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World Heritage Day 2022: The 'World Heritage Sites' of India

India is second to none when it comes to natural and cultural splendour. On the eve of the World Heritage Day 2022, Native Planet proudly presents a look at the 30 World Heritage Sites in India that are recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary

Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary

Located in the Northeastern state of Assam it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 for its unique natural environment. It is home to the one horned rhinoceros found nowhere else in India and has the world's largest population of the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros. It is also home to many other mammals and bird species

Pic credit: Subharnab

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, also in Assam, lies on the plains of the Manas River on the foothills of the Himalayas and shares the border with Bhutan.
The sanctuary is the habitat of several species of plants and most threatened species which include Tiger, pygmy hog, clouded leopard, sloth bear, Indian Rhinoceros, wild buffaloes (the only pure strain of buffaloes in India), Indian Elephants, golden langur and Bengal Florican. It is a Tiger reserve and was declared a world heritage site in 1985.

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (Buddha Gaya)

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (Buddha Gaya)

Mahabodhi Temple complex was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC (260 BC). However, the temples seen now are dated between 5th and 6th centuries. This is supposed to be the place where Guatama Buddha received enlightment and propagated Buddhism to the world. The main temple is supposed to be the oldest temple in the world.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is a World Heritage site which was built by emperor Shahjahan in the loving memory of his wife Mumtaz. It took around 16 years to build this masterpiece. The mausoleum was declared a UNESCO site in 1983.

Pic credit: Christian Haugen

Humayun’s Tomb

Humayun’s Tomb

The precursor to the Taj Mahal, was built in 1570 in Delhi and inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage monument in 1993. The funerary also has 150 tombs of various members of the royal family.

Pic credit: Arian Zwegers

Churches and Convents of Goa

Churches and Convents of Goa

Churches and Convents of Goa are monuments inscribed by UNESCO under the World Heritage List in 1986 as cultural property which were built by the Portuguese colonial rulers of Goa between 16th and 18th centuries. These monuments are mainly in the former capital of Velha Goa. The most significant of these monuments is the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which enshrines the tomb containing the relics of St. Francis Xavier.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Red Fort Complex

Red Fort Complex

Red Fort Complex, also known as Lal Qila is a palace fort built in the 17th century by Shahjahan (1628-58), the fifth Mughal Emperor as part of his new capital city of Shahjahanabad. It represents the zenith of Mughal architectural and aesthetic sensibilities.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi

Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi

The red sandstone tower and its surrounding monuments built in the 13th century was inscribed into the World Heritage List because of the Islamic architectural and artistic excellence.

Pic credit: Dimitry B

 

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is situated in Panchmahal district in Gujarat, India. The site is a largely unexacavated archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage property which includes prehistoric(chalcolithic) sites , a hill fortress of an early Hindu capital of Gujarat and various remnants from the 8th to the 14th centuries.

Pic Credit: Wiki Commons

Hampi, Karnataka

Hampi, Karnataka

Hampi represents the remains of the once powerful Vijayanagara empire and was part of the capital city of Vijayanagara.

Pic credit: Arian Zwegers

Group of monuments in Pattadakal

Group of monuments in Pattadakal

The Group of monuments in Pattadakal cover a remarkable series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary in northern Karnataka. In this group of temples, the Virupaksha Temple, built in c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband's (King Vikramaditya II) victory over the Pallava kings from the south, is considered the most outstanding architectural edifice (This is different from the Virupaksha Temple at Hampi.)

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

 Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi,Madhya Pradesh

Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi,Madhya Pradesh

They are a group of monuments dated between 200BC and 100 BC. Discovered in 1818, it was accorded thestatus of a heritage site in 1989. The sanctuary has monolithic pillars, palaces and temples and monastries in various states of preservation.

Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

Described in the UNESCO Inscription as "the site complex ... a magnificent repository of rock paintings within natural rock shelters" is located in the foothills of the Vindhya range of hills in Madhya Pradesh. A cluster of five rock shelters, they have paintings ranging from the Mesolithic to the historical period.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Khajuraho temples

Khajuraho temples

The Khajuraho temples, a group of 85 temples out of which only 22 have survived represent a fusion of Hindu and Jain sculpture and architecture during the reing of the Chandela dynasty and later Gurjar Pratihars.

Pic credit: dalbera

Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves

A highlight of cave paintings and murals spanning centuries, the Buddhist caves of Ajanta in Maharasthra were excavated in different periods between 2nd century BC till 6th century AD. There are a total of 31 rock cut cave monuments. The caves were retreats for Buddhist monks.

Pic credit: kawanet

Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves

There are 34 rock-hewn religious caves of Ellora which boasts of the largest single monolithic excavation in the world. The caves were hewn between 600 to 1000 AD

 

Pic credit: sumeetjain

Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Caves

A group of Hindu and Buddhist caves on the island of Elephanta in the Araban Sea near Mumbai , the caves were hewn between 5th and 8th centuries. The caves were designated an UNESCO world heritage site in 1987

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

The erstwhile 'Victoria Terminus' is one of the busiest railway stations in India. The station was designed in1887-88 by Frederick William Stevens and took ten years to complete. Built in Gothic style, the station was renamed after Chatrapati Shivaji, the famous Maratha king of the 17th century. It was accorded the position of a wrold heritage site in 2004.

Pic credit: Arian Zwegers

Sun temple,  Konark

Sun temple, Konark

The famous 13th century sun temple in Konark, Orissa, is built in the shape of a chariot of the sun god with with 24 wheels, and is heavily decorated with symbolic stone carvings and led by a team of six horses.

Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur is famous for 364 species of migratory birds that come in winter from distant countries like Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar

Described by the UNESCO as "an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period." , the Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is one among five facilities which house astronomical instruments built into the masonry in the open by Maharaja Jai Singh II. It is modelled after the one built in Delhi

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Great Chola living temples

Great Chola living temples

Built by the Chola kings the culltural heritage site includes three great temples of 11th and 12th century namely, the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadeswara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri, " the city of victory" was built in the second half of the 16th century by Mughal Emperor Akbar. It had to be abandoned after just 14 years due to lack of water and unrest in north-west India.

Pic credit: rohanbabu

Nanda Devi and the Valley of Flowers

Nanda Devi and the Valley of Flowers

This richly diverse area of the Western Himalayas is known for its alpine flowers and breathtaking natural beauty. Together, the Nanda Devi and the valley of Flowers comprise the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve which is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Mountain Railways of India

Mountain Railways of India

The Mountain Railways of India that made it to the UNESCO list include the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway. The other two railways that come under the Mountain Railways of India are Kangra Valley Railway and the Matheran Hill Railway. The ones recognised as world heritage sites are because of the contruction of the railways through rough and mountainous terrains.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Sundarbans

Sundarbans

Apart from being a national park, Sundarbans is also the largest estuarine mangrove forest of the world. It has been added to the UNESCO list of Biosphere Reserves in 1987. The area is one of the largest reserves of Bengal Tiger and home to a variety of other reptile, bird and invertebrate species.

Pic credit: www.beontheroad.com

Western Ghats

Western Ghats


The Western Ghats is also known as the Sahyadri Mountains. This mountain range extends through the western part of India covering a large expanse of land. 39 properties in this area have been declared as world heritage sites. Among them 20 are from Kerala, 10 from Karnatakata, 5 from Tamil Nadu and 4 from Maharashtra.

Hill Forts of Rajasthan

Hill Forts of Rajasthan

These hill forts are a series of heritage sites located along the Aravalli mountain ranges in Rajasthan. These forts include the Chittorgarh Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Amber Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Gagron For and Ranthambore Fort. Only the most significant elements of each hill fort has been added to the UNESCO list.

Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram

Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram

Built by the Pallava kings in the 7th and 8th centuries, these 40 monuments have been carved out of rocks and it includes the largest open-air bas-relief in the world.

Pic credit: Wiki Commons

Agra Fort

Agra Fort

Sitting close to the Taj mahal, the Agra fort is known as the Red Fort of Agra due to it being built in red sandstone. It represents a fusion of Persian and Indian arts. It encloses many palaces, towers and mosques built between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Pic credit:Matthias Rosenkranz

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