Revision Notes: World Heritage Sites in India

By Sudheer Kumar K|Updated : August 9th, 2021

There are 40 (32 Cultural, 7 Natural and 1 Mixed) World Heritage Sites in India after the inclusion of Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana and Dholavira (a Harappan City) in Gujarat in July 2021.

Table of Content

UNESCO world heritage sites in India

World Heritage Sites

  • The World Heritage Sites are officially recognized by a specialized agency of the UN (United Nations), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) based on their natural, cultural, historical, and scientific importance as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 1972.
  • The list of World Heritage sites is maintained by World Heritage Programme which is administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
  • UNESCO World Heritage Committee- It is composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the UN General Assembly.
  • Italy has the highest numbers of World Heritage Sites in the world.

Criteria for Selection of World Heritage Sites

  • These criteria are explained in the World Heritage Convention, 1972.
  • These criteria are regularly revised by the World Heritage Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.
  • Before the revised Operational Guidelines, World Heritage sites were selected based on six cultural and four natural criteria.
  • With the adoption of the revised Operational Guidelines, only one set of ten criteria.

Tentative lists of Heritage Sites

  • All countries are required to submit their Tentative Lists of places which they consider to be a cultural or natural heritage of outstanding universal value and therefore suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List.
  • If any site is listed in World Heritage Sites, then it must be removed from the tentative list.

World Heritage Sites in India

  • There are 40 (32 Cultural, 7 Natural and 1 Mixed) World Heritage Sites in India after the inclusion of Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana and Dholavira (a Harappan City) in Gujarat in July 2021.
  • First time from India two sites Agra fort and Ajanta Caves were included in World Heritage Sites in 1983.
  • Only one mixed-criteria site in India is Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim.
  • The Ministry of Culture recommends one property every year for nomination to UNESCO.

Cultural Heritage sites in India

1

Agra Fort

Uttar Pradesh

2

Ajanta Caves

Maharashtra

3

Ellora Caves

Maharashtra

4

Taj Mahal

Uttar Pradesh

5

Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram

Tamil Nadu

6

Sun Temple, Konârak

Orissa

7

Churches and Convents of Goa

Goa

8

Fatehpur Sikri

Uttar Pradesh

9

Group of Monuments at Hampi

Karnataka

10

Khajuraho Group of Monuments

Madhya Pradesh

11

Elephanta Caves

Maharashtra

12

Great Living Chola Temples 12

Tamil Nadu

13

Group of Monuments at Pattadakal

Karnataka

14

Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi

Madhya Pradesh

15

Humayun's Tomb

Delhi

16

Qutb Minar and its Monuments

Delhi

17

Mountain Railways of India (Includes Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway)

Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tamilnadu

18

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya

Bihar

19

Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

Madhya Pradesh

20

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park

Gujarat

21

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)

Mumbai

22

Red Fort Complex

Delhi

23

The Jantar Mantar

Jaipur, Rajasthan

24

Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort and Jaisalmer Fort)

Rajasthan

25

Rani-ki-Vav at Patan

Gujarat

26

Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University)

Bihar

27

Capitol Building Complex - The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier

Chandigarh

28

Historic City of Ahmadabad

Gujarat

29

Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles

Mumbai, Maharashtra

30

Walled City of Jaipur

Jaipur, Rajasthan

31

Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple

Telangana
32Dholavira (Harappan city)Gujarat

Natural Heritage sites in India-

1

Kaziranga National Park

Assam

2

Keoladeo National Park

Rajasthan

3

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

Assam

4

Sundarbans National Park

West Bengal

5

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks

Uttarakhand

6

Western Ghats

Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra

7

Great Himalayan National Park-Conservation Area

Himachal Pradesh

Mixed Heritage site in India-

1

Khangchendzonga National Park

Sikkim

World Heritage Site: Download PDF (E)

World Heritage Site: Download PDF (H)

 

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