KOLKATA : Along with the cradle of Bengal´s terracotta temple, Durga Puja will also soon get a world heritage status from Unesco. the state government has prepared a report to pitch for the status and will introduce to Unesco officials as they visit the city for two days from Thursday. While Durga Puja will vie for the intangible heritage crown.
A team from Unesco will be in the city to meet state representatives from across the country and also that of all South Asian countries and seek preliminary applications from them about tangible and intangible heritage of their respective states and countries.
Officials in the state tourism department said that chief minister Mamata Banerjee had herself taken a lot of interest in pitching for an intangible heritage status for Durga Puja. Enthused by the excitement that the Durga Puja procession on Red Road had elicited in the last two years, which was her own brainchild, the CM had asked the tourism department to pitch for the crown for the festival.
The West Bengal Heritage Commission will also be part of the official representation that will meet the Unesco officials that day. Heritage conservationist, Partha Ranjan Das, who will represent the Commission that day said that he will refresh the demand for Dalhousie and a slice of North Kolkata for the world heritage tag.
