New sites to India’s tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites
Source : Indian Express
GS I : Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times

Why in News?

Six Indian sites have been added to the tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites, the Ministry of Culture  recently announced.

Key Facts

• The submissions were made by Archaeological Survey of India which is responsible for the conservation and preservation of Indian monuments.
• The sites are
  • Maratha military architecture, Maharashtra
  • Hire Bengal megalithic site, Karnataka
  • Bhedaghat-Lametaghat of Narmada Valley, Madhya Pradesh
  • Ganga ghats, Varanasi
  • Temples of Kancheepuram
  • Satpura Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh
• With the addition of these six sites UNESCO has 48 proposals in the tentative list of India.
• As per Operational Guidelines 2019 it is mandatory to put any monument/site on the Tentative List (TL) before it is considered for the final nomination dossier.
• As per rules, any country can submit the nomination dossier after one year of it being on the TL.
  • It will utilise this time to prepare the nomination dossiers.

About the sites

• Satpura Tiger Reserve
  • Home to 26 species of the Himalayan region including reptiles, and 42 species of Nilgiri areas largest tiger-occupied forest and also has the largest tiger population.
  • Rich in its biodiversity and can feel the wildlife very closely.
• Maratha military architecture, Maharashtra
  • 12 forts in Maharashtra dating back to the era of the 17th-century Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji.
  • The theme for the serial nomination of these forts is Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra and Guerrilla Warfare.
• Hire Bengal megalithic site, Karnataka
  • 2,800-years-old megalithic site of Hire Benkal in Karnataka is one of the largest prehistoric megalithic settlements where some funerary monuments are still intact.
  • The granite structures are burial monuments that may also have served many ritual purposes.
• Bhedaghat-Lametaghat of Narmada Valley, Madhya Pradesh
  • Often referred to as the Grand Canyon of India.
  • Known for its marble rocks and their various morphological forms on either side of the Narmada river which flows through the gorge.
  • First Dinosaur fossil was collected from Lameta Bed by William Sleeman in 1828
• Ganga ghats, Varanasi
  • Ganga river with its riverfront ghats fulfil the criteria of Cultural Landscapes.
  • Varanasi’s riverfront mainly falls into the second category of cultural properties i.e: groups of buildings, groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science.
• Temples of Kancheepuram
  • Situated on the banks of River Vegavathi, this historical city once had 1,000 temple only 126 (108 Shaiva and 18 Vaishnava) now remain. 
  • Pallava dynasty which made the region its capital between the 6th and 7th centuries.
  • Its architectural gems that are a fine example of Dravidian styles.

Previous Prelims Question

Consider the following events in the history of India:

1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja
2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman – I
3. Establishment of Chola Parantaka – I
4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala

What is the correct chronological order of the above events, starting from the earliest time ?

(a)    2-1-4-3

(b)   3-1-4-2

(c)    2 -4-1-3

(d)   3-4-1-2

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