India

Streetscene in Calcutta
You either love it or hate it, but noone leaves India without strong memories. The country passed the mark of one billion inhabitants recently, and full of people it certainly is.

The list of Worldheritages in India is a long one. Together they make for a nice introduction to India's heritage, but the real interest lies as much with everyday life around the corner as with these ancient monuments and nature parks.

In 1993, I went to India for the first time: the cities of the North (Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Benares) were my main goal then. Five years later I visited Calcutta and the former Kingdom of Sikkim. I certainly plan to go there again, for example to the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

List of world heritage sites in India

Site nameEntered
Ellora Caves1983
Ajanta Caves1983
Agra Fort1983
Taj Mahal1983
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram1984
Sun Temple, Konarak1984
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary1985
Kaziranga National Park1985
Keoladeo National Park1985
Khajuraho Group of Monuments1986
Group of Monuments at Hampi1986
Churches and Convents of Goa1986
Fatehpur Sikri1986
Sundarbans National Park1987
Great Living Chola Temples1987
Elephanta Caves1987
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal1987
Valley of Flowers National Park1988
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi1989
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi1993
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi1993
Mountain Railways of India1999
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya2002
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka2003
Chhatrapati Shivaji Station (formerly Victoria Terminus)2004
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park2004
The Red Fort complex2007

Tentative list of India

  • Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
  • Buddhist Monastery Complex, Alchi, Leh, known as Alchi Chos-kor
  • Dholavira: a Harappan City, Gujarat, Disstt, Kachchh
  • Golconda Fort, Hyderbad, Andhra Pradesh
  • Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh
  • Hemis Gompa
  • Kalka Shimla Railway
  • Kangchendzonga National Park
  • Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala
  • Namdapha National Park
  • Rani-ki-Vav (The Queens Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat
  • River island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam
  • Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab
  • The Matheran Light Railway (extension to the Mountain Railways of India)
  • Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, Sasaram, Bihar
  • Urban and Architectural Work of Le Corbusier in Chandigarh
  • Western Ghats (sub cluster nomination)
  • Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch