Cultural heritage refers to a group or maybe even a society’s structural and symbolic heritage properties passed through generations or ages. Heritage is not a result of society’s choices; rather, it is a creation of former generations and their contributions towards art or some other motive.  

Physical cultural heritages

include structures, sculptures, sceneries, literature, artistic works, including relics, immaterial heritage seems to be folklore, rituals, linguistics, and old wisdom including natural heritage are all examples of cultural legacy. The landscapes and biodiversity are also important cultural heritage locations.

Natural heritage encompasses the countryside, including ecological environment, vegetation and wildlife widely and scientifically referred to as biodiversity. Natural heritage also includes geological components that include minerals, geological, paleontological, and many other geological components that are scientifically referred to as geodiversity. These heritage monuments are frequently an essential part of a country’s tourism business, generating both international and domestic tourists. Cultural surroundings can also be considered heritage; these include natural characteristics that show or inherit cultural attributes of generations.

Various international accords and national legislation protect cultural property heritage sites. Cultural heritage is protected by the United Nations, UNESCO, and Blue Shield International organizations. 

India’s cultural heritage:

Cultural standards, ethical standards, ancestral rituals, religious structures, political ideologies, artifacts, and technology developed in or related to the Indian subcontinent constitute the great Indian culture. In a global sense, the cultural heritage of India refers to nations and cultures with strong ties to India due to immigration, colonialism, and cultural influence, notably within Southern Asia and the region of Southeastern Asia. The ethnicities, beliefs, dancing, culture, architecture, cuisine, and traditions of India vary from region to region.

Few UNESCO approved cultural heritage sites in India:

Below, a few popular heritage sites are mentioned that are approved and recognised by UNESCO.

• Ellora caves: Ellora caves is an approved UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Maharashtra, India, within the Aurangabad district. This is called one of the world’s biggest rock-cut structural type cave systems and is also a Hindu temple, having sculptures and art from the 600 to1000 CE period. The Kailash temple, a chariot shaped structure dedicated to the almighty Lord Shiva, who is worshiped inside the Hindu religion, is located inside the Cave and is the world’s biggest single monolithic rock type sculpture. Sculptures showing Hindu divinities and graphics paintings summarizing the two great Hindu sagas can be seen in the Kailash temple site.

• Great Himalayan National park: The Great Himalayan National Park seems to be divided into four sections or valleys, each being home to a diverse range of native and beautiful exotic vegetation and wildlife. Himalaya habitat has been home to 10% of the world’s unique plant species, including 50% of India’s endemic species of plants. Visitors may participate in various hikes inside the territory, given the areas they wish to travel suited for both beginners and experienced travelers.

• Keoladeo national park: Keoladeo National Park, in Rajasthan, is a major winter habitat for migratory waterbirds and is generally known because of its high population in providing nesting area to non-migratory permanent breeding birds. The park has 375 bird species and a rich variety of many other living forms that seem to have been documented in this mixture of grass, forests, wooded wetlands, and swamps. These natural habitats are located within a dense population of human-dominated terrain.

• Ancient Harappan city Dholavira: It is located on a lonely island called Khadir within the state of Gujarat, India. This ancient historic city, Dholavira, is located in the southern heart of the ancient Harappan Civilisation. The archaeological site, which includes a walled city and a cemetery type structure, was inhabited between 3000 and 1500 BCE and is among one of the most famous urban settlements from the ancient ages in the Southeast Asian region. Two seasonal waterways brought water towards the city walls, including a highly guarded fortress surrounding the ceremonial ground, along with roads and buildings of varying architectural types and qualities, indicating a layered hierarchical society within the region of Dholavira.

Conclusion

The article talks about the cultural heritage of India, including some popular heritage sites that UNESCO approves. India is a vast land consisting of numerous cultural symbols and hundreds of cultural heritage sites. Cultural sites like the Taj Mahal are one of the world’s seven wonders; more locations like these can be known by a detailed search on India and its heritage sites.