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Q60 (IAS/2024) History & Culture › Heritage & Misc Culture › UNESCO heritage lists Official Key

Which one of the following was the latest inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

Garba of Gujarat was inscribed[1] on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023[2], making it the latest inclusion among the given options. Chhau dance was inscribed in 2010[4], making it the earliest among these options. Based on the chronological order, Durga Puja and Kumbh Mela were also inscribed before Garba, with Durga Puja inscribed in 2021 and Kumbh Mela in 2017. Since the question was asked in 2024 and Garba was inscribed in 2023, it represents the most recent addition to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List among the four options provided.

Sources
  1. [1] https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/jul/doc2024715349801.pdf
  2. [2] https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/jul/doc2024715349801.pdf
  3. [3] https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/chhau-dance-00337
  4. [4] https://ich.unesco.org/en/decisions/5.COM/6.15
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Q. Which one of the following was the latest inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO ? [A] Chhau dance [B] Durga puja…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 5/10

This is a pure Current Affairs question disguised as static Culture. While books define the 'Intangible List', only newspapers (Dec 2023) covered the specific addition of Garba. Strategy: Maintain a 'Last 5 Years' timeline for all UNESCO lists (World Heritage, Intangible, Creative Cities) before Prelims.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
When was Chhau dance inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity)?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Inscribed in 2010 ([5.COM](https://ich.unesco.org/index.php?pg=00272)) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity"
Why this source?
  • This is the UNESCO page entry for Chhau dance, explicitly stating the inscription and the year.
  • It directly names the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and gives the year of inscription.
Web source
Presence: 3/5
"3. Inscribes **Chhau dance** on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity."
Why this source?
  • This is the UNESCO committee decision document recording the act of inscription.
  • It confirms that Chhau dance was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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
Strength: 5/5
“• Prayagraj hosts the Kumbh Mela every six years. Prayag is located at the confluence of three rivers—Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati. A few years ago, UNESCO listed the Kumbh Mela as an 'intangible heritage of the world'.• An estimated 660 million people participated in the Kumbh Mela of 2025. What proportion of the population of India is this?”
Why relevant

Gives a clear example that UNESCO lists intangible cultural events/practices (Kumbh Mela) showing such listings exist and are recorded with dates.

How to extend

A student could consult the UNESCO Representative List (by name) and look up the entry for Chhau the same way to find its inscription year.

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
Strength: 4/5
“with hardly any alterations! DON'T MISS OUT the 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE. So, for anything between 100 and 200 generations, these texts have been committed to memory through rigorous training and passed on orally This meticulous transmission over thousands of years explains why, in 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as 'a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity'. The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers or sages) and rishikas (female ones) in an early form of the Sanskrit language. They were addressed in poetical form to many deities (gods or goddesses), such as Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, Mitra, Sarasvatī, Uṣhas, and many more.”
Why relevant

Notes that UNESCO recognises oral/intangible traditions with a specific year provided for Vedic chanting (2008), illustrating that inscription years are recorded and citable.

How to extend

Use the pattern of named practices with stated inscription years to search UNESCO records for Chhau's entry and year.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 224
Strength: 4/5
“t I 1 I \ ) I I 't • This Convention, which was adopted by the UI{ESCO in 1974 (and enforced in 1975) provides a framework for international cooperation in preserving and protecting cultural treasures and natural areas throughout the world. • The convention defines the kind of sites which can be considered for inscription of the World heritage list (ancient monuments, museums, biodiversity and geological heritage etc.) at least one of the ten criteria. The criteria are given below.”
Why relevant

Explains UNESCO conventions and the existence of formal criteria and lists for heritage inscription, implying there is an authoritative registry where inscription dates appear.

How to extend

Look up the official UNESCO registry or the Convention documents referenced to find the date when Chhau was added to the Representative List.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 223
Strength: 3/5
“• o World Heritage Sites means "Sites arranged of various areas or objects inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) l{orld Heritage List". • r The sites are designated as having outstanding universal value under the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cr.rital and Natural Heritage. AII Rights ReserYed. No part of this naterial may be reproduced in any form or b,v any means, $'ithout permission in writlng. ffi”
Why relevant

Defines UNESCO's World Heritage List and shows that UNESCO maintains formal categorized lists of cultural/natural heritage.

How to extend

By analogy (World Heritage List) a student can infer UNESCO keeps analogous records for intangible heritage and check those records for Chhau's inscription date.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > World HerItAge sItes. > p. 56
Strength: 3/5
“World Heritage Sites mean 'sites any of various areas inscribed on the list of United Nations Educational, Scientifc and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Te heritage sites are designated as having outstanding universal value under the Convention on Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, 1972 (enforced 1975).”
Why relevant

Reinforces that UNESCO maintains lists of heritage with designated values and that listing is a formal process tied to conventions and dates.

How to extend

Use the established practice of formal listings to search UNESCO's Representative List entries (by name or country) to locate Chhau's inscription year.

Statement 2
When was Durga Puja inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity)?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
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
Strength: 5/5
“with hardly any alterations! DON'T MISS OUT the 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE. So, for anything between 100 and 200 generations, these texts have been committed to memory through rigorous training and passed on orally This meticulous transmission over thousands of years explains why, in 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as 'a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity'. The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers or sages) and rishikas (female ones) in an early form of the Sanskrit language. They were addressed in poetical form to many deities (gods or goddesses), such as Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, Mitra, Sarasvatī, Uṣhas, and many more.”
Why relevant

Gives a concrete example of an Indian intangible tradition (Vedic chanting) and states the year UNESCO recognised it (2008), showing that individual cultural practices are inscribed with an associated year.

How to extend

A student could use this pattern (item + year) to look up other Indian intangible items' inscription years and compare, guiding a targeted search for Durga Puja's inscription date.

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
Strength: 4/5
“• Prayagraj hosts the Kumbh Mela every six years. Prayag is located at the confluence of three rivers—Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati. A few years ago, UNESCO listed the Kumbh Mela as an 'intangible heritage of the world'.• An estimated 660 million people participated in the Kumbh Mela of 2025. What proportion of the population of India is this?”
Why relevant

Notes that Kumbh Mela was listed by UNESCO as an 'intangible heritage of the world', giving another example of a major Indian festival being inscribed.

How to extend

A student could compile known examples of Indian festivals on UNESCO lists (e.g., Kumbh Mela) and then search the same UNESCO registry or timeline for Durga Puja's entry.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > World HerItAge sItes. > p. 56
Strength: 3/5
“World Heritage Sites mean 'sites any of various areas inscribed on the list of United Nations Educational, Scientifc and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Te heritage sites are designated as having outstanding universal value under the Convention on Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, 1972 (enforced 1975).”
Why relevant

Explains the existence of UNESCO lists for heritage (World Heritage Sites) and that UNESCO designates sites/items of outstanding universal value, illustrating the institutional practice of inscription and dating.

How to extend

Use the understanding that UNESCO maintains formal lists and dates to check the analogous Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List entries for Durga Puja and its inscription year.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 224
Strength: 2/5
“t I 1 I \ ) I I 't • This Convention, which was adopted by the UI{ESCO in 1974 (and enforced in 1975) provides a framework for international cooperation in preserving and protecting cultural treasures and natural areas throughout the world. • The convention defines the kind of sites which can be considered for inscription of the World heritage list (ancient monuments, museums, biodiversity and geological heritage etc.) at least one of the ten criteria. The criteria are given below.”
Why relevant

Describes UNESCO's convention and criteria framework for inscribing heritage items (though focused on World Heritage), indicating that inscriptions are formal decisions made at committee meetings and recorded with dates.

How to extend

Knowing inscriptions are formal committee decisions, a student could search UNESCO committee session records or the Representative List entries to find when Durga Puja was inscribed.

Statement 3
When was Garba dance inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity)?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Garba of Gujarat Year : 2023"
Why this source?
  • Official Government of India (PIB) document explicitly lists 'Garba of Gujarat' with the year of inscription.
  • Directly names the element and the year: provides the authoritative year of inscription.
Web source
Presence: 3/5
"Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity"
Why this source?
  • UNESCO's site hosts the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the list referenced for such inscriptions.
  • Supports that the relevant inscription would appear on UNESCO's authoritative list.

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
Strength: 5/5
“with hardly any alterations! DON'T MISS OUT the 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE. So, for anything between 100 and 200 generations, these texts have been committed to memory through rigorous training and passed on orally This meticulous transmission over thousands of years explains why, in 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as 'a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity'. The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers or sages) and rishikas (female ones) in an early form of the Sanskrit language. They were addressed in poetical form to many deities (gods or goddesses), such as Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, Mitra, Sarasvatī, Uṣhas, and many more.”
Why relevant

Gives a concrete example of an Indian intangible tradition (Vedic chanting) with a year (2008) when UNESCO recognised it, showing that UNESCO inscriptions include Indian oral/intangible practices and are dated.

How to extend

A student could use this pattern (Indian cultural practices receive UNESCO recognition with recorded years) to search UNESCO records for the year Garba was inscribed and compare timelines of other Indian entries.

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
Strength: 4/5
“• Prayagraj hosts the Kumbh Mela every six years. Prayag is located at the confluence of three rivers—Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati. A few years ago, UNESCO listed the Kumbh Mela as an 'intangible heritage of the world'.• An estimated 660 million people participated in the Kumbh Mela of 2025. What proportion of the population of India is this?”
Why relevant

States that the Kumbh Mela was listed by UNESCO as an 'intangible heritage', demonstrating that large Indian rituals/festivals are inscribed on the same Representative List.

How to extend

Use the Kumbh Mela as another Indian example to consult UNESCO's Representative List entries for India to locate Garba's entry and its inscription year.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Setting > Fig. 13.16 Christian Population (2011) > p. 59
Strength: 4/5
“customs (folk dance, folk lore, folk medicine, etc.) are also important indicators. Cultural regions of India based on Language, Religion and Customs: The cultural regions of India based on language, religion, and traditions have been plotted in (Fig. 13.20). It may be seen from (Fig. 13.20) that on the basis of language, religion, customs, and traditions, India may be divided into the following ten cultural regions: • 1. The Ladakhi-Buddhist Cultural Region• 2. The Kashmiri-Muslim Cultural Region• 3. The Sikh-Gurumukhi Cultural Region• 4. The Kinnauri-Dev-Bhumi Cultural Region (Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand)• 5. The Hindu-Hindi Cultural Region• 6. The Mixed Cultural Region of north east India• 7.”
Why relevant

Notes that customs like folk dance are considered important cultural indicators, implying that folk dances (such as Garba) are plausible candidates for UNESCO intangible heritage inscription.

How to extend

A student could narrow a search to UNESCO listings for 'folk dance' or 'dance traditions' from India to find Garba and its inscription date.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 223
Strength: 3/5
“• o World Heritage Sites means "Sites arranged of various areas or objects inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) l{orld Heritage List". • r The sites are designated as having outstanding universal value under the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cr.rital and Natural Heritage. AII Rights ReserYed. No part of this naterial may be reproduced in any form or b,v any means, $'ithout permission in writlng. ffi”
Why relevant

Explains what UNESCO (and its lists) are and that sites/heritage are officially 'inscribed' on UNESCO lists, establishing the institutional framework and that inscriptions are documented.

How to extend

Knowing inscriptions are formal and recorded, a student could consult UNESCO's official database or summaries of inscriptions to find the exact year Garba was inscribed.

Statement 4
When was Kumbh Mela inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity)?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
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
Strength: 4/5
“• Prayagraj hosts the Kumbh Mela every six years. Prayag is located at the confluence of three rivers—Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati. A few years ago, UNESCO listed the Kumbh Mela as an 'intangible heritage of the world'.• An estimated 660 million people participated in the Kumbh Mela of 2025. What proportion of the population of India is this?”
Why relevant

Explicitly states that 'a few years ago, UNESCO listed the Kumbh Mela as an 'intangible heritage of the world',' confirming the event is on UNESCO's intangible list (though no date is given).

How to extend

A student can take this confirmation and check the UNESCO Representative List chronology or press releases to find the exact inscription year.

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
Strength: 5/5
“with hardly any alterations! DON'T MISS OUT the 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE. So, for anything between 100 and 200 generations, these texts have been committed to memory through rigorous training and passed on orally This meticulous transmission over thousands of years explains why, in 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as 'a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity'. The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers or sages) and rishikas (female ones) in an early form of the Sanskrit language. They were addressed in poetical form to many deities (gods or goddesses), such as Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, Mitra, Sarasvatī, Uṣhas, and many more.”
Why relevant

Gives a clear example of UNESCO recognising an intangible cultural practice (Vedic chanting) and provides the inscription year (2008), showing that such practices are listed with specific years.

How to extend

Use this example to infer that other intangible elements (like Kumbh Mela) will also have a specific inscription year in UNESCO records; check the Representative List entries for the date.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > World HerItAge sItes. > p. 37
Strength: 3/5
“Te World Heritage Site as an institution was established in November 1972 at the 17th General Conference of UNESCO under the terms of the convention concerning the protection of world culture and natural heritage. Te main responsibility of the World Heritage Committee was to provide technical co-operation under the World Heritage Fund to safeguard the selected sites of great biodiversity importance. Te World Heritage Sites of India have been given in Table 4.9.”
Why relevant

Explains that UNESCO establishes heritage lists and gives historical dates for the institution (e.g., World Heritage convention 1972), illustrating that UNESCO keeps dated lists and formal records.

How to extend

Knowing UNESCO records dates formally, a student could consult UNESCO's official database or timeline to locate the inscription date for Kumbh Mela.

Pattern takeaway: The pattern is 'Superlatives in Current Culture'. UPSC shifts from asking 'Which of these is a heritage site?' to 'Which is the LATEST?'. This requires sorting your mental data chronologically, specifically focusing on the 12-month window prior to the exam.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Sitter for newspaper readers; Trap for static-only aspirants. Source: PIB/The Hindu (Dec 2023 coverage of Garba inscription).
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Art & Culture > International Bodies > UNESCO > Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List updates.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the recent chronology: Yoga/Nowruz (2016) -> Kumbh Mela (2017) -> Durga Puja (2021) -> Garba (2023). Also track the 'Tentative List' items like the Living Root Bridges.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: UPSC demands 'Relative Chronology' (Latest/First), not just binary knowledge (Is it on the list?). When studying lists, always tag the 'Year of Inscription' for the last 3 entries.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Examples of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
💡 The insight

Kumbh Mela and Vedic chanting are named as inscriptions on UNESCO's intangible heritage lists, showing the kinds of practices captured by that list.

High-yield for culture questions: knowing representative examples helps quickly classify items as tangible or intangible in prelims and mains. It links to questions on cultural policy, heritage management, and continuity of traditions, and enables elimination-based reasoning in MCQs.

📚 Reading List :
  • 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
  • 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
🔗 Anchor: "When was Chhau dance inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Re..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Tangible vs Intangible UNESCO heritage categories
💡 The insight

Materials reference World Heritage Sites (tangible cultural/natural sites) separately from 'intangible heritage' entries like ritual and oral traditions.

Crucial for syllabus overlap between culture and environment: distinguishes conventions, legal frameworks, and examples tested in UPSC. Mastery helps answer questions on conservation policy, UNESCO categories, and heritage nominations.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 223
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 224
  • 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
🔗 Anchor: "When was Chhau dance inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Re..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 UNESCO World Heritage Convention timeline (key years)
💡 The insight

Texts give dates tied to UNESCO heritage mechanisms: establishment at a General Conference and adoption/enforcement years for the Convention.

Knowing the timeline (General Conference establishment and convention adoption/enforcement) is useful for questions about international heritage law, treaty implementation, and institutional history often asked in prelims and mains.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > World HerItAge sItes. > p. 37
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 224
🔗 Anchor: "When was Chhau dance inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Re..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Indian entries on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list
💡 The insight

Understanding which Indian cultural practices are on the Representative List helps contextualize questions about dates of inscription for festivals like Durga Puja.

High-yield for culture and heritage questions: knowing concrete Indian examples (e.g., Vedic chanting, Kumbh Mela) allows quick elimination in multiple-choice and supports short-answer explanations about intangible heritage. Connects to questions on cultural preservation, heritage policy, and India's global cultural footprint.

📚 Reading List :
  • 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
  • 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
🔗 Anchor: "When was Durga Puja inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Rep..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Distinction between Intangible Cultural Heritage and World Heritage Sites
💡 The insight

Tests about UNESCO listings often require distinguishing intangible cultural elements from physical World Heritage Sites.

Important for UPSC prelims and mains: distinguishes legal frameworks, types of cultural assets, and examples used in answers on heritage management. Links culture syllabus with environment and geography topics that cite World Heritage conventions and site criteria.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 223
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > World HerItAge sItes. > p. 56
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 224
🔗 Anchor: "When was Durga Puja inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Rep..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 UNESCO conventions and timelines for heritage inscription
💡 The insight

Knowing key UNESCO adoption and enforcement years and institutional set-up helps place specific inscriptions in procedural and historical context.

Useful for framing answers on international cultural governance and timelines; helps candidates compare dates of conventions, list establishments, and specific inscriptions in essays and polity/history questions.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 224
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > World HerItAge sItes. > p. 56
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 15: Protected Area Network > 15.14. WONTO HERITAGE SITES > p. 223
🔗 Anchor: "When was Durga Puja inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Rep..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — recognition and examples
💡 The insight

UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list records living cultural practices; India entries include Vedic chanting (inscribed in 2008) and the Kumbh Mela.

Questions often ask which cultural practices India has had recognised and the years; knowing exemplar entries and that they belong to the Intangible list helps answer culture and international-commitment questions. This links culture syllabus to international organisations and current affairs.

📚 Reading List :
  • 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
  • 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
🔗 Anchor: "When was Garba dance inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Re..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

Since Garba (Intangible) was asked, the next logical target is the 'UNESCO Creative Cities Network' (Gwalior - Music, Kozhikode - Literature added in 2023) or the 'World Heritage List' (Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas - 2023, Moidams - 2024).

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Use 'Recency Bias' logic. You have likely read about Chhau and Kumbh Mela in static GK books for years (implying they are older). Durga Puja was a massive headline in 2021. Garba was the only option dominating the news cycle immediately preceding the 2024 exam.

🔗 Mains Connection

Link this to GS-2 (International Relations - Soft Power Diplomacy): How India uses UNESCO inscriptions (Yoga, Garba) to project cultural leadership and boost GS-3 Tourism revenues.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2009 · Q10 Relevance score: 5.50

Recently, which one of the following was included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage list?

NDA-I · 2025 · Q117 Relevance score: 5.24

Which dance form of India has been inscribed into UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity ?

CDS-II · 2006 · Q98 Relevance score: 4.34

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

CDS-I · 2013 · Q11 Relevance score: 3.76

Which one among the following was added in the year 2012 in the list of World Heritage Sites of the UNESCO ?

CDS-I · 2005 · Q103 Relevance score: 3.39

Which among the following are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Centres? 1. Chola Temples 2. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway 3. Bhimbetka 4. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Select the correct answer using the codes given below: