India seeks UNESCO recognition for ‘Chhath’
ART & CULTURE – INTANGIBLE HERITAGE
17 SEPTEMBER 2025
- The Culture Ministry held a meeting with senior diplomatic representatives of the UAE, Suriname, and the Netherlands to seek their cooperation for the multinational nomination of the ‘Chhath’ festival for inscription on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity.
- The diplomatic representatives welcomed the initiative.
- Chhath is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya, observed with fasting, ritual bathing, and offerings at water bodies.
- It is mainly celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, parts of Nepal, and among diaspora communities in places like the UAE, Suriname, Netherlands, Mauritius, Fiji etc.
- In 2023, India sent a proposal to include Diwali in UNESCO’s ICH list.
