WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA FROM PAST TO FUTURE By Dr B.R. Mani Joint Director General Archaeological Survey of India Janpath, New Delhi-110011 ASI-UNESCO-GOK Workshop on World Heritage Site Management In India 15-18 June, 2008, Hampi
PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE The idea of creating an international movement for protecting heritage emerged after World War I. The event that aroused particular international concern was the decision to built the Aswan High Dam in Egypt which would have flooded many archaeological sites including Abu Simbel temples. In 1959, after an appeal from the governments of Egypt and Sudan, UNESCO launched an international safeguarding campaign. Archaeological research in the areas to be flooded was accelerated and India also responded to the UNESCO s campaign and sent a team which excavated Afyeh and Tumas archaeological sites in Egyptian Nubia in 1961-62.
Protection Of Cultural And Natural Heritage UNESCO initiated with the help of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), the preparation of a draft convention on the protection of cultural heritage. In 1968, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) developed similar proposals for its members. The proposals were presented to the 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm. Eventually, a single text was agreed upon by all parties concerned. The convention concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November, 1972.
THE EMBLEM By regarding heritage as both cultural and natural, the convention reminds us of the ways in which people interact with nature, and of the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two. The emblem, designed by Mr Michel Olyff, symbolized the interdependence of cultural and natural properties; the central square is a form created by man and the circle represents nature, the two being intimately linked. The emblem is round, like the world, but at the same time it is a symbol of protection (Operational Guidelines )
INTERDEPENDENCE OF CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE -A GLARING EXAMPLE- Ta Prohm Temple, Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia
WORLD HERITAGE LIST World Heritage List includes 851 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the world Heritage Committee considers as having Outstanding Universal Value. These include 660 Cultural, 166 Natural and 25 Mixed properties in 141 states parties. As of November, 2007, 185 States Parties have ratified the World Heritage Convention.
WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION MAIN OBJECTIVES To define the World Heritage in both Cultural and Natural aspects. To enlist Sites and Monuments from the member countries which are of exceptional interest and Universal value, the protection of which is the concern of all mankind. To promote co-operation among Nations and People to contribute for the protection of these universal treasures intact for future generations.
IMPLEMENTATION OF WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION IN INDIA India is an active member state on the World Heritage from 1977 and has been working in close co-operation with other international agencies like ICOMOS, IUCN and ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property). The World Heritage has 22 Cultural and 5 Natural Sites in India. 19 of the 22 Cultural Sites are under control and management of the Archaeological Survey of India. Besides ASI, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Environment and Forest and trusts and management bodies formed under concerned State Governments look after rest of them.
CRITERIA FOR NOMINATION TO THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST Cultural Sites: i. Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius; ii. Exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design; iii. Bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared; iv. Be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history; v. Be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, landuse, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures) or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change; vi. Be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria); Contd./..
Natural Sites: vii. Contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance; viii. Be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth s history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features; ix. Be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals; x. Contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
INDIAN SITES AND THEIR NOMINATION CRITERIA (PART I) Sites inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1983 SITE YEAR OF INSCRIPTION AGRA FORT 1983 iii CHURCHES AND CONVENTS OF GOA 1983 ii, iv, vi AJANTA CAVES 1983 ii, iv, vi ELLORA CAVES 1983 ii, iii, vi TAJ MAHAL 1983 i CRITERIA
INDIAN SITES AND THEIR NOMINATION CRITERIA (PART II) SITE YEAR OF INSCRIPTION CRITERIA BUDDHIST MONUMENTS AT SANCHI 1989 i, ii, iii, iv, vi CHAMPANER-PAVAGARH ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK 2004 iii, iv, v, vi ELEPHANTA CAVES 1987 ii, iii FATEHPUR SIKRI 1986 ii, iii, iv GREAT LIVING CHOLA TEMPLES 1987, Extn. 2004 ii, iii GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT HAMPI 1986 i, iii, iv GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT MAHABALIPURAM 1984 i, ii, iii, vi GROUP OF MONUMENTS AT PATTADAKAL 1987 iii, iv HUMAYUN s TOMB, Delhi 1993 ii, iv KHAJURAHO GROUP OF MONUMENTS 1986 i, iii QUTB MINAR AND ITS MONUMENTS, DELHI 1993 iv RED FORT COMPLEX, Delhi 2007 ii, iii, vi ROCK SHELTERS OF BHIMBETKA 2003 iii, v Sun Temple, KONARK 1984 i, iii, vi MAHABODHI TEMPLE COMPLEX AT BODHGAYA 2002 i, ii, iii, iv, vi CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS 2004 II, IV MOUNTAIN RAILWAYS OF INDIA 1999 II, IV SUNDARBANS NATIONAL PARK KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK KEOLADEO NATIONAL PARK MANAS WILD LIFE SANCTUARY NANDA DEVI AND VALLEY OF FLOWERS NATIONAL PARKS 1987 1985 1985 1985 1988 IX, X IX, X X VII, IX, X VII, X
PERIODIC REPORTING States Parties are requested to submit reports to the UNESCO General Conference through the World Heritage Committee on the legislative and administrative provisions they have adopted and other actions which they have taken for the application of the convention, including the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties located on their territories. World Heritage Committee adopted the Format and Explanatory Notes. It invites States Parties to submit periodic reports every six years.
Cultural Sites INDIAN TENTATIVE LIST Approved by UNESCO World Heritage Committee (Revised up to March 15, S. Cultural Heritage Location 2006) No. 1. Ancient Buddhist site at Sarnath Uttar Pradesh Natural Sites (Varanasi) 16. Kangchendzonga National Park West Bengal 2. AlchiBuddhist Monastery, Ladakh Jammu & Kashmir 3. Harappan City at Dholavira, Dist. Kuchchh Gujarat 4. Golconda Fort, Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh 5. Group of Monuments at Mandu, Distt. Dhar Madhya Pradesh 6. Hemis Gompa, Ladakh Jammu & Kashmir 7. Kalka-Simla Railway Haryana/ H.P 8 Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam Kerala 9. Rani-ki-Vav (Queen s Step-well) at Patan, Distt. Mahesana Gujarat 10 Red Fort, Delhi Delhi 11 River Island of Majuli in midstream Assam of river Brahmaputra 12. Sri Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar Punjab 13 Temple at Bishnupur West Bengal 14 The Matheran Light Railway (Extension to the Mountain Railways of India) 15. Tomb of Sher Shah Suri at Sasaram Bihar 17. Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Gujarat Kachch 18. Namdapha National Park Arunachal Pradesh 19. Western Ghats (with 7 sub clusters) 1. Western Ghats Agasthyamalai sub cluster ( with 5 site elements) 2. Western Ghats Periyar sub cluster ( with 6 site elements) 3. Western Ghats Anamalai sub cluster ( with 7 site elements) 4. Western Ghats Nilgiri sub cluster (with 6 site elements) 5. Western Ghats Talacauvery sub cluster ( with 6 site elements) 6. Western Ghats Kudremukh sub cluster ( with 5 site elements) 7. Western Ghats Sahyadri sub cluster ( with 4 site elements) Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat
STRONG CONTENDERS FOR WORLD HERITAGE All the sites in the tentative list have been considered to be strong contenders for World Heritage nomination. Examples: Sarnath represents criteria i, ii and vi Dholavira represents criteria ii, iii and v Google Earth Image
SARNATH Represents a unique artistic achievement, a masterpiece of the creative genius
SARNATH It has exerted great influence, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design. Excavation at Sarnath, 1905
SARNATH It is directly and tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance
CONJECTURAL VIEW OF THE CITY OF DHOLAVIRA
DHOLAVIRA: RICH HARVEST OF HARAPPAN ANTIQUITIES
GRAPHIC VIEW OF DHOLAVIRA
PREPARING NOMINATIONS The nomination document is the primary basis on which the World Heritage Committee considers the inscription of the properties on the World Heritage List. The nomination dossier may be submitted at any time during the year. Only those nominations that are complete and received by the secretariat on or before 1 February are considered for inscription on the World Heritage List. Only nominations of properties included in the State Party s Tentative List are examined by the World Heritage Committee.
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE NOMINATION FORMAT 1. Identification of the property. 2. Description of the property. 3. Justification for inscription. 4. State of conservation and factors affecting the property. 5. Protection and Management. 6. Monitoring. 7. Documentation. 8. Contact information of responsible authorities. 9. Signature on behalf of the State Party (ies)