Patna.The Government of India has formed a committee to include the Chhath festival on the UNESCO Heritage List. This process requires community consent, robust documentation, and international cooperation. The Sangeet Natak Akademi, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), is preparing the official dossier.
An expert committee has been formed for this important initiative of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, which includes Manoj Bhavuk, a literary figure, writer, and journalist from Bihar who has internationally recognized and preserved the folk language.
Upon learning of this, senior journalist Shashi Bhushan Kumar, who has championed human rights journalism in the country and the world and has promoted the folk culture and language of Vaishali in SAARC countries, congratulated him and said that Manoj Bhavuk has played a significant role in promoting folk culture and language internationally.
This year, at an international conference held in Vaishali, she presented the “Swar Sharda International Award-2025” in the name of Dr. Sharda Sinha, recipient of the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, a recipient of the Lok Swar Kokila Padma Shri. The award was presented by Amrapali Sahitya Sammelan, Human Rights Today, and the SAARC Journalists Forum at a function of SAARC countries. The announcement was made in the presence of Dr. Sarita Buddhu, an international cultural convener from Mauritius.
Chhath is celebrated as a major festival in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. India has engaged with diplomats from countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Suriname, and the Netherlands, where the Indian diaspora celebrates the festival on a large scale.
Furthermore, the Indian embassies in Mauritius and Fiji are also supporting this effort. This multinational approach strengthens the nomination, reflecting the global nature of the festival. India already has 15 cultural heritage sites listed by UNESCO, including Vedic Chanting, Kutiyattam, Ramlila, Chhau Dance, Yoga, the Kumbh Mela, and Kolkata’s Durga Puja.
Manoj Bhavuk has traveled extensively throughout the country and abroad to promote folk language, including visiting indentured labour countries. He expressed his happiness at being a part of the Indian government’s committee on Chhath.
