Unesco Heritage Site

Maha delegation in Paris to seek Unesco tag for Shivaji Maharaj's forts

A high-level delegation led by Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar is in Paris to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for 12 forts of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, an official said on Sunday. As per an official statement from Shelar's office, the Maharashtra government has submitted a proposal to UNESCO under the theme 'Maratha Military Landscape of India', seeking the inclusion of 12 forts in the World Heritage list. The forts of Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Panhala, Shivneri, Lohagad, Salher, Sindhudurg, Suvarnadurg, Vijaydurg, Khanderi and Jinji in Tamil Nadu have been included in the proposal, the statement said. On the directives of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a delegation left for Paris on Saturday to present the state's case for UNESCO recognition. Shelar expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for forwarding Maharashtra's proposal to UNESCO and Fadnavis for giving him the responsibility of representing the state on the global ..

Maharashtra govt steps up efforts to get Unesco tag for Lonar lake

The Maharashtra government plans to submit a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to include the famous Lonar Lake in Buldhana district in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, officials have said. The move aims to elevate the site as a global hub for tourism and research, besides boosting its conservation, they said. Amravati Divisional Commissioner Nidhi Pandey recently met officials from various departments at Lonar to discuss the proposal. This proposal will soon be presented, marking a significant step towards achieving recognition, Pandey told PTI. Buldhana District Collector Kiran Patil said the proposal is in its final stage. "We will submit it once it is polished. Unlike other UNESCO sites, Lonar Lake presents a unique mix of several categories. It is a geographical and scientific wonder, formed from a meteor impact, he said. The official said the lake in Lonar, about 460 km from Mumbai, is home to several temples, some dating back over 1,200 years. The

Nearly 60 properties on tentative list of Unesco's heritage list: Govt

There are nearly 60 properties in India which find a place in the Tentative List for further inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List, according to information shared by the government in Parliament on Monday. A Tentative List is an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) is being held in New Delhi from July 21 to July 31. India is hosting the key event of UNESCO for the first time. The mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in Assam -- 'Moidams' -- was on July 26 inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, making it the first cultural property from the Northeast to get the coveted tag. 'Moidams' was submitted as India's nomination for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2023-24. The site was put in the Tentative List of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2014. In a written response to a query in Lok Sabha, Union Culture

'Pyramids of Assam' Moidams included in Unesco's World Heritage List

The Moidams, often hailed as the 'Pyramids of Assam' have become the first cultural site from the Northeast to be added to the Unesco World Heritage List

Assam CM thanks PM for Moidams' inclusion in Unesco World Heritage List

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the initiative to ensure that the 600-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty - 'Moidams' - is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Sarma also thanked Union Culture Minister Gajendra Shekhawat who called to give him the news while the chief minister was addressing a press conference here. The unique burial mounds, represented by pyramid-like structures known as "Moidams", were used by the Tai-Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for around 600 years between 1228 and 1826. 'It is great news for Assam as the Charaideo Moidam is now officially a UNESCO Heritage site... Assam will always remain indebted to the Centre for this honour. This inclusion is a great honour for the country and not for Assam alone,' Sarma told a press conference. The 'Moidams' is the first cultural property from the Northeast to get the coveted tag. The state government had submitted a dossier to the Pr

Delhi's Unesco world heritage site Red Fort reopens for visitors

The historic Red Fort complex, which was closed for visitors about a week ago due to security reasons in view of a farmers' march, has been reopened, official sources said on Sunday. The iconic Mughal-era monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in old Delhi, was "suddenly sealed" late Monday night "due to security reasons". "It was reopened a couple of days ago," a source at the Archeological Survey of India told PTI. However, the Red Fort is regularly closed for visitors on Mondays, so they will not get entry inside the complex on February 19. The site was temporarily closed amid a massive deployment of police and paramilitary forces in central Delhi in view of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march. Sources said "no order has been officially issued for reopening" of the site, adding, it was closed in accordance with police instructions and accordingly reopened. Thousands of farmers are staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri points of the Punjab-Haryana border with layers of barricade

Rambagh Gate, Ramparts in Punjab win Unesco's Asia-Pacific Awards

The resilient urban revitalisation of Rambagh Gate and Ramparts in Punjab, and heritage conservation projects related to Haryana's Church of Epiphany and Delhi's Bikaner House won UNESCO awards on Thursday. Twelve projects from China, India, and Nepal were acknowledged by the awards jury in this year's UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. "With people, heritage and creativity at its core, the resilient urban revitalisation of the Rambagh Gate and Ramparts in Punjab, India, has garnered the highest honour, 'Award of Excellence,'" UNESCO Bangkok said in a statement. The project was lauded by the jury for ensuring the continuity of the site's existing uses, while enhancing inclusivity and access to the broader community, it said. Three projects -- the Fanling Golf Course in Hong Kong SAR, China; Dongguan Garden Residences in Yangzhou, China; and Karnikara Mandapam at Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple, Kerala, India -- garnered an 'Award of Distinction' each. An

New book creates comprehensive directory of active archives in India

A new book, "Mapping of the Archives in India", aims to offer a "near encyclopedic picture" of active archives and their collections across the nation. Written by Ramesh Chandra Gaur, director of Kalanidhi Division of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), and research scholar Vismay Basu, the book is the result of collaboration between IGNCA and UNESCO to create a directory of archives in India. Through extensive literature surveys, the researchers identified 600 institutions across the country housing archives, resulting in the creation of 424 directories within the book. "These directories encompass comprehensive profiles of the contained archives, shedding light on aspects of conservation, digitisation, and archival perspectives. There is a dire need for Archival Science education in India, and these archives represent our legacy and must be safeguarded," Gaur said at the book launch on Thursday. In addition to basic information, thematic details like the nature of

What is World Heritage Week? Here's all you need to know about the week

Every year World Heritage Week is celebrated from November 19 to November 25, 2023. The ASI has exempted the entry fee for preserved monuments, including the Taj Mahal on November 19

Santiniketan chronicles: Unesco heritage status adorns the idyllic haven

A functioning educational institute, it will have to navigate the challenges the heritage label presents

41 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2023: All you need to know

There are 41 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. Santiniketan, the cultural and educational center established by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, has earned a spot on UNESCO's World Heritage lis

Understanding UNESCO World Heritage List, selection and global impact

With the addition of Santiniketan, India now has 41 official world heritage sites. Italy has the highest number of heritage sites at 58

Santiniketan recommended for inclusion in UNESCO world heritage list

Santiniketan -- the abode of Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore -- has been recommended for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List by an international advisory body, Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy said. India has been striving for long to get a UNESCO tag for this cultural site in West Bengal's Birbhum district. "Great news for India on the Jayanti of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. Santiniketan in West Bengal has been recommended for inscription to the World Heritage List by ICOMOS, the advisory body to UNESCO World Heritage Centre," Reddy said in a late-night tweet on Tuesday. The France-based International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is an international non-governmental organisation that comprises professionals, experts, representatives from local authorities, companies and heritage organisations and is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of the architectural and landscape heritage around the world. "This furthers the vision of PM Narendra Mod

Italy backs Appian Way's candidacy for UNESCO World Heritage site

Italy's Ministry of Culture has backed the Appian Way's candidacy to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first time such a bid has had national support in the country.

Pakistan floods: Rains damage 5000-year-old ruins of Mohenjo Daro

In flood-stricken Pakistan where an unprecedented monsoon season has killed hundreds of people, the rains now threaten a famed archeological site dating back 4,500 years, the site's chief official said Tuesday. The ruins of Mohenjo Daro - located in southern Sindh province near the Indus River and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - are considered among the best preserved urban settlements in South Asia. They were discovered in 1922 and to this day, mystery surrounds the disappearance of its civilization, which coincided with those of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The swelling waters of the Indus, a major river in this part of the world, have wreaked havoc as heavy rains and massive flooding unleashed devastation across much of Pakistan. At least 1,343 people have been killed and millions have lost their homes in the surging waters, with many experts blaming the unusually heavy monsoon rains on climate change. The flooding has not directly hit Mohenjo Daro but the record-breaking rains

What the UNESCO heritage tag could mean for the Durga Puja ecosystem

The crafts around the festival - from the idol-making at Kumartuli to the handicrafts that revolve around it - will get a huge boost, says the art historian

Unesco World Heritage Site Hampi inundated due to heavy rain: Karnataka

Various monuments at the Unesco World Heritage Site of Hampi have come under water following the release of 1.10 lakh cusecs of water from the Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka's Vijayanagar district.

Donald Trump's Taj visit: Royal graves get mud pack, chandelier refurbished

As per Supreme Court directions, petrol or diesel-operated vehicles are not permitted within 500 metres of the Taj Mahal's gate

Monuments not to be given to private firms for upkeep, assures minister

Patel inspected the Indian Institution of Tourism and Travel Management here

UNESCO network of creative cities: Mumbai for films, Hyderabad for food

Mumbai has been designated as Creative City of Films and Hyderabad a Creative City of Gastronomy, an official press release said