Shantiniketan, the abode of Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, and Western Ghats can well be the India's next World Heritage Sites, if the UNESCO accepts the country's proposal.
Red Fort, the 17th century Mughal marvel, was given the world heritage status by UNESCO on Thursday.
India, after Italy, Germany, France, Spain, China, has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are 43 of them, 35 of which are cultural. Many we are familiar with. Aware of these less-known ones?
From Venice and the tower of Pisa, dozens of UNESCO World Heritage sites are deeply threatened by rising sea levels, researchers warned Tuesday. According to a study by researchers at the University of Kiel, in Germany, all but two of 49 United Nations-recognised icons of human civilisation rimming the Mediterranean Sea risk being damaged by the rising watermark, soil erosion, or both, with few options for protecting most of them.
As compared to India, Italy has 41 and France has 30 world heritage sites, she said. The minister said India has submitted a tentative list proposing 19 cultural and natural sites for their future inclusion in the world heritage list.
TripAdvisor reveals the top ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India most highly recommended by its traveller community.
Listing out the ones that need the most urgent attention.
UNESCO has warned Pakistan that two historical sites within the Taxila World Heritage site could be placed on a "danger list" or even delisted if "unnecessary interventions" and "reconstructions" are not reversed. The UN cultural agency highlighted concerns about new masonry replacing ancient walls and increased wall heights, compromising the authenticity of the sites. Pakistani officials, however, maintain that the work constitutes conservation, not reconstruction.
The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, a rich biodiversity in Himachal Pradesh and home to several rare and threatened species of flora and fauna, was on Monday approved for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The 'Maratha Military Landscapes', representing the Maratha rulers' fortification and military system, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, marking India's 44th property to receive this recognition.
It is now mandated that a state party can submit only two nominations per year for World Heritage Sites, of which one site has to be a natural site, and has put an annual limitation of 45 nominations per year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed happiness that the city has been recognised as a World Heritage Site.
India has actively engaged in cultural diplomacy over the past 12 years, providing grant assistance and expertise for the restoration and conservation of significant heritage sites, including temples and archaeological complexes, across multiple Asian countries, reinforcing shared civilisational ties.
Undeterred by last year's failure, India is having a second try at securing World Heritage Site from the UNESCO for the picturesque Majuli Island in Assam, which is also an important seat of Vaishnava culture.
A joint study by IIT Roorkee and IIT Kanpur has found that a black crust formed by air pollution is accelerating the deterioration of Humayun's Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi. The crust, primarily gypsum, traps pollutants, weakening the sandstone and making the monument vulnerable to long-term damage. The study recommends conservation measures, pollution monitoring, and source reduction to protect the historical site.
There are 23 cultural icons in India that have been listed by UNESCO in its world heritage list.
This is the second such site in Mumbai (besides Elephanta Caves) and 25th in Asia being put under the World Heritage list.
These 19th-century Victorian Gothic buildings lie to the east of the Oval Maidan in Mumbai.
Amid chants of Buddhist scriptures, Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli on Monday offered prayers at an ancient temple in Kathmandu to mark the reconstruction of five heritage sites demolished by last year's deadly earthquake.
Cautioning that heritage sites around the world faced a renewed threat from fundamentalists and terrorists, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said awareness should be increased to preserve heritage structures even in a conflict situation.
India's 1600-km long Western Ghats mountain chain, which has forests older than the Himalaya mountains, has been added to list of world heritage sites by the United Nations.
The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has asked the Bihar government to quickly submit its plan to conserve Nalanda Mahavihara in order to keep the World Heritage site status for the remains of the ancient centre of learning.
The meeting had resumed for a day on Sunday, after being suspended a day earlier due to a failed coup bid in Turkey which claimed over 260 lives.
It has been rated second after Cambodia's Angkor Wat.
India had been striving for long to get a UNESCO tag for this cultural site located in Birbhum district.
President Droupadi Murmu has approved the installation of the wheels from Puri's Rath Yatra chariots at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking a significant recognition of Odisha's cultural and spiritual heritage.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced plans for a new Rs 1,200 crore Assembly-cum-Secretariat integrated complex in Chennai, moving the administration from the historic Fort St George. The modern facility will house all state government departments, addressing space constraints and aiming for efficient governance. Additionally, the CM unveiled plans for a Tamil Nadu Olympic City and a Motor Sports City to boost sports infrastructure and tourism.
Beyond colossal loss of human lives, if there is anything perhaps equally overwhelming in Nepal's earthquake tragedy, it is the monumental damage the country's iconic heritage has suffered due to the calamity.
Across World Cup co-host Mexico, soccer pitches are laid out wherever communities can find the space. On the edges of towns, on highway underpasses, and even in a volcano crater, spaces are cleared that allow the young and the old to share in the dream of the beautiful game.
The incident took place during a routine jungle safari inside the UNESCO World Heritage site in Assam.
A man celebrating his fiance's birthday tragically fell 400 feet to his death from Maharashtra's historic Lohagad fort while attempting to take photographs amidst strong winds.
Thousands of yoga enthusiasts across the world marked the International Day of Yoga on Sunday, as Indian missions abroad organised events to highlight the ancient practice's role in fostering health and well-being.
India's Deepavali (Diwali), the festival of light, has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during a meeting held at the Red Fort in Delhi.
The moment it became clear that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would launch the trailer of the Hindi film Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam it became obvious that the spectacle was more political than cinematic.
A senior Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka has been stripped of his position following child abuse allegations. Pallegama Hemarathana was arrested and later bailed after being accused of abusing a 15-year-old girl. The Malwatta chapter of monks suspended him pending judicial proceedings.
Wildlife experts have cautioned that multiple tiger deaths within a short span may point to underlying ecological or management concerns.
A prominent Sri Lankan Buddhist monk has been remanded in custody following allegations of sexually abusing a minor girl within a temple complex. The monk, a chief priest of a prominent temple, will remain in remand until May 22.
Rediff.com takes a look at the new entrants on the World Heritage List.
How did the newly anointed heritage city bag the title and is it ready for the expected rush of tourists?
Go once. You will know, even before you board the flight home, that you will return.
