The countries around the world try their best to get their glorious buildings, wilderness, and historic ruins on the UNESCO World Heritage list. This stamp of approval brings status, tourist income, public awareness, and importantly, reserving the irreplaceable.
In the year 2019, UNESCO World Heritage added a site to their list from India. The Walled City of Jaipur was the latest addition to the UNESCO-certified Heritage site in India. And the last added Heritage site from India was the Victorian Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai in 2018.
India has a total of 38 UNESCO-certified world heritage sites. Of these 38 sites, 30 are cultural, 7 are natural, and 1 is mixed.
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What is UNESCO World Heritage?
UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). UNESCO founded the World Heritage Convention in 1972, The sole goal f this Convention was to gather the world community and identify cultural and natural properties of “outstanding universal value”.
UNESCO officials do not see the ‘seal of approval as a mere trophy of prestige given to those countries. If a nation gets the site certified as a World Heritage property, the home nation has to commit to protecting this world heritage site. And if this site gets damaged, due to war, pollution, or natural disaster, all the countries who have signed the treaty have to assist in the restoration process. Till now, 193 nations have signed the World Heritage convention treaty.
Why is a UNESCO World Heritage site sought after?
Discover Hidden Gems
There are many well-known World Heritage sites around India, but also many hidden ones too. This UNESCO World Heritage site list broadens your travel horizons and gives you an opportunity to explore and discover new destinations.
Get Lost in Nostalgia
UNESCO’s World Heritage site includes all the cultural and natural sites worldwide. You get to explore the art and culture of that time, and it is as if the destination takes you back in time. We know that humans have been around for a long time, but when you see the actual proof, leaves you in wonderment.
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Help in Preservation
The core objective of UNESCO is to preserve the cultural and natural integrity of these sites. The tourist attraction and the ticket funding that these sites get, help in reserving funds for the support and protection.
Most Underrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
India houses many UNESCO World Heritage sites, and each one of them is unique in its own way. We all know of the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Khajuraho, and Kaziranga National Park. But there are many other certified heritage sites that we hardly know about.
Here is the list of the lesser-known Indian Heritage sites that are worth exploring:
- Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh
- Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim
- Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujurat
- Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
- Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
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