Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
India is a country with a rich cultural heritage that has made its mark on the world. Indian heritage has ended up on the list of world heritage sites in India from 1983 to the newest addition in 2021. There will be a total of 40 UNESCO Sites in India in 2021. These sites are as diverse and range from caves to palaces. Even the Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla and Nilgiri are mentioned for their beautiful scenery and structure. This article will learn about every site declared as a World Heritage Site and how UNESCO selects the sites to put on the list.
The List Of World Heritage Sites in India:
- Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra- 1983
- Ellora Caves, Maharashtra- 1983
- Red Fort, Agra- 1983
- Taj Mahal, Agra- 1983
- Sun Temple, Orissa- 1984
- Mahabalipuram Monuments, Tamil Nadu-1984
- Kaziranga National Park, Assam- 1985
- Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan- 1985
- Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam- 1985
- Churches and Convents of Goa, Goa- 1986
- Monuments of Khajuraho- 1986
- Monuments of Hampi, Karnataka- 1986
- Fatehpur Sikri, Agra- 1986
- Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra-1987
- Great Living Chola Temples, Tamil Nadu- 1987
- Pattadakal Monuments, Karnataka- 1987
- Sunderbans National Park, West Bengal- 1987
- Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttarakhand- 1988
- Monuments of Buddha, Sanchi- 1989
- Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi-1993
- Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi- 1993
- Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla and Nilgiri, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu- 1999
- Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar-2002
- Bhimbetka Rock Shelter, Madhya Pradesh- 2003
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra-2004
- Champaner- Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat- 2004
- Red Fort, Delhi- 2007
- Jantar Mantar, Delhi- 2010
- Western Ghat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra- 2012
- Hill Forts, Rajasthan-2013
- Rani ki Vav, Gujarat- 2014
- Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh- 2014
- Nalanda, Bihar-2016
- Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim- 2016
- Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, Chandigarh- 2016
- The Historic City, Ahmedabad -2017
- Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble, Mumbai- 2018
- The Pink City, Jaipur- 2019
- Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple, Telangana -2021
- Dholavira, Gujarat- 2021
Selection of Unesco Sites
UNESCO adds the sites it believes are important for their cultural heritage and physical significance to humanity to the list of WORLD HERITAGE SITES. This list is maintained by the International World Heritage Programme, overseen by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. This Committee comprises twenty-one UNESCO member states elected by the general assembly.
The site must already be considered a classified landmark to be selected in the list. It has to be unique in terms of geographical location and historical significance.
About the First in the list of World’s Heritage Sites in India
The first World Heritage Site in India- Ajanta and Ellora Caves, is located further from Aurangabad City, Maharashtra. These caves have distinct paintings, murals, sculptures, scriptures from the BC period, shrines to Lord Buddha and monasteries used by Buddhist Monks.
Ajanta Caves has art from the Buddha period, depicting tales from Jakarta, shrines to Lord Buddha etc.
Ellora Caves have the sanctuaries devoted to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, but they also have ancient India’s characteristics.
These caves have the authenticity of materials, locations, design, structure, form and substance, making them the ideal site to be considered a World Heritage site.
Other the Heritage sites mentioned in the same year as Ajanta and Ellora Caves are Red Fort and Taj Mahal of Agra. The Red Fort of Agra was the main residence of Rajputs until the Mughals took it over in 1638. It is said to be built for Akbar. Taj Mahal is famous for being a symbol of love and is also included in the 7 wonders of the world. Made by Shahjahan of the Mughal Dynasty on the banks of Yamuna River, it is said to be made in the memory of his wife- Mumtaaz. Both these structures have Mughal, Islamic architecture mixed with the style of Architecture of India. These structures were added to the list due to their obvious rich history and aesthetic and cultural values.
Sites from the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites from India:
- Maratha Military Architecture, Maharashtra
- Hire Benkal Megalithic Site, Karnataka
- Bhedaghat- Lametta Ghat of Narmada Valley, Madhya Pradesh
- Ganga Ghats, Varanasi
- Temples of Kanchipuram
- Satpura Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh
Conclusion
There are multiple cultural sites in India which are being slowly recognised by UNESCO as sites of importance to humanity and are being awarded the respect they deserve. These sites are being preserved due to their cultural, geographical and historical significance and adding to the beauty of India. Because of its rich and complex history and culture, India has everything on the list, from caves, parks, railways, palaces, and monuments. All these sites are mapped out all over the country, making India a more attractive destination with the richest background.
