In an honour believed to be equivalent to the Oscars, in terms of films, and the Nobel Prize, in terms of the greatest benefit to Mankind in various areas, Kolkata's Durga Puja was on Wednesday granted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) heritage status.
India's pitch to the committee said, "Durga Puja is the best instance of the public performance of religion and art in the city".
Congratulating India, UNESCO informed via Twitter that the Durga Puja had been put on the intangible heritage list.
West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee tweeted her reaction to the news. She wrote, "Proud moment for Bengal! To every #Bengali across the world, Durga Puja is much more than a festival, it is an emotion that unites everyone. And now, #DurgaPuja has been added to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. We are all beaming with joy!"
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter to express his joy. He wrote in Bengali, "It is a matter of pride and happiness for every Indian".
