24 Dec Tentative List of World Heritage Sites 

Tentative list of World heritage sites 

The article talks about how Indian heritage sites like the Vadnagar town in Gujarat, the renowned Sun Temple at Modhera, and the rock-cut sculptures of Unakoti in Tripura are recognised as  World heritage sites which is related to daily current affairs for the UPSC examination. 

Relevance For Prelims: Indian heritage sites, Temple architecture.

Relevance For Mains: GS-1 , Art and Culture

In News: Recently, three locations were added to the provisional list of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites: Vadnagar town in Gujarat, the renowned Sun Temple at Modhera, and the rock-cut sculptures of Unakoti in Tripura.            

World Heritage Sites in India

The Sun Temple at Modhera:

• The Sun Temple at Modhera is situated in the Becharaji taluka of the Mehsana district on the left bank of the Pushpavati River, a tributary of the Rupan River.
• This temple faces east and is made of vivid yellow sandstone.
• Ramakunda is a sizable rectangular stepping tank that is regarded as India’s most impressive temple tank.
• The light beams straight into this temple’s main shrine at the equinoxes every year.
• According to the temple’s description, it is constructed in the Maru-Gujarat architectural style and includes a sacred pool (Surya Kunda, now known as Ramakunda), a hall (gadhamandapa), an exterior hall or assembly hall (Sabhamandapa or rangamandapa), and the main temple shrine (garbhagriha).

Surya Mandir

Vadnagar

• Vadnagar is a city in Gujarat with a long history that is situated in the Mehsana district.
• Vadnagar, also known as Chamatkarpur, Anandpur, Snehpur, and Vimalpur, was referenced in the Puranas.
• The archaeologically rich city of Vadnagar is known for its torans, a pair of 40-foot-tall Solanki-era columns constructed in red and yellow sandstone to commemorate a military victory in the 12th century.
• Hiuen Tsang, a Chinese Buddhist traveller, is supposed to have visited the city in 640 AD and wrote about it in his travelogue.
• In Vadnagar, ruins of a Buddhist monastery were also discovered during excavations in 2008–2009.
• The Tanariri Performing Arts College, which is located in Vadnagar, was given this name to honour the bravery of two sisters named Tana and Riri who gave their lives when Akbar asked them to sing in his court, which was against their custom.

Rock-cut Unakoti sculptures:

• This Shaivite pilgrimage dates back to at least the 7th and 9th centuries.
• Unakoti, which translates to “one less than a crore,” is supposed to be the location of numerous rock sculptures.
• According to Hindu legend, Lord Shiva stopped here during the night while travelling to Kashi with a million gods and goddesses.
• He commanded all the deities to rise before dawn and travel to Kashi.
• According to legend, nobody else was able to get out of bed in the morning except for Lord Shiva, who then left for Kashi while cursing the others to turn into stone statues.
• As a result, Unakoti contains fewer than one crore stone carvings and figures.
• The images discovered at Unakoti can be divided into two categories: stone images and figures etched into rocks.
• The prominent Shiva head and the enormous Ganesha sculptures stand out among the rock carvings.
• Unakotiswara Kal Bhairava is the name of the centre head of Shiva.
• There are two life-size female figurines, one of Durga standing on a lion and the other on the opposite side of the headdress of the centre Shiva.
• Three gigantic statues of the Nandi Bull are also discovered partially buried.
• Every year in the month of April, a large fair widely known as “Ashokastami Mela” is held.

Unakoti sculptures

Source:

• Tourism of India
• The Hindu
• Gujaratdarshanguide

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