“Diwali’s UNESCO glory”
Sunny Dua
sunnydua55@gmail.com
In countless villages across India, far from the shine of city markets, lakhs of potters wake before dawn, kneading raw earth into tiny lamps that carry the hopes of millions. For generations, these craftsmen and women have been shaping diyas and idols of Goddess Lakshmi with their bare hands using mud, sunlight, devotion, and patience. Their livelihoods depend almost entirely on Diwali, a festival that transforms earth into light and labour into dignity.
When UNESCO declared Diwali an intangible cultural heritage of humanity at the Red Fort, chants of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ rent the air. The glow that rose across India was not just cultural pride – it was also the quiet joy of these artisans whose work finally received global honour. In a world desperately trying to find hope, Diwali stands as one of humanity’s strongest reminders that light, even a single flickering flame, can resist the deepest darkness.
Every diya lit in an Indian home is not only a symbol of faith but a declaration of resilience. Behind every flame is the unseen story of a family that survives because someone buys their handcrafted lamp. This was the first time that India hosted a session of the intergovernmental committee for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and India’s Deepavali, known as the festival of light, found a place in the coveted list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
India currently has 15 elements inscribed on the UNESCO’s representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and these include the Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, the tradition of Vedic chanting and Ramlila – the traditional performance of the epic ‘Ramayana’. At a time when some voices criticise the festival for pollution, often ignoring the eco-friendly nature of traditional diya-making, UNESCO’s recognition has underscored a truth that India has known for millennia: Diwali is not a pollutant, it is a purifier. It cleans hearts, binds families, strengthens communities, and sustains livelihoods rooted in natural materials.
Diwali is not new to India; India is built around Diwali. The festival represents some of the most profound values of the civilisation – triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, freedom over tyranny, and truth over arrogance. This is not just mythology. For Hindus, Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana to Ayodhya after a long exile, when the kingdom lit lamps along forests, hills, and villages to welcome them back.
For Jains, it is the sacred night when Lord Mahavira attained nirvana, guiding his followers toward liberation. For Buddhists in some regions, it celebrates the power of enlightenment. While Hindus celebrate Diwali as the festival of lights marking Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, Sikhs observe the same day as Bandi Chhor Divas to commemorate the 1619 release of the sixth Sikh Guru, Hargobind Sahib Ji, from Gwalior Fort along with 52 Hindu princes whom he insisted be freed alongside him through his ingenious act of compassion and justice.
Upon his triumphant arrival in Amritsar on Diwali, the Golden Temple was illuminated with countless lamps, establishing the enduring Sikh tradition of lighting diyas, spectacular fireworks, special prayers at gurdwaras, and communal langar, all symbolizing freedom, the victory of light over darkness, and equality for all. The Sikh significance of Diwali is not a footnote; it is a fundamental truth that also deserves clear recognition in global documents, including those of UNESCO.
The emotional strength of Diwali lies in the fact that it is celebrated not only across religions but across identities, languages, and geographies. The splendour of Indian cities during this season is breathtaking -Ayodhya’s Deepotsav turning the Sarayu banks into a golden ocean, Varanasi’s ghats shining like rivers of stars, Amritsar’s Golden Temple glowing like a jewel floating on water, Kolkata celebrating Kali Puja with unmatched artistic grandeur, and Jaipur and Mumbai glittering in festive brilliance.
Diwali celebrations have long been synonymous with grandeur and spectacle, particularly in Ayodhya, where the annual Deepotsav along the Saryu River has repeatedly shattered Guinness World Records. In 2025, the city illuminated a staggering 2,617,215 earthen diyas, surpassing its own previous feats of over 2.5 million in 2024 and 2.2 million in 2023. These massive displays underscore the festival’s vibrant cultural scale. Ayodhya has also set records for the most people performing diya aarti simultaneously, further highlighting Diwali’s unmatched spirit and its newly affirmed place on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.
But the true heart of Diwali resides in the smallest homes, where a single diya glows with the same sanctity as a thousand. It is found in the huts of farmers lighting lamps after a hard year, in the courtyards of old houses where children draw rangolis, in narrow lanes where neighbours exchange sweets, and in the soft prayers whispered by elders at twilight. The festival binds India emotionally in ways few other celebrations can.
Economically, Diwali is one of India’s strongest cultural engines. It fuels employment on a scale that cuts across sectors and states. Entire communities depend on the festival season- from potters and sculptors to sweet-makers, lantern artists, goldsmiths, florists, garment workers, toy manufacturers, transporters, and shopkeepers. From Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj, every day stimulates trade and traditions. Dhanteras alone contributes heavily to the metal and jewellery markets, with gold, silver, copper, brass, and steel witnessing massive sales.
Sweet shops operate day and night. Marigold farmers bring truckloads of flowers to markets. Even the eco-regulated firecracker industry in places like Sivakasi supports thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on Diwali orders. But Diwali is not only about economic activity; it is deeply rooted in compassion. It is a season when giving becomes as significant as celebration. People clean their homes, decorate their surroundings, forgive old grievances, and begin afresh in their relationships.
Diwali’s global journey is equally remarkable. Today, the festival is celebrated across continents with official recognition in many countries. The White House lights a lamp every year, and so does the UK Parliament. Australia, Canada, Singapore, and several European nations host Diwali events in their public institutions. New York’s Times Square hosts grand Diwali gatherings. Bollywood films, too, have taken Diwali imagery worldwide-showing joyous family reunions, festival scenes, and the emotional core of Indian culture.
Back in India, Diwali falls on Kartik Amavasya and extends over five days-Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja (or Padwa), and Bhai Dooj. Each day carries its own rituals and emotional meaning. Houses glow with lamps, markets overflow with festive items, and streets fill with marigold garlands. Families travel across cities and villages to reunite. The festival, in many ways, becomes India’s greatest moment of collective joy and cultural reaffirmation.
UNESCO’s recognition of Diwali as an intangible cultural heritage list in presence of representatives from 194 countries applauds India’s submission. While the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called it a proud moment that reflects the civilisational depth of Indian culture, it must be noted that the nomination, crafted under the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s guidance, had come after widespread consultations with communities from coastal belts to Himalayan villages, urban centres, tribal areas, and even diaspora groups abroad.
What strengthens the nomination is that Diwali is not a performance-based tradition but a living, evolving cultural ecosystem. From the potter shaping raw clay to the grandmother telling bedtime stories, from the child lighting the first sparkler to the scholar explaining scriptures, from the farmer harvesting festive crops to the artisan crafting rangoli colours-Diwali lives through their hands, hearts, and memories. UNESCO’s recognition is, therefore, a tribute to these carriers of heritage.
The essence of Diwali echoes many sustainable development goals as well, including those promoting rural livelihoods, preserving crafts, strengthening social bonds, encouraging hygiene and cleanliness, and recognising women’s contributions to cultural practices. But as India celebrates this honour, it is important that UNESCO also honours the festival’s multi-faith character, especially its deep relevance to Sikh history through Bandi Chhor Divas. Diwali is not simply a religious event; it is a shared civilisational experience that transcends boundaries of faith.
For India, Diwali is not a seasonal celebration-it is a soul. Its lamps may be small, but the message they carry is immense. They tell us that darkness, no matter how vast, cannot swallow a single, determined flame. Every home that lights a diya becomes part of a vast spiritual chain connecting the present to the past, the ordinary to the divine, and individuals to one another. As the nation glows each year-terrace by terrace, courtyard by courtyard-the message travels across oceans: light is eternal, hope is invincible, and goodness will always prevail. The UNESCO honour simply brings global recognition to what every Indian already knows in their heart.
(The writer is senior journalist)
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