UNESCO World Heritage Tag To Pink City Jaipur

In News

Pink City Jaipur, has made it to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

In-Detail

The walled city, famous for its grid plan-based architectures and pink facades is among the seven sites selected for the UNESCO heritage list.
The decision was taken by the World Heritage Committee at the 43rd session of the UNESCO held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The city was inspected by the International Council on Monuments and Sites in 2018 and was impressed by the architecture of streets, uniform facades, spacious squares called chaupar etc.
World heritage tag will boost tourism and will help develop the local economy.

History

The city was found in the year 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II, the Kachwaha Rajput ruler of Amber.
It was established on plains and the grid plan architecture of the city was based on the interpretation of the Vedic architecture.
There was a mix of ancient Hindu, Mughal and western culture in the city’s architecture.

Other Sites

The other six sites selected for the list are:

The Dilmun burial mounds – Bahrain
- The Budj Bim cultural landscape – Australia
- The archaeological ruins of Liangzhu – China
- The Ombilin coal mining site of Sawahlunto – Indonesia
- The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun group of ancient mounded tombs – Japan
- The Plains of Jars containing the megalithic jar sites in Xiengkhouang – Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Natural Heritage

Two other sites were also added to the heritage list for their “remarkable” biodiversity.
They are:
- Hyrcanian forests – Iran
- Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, Yellow Sea-Bohai, Gulf of China,

Also Included

Also included to the list is Bagan, the ancient capital of Myanmar.
This complex of Buddhist temples was first nominated 25 years ago and was included in the list now.
Built in the 11th and 13th centuries, the complex consists of 3500 stupas, monasteries, temples and other structures.
Another site is Augsburg, a German city, for its 800-year old water management system. It consists of water towers, canals, bridges, aqueduct and ornate fountains.
Babylon, the Mesopotamian metropolis from Iraq also made it to the list.
Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park also found a place on the list.

India’s Heritage

From Hampi to Kaziranga National Park, Indian heritage that found a place on the World Heritage List are many. There are 38 sites in the country showcasing the rich heritage of the country. These must be preserved for our future generations to know about our history. Also, these areas provide a livelihood for many people in the form of tourism and boost the local economy. India must propose more such sites to the World Heritage Sites List.