As I track my footprints, sometimes I feel that I haven’t travelled much. At other times when I sit back and ponder, I realise that it’s not true and yet yearn for more. The ‘World Awaits Me’ – the idea behind the title of the parent category under which all the posts are listed and photographs are catalogued. Unfortunately the images shown here are not my own as the travel bug had bit me long before the shutter bug bit me. And definitely much before the digital cameras came in. Thank you Wikipedia and yes what an opportunity lost for my Nikon… sigh!
A check-list –
Places in India that are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List
Out of the 27 places listed in India, I have been able to leave my footprints in 17 places. And out of the 32 places submitted for the tentative inclusion to the list, I have visited 8 places.
[A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance. As of 2011, 936 sites are listed: 725 cultural, 183 natural, and 28 mixed properties. Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites to date with 47 sites inscribed on the list. While each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the site is located, UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserve each site. Info Courtesy – Wikipedia]
The following are the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India that I have visited (most of them are Cultural sites as categorised by the UNESCO list and not inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, unless stated otherwise):
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), Mumbai
Great Living Chola Temples, Thanjavur
Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram
Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodh Gaya
Mountain Railways of India
Among the three railways that are still fully operational, I have had the experience to travel only on the first one-
- The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was the first, and is still the most outstanding, example of a hill passenger railway. Opened in 1881, its design applies bold and ingenious engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an effective rail link across a mountainous terrain of great beauty.
- Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a 46-km long metre-gauge single-track railway in Tamil Nadu State was first proposed in 1854, but was completed in 1908.
- The Kalka Shimla Railway, a 96-km long, single track working rail.
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
Sundarbans National Park [Natural site & not inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. UNESCO has recorded Sunderbans as the only World Heritage site in West Bengal]
From the tentative UNESCO World Heritage List (submitted for inclusion)
Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Among the 5 forts listed, I have visited only Chottorgarh Fort. The others listed are – Kumbhalgarh, Gagron Fort, Ranthambore Fort, Amber Fort, Balor Fort, Bala Kila Fort)
The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites that I have visited:
– In Asia (outside India)
– In Europe
IshitaUnblogged 
Fantastic piece.Proud and mesmerized by the diversities once again. Visited 20 of the above places. Consider myself very fortunate.
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Absolutely… though there are many more Heritage Sites in India than the ones listed officially – but it is always good to get some official recognition – it brings lot of global attention and helps in preserving these sites (hopefully!) Travelling is a very humbling experience indeed – it makes one realise how vast the world is, how diverse each culture is and how unique each individual is!
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A new angle was introduced recently for including Golconda in the list of World Heritage. The diamond connection has been ignored all these years and this alone is sufficient enough to tilt the balance in favour of Golconda as contented by Prof. V. Madhavan last week.
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I have read in the Hindu. And I presume you are the same deemed Professor. Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment. I will definitely read up more on this. Your name doesn’t direct me to any link. After all the birthplace of Kohinoor deserves every bit of this global recognition.
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