Bhubaneswar: Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has initiated the process to inscribe Rath Yatra in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, said SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee recently.
“The Chariot Festival, a cornerstone of our revered 12th-century shrine, embodies rich cultural heritage of India and deserves global recognition,” Padhee added.
SJTA is preparing the required documents to submit to the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the official agency that handles the nomination process, he stated on the social media platform X.
@SJTA_Puri has initiated the process to inscribe Ratha Jatra in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The Chariot Festival, a cornerstone of our revered 12th-century shrine, embodies rich cultural heritage of India and deserves global recognition. 🙏 🙏 pic.twitter.com/fvkzRhji3u
— Arabinda K Padhee (@arvindpadhee) March 8, 2025
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Taking to X, sand artiste Sudarsan Pattnaik said, “Jai Jagannath! Thank you, Sir! Kudos to SJTA Puri for taking steps to get the grandest chariot festival, Rath Yatra, recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This will help spread Mahaprabhu Jagannath’s culture globally.”
Padhee, during his recent visit to Delhi, met senior officials from the Union Ministry of Culture to discuss the nomination. The process involves gathering of detailed information and documents about the festival’s traditions and cultural practices.
PNN