UPSC Prelims 2024 Q60: Art & Culture – Cultural Institutions & Awards
- (a) Chhau dance
- (b) Durga puja
- (c) Garba dance
- (d) Kumbh mela
Answer: (c) Garba dance
Explanation
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - India's Inclusions
| Element | Year of Inscription | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chhau dance | 2010 | Folk dance from Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal |
| Kumbh Mela | 2017 | Largest religious gathering; inscribed at Intergovernmental Committee session |
| Durga Puja in Kolkata | 2021 | Festival; inscribed during 16th session of Intergovernmental Committee |
| Garba of Gujarat | 2023 | Traditional folk dance from Gujarat; inscribed at December 2023 session |
Garba was the most recently inscribed (December 2023), making it the latest Indian entry on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
India's total ICH inscriptions: 14 (as of 2023), including Yoga (2016), Durga Puja (2021), Kolkata's Durga Puja, and Garba (2023).
Answer: (c) Garba dance.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Chhau dance was inscribed in 2010 - one of India's earliest ICH inclusions, not the latest.
- (b) Incorrect. Durga Puja in Kolkata was inscribed in 2021 - two years before Garba. Not the most recent.
- (c) CORRECT. Garba of Gujarat was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2023, making it the most recent Indian inclusion.
- (d) Incorrect. Kumbh Mela was inscribed in 2017 - six years before Garba was added.
Key point
Garba (Gujarat) = most recent UNESCO ICH inscription (December 2023). Earlier: Kumbh Mela (2017), Durga Puja (2021), Chhau (2010). India has 14 ICH inscriptions total.
Remember
Garba of Gujarat was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December 2023, making it the latest Indian inclusion.
Common mistakes
- Confusing UNESCO World Heritage Sites (tangible - buildings/landscapes) with Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH - practices, performing arts, festivals, crafts).
- Not knowing the 2023 addition - Garba of Gujarat was inscribed at the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee, Kasane, Botswana, December 2023.
- Thinking Durga Puja was the latest - it was 2021. The question asks for the latest which is Garba (2023).
Exam tip
UNESCO ICH recent Indian additions in reverse order: Garba (2023) > Durga Puja (2021) > Kumbh Mela (2017) > Yoga (2016) > Chhau (2010). For UPSC, always remember the most recent year's addition.
Sources
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage - India Country Page
- Ministry of Culture, Government of India - ICH Nominations