Diwali Shines as a World Heritage Celebration
During the ceremony held at Red Fort, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Minister for Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, were presented with a certificate by UNESCO's team, officially recognizing Diwali as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage list. While this was a moment of pride for Delhi, many temples across Delhi-NCR were lit up with thousands of lamps, resembling the Diwali spirit. People celebrated the achievement by rejoicing in the festival of lights.
The historic occasion of Diwali being included in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list was celebrated in Delhi with great enthusiasm. Temples were lit with strings of electric lights, and the courtyards were adorned with lamps. People were filled with joy as they celebrated Diwali again, just two months after the last one.
Devotees decorated temples and adorned them with lamps. Community members enthusiastically participated in the festivities, sharing congratulatory messages about the global recognition of the country's heritage. Notable temples like the Gauri Shankar Temple and Lal Jain Temple in Chandni Chowk were specially decorated with electric lights.
During the ceremony at the Red Fort, cultural performances were presented by artists as part of the celebrations. The event was marked by the joyous spirit of Diwali and the inclusion of this cultural tradition in the UNESCO heritage list.
In Chandni Chowk, at the Vankhadi Temple, local dignitaries of Old Delhi lit lamps in honor of Lord Shiva. The temple echoed with chants of "Har-Har Mahadev" and "Jai Shri Ram," filling the air with festive sounds. Councillor Suman Gupta of Chandni Chowk called it a historic moment, as the decision to include Diwali in the UNESCO list was made during the international conference at the Red Fort.
Similarly, in East Delhi, the Sitaram Sant Seva Temple in Old Anarkali celebrated the occasion with a grand Diwali event. The Bhishma Lal Sharma Charitable Trust illuminated the temple with thousands of lights. Rajeev Sharma, the president of the Trust, celebrated the moment with slogans of "Jai Sanatan" and congratulated the Indian government for this recognition.
At the Swami Sarvanand Giri Sanskrit School in Geeta Colony, students also celebrated Diwali in a special way. Principal Rajat Mishra and teachers including Ankit Badoni, Pawan Sharma, and Rajesh Sahni participated in the celebrations. The global recognition of Diwali was seen as a proud moment for Sanatan culture.
In South Delhi, as part of the celebrations, Mahrauli MLA and DDC Chairman Gajendra Yadav organized a lighting ceremony at the ancient Yogmaya Temple, where the festival was celebrated with prayers and rituals. Gajendra Yadav expressed that the inclusion of Diwali in the UNESCO list filled every citizen with joy, as the festival symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.
Others present at the ceremony included former municipal councillor Aarti Yadav, Omwati Sharma (President, Maa Yogmaya Residence Management Committee), BJP leader Devendra Sejwal, District Police Committee members Nikhil Sharma, Alok Vats, Lakshman Sharma, Dinesh Yadav, Mohit Chauhan, Pawan Arora, and more.