During the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), India’s nomination of Kakatiya Rudreswara Temple (also known as the Ramappa Temple) at Palampet, Mulugu district, Warangal, Telangana was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. It will be India’s 39th World Heritage Site & the 1st World Heritage Site from Telangana.
- Rudreswara Temple was proposed by India as its only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site tag for the year 2019.
- The WHC consists of 21 Members and China is the Chair of the Committee.
- The 44th WHC of UNESCO was held as a hybrid event from Fuzhou, China between July 16-31, 2021.
Kakatiya Rudreswara Temple
i.It was constructed in 1213 AD during the reign of Kakatiya Empire by Recharla Rudra Reddy, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva.
- It is also known as Ramappa Temple, after the sculptor who executed the work in the temple for 40 years.
- The presiding deity in the temple is Ramalingeswara Swamy.
ii.The temple stands on a 6 feet high star-shaped platform with walls, pillars and ceilings adorned with intricate carvings which showcase the skill of Kakatiyan sculptors.
iii.The temple was described as “the brightest star in the galaxy of temples” by 13th Century Explorer & Merchant, Marco Polo.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
There are around 1,129 UNESCO World Heritage Sites across the world.
- India now has 39 UNESCO Heritage sites, the 1st ever World Heritage Sites in India were Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra), Agra Fort (U.P.), Ellora Caves (Maharashtra) & Tajmahal (U.P.) – added in 1983.
- Last Added World Heritage Site from India – Jaipur, Rajasthan – 2019.
Paseo del Prado boulevard and Retiro Park added to UNESCO World Heritage list
The tree-lined Paseo del Prado boulevard & the adjoining Retiro Park, both situated in Madrid, Spain were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list by WHC of UNESCO.
- The committee also inscribed Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China (China), Trans-Iranian Railway (Iran) to the World Heritage List.
Recent Related News:
May 20, 2021, Former Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture Prahlad Singh Patel stated that 6 places have been added to India’s tentative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Director-General – Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters – Paris, France
