Pariksha SaathiLesson 10 of 10 · Indian Art and Culture
India on the UNESCO Lists: World Heritage Sites and Intangible Cultural Heritage
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How the lists work
UNESCO's World Heritage Convention of 1972 protects places of outstanding universal value, and India ratified it in 1977. Sites are inscribed by the World Heritage Committee as cultural, natural or mixed (both); for India the Archaeological Survey of India prepares cultural nominations. A separate convention of 2003 safeguards intangible cultural heritage, living traditions such as performing arts, rituals, festivals and crafts, which UNESCO places on its Representative List. Exams ask the year of inscription and the state, so learn sites in batches.
The first wave, 1983 to 1989
India's first four sites, in 1983, were Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. In 1984 came the Sun Temple at Konark and the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram; in 1986 the Churches and Convents of Goa, Khajuraho, Hampi and Fatehpur Sikri; in 1987 Pattadakal, the Elephanta Caves and the Brihadeeswara temple of Thanjavur, extended in 2004 as the Great Living Chola Temples with Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram; and in 1989 the Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi.
Later cultural sites
Humayun's Tomb and the Qutb Minar and its Monuments were inscribed in 1993; the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (Bihar) in 2002; the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh) in 2003; Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (Gujarat) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai) in 2004; the Red Fort Complex in 2007; the Jantar Mantar of Jaipur in 2010; the Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber and Jaisalmer) in 2013; Rani-ki-Vav, the stepwell at Patan (Gujarat), in 2014; and the Nalanda Mahavihara (Bihar) and the Capitol Complex of Chandigarh, part of a site of Le Corbusier's works spread over several countries, in 2016. Cities followed: the Historic City of Ahmedabad, India's first World Heritage City, in 2017, the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai in 2018 and Jaipur City in 2019.
Inscriptions since 2021
In 2021 came Dholavira, the Harappan city in Kutch (Gujarat), and the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple in Telangana, named after its sculptor Ramappa. In 2023 came Santiniketan (West Bengal), linked with Rabindranath Tagore, and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, the temples of Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura (Karnataka). In 2024 the Moidams, the mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in Assam, were inscribed at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in New Delhi. In 2025 came the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, 12 forts: 11 in Maharashtra and Gingee in Tamil Nadu. In 2026 the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) was inscribed at the 48th session in Busan, South Korea; it covers the Chaukhandi Stupa and the archaeological remains of Sarnath, among them the Dhamek Stupa.
Serial sites
Some sites are groups. The Mountain Railways of India began with the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in 1999 and were extended to the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in 2005 and the Kalka-Shimla Railway in 2008. The Western Ghats, inscribed in 2012, are a natural serial site of many component areas in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
Natural and mixed sites
In 1985 three parks were inscribed: Kaziranga (Assam, the one-horned rhinoceros), Manas (Assam), which was on the List of World Heritage in Danger from 1992 to 2011, and Keoladeo (Bharatpur, Rajasthan), a wetland for migratory birds that was once the winter home of the Siberian crane. The Sundarbans (West Bengal), the largest mangrove forest and home of the Bengal tiger, followed in 1987, and Nanda Devi National Park (Uttarakhand) in 1988, extended in 2005 with the Valley of Flowers. The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (Himachal Pradesh) was inscribed in 2014. India's first mixed site, Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim), was inscribed in 2016 for both its mountain landscape and its sacred meaning for the people of Sikkim.
Intangible cultural heritage
Before the 2003 convention took effect, UNESCO proclaimed Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage, and three Indian traditions were among them: Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre of Kerala (2001), the Tradition of Vedic Chanting (2003) and Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana (2005); all were moved to the Representative List in 2008. Later inscriptions include Ramman, the religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas (2009); Mudiyettu of Kerala, Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan and Chhau dance (2010); Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (2012); Sankirtana, the ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur (2013); the brass and copper utensil craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab (2014); Yoga and Nowruz (2016); the Kumbh Mela (2017); Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021); and Garba of Gujarat (2023). The list continues to grow.
Key facts
- World Heritage Convention 1972, ratified by India in 1977; intangible heritage convention 2003. India's first four sites (1983): Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal; 1984: Konark Sun Temple and Mahabalipuram.
- 1986: Churches and Convents of Goa, Khajuraho, Hampi, Fatehpur Sikri. 1987: Pattadakal, Elephanta, Brihadeeswara (Great Living Chola Temples from 2004), Sundarbans.
- 1993: Humayun's Tomb and Qutb Minar; 2002: Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya; 2003: Bhimbetka; 2004: Champaner-Pavagadh and CST Mumbai; 2007: Red Fort.
- Mountain Railways of India: Darjeeling Himalayan (1999), Nilgiri (2005), Kalka-Shimla (2008).
- Natural sites: Kaziranga, Manas, Keoladeo (1985); Sundarbans (1987); Nanda Devi (1988) with Valley of Flowers (2005); Western Ghats (2012); Great Himalayan National Park (2014).
- 2016 brought three: Nalanda Mahavihara (Bihar), Khangchendzonga (Sikkim, India's first mixed site) and Le Corbusier's Capitol Complex (Chandigarh).
- Cities: Ahmedabad (2017, first World Heritage City), Mumbai's Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles (2018), Jaipur (2019). Rani-ki-Vav, Patan: 2014.
- Since 2021: Dholavira and Ramappa Temple (2021); Santiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (2023); Moidams of the Ahom dynasty, Assam (2024); Maratha Military Landscapes, 12 forts (2025); Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath (2026).
- Intangible heritage: Kutiyattam (2001), Vedic chanting (2003), Ramlila (2005), Ramman (2009), Mudiyettu, Kalbelia and Chhau (2010), Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (2012).
- More intangible heritage: Sankirtana of Manipur (2013), Thathera brass craft of Jandiala Guru (2014), Yoga and Nowruz (2016), Kumbh Mela (2017), Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021), Garba of Gujarat (2023).
Quick revision
Convention 1972, India ratified 1977; 1983: Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort, Taj; 1984: Konark, Mahabalipuram; 1986: Goa churches, Khajuraho, Hampi, Fatehpur Sikri; 1987: Pattadakal, Elephanta, Thanjavur, Sundarbans; 1985: Kaziranga, Manas, Keoladeo; DHR 1999; Mahabodhi 2002; Bhimbetka 2003; Red Fort 2007; Rajasthan hill forts 2013; Khangchendzonga mixed 2016; Ahmedabad 2017; Dholavira, Ramappa 2021; Santiniketan, Hoysalas 2023; Moidams 2024; Maratha forts 2025; Sarnath 2026; ICH: Kutiyattam 2001, Vedic chanting 2003, Ramlila 2005, Yoga 2016, Kumbh 2017, Durga Puja 2021, Garba 2023.