Puri, Mar 9: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has begun the procedure towards getting UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage tag for the iconic Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri.
This grand celebration, also known as the Chariot Festival, attracts millions of devotees from across India and around the world every year.
As per reports, SJTA Chief Administrator Aravinda Padhee recently visited Delhi and held discussions with officials from the Union Ministry of Culture and sought their support. The discussions have been positive, and the authorities are likely to move forward quickly.
The Srimandir administration remains optimistic about a smooth and timely approval of the process. The nomination dossier is also being prepared and will be submitted soon.
It is worth mentioning that devotees in large numbers from around the globe throng Puri to witness the grand Rath Yatra every year. What makes this festival truly special is that Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings—Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra— come out of the sanctum sanctorum just once a year and give the devotees from all faiths a chance to have His darshan.
Notably, cultural celebrations like Kolkata’s Durga Puja and the Kumbh Mela have already earned a place on UNESCO’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ list.
