Which one of the following has been proclaimed by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritages of humanity?

Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana, was proclaimed by UNESCO as a 'Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity' in 2005 [t1][t2]. This recognition was later incorporated into the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 [t6][t7]. Ramlila is a sacred performance involving song, narration, and dialogue based on the Ramacharitmanas, primarily staged across northern India during the festival of Dussehra [t9]. Notable performances occur in Ramnagar, Ayodhya, and Varanasi [t7][t9]. While Vedic chanting was also recognized in 2008 [c1] and Kumbh Mela in 2017 [c5], the other options—Purana, Geeta, and Mahabharata—are classical literary texts that do not hold this specific UNESCO designation as individual performance traditions. Ramlila's inclusion highlights its role in bringing diverse communities together through shared cultural expression [t9].

Sources

1. [1] https://cgimunich.gov.in/public_files/assets/pdf/The-Global-Encyclopaedia-of-the-Ramayana_full-Interactive.pdf
2. [2] https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000181293
3. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramlila
4. [4] https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/silk-road-themes/intangible-cultural-heritage/ramlila-traditional-performance-ramayana
5. [5] Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: India's Cultural Roots > a. What are the Vedas? > p. 107
6. [6] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 8: How the Land Becomes Sacred > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 176