Context
In his Mann Ki Baat address (September 28), Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for its nation-building role and announced that the government is working to secure UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition for Chhath Puja.
Key Highlights
- RSS and Nation-Building
- Founded in 1925 by K.B. Hedgewar, the RSS is approaching its centenary in 2025.
- Hedgewar’s mission: liberate India from “intellectual slavery” and instill self-reliance.
- Modi emphasized RSS values of service, discipline, and sacrifice, calling it a nation-first organization.
- RSS volunteers’ contributions noted in:
- Disaster relief work
- Rural service projects
- Community welfare and social work
- Chhath Puja & UNESCO Heritage Tag
- Festival Details: Dedicated to Surya (Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya. Celebrated mainly in Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Nepal’s Terai region.
- Rituals: Includes fasting, riverbank prayers, offering arghya (water oblations) to rising and setting Sun.
- Government Initiative: Proposal to inscribe Chhath Puja in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Modi stated UNESCO recognition will allow the world to experience the grandeur and divinity of the festival.
- Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power
- Effort reflects India’s soft power diplomacy—projecting cultural practices globally.
- Previous recognitions include Yoga, Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja, Ramlila, Kutiyattam, Nowruz.
- PM also praised cultural icons: Bhupen Hazarika and remembered Zubeen Garg for their contributions to Indian art and culture.
Relevance for UPSC
Prelims Pointers
- Battle of Koregaon Bhima (1818): Took place during the Third Anglo-Maratha War, where British East India Company troops (including Mahar soldiers) fought against the Peshwa’s forces. It has socio-political significance today, especially in Dalit narratives of resistance.
- RSS: Founded in 1925 at Nagpur; completing 100 years in 2025.
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH): India has 14 elements already inscribed. HQ: Paris.
- Chhath Puja: Ecologically linked festival promoting river conservation, purity, and community participation.
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