On World Heritage Day, a look at India’s top Heritage Sites

Every year, a theme is proposed for the day which guides the celebrations and the many activities that ICOMOS National and International Scientific Committees and other bodies do.

The theme for this year is “Heritage Changes.” This theme is aimed at addressing issues of climate action and its relation to cultural heritage. It also emphasizes the role of cultural heritage in supporting the protection of vulnerable communities in climate action and responding to the UN Decade of Action.

At the moment, India is home to 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Out of these, 32 are cultural, 7 are natural, and one, the Khangchendzonga National Park, is of mixed type. India has the sixth-largest number of sites in the world.

Here is a look at a few heritage sites in India:

Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves represent a collection of Buddhist art from two periods. (Source: Unsplash)

The caves at Ajanta represent a collection of Buddhist art from two periods. The earliest monuments date to the second and first centuries BC and were created by the followers of Theravada Buddhism. Later on, monuments were added in the fifth and sixth centuries AD during the Vakataka dynasty.

Agra Fort

Agra Fort is a 16th-century Mughal imperial fortress. (Source: Unsplash)

Agra Fort is a 16th-century Mughal imperial fortress. It got its present layout under the Mughal emperor Akbar. The fort houses audience halls and two mosques, apart from courtrooms and other structures.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is a mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal, the Persian wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. (Source: Unsplash)

Taj Mahal is the finest example of the Indo-Islamic architecture. It was built in Agra on the bank of the Yamuna river as a mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal, the Persian wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, between 1631 and 1648.

Konark Sun Temple

Konark Sun Temple was built in the 13th century. (Source: Unsplash)

The temple was built in the 13th century and is one of the finest examples of the Kalinga style of architecture. It represents the chariot of the solar deity Surya. The temple has 24 wheels, carved of stone and richly decorated, and it is pulled by six horses.

Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga is located in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River. (Source: Unsplash)

Kaziranga is located in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River. It is home to world’s largest population of the Indian rhinoceros, as well as tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo and the Ganges river dolphin, among several other indigenous species.

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