UNESCO World heritage monuments in India: http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/in
So here is a list of all the world heritage monuments and I have knocked out the ones I have been to. Please consider this as a tag and list all those that you have been to. And if you feel some other monument deserves to be on this list but is not there, let me know that. I will probably add them to my must-visit places list.
When I saw this list on UNESCO’s site, I was so happy. Because when I compared heritage monuments of different countries listed there, India was one of the very few countries with so many monuments on the list (others being France, Germany, Spain, Italy etc). Countries like US just had 8 entries there and we have 23. Our country is rich in heritage and this is a proof for that.
I recently visited some places in North India, so now I am done with visiting more than one-half of the world heritage monuments in India.
I need to catch up on so many blogs 😦 I have been happily roaming around the country. I also have to finish some pending tags. Hope to be back to blogging very soon !! Annnnddd need to change this boring template, to start with 🙂
Cultural [14/23]
Agra Fort (1983)Agra fort is supposedly bigger than Red Fort, since Red Fort was built after getting inspired from this. It is very huge and was built by Mughals. Shah Jahan was imprisoned here by his son, Aurangazeb. He used to look at Taj Mahal from this fort. Taj Mahal looks beautiful from here.- Ajanta Caves (1983)
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)I had been to Sanchi when I was very small so do not remember much. I did not have a digital photo of this place since we only had roll cameras back then. But looking back at the pics, they are beautiful. I want to visit them again sometime.- Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
- Elephanta Caves (1987)
- Ellora Caves (1983)
Fatehpur Sikri (1986)This was the capital city of one of the greatest emperors, Akbar and thankfully, most of the palaces and buildings in the fort have survived. The gate “Buland Darwaza” is sooo huge. We humans looks like ants in front of it. I loved the palace of “Jodha Bai”. It was very beautiful and biggest of all the palaces there, even though Akbar had two more wives – one Turkish and the other Christian. There is a white mosque too inside where it seems everything you pray for, comes true. Akbar built it when he did not have kids and prayed there. As a result, Jahangir was born, who happens to be Jodha’s son.Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)– Refer to this post of mine for more details on these places : HereGroup of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)– Refer to this post of mine for more details on these places : HereHumayun’s Tomb, Delhi (1993)– Humayun died in 1556, and his widow Hamida Banu Begam, also known as Haji Begam, commenced the construction of his tomb in 1569, fourteen years after his death. It seems Shah Jahan kind of kept this tomb as a model for constructing Taj Mahal, for his wife. They both are very similar in structure. This has many tombs, not just Humayun’s. There are 100s of tombs inside and all around this building.- Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)Very tall and majestic looking. I wanted to get inside this building and have a look from the top, which of course they do not allow us to do anymore 😦Red Fort Complex (2007) [Delhi]– Shah Jahan built this fort, when he shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi.Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)This temple is probably the best one I have ever been to. It is broken and the deity of Sun God itself has been disfigured by cutting hands and legs. Only the torso is left of what was once the only temple (Chariot) built for Sun God. But the architecture is amazing! I don’t remember much since I was pretty young when I saw this place but pics and the model of the wheel that I have tell me how beautiful this place is. I really really want to visit this place again.- Great Living Chola Temples (1987) [
Thanjavur] – The site includes three great 11th- and 12th-century Temples: the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. – I hardly remember anything about Thanjavur, even though I have been there in the past. Taj Mahal (1983)What can I say about this wonder of the world?! It’s beautiful. In fact, there is no word good enough to describe its beauty. You can see tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal inside. It seems Shah Jahan asked his daughter to bury him next to his wife, after his death. So when Aurangazeb was not in Agra and was in some battle, Shah Jahan’s daughter smuggled his body and buried both the bodies in an underground chamber. What you see outside is a fake tomb, the real bodies were buried inside. This was the case in Humayun’s tomb too, probably to safeguard the bodies from body-snatchers and thieves.- Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004) [Mumbai]
- Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
- Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)This is the place where Lord Buddha got enlightenment. Again, I visited it when I was pretty young, so I do not remember much. But I remember the Bodh Gaya tree which still stood there. The same tree under which Buddha sat. Want to visit this again!- Mountain Railways of India (1999) [
Darjeeling, Shimla, Nilgiri – TN] - Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)– King Sawai Jai Singh II built them at Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. Check here.Other than these, I feel the temples of Belur and Halebidu deserve to be on the list, for the beautiful architecture in those temples.
Natural
- Kaziranga National Park (1985)
- Keoladeo National Park (1985)
- Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
- Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988)
Sundarbans National Park (1987) [Calcutta]
Oh! I myself have seen quite a few of them & am sure my Hubby has already seen half of them. And it is very heartening to know that we have as many in that list. If we only we start appreciating our country for what we have!
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Yeah I am really proud of our country, seeing the number of entries we have in the list 🙂
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interesting list i have seen msot of them though the natural parks i have to see All of them ..
thanks for the list 🙂
Bikram’s
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National parks even I havent seen many in India.. 🙂 Need to see so many places!
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We cannot live in the past. All the monuments were built in the past. With so much technology these days, it could be easier to build something even better. Any culture/ civilization would result in the building of architectural marvels (and other art forms flourish) when it is at its zenith. Since we are no more doing such things, you can guess what state we are in now!
Destination Infinity
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Yeah India was one of the richest countries in the past right? These monuments are a testimony for that.. Agree with you.. we no longer have money to spend on such things..
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Nice collection, AK! I have been to Beluru Halebeedu and loved the architecture at Beluru, esp. Beautiful, minute carvings!
Just yesterday I did a post on Brihadeeshwarar temple! I went there a couple of weeks back!
I had been to Sun temple and admired the architecture in this temple too!
Thanks for the list, AK
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You have been to Sun temple? Nice.. I really loved the architecture on it.. but there is still lots to see on my must-visit places list!
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wow! thts great to know. I’ve been to Hampi, and i think the group of monuments thr are the best ever!
hope you get to see the rest too asap! 🙂
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yeah hoping that I can make a trip to many more in this list 🙂
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😀
Wow ! You knocked off quite a few from that list. 🙂
Did you happen to see the real tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz which are underground right beneath the fake ones ? I did manage to go downstairs long long ago once. It was a small place with both the tombs placed side by side. I can remember the inside of the chamber was beautifully decorated. And there were fresh rose petals and rose-water all around.
And also, long long ago, I happened to climb up the stairs of the Qutub Minar. I remember it being pretty dark and damp. With a bit of light trickling in through small windows after several steps. 🙂
I plan to catch up too with knocking out the contents of this fabulous list and many more too. 😀
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Hey Shobhit.. we werent allowed underground 😦 They must have stopped allowing people now.. I just heard that they were fake ones.. you are lucky! you got a chance to go downstairs.. Fresh rose petals? wow..
You have been on top of Qutub Minar too? very lucky 🙂 But it wont be very interesting to climb it probably like you said.. dark and damp.. not very interesting..
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VT station is on the list?? That’s impressive… 🙂 I have always loved the architecture…
Haven’t been anywhere else except Goa
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I havent seen both the places that you have seen 🙂 Mumbai and Goa are two places that I badly wanna visit!
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Wow! I have been to some of these most wonderful architectural creations but would love to visit all of them.
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Me too ! Me too! I have forgotten all those that I have been to, so wanna visit them again..
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I have visited a few of them but not as many as you…. 🙂
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Sad part is, I dont remember most of these places 🙂 Should try to visit them again.
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looks like I have lot to see..that temple at Bodh gaya is looking so beautiful.
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yes as far as I can remember, it was beautiful 🙂
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Wow its been ages since i check out this blog. Didn’t know you’re an avid traveller 😀 i gotta travel more…the only place i’ve been to on the list is Thanjavur :((
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Heyyyyy good to see you back 🙂 🙂 And glad to see your comment after so many months or is it years? 🙂
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Great!! You have visited so many places.. :)..
Thanks for the list.. I haven’t seen most of the places.. Your list will help when I plan for next outing.. 🙂
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Thanks Anbu 🙂 Hope this list helps you in deciding your next vacation 🙂
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You have covered up so much mileage, am sure you have a lot of flying returns or Jet miles under your belt 😛
And thank you for enlightening us with so much of this. As i also said earlier, during my schooling i never liked ot read history and these days I make a point that i do. I am amazed by the architectural wonders that Indians are capable off.
About Taj, well no one can deny how it feels to be standing in front of it. What was an eye opener from your post was that the real bodies were buried inside and what the outside ones are fake. I never visited Taj but its one of things i wish to do in my lifetime, and sooner the better.
What we can see in Delhi are the finest of the Mughal heritage India has earned, fanatically though. These architectural wonders make me really thing of why we are not taking any thing in the future and leave these as Monuments? As I said last about the dome, Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur.
And yep, your list is going to my diary of the Places to SEE!! Thank you!!
Ps: I actually had posted here but somehow i am not able to see the comment here. Dont know how it got missed.
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Thanks Hemal, glad you liked it.. maybe some issue with WP, since I checked the spam folder too now and the comment wasnt there.. Same here! History was the subject I hated the most since we had to remember the dates and years 🙂 Now I love it!!
Do visit Taj sometime.. it is truly majestic and beautiful..
Me too.. I am going to keep this post for reference and will update it as soon as I cover something from this list 🙂
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Hi,
India is a very richest country for monuments and beautiful temples.
Thanks for this great post.
History About Indian Monuments
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Thanks for visiting Rocky!
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Hi, We have just set up a facebook page for love of Mahabalipuram! Please like and share! And let us know if you want to contribute as well and I will provide you admin rights.
https://www.facebook.com/ILoveMahabalipuram
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I Love Mahabalipuram Admin
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