0070300047

eprese itati
ReçuCLT/CIH/iTH ICH-02-Form
Le - 6 OCT. 2020
United Nations . Intangible
ucational, Scientific and . Guttural
Culturel Organization . Héritage

REPRESE TATIVELISTOF
THE l. TA GIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 0F HU

Deadline 31 arch 2020

for possible inscription in 2021

Instructions for completing thé nomination form are available at: https://ich. unesco. org/en/forms
Nominations not complying with those instructions and those found below will be considered
incomplète and cannot be accepted.

A. State(s) Party(ies)
For multinational nominations, States Parties should be listed in thé order on which they hâve mutually agreed.

India

B. Name of thé élément

B. 1. Name of thé élément in English or French

Indicate thé officiai name of thé élémentthat will appear in published material.
Not to exceed 200 characters

Durga Puja in Kolkata

B.2. Name of thé élément in thé language and script of thé community concerned,
if applicable
Indicate thé officiai name of thé élément in thé vernacular language corresponding to thé officiai name in English or
French (point B.1).
Not to exceed 200 characters

<i>i<p|\9l^ xiçfTîiI*5iï

B.3. Other name(s) of thé élément, if any

In addition to thé officiai name(s) of thé élément (point B.1), mention alternate name(s), if any, by which thé élément is
known.

Durgotsav, Sharadotsav, Sharodiya Durgotsav

Form ICH-02-2021-EN - revised on 18/06/2019 - page 1

C. Name of thé communities, groups or, if applicable, individuals concerned
Identify clearly one or several communities, groups or, if applicable, individuals concerned with thé nominated
élément.
Not to exceed 150 words

Traditional families which hâve been conducting Durga Puja for aver 200 years, in an unchanging
manner.

Durga Puja committees and clubs who organise thé 'Barowari' or community Durga Pujas in ail
neighbourhoods of thé city.

Elected people's représentatives like local councillors and members of thé state législative
assembly, who préside aver thé community Pujas of their respective constituencies.

Apartment complexes.

Forum for Durgotsav, which is an association of thé prominent community Pujas in Kolkata,
formedin2010.

Various departments and wings of thé Government ofWest Bengal.

Groups of artiste, designers, artisans and craftspersons.

Print and télévision média and corporate firms which sponsor awards and invest in Puja-themed
advertisements and on-site publicity in 'pandals' or Puja pavillons.

Commercial industries - primarily food, apparel and tourism, and a séries of smatler subsistenc
livelihoods of hawkers and pavements food stalls.

Citizens' groups and volunteers who help thé crowds touring thé Puja 'pandals'.

D. Geographical location and range of thé élément

Provide information on thé distribution of thé élément within thé territory(ies) of thé submitting State(s), indicating, if
possible, thé location(s) in which it is centred. Nominations should concentrate on thé situation of thé élément within
thé territories of thé submitting States, while acknowledging thé existence of same or similar éléments outside their
territories. Submitting States should not refer to thé viability of such intangible cultural héritage outside their territories
or characterize thé safeguarding efforts of other States.
Not to exceed 150 words

Durga Puja is most important festival of West Bengal and is observed in many states of India, in
Bangladesh, and in major cities of thé world by thé Bengali diaspora. Over thé years, however,
Kolkata has emerged as thé geographical and cultural heart - of thé national and world-wide
célébrations of thé festival. It is where we can trace thé longest history of Durga Puja, from its
grand célébrations within thé mansions of thé traditional families to its growing life as a
community event. In récent times, thé festival has taken on its grandest scale in Kolkata,
encompassing ail city spaces, its largest commercial dimensions, and its spectacular artistic
profile. Today, approximately 5, 000 Durga Pujas are organised in thé city, involving elaborate
organisational infrastructure of thé communities and thé government. While Durga Puja has
become thé city's biggest cultural event, thé city's identity has grown increasingly synonymous
with this festival.

E. Contact person for correspondence

E. 1. Designated contact person

Provide thé name, address and other contact information of a sin le erson res onsible for ail corres ondence

Form ICH-02-2021-EN - revised on 18/06/2019 - page 2

concerning thé nomination. For multinational nominations, provide complète contact information for one person
designated by thé States Parties as thé main contact person for ail correspondence relating to thé nomination.

Title (Ms/Mr, etc. ): Dr. (Mrs.)

Family name: Swami Choudhary
Given name: Rita

Institution/position: Secretary, Sangeet Natak Akademi

Address: Rabindra Bhavan, 35, Feroze Shah Road, Mandi hlouse, New Delhi -
110001
Téléphone number: 91-011- 23387246, 47, 48
Email address: secretary@sangeetnatak. gov. in
mail@sangeetnatak. gov. in
[email protected]. in
Other relevant
information:

E.2. Other contact persans (for multinational files only)

Provide below complète contact information for one person in each submitting State, other than thé primary contact
person identified above.

Not applicable.

1. Identification and définition of thé élément

For Criterlon R. 1, States shall demonstrate that 'thé élément constitutes intangible cultural héritage as defined
in Article 2 of thé Convention'.

Tick one or more boxes to identify thé domain(s) of intangible cultural héritage manifested by thé élément, which
might include one or more of thé domains identified in Article 2. 2 of thé Convention. Ifyou tick 'other(s)', specify thé
domain(s) in brackets.
S oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of intangible cultural héritage
E performing arts
social practices, rituals and festive events
knowledge and practices concerning nature and thé universe
S traditional craftsmanship
D other(s) ( )

77ï;'s section should address ail thé significant features of thé élément as it exists at présent, and should include:
a. an explanation of its social functions and cultural meanings today, within and for its community;
b. thé characteristics of thé bearers and practitioners of thé élément;
e. any spécifie rôles, including gender-related ones or catégories of persans with spécial responsibilities
towards thé élément; and
d. thé current modes of transmission of thé knowledge and skills related to thé élément.
777e Committee should receive sufficient information to détermine:
a. that thé élément is among thé 'practices, représentations, expressions, knowledge, skills - as well as
thé instruments, abjects, artefacts and culturel spaces associated therewith-';
b. 'that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize [it] as part of their cultural
héritage';
e. that it is being 'transmitted from génération to génération, [and] is constantly recreated by communities
and groupsinresponseto their environment, their interaction with nature and their history';
cf. that it provides thé communities and groups involved with 'a sensé of identity and continuity'; and

Form ICH-02-2021-EN - revised on 18/06/2019 - page 3

 e. that it is not incompatible with 'existing international human rights instruments as well as with thé
requirements of mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, and of sustainable
development'.
Overly technical descriptions should be avoided and submitting States should keep in mind that this section must
explain thé élément to readers who hâve no prior knowledge or direct expérience of if. Nomination files need not
address in détail thé history of thé élément, or its origin or antiquity.

(i) Provide a brief description of thé élément that can introduce it to readers who hâve never seen or
experienced it.
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Durga Puja marks thé ten-day worship of thé Hindu mother-goddess Durga. Durga appears in
her divine incarnation as 'Mahishahuramardini' - a goddess created by thé gods to kill thé
démon, Mahishasura. This image of thé demon-slaying goddess is coupled in Bengal with her
image as divine mother and daughter, who descends annually from her husband Shiva's home
in thé Himalayas to her parents' home on earth, accompanied by her four children, Ganesh,
Kartick, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Thé worship of thé goddess begins with thé inaugural day of
Mahalaya, when thé clay images hâve life invoked in them through thé painting of thé eyes, and
ends on thé tenth day of Bijoya Dashami, when thé images are immersed in thé river. Durga
Puja is thé best instance of thé public performance of religion and art in thé city. It witnesses a
célébration of craftsmanship, cross-cultural transactions and cross-community revelry. Thé
manner in which thé festival is enmeshed in a web of compétition and consumption, accelerated
by thé winning of accolades, secures its secular identity, embedding it in thé contemporary
global cultures of touring, spectacle, and entertainment. Thé exemplary character of Durga Puja
lies in its ability to not temporally bound itselfto thé ritual occasion. Its dynamism lies in it being a
constantly mutating event - in its fusion of tradition with changing tastes and popular cultures,
and in thé adaptation of thé iconographies of Durga and thé styles of her temporary abodes to
cater to new régimes of art production.

(ii) Who are thé bearers and practitioners of thé élément? Are there any spécifie rôles, including gender-olated
ones or catégories of persans with spécial responsibilities for thé practice and transmission of thé élément? If
so, who are they and what are their responsibilities?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Durga Puja is a result of thé cumulative effort of several groups of people. Its main bearers are
traditional families who organise Durga Puja in their mansions; neighbourhood clubs and
community Puja committees; Puja committees set up within apartment complexes; elected
people's représentatives; différent departments of thé Government of West Bengal; hereditary
communities of 'purohits' or priests who conduct thé rituals; 'dhakis' or rural drummers who take
this up as a seasonal occupation, and whose performance is central to thé ritual and auditory
ambience of thé festival; groups of artists, designers, artisans and craftspersons; and corporate
firms and média houses, which now hâve a central stake in thé financing of Durga Puja
productions, in offering awards, and in thé publicity of thé festival on a growing scale.
While thé rôles of men and women are clearly delineated within thèse groups of practitioners of
thé festival, current times hâve been witness to striking shifts in gender rôles and conscious
moves towards thé inclusion of thé marginalised social groups in différentaspects of thé festival.
Women are also now taking on important rôles as Puja organisers, fund raisers, publicity
managers, people's représentatives, and heads of governmental departments in charge of
administering thé festival. Social organisations hâve also begun a new initiative of involving a
larger group of unmarried women, widows, sex-workers and transgenders in différent rituals of
worship - a move that was preceded a few years ago by a venture that enables sex workers to
organise their own Durga Puja.

(iii) How are thé knowledge and skills related to thé élément transmitted today?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Form ICH-02-2021-EN - revised on 18/06/2019 - page 4

Thé production and réception of Durga Puja opérâtes on a variety of registers, making thé
process of transmission of knowledge and skills among différent groups of practitioners manifold.
Thé following are thé main routes -
1. Through hereditary practices of image making and pavition construction, where knowledges
and skills are passed on within thé family and occupational trade.
2. Through thé hereditary vocations of 'purohits' (priests) and 'dhakis' (drummers) who hâve
traditionally been associated with thé liturgical aspects of thé festival - some of thèse traditional
vocations are now being brought under new platforms of training and patronage, through novel
forums for thé training of 'purohits', and new forms of corporate-sponsored 'dhaki' compétitions
and awards.

3. Through continuing family traditions of conducting thé Durga Pujas over several générations
and centuries.
4. Through continuing traditions of neighbourhood community Pujas, many of which began
during thé early and mid-twentieth century, with thé charge handed over through différent
générations of Puja committees.
5. Through thé training of art school students and young artists in thé work of Puja pavilion
designing.
6. Through new opportunities of sustenance and innovation that thé changing style of Puja
pavillon designing are bringing to folk and tribal artists and craftsperson from ail over India.
7. Through thé contemporary pervasive rôle of street hoardings, and thé print, télévision,
advertising and social média - which is now taking a lead rôle in disseminating knowledge about
thé festival across thé city of Kolkata, thé state ofWest Bengal, and beyond.

(iv) What social functions andcultural meanings does théélémenthâvefor its community nowadays?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Thé multiple connotations of Durga Puja ranges from it being thé most extravagant public art
carnival in thé country to it's status as thé most important marker of time in thé city's calendar.
As an art festival, it is a thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers who tirelessly
commit to thé unique exhibitionarytransformation of thé city through large-scale installations and
pavillons that amalgamate modem artistry, historical and folk influences, and sophisticated
thematic concepts, cutting across genres of craft. Thé nature of mass participation in thé touring
and viewing of during thé Pujas is exceptional to thé city and thé festival; thé divides of class,
caste, religion and ethnicities collapse in this crowd of spectators. It has also emerged as a
major exercise and successful template in community and governmental management of a
grand public event.
Simultaneously, thé festival signifies 'home-coming' or a seasonal return to one's roots. There is
a constant production of cultural memory and nostalgia for thé festival's past implied in thé
rampant promotion of 'héritage Pujas' and a commitment to thé diligent performance of ail rituals
associated with thé worship of Durga. This is also apparent in thé efforts made by non-resident
Bengalis who endeavour to recreate thé Pujas in their places of résidence to keep thé tradition
alive. Therefore, if thé Durga Puja productions physically transport Kolkata's touring crowds into
a hyper-real world of travels across thé nation and thé globe, thé festival also figuratively
transports ail thé Bengalis to a sensé of 'home'.

(v) Is there any part of thé élément that is not compatible with existing international human rights instruments or
with thé requirement of mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, or with sustainable
development?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

This application makes a counterpoint about thé intrinsically inclusive, secular, inter-community
and inter-class nature of Durga Puja by highlighting thé following features of thé festival -

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1 Thé transition from thé exclusive domain of thé traditional family Pujas to thé public sphère of
thé community Pujas.
2. Thé transformation of thé religious event into a non-denominational community festival of
consumption, touring, congregating, and of art production and viewing.
3. Thé rôle of thé contemporary média in constantly promoting Durga Puja as a 'festival for ail',
as a time for breaking thé boundaries of class, religion and ethnicity.
4. Round-the-year social-welfare activities of thé Puja committees.
5. Thé committed investment of thé West Bengal government in thé secular, inclusive and public
character of Durga Puja.
6. Thé inventive nature of Puja pavilions, that draw on monuments and archaeological sites and
feature endangered folk and tribal art and craft traditions from across thé world.

2. Contribution to ensuring visibility and awareness and to encouraging

dialogue
For Criterion R. 2, thé States shall demonstrate thaï 'Inscription of thé élément will contribute to ensuring
visiblllty and awareness of thé significance of thé intangible cultural héritage and to encouraging dialogue,
thus reflecting cultural diversity worldwide and testifying to human creativity'. This criterion will only be
considered to be satisfied if thé nomination demonstrates how thé possible inscription would contribute to ensuring thé
visibility and awareness of thé significance of intangible culturel héritage in général, and not only of thé inscribed
élémentitself, and to encouraging dialogue that respects culturel diversity.

(i) Howcould thé inscription of thé élément on thé Représentative List of thé Intangible Cultural Héritage of Humanity
contribute to thé visibility of thé intangible cultural héritage in général (and not only of thé inscribed élément itself)
and raise awareness ofits importance?

(i. a) Please explain how this would be achieved at thé local level.
Not fewer than 100 or more than 150 words

Thé local clubs, Puja committees and elected people's représentatives need to be made aware
of Durga Puja's tremendous artistic potential of gaining world récognition. It could become
Kolkata's annual international public art event, on par with thé Kochi Biennale, and could help
transform thé économie and cultural profile of thé city on thé global map. For some years now,
corporate sponsors hâve been harping upon thé importance of a global 'branding' of Kolkata's
Durga Pujas as an unique cultural event that can "bring thé world to thé city". This aspiration will
immensely benefit from thé UNESCO inscription, which will also give a postive boost to many
smaller traditional family Pujas that are struggling to keep themselves going against financial
décline and break-up of thé larger joint familles. It will also secure thé interests of thé différent
hereditary communities - priests, drummers, image makers, artisans, craftspersons - involved
with Durga Puja.

(i. b) Please explain how this would be achieved at thé national levé!.
Not fewer than 100 or more than 150 words

Durga Puja has travelled beyond thé périphéries of Kolkata to be celebrated in other parts of thé
country. 'Prabasi' or non-resident Bengalis living in cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai,
Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore organise Durga Pujas annually that involve a large
number of thé image makers, artists and designers of Kolkata who utilise thèse occasions as a
major source of livelihood and an opportunity for showcasing their works at a national level.
Most of thé important Bengali singers, musicians and bands also hâve their biggest travelling
season during this time in other Indian cities. This aspect of thé nationally and globally
radiating influences of thé Durga Pujas of Kolkata will be immensely fueled by this inscription.
It will also be an encouragement to this growing circuit of 'prabasi' Durga Pujas to extend their
célébrations beyond thé social circle of Bengalis to include other ethnie and linguistic

Form ICH-02-2021-EN - revised on 18/06/2019 - page 6

 communities.

(i. c) Please explain how this would be achieved at thé international level.
Not fewer than 100 or more than 150 words

Thé Crafts Council of West Bengal, under thé leadership of Ruby Pal Chaudhuri, carried out a
unique project titled 'Creating a Durga' which involved organising Durga Puja in différent
muséums in America, Europe and Australia during thé 1990s and 2000s. Thé endeavour
entailed thé performance within thèse muséums of ail thé rituals associated with thé making of
thé image and its worship. Owing to such initiatives and thé large number of Pujas organised by
thé Bengali diaspora in différent parts of thé world, Durga Puja, unlike many other régional
religious festivals of India, has a thriving global identity. Through this inscription, thé already
growing international face of Durga Puja will find a new order of legitimacy and artistic creativity,
adding to thé multi-cultural dimensions of thé event and encouraging Bengali communities
overseas to sustain thé collective vigour and cultural fervor of thé célébrations.

(ii) How would dialogue among communities, groups and individuals be encouragée? by thé inscription of thé
élément?
Not fewer than 100 or more than 150 words

This inscription will serve to:

1. To bring into a common platform of interest ail thé organisational units of Durga Puja - while
each of thèse are deeply embedded in thé idea of an tightly defined internai residential
community, it would be important to bring thèse différent stakeholders into conversation, and
create a sensé of a larger collective around a locality in Kolkata.
2. To bring into productive dialogue thé growing community of Puja designers and artists with thé
corporate sponsors and organisers of community Pujas. This may create an open appréciation
of thé work they produce outside thé narrow circuit of club rivalries and political patronage. This
may also facilitate greater round-the-year employment and commissioning of public art from
thèse groups, and enable thé Puja aesthetic to permeate thé larger aesthetics of urban art.
3. To bring into participatory dialogue thé régional, national, and international organising units of
Durga Puja.

(iii) How would human creativity and respect for cultural diversity be promoted by thé inscription of thé élément?
Not fewer than 100 or more than 150 words

Thé previous sections of thé application hâve already highlighted thé unparalleled creativity and
thé efflorescence of folk and tribal art, in conversation with contemporary design, that stand as
thé most distinguishing feature of thé Pujas. Thé inscription will be an encouragement to - (a)
thé phenomenon of 'art' and 'thème' Pujas and thé range of craft traditions they are abte to
showcase, (b) thé individual careers of thé Puja designers and thé new scales of their creativity,
and (e) thé global imagination at work within thé city's Durga Pujas, and thé taste for recreating
craft villages, architectural replicas and archaeological sites from across thé world, for
consumption by a local public. Thé Durga Pujas of Kolkata as a site of cultural and artistic
pedagogy of thé masses is a possible template for replication and promotion across thé Durga
Pujas in other cities in India and in rest of thé world.

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 7

3. Safeguarding measures
For Criterion R. 3, States shall demonstrate that 'safeguarding measures are elaborated that may protect and
promote thé élément'.

S.a. Past and current efforts to safeguard thé élément

(i) How is thé viability of thé élément being ensured by thé communities, groups or, if applicable, individuals
concerned? What past and current initiatives hâve they taken in this regard?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Durga Puja is thriving locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, and has not needed
urgent safeguarding. However, thé following are some of thé main aspects of Durga Puja that
are being safeguarded by thé groups involved in thé festival:
1. Wide variety of traditional and contemporary créative practices associated with thé festival.
Among them are - (a) 'Mritshilpis' or hereditary groups of clay modellers, who hâve their oldest
and main hub in Kumartuli, in thé northern part of Kolkata. (b) 'Pandal'-makers and their unique
art of ephemeral architecture, involving architectural remakes and monumental pavilions. (e) Art-
school trained artists who hâve made Durga Puja designing their profession, (e) Folk and tribal
artists from ail over India, who are drawn in by thé Puja designers and Puja committees to
showcase their art in Puja pavillons.
2. Attempts at creating a more regulated, civic, and environment-friendly festival:
From thé middle of thé 2000s, there has been a marked attempt by thé state parties, corporate
sponsors and award-givers, and community Puja committees at creating a new régime of civic
rules and régulations, aimed at restricting street congestion, curbing sound and enviromental
pollution, and protecting thé green coverage of thé city. Thé main success of thèse measures
are in thé realm of controlling river pollution - through thé enforcement of stringent rules for
immersion and clearance of thé river of image refuse in thé immédiate aftermath of thé
immersions.

Tick one or more boxes to identify thé safeguarding measures that hâve been and are currently being taken by thé
communltles, groups or individuals concerned:
transmission, particularly through formai and non-formal éducation
identification, documentation, research

préservation, protection

promotion, enhancement
revitalization

(ii) What past and current efforts hâve thé States Parties concerned made to safeguard thé élément? Specify any
externat or internai constraints in this regard?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Thé following steps hâve been taken by thé State Parties:

1. Implementation of several régulations concerning thé environmental sustainability and civic
character of thé festival.
2. Execution of effective crowd management and control of vehicular and pedestrian traffic
during this mega-scale public street event, ofwhich thé Kolkata Police does a stellarjob.
3. Promotion of communal goodwill and social inclusivity among thé différent communities
involved with this festival.
4. Undertaking of a séries of publicity campaigns to foster thé festival for tourism.
5. Thé tourism department of Government of West Bengal organises thé 'Bisarjan Shobhajatra'
or thé Durga Puja Carnival every year to showcase thé award winning Durga images with

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 8

elaborate floats before an assembled public of foreign visitors, important dignitaries and général
spectators through a pre-immersion parade held at thé Red Road.
6. In 2018, thé tourism department of thé Government of West Bengal, in collaboration with thé
British Council, presented an exhibition of photographs, titled 'Bengal' Durga', curated by
Kamalika Bose and Ali Pretty, at thé Totally Thames' festival in London.
7. Thé Centre for Studies of Social Sciences, Calcutta conducted a documentation project on thé
Durga Pujas of contemporary Kolkata (covering thé period from 2002 to 2014) under thé
supervision of Professer Tapati Guha-Thakurta.
8. Thé eastern régional branch of thé Lalit Kala Akademi, India's national academy of fine arts,
conducted a documentation project on thé Durga Pujas of contemporary Kolkata (covering thé
period from 2012 to 2015) under thé supervision of Debdutta Gupta.

Tick one or more boxes to identify thé safeguarding measures that hâve been and are currently being taken by thé
State(s) Party(ies) with regard to thé élément:
El transmission, particularly through formai and non-formal éducation
S identification, documentation, research
S préservation, protection
promotion, enhancement
revitalization

3. b. Safeguarding measures proposed

777/s section should identify and describe safeguarding measures that will be implemented, especially those intended
to protect and promote thé élément. Thé safeguarding measures should be described in terms of concrète
engagementsof thé States Partiesand communitiesand not only in terms ofpossibilitiesand potentialities.

(i) What measures are proposée/ to help ensure that thé viability of thé élément is not jeopardized in thé future,
especially as an unintendedresult of inscriptionand thé resulting visibility and publicattention?
Not fewer than 500 or more than 750 words

Since thé festival is a public phenomenon, thé inscription will not jeopardise thé character of thé
célébration. Rather it will help channelise its créative énergies and cultural profile in new
directions, allowing a streamlining of its excesses. Thé main aspects of thé festival that call for
safeguarding are:
1. Protection and promotion of thé traditional family Pujas that are finding it difficult to keep this
annual ceremony going, due to lack offunds and family support. Initiatives need to be developed
to ensure thé survival and continuity of thèse héritage Pujas, which best reflect thé long history
of thé festival and best retain its age-old devotional and liturgical traditions.
2. Préservation of a set of traditional art forms and practices that are essential to thé festival
such as thé skills of thé hereditary community of image makers at Kumartuli, thé oldest clay
modelling hub in thé city. For several décadesnow, their traditional location of work, their source
of finances and thé viability oftheir livelihood hâve been threatened. Despite its unionisation, this
group has also not benefitted in any gréât degree from thé escalating budgets of Puja
committees and continuous demand for images. A spécial financial forum has to be created to
ensure thé économie and créative sustainability of this art of clay image making, and promote
thé new groups of women and new générations in thé family who are keeping up this
occupation. Other groups working with organic material of décorations, like 'shola-peeth' (white
weed) or cloth for 'pandal' construction can also be pulled out from décline and supported by
Puja committees.
3. Support and actively develop thé large range of new rural labour and working skills that hâve
been drawn into thé Durga Puja - Several Puja committees mentioned how Durga Puja is
providing thé rural population with more than 100 days of work, more effectively than thé
government's officiai scheme for providing 100 days of guaranteed employment and promoting a
séries of skills that are finding a new market in thé field of festival art. This aspect of thé festival

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needs to be actively endorsed and highlighted.
4. Streamlining and régulation of excessive commercial publicities, to highlight thé beauty and
creativity of thé 'pandal' installations - Several of thé Puja committees and designers
emphasised this requirement and thé need to promote a new thinking about thé aesthetics and
artistic landscape of thé city during this festival. They also believe that budgets could be curtailed
and controlled in order to introduce a new form of modération and restraint in thé spending that
goes into every Puja.
5. A platform for a concerted curatorial and design initiative among différent groups of Puja
artists to maintain a level of quality control over thé installations, lighting and thé public art of thé
festival - There is an urgent need to pull thé festival out of thé intensity of neighbourhood
rivalries and competitiveness, out of thé winning of local awards, also out of thé grips of local
political patronage and club control, to give a free reign to théwork of artists and designers, and
thé créative répertoire of craft and folk traditions that are profiled in festival productions. Thèse
artists, designers and craftsperson (most of them coming from economically and culturally
underprivileged backgrounds) will émerge, in thé process, as thé greatest beneficiaries of this
inscription. Through this process, thé potential of thé Durga Puja in becoming thé biggest
branded annual art event of thé city can be realised.
6. Régulation of crowds in thé festival, and thé making of greater space and facilities to bring in
groups of national and international tourists, artists and curators from ail aver thé world without
compromising thé uniquely local and communitarian nature of thé festival.
7. Highlight and capitalise on thé ephemeral nature of festival art, and thé créative economy of
annual renewals, recycling and redistribution of materials, skills and practices - Attempts at
préservation of thé art of thé Durga Pujas in galleries has not proved very viable and effective.
Instead, it is now believed by artists and craftsperson that it is far better to work with organic,
recyclable or bio-degradable material in their Puja productions, and to carry this work from thé
Durga Puja in Kolkata to other subséquent Pujas in thé district. Side by side with thé ephemeral
nature of Durga Puja art, what needs to highlighted is thé way this week long annual festival
sustains thé créative and commercial economy of thé city for ail through thé year.

(ii) Howwill thé States Partiesconcerned support thé implementation of thé proposed safeguardingmeasures?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

As already stated, thé State Parties - various departments and wings of thé Government of
West Bengal, most importantly, Kolkata Police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation, are providing
invaluable logistical support in sustaining thé administrative infrastructure of thé festival and
promoting thé festival in its growing scale and cultural profile. Thèse government agencies hâve
been working actively in a spirit of coopération and collaboration with ail thé other stakeholders
in thé festival. Parallelly, différent cultural bodies and research institutes under thé Government
of India are engagea in creating digital archives on thé Durga Pujas of Kolkata. Hence, thé State
Parties will be best placed in implementing many of thé safeguarding measures proposed in thé
section above. In particular, thé State Parties can play an interventionist rôle in ensuring thé
créative and ecological sustainability of thé festival, by devising a more concerted programme of
implementing thé regulatory measures that were already proposed in thé 2000s, and in
developing newer ones. Following thé moves at acquiring some spécimens of Durga Puja art for
a warehouse gallery in Rabindra Sarovar, Dhakuria, and for public institutional grounds at New
Town, Rajarhat, thé govenment can pro-actively sponsor and promote thé collecting of thé works
of some of thé best Durga Puja designers. This would not only allow thé post-festival
préservation of outstanding samples of Puja images and installations; it will also greatly enhance
thé quality of public art of thé city and provide round-the-year commissions for several talented
craftsperson and upcoming artists in thé city.

(iii) How hâve communities, groups or individuals been involved in planning thé proposée/safeguarding measures,
including in terms ofgender rôles, and howwill they be involved in their implementation?
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 10

Ail thé above proposais for possible areas of safeguarding and protecting thé festival came out
of consultation with différent groups who are directly invested in thé festival. Many of thèse
issues were discussed in thé course of thé fleld work conducted by thé research team as a part
of producing a dossier on thé festival. Long interviews were carried out with Puja organisers,
indigenous craftspersons and artisans, image makers, Puja artists and designers, government
officiais, film makers, média persans and scholars. Thèse discussions were taken forward in a
lively and interactive public meeting that was held with différent stakeholders of thé festival by
Professer Tapati Guha-Thakurta and her research team at thé Jadunath Bhavan Muséum and
Resource Centre on 28th December 2018. This meeting was attended by image makers, Puja
artists and designers, traditional family patrons, représentatives of local Puja committees and
neighbourhood clubs, représentatives of Puja committees of apartment complexes, média
persans, corporate sponsors, scholars, film makers, members of thé Forum for Durgotsav, local
councillors, représentatives of craft organisations like thé Craft Council of West Bengal and
central and state government officiais. Thé proposed safeguarding measures were developed
out of thé suggestions made by them. Thé network of communities established during thé
meeting, it is hoped, can be mobilised while implementing thé safeguarding measures. Thé
nature of thèse measures is such that they cannot be implemented without thé active
participation of thé différent stakeholders' groups.

3. c. Compétent body(ies) involved in safeguarding

Provide thé name, address and other contact information of thé compétent body(ies) and, if applicable, thé name and
title of thé contact person(s), withresponsibilityfor thé local managementand safeguardingof théélément.

Name of thé body: Ministry of Culture, Government of India

Name and title of Ms. Nirupama Kotru, Joint Secretary
thé contact persan:
Address: Room No. 334, C Wing, Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
Central Secrétariat, New Delhi -110 001, India

Téléphonenumber: 91-011-23070767

Email address: jsmuseakad-culture@nic. in

Other relevant
information:

4. Community participation and consent in thé nomination process

For Criterlon R. 4, States shall demonstrate that 'thé élément has been nominated following thé widest possible
participation of thé community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned and with thelr free, prior and
informed consent'.

4.a. Participation of communities, groups and individuals concerned in thé nomination

process
Describe how thé community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned hâve actively participated in ail stages of
thépréparationof thé nomination, including in terms of thé rôleofgender.
States Parties are encouragea to prépare nominations with thé participation of a wide variety of other parties
concerned, including, where appropriate, local and régional governments, communities, NGOs, research institutes,
centres of expertise and others. States Parties are reminded thaï thé communities, groups and, in some cases,
individuels whose intangible cultural héritage is concemed are essential participants throughout thé conception and
préparation of nominations, proposais and requests, as well as thé planning and implementation of safeguarding
measures, and are invited to devise créative measures to ensure that their widest possible participation is built in at
e ver/ stage, as required by Article 15ofthé Convention.
Not fewer than 300 or more than 500 words

Thé task of carefully preparing thé nomination dossier for this élémenthas been carried out by
thé research team established at thé Jadunath Bhavan Muséum and Resource Centre (JBMRC)

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 11

led by Professer Tapati Guha-Thakurta. During thé preliminary stages of préparation, thé
research team identified thé main communities, groups and individuals who are stakeholders of
thé élément and actively contribute to thé accomplishing of thé various components of thé Durga
Puja. Thé identified groups consisted of artists, designers, artisans, craftspersons, image
makers, Puja committees, local clubs and traditional families who form thé core of thé various
communities responsible for executing thé festival. Alongside utilising thé extensive archivai
material of interviews, média reports and photographs on Durga Puja available at JBMRC, thé
researchers conducted fieldwork over a span of four months prior and after thé festival with thé
aforementioned groups. Discussions with them helped in garnering fresh information regarding
thé contemporary status of thé élément, and émergent trends that hâve become synonymous
with thé festival. Additionally, thé team observed thé process of image making and 'pandal'
designing from close quarters, which fostered a nuanced understanding of how thé festival
builds up over thé preceding months and culminâtes through thé cumulative efforts of diverse
groups of créative workers. Thé team also interacted with indigenous artisan groups who were
working on aspects of 'pandal' making and learnt about thé pre-puja organisational
responsibilities of local clubs and government agencies. Thé team documented thé immersion of
thé images that take place on thé last day of thé festival especially at Taki's lchhamati river, thé
border separating India and Bangladesh, that witnesses joint immersions and thé coming
together of thé people of both nations.
Based on existing contacts gathered by thé project expert and leads gained during thé team's
field visits, a list of représentative groups was prepared who were invited to a meeting held at thé
JBMRC on 28th December 2018. This larger set of stakeholders, in addition to thé previously
mentioned groups, included scholars, média personnels, corporate sponsors, filmmakers and
government officiais. Thé principal motive behind organising such a meeting was to inform thé
stakeholders about thé ongoing nomination of thé élément in UNESCO's Représentative List of
Intangible Cultural Héritage of Humanity and invite them to actively contribute to discussions
about thé various aspects of thé festival that need to be efficiently represented in thé nomination.
It was also imperative to collectively address aspects of thé festival that may eventually need
safeguarding and thé potential measures that could ascertain thé same. Thé discussion panned
out in a range of directions, bringing to light newer challenges faced by stakeholder
communities, future prospects of thé festival and potential measures of improvement on thé lines
of stricter quality control, greater artistic freedom and a stronger foundation of économie security
for thé festival.
Thé inputs provided by thé participating groups during thé meeting alongside thé insights gained
during thé fieldwork that preceded it hâve assisted thé team in fitling out différent sections of thé
form.

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 12

4. b. Free, prior and informed consent to thé nomination
Thé free, prior and informed consent to thé nomination of thé élément of thé community, group or, if applicable,
individuals concerned may be demonstrated through written or recorded concurrence, or through other means,
according to thé légal regimens of thé State Party and thé infinité variety of communities and groups concemed. Thé
Committee will welcome a broad range of démonstrations or attestations of community consent in préférence to
standard or uniform déclarations. Evidence of free, prior and informed consent shall be provided in one of thé working
languages of thé Committee (English or French), as well as in thé language of thé community concerned if its
members use languages other than English or French.
Attach to thé nomination form information showing sue/? consent and indicate below what documents you are
providing, how they were obtained and what form they take. Indicate also thé gender of thé people providing their
consent.
Not fewer than 150 or more than 250 words

Thé consent of thé communities concerned with thé festival was obtained during thé research
team's fieldwork and thé public stakeholder meeting, in which thé représentative groups were
informed in détail about thé process and thé purpose of this nomination. Thé consenting groups
included indigenous craftspersons and artisans, image makers, Puja artists and designers,
traditional family patrons, local Puja committees and neighbourhood clubs, Puja committees of
apartment complexes, média persons, corporate sponsors, scholars, film makers, members of
thé Forum for Durgotsav, government officiais and local councillors. During thé meeting, a
network of communities was established between them. Représentatives of ail thèse groups
unreservedly endorsed thé nomination of thé élément and provided consent letters. Apart from a
standard déclaration which states that thé stakeholders actively support and thoroughly
recommend thé nomination of thé Durga Puja in Kolkata on UNESCO's Représentative List of
ICH of Humanity, thé letters also specify thé extent and nature of thé respective stakeholder's
involvement with thé élément and their spécifie reasons for backing thé nomination. There is
space allocated for mentioning thé gender of thé consenting individual as well. Thé consent
letters hâve been collected in thé form of signed hard copy documents. Most of them are in
officiai letterheads of thé signatory. A section of thé consent letters are in Bengali since it is thé
mother tongue of most of thé communities involved in thé festival. We hâve attached a
corresponding translation of thèse Bengali letters with thé appended compilation of thé procured
consent letters.

4. c. Respect for customary practices governing access to thé élément

Access to certain spécifie aspects of intangible culturel héritage or to information about it is sometimes restricted by
customary practices enacted and conducted by thé communities in order, for exemple, to maintain thé secrecy of
spécifie knowledge. If such practices exist, demonstrate that thé inscription of thé élémentand implementation of thé
safeguarding measures would fully respect such customary practices governing access to spécifie aspects of such
héritage(cf. Article 13 of thé Convention). Describeany spécifiemeasures that might need to be taken to ensure such
respect.

If no such practices exist, please provide a clear statement that there are no customary practices governing access to
thé élément in at least 50 words.
Not fewer than 50 or more than 250 words

Thé Durga Pujas of Kolkata, thé city's biggest and most spectacular annual cultural and art
festival, exists in thé open public demain. Thé festival, that is a result of thé sustained efforts of
various diverse social, cultural and économie groups, is celebrated by millions who belong to
both major and minor ethnie communities within and beyond thé city. There are no éléments of
secrecy associated thé festival or aspects whose knowledge is limited only to thé discrétion of
sélective groups. Therefore, there are no restrictive customary practices governing thé élément.

4. d. Community organization(s) or representative(s) concerned

Provide detailed contact information for each community organization or représentative, or other non-governmental
organization, concernée/ with thé élément such as associations, organizations, clubs, guilds, steering committees, etc.:
a. Name.of thé entity;
b. Name and title of thé contact person;

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019-page 13

 e. Address;
d. Téléphonenumber;
e. Email address;
f. Other relevant information.

Durga Puja is a result of thé cumulative effort of several groups of people. We hâve classified
thèse groups into six catégories of persons who hâve given their letters of support and
endorsement for this proposed nomination. Detailed contact information of some of thé
prominent représentatives ofeach of thé catégories are as follows:

Category - 1: Government Officiais

1. Government of West Bengal
Atri Bhattacharya
Principal Secretary, Departments of Home & Hill Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism
'Nabanna', 13th Floor, 325, Sarat Chatterjee Road, Shibpur, Howrah - 711 102, India
+91 3322145656
wb. secy. home@gmail. com

Category - 2: Durga Puja Organisers - Traditional Familles, Neighbourhood Clubs and

Apartment complexes
1. Sabarna Roy Choudhury Paribar Parishad
Devarshi Roy Choudhury
Secretary and Managing Trustée
Saptarshi Bhawan, Baro Bari, 67/3, Diamond Harbour Road, Barisha, Kolkata - 700 008, India
+919830289400
[email protected]

2. Kumartuly Sarbojanin Durgotsav

Nantu Mondai

Assistant Treasurer
1/A, Durgacharan Banerjee Street, Kolkata - 700 005, India
+919830638839
kumartulysarbojanin@gmail. com

3. Sovabazar Sarbojanin Durgotsab

Raja Ray
Secretary
94, ShovabazarStreet, Kolkata - 700 005, India
+919830762620
[email protected]

4. Forum for Durgotsab

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 14

Partho Ghosh

Président

25, Lake Temple Road, Kolkata - 700 029, India

+919038181868
forumfordurgotsab@gmail. com

5. Udita Utsav Committee

Anjan Banerjee
Président
UD02-0801, Udita, 1050/1, Survey Park, Kolkata- 700 075, India
+919830030010
udita. utsav@yahoo. com

Category 3: Image Makers, Artists and Designers

1. Kumartuly Mritshilpa Sanskrity Samity
Babu Pal
Joint Secretary
1, Bashkar G. Pal Street, Kolkata - 700 005, India
+919830123149

2. Independent Image Maker

China Pal

1A, Banamali Sarkar Street, Kolkata - 700 005, India

+919007161727

3. Independent Image Maker

Mala Pal
1, Banamali Sarkar Street, Kolkata - 700 005, India
+919331431685

4. Independent artist
Bhabatosh Sutar
Chander Haat, A-G 40/19/4, Khudiram Palli, Sarsuna, Kolkata - 700 061, India
+919831335314
sutar. [email protected]

5. Independent Painter and Sculptor

Sanatan Dinda
Srishti Apartment, Bl-2, Fiât No. 5D, 63, Madhya Fartabad Road, Kolkata - 700 084, India

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 15

+919830042332
[email protected]

6. Puja designer
Anirban Das

1A, Rajendralal Street, Kolkata - 700 006, India

+919874617047
anirban_graphic@yahoo. co. in

7. Abin Design Studio

Abin Chaudhuri
Architect

62/2, Hindustan Park, Kolkata - 700 029, India

+913324666191
[email protected]

8. Independent Designer
Susanta Paul

Concept Designer
G/63, Baghajatin Pally, Uttara Apartment, 3rd Floor, Fiât No. T2, Kolkata - 700 086, India
+919830494043
[email protected]

Category - 4: Média Personnel and Corporate Sponsors

1. Press Club, Kolkata
Snehasis Sur
Président

P-338, C. l. T. Scheme:VI-M, Phulbagan, Kolkata - 700 054, India

+919830028644
ssur62@gmail. com
He is also associated with thé Doordarshan Kendra, Kolkata

2. Independent Journalist
Samrat Chattopadhyay
8/5B, Jamir Lane, Ballygunge, Kolkata - 700 019, India
+919831148093
[email protected]

3. Correspondent for Thé Hindu

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 16

Shiv Sahay Singh
Senior Assistant Editor

Fiât No. 303, Shanti Villa, 52, Deshbandhu Nagar Road, Hind Motors, Hooghly- 712 233, India
+919836773366
shivsahay. s@thehindu. co. in

4. Représentative ofAnanda Bazar Patrika Pvt. Ltd.

Dhruba Mukherjee
Vice Président Dailies
6, Prafulla Sarkar, Kolkata - 700 001, India
+919831092208
dhruba. mukherjee@abp. in

Category - 5: Scholars
1. Tapati Guha-Thakurta
Professer in History, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta
R-1, Baishnabghata Patuli Township, Kolkata - 700 094, India
+919830057510
tgt1957@gmail. com

2. Sunanda K. Sanyal
Professer in Art History, Lesley University
29, Everett St, Cambridge, MA - 02138, United States ofAmerica
+16173195437
[email protected]

3. Debdutta Gupta
Assistant Professer, Department of Multimédia and Animation, St. Xavier's Collège
30, Mother Teresa Sarani, Kolkata - 700 016, India
+919433132565
[email protected]

4. Kamalika Base

Founder & Director, Héritage Synergies, India

P56, Niva Park Extension, Brahmapur, Kolkata - 700 096, India
+918238527281
[email protected]

5. Susan S. Bean

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 17

Associate of thé Peabody Muséum, Harvard University
112D, Inman Street, Cambridge, MA - 02139, United States of America
susan.s. [email protected]
+16177219265
She was senior curator for South Asian and Korean art at thé Peabody Essex Muséum until her
retirement in 2012. Currently, she is Chair of thé Art & Archaeology Center of thé American
Institute of Indian Studies.

Category - 6: Other Supporting Institutions

1. Victoria Mémorial Hall
Jayanta Sengupta
Secretary and Curator
1, Queen's Way, Kolkata - 700 071, India
+913322231889
[email protected]

2. National Library
Swapan Kumar Chakravorty
Former Director Général
86/1, Collège Street, Kolkata - 700 073
+919830008492
[email protected]. in
Currently, he is thé Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore Distinguished Professor in thé Humanities
(Literary and Cultural Studies) at Presidency University, Kolkata

3. Thé Craft Council of West Bengal

Ruby Palchoudhuri
Président Emeritus
64, Lake Place, Kolkata - 700 029, India
+919903610600
r. palchoudhuri@gmail. com

4. British Council
Radhika Singh
Assistant Director Programme, East and Northeast India
British Council Division, British Deputy High Commission, 16, L & T Chambers, Camac St, Elgin,
Kolkata-700017, lndia
[email protected]

5. Inclusion of thé élémentin an inventory

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 18

For Criterion R. 5, States shall demonstrate that thé élément is identified and Included in an inventory of thé
Intangible cultural héritage présent in thé terrltory(ies) of thé submitting State(s) Partyfies) in conformity with
Articles 11. b and 12 of thé Convention.

Thé inclusion of thé nominated élément in an inventory should not in any way imply or require that thé inventory(ies)
should hâve been completed prior to thé nomination. Rather, thé submitting State(s) Party(ies) may be in thé process
of completing or updating one or more inventories, but hâve already duly included thé nominated élément in an
inventory-in-progress.

Provide thé following information:

(i) Name of thé inventory(ies) in which thé élément is included:

Thé Intangible Cultural Héritage (ICH) of India (UNESCO) - National Inventory

(ii) Name of thé office(s), agency(ies), organization(s) or body(ies) responsible for maintaining and updating that
(those) inventory(ies), both in thé original language and in translation when thé original language is not English or
French:

Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.

In fulfilment of its obligations under thé UNESCO convention on Intangible Cultural Héritage, a
statute to which India is a signatory, thé Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has declared
thé Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's national academy for music, dance and drama and an
autonomous body under Ministry of Culture, as thé Nodal centre for coordinating India's
nominations for various lists and other actions such as developing and maintaining thé National
Inventory of Intangible Cultural Héritage through thé Ministry of Culture's letter no. 2-21/2011-
UNESCO cell dated 21 February, 2011.

(iii) Référencenumber(s) and name(s) of théélémentin thé relevant inventory(ies):

Référence number - 29

Name of thé élément in thé inventory - Durga Puja in Kolkata (Submitted for Nominations)

(iv) Dateof inclusion of thé élémentin thé inventory(ies) (this date should précèdethé submissionofthis nomination):

25 March 2011

(v) Explain how thé élémentwas identified and defined, including how information was collected and processed 'with
thé participation of communities, groups and relevant non-governmental organizations' (Article 11. b) for thé purpose
of inventorying, including référence to thé rôle of thé gender of thé participants. Additional information may be
provided to demonstrate thé participation ofresearch institutes and centres of expertise (max. 200 words).

Thé nomination dossier for thé élément has been prepared by thé research team at Jadunath
Bhavan Muséum and Resource Centre (JBMRC) led by Professer Tapati Guha-Thakurta. Thé
team began by reviewing académie literature and média reporting on Durga Puja alongside
exploring thé archivai material on thé élément available at JBMRC. This was followed by
extensive fieldwork with various stakeholder communities who were carefully identified. During
thé fieldwork, a large body of information and material was collected, regarding thé pre-Puja
organisational infrastructures, thé involvement of indigenous artisan and craftsperson groups
and thé process of image making and pandal designing. Thé team also thoroughly documented
thé journey of thé festival from thé préparation of thé 'pandals' and thé images to thé ultimate
culmination of thèse efforts during thé ten days of thé festival, in thé form of photographs, vidéos
and voice recordings of interviews. Subsequently, a public meeting was held with a wide range
of stakeholders - both men and women, who are responsible for various components of thé
élément, where a discussion about thé future of thé festival and thé potential safeguarding
measures took center-stage. Inputs gained during various stages of thé research has been

Form ICH-02-2021-EN - revised on 18/06/2019 - page 19

adequately represented within thé form.

(vi) Indicate how often thé inventory(ies) is(are) updated (periodicity) (max. 100 words).

Thé National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Héritage is anually updated.

(vii) Explain how thé inventory(ies) is(are) regularly updated. Thé updating process is understood not only as adding
new éléments but also as revising existing information on thé evolving nature of thé éléments already included therein
(Article 12. 1 of thé Convention) (max. 200 words).

Thé National Inventory is an ongoing endeavour of thé Sangeet Natak Akademi to consolidate
into a common platform thé archives and digital databases of India's cuttural héritage. This list,
updated annually, consists of both inscribed and nominated éléments. It is extracted from thé
applications submitted by thé practitioners and stakeholders, who are working towards their
promotion, préservation and protection. It is therefore an outcome of thé participating bodies'
demand to get their respective éléments inscribed in thé Représentative List of UNESCO. Thé
éléments in thé list are part of a larger database culled from régional institutions located across
thé country.

(viii) Documentary évidence shall be provided in an annex demonstrating that thé nominated élément is included in
one or more inventories of thé intangible culturel héritage présent in thé territory(ies) of thé submitting State(s)
Party(ies), as defined in Articles 11. b and 12 of thé Convention. Such évidence shall at least include thé name of thé
élément, ils description, thé name(s) of thé communities, groups or, if applicable, individuals concerned, their
géographielocation and thé range of thé élément.
a. If thé inventory is available online, provide hyperlinks (URLs) to pages dedicated to thé nominated élément
(max. four hyperlinks in total, to be indicated in thé box below). Attach to thé nomination print-outs (no more
than ten standard A4 sheets) of relevant sections of thé content of thèse links. Thé information should be
provided In English or French, as well as in thé original language if différent.
b. If thé inventory is not available online, attach exact copies of texts (no more than ten standard A4 sheets)
conceming thé élément included in thé inventory. Thèse texts should be provided in English or French as
well as in thé original language if différent.
Indicate thé materials provided and - if applicable - thé relevant hyperlinks:

http://sangeetnatak.gov. in/sna/inventory. php

http://www.indiaich-sna.org/index.html

6. Documentation

6.a. Appended documentation (mandatory)

Thé documentation listed below is mandatory and will be used in thé process of evaluating and examining thé
nomination. Thé photographs and thé vidéo will also be helpful for activities geared at ensuring thé visibility of thé
élément if it is inscribed. Tick thé following boxes to confirm that thé related items are included with thé nomination
and that they follow thé instructions. Additional materials other than those specified below cannot be accepted and will
not be returned.

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 20

 documentary évidence of thé consent of communities, along with a translation into English or
French if thé language of thé community concerned is otherthan English or French;
documentary évidence demonstrating that thé nominated élément is included in an inventory
of thé intangiblecultural héritage présentin thé territory(ies) of thé submitting State(s)
Party(ies), as defined in Articles 11 and 12 of thé Convention; such évidenceshall include a
relevant extract of thé inventory(ies) in English or in French, as well as in thé original
language, if différent;
ten récent photographs in high définition;
grant(s) ofrights corresponding to thé photos (Form ICH-07-photo);
Kl edited vidéo (from five to ten minutes), subtitled in one of thé languages of thé Committee
(English or French) if thé language utilized is other than English or French;
grant(s) of rights corresponding to thévidéorecording (Form ICH-07-video).

6.b. Principal published références(optional)

Submitting States may wish to list, using a standard bibliographieformat, thé principal published référencesproviding
supplementary information on thé élément, such as books, articles, audiovisual materials or websites. Such published
wor/cs should not be sent along with thé nomination.
Not to exceed one standard page.

In English:
Banerjee, Sudeshna- Durga Puja: Celebrating thé Goddess: Then and Now, Rupa & Co., 2006,
New Delhi.

Bean, Susan S. - Thé Unfired Clay Sculpture of Bengal in thé Artscape of Modem South Asia'
in Rebecca M. Brown and Deborah S. Hutton eds. A Companion to Asian Art and Architecture,
Wiley-Blackwell, 2011, London, pp. 604-628.
Bean, Susan S. - 'Vessels for thé Goddess: Unfired-Clay Images of Durga in Bengal' in
Pratapaditya Pal éd. Goddess Durga: Thé Powerand Glory, Marg, 2010, Mumbai, pp. 38 - 53.
Bhattacharji, Sukumari -Thé Indian Theogony, Firma KLM Private LTD, 1978, Calcutta.
Bhattacharya, Tithi - Tracking thé Goddess: Religion, Community, and Identity in thé Durga
Puja Cérémoniesof Nineteenth-Century Calcutta' in Thé Journal of Asian Studies, 2007, 66, 4,
pp. 919-962.
Blurton, T. Richard - Bengali Myths, Thé British Muséum Press, 2006, London.
Base, Pradip (Manas Ray tr. ) - Thé Heterotopias of Calcutta's Durga Pujas' in Amit Chaudhuri
éd. Memory's Gold: Writings on Calcutta, Penguin, 2008, New Delhi.
Chatterjee, Kumkum - 'Goddess Encounters: Mughals, Monsters and thé Goddess in Bengal' in
Modem Asian Studies, 2013, 47, 5, pp. 1435 - 1487.
Ghosh, Anjan - 'Spaces of Récognition: Puja and Power in Contemporary Calcutta' in Journal of
Southern African Studies, 2000, 26, 2, pp. 289 - 299.
Ghosh, Anjan - 'Durga Puja: A Consuming Passion' in Seminar, March 2006, 559.
Ghosh, Anjan - Contested Spaces: Puja and its Publics in Kolkata, Centre for Studies in Social
Sciences, 2009, Calcutta.
Guha-Thakurta, Tapati - 'From Spectacle to Art: Thé Changing Aesthetics of Durga Puja in
Contemporary Kolkata' in Pratapaditya Pal éd. Goddess Durga: Thé Power and Glory, Marg,
2010, Mumbai, pp. 54-81
Guha-Thakurta, Tapati - In thé Name of thé Goddess: Thé Durga Pujas of Contemporary
Kolkata, Primus Book, 2015, Delhi.
Guha-Thakurta, Tapati - 'Durga, Didi and thé New-Age Puja' in Thé Hindu, 16 September 2017.
McDaniel, June - Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal,
Oxford University Press, 2004, New York.

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 21

McDermott, Rachel Fell - Revelry, Rivalry and Longing for thé Goddess: Thé Fortunes of
Festivals, Columbia University Press, 2011, New York.
Nicholas, Ralph - Night of thé Gods: Durga Puja and thé Légitimation of Rural Power in Bengal,
Orient Blackswan and RCS Publishers, 2013, Delhi.
Ray, Manas - 'Goddess in thé City: Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata' in Modem Asian
Studies, 2017, 51, 4, pp. 1126-1164.

In Bengali:
Agnihotri, Anita - Kolkatar Pratimashilpira, Ananda Publishers, 2001, Kolkata.
Bandopadhyay, Sandip - Durga Puja: Borobari Thekey Barowari, El Aima Publications, 2011,
Kolkata.
Banerjee, Anjan - Sri Sri Durga Parikramanika, Mayurakshi, 2007, Kolkata.
Bhattacharya, Nabakumar- Durga 0 Durgotsav, Pustak Bipani, 2016, Kolkata.
Chattopadhyay, Samrat éd. - Durga Pujor Note Book, Deep Prakashan, 2013, Kolkata.
Chattopadhyay, Samrat éd. - Durga Dalil: 400 Bacherer Ajana Kahini, Serena Publications,
2018, Kolkata.
Das, Biplab - Baroyari Dugga, Bodhisattva, 2018, Kolkata.
Mitra, Anjan - Kolkata 0 Durga Pujo, Ananda Publishers, 2003, Kolkata.
Sripantha - Smritir Pujo, Punascha, 2003, Kolkata.

7. Signature(s) on behalf of thé State(s) Party(ies)

Thé nomination should be signed by thé officiai empowered to do so on behalf of thé State Party, together with his or
her name, title and thé date of submission.

In thé case of multinational nominations, thé document should contain thé name, title and signature of an officiai of
each State Party submitting thé nomination.

Name: Dr. Rita Swami Choudhary

Title: Secretary, Sangeet NatakAkademi

Date: 28. 03. 2020

Signature: Sd/-

Name(s), title(s) and signature(s) ofother official(s) (For multinational nominations only)

Not applicable.

Form ICH-02-2021-EN- revised on 18/06/2019- page 22