Kailash Mansarovar in Tentative List of World Heritage Sites

• 02 Jul 2019

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the Minister of State of Culture and Tourism clarified that proposal for ‘Sacred Mountain Landscape and Heritage Routes’ (Indian side of Kailash Mansarovar) has been included in Tentative List of World Heritage Sites of India

• It was proposed as a Mixed site in April 2019.
• As per UNESCO’s Operational Guidelines 2017, a site must be on the tentative list of UNESCO at least for a period of one year before proposing it for final nomination.
• Once the nomination is done, it is sent to the World Heritage Centre (WHC) by the stipulated deadline of 01 February of a calendar year.
• Accordingly, the decision of permanent inclusion of any site in the World Heritage list is taken by the members of the World Heritage Committee.

World Heritage site

• World Heritage site, any of various areas or objects inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List.
• The sites are designated as having “outstanding universal value” under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972.
• It provides a framework for international cooperation in preserving and protecting cultural treasures and natural areas throughout the world.
• There are three types of sites: Cultural, Natural, and Mixed.
  
  • Cultural heritage sites include hundreds of historic buildings and town sites, important archaeological sites, and works of monumental sculpture or painting.
  • Natural heritage sites are restricted to those natural areas that:
    
    • Furnish outstanding examples of Earth’s record of life or its geologic processes
    • Provide excellent examples of ongoing ecological and biological evolutionary processes.
    • Contain natural phenomena that are rare, unique, superlative, or of outstanding beauty,
    • Furnish habitats for rare or endangered animals or plants or are sites of exceptional biodiversity.
  • Mixed heritage sites contain elements of both natural and cultural significance.

UNESCO's World Heritage of India
Tangible Heritage			Intangible Cultural Heritage
Cultural	Natural	Mixed	Indian Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Taj Mahal, Agra Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh Hampi, Karnataka Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra Ellora Caves, Maharashtra Bodh Gaya, Bihar Sun Temple, Konark, Odisha Red Fort Complex, Delhi Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh Chola Temples, Tamil Nadu Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, Rajasthan Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh Rani Ki Vav, Patan, Gujarat Group of Monuments at Pattadakal, Karnataka Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University), Bihar Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), Maharashtra Mountain Railways of India Qutub Minar and its Monuments, New Delhi Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat Hill Forts of Rajasthan Churches and Convents of Goa Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh Capitol Complex, Chandigarh The Historic City of Ahmedabad The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai	Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh Kaziranga Wild Life Sanctuary, Assam Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan Manas Wild Life Sanctuary, Assam Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, Uttarakhand Western Ghats Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal	Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim	The tradition of Vedic chanting Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas, India Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan Chhau dance Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir, India Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India Yoga Navroz Kumbh Mela