On the occasion of World Heritage Day, we take a look at places in India that were inscribed as heritage sites by UNESCO in the last 10 years.
The archaeological site of the Nalanda Mahavihara is nothing but the remains of the famed Nalanda University, the “most ancient university of the Indian Subcontinent,” according to UNESCO. It as designed a World Heritage Site in 2016.
Nilgiri Mountain Train (pictured here), along with the Darjeeling Mountain Train and the Kalka Shimla Railway, made it onto UNESCO’s list in 2008.
Delhi’s Red Fort historic Red Fort went on the UNESCO list a decade ago in 2007. “The Red Fort’s innovative planning and architectural style, including the garden design, strongly influenced later buildings and gardens in Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and further afield,” says the organisation.
The Complex Du Capitol or Capitol Complex in Chandigarh is the work of famous architect Le Corbusier. The Complex is a part of a series of 17 buildings built all over the world, including places like Tokyo, Argentina, France among others. “These masterpieces of creative genius also attest to the internationalization of architectural practice across the planet,” writes UNESCO. The site was inscribed in 2016.
A view of majestic Mt. Kanchenjunga as seen from the Kanchenjunga National Park in Sikkim. The park was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 2016.
The Rani Ki Vav Stepwell in Patan, some 120 kms. from Ahmedabad got onto the UNESCO list in 2014. The stepwell was built in 11th century AD, as a memorial to a king. It has sevel levels of stairs and more than 500 major sculptures adorning its walls.
Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh, a biodiversity hotspot, was included in the UNESCO list in 2014.
The Hill Forts of Rajasthan - Chittorgarh; Kumbhalgarh; Sawai Madhopur; Jhalawar; Jaipur, and Jaisalmer - made it onto the list way back in 2013. Here, we see the majestic Amber Fort.
A view of the hunting lounge of Ranthambore Fort in Rajasthan. Unlike the other Rajasthan forts in UNESCO’s list, the Ranthambore Fort has been subjected to the ravages of wars and time. Among the remaining ruins, the two pavilions, Badal Mahal and Hammirs court and parts of the royal palace give an idea of the old grandeur.
River Kali flowing through Kali Tiger Reserve, earlier known as Dandeli-Anshi tiger reserve (DATR), in the Western Ghats region of Uttara Kannada District, in Karnataka. UNESCO designated Western Ghats as a heritage site in 2012.
The historic Jantar Mantar observatory in Jaipur was built in the 18th century. “This is the most significant, most comprehensive, and the best preserved of India's historic observatories,” says UNESCO. It was listed as a heritage site in 2010.