Unesco world heritage sites of india

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
SITES OF INDIA

The World Heritage Convention, 1972
• The Convention defines the kind of natural or cultural sites which can be
considered for inscription on the World Heritage List.
• The Convention sets out the duties of States Parties in identifying potential
sites and their role in protecting and preserving them.
• By signing the Convention, each country pledges to conserve not only the World
Heritage sites situated on its territory, but also to protect its national heritage.
• The States Parties are encouraged to integrate the protection of the cultural
and natural heritage into regional planning programs, set up staff and services at
their sites, undertake scientific and technical conservation research and adopt
measures which give this heritage a function in the day-to-day life of the
community.
• It explains how the World Heritage Fund is to be used and managed and under
what conditions international financial assistance may be provided.
• It also encourages States Parties to strengthen the appreciation of the public for
World Heritage properties and to enhance their protection through educational
and information programs.

INDIA
• Ratification of the Convention:
Monday, 14 November 1977
• Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List- 38
1. Cultural (30)
2. Natural (7)
3. Mixed (1)
4. Sites on the Tentative List (42)

• Date of Inscription: 1983
• The construction of the Agra fort was started around 1565, when the initial
structures were built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and subsequently
taken over by his grandson Shah Jahan, who added most of the marble
creations to the fort.
• This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km-long
enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers.
• It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace and the
Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan; audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas;
and two very beautiful mosques.
• Moti Masjid - a white marble mosque akin to a perfect pearl.
• Nagina Masjid, built by Shah Jahan, was the private mosque of the ladies of
the court.
• Musamman Burj - where Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan died in 1666 A.D
• Khaas Mahal demonstrates distinctive Islamic-Persian features with a
striking range of Hindu features such as chhatris.
• Sheesh Mahal or the Glass Palace is believed to have been the harem or the
dressing room, and its walls are inlaid with tiny mirrors which are the best
specimens of the glass-mosaic decoration in India.

• The construction of this marble masterpiece is credited to the Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan who erected this mausoleum in memory of his beloved
wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal, who
died in A.H. 1040 (A.D. 1630).
• The construction of Taj Mahal was started in A.D. 1632 and completed at the
end of 1648 A.D. An estimated 20,000 people worked to complete the
enchanting mausoleum, on the banks of the river Yamuna.
• Amanat Khan Shirazi was the calligrapher of Taj Mahal, Poet Ghyasuddin
had designed the verses on the tombstone, while Ismail Khan Afridi of
Turkey was the dome maker. Muhammad Hanif was the superintendent of
Masons, the designer of Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
• The material was brought in from all over India and central Asia, Red
sandstone was brought from Fatehpur Sikri, Jasper from Punjab, Jade and
Crystal from China, Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire from
Sri Lanka, Coal and Cornelian from Arabia and diamonds from Panna. The
chief building material, the white marble was brought from the quarries of
Makrana, in district Nagaur, Rajasthan.
• To the left of the Taj is a mosque made of red sandstone. It is common in
Islam to build a mosque next to a tomb, as it sanctifies the area and provides
for a place for worship. This mosque is still used for Friday prayers.
• An identical mosque is also built to the right of the Taj and is known as the
Jawab (answer). Prayers are not held here as it faces west i.e. away from
Mecca.
• In the centre are the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, both
inscribed in Persian.

• About 107 km from the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, are the
rock-out caves of Ajanta nestled in a panoramic gorge, in the form of
a gigantic horseshoe.
• The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and
1st centuries B.C. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries
A.D.), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original
group.
• A set of 29 caves, Ajanta is among the finest examples of some of the
earliest Buddhist architecture, cave paintings and sculptures.
• These caves comprise Chaitya halls or shrines, dedicated to Lord
Buddha and Viharas or monasteries, used by Buddhist monks for
meditation and the study of Buddhist teachings.
• The paintings that adorn the walls and ceilings of the caves depict
incidents from the life of lord Buddha and various Buddhist
divinities.
• Among the most interesting paintings are the Jataka tales, illustrating
diverse stories relating to the previous incarnations of the Buddha as
Bodhisattava, a saintly being who is destined to become the Buddha.
• These elaborate sculptures and paintings stand in impressive
grandeur in spite of withstanding the ravages of time. Amid the
beautiful images and paintings are sculptures of Buddha, calm and
serene in contemplation.

• The cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated out of
the vertical face of an escarpment, are 26 km north of
Aurangabad.
• Sculptors, inspired by Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism,
created elaborate rock carvings.
• Extending in a linear arrangement, the 34 caves contain
Buddhist Chaityas or halls of worship, Viharas or monasteries
and Hindu and Jain temples.
• Spanning a period of about 600 years between the 5th and
11th century A.D., the earliest excavation here is of the Dhumar
Lena (Cave 29).
• The most imposing excavation is, without doubt, that of the
magnificent Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) which is the largest
monolithic structure in the world, known as Verul in ancient
times.

GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT MAHABALIPURAM
Shore Temple
Ratha' Cave Temple
Descent of the Ganges

• Mahabalipuram is a temple town situated along the shores of the Bay
of Bengal about 60 kms from the south Indian city of Chennai. There
are several famous temples at Mahabalipuram.
• The Shore Temples at Mahabalipuram was built in the 7th century,
during the reign of Rajasimha. These temples are refreshingly
uncluttered, unlike later grandiose Dravidian architecture and tower
over the waves behind a protective breakwater. The temple with its
beautiful polygonal dome enshrines Lord Vishnu and Shiva.
• The magnificent 'Ratha' cave temples of Mahabalipuram was built by
the Pallava king Narsimha in the 7th and 8th centuries. It is known
especially for its rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas
(cave sanctuaries), giant open-air reliefs such as the famous 'Descent
of the Ganges', and the temple of Rivage, with thousands of
sculptures to the glory of Shiva.
• There are eight rathas at Mahabalipuram, out of which five are
named after the 'Pandavas' (five brothers) of Mahabharata and one
after Draupadi. The five rathas that can be seen are Dharmaraja
Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Arjuna Ratha, Draupadi Ratha and Nakul
Sahadev Ratha. They are constructed on the style of the Buddhist
viharas and chaityas. The unfinished three-storey Dharmaraja ratha
is the largest. The Draupadi ratha is the smallest, it is one-storeyed
and has an interesting thatch-like roof. The Arjuna and Draupadi
rathas are dedicated to Shiva and Durga respectively.

• Konark Sun Temple, located in the eastern State of Odisha near the sacred
city of Puri, is dedicated to the sun God or Surya.
• The temple was built in A.D. 1250, during the reign of the Eastern Ganga
King Narasimhadeva-I (A.D. 1238-64).
• It is a monumental representation of the Sun God Surya's chariot; its 24
wheels are decorated with symbolic designs and it is led by a team of six
horses. It is a masterpiece of Odisha's medieval architecture and one of
India's most famous Brahman sanctuaries.
• There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple.
Some say the wheels represent the 24 hours in a day and others say the 12
months.
• The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week.
• Sailors once called this Sun Temple of Konarak, the Black Pagoda because it
was supposed to draw ships into the shore and cause shipwrecks.

CHURCHES AND CONVENTS OF GOA
Church of Bom Jesus
Se' Cathedral
Convent of St.
Francis of Assisi
Church of Lady of Rosary

• The Southern Indian State, Goa has some world famous churches and
convents.
• The Basilica of Bom Jesus, located 10 km east Panaji (Capital of Goa) was
built in 16th Century. 'Bom Jesus' means 'Infant Jesus' or 'Good Jesus'. This
cathedral is India's first Minor Basilica, and is considered as one of the best
examples of baroque architecture in India.
• The Basilica houses the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier, patron saint of
Goa who died in 1552. The mausoleum of St. Xavier is a marvel of Italian art
(the marble base) and Hindu craftsmanship (the silver casket).
• Se' Cathedral, was constructed in 16th century the Roman Catholics under
the Portuguese rule. The Cathedral, the largest church in Asia, is dedicated
to St. Catherine of Alexandria. The building is Portuguese-Gothic in style
with a Tuscan exterior and Corinthian interior.
• Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, Church of Lady of Rosary;
Church of St. Augustine are among some other famous Churches and
Convents of Goa.

FATEHPUR SIKRI
Buland-Darwaza
Tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti
Palace of Jodha Bai

• The royal city at Fatehpur Sikri, situated 26 miles west of Agra,
Uttar Pradesh, was built under the orders of the great Mughal
Emperor Akbar.
• In honour of saint Shaikh Salim Chisti, Akbar founded a
magnificent city on Sikri ridge in 1571.
• Within a year, most of the work was finished and within the
next few years, a well planned administrative, residential and
religious buildings came into existence.
• The Jami Mosque was perhaps among the first buildings to
come up. Its epigraph gives AH 979 (A.D. 1571-72) as the date
of its completion. The Buland-Darwaza was added some five
years later.
• Among other important buildings are the tomb of Shaikh Salim
Chishti, Naubat-or Naqqar Khana (drum-house), Taksal (mint),
Karkhanas (royal workshop), Khazana (treasury), Hakim's
quarters, Diwan-i-Am (hall of public audience), house of
Maryam also called Sunahra Makan (Golden House), palace of
Jodha Bai, Birbal's house, etc.

GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT HAMPI
Vitthala temple
Hazara Ramachandra Chandrasekhara temple

• Hampi, the 14th century capital of one of the greatest empires
of medieval India called the Vijayanagar Empire, lies in the
Deccan heartland, in the state of Karnataka.
• The monuments of Vijayanagar city, also known as Vidyasagar
in honour of the sage Vidyaranya was built between 1336-1570
A.D., from the times of Harihara-I to Sadasiva Raya. A large
number of royal buildings were raised by Krishnadeva Raya
(A.D. 1509-30), the greatest ruler of the dynasty.
• The Vitthala temple in Hampi is an excellent example of
Vijayanagar style. The monolithic statues of Lakshmi,
Narasimha and Ganesha are noted for their massiveness and
grace. The Krishna temple, Pattabhirama temple, Hazara
Ramachandra and Chandrasekhara temple as also the Jain
temples, are other examples. Majority of these temples in
Hampi were provided with widespread bazaars flanked on
either side by storied Mandapas.

KHAJURAHO GROUP OF MONUMENTS
Kandariya Mahadeva
Chaturbhuj
Javari

• Khajuraho, the ancient Kharjjuravahaka, is located in the State of
Madhya Pradesh and was the principal seat of authority of the
Chandella rulers who adorned it with numerous tanks, scores of lofty
temples of sculptural grace and architectural splendour.
• Yasovarman (A.D. 954) built the temple of Vishnu, which is now
famous as Lakshmana temple, and is an ornate and evolved example
of its time proclaiming the prestige of the Chandellas.
• The Visvanatha, Parsvanatha and Vaidyanatha Temples belong to the
time of king Dhanga, the successor of Yasovarman. The Jagadambi,
Chitragupta, are noteworthy among the western group of royal
temples of Khajuraho.
• The largest and grandest temple of Khajuraho is the immortal
Kandariya Mahadeva, which is attributed to king Ganda (A.D. 1017-
29). The other examples that followed viz., Vamana, Adinatha, Javari,
Chaturbhuj and Duladeo, are smaller but elaborately designed.
• The Khajuraho group of temples is noted for lofty terraces (jagati)
and functionally effective plans. The sculptural embellishments
include, besides the cult images; parivara, parsva, avarana devatas,
dikpalas, the apsarases and sura-sundaris, which win universal
admiration for their delicate, youthful female forms of ravishing
beauty.

• The Elephanta Caves serve as a great tourist attraction in the vicinity
of the large Mumbai metropolis. The Elephanta island is located 10
km away from the Gateway of India at Mumbai in Maharashtra.
• Elephanta anciently known as Gharapuri, the island capital of
Konkan Mauryas, is celebrated for its colossal image of Mahesamurti
with three heads each representing a different form.
• The cave temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, was excavated sometime
in the 8th century by the Rashtrakuta kings, who ruled the area
between A.D. 757-973.
• The Elephanta caves is a conglomeration of seven caves, out of which
the most important is the Mahesa-murti cave. The main body of the
cave, excluding the porticos on the three open sides and the back isle,
is 27 metres square and is supported by rows of six columns each.
• The gigantic figures of 'dvarapalas' or doorkeepers are very
impressive.
• There are sculptured compartments in this cave with remarkable
images of Ardhanarisvara, Kalyana-sundara Shiva, Ravana lifting
Kailasa, Andhakari-Murti (slaying of Andhaka demon) and Nataraja
Shiva.

GREAT LIVING CHOLA TEMPLES
Airavatesvara Temple

• Situated in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, this site comprises the three
great 11th and 12th century Chola Temples: the Brihadisvara temples of
Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholisvaram, and the Airatesvara temple at
Darasuram.
• The three Chola temples in India are exemplary production in the Dravidian
style of temple architecture.
• The Brihadisvara temples are situated at Thanjavur, the ancient capital of
the Chola kings. King Rajaraja I Chola constructed the Brihadisvara Temple
in 10th century A.D., designed by the famous architect Sama Varma. The
temple is crowned by a pyramidal 65-m vimana, a sanctum tower. Its walls
are covered with rich sculptural decoration.
• The second Brihadisvara temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram built by
Rajendra I was completed in 1035. Its 53-m vimana has recessed corners and
a graceful upward curving movement, contrasting with the straight and
severe tower at Thanjavur. It has six pairs of massive, monolithic dvarapalas
statues guarding the entrances and bronzes of remarkable beauty inside.
• Surrounded by two rectangular enclosures, the Brihadisvara Temple (built
from blocks of granite and, in part, from bricks) is crowned with a
pyramidal 13-storey tower, the vimana, standing 61 m high and topped with
a bulb-shaped monolith.
• Airavatesvara temple complex, built by Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a
24-m vimana and a black stone image of Shiva.

GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT PATTADAKAL
Virupaksha temple
Jambulinga Temple
Kadasideeshwara
Jaina basadi
Mallikarjuna Temmple

• Situated in the southern State of Karnataka, Pattadakal group of monuments
are famous for their harmonious blend of architectural forms of northern
and southern India. Pattadakal, the capital of the Chalukya dynasty of
medieval India, is 22 km away from Badami and 514 km from Bangalore.
This famous world heritage site consists of a group of ten major temples,
each displaying interesting architectural features.
• Built in the 7th and 8th centuries, the Pattadakal monument was famous for
royal coronation called 'Pattadakisuvolal'. Temples constructed here mark
the blending of the Rekha Nagara Prasada and the Dravida Vimana styles of
temple building. The oldest temple at Pattadakal is the simple but massive
Sangamesvara built by Vijayaditya Satyasraya (A.D. 697-733).
• The Mallikarjuna and the Virupaksha temples at Pattadakal, were built by
two queens of Vikaramaditya II, to commemorate the victory of the
Chalukyas over the Pallavas. Virupaksha temple, built by Queen
Lokamahadevi, was originally called Lokeshwara. This temple is built in the
southern Dravida style and is the largest in the enclosure.
• The Jambulinga Temple at Pattadakal has a fine figure of the Dancing Shiva
with Nandi (bull) & Parvathi by his side. Built with a northern style tower,
there is a horse-shoe arched projection on its facade.
• The Chandrashekhara and Kadasideeshwara are the other major temples
here, and Pattadakal also has a Jaina basadi of Rashtrakuta times with two
beautiful elephants in front.

BUDDHIST MONUMENTS AT SANCHI
Asokan pillar
Great Stupa
Monastery
Temple 17 Sanchi stupa No 2

• Sanchi, also known as Kakanaya in ancient times is situated in the state of
Madhya Pradesh. Sanchi is famous in the world for stupas, monolithic
Asokan pillar, temples, monasteries and sculptural wealth dating from 3rd
century B.C. to 12th century A.D.
• The Sanchi stupas are noteworthy for their gateways as they contain
ornamented depiction of incidents from the life of Buddha and his previous
incarnations, "Bodhisattvas", as described in the Jataka tales. Here, Gautam
Buddha is depicted by symbols, such as the wheel, which represents his
teaching.
• Sanchi was virtually forgotten after the 13th Century until 1818, when
General Taylor, a British Officer rediscovered it.
• The largest stupa, known as the Great Stupa, is surrounded by a railing with
four carved gateways facing all the four directions of the compass. The
gateways were probably carved around 100 A.D.
• Stupas are large hemispherical domes, containing a central chamber, in
which the relics of the Buddha were placed.
• During Sunga times, several edifices were raised at Sanchi and its
surrounding hills. The Asokan stupa was enlarged and faced with stones
and decorated with balustrades, staircase and a harmika on the top. The
reconstruction of Temple 40 and erection of Stupas 2 and 3 also date back to
the same time. In the first century B.C., the Andhra-Satavahanas, who had
extended their sway over the eastern Malwa, caused the elaborately carved
gateways to Stupa 1. During the Gupta period, some temples were built and
sculptures were added.

• Humayun's tomb in the capital Delhi is a fine specimen of the great Mughal
architecture. Built in 1570, the tomb is of particular cultural significance as it
was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent.
• This historic monument was erected by Humayun's queen Hamida Banu
Begam (Haji Begam) at a cost of about 1.5 million. It is believed that she
designed the tomb.
• The splendour of this monument becomes evident on entering the grandiose
double-storeyed gateway. High rubble walls enclose a square garden
divided into four large squares separated by causeways and water channels.
Each square is divided again into smaller squares by pathways, forming a
typical Mughal garden called Charbagh.
• The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II had taken refuge in this
tomb during the first War of Independence in 1857. Several rulers of the
Mughal dynasty lie buried here. Humayun's wife is buried here too.
• The main sarcophagus stands in the central hall, oriented - in accordance
with Muslim practice - on the north-south axis. Traditionally, the body is
placed with the head to the north, the face turned sideways towards Mecca.
The dome is what is called a full dome, a complete semi-circle which is a
special feature of Mughal architecture. The structure is built with red
sandstone, but white and black marble has been used in the borders.

QUTB MINAR AND ITS MONUMENTS
Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque
Alai Minar
Iron Pillar

• Built in the 13th century, the magnificent tower stands in the capital, Delhi. It has
a diameter of 14.32m at the base and about 2.75m on the top with a height of
72.5m.
• Qutub-ud-Din Aibak of Slave Dynasty laid the foundation of Minar in A.D. 1199
for the use of mu'azzin (crier) to give calls for prayer and raised the first storey,
to which were added three more storeys by his successor and son-in-law,
Shams-ud-Din Itutmish (A.D. 1211-36). All the storeys are surrounded by a
projected balcony encircling the minar and supported by stone brackets, which
are decorated with honey-comb design.
• Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, to the north-east of minar was built by Qutub-ud-
Din Aibak in A.D. 1198. It is the earliest extant - mosque built by the Delhi
Sultans. It consists of a rectangular courtyard enclosed by cloisters, erected with
the carved columns and architectural members of 27 Hindu and Jaina temples,
which were demolished by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, a lofty arched screen was
erected and the mosque was enlarged, by Shams-ud- Din Itutmish (A.D. 1210-
35) and Ala-ud-Din Khalji.
• The Iron Pillar in the courtyard bears an inscription in Sanskrit in Brahmi script
of fourth century A.D., according to which the pillar was set up as a
Vishnudhvaja (standard of god Vishnu) on the hill known as Vishnupada in
memory of a mighty king named Chandra. A deep socket on the top of the
ornate capital indicates that probably an image of Garuda was fixed into it.
• Alai- Darwaza, the southern gateway of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was
constructed by Ala-ud-Din Khalji in A.H. 710 (A.D. 1311). This is the first
building employing Islamic principles of construction and ornamentation.
• Alai Minar, which stands to the north of Qutub-Minar, was commenced by Ala-
ud-Din Khalji, with the intention of making it twice the size of earlier Minar. He
could complete only the first Storey, which now has an extant height of 25 m.

MOUNTAIN RAILWAYS OF INDIA
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Kalka Shimla Railway

 Date of Inscription: 1999
 This site includes three railways.
 The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was the first, and is still the most
outstanding, example of a hill passenger railway. Opened in 1881 run
climbed from 400 feet (120 meters) at Siliguri to some 7,407 feet (2,257
meters) at Ghum. The serpentine track employed an endless series of
switchbacks, loops, hairpin turns, tunnels, and bridges to gain serious
altitude at a sustainable grade.
 The construction of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a 46-km long metre-
gauge single-track railway in Tamil Nadu State was first proposed in 1854,
but due to the difficulty of the mountainous location the work only started
in 1891 and was completed in 1908. This railway, scaling an elevation of 326
m to 2,203 m, represented the latest technology of the time.
 The Kalka Shimla Railway, a 96-km long, single track working rail link built
in the mid-19th century to provide a service to the highland town of Shimla
is emblematic of the technical and material efforts to disenclave mountain
populations through the railway. The line delves through 102 tunnels, the
largest of which is 3,750 feet (1,143 meters) long.
 All three railways are still fully operational.

MAHABODHI TEMPLE COMPLEX,
BODH GAYA
Bodhi Tree
Lotus Pond

 Date of Inscription: 2002
 The Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya is located in the central part
of the state of Bihar, in the northeastern part of India.
 The Mahabodhi Temple is located at the place of Lord Buddha's
enlightenment. Bihar is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the
Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment.
 The first temple was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century B.C., and
the present temple dates from the 5th or 6th centuries. It is one of the earliest
Buddhist temples built entirely with brick, still standing in India, from the
late Gupta period.
 The present Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya comprises the 50 m
high grand Temple, the Vajrasana, sacred Bodhi Tree and other six sacred
sites of Buddha's enlightenment, surrounded by numerous ancient Votive
stupas, well maintained and protected by inner, middle and outer circular
boundaries. A seventh sacred place, the Lotus Pond, is located outside the
enclosure to the south.
 The most important of the sacred places is the giant Bodhi Tree, to the west
of the main temple, a supposed direct descendant of the original Bodhi Tree
under which Buddha spent his First Week and had his enlightment.
 Next to the Bodhi Tree there is a platform attached to the main temple made
of polished sandstone known as Vajrasana (the Diamond Throne), originally
installed by Emperor Asoka to mark the spot where Buddha sat and
meditated.

• The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, are in the foothills of the Vindhyan
Mountains on the southern edge of the central Indian plateau in the State
of Madhya Pradesh. Bhimbetka is also known as Bhima's Lounge (Bhima
was the second of the five Pandava princes in the Hindu epic
Mahabharata).
• Within massive sandstone outcrops, above comparatively dense forest,
are five clusters of natural rock shelters, displaying paintings that appear
to date from the Mesolithic Period to the historical period. The cultural
traditions of the inhabitants of the twenty-one villages adjacent to the site
bear a strong resemblance to those represented in the rock paintings.
• Most of the paintings here are in red and white with occasional dashes of
yellow and green, with themes culled from events in everyday life,
thousands of years ago. The scenes depicted are mainly of dancing,
playing music, hunting, horse and elephant riding, decorating bodies, and
collecting honey. Household scenes too constitute an occasional theme.
• Animals like tigers, lions, wild boar, elephants, dogs and crocodiles have
also been portrayed in the paintings. The walls of these shelters are also
adorned with religious symbols that were popular with these pre-historic
artists.

CHAMPANER-PAVAGADH
ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
Kalikamata Temple
Jami Masjid
Nagina Mosque
Lakulish Temple

• A concentration of largely unexcavated archaeological, historic
and living cultural heritage properties cradled in an impressive
landscape which includes prehistoric (chalcolithic) sites, a hill
fortress of an early Hindu capital, and remains of the 16th-
century capital of the state of Gujarat built by Mehmud Begda.
• The site also includes, among other vestiges, fortifications,
palaces, religious buildings, residential precincts, agricultural
structures and water installations, from the 8th to 14th
centuries.
• The Kalikamata Temple on top of Pavagadh Hill is considered
to be an important shrine, attracting large numbers of pilgrims
throughout the year.
• The site is the only complete and unchanged Islamic pre-
Mughal city.
• The structures represent a perfect blend of Hindu-Moslem
architecture, mainly in the Great Mosque (Jami Masjid), which
was a model for later mosque architecture in India.

• The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus in
Mumbai, Maharashtra is a fine example of Victorian Gothic Revival
architecture in India, with a blend of themes derived from Indian
traditional architecture. The terminus exhibits an important interchange of
influences between the two.
• The building, designed by the British architect F.W. Stevens, became the
symbol of Bombay (now Mumbai) as the 'Gothic City' and the major
international mercantile port city in the Indian subcontinent within the
British Commonwealth.
• The terminal was built over ten years, starting in 1878 according to a High
Victorian Gothic design based on late medieval Italian models. Its
remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed arches, and eccentric ground plan
are close to traditional Indian palace architecture.
• It has become an inseparable part of the people of Mumbai as the station
operates both suburban and long distance trains. This magnificent
terminus serves as the headquarters of the Central Railways in India and is
one of the busiest stations of the nation. Till 1996, it was known as Victoria
Terminal, named so in the honor of Queen Victoria.

RED FORT COMPLEX, DELHI
Diwan-e-AamDiwan-e-Khas
Lahore Gate

• The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, after ruling from Agra for eleven years, decided to
shift to Delhi and laid the foundation stone of the Red Fort in 1618.
• Delhi's famous Red Fort is known by that name because of the red stone with which
it is built and it is one of the most magnificent palaces in the world.
• India's history is also closely linked with this fort. It was from here that the British
deposed the last Mughal ruler, Bhadur Shah Zafar, marking the end of the three
century long Mughal rule. It was also from its ramparts that the first Prime Minister
of India, Pandit Jawharlal Nehru, announced to the nation that India was free form
colonial rule.
• With a circumference of almost one and a half miles, the fort is an irregular octagon
and has two entrances, the Lahore and Delhi Gates.
• From the Lahore Gate, a visitor has access to the Chatta Chowk (vaulted arcade)
which as once a royal market.
• The Diwan-e-Aam is the Red Fort's hall of public audience. Built of sandstone
covered with shell plaster polished to look like ivory, the 80 x 40 feet hall is sub-
divided by columns. The Mughal emperors would hold court here and meet
dignitaries and foreign emissaries.
• The Diwan-e-Khas was the hall of private audience. The most highly ornamented of
all Shah Jahan's buildings, the 90 x 67 feet Diwan-e-Khas is a pavilion of white marble
supported by intricately carved pillars. So enamoured was the emperor by the beauty
of this pavilion that he engraved on it the following words: "If there is paradise on the
face of this earth, it is this, it is this."

• The Jantar Mantar, in Jaipur, is an astronomical observation site
built in the early 18th century by prince Jai Singh II.
• It includes a set of some 20 main fixed instruments.
• Designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the
naked eye, they embody several architectural and instrumental
innovations. This is the most significant, most comprehensive,
and the best preserved of India's historic observatories.
• The observatory forms part of a tradition of Ptolemaic
positional astronomy which was shared by many civilizations.
It contributed by this type of observation to the completion of
the astronomical tables of Zij. It is a late and ultimate
monumental culmination of this tradition.
• The observatory has the Samrat Yantra, a simple equal hour sun
dial, the Ram yantra for reading altitudinal angles; Jai Prakash
for ascertaining the position of the sun and other celestial
bodies, and the Misra Yantra which is a combination of four
scientific gadgets.

HILL FORTS OF RAJASTHAN
Chittorgarh
AmberJaisalmer
Gagron
Ranthambore Kumbhalgarh

• The serial site, situated in the state of Rajastahan, includes six majestic forts in
Chittorgarh; Kumbhalgarh; Sawai Madhopur; Jhalawar; Jaipur, and Jaisalmer. The
ecclectic architecture of the forts, bears testimony to the power of the Rajput princely
states that flourished in the region from the 8th to the 18th centuries.
• The forts use the natural defenses offered by the landscape: hills, deserts, rivers, and
dense forests. They also feature extensive water harvesting structures, largely still in
use today.
• Chittorgarh fort stands on a hill 180 m (590.6 ft) high. It is situated on the left bank of
the Berach river. In 1303, the Turkic ruler of Delhi, Alauddin Khalji defeated Rana
Ratan Singh's forces at the fort after an eight-month-long siege.
• Kumbhalgarh fort was constructed in a single process and retains its architectural
coherence.
• Situated in the middle of forest, Ranthambore is an established example of forest hill
fort and in addition, the remains of the palace of Hammir are among the oldest
surviving structures of an Indian palace.
• Gagron fort, Jhalawar is an exemplar of a river-protected fort. In addition its strategic
location in a pass in the hills reflects it control of trade routes.
• Amber Palace, Jaipur is representative of a key phase (17th century) in the
development of a common Rajput-Mughal court style, embodied in the buildings and
gardens added to Amber by Mirza Raja Jai Singh I.
• Jaisalmer is an example a hill fort in desert terrain. The extensive township contained
within it from the outset, still inhabited today, and the group of Jain temples, make it
an important example of a sacred and secular (urban) fort.

RANI-KI-VAV (THE QUEEN’S STEPWELL)

• Rani-ki-Vav, on the banks of the Saraswati River, at Patan, Gujrat, was
initially built as a memorial to a king in the 11th century AD. Its construction
is attributed to Udayamati, daughter of Khengara of Saurashtra, queen of the
11th-century Chaulukya dynasty and spouse of Bhima I.
• Rani-ki-Vav was built at the height of craftsmens’ ability in stepwell
construction and the Maru-Gurjara architectural style, reflecting mastery of
this complex technique and great beauty of detail and proportions.
• Designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water, it is
divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic
quality; more than 500 principle sculptures and over a thousand minor ones
combine religious, mythological and secular imagery, often referencing
literary works.
• The fourth level is the deepest and leads into a rectangular tank 9.5 m by
9.4 m, at a depth of 23 m. The well is located at the westernmost end of the
property and consists of a shaft 10 m in diameter and 30 m deep.

• Nalanda Mahavihara was founded by Kumargupta I of the Gupta dynasty in
5th century CE., is famous as the ancient seat of learning. The ruins of the
world's most ancient university lies here which is 62 km from Bodhgaya and
90 km south of Patna. Though the Buddha visited Nalanda several times
during his lifetime, this famous center of Buddhist learning shot to fame
much later, during 5th-12th centuries.
• Hieun Tsang stayed here in the 7th century AD and left detailed description
of the excellence of education system and purity of monastic life practiced
here. He also gave a vivid account of both the ambiance and architecture of
this unique university of ancient times.
• In this first residential international university of the world, 2,000 teachers
and 10,000 monks students from all over the Buddhist world lived and
studied here. The Gupta kings patronized these monasteries, built in old
Kushan architectural style, in a row of cells around a courtyard.
• Emperor Ashoka and Harshavardhana were some of its most celebrated
patrons who built temples, monasteries and viharas here.
• Recent excavations have unearthed elaborate structures here. An
International Center for Buddhist Studies was established here in 1951.

THE ARCHITECTURAL WORK OF LE CORBUSIER

• Chosen from the work of Le Corbusier, the 17 sites comprising this transnational
serial property are spread over seven countries and are a testimonial to the invention
of a new architectural language that made a break with the past.
• The Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh (India), the National Museum of Western
Art, Tokyo (Japan), the House of Dr Curutchet in La Plata (Argentina) and the Unité
d’habitation in Marseille (France) reflect the solutions that the Modern Movement
sought to apply during the 20th century to the challenges of inventing new
architectural techniques to respond to the needs of society.
• Chandigarh, the dream city of India's first Prime Minister, Sh. Jawahar Lal Nehru,
was planned by the famous French architect Le Corbusier. Picturesquely located at
the foothills of Shivaliks, it is known as one of the best experiments in urban planning
and modern architecture in the twentieth century in India. Chandigarh became
symbolic of the newly independent Indian. The foundation stone of the city was laid
in 1952.
• In the Capitol Complex of Chandigarh, concern for natural air-conditioning and
energy saving led to the use of sunscreens, double-skinned roofs, and reflecting pools
for the catchment of rainwater and air cooling.
• The metaphor of a human being was being employed in the plan – the ‘head’
contained the capital complex, the ‘heart’ the commercial centre, and the ‘arms’,
which were perpendicular to the main axis, had the academic and leisure facilities.

• The walled city of Ahmadabad, founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah
in the 15th century, on the eastern bank of the Sabarmati river,
presents a rich architectural heritage from the sultanate period,
notably the Bhadra citadel, the walls and gates of the Fort city
and numerous mosques and tombs as well as important Hindu
and Jain temples of later periods.
• The urban fabric is made up of densely-packed traditional
houses (pols) in gated traditional streets (puras) with
characteristic features such as bird feeders, public wells and
religious institutions.
• the old city’s very rich domestic wooden architecture with its
distinctive “havelis” (neighbourhoods), “pols” (gated
residential main streets), and khadkis (inner entrances to the
pols) as the main constituents.

VICTORIAN GOTHIC AND ART DECO ENSEMBLES OF
MUMBAI

• Having become a global trading centre, the city of Mumbai implemented an
ambitious urban planning project in the second half of the 19th century. It
led to the construction of ensembles of public buildings bordering the Oval
Maidan open space, first in the Victorian Neo-Gothic style and then, in the
early 20th century, in the Art Deco idiom.
• The first expansion included the construction in the 1880s of a group of
Victorian Gothic public buildings and the creation of the Oval Maidan.
• The second expansion was the Backbay Reclamation Scheme in the early
20th century, which offered a new opportunity for Bombay to expand to the
west with Art Deco residential, commercial and entertainment buildings and
the creation of the Marine Drive sea front.
• The Victorian ensemble includes Indian elements suited to the climate,
including balconies and verandas. The Art Deco edifices, with their cinemas
and residential buildings, blend Indian design with Art Deco imagery,
creating a unique style that has been described as Indo-Deco.
• Today the Oval Maidan offers a spectacular ensemble of Victorian Gothic
buildings on its eastern side, and another impressive ensemble of Art Deco
buildings on its western side.
• These two ensembles bear testimony to the phases of modernization that
Mumbai has undergone in the course of the 19th and 20th centuries.

• The walled city of Jaipur, in India’s north-western state of Rajasthan
was founded in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II.
• Unlike other cities in the region located in hilly terrain, Jaipur was
established on the plain and built according to a grid plan interpreted
in the light of Vedic architecture.
• The streets feature continuous colonnaded businesses that intersect in
the centre, creating large public squares called chaupars. Markets,
shops, residences and temples built along the main streets have
uniform facades.
• The city's urban planning shows an exchange of ideas from ancient
Hindu and early modern Mughal as well as Western cultures.
• The grid plan is a model that prevails in the West, while the
organization of the different city sectors (chowkris) refers to
traditional Hindu concepts.
• Designed to be a commercial capital, the city has maintained its local
commercial, artisanal and cooperative traditions to this day.

• Kaziranga National Park represents one of the last unmodified natural areas in the
north-eastern region of India. Covering 42,996 ha, and located in the State of Assam it
is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley
floodplain.
• The fluctuations of the Brahmaputra River result in spectacular examples of riverine
and fluvial processes in this vast area of wet alluvial tall grassland interspersed with
numerous broad shallow pools fringed with reeds and patches of deciduous to semi-
evergreen woodlands.
• Kaziranga was inscribed for being the world’s major stronghold of the Indian one-
horned rhino, having the single largest population of this species, currently estimated
at over 2,000 animals.
• The property also provides habitat for a number of globally threatened species
including Tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo, gaur, eastern swamp deer,
Sambar deer, hog deer, capped langur, hoolock gibbon and sloth bear. The park has
recorded one of the highest density of tiger in the country and has been declared a
Tiger Reserve since 2007.
• The park’s location at the junction of the Australasia and Indo-Asian flyway means
that the park’s wetlands play a crucial role for the conservation of globally threatened
migratory bird species.
• The Endangered Ganges dolphin is also found in some of the closed oxbow lakes.

• Keoladeo National Park, located in the State of Rajasthan, is an important wintering
ground of Palaearctic migratory waterfowl and is renowned for its large
congregation of non-migratory resident breeding birds.
• A green wildlife oasis situated within a populated human-dominated landscape,
some 375 bird species and a diverse array of other life forms have been recorded in
this mosaic of grasslands, woodlands, woodland swamps and wetlands of just
2,873 ha.
• This ‘Bird Paradise’ was developed in a natural depression wetland that was
managed as a duck shooting reserve at the end of the 19th century. While hunting
has ceased and the area declared a national park in 1982, its continued existence is
dependent on a regulated water supply from a reservoir outside the park boundary.
The park’s well-designed system of dykes and sluices provides areas of varying
water depths which are used by various avifaunal species.
• Due to its strategic location in the middle of Central Asian migratory flyway and
presence of water, large congregations of ducks, geese, coots, pelicans and waders
arrive in the winter.
• The park was the only known wintering site of the central population of the critically
endangered Siberian Crane, and also serves as a wintering area for other globally
threatened species such as the Greater Spotted Eagle and Imperial Eagle.
• During the breeding season the most spectacular heronry in the region is formed by
15 species of herons, ibis, cormorants, spoonbills and storks, where in a well-flooded
year over 20,000 birds nest.

• Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the State of Assam in North-East
India, a biodiversity hotspot. Covering an area of 39,100 hectares, it spans the
Manas river and is bounded to the north by the forests of Bhutan.
• The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is part of the core zone of the 283,700 hectares
Manas Tiger Reserve, and lies alongside the shifting river channels of the
Manas River.
• The monsoon and river system form four principal geological habitats:
Bhabar savannah, Terai tract, marshlands and riverine tracts. The dynamic
ecosystem processes support broadly three types of vegetation: semi-
evergreen forests, mixed moist and dry deciduous forests and alluvial
grasslands.
• The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary provides habitat for 22 of India’s most
threatened species of mammals. Noteworthy among these are the elephant,
tiger, greater one-horned rhino, clouded leopard, sloth bear, and other
species.
• The wild buffalo population is probably the only pure strain of this species
still found in India.
• It also harbours endemic species like pygmy hog, hispid hare and golden
langur as well as the endangered Bengal florican.

• The Sundarbans contain the world's largest mangrove forests and one of the most
biologically productive of all natural ecosystems. Located at the mouth of the Ganges
and Brahmaputra Rivers between India and Bangladesh, its forest and waterways
support a wide range of' fauna.
• The land area in the Sundarbans is constantly being changed, moulded and shaped
by the action of the tides, with erosion processes more prominent along estuaries and
deposition processes along the banks of inner estuarine waterways influenced by the
accelerated discharge of silt from sea water.
• The mangrove ecosystem of the Sundarbans is considered to be unique because of its
immensely rich mangrove flora and mangrove-associated fauna.
• The mangrove habitat supports the single largest population of tigers in the world
which have adapted to an almost amphibious life, being capable of swimming for
long distances and feeding on fish, crab and water monitor lizards.
• The Sundarbans support a wealth of animal species including a number of
threatened aquatic mammals such as the Irrawaddy and Ganges River dolphins. The
site also contains an exceptional number of threatened reptiles including the King
Cobra and significant populations of the endemic river terrapin.
• The property provides nesting grounds for marine turtles including the olive riley,
green and hawksbill. Two of the four species of highly primitive horseshoe crab
(Tachypleus gigas and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) are found here.
• The Sajnakhali area, listed as an Important Bird Area, contains a wealth of waterfowl
and is of high importance for migratory birds.

NANDA DEVI AND VALLEY OF FLOWERS
NATIONAL PARKS

• The Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks are exceptionally
beautiful high-altitude West Himalayan landscapes with outstanding
biodiversity in Uttarakhand.
• One of the most spectacular wilderness areas in the Himalayas, Nanda Devi
National Park is dominated by the 7,817 m peak of Nanda Devi, India’s
second highest mountain which is approached through the Rishi Ganga
gorge, one of the deepest in the world. The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere
Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA).
• The Valley of Flowers National Park, with its gentler landscape, breath-
taking beautiful meadows of alpine flowers and ease of access, complements
the rugged, inaccessible, high mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi.
• The Nanda Devi National Park, with its wide range of high altitude habitats,
holds significant populations of flora and fauna including a number of
threatened mammals, notably snow leopard and Himalayan musk deer, as
well as a large population of bharal, or blue sheep, Asiatic Balck Bear,
Brown Bear etc.

WESTERN GHATS
Neelakurinjii
Jog FallsKarajavade Valley
Grass Hills

• A chain of mountains running parallel to India’s western coast, approximately 30-50
km inland, the Ghats traverse the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa,
Maharashtra and Gujarat. These mountains cover an area of around 140,000 km² in a
1,600 km long stretch that is interrupted only by the 30 km Palghat Gap between
Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Palakkad in Kerala.
• Older than the great Himalayan mountain chain, the Western Ghats of India are a
geomorphic feature of immense global importance.
• The mountains of the Western Ghats and their characteristic montane forest
ecosystems influence the Indian monsoon weather patterns that mediate the warm
tropical climate of the region.
• A significant characteristic of the Western Ghats is the exceptionally high level of
biological diversity and endemism. This mountain chain is recognized as one of the
world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity along with Sri Lanka. The
forests of the Western Ghats include some of the best representatives of non
equatorial tropical evergreen forests in the world. At least 325 globally threatened
species occur in the Western Ghats. Endangered species such as the lion-tailed
Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr and Nilgiri Langur are unique to the area.
• The property is also key to the conservation of a number of threatened habitats, such
as unique seasonally mass-flowering wildflower meadows (Neelakurinjii), Shola
forests and Myristica swamps.

• The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area is located in the
western part of the Himalayan Mountains in the State of Himachal Pradesh.
• The 90,540 ha property includes the upper mountain glacial and snow melt
water source origins of the westerly flowing Jiwa Nal, Sainj and Tirthan
Rivers and the north-westerly flowing Parvati River which are all headwater
tributaries to the River Beas. The Great Himalayan National Park
Conservation Area encompasses the catchments of water supplies which are
vital to millions of downstream users.
• The property lies within the ecologically distinct Western Himalayas at the
junction between two of the world’s major biogeographic realms, the
Palearctic and Indomalayan Realms. The Conservation Area is located
within the globally significant “Western Himalayan Temperate Forests”
ecoregion.
• The property also protects part of Conservation International’s Himalaya
“biodiversity hot spot” and is part of the BirdLife International’s Western
Himalaya Endemic Bird Area.
• The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area provides habitat for
4 globally threatened mammals, 3 globally threatened birds and a large
number of medicinal plants such as the Western Tragopan, Musk
Deer, Snow leopard, Red Fox, Black and Brown Bear, Bharal etc.

• Situated in the northern State of Sikkim, Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP)
exhibits one of the widest altitudinal ranges of any protected area worldwide. The
Park comprises a unique diversity of lowlands, steep-sided valleys and spectacular
snow-clad mountains including the world’s third highest peak, Mt.
Khangchendzonga, Numerous lakes and glaciers, including the 26 km long Zemu
Glacier, dot the barren high altitudes.
• Mount Khangchendzonga and many natural features within the property and its
wider setting are endowed with deep cultural meanings and sacred significance,
giving form to the multi-layered landscape of Khangchendzonga, which is sacred as a
hidden land both to Buddhists (Beyul) and to Lepchas as Mayel Lyang, representing
a unique example of co-existence and exchange between different religious traditions
and ethnicities, constituting the base for Sikkimese identity and unity.
• The sacred Buddhist importance of the place begins in the 8th century with Guru
Rinpoche’s initiation of the Buddhist sanctity of the region. It is a specific Sikkimese
form of sacred mountain cult which is sustained by regularly-performed rituals, both
by Lepcha people and Bhutias, the latter performing two rituals: the Nay-Sol and the
Pang Lhabsol.
• Flagship species include Snow Leopard as the largest Himalayan predator, Jackal,
Tibetan Wolf, large Indian Civet, Red Panda, Goral, Blue Sheep, Himalayan Tahr,
Mainland Serow, two species of Musk Deer, two primates, four species of pika and
several rodent species, including the parti-coloured Flying Squirrel.

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