmony and human values, I request your personal intervention to kindly facilitate the examination of the proposal and extend necessary support of the Ministry of Culture for taking the nomination forward with UNESCO at the earliest,” the Chief Minister said in the letter.

The Chief Minister also said the Odisha government and the SJTA will be pleased to provide any further information or assistance that may be required by the Ministry during the process. Over 50 lakh people participated in the annual Puri Rath Yatra held between July 16 and 27. Notably, Odisha currently has one UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inscription -- the Chhau Dance, jointly inscribed with Jharkhand and West Bengal. If the Rath Yatra of Shree Jagannatha, Puri is inscribed, it will become Odisha’s second entry on the prestigious UNESCO list.