Maharashtra Govt Allocates INR 10 Lakhs For UNESCO Recognition of Pandharpur Wari Festival

The Maharashtra government on Thursday, July 11, announced that it has set aside INR 9,90,000 to create the proposal of Pandharpur Wari for inclusion in UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

Of this amount, INR 8,85,000 is designated for Abha Narayan Lamba Associates, a Mumbai-based firm, to prepare the report for nomination. The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums will oversee the project.

The Pandharpur Wari is a major pilgrimage in Maharashtra. During the months of Ashada (June–July) and Kartika (November), hundreds of thousands of Lord Vithoba devotees travel on foot to Pandharpur. They carry palkis (palanquins) of Bhakti sect saints, including Nivruttinath, Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram.

On June 28, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also announced the plans for the proposal. The Finance Minister also highlighted the importance of the Wari in his budget speech, noting its thousand-year-old tradition and cultural significance to Maharashtra. 

He also mentioned that a proposal has been made to UNESCO for the world heritage designation of 12 forts from the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The state is also preparing proposals for the Dahi Handi Utsav, Ganesh Utsav, and the petroglyphs in the Konkan region.

Each year, state governments submit proposals to the union government, which then selects one from each state to send to UNESCO. Maharashtra is home to six of India's 42 World Heritage Sites. These include the Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephanta Caves, Western Ghats, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensembles on Marine Drive in Mumbai.

This year, India has submitted a nomination for the 2024–2025 UNESCO World Heritage List under the title "Maratha Military Landscapes of India." This includes the 12 forts of Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Ginger fort in Tamil Nadu. They stand for the Marathas' military prowess during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.