Over the last decade, India has steadily strengthened its presence on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, reflecting the country’s extraordinary cultural depth and civilisational continuity. In October 2024, this journey reached a significant milestone with the inclusion of the Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty in Assam, marking India’s 43rd World Heritage Site. This recognition not only celebrates India’s diverse heritage but also highlights its growing commitment to preservation, research, and global cultural dialogue.
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| Maidams,Assam indiatimes.com |
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| ‘Maidams,Assam ’ndtv.com |
The Charaideo ‘Maidams’ Moidams (also Maidams) are the mound shaped burial system of the Ahom dynasty (13th century-19th century)in Assam. Among the 386 Moidams explored so far, 90 are said to be royal burials at Charaideo and are the best preserved. They form complete representative examples of ancient traditional burial system in NE India. they are highly venerated.
The Moidams burial sites contain the mortal remains of Ahom royalty –those of the deceased along with their paraphernalia. After the 18th century, the Ahom rulers cremated the bodies as per the Hindu method of cremation; they entombed the cremated bones and ashes in a Moidam at Charaideo. The Moidams are highly venerated. In 2024, UNESCO added the 'Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty' in Assam to its World Heritage list, marking the 43rd site in India
The Moidams, often referred to as the “Pyramids of Assam,” are royal burial mounds of the Ahom rulers who governed the Brahmaputra Valley for nearly six centuries. Located at Charaideo, these earthen mounds represent a unique funerary tradition combining Tai-Ahom beliefs with local customs. Their inclusion underscores the importance of recognising regional histories that have remained outside mainstream narratives, while also acknowledging India’s cultural plurality.
Founded by the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1901, Santiniketan in West Bengal has emerged as a pivotal cultural and educational hub.
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| Santiniketan,West Bengal business-standard.com |
The vision behind this site was to create an educational institution that transcended traditional boundaries and embraced the unity of humanity. It features a residential school, an art centre, and an international university, fostering an environment of global cultural exchange. The vision of this old institution was to encompass social work to help the local community, research on philosophy, cultures and art without deviating from time-bound tradition. etc.Interestingly, the institution still its distinctive authenticity, values and integrity through its living tradition notwithstanding the fact the ownership of the site has been changed from the Tagore family to Visva-Bharati.
This latest inscription builds upon a series of notable additions in recent years. In 2023, UNESCO recognised Santiniketan in West Bengal, founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1901. Conceived as a space where education harmonised with nature, art, and universal humanism, Santiniketan redefined learning beyond colonial and conventional frameworks. Its recognition celebrates India’s intellectual heritage and its contribution to progressive educational philosophy on a global scale.
Hoysala architecture is a unique Hindu temple style from 11th-14th century Karnataka, India; The design style is distinctive for its intricate, star-shaped (stellate) plans, ornate carvings on soapston e(soft metamorphic rock), lathe-turned polished pillars, and raised platforms (jagatis) for Pridikshine-circumambulation.The temple design style blends Dravidian and North Indian elements. Key examples include the temples at Belur, Halebidu, and Somanathapura, recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Temples included are 01.Chennakeshava Temple(dedicated to god Vishnu)built in 1117; 02. Hoysaleswara Temple (dedicated to God Shiva),built in 1160; and 03.Keshava Temple (dedicated to god Vishnu),built in 1258. The three temples under the title of the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023, for their outstanding architecture, hyper-realistic sculptures and stone carvings.
The same year witnessed the inclusion of the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas in Karnataka. The temples at Belur, Halebidu, and Somanathapura exemplify the zenith of Hoysala temple architecture between the 12th and 13th centuries. Distinguished by star-shaped platforms, lathe-turned pillars, and intricately carved sculptures, these monuments reflect exceptional craftsmanship and artistic sophistication. Their inscription brings international attention to the regional architectural traditions of southern India.
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| Chennakeshava temple, upload.wikimedia.org |
Above image: Keshava Temple (also Chennakeshava) at Somanathapura, Karnataka, India. June, 2006. image: Dinesh kannambadi.........
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| Hoysaleswara Templecntraveller.in |
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| Chennakesava temple, Belur KA upload. wikimedia.org image: Dinesh kannambadi | i |
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| Hoysaleswara Temple upload.wikimedia.org image: Satscribbles |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Ensembles_of_the_Hoysalas
https://www.worldheritagesite.org/list/sacred-ensembles-of-the-hoysalas
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| Ramappa Temple, telangana indiatimes.com |
Above image: Ramappa Temple, also known as the Rudreshwara Temple, is a Kakatiya style Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, located in Palampet village, Mulugu district, Telangana.Constructed in the year 1213 CE by Recherla Rudra—a general of Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva (r. 1199–1262). The Ramappa Temple complex which consists of three temples was constructed between 1212 and 1234, designed by Ramappa
Built atop a star shaped 6 foot platform,the main structure made from reddish sandstone,is built with columns around the outside supported by large brackets of black basalt which is rich in iron, magnesium and silica. These are carved as mythical animals or female dancers or musicians, and are "the masterpieces of Kakatiya arr.They are known for their delicate carving, sensuous postures, and elongated bodies and heads......
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| Ramappa templerustiktravel.com |
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| lathe turned pillar,Ramappa temple' instagram.com |
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| Brackets with damsels Ramappa temple whc.unesco.org |
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| Ramappa temple,Telangana en.wikipedia.org |
In 2021, two contrasting yet equally significant sites were added. The Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple in Telangana stands as a marvel of medieval engineering, noted for its lightweight “floating bricks” and richly sculpted stonework. It highlights the technological ingenuity of the Kakatiya dynasty.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramappa_Temple
https://tourism.telangana.gov.in/destinations/ramappa
Dholovira, Gujarat
In the same year, Dholavira, a major Harappan city in Gujarat, was recognised for its advanced urban planning and water management systems, offering invaluable insights into the Indus Valley Civilisation and its environmental adaptability.
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| Archaeological site Dholavira, Gujarat gujarattourism.com |
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| an Archaeological site Dholavira, Gujarat indianexpress.com |
Spread over 22 hectares, the Harappan-era acropolis is the fifth largest archaeological site of the Indus Valley Civilisation,dating back to around 3000 BC and is believed to have been occupied till 1500 BC. The excavation also tells the story of the 7 stages of the civilization, from development to maturity to decay. After the peak of the civilization Dholavira was temporarily abandoned and the people slowly developed de-hubanized culture in response to changing social culture.
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/harappan-city-of-dholavira-in-kutch-among-unescos-world-heritage-sites-7425783
https://www.gujarattourism.com/kutch-zone/kutch/dholavira.htm
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| Jaipur city,RJ tfipost.com |
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| Chandra Mahal City Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan en.wikipedia.org |
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| .Hawa Mahal,Jaipur City, RJ thehindu.com |
Above image: Hawa Mahal,Jaipur,RJ constructed with red and pink sandstone, was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. in Jaipur
Earlier, in 2019, Jaipur City was inscribed as a World Heritage Site for its planned urban design based on Vastu Shastra principles. Founded in 1727, Jaipur represents a harmonious blend of indigenous planning concepts with Mughal and Western influences, making it a landmark in the history of urban development. Its entry into the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, has made it the second city of the country after Ahmedabad to get the recognition.
“This new inscription is an exceptional example of interchange of ancient Hindu, Mughal and contemporary western ideas in town planning and architecture,” Eric Falt, director and UNESCO representative in India, said
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Palace,_Jaipur
Together, these recent inclusions illustrate the vast chronological, geographical, and thematic range of India’s heritage—from ancient civilisations and medieval temples to planned cities and modern educational institutions. They reinforce India’s role as a custodian of world heritage and serve as a reminder that preserving the past is essential for shaping a culturally enriched and sustainable future.
https://magikindia.com/en/halebid-karnataka
