Celebrate India’s Rich Heritage on the World Heritage Day

Celebrate India’s Rich Heritage on the World Heritage Day

World Heritage is the shared wealth of humankind. Protecting and preserving this valuable asset demands the collective efforts of the international community. This special day offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability.

On 18 April 1982 on the occasion of a symposium organized by International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in Tunisia, the holding of the “International Day for Monuments and Sites” to be celebrated simultaneously throughout the world was suggested. This project was approved by the Executive Committee who provided practical suggestions to the National Committees on how to organize this day. The various methods implemented to achieve its mission are:-

Celebrate India’s Rich Heritage on the World Heritage Day

1. Visits to monuments and sites, and restoration works, possibly with free admission
2. Articles in newspapers and magazines, as well as television and radio broadcasts
3. Hanging banners in town squares or principal traffic arteries calling attention to the day and the preservation of cultural heritage
4. Inviting local and foreign experts and personalities for conferences and interviews
5. Organizing discussions in cultural-centers, city halls, and other public spaces
6. Conducting Exhibitions
7. Publication of books, post-cards, stamps, posters
8. Awarding prizes to organizations or persons who have made an outstanding contribution for the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage or produced an excellent publication on the subject.
9. Inaugurate a recently restored monument
10. Special awareness raising activities amongst school children and youth

In India, there are altogether 36 World Heritage Sites. They are:-

      Cultural (28)

1. The Taj Mahal (1983)
2. Agra Fort (1983)
3. Ajanta Caves (1983)
4. Ellora Caves (1983)
5. Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)
6. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
7. Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
8. Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
9. Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
10. Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
11. Elephanta Caves (1987)
12. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)
13. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
14. Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi (1993)
15. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
16. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
17. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
18. Great Living Chola Temples (1987, 2004)
19. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
20. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)
21. Red Fort Complex (2007)
22. Mountain Railways of India (1999, 2005, 2008)
23. The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)
24. Hill Forts of Rajasthan (2013)
25. Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (2014)
26. Nalanda University at Nalanda (2016)
27. The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (2016)
28. Historic City of Ahmadabad (2017)

Natural (7)

29. Kaziranga National Park (1985)
30. Keoladeo National Park (1985)
31. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
32. Sundarbans National Park (1987)
33. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005)
34. Western Ghats (2012)
35. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (2014)

Mixed (1)

36. Khangchendzonga National Park (2016)

Sites on the Tentative List (42)

A Tentative List is an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination. More about the Tentative List Process…

1. Temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal (1998)
2. Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala (1998)
3. Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh (1998)
4. Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (1998)
5. Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab (2004)
6. River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam (2004)
7. Namdapha National Park (2006)
8. Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch (2006)
9. Neora Valley National Park (2009)
10. Desert National Park (2009)
11. Silk Road Sites in India (2010)
12. Santiniketan (2010)
13. The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar (2010)
14. Mughal Gardens in Kashmir (2010)
15. The Victorian & Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai (2012)
16. Delhi – A Heritage City (2012)
17. Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate (2014)
18. Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands (2014)
19. The Glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways (2014)
20. Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India (2014)
21. Dholavira: A Harappan City (2014)
22. Apatani Cultural Landscape (2014)
23. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam (2014)
24. Monuments of Srirangapatna Island Town (2014)
25. Chilika Lake (2014)
26. Padmanabhapuram Palace (2014)
27. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (2014)
28. Sites of Saytagrah, India’s non-violent freedom movement (2014)
29. Thembang Fortified Village (2014)
30. Narcondam Island (2014)
31. Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty (2014)
32. Ekamra Kshetra – The Temple City, Bhubaneswar (2014)
33. The Neolithic Settlement of Burzahom (2014)
34. Archaeological remains of a Harappa Port-Town, Lothal (2014)
35. Mountain Railways of India (Extension) (2014)
36. Chettinad, Village Clusters of the Tamil Merchants (2014)
37. Bahá’í House of Worship at New Delhi (2014)
38. Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami- Pattadakal (2015)
39. Jaipur city, Rajasthan India (2015)
40. Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of India (2015)
41. Sites along the Uttarapath, Badshahi Sadak, Sadak-e-Azam, Grand Trunk Road (2015)
42. Keibul Lamjao Conservation Area (2016)

Celebrate India’s Rich Heritage on the World Heritage Day