Top 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India You Must Visit
India is a country of diversity, a country of rich heritage. Our India is a land of heritage. Friends, you must have heard the name of UNESCO. UNESCO means “United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization”. friends, although they have a lot of work, their work is to preserve the historical and natural heritage of the world.
UNESCO is not limited to just one country but is spread all over the world. Presently 38 places of India have been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and today we are going to tell you the Top 10 World Heritage Sites in India. so let’s get started.
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List of World Heritage Sites in India
1. Taj Mahal
One of the seven wonders of the world, a unique symbol of the emperor’s love and a beautiful building like heaven on earth, the Taj Mahal is not only a heritage of India, but of the whole world, it is one such place. Where every person in the world dreams of going.
The Taj Mahal in the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh is built on the banks of the Yamuna River and was built in 1653 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Today its value is estimated to be more than 6 thousand crore Indian rupees and the Taj Mahal was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India in 1983.
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2. Western Ghats
The Western Ghats are also known by the name of Sahyadri and it is on the western border of our country. It is one of the 10 most biodiverse places in the world. It was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.
There are 39 places in the Western Ghats which are National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Reserve Forests. Of these, 20 places are in Kerala, 10 in Karnataka, 5 in Tamil Nadu, and 4 in Maharashtra. The Western Ghats are spread over 16 thousand square kilometers and are home to 325 rare species of animals and plants.
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3. Sun Temple
The world-famous Konark Sun Temple at Puri, Orissa, was built in the 13th century and it is also known as “Black Pagoda” which is made in the shape of a huge chariot and has 24 wheels. This temple is dedicated to Lord Surya. It was built in 1250 AD by King Narasimha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga Empire.
Konark Temple is counted among the seven wonders of India. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. By the way, do you know that there is a Sun Temple in Pakistan also known as Multan Sun Temple which is about five thousand years old and is in a very dilapidated condition today?
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4. Ajanta Caves
The Ajanta Caves built-in Aurangabad, Maharashtra are world-famous and this is the reason that they were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and it was the first place in India which got a place in this list.
Ajanta caves are related to Buddhism and their total number is 31. These have been carved out of rocks and here you will get to see amazing craftsmanship, painting, and sculpture. Ajanta Caves were built between the 2nd century BC to the 6th century AD. Here you will find many pictures and monuments related to the life of Lord Buddha.
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5. Chola Temples
These temples, built-in Tamil Nadu by the great Chola kings in the 11th and 12th centuries, are very grand and beautiful. Three of these temples were included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. These three temples are Brihadeshwara Temple at Thanjavur, Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, and Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
All these three temples show the fine architecture, painting, and sculpture of the Chola period. These temples are representative of the culture, customs, and festivals of the Tamil people and hence they are an invaluable heritage of the world not only in India but now.
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6. Bhimbetka
Rock shelters of Bhimbetka are located near Bhopal in the Vindhya ranges of Madhya Pradesh, here you will get to see the ancient stone paintings. They were discovered in 1957 and these caves date back to the maturity period which means about one lakh years ago.
Here you will find many pictures related to the daily routine of ancient man. Bhimbetka was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. These are the largest rock shelters in the Indian subcontinent and the oldest paintings here are about 10,000 years old.
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7. Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is at a distance of 96 km from Patna in Bihar and it is a very holy place for Buddhist followers. It was only here that Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. The Mahabodhi temple here was built by Emperor Ashoka in 250 BC and today in the courtyard of this temple is the Mahabodhi tree, sitting under which Lord Buddha only got enlightenment.
There are also many stupas in Bodh Gaya and many important sites related to the life of Buddha. Due to all these things, its importance increases greatly and that is why it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
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8. Hampi
Situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river in Karnataka, the ruins of Hampi hold the highlights of the great Vijayanagara Empire. It was once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. The Virupaksha temple here is very famous and it is a major place of Hindu religion. This place also holds great importance in Jainism.
In Hampi, you will get to see a unique view of Dravidian architecture. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage in 1986. Here you will also get to see many temples like Krishna Temple, Narasimha Temple, Hemkoot Temple, Kamal Mahal Temple, Vitthal Temple, etc.
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9. Khajuraho
Built-in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, this ancient temple was built between 950 to 1050 by the Chandela kings and here you get to see a unique confluence of Hindu and Jain religious crafts. Many human and animal figures are shown in aesthetic posture on these temples built in Nagara style and they show the rich history of India.
There were a total of 85 temples at this place, out of which only 22 survive today. Of these, Kandariya Mahadev Temple is the most famous, it was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
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10. Rani ki Vav
Rani ki Vav is located in Patan city of Gujarat and it is a step Well. It was built by Queen Udayamati, who was the wife of Gurjar King Bhima I of the 11th century Solanki kingdom, and built it in her memory. More than 500 idols will be seen here, most of which are dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his 10 incarnations.
Rani ki Vav is a unique example of ancient Indian architecture and it tells us how much importance was given to water harvesting in ancient India. It was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in India 2014.
So, friends, these are also the 10 places of India which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you want us to bring its second part also for you, then friends share it and comment.
