Unesco world heritage sites of india

Very Important for General Awareness and Civil Service Exams.

1. UNESCO World Heritage Sites of India

2. 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.

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

4. AGRA FORT

5. 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. 

6. TAJ MAHAL

7. 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, t he 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. Date of Inscription:  1983

8. Ajanta Caves

9. Date of Inscription:   1983 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 .

10. Ellora Caves

11. Date of Inscription:  1983 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 5 th  and 11 th  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, k nown as Verul in ancient times.

12. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram Shore Temple Ratha ' Cave Temple Descent of the Ganges

13. Date of Inscription:   1984 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 7 th  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 7 th  and 8 th   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.

14. Sun Temple, Konark

15. Date of Inscription:   1984 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.

16. Churches and Convents of Goa Church of Bom Jesus Se' Cathedral Convent of St. Francis of Assisi Church of Lady of Rosary

17. Date of Inscription:   1986 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 16 th  Century. ' Bom Jesus' means 'Infant Jesus' or 'Good Jesus'. T his 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 16 th  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.

18. Fatehpur Sikri Buland-Darwaza Tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti Palace of Jodha Bai

19. Date of Inscription:   1986 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.

20. Group of Monuments at Hampi Vitthala temple Hazara Ramachandra Chandrasekhara temple

21. Date of Inscription:   1986 Hampi , the 14 th  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 Kr ishnadeva 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 .

22. Khajuraho Group of Monuments Kandariya Mahadeva Chaturbhuj Javari

23. Date of Inscription:   1986 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.

24. Elephanta Caves

25. Date of Inscription:   1987 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 8 th  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.

26. Great Living Chola Temples Airavatesvara Temple

27. Date of Inscription:   1987 Situated in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, this site comprises the three great 11 th  and 12 th  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 10 th  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.

28. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal Virupaksha temple Jambulinga Temple Kadasideeshwara Jaina basadi Mallikarjuna Temmple

29. Date of Inscription:   1987 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 7 th  and 8 th  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.

30. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi Asokan pillar Great Stupa M onastery Temple 17 Sanchi stupa No 2

31. Date of Inscription:   1989 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 12 th  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 13 th  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 .

32. Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

33. Date of Inscription:   1993 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. 

34. Qutb Minar and its Monuments Quwwat - ul -Islam Mosque Alai Minar Iron Pillar

35. Date of Inscription:   1993 Built in the 13 th  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.

36. Mountain Railways of India Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Nilgiri Mountain Railway Kalka Shimla Railway

37. 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.

38. Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodh Gaya Bodhi Tree Lotus Pond

39. 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 3 rd  century B.C., and the present temple dates from the 5 th  or 6 th  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.

40. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

41. Date of Inscription:   2003 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.

42. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park Kalikamata Temple Jami Masjid Nagina Mosque Lakulish Temple

43. Date of Inscription:  2004 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 .

44. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

45. Date of Inscription:   2004 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.

46. Red Fort Complex, Delhi Diwan -e- Aam Diwan -e- Khas Lahore Gate

47. Date of Inscription:   2007 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. T he 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."

48. Jantar Mantar , Jaipur

49. Date of Inscription:   2010 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.

50. Hill Forts of Rajasthan Chittorgarh Amber Jaisalmer Gagron Ranthambore Kumbhalgarh

51. Date of Inscription:   2013 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.

52. Rani- ki - Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell )

53. Date of Inscription:   2014 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.

54. Nalanda Mahavihara

55. Date of Inscription:   2016 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 5 th -12 th  centuries. Hieun Tsang stayed here in the 7 th  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. 

56. The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier

57. Date of Inscription:   2016 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.

58. Historic City of Ahmadabad

59. Date of Inscription:   2017 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. 

60. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai

61. Date of Inscription:   2018 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.

62. Jaipur City, Rajasthan

63. Date of Inscription:   2019 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.

64. Kaziranga National Park

65. Date of Inscription:   1985 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 T iger , 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.

66. Keoladeo National Park

67. Date of Inscription:   1985 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.

68. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

69. Date of Inscription:   1985 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 .

70. Sundarbans National Park

71. Date of Inscription:   1987 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 K ing C obra 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. 

72. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks

73. Date of Inscription:   1988 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.

74. Western Ghats Neelakurinjii Jog Falls Karajavade Valley Grass Hills

75. Date of Inscription:   2012 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 .

76. Great Himalayan National Park

77. Date of Inscription:   2014 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.

78. Khangchendzonga National Park

79. Date of Inscription:  2016 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.