UNESCO World Heritage sites in India
World Heritage Sites
- These Sites are the places which have been officially recognized by a specialized agency of the UN (United Nations), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) based on their natural, cultural, historical, and scientific importance.
UNESCO-
UNESCO is a specialized agency of the UN, whose objective is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms. Its headquarter is in Paris, France. - The list of World Heritage sites is maintained by World Heritage Programme which is administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
UNESCO World Heritage Committee-
It is composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the UN General Assembly. - These are areas of importance of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 1972.
- Italy has the highest numbers of World Heritage Sites in the world.
Criteria for Selection of World Heritage Sites
- These criteria are explained in the World Heritage Convention, 1972.
- These criteria are regularly revised by the World Heritage Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.
- Before the revised Operational Guidelines, World Heritage sites were selected based on six cultural and four natural criteria.
- With the adoption of the revised Operational Guidelines, only one set of ten criteria
Tentative lists of Heritage Sites
- All countries are required to submit their Tentative Lists of places which they consider to be a cultural or natural heritage of outstanding universal value and therefore suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List.
- Tentative Lists is not considered exhaustive and need to submit one year prior to the submission of any nomination.
- Countries are required to re-examine and re-submit their Tentative List at least every ten years.
- If any site is listed in World Heritage Sites, then it must be removed from the tentative list.
World Heritage Sites in India
- There are 37 (29 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed) World Heritage Sites in India after the inclusion of Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai in July 2018.
- First time from India two sites Agra fort and Ajanta Caves were included in World Heritage Sites in 1983.
- In 2016, the following three sites have been listed in World Heritage Sites-
(i) Nalanda Mahavihara University, Bihar
(ii) Capitol Building Complex– Chandigarh
(iii) Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim - In July 2017, Ahmedabad became India’s first city to be listed in World Heritage Sites.
- In July 2018, Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai listed as 37th World Heritage Sites from India.
- Only one mixed-criteria site in India is Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim.
- Currently, 42 sites from the country figures in the Tentative List of World Heritage.
- The Ministry of Culture recommends one property every year for nomination to UNESCO.
Cultural Heritage sites in India
Observe the figure shown below:
S.No | Heritage Site | Place |
1 | Agra Fort | Uttar Pradesh |
2 | Ajanta Caves | Maharashtra |
3 | Ellora Caves | Maharashtra |
4 | Taj Mahal | Uttar Pradesh |
5 | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | Tamil Nadu |
6 | Sun Temple, Konârak | Orissa |
7 | Churches and Convents of Goa | Goa |
8 | Fatehpur Sikri | Uttar Pradesh |
9 | Group of Monuments at Hampi | Karnataka |
10 | Khajuraho Group of Monuments | Madhya Pradesh |
11 | Elephanta Caves | Maharashtra |
12 | Great Living Chola Temples 12 | Tamil Nadu |
13 | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | Karnataka |
14 | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi | Madhya Pradesh |
15 | Humayun's Tomb | Delhi |
16 | Qutb Minar and its Monuments | Delhi |
17 | Mountain Railways of India (Includes Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway) | Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamilnadu |
18 | Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya | Bihar |
19 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | Madhya Pradesh |
20 | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Gujarat |
21 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) | Mumbai |
22 | Red Fort Complex | Delhi |
23 | The Jantar Mantar | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
24 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort and Jaisalmer Fort) | Rajasthan |
25 | Rani-ki-Vav at Patan | Gujarat |
26 | Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) | Bihar |
27 | Capitol Building Complex - The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier | Chandigarh |
28 | Historic City of Ahmadabad | Gujarat |
29 | Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Natural Heritage sites in India-
S.No | Heritage Site | Place |
1 | Kaziranga National Park | Assam |
2 | Keoladeo National Park | Rajasthan |
3 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Assam |
4 | Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal |
5 | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks | Uttarakhand |
6 | Western Ghats | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra |
7 | Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area | Himachal Pradesh |
Mixed Heritage site in India-
S.No | Heritage Site | Place |
1 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim |
Below is a PDF for the same in both English & Hindi:
UNESCO World Heritage sites in India (English PDF)
भारत के विश्व धरोहर स्थल (हिंदी PDF)
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