UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India - Part 1

India stands in the world's 7th position in the number of UNESCO World heritage site. UNESCO has recognized 32 Indian locations as world heritage sites. In a country of rich and diverse culture, it is not surprising. This article introduces UNESCO world heritage sites in India.

  1 Kasiranga National Park -  UNESCO World Heritage Site, Natural Category 

 

Kasiranga national park is the home of worlds 2/3rd of Rhino population. It is locate in Assam - a north eastern Indian state. Apart from the one horned Rhino, Kaziranga is bio diversity region with large population of wild animals like elephants, deer, buffalo, boar and a wide variety of birds.

One horned Rhino in the Kasiranga National Park - Assam 

By Satish Krishnamurthy (Flickr: Following us...) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The flora of the Kasiranga national park is equally rich including different terrains like grasslands, woods, tropical and semi-evergreen forests. The national park extends up to an area of 430 square kilometers. 

A herd of elephants at  Kasiranga National Park - Assam 

By Arnabjdeka (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 Kaziranga national park was the brain child of Madam Mary Curzon wife of British Indian Viceroy Lord Curzon of Kedlesto. Madam Mary Curzon visited the area near 1908 and was alarmed by the diminished number of one horned Rhinos. She prompted her husband - the viceroy Lord Curzon - to take action to protect Kaziranga.  Kasiranga is located on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and constantly in threat of floods.   Kaziranga national park was declared as a UNESCO world heritage site in India in 1985 considering the bio diversity and formation of complex habitats of Kaziranga national park.

2 Taj Mahal - one of the first UNESCO world heritage sites in India

 

No introduction needed for this white marble marvel built by Mughal king Shah Jahan. It was built in 1632 on the bank of River Yamuna. While there is a lot written and said about the beauty of its architecture, however only a few know about the huge cost incurred by the Mughal dynasty. At the time of construction it costed a whopping 32 million Indian rupees. If adjusted to inflation, the current cost would be 52 billion Indian rupees (5200 crores).

Taj Mahal - The White Marble Marvel 

By Rajesnewdelhi (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Historians are of the opinion that it burnt a huge hole in the Mughal Treasury. Also there is an urban legend says Shah Jahan planned an identical black Taj on the opposite side of Yamuna symmetrical to the white Taj. However he could not finish it as his son Aurangzeb overthrew and imprisoned Shah Jahan. Taj Mahal  was declared as a UNESCO world heritage site in India in 1983.

  3 Mahabodhi Temple - Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya is a sacred place for Buddhists and also a very popular pilgrimage site. It also attracts flocks of art and history lovers. Bodh Gaya is the place  where Sri Buddha had his enlightenment. Mahabodhi Temple is located at this place near Patna in Bihar. The original Mahabodhi Temple is believed to be built by none other Emperor Ashoka the Great. It was after the legendary Kalinga war that Ashoka realized the worthlessness of worldly wealth and repented for the blood shed caused by him. Soon he converted into Buddhism.

Mahabodhi Temple - Gaya
By Bpilgrim (Own work) [CC BY-SA 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

 It was in 3rd century BC. Later it was rebuilt by Gupta empire during 5th and 6th century AD. It is the oldest surviving brick monument in India. It is quite unique in it's construction as compared to the stone monuments of India. It is indeed a wonder that how such a brick construction still survives without much of deterioration. The sacred Bodhi tree in the temple compound is believed to be the descendant of the very Bodhi tree under which Buddha had his enlightenment.  Mahabodhi Temple of Bodh gaya was declared as a UNESCO world heritage site in India in 2002.

The Bodhi Tree - Bodh Gaya

 By Ken Wieland from Philadelphia, USA [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

4 Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri is one of the best examples of Mughal architecture in India. It is indeed a walled city built by Emperor Akbar circa 1569. Fatehpur Sikri served as the capital of Mughal empire from 1571 to 1585. It was designed as a complete township including palaces, audience halls, women quarters(Zenana), courts and mosques.

Diwan-i-Khas,_Fatehpur-Sikri

By Clément Bardot (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

It is situated near present day UttarPradesh, near Agra. The imperial city was abandoned in 1585 due to a quite unfortunate reason. The spring that watered the entire city was dried up! Most of the architectural and historical marvels associated with Fatehpur Sikri are still intact. It include a gigantic entrance gate named "Buland Darwaza".

Fatehpur Sikiri Buland Darwaza

 By Marcin Białek (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 Jama Masjid - A splendid mosque-, tomb of Salim Chishti - A sufi saint whome Akbar adored-, Diwan-I-Am(Hall of public audience), Diwan-I-Khas(Hall of private audience), Panch Mahal - A five storied palatial structure.

Pancha Mahal Fatehpur Sikri

By Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada (India-6407) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 Fatehpur Sikri also contains a monument which all Indians can personally relate to. It is the "Birbal's house". Every Indian kid grows up hearing the folklore of the intelligent Birbal! Birbal was the favorite minister of Akbar.

Birbal House Fatehpur Sikri

 By Anupamg (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 The architecture of Fatehpur Sikri has a lot of Persian influence as Akbar wanted to recreate the splendor of his ancestor Timur. UNESCO declared Fatehpur Sikri as a world heritage site in 1986.

5 Agra Fort 

Agra Fort is popularly known as a Mughal creation is in fact an old monument erected in 11th century AD and later ruled by Rajaput king Raja Badal Singh during 1475. Initially it was a humble brick fort named "Badalgarh". Agra fort has an eventful historical background. It was transferred from one dynasty to other and plays an important role in the legendary Panipat battles. According to the oldest available account of Agra fort, it is said that it was captured in 1080 AD by Gaznavid force. 

Later it was captured by Sikander Lodhi and transferred to his sone Ibrahim Lodhi. Ibrahim Lodhi created many palaces, step wells and a mosque inside the fort.

Agra Fort - Uttar Pradesh

By A.Savin (Wikimedia Commons · WikiPhotoSpace) (Own work) [FAL], via Wikimedia Commons

Later when Lodhi was defeated in the 1st Panipat battle, Babur captured it in 1526. It marked the entry of the Mughals into the fort. Later the Hindu King Hema Chandar Vikramaditya, popularly known as Hemu captured the fort from Hyumayun. But later in the second Panipat battle, Akbar recaptured the fort from Hemu. After the Mughal decline, the fort was passed to Marathas and then onto English. It is the brief history of Agra Fort. Initially, most of the constructions inside the fort wasred brick ones, it was Shah Jahan who created the iconic white marble palaces inside the fort. He also struck down some of the older constructions to make way for his new ones.

Khas Mahal - Agra Fort

By Antoine Taveneaux (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 Today hardly 30 out of the numerous old monuments are intact. Agra fort is also known as the "Red Fort of Agra" - However it is not same as the Red Fort in Delhi. The major monuments with in the Agra Fort are : Jahangir Palace, Khas-Mahal, Diwan-I-Am and 2 beautiful mosques.

Jahangiri Mahal Agra Fort

 By Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada (India-6243) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

6 Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

It is the oldest heritage site in India that dates back to the Paleolithic age. The rock shelters here are believed to be inhabited by Homo Erectus 100,000 years ago.

Bhimbetka Caves - Madhya Pradesh

By Raveesh Vyas [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

There are also some rock painting specimen that are 30,000 years old. These rock painting pertain to different time periods. Some of them are the oldest in the world. Bhimbetka is located in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. This heritage site of immense archeological importance was found in the year 1888. Initially it was believed to be a Buddhist site. However, it was in 1957 it was discovered as a pre-historic rock shelter. The paintings include green and red images of huge bison, languors and Rhinos.

Pre-historic drawings on Bhimbetka rock shelters 

By Vidishaprakash (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 The oldest among them are from paleolithic period. One interesting fact about these paintings are it shows the first glimpses of community dancing in homo sapiens. Also these historical relics shows human figures carrying different types of weapons.  Bhimbetka is no doubt one of the most important heritage sites in India, which was included in UNESCO world heritage sites in India in the year 2003. Bhimbetka name means the sitting place of Bhima ( A legendary character from Indian epic Mahabharata also worshiped in India)

Pre- historic scene of hunting  - Bhimbetka Rock shelters

By Bernard Gagnon (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

7 Ajanta Caves

Ajanta caves are located near the Jalgaon city of Aurangabad district in India. Ajanta caves were buried under the dense forest, until 1819 when a troop of British officers-out for hunting- stumbled upon this marvelous construction. These rugged caves revealed to the world, the master pieces of Buddhist religious art. These caves were believed to be used as a Buddhist monastery. Its construction dates back to as early as 2^nd century BC.

Ajanta caves - Ancient Buddhist monastery
public domain image: Source Wikimedia common

 There is so much more to the plain looking rock caves which includes the elaborate Chaitya-Grihas (Buddhist prayer halls) , Stupas (A central dome shaped structure which was the center of adoration), spacious Viharas (living halls), huge sculptures of Buddha, Bodhisattvas and Taras. Perhaps the most iconic image of Ajanta caves is the delicate yet, complex paintings of Vajrapani, and Padmapani – the compassionate Bodhisattvas in cave number 1.

Ajanta caves - Chaitya Griha

By Dey.sandip (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

caves of Ajanta are sequentially numbered from one to thirty. However, the construction period of these caves vary greatly. In fact, Ajanta was built in two phases which are around 600 years apart!   The first phase began in 2^nd Century BC during the times of Satavahana dynasty. The second phase of active construction in Ajanta began in 500 AD. It was under the patronage of the great emperor Harisena of the Vakataka dynasty.

Reclining Buddha- A closer view

By Anant Singh via Wikimedia Commons

Ajanta was recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 siting that Ajanta is a master pieces of human creative genius which represents and important cultural tradition and a great civilization.  

Reclining Buddha

By Youri (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

7  Churches of Goa 

 One of the main heritage signs that Portuguese left behind in Goa are the majestic churches. They are not just the places of worship; they are significant icons of Goan culture and architecture. Most of the Goan churches are made in the Baroque architecture style and the most famous among them is the 400 year old "Basilica of Bom Jesus" in old Goa. The Basilica is very vast with multiple altars and huge columns rising up till the ceiling.UNESCO declared the churches of Goa as a world heritage site in India in 1986

Bom Jesus cathedral - Old Goa

By Thomas Tholath (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Around half a kilometer from the Basilica of Bom Jesus, “Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina” Also known as the “Sé Cathedral” is situated. Sé Cathedral is the largest church in India. The construction of Sé Cathedral started in the year 1510.   It originally had two towers on the either side. The one in right side collapsed in the year 1776 and was never rebuilt.

Se Cathedral - Old Goa

Next to the “Se Cathedral” there is a small chapel situated in a beautiful garden. It is known as the Chapel of St. Catherin. This humble chapel has a great history behind it. It was the first religious structure built in old Goa in the year 1510 by Alfonso De Albuquerque to mark his entry into the old Goa city, defeating the Adil Shahi ruler of the old Goa.

Our Lady church - Panaji, Goa

Another church which is a must see is the “Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church”. It was built in the year of 1540 and stands right in the middle of the Panjim city. Its pure white color, the crisscross stairs and the bell tower on the top makes this church quite picturesque. It is a famous icon of Goa, which has made appearance in many movies including the famous “Josh”.  

8 Mahabalipuram

 

Mahabalipuram is an ancient town and seaport in the Coromandel Coast, locate at 56km from Chennai. Mahabalipuram is also known as Mamallapuram after the great Pallava King Narasimhavarman Mamalla I. In some ancient scriptures, Mahabalipuram is also referred as the “Kadal-Mallai Thalasayanam” which roughly translates to the city that lies near the ocean and the hills. The history of Mahabalipuram from 6^th century AD is very well documented. Majority of the sculptures and temples in Mahabalipuram is attributed to the great Pallava dynasty starting with Simhavishnu.

Shore temple - Mahabalipuram

From 550AD, Pallavas created the cave temples (Mantapas), Monolithic temples (Rathas) and structural temples (like Shore temple) in Mahabalipuram. The main cave temples of Mahabalipuram includes The Krishna Cave Temple, Varaha Cave Temple, Mahishasura Mardini Cave Temple, Ramanuja Cave Temple etc.

Krishna cave temple - Mahabalipuram

They are rich in life size carvings of Hindu deities. Another important relic in Mahabalipuram is the  Monolithic Stone Chariots. These are artistic marvels carved out of single rock. There are 5 chariots. Shore temple in Mahabalipuram is also of great interest. Folklore says that the there were 7 temples in Mahabalipuram which were engulfed by sea due to a Tsunami. Ancient Europeans called them the 7 pagodas. UNESCO declared the churches of Goa as a world heritage site in 1984.  

Descent of Ganges - Bas Relief Mahabalipuram

9  Jantar Mantar - Jaipur 

 

Jantar Mantar is located in the heart of Jaipur city in Rajasthan. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur built Jantar Mantar in Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. Being a keen astronomer himself, Maharaja Jaisingh II has built  many astronomical observatories. 

Jantar Mantar - Jaipur

The most elaborate one is situated at Jaipur city. The name Jantar Mantar translates to “Instruments for Calculation” and it consists of several instruments for the calculation of time and to ascertain the position of celestial bodies and sun.  

Jantar Mantar Observatory - Jaipur

Considering the fact that Jantar Mantar is an excellent example of masonry of astronomical instruments which also incorporate several architectural and instrumental innovations, UNESCO listed Jantar Mantar as a world heritage center in 2010. There are eighteen main instruments including the largest sun dial in India – know as the "Samrat Yantra".

10  Hampi - Karnataka

 

The present day Hampi, located in the Bellary district of North Karnataka quite extensive with its ancient temples and the royal enclosures and ruins of a city, which was in the late 14th  and early 15th centuries, one of the richest cities in the world. One of the main attractions of Hampi is the Vitthala temple. It is a sprawling complex with intricately carved pillars and grand Mantapas.

Icon  of Hampi - The Stone Chariot

By Apadegal (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

This  complex also houses the stone chariot, which is considered as the epitome of the Vijayanagara art and sculpture. Most of the constructions in Hampi happened during the Vijayanagara empire from the 13th to 15th century AD. All riches of the empire flowed into this capital city which made it one of the ancient architectural wonders. UNESCO listed Hampi as a world heritage center in 1986.

The overview of Virupaksha temple

11 Hill Forts of Rajasthan - Group of UNESCO world heritage sites in India

Hill Forts of Rajasthan listed in UNESCO world heritage sites in India comprises of Chittorgarh Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort , Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort and Jaisalmer Fort located in the Northern Indian state of Rajasthan. Most of these forts are epitome of fine sandstone architecture.

Amber Fort - Jaipur

 They were built by the Rajaput rulers in this region. The construction period of these forts are from 8th to 18th century AD.In 2013,  UNESCO listed the hill forts of Rajasthan as a wold heritage site declaring "The Hill Forts of Rajasthan exhibit an important interchange of Princely Rajput ideologies in fort planning, art and architecture from the early medieval to late medieval period, within the varied physiographic and cultural zones of Rajasthan."

Kumbhalgarh fort- Pali Rajasthan
By Rahul Patnaik (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

12 Rani ki Vav- Patan, Gujarat

Rani ki vav, or Ran-ki vav (Queen’s step well)  is situated at the town of Patan in Gujarat. Construction of this step well is not limited to the steps that are leading to the water, but also the intricately carved galleries and art work on four sides of it. It indeed have quite  intriguing and mind boggling architecture. 
 

Rani ki vav - Step Well 

By Bernard Gagnon (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Rani ki vav was built in the 11th century AD in the memory of Bhimdev I (AD 1022 to 1063) of Solanky dynasty. It has an intricate construction and beautiful carving featuring the Hindu Gods. Rani ki vav was completey flooded when the nearby Saraswati River overflowed in 1980s, it as the Archeological Survey of India that excavated this site.

Intricately carved pillars of Rani Ki Vav

By Bernard Gagnon (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 This step well is constructed in Maru-Gurjara architectural style. UNESCO listed Rani ki vav as a world heritage center in  2014, one of the latest additions. 

 14 Mountain railways of India

 

Mountain railways of India consists of three major lines. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway , Nilgiri Mountain Railways  and the  Kalka Shimla Railway.  The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is fondly called the "toy train", however it covers over 88km from Siliguri to Darjeeling and goes as high as 7500 feet on its route. This route was commissioned during the British time and has changed the lives of the mountain dwellers. The route opened around 1909-1910. Still it is operation and offers a breathtaking view to the travelers. 

Darjeeling  - Siliguri Mountain railway

 Image: No Author [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

The Nilgiri mountain railway covers a total distance of 46km and connects Mettupalayam with the hill station of Udagamandalam. This mountain railway was also commisioned by British around 1908. The ride in the Nilgiri mountain railway is indeed a joy ride extending 4.8 hours to cover 46km. Kalka- Simla mountain railway connects the states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Kalka - Shimla mountain railway

Philippe Raffard (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 The world's highest multi-arc gallery bridge and the world's longest tunnel is present in the way of Kalka-Simla highway.  Mountain railways of India was declared as a UNESCO world heritage site in India in1999 for its contribution to the social and economic development of the otherwise unreachable mountain areas. They observed that this ingenious and bold engineering marvels have indeed changed the lives of people.

15 Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Site, Natural Category

 

in 1988 UNESCO recognized the Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks in Uttarakhand as a world heritage site.  Nanda Devi national park also include the Nanda Devi peak, which is at an altitude of 7816 meters. Nanda Devi peak is the second highest in India. It also includes a number of other peaks. 

Nanda Devi Peak - Himalayan National park

By Soumyoo (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Valley of flowers is a national park located in Uttarakhand state of India. During the starting the spring season, a wide variety of flowers blooms in the valley and it is heavenly! Valley of flowers located near to the small village named Ghangaria. The valley of flowers is a famous trekking spot as well as a bio diversity hot spot in the western Himalayan region.

Valley of flowers  Uttarakhand_India

 By Alosh Bennett (Flickr: valley of flowers) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

 UNESCO recognized the unique beauty of the valley of flowers and the diversity of the alpine flowers. These national parks also home to many animal like snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer and bharal(blue sheep). 

 16 Ellora caves

Ellora caves is a group of 34 cave temples located near Aurangabad in the Indian state of Maharashtra. One of the most striking features of this temples is that, these temple belongs to three different religions - Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. These cave temples are carved out of the Charanandri hills located in the Deccan Plateau These temples are created by excavating the a basalt cliff. The buddhist caves with sculptures of sitting Buddha within the Chaityagruha (Prayer hall) is seen in the Southern area of the Ellora caves. The Jain cave temples are located on the northern face and contain the motifs of Mahaveera and Jain Theerthankaras. 
 

Kailashnath Temple - Ellora caves 

By Y.Shishido (http://pipimaru.dyndns.org/india_2004/index.html)

 [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The Hindu temples are the largest among the group and are located on the central part. The most intricate engineering marvel is the The Kailasanatha temple which is a huge temple dedicated to lord Shiva. This intricately carved temple of multiple levels was constructed by Rashtrakuta dynasty during 8th century AD(circa 756-773). The important Buddhist cave is the "Dasavatara" cave with large motifs and carvings. In the Jain caves one can find intricate roof carvings of water lilies. The most popular Jain cave is known as "Indra Sabha". 

Buddhist Temple in Ellora caves

By Jorge Láscar from Australia [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The construction of these temples of Ellora is believed to be done from 600 AD to 1000AD. UNESCO recognized the Ellora caves as a world heritage site in 1983. UNESCO have taken into consideration the engineering marvel of carving an entire rocky mountain to create such architectural marvels and also the spirit of tolerance conveyed by the co-existence of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.