PM Modi's Big Bihar Pitch: Chhath Puja For UNESCO World Heritage Tag!

In a major address at a public rally in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his government's push to secure a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for the Chhath Mahaparv. He also revealed plans for a nationwide competition for Chhath devotional songs to encourage youth participation and take the tradition to every corner of the country. 'Our government is continuously trying to get our Chhath Mahaparv's name registered in the UNESCO list,' PM Modi stated, highlighting the global pride this recognition would bring. The Prime Minister noted that the festival is now celebrated globally and shared that he was inspired by seeing a foreign national and a woman from Nagaland sing devotional Chhath songs with great feeling. The speech, delivered to a large crowd despite rain, was his first public address in the state after the conclusion of the Chhath festival.