Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s iconic Rath Yatra and Bali Jatra have been included in the “National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage” by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Dr Arabinda Padhee shared the information in a post on his ‘x’ handle.
Very excited to learn that the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s apex cultural body under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India has listed Ratha Jatra and Bali Jatra from Odisha in its “National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage”. pic.twitter.com/62kxRcvx8d
— Arabinda K Padhee (@arvindpadhee) March 31, 2025
As per the Ministry of Culture, the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is an initiative to celebrate and safeguard India’s diverse cultural traditions. The list highlights significant heritage elements from different states, promoting their recognition at national and international levels.
The Rath Yatra of Puri, one of the world’s most famous religious processions, marks the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra from the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple to the Shree Gundicha Temple, 2.5 km away. The deities stay at the Gundicha Temple for a week before returning to their original abode in a grand procession.
Meanwhile, Bali Jatra, a historic festival celebrated in Cuttack, commemorates Odisha’s rich maritime heritage and its ancient trade connections with Bali and other Southeast Asian regions. The week-long festival, which begins on Kartika Purnima, attracts millions of visitors to the banks of the Mahanadi River.
