1. The main features of Indian culture.None of the phenomena of Indian culture can be understood without taking into account its wide sociocultural context, since religious beliefs, ritual, normative morality, aesthetic ideals, and social institutions are inextricably linked in it. This internal syncretism (mixing, fusion of dissimilar elements) of culture is also characteristic of human life itself, which is reflected in the ancient Indian teaching about trivárga - the three goals of human life: dharma, arth and kama. Dharma presupposes following the law of duty, artha means achieving material well-being, and kama means sensual pleasure, to which all forms of art were also referred. According to tradition, it was believed that a person should pursue all these goals in turn at different stages of life - ashrams. The teaching about ashrams spreads in time the multidirectional efforts and aspirations of a person. According to him, each person goes through four stages in life: a student, a householder, a forest hermit and an ascetic who has renounced the world. Combining in his life the fullness of really felt being and illusory reality, sensuality and asceticism, the desire to discover the truth and mysticism, the Indian, who realized his individuality, virtue, talents, at the same time, in the process of personality formation and self-affirmation of cultural identity, became a part of that socio-cultural system, which, with the help of the family, community, varna (caste), determined the range of actions and activities of a person, behavioral stereotypes, social functions and roles. This interconnection of the concrete life experience of an Indian with a culture of complex nature, where religious, aesthetic and social aspects are intertwined, is most clearly seen in the field of artistic creation. It has always been perceived not as a separate area of \u200b\u200bculture, but as part of religious and social rituals. At the same time, the artist turned into a seer who, in order to express the unity and harmony of images - the main artistic and aesthetic criteria - turned to personal sensory experience and aesthetic experiences.
All creative activity in Ancient India fell under the category of "kama", so its goal was embodied in the creator's achievement of happiness and pleasure. Although Indian aesthetics explained love and beauty through their relationship to a higher state of mind, free from earthly desires, much of Indian art is a hymn to sensual love and earthly beauty. Thus, creative activity was a combination of the sensual and spiritual, including the religious and philosophical experience of the creator.
2. Ancient Indian literature. Literary creativity is one of the most important areas of culture created in Ancient India. Ancient Indian literature occupies one of the most honorable places in the history of world literature. It is distinguished by a variety of genres, striking in the depth and originality of its content. The most important feature of the literary heritage of the Indians was its deepest penetration of religious ideas, which not only determined the directions of the author's thinking in all the diversity of his socio-cultural ties, but also exerted the most significant influence on the formation of the civilizational model of the development of Ancient India.
The Vedas - the "sacred" books of the Indo-Aryans, the final written edition of which took shape in the first centuries of our era, became the initial basis of the literary creation of many generations. The Vedas have generated a rich literature related to the interpretation of their mystical and magical content. So, in the late Vedic period (X-VII centuries BC) "Brakhman" were compiled - prose texts containing ritual and mythological commentaries to all four Vedas. The collection "Akranyaki" contained instructions for ascetic hermits who spent many years in pious reflections, in search of truth, knowledge of the secrets of the Universe. The Aranyaks, in turn, became the source from which the literature of the Upanishad, the philosophical texts of Ancient India, began. The term “upa-ni-shad” itself means “to sit near”, that is, to be at the feet of the teacher, to listen to his teachings, to comprehend the hidden, secret meaning of the text. The Upanishads arose on the basis of further and more careful development of those passages from the Brahmans and Aranyaks, which explained the innermost meaning of magic and the symbolism of sacrificial rituals, and also highlighted the esoteric meaning of certain concepts and categories (karma, Brahman, Atman). Written in the form of conversations, the Upanishads contained the discourses of priests and ascetics-hermits about the most cardinal problems of being: the universe and cosmogony, the interrelationships between man - space - the world of gods, life and death, etc.
In addition to religious and philosophical writings in ancient India, there was also a purely philosophical literature, devoid of mystical abstractions. For example, representatives of the Lokayat school opposed the main provisions of religious and philosophical doctrines, including against the ideas of individual religious liberation (karma) and the omnipotence of the gods. They considered sensory perception to be the main source of knowledge.
A great achievement of ancient Indian philosophy was the anatomical teaching of the Vaishik school, which has analogies with the teaching of Democritus in Greece. The founder of the Patanjali school of yoga paid great attention to the development of questions of human psychology. One of the greatest philosophers Nagarjuna came up with the concept of "general relativity" or "emptiness", which influenced the fate of Buddhist philosophy in Tibet and China.
But still, the religious and philosophical thought of the ancient Indians noticeably prevailed over philosophical concepts. Thus, it is precisely the religious and philosophical ideas that underlie the two great poems of the Indians, Mahabharata and Ramayana. They are written in the genre of the heroic epic, which occupied a significant period in the literature of India: the main plot of the poems was laid in the middle of the first millennium BC. e., and the recording was completed in the first centuries of our era. The content of these poems, spanning almost a millennium, is so vast and diverse that they are called a true encyclopedia of ancient Indian life. These sacred epics contain a wealth of information about the most diverse aspects of the cultural and historical development of the Indians, from their mythological concepts to the description of marriage and family relations and even intimate aspects of human life.
The canonical status of the Mahabharata and Ramayana is manifested in the fact that these poems are still one of the main means of mass education and cultural enlightenment of Indians. They are able to form thoughts, characters, aesthetic and religious consciousness of even illiterate people, introducing them to philosophical, social and political ideas. The truths asserted in them are concentrated in the formula "Goodness - Truth - Beauty", which is the deep foundations of Indian culture, defines the essence of the relationship between man and society. The poems contain calls to be guided by the highest meaning in their life, to fulfill their duty, regardless of the results of actions. Having become the pivotal texts of ancient Indian culture, "Mahabharata" and "Ramayana" played the role of a conductor of cultural values \u200b\u200bfor the multiethnic population of India, contributed to the formation of ideal images of a man (the embodiment of truth and morality) and a woman (the personification of integrity, patience).
The Mahabharata consists of one hundred thousand couplets; its authorship is attributed to the sage Vyāsa. The Mahabharata is a large-scale legend with a great number of inserted episodes and a huge number of characters: gods, demigods, demons, heroes, hermits, sages, beauties, nymphs, warriors, servants. The plot of the Mahabharata is complex and ramified, a number of plot lines echo the motives of other epics, including the Iliad. In brief, the content of this poem - the great story of the battle of gods and heroes - is as follows. The five Pandav brothers, the sons of King Pandu, who were married to the beautiful Drapadi, are deprived of the opportunity to return to their homelands for many years due to a number of difficult vicissitudes. They endure hardships, perform feats, but their rivals, cousins \u200b\u200bof the Kaurav family, refuse to return them half of the kingdom, as agreed. A great battle of kings and warriors, gods and heroes, men and beasts began, and the battle itself took on a cosmic scale. At a crucial moment, Krishna advised the leader of the Pandavas Aurjuna to use a trick, which allowed the brothers to defeat the enemy. The Pandavas regained their kingdom, which was later ruled by the descendants of Arjuna.
The story of the Ramayana, a favorite Indian poem, is based on the adventures of Prince Rama, who was expelled from his parental home as a result of the intrigues of the younger wife of King Dasharathi, who was obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200bpassing the throne to her son Bharat. The distressed Rama, along with his wife Sita and younger brother Lakshmana, live in the forest, where a demonic beauty appears, trying to seduce Rama. She fails and in anger demands vengeance from her brother, the leader of the demons Ravana, seducing him with the beauty of Sita. Ravana kidnaps Sita. Rama, with the help of animals and spirits, including the son of a monkey and the wind god Hanuman, sets out in search of his wife. Hanuman easily flies across the strait separating India from the island of Ceylon, and in Ceylon finds the sad Sita hidden from people. Rama, at the head of an army of monkeys and bears, arrives in Ceylon and defeats the Rakshasa demons in battle. In a duel with Ravana, Rama defeats the enemy, frees Sita, but begins to doubt her chastity. The offended Sita ascends to the fire, but the flame did not touch her - Sita turned out to be innocent. Rama returns to his kingdom, and Bharata gives him the throne. However, having received power, Rama did not find peace of mind, because among the people there are bad rumors about Sita: since the hand of a demon touched her, she is defiled. Sita leaves the palace and gives birth to twin sons away from Rama. But the people still demand proof of her innocence. Sita swears, and the earth, confirming her oath, accepts Rama's wife into its fold. Rama remains alone and unites with Sita only after death.
The Ramayana, which is attributed to the poet Walmiki, reflects in the highest degree the way of life and thought of Indians, their ethical and artistic standards. Rama became one of the avatars of the divine Vishnu, and in his honor in India, holidays are held annually - Ram-lila, dramas are played on the plot of the Ramayana.
The images and plots of epic poems have become an integral part of the national tradition of India; since the Middle Ages, outstanding figures of theater, music, and fine arts have been and are still addressing them.
The epic poems "Mahabharata" and "Ramayana", which have entered the treasury of world literature, are adjacent to the works called "purana". These are legends about gods, heroes, kings and sages, representing an artistic and religious-philosophical treatment ancient legends and real story plots.
In the first centuries of our era, in the development of ancient Indian literature, the genre of author's artistic creativity appeared. Its most prominent representatives were the playwright Ashvaghosha, who in Sanskrit wrote the "Life of Buddha" poem (I-II centuries), and the most famous poet of Ancient India, who lived at the court of Chandragupta II, Kalidasa. He wrote many plays, epic and lyric works. The most famous of them is the drama “Shakuntala” (“Recognized by the ring of Shakuntala”), which tells about the faithful love of the beautiful Shakuntala and the young king Dushyant, who overcomes all barriers.
In ancient India, the theory of literary creativity, including poetry, which generalized the most successful experience in poetic language and examined in detail the rules of versification, also reached a high level. One of the earliest works on poetics belonged to Bhamahi and was called "Poetic Ornaments" (IV-V centuries).
In general, it can be noted that the variety of genres, high artistic skill, the depth of the content of the works testify to the great successes achieved by the ancient Indian people in the field of literature, which rightfully occupies one of the most honorable places in the history of world literature.
3. Plastic arts. The best examples of ancient Indian architecture, sculpture and painting are distinguished by such a lively impact and such original beauty that they cannot be confused with the monuments of another country. The fact is that the culture of Ancient India took shape in the conditions of a majestic tropical nature, which left a special imprint on its formation. Festive and cruel, blooming and formidable, with impenetrable thickets, deep mountain gorges, a myriad of bright birds and various animals, poisonous snakes and intoxicating plants, the nature of India contributed to the birth of equally powerful and majestic images of mythology: the giant gods, three steps bypassing the world and drinking whole rivers at once; heroes endowed with cosmic power; good and evil spirits that live in every tree, mountain, reservoir. They gained immortality thanks to the inexhaustible imagination of unknown masters, who put their poetic ideas about the beauty of the earth and the magic of its mysterious powers into the creation of their images.
Belief in the miraculous forces of nature and became the basis of all Indian culture, including the fine arts.
The artistic life of ancient India reached maturity and fullness of its flowering at the end of the first millennium BC. BC, when the vast Mauryan power was created. Many works of architecture and sculpture have survived from this time, because, unlike the previous time, when the main building material was wood, temple and memorial structures began to be made entirely of stone. However, about the very capital of the Mauryan empire, the city of Pataliputra, we can glean information only from the descriptions of the Greek Megasthenes. According to his records, Pataliputra, surrounded by wooden walls with sixty-four gates and surrounded by a moat, was a beautiful city. Seventy watch towers were erected in order to protect the peace of the townspeople, housed in two- and three-story buildings, and the royal palace, which was a multi-story wooden building on a stone foundation. A long row of keeled arches ran along the façade of the palace, alternating with balconies. Gardens with fountains and pools descended from the palace to the Ganges. On three floors of the palace, one after another, there were huge multi-column halls, lavishly decorated with paintings, precious stones, images of plants and animals glowing with gold. High columns made of polished granite were a special attraction of the royal chambers. They resembled the columns of the Persepolian royal halls, and therefore testified to the once close contacts of India and Achaemenid Iran.
Mauryas also spent huge funds on the construction of religious buildings, especially those related to Buddhism, which became the state religion under Ashoka.
The main Buddhist structures were stupas, stambhi, rock temples.
Stupa is a grandiose hemispherical hill devoid of internal rooms, located on a high stone drum and having a relic - a place for storing the relics of Buddha. Reminding a huge inverted bowl, the stupa, with its roundness and softness of outlines, imitates living flesh and therefore fits well with the ideas of fertility, the power of the natural forces of the earth.
One of the most famous Buddhist structures was the stupa in Sanchi, erected in the 3rd – 1st centuries. BC e. The heavy and heavy monolithic body of the stupa faced with stone blocks had a base diameter of about thirty two meters. The stone fence that surrounded it had four gates - a toran, oriented in four directions of light. These stone gates consisted of two high and massive pillars carrying three crossbeams crossing them, located one above the other. The highest one ended with figures of guardian geniuses and Buddhist symbols - the wheel of the law and winged lions. The rungs of the gates, the gaps between them and the pillars themselves were completely filled with sculpture. There was no close plot connection between the scenes. The reliefs were dedicated to both Buddhist themes and more ancient subjects of Indian mythology, genre scenes telling about the life of the people, the siege of cities, the inhabitants of magical countries, the descriptions of which are given by the ancient Indian epic. Between these compositions are animals and birds, sacred animals, flowers. With all the variety of motives, there is also a number of uniting repetitions. So, all the gates rise on the backs of four elephants, carrying on themselves, like the ancient Atlanteans, a heavy mass of stone beams. The side parts of the gate are decorated with figures of fertility spirits - yakshin, depicted in the form of young flexible girls swinging on tree branches.
All figures are made in different scales and techniques. They are shown either in a flat relief or in three-dimensional forms of a round sculpture, which creates a rich play of light and shadow on the surface of the gate, emphasizing the high plastic skill of stone carving.
The second type of Buddhist monumental sculpture was the stambhi - monolithic pillars with the edicts of King Ashoka and Buddhist moral sayings. The capital of the stambha was decorated with a lotus flower or figures of animals revered in Buddhism: a lion, a bull, an elephant or a horse.
The most famous one created in the III century. BC e. the stone capital of the stambhi in Sarnath, depicting four lions, which carry the Buddhist wheel of law on their joined backs. The Sarnath capital affirmed the idea of \u200b\u200bthe power of Buddhism and the entire Mauryan state with the impressive form and thoroughness of all the details.
No less perfect skill of stone-cutting work was demonstrated by new forms of temples. Under Ashoka, cave Buddhist monastic complexes began to be carved, sometimes reaching impressive sizes. Their main structures were square halls - vihara, behind which, in the thickness of a stone block, were the cells of monks and temples - chaitya. The chaityas' rooms, stretched out into the depths of the rock, were divided by two rows of columns into three naves (corridors), decorated with sculptures and paintings. At the rounded wall opposite the entrance to the temple there was a stupa - a storage of relics.
The process of creating rock structures was very long and extremely time consuming. It began from the upper part of the sheer cliff, where the steps of the stairs, the front platform, the light window through which the rocks were removed were cut, and gradually continued in the thickness and lower part of the rocks. At the same time, the builders did not need forests and ladders: they, like moles, freed the rock from the "excess" mass.
One of the most beautiful examples of rock architecture is the chaitya in Karli (1st century BC - 1st century AD). The length of the temple was 41 meters, width - 15.5 meters, height - 15 meters. The floor and columns of the chaitya were polished to a high shine. Octagonal columns, placed along the walls, were crowned with capitals in the form of an inverted lotus bowl, on which kneeling elephants sat with figures of geniuses on their backs. The architectural appearance of the temple was complemented by a stupa located in the back of the hall.
Neither Vedic nor Hindu religions focused on creating images of gods, and even more so - images of reigning persons. This hindered the development of sculpture. In addition, the statues, if they were erected, were short-lived, since the artistic canons of India prescribed the use of stone only for cult purposes, therefore the statue, created from wood, could not stand the test of time. Apparently, for these reasons, a large number of sculptures have not been found in India, and the samples we know have a cult purpose. They appeared in the Maurian era.
Ancient Indian masters, making anthropomorphic images, were obliged to observe the following artistic principles:
a) "sajiva" (to be alive) - attempts to convey the breath and the flow of "life juice";
b) focusing on the construction of the shoulder girdle; moving the center of gravity of the body to the shoulders, depriving the feet of the weight of the torso;
c) referring to poetic formulas as a fundamental technical guide;
d) making sculptures for a certain period - as long as it has a "divine essence" and its destruction after the expiration of this period.
In the 1st-3rd centuries, when North India entered the Kushan state, Buddhism was reformed, and Buddha began to be considered a deity (previously, he was treated as a teacher, mentor). His first images appeared (before the Buddha was reproduced through symbols), in addition, the art of India turned to depicting the feelings of people, revealing inner peace human.
The features of Buddhist art were most clearly manifested in North-West India - where, after the conquests of Alexander the Great, Greeks, Bactrians and Asia Minor lived, who enriched Indian culture with Greek and Hellenistic artistic traditions. It was here, under the influence of Greek plastic arts, that the first sculptural images of Buddha appeared in the form of an ideally beautiful man in a state of deep contemplative calm.
To convey the divine appearance of Buddha, complex pictorial techniques and rules for expressing signs of holiness were developed. There were more than thirty of them, including an almond-shaped oval of the face and long earlobes - signs of a noble origin, a mound of wisdom on the crown of the head, monastic clothes, symbolic gestures.
The young Buddha's assistants - bodhisattvas, who remained on earth for the sake of saving people, under the incisors of the masters of the Gandhari art school, turned into saints, full of majestic peace and deep spiritual significance.
The last stage of the heyday of ancient Indian artistic culture falls on 320-450 years. - the time of the existence of the Gupta empire. Buddhist temples at this time turned into a kind of museums, where painting, sculpture, decorative handicrafts appear in a closer community than before. For the first time, painting, both cult and secular, reached its true flowering.
An example of the synthesis of various types of artistic creativity of the Indians is one of the most famous cave monastic complexes in India - Ajanta. This is a whole cave city, carved out in the mountains along the picturesque Waghora River. Ajanta complex was created for many years by different generations of masters. There was also a kind of university where monks studied, and a center of pilgrimage, and a kind of museum, on the walls of which mythological plots, Brahmanist and Buddhist religious motives were widely reflected.
Five of the caves of Ajanta were chaityas, and twenty-four were monastery halls - vihara, surrounded by monastic cells.
The facades of the caves, made in the era of the Guptas, were magnificently decorated with sculpture. Numerous statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas filled all the recesses of the walls, stood along the rows of columns. In addition to Buddhist images, more ancient deities and spirits were presented in sculpture and relief in the form of plants, animals, half-humans, half-animals, but they became more mature in skill, freer in the plasticity of movements than their sculptural prototypes of previous times.
The interior of the caves of Ajanta almost entirely, including the ceilings, were covered with paintings on dry plaster, which have been perfectly preserved to this day, since the ancient Indian artists mastered the art of strengthening the ground, knew the secrets of persistent colors. The soil used for the paintings consisted of two layers, for which they used beeswax, molasses, stone; after the external soil dried out, the wall was polished and watered with milk of lime.
The theory of painting reflected the guidelines for dance art, music, pantomime.
The image was built on the basis of two principles: a system of proportions (primana) and a system of positions (stkhana). The basis for organizing the composition was its division into groups, located in a circle or oval around the central figure. The canon determined the color scheme: kings and gods were depicted in white, flora and fauna had a natural color, everything else was conventionally colored. The main means of artistic expression was considered to be a contour with a soft highlight, which revealed the volume of forms. The artists knew aerial perspective. Luscious, warm colors enhanced their effect with mirrors that capture light, creating a sense of tangible life. The painting was dominated by narrative, detailed deployment of plots on themes from the royal and everyday life Indians. Pictures of a mythological nature, episodes from the life of Buddha to "enlightenment", illustrations of the Indian epic - all this, intertwining into a single panorama of fictional and real events, conveys the legendary mythological sense of the world that guided the creative impulses of artists.
Although the traditional hierarchy of spatial arts in Indian treatises has given painting the last place, the perfection of painting in Ajanta refutes this classification. The realism and expressiveness of the created plots and images prove what heights the art of mural painting in India reached by the beginning of the Middle Ages. It is no coincidence that the traditions of Ajanta influenced the art of Ceylon and China, and the principles of artistic creation, formed in architecture and sculpture, spread to Korea, Japan and other southeastern countries.
4. Scientific achievements.Ancient Indians made great strides in mathematics, astronomy and medicine.
An outstanding achievement of ancient Indian science was the creation of a decimal number system using zero. This innovation has developed not only as a result of the development of the mathematical tradition itself, but also under the influence of the philosophical concept of "emptiness" introduced by the thinker Nagarjuna.
The decimal system was adopted by Arab scholars and then spread throughout the world.
The ancient Indian numbering system defined the modern numbering system and formed the basis of modern arithmetic. Thanks to the development of the theory of abstract number and the development of a digital system, algebra has reached a high level of development. It was in this area (in contrast to ancient science, where the main focus was on geometry) that the ancient Indians achieved exceptional success. Algebraic works of mathematicians of ancient India were widely used in the Middle Ages by Arab scholars, and through them became the property of European peoples. Some mathematical terms: "digit", "sine", "root" are of Indian origin.
Treatises on astronomy by ancient Indian scholars were also popular as early as the Middle Ages. One of the most important discoveries in this area should be considered the guess of Auryabhata about the rotation of the Earth around its axis.
In ancient times, the doctors of Hindustan enjoyed great respect, who were engaged in both the theory of medicine and the improvement of treatment methods. Trying to find out the nature of diseases, ancient Indian physicians developed the doctrine of the three main "life juices", changes in the composition and consistency of which led to disruption of the whole organism. Much attention was paid to anthropogeography - the influence of natural conditions on the human body, as well as the teachings of heredity and medical ethics. Ancient Indian surgery was at a high level. In the medical treatises of the first centuries of our era, three hundred different operations and one hundred and twenty surgical instruments available to specialists are mentioned. Tibetan medicine, popular today in the West, is based on the traditions of the Indian "Ayurveda" (the science of longevity).
The humanities also developed in ancient India: linguistics, literary criticism, jurisprudence. The treatise “Arthashastra” (“The Science of the Achievement of the Useful”) is considered a masterpiece of political and legal thought, which, although not a scientific text from a modern point of view, contains a description of the state structure of India in the era of a centralized empire; it is rich in recommendations on the best methods of management, the implementation of legal proceedings, the organization of economic, cultural, foreign policy, addressed to the king and his entourage.
Summing up, we note that for almost three thousand years of its existence, the ancient Indian civilization has created a unique culture. Summarizing and multiplying their cultural and historical experience, the people of ancient India achieved great success in the exact and descriptive sciences, in practical and predictive knowledge. Religious and philosophical ideas and concepts, literary and artistic values, craftsmanship, technological methods, artistic taste of architects and sculptors of Ancient India became a tangible contribution to the treasury of world civilization, enjoyed great influence in South-East Asia, attracted the attention of prominent cultural figures of Europe and Russia.
Indian culture is united and diverse at the same time. Based on religious and philosophical teachings, the culture encouraged intellectual isolationism, developed a speculative individual beginning of a person, at the same time, within the framework of the civilization model, the Indian remained primarily an element of the institutional structure, community, caste, etc. As a result of very complex relationships between individual and social aspects of human existence and there are well-known paradoxes of Indian culture, in which asceticism and sensuality coexist, active participation in earthly life and the desire to escape from it. The solution to these paradoxes was worked out in the very culture of India in the form of the doctrine of ashrams. The intertwining of social, spiritual and artistic elements in Indian culture makes the process of its perception difficult for representatives of other cultural traditions, but at the same time, it is this syncretism that turns the culture of Ancient India into a unique one.
There are many unique natural corners and objects on our planet that are the heritage of mankind. These include India... Everyone who has visited this mysterious country does not call India in any other way, as “another planet”. Every year millions of tourists from all over the world visit the country, travel to its colorful cities, visit centuries-old Hindu temples, sunbathe on its white sandy beaches. And each time, returning from there, they rethink their life and start from the beginning.
One cannot know India by being there once. Returning there again, you find something new and discover the country from the other side. To make it easier for you to make a list must see , we suggest that you familiarize yourself with cultural sites Indiawhich are included in uNESCO heritage list... A total of 31 objects in India are included in this list. But we will present you 8 noteworthy ones.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Station
If you come to Mumbai, be sure to visit the city's central station. it historical site rather it resembles not a train station, but a real palace. The building was built in the days when the British ruled there. Therefore, it was built in the style of the Neo-Gothic Victorian era, intertwined with Indian motives. The facade of the station is made up of towers and domes, with carved arches and terraces, while the interior is made up of copper carvings and decor. For a hundred years now Chhatrapati Shivaji is the "trading port" of India.
Buddhist monuments Sanchi
The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is home to a unique sanchi village... It houses 150 architectural monuments at once, which have become World Heritage Sites. Now an open-air museum is open here, which houses the sculptures of the archaeological complex. Palaces and monasteries, columns and temples were built in this place for centuries. But in the middle of the XIV century, the city was deserted, and buildings began to collapse. They were found only at the end of the 19th century and they began to restore the ancient architecture.
Many Buddhist temples have been reconstructed. The most famous is the large stupa - the royal mound. This structure is round in shape and is fully decorated with carvings and bas-reliefs. All over India, fantastic images from Indian mythology can be seen on buildings. And in Sanchi there are especially many of them.
National park Kaziranga
This park in India is only one hundred years old, but it is rightfully considered the pride of the country. The park consists of forests, green meadows and a river. It is home to elephants, Bengal tigers, wild cats and a population of one-horned rhinos. Many are included in the Red Book, as their species are dying out. IN Kaziranga National Park unique plants grow. Tourists travel through the park in jeeps or on elephants, observing Indian flora and fauna.
Ajanta Caves
Another pearl of India is temple complex of Ajanta ... It contains 29 caves in which Buddhist hermit monks lived and prayed. The caves are amazing in that they have well-preserved rock paintings - the art of ancient India. From these paintings you can read the history of the life of the Hindus, they depict legends that give a complete picture of their life and religion. The frescoes in these caves are unparalleled throughout Asia. For centuries, monks lived in these caves, but after a while they became empty and neglected. Tours lead to the caves through terraces, which offer magnificent panoramic views.
Red Fort
Red Fort in Delhi - the citadel of the history and religion of India. It was built in the 17th century as a Muslim fort by the emperor of the Great Mongols - a real masterpiece of Islamic architecture. From the outside, it is very powerful and monolithic, built of red marble, ceramics and red sandstone.
And behind the thick walls of the fort are green gardens, majestic halls, palaces, harems and working museums. The pearl of the Red Fort is the Moti Mosque, made of white marble. In the evenings, there is a light and sound show that tells the story of the Great Mongols.
Rani-ki-wav well
This ancient well is a true architectural wonder of India. The name translates as "the well of the queen's steps". It was built back in the 11th century in the city of Patan by order of Queen Udayamati in memory of her deceased husband. Centuries later Rani-ki-wav wellcovered with silt, and in the XIII century, as a result of a strong earthquake, it was also filled up. And only in the late 80s of the last century, archaeologists managed to restore this miracle.
The well has a cone shape, completely carved inside, with one and a half thousand sculptures, consisting of stepped parts. And the water reservoir is 23 meters deep. Under the last step there is a 30-kilometer secret tunnel leading to the city of Sidhpur.
Ruins of the village of Hampi
With history hampi villages many secrets and legends are connected. Previously it belonged to the Vijayanagara Empire. It is said that its capital was very rich, and the inhabitants sold diamonds even on the streets. Hampi in the past is the center of Hinduism. Great architects lived and worked here, who created amazing temples. Services in these churches are held today. Pilgrims from all over India come here.
Religious holidays and celebrations are also held here, in which not only locals, but also an inquisitive audience. True, for all Hampi is, first of all, mysterious and mysterious sights: air temples and monoliths scattered by nature itself.
Valley of Flowers
It seems nothing unusual as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but this Valley of Flowers looks just unreal. IN summer time dozens of plant species bloom here. Most of them are specific only to India. And in the Valley of Flowers, Himalayan bears, leopards wander and beautiful birds fly. It is a pity that during the monsoon season, which coincides with the blooming of this valley, tourists do not come here.
TO UNESCO World Heritage Site in India includes the world famous Taj Mahal in Agra, the Temple of the Sun in Konarak, Fatehpur Sikri, the monuments of Khajuraho, temples and monasteries of Goa and many other temple complexes and parks. We will try to tell you about them in the following articles.
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In total, there are 29 objects in India that are the heritage of mankind and the unique natural corners of our planet, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Orange designated UNESCO sites that the company "Rossiyanka" offers to visit on their excursions.
UNESCO sites in Goa
Temples and monasteries of Old Goa
Old Goa (in Portuguese Velha Goa, Velha Goa) is a city in the state of Goa in India, which was previously the capital of Portuguese India. About 25 monuments of Portuguese colonial architecture have been preserved here, the main of which are: St. Catherine's Cathedralhonor of Catherine of Alexandria, Basilica of Bom Jesus, ddthe relics of one of the saints of the Catholic Church, Francis Xavier, rest. Have you can know more in the article: Churches of Old Goa and Panaji.Due to epidemics of malaria in the XVII-XVIII centuries. the population moved to the suburb of Panaji, which later became the capital of the colony and was named "New Goa". You can see these monuments on this excursion.
UNESCO sites in Karnataka
Ruins of Hampi (Vijayanagara)
Humpy's Photos - 11 albums
Hampi (Vijayanagara) - The former capital of the Vijayanagar Empire. Now - the largest historical site of UNESCO in India. Hampi is associated with the historical region of Kishkinda, the kingdom of the Vanaras (ape-like humanoids), which is mentioned in the famous epic Ramayana. The first known human settlement arose here in the 1st century. From 1336 to 1565, the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, the city of Vajayanagara, was located in this area. This place was chosen for the capital of the empire because of its strategic location: on one side of the land it is washed by the Tungabhadra River, and on the other three sides the city is surrounded by hills made of granite blocks by nature. Hampi is of great architectural and historical importance. The central part of the ancient city was 26 square meters. It is on it that there are about 350 temples and other buildings. With a population of almost 500 thousand people, the city was one of the largest in its time. In 1565, after the fall of the empire, the city was destroyed and plundered by the Islamic sultans. Further damage to Hampi's monuments was caused by treasure seekers. Book an excursion to Hampi
Pattadakal temples
Pattadakal City - Located on the banks of the Malaprabha River.Temple complex of the 8th century represents the culmination of the development of the style of Hindu temple architecture. Both Dravidian (southern) and nagara (northern) styles of Indian temple architecture are represented in Pattadakal. In the UNESCO list since 1987You can see the ancient city atexcursions . Here is a photo of Pattadakal
UNESCO sites in the state of Maharashtra
Cave temples on about. Elephanta
The so-called "City of Caves" contains a large collection of rock art dedicated to the cult of the god Shiva. In the UNESCO list since 1987
Chhatrapati Shivaji Station (Victoria)
The station is located in Mumbai and is one of the most crowded stations in the world. The station building is a combination of traditional Victorian Neo-Gothic architecture with the motives of the Indo-Saracen style (stone dome, turrets, pointed arches and complicated plan). Inside the station is decorated with wood carvings, iron and copper railings, the main staircase is made with a balustrade. The building was designed by British architect Frederick William Stevens, construction began in 1878 and lasted 10 years. The station was named after Queen Victoria, but in 1996 the station changed its name. Like India's largest airport, it is named after India's national hero Chhatrapati Shivaji. The station is the symbol of Mumbai. The train station is one of the main locations of the film "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008). The film won 8 gold Oscars, including Best Film of the Year and Best Director of the Year. In the UNESCO list since 2004 You can see Victoria Station on our excursion Mumbai (Bombay). A photo
Temples of Ajanta
This is located buddhist temple-monastery cave complex not far from Aurangabad.It is a horseshoe-shaped cliff with 29 caves. They are divided into two main types - chaitya (prayer halls, oblong in plan, with two rows of pillars, an apse at the end) and vihara (halls square in plan, surrounded on three sides by cells or sanctuaries with Buddha statues, have a portico-terrace at the entrance ) - a dormitory of Buddhist monks. The wall paintings of the caves are illustrations of Buddhist legends and myths, but in fact they reveal the panorama of social life in all its diversity. Temples were carved into the rocks for several centuries (III-VII centuries). The most intensive construction was carried out in the 5th century. under Harishen, the ruler of central India. At this time, the most perfect examples of sculptures and paintings of Ajanta were created. After Harishena's death, construction in the caves was less intensive. In the XIII century. Buddhism is losing its meaning in India. The monks, whose numbers had dropped significantly by this time, gradually left Ajanta. Ajanta Photos
Temples of Ellora
The temples are located 30 km from Aurangabad. The creation of the caves dates from about the 6th to the 9th centuries. Of the 34 caves of Ellora, 12 caves in the south are Buddhist, 17 in the center are dedicated to Hindu gods, 5 caves to the north are Jain. The main attraction and true Wonder of the World is the Kailash temple, cut out of the mountain. In the UNESCO list since 1983 Ellora Photos
UNESCO sites in Uttar Pradesh
Taj Mahal in Agra
Taj Mahal - mausoleum-mosque on the banks of the Jamna (Yamuna) river in Agra... It was built in 1632-53 by order of the descendant of Tamerlane - the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth (later Shah Jahan himself was buried here). The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, which combines elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. The construction involved 22 thousand craftsmen. Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the shah and his wife. Taj Mahal is a structure with five domes 74 m high on a platform, with 4 minarets in the corners. The building is adjoined by a garden with fountains and a swimming pool. The walls are lined with polished translucent marble, which was brought for construction 300 km away. Turquoise, agate, malachite, carnelian, etc. were used in the inlay. Marble has such a feature that in bright daylight it looks white, pink at dawn, and silver on a moonlit night. According to legend, a twin building of black marble should have been located on the other side of the river, but it was not built. A gray marble bridge was supposed to connect the two buildings. On the left and right sides of the tomb are red sandstone mosques. The Taj Mahal is visited by 3 to 5 million visitors a year, of which more than 200 thousand are from abroad. The Taj Mahal is one of the 7 wonders in the modern world after a 2007 survey of more than 100 million people. In the UNESCO list since 1983 as a "pearl of Muslim art". Haveyou can see the Taj Mahal on the Golden Triangle excursion. Here photo of Taj Mahal
Agra Fort
The fortress that served as the residence of the rulers during the era of the Mughal Empire is located 2.5 km from the Taj Mahal. Part of the Fort is currently used for military purposes and is not accessible to visitors. The construction of the fort began in 1565 at the initiative of Akbar the Great, who moved the capital from Delhi to Agra. After 6 years, the fort was completely walled. Successor to Shah Jahan, expanded the fort at the beginning of the 17th century. While under Akbar the preference was given to red sandstone with elements of marble, under Shah Jahan white marble with patterns of gold and precious stones was used as a building material. In 1648 the capital was moved back to Delhi, and therefore the Red Fort in Agra lost its significance. After seizing power in 1658, Aurangzeb kept his father Shah Jahan in this fort under house arrest until his death. In 1803 the fort was captured by British troops. During the Sepoy Uprising of 1857, the fort was the site of armed clashes. The entire complex is in the shape of a crescent and is surrounded by a wall, the height of which is 21 m, and the perimeter is 2.4 km. The wall, like most of the structures in the Red Fort, is built of red sandstone, which gave the fort its name. The Delhi and Lahore gates form the entrance to the fort. Inside there are palaces, several mosques and gardens. The architectural style harmoniously combines elements of Islamic and Hindu architecture. In the UNESCO list since 1983. You can see the Agra Fort on excursions Golden Triangle... Zdhere is Agra's photo
Fatehpur Sikri
UNESCO sites in the state of Rajasthan
Jantar-Mantar Observatory
This is the largest of the five observatories built in India (1727-1734) by the Rajput maharaja Sawai Jai Singh in the city of Jaipur, which he himself founded shortly before. The measuring instruments were colossal in size. Thus, the Jantar-Mantara sundial is considered the largest in the world (27 m in diameter). In the UNESCO list since 2010. You can see this monument on the Golden Triangle excursion or Tour to Jaipur. Here is a photo of Jaipur
Keoladeo National Park
National Park - located in the district of Bharatpur and was founded in 1982. It occupies an area of \u200b\u200b29 km² (almost half are water bodies) and is located 50 km west of Agra. The park is home to 366 species of rare birds that migrate here in winter. In spring, the birds leave the wintering place and go north. Storks of various species (razinya stork, beak stork) occupy thickets of acacias. These areas are also a favorite nesting place for spoonbill, purple heron and ibis. Wild ducks, swans and other waterfowl arrive at India's Keoladeo Ghana National Park between mid-August and October. Pink flamingos and pink pelicans are among the last to appear here. They arrive here in November. Egrets, gray herons, cormorants, storks annually give birth to 30 thousand individuals. Waterfowl include such species as: gray duck, broad-beak, teal-whistle, Indian duck goose, crested duck, comb duck, small, great and Indian cormorants, Indian beak, dwarf, ibis, etc. Also in the reserve there are 379 plant species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 species of amphibians, 7 species of turtles and many species of invertebrates. It is the only known habitat in winter for such a rare species as the Siberian Crane. There are 27 species of mammals in the park, among them it is possible to note such species as: nilgau, wild boar, sika deer, Indian sambar (quite a few), garna, axis, rhesus monkey, langur, 2 types of cats: jungle cat and fishing cat , 2 types of civets: musang and small civet (quite rare), 2 species of mongoose, smooth-haired otter, jackals, hyenas, several species of rodents. Prior to receiving officially protected reserve status, the Keoladeo Ghana area was a hunting ground for high-ranking officials of India. Hunting is currently prohibited in Keoladeo Ghana. The best time to visit here is considered to be the period from September to February, because during this period of time the number of various bird species inhabiting the reserve reaches its climax. In the UNESCO list since 1985
UNESCO sites in Delhi
Humayun's tomb
This is the mausoleum of the Timurid, Mughal emperor Humayun in Delhi, built by order of his widow Hamida Banu Begum. In architectural terms, it is a connecting link between Gur Emir, where Humayun's ancestor Tamerlane was buried, and the Taj Mahal mausoleum, built by order of his great-grandson Shah Jahan. The construction of the mausoleum began in 1562 and ended 8 years later. The architects are considered Said Muhammad and his father Mirak Giyathuddin, whose project was obviously strongly influenced by the Samarkand buildings of the Timurids. You can see the Humayun mausoleum on the Golden Triangle tour. Here is a photo of Delhi
Minaret of Qutub-Minar
It is the world's tallest brick minaret with a height of almost 73 m. The first Muslim ruler of India, Qutb ud-Din Aibek, impressed by the Afghan Jam minaret, in order to surpass it, began construction of the minaret in 1193, but was only able to complete the foundation. His successor Iltutmish completed three more tiers, and in 1368 Firuz Shah Tughlak completed the fifth and last tier. By appearance minaret development can be traced architectural style... In addition to the usual purpose of calling people to prayer in the Kuvvat-ul-Islam mosque, the minaret was used as a victory tower toshow the power of Islam, and also as a tower for viewing the surroundings in order to protect the city. The base diameter is about 15 m, the diameter of the upper part of the tower is 3 m.there are other structures in the complex. The big riddle is the iron column 7 m high and weighing 6 tons. The column was erected by King Kumaragupta I of the Gupta Dynasty, which ruled in North India during the period 320-540. The column was brought from a Hindu temple destroyed by Muslims. On the column there is an inscription dedicated to Vishnu and King Chandragupta II (375-413). For 1600 years, the column has practically not corroded, the reason for this is debated. There is a theory that the column is made of meteorite iron. According to other ideas, a special alloy invented by Indian metallurgists was used in the column. You can see Qutub-Minar on an excursionGolden Triangle ... Here is a photo of Delhi
Red fort
The fortress was built in 1639-48 and belongs to the era of the Great Mughals. It was founded by Shah Jahan, who moved here, to Shahjahanabad, the capital of the state from Agra. "If there is a paradise in the world, it is here, it is here," says the inscription of the arch of the Kala-a-Mubrak hall. In these words of the Persian poet Amir Khosrov, the plan of the architects of Shah Jahan is expressed - to build a citadel in the image and likeness of paradise described in the Koran, and not without similarities with Isfahan in Iran. Isfahan got the nickname "Nesf-ejehan" - "Half of the world" in Iran for its magnificent Islamic architecture. From the northwest, Lal-Qila adjoins the older fortress of Salimgarh. The perimeter of the brick-red wall that gave the name to the fortress is 2500 m. The height ranges from 16 m from the side of the Yamuna river to 33 m from the city side. In March 1783 the Sikhs took possession of the fortress, and in 1857 - the Sipais. On Indian Independence Day, within the walls of the fort, the Prime Minister of India reads an annual address to the nation. The Red Fort of the Shah Jahan times housed 3 thousand courtiers. The building was the first citadel of the Mughal era, conceived in the form of an irregular octagon, which later became a feature of the architectural style of this dynasty. The building material was bricks faced with ceramics or red marble. Its architecture harmoniously combines Persian, Timurid and Hindu elements. The style of the building, which is characterized by complex geometric compositions, was also named after the emperor - shahjehani. You can see the Red Fort in Delhi on a guided tour Golden Triangle .
UNESCO sites in Tamil Nadu
Temples Mahabalipuram
The city of Mahabalipuram is located on the Coromandel coast, 60 km south of Chennai. Arose in the 7th century. as the main port of the Pallava kingdom called Mamallapuram. A variety of monuments of monumental sculpture and architecture, carved into monolithic rocks and saturated with Buddhist motives, have survived from the Pallavian era (VII-IX centuries). Since the XVIII century. in the literature there were reports that a significant part of ancient Mamallapuram is now under water. During the 2004 tsunami, the outgoing wave revealed two-meter stone figures and other ruins of a previously unknown temple complex from the Pallavian era.
Chola temples
Chola - Hindu temples erected during the reign of the Chola dynasty. These temples include the 11th century Brihadishwara Temple in Thanjavur. (included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987), the Gangaikondacholishvaram temple of the XI century. and the Ayravateshwara temple in Darasuram X century. (in the UNESCO list since 2004).
UNESCO sites in the state of Orissa
Konarak Temple of the Sun
This temple also known as the "Black Pagoda" - a monument of the XIII century. It was built during the reign of King Narasimha I on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. The ensemble of the temple consists of three parts - a dance pavilion, where the temple dancers once performed ritual dances, a hall for worshipers - a jagamokhan and a sanctuary - deula (destroyed). In front of the temple there are stone figures - seven horses and a chariot with twelve wheels. The temple contains many images and sculptural figures, mainly on love and erotic themes. Many structures of the temple are partially destroyed or preserved. In the UNESCO list since 1984
UNESCO sites in the state of Assam
Manas reserve
The territory of the reserve is adjacent to the Bhutanese border and the Manas River. On the Bhutanese side, the protected area continues, where the Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan is located. Habitat of a rare species of golden langur and a significant population of tigers. Wetlands are vital to the survival of the rapidly disappearing bristly hare and pygmy pig. Also in the reserve you can see the Indian rhino, wild buffalo, elephant, gaura (Indian bison), swamp deer, Indian and clouded leopards. The park, the eastern habitat of the chitala and the habitat of the sambara deer, also has a rich and varied bird population. Its main attraction is a large hornbill.
Kaziranga National Park
In 2005, the park celebrated its 100th anniversary. Baroness Mary Curzon, the wife of Lord George Curzon, Viceroy of India, played an important role in the founding of the park. The area is 688 km². The park has beautiful tropical forests, rivers, magnificent meadows. The park is world famous because it has the largest (2/3 of the world's population) population of the one-horned rhinoceros. Also in the park you can see tigers, elephants, sloths, Bengal cats, fishing cats, gauras, barasings and many other wild animals. In total, the park has more than 30 species of mammals, 15 of which are endangered in the world. Kaziranga has over 40 species of turtles, lizards and snakes. The park has bird and tiger reserves. In the UNESCO list since 1985
UNESCO sites in Madhya Pradesh
Khajuraho temples
They are more often called "temples of love" because of the huge number of erotic scenes created from stone on the walls and columns.About 25 temples have survived on an area of \u200b\u200b21 km², the largest of which is Kandarya-Mahadeva. A large complex of temples in the North Indian nagara style (the main three elements of the style: a square sanctum sanctum, one or two rows of transepts and topped with a curvilinear cone of sikhara). The northern style of temple architecture and sculpture reaches its peak here. All buildings were erected in the 9-12 centuries. The emergence of temples in Khajuraho is associated with the revival of Hinduism during this period of Indian history.
Buddhist monuments Sanchi
Sanchi is a village 46 km northeast of Bhopal, where outstanding monuments of early Buddhist architecture have been preserved - temples, stupas and monasteries. The main attraction of Sanchi is the first stupa in history. It was erected by order of Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century. BC e. The reliefs depict not only Indians, but also people in Greek clothes. Conceived as a visual symbol of the Wheel of Dharma, the stupa in Sanchi served as the prototype for all subsequent stupas. The nearby forty-ton Ashoka column was brought here from Chunar. At the beginning of the reign of the Shunga dynasty (2nd century BC), the Great Stupa was demolished, but it was soon rebuilt and expanded twice its original size. At the end of the II century. BC e. The Indo-Greek ambassador Heliodorus erected a famous column five miles from the stupa. A few decades later, four stone gates appeared, decorated with exquisite carvings. Sanchi continued to be a major center of Buddhist art until the 12th century, when Islam established itself in central India and Buddhist shrines began to decline. Among the buildings of the 1st millennium AD e. Temple No. 17, dating back to the 5th century, is especially famous. n. e., - one of the earliest Buddhist temples in India. Abandoned for centuries, the Sanchi monuments were rediscovered and described by the British in 1818. In the UNESCO list since 1989.
Rock shelters in Bhimbetka
The site is located at the foot of the Vindhya Mountains in the southern part of the Central Indian Plateau. The massive limestone cliffs that rise above the rather dense forest contain five groups of natural rock shelters. There are murals representing the period from the Mesolithic to the end of prehistoric times. The cultural traditions of the inhabitants of the 21 villages that are located near this object are very similar to the themes presented in the rock paintings. The images themselves are more than 10 thousand years old, which makes Bhimbetka the oldest art gallery.
UNESCO sites in the state of Bihar
Mahabodhi temple
The famous Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, located in the place where Sidhartha Gautama attained Enlightenment and became a Buddha. The temple complex also includes the holy Bodhi tree. This tree was grown from the seed of the Sri Maha Bodhi tree in Sri Lanka, which in turn originated from the original Mahabodhi tree, under which the Buddha found Enlightenment. According to Buddhist tradition, around 500 BC e. Prince Gautama Siddhartha, wandering as a monk, reached the banks of the Falgu River near the city of Gaya. There he settled down for meditation under the Bodhi tree (religious Ficus). After three days and three nights of meditation, he achieved enlightenment, and found the answers to all the questions he had. After that, he spent seven weeks in meditation, consolidating his experience of enlightenment. Then he went to Sarnath, where he began to teach Buddhism. It is believed that King Ashoka visited Bodh Gaya 250 years after Buddha's Enlightenment. He is considered the founder of the Mahabodhi Temple. Some historians believe that the temple was built or rebuilt during the Kushan kingdom in the 1st century. When Buddhism in India fell into decay, the temple was abandoned and forgotten, buried under a thick layer of soil and sand. The temple was rebuilt by the British. Sir Alexander Cunningham in the 19th century. carried out the reconstruction of the temple in the framework of the British Archaeological Society. Since 1883, Alexander Cunningham, J. D. Beglar and Dr. Rajendralal Miitra have undertaken extensive excavations. As a result, the temple was restored to its original form. In the UNESCO list since 2002
UNESCO sites in Gujarat
Champaner Pavagadh Archaeological Park
On the territory of the park there is a whole abandoned Muslim city, which has not changed since the prehistoric times. This is the only such object that has survived to this day. There are over 100 unique historical monuments in the park. The park is located on the 800-meter Pavagadh Hill and at its foot. It includes prehistoric (Chalcolithic) monuments, fortifications and residential buildings, religious buildings and palaces from the VIII-XIV century; rare objects of Hindu architecture of the 16th century, such as castles, religious, military and agricultural structures in the ancient capital of the state, built by the Sultan of Gujarat Mehmud Begda. A mixture of Hindu and Muslim architecture takes place in the park, which is especially noticeable in the Jami Masjid Mosque, the most significant of the five mosques located in the park, and which became an example for subsequent religious structures in the country. The park is also a place of pilgrimage. The Kalikamata Palace, located on the top of the Pavagadh hill, enjoys special attention of pilgrims. Sultan of Gujarat Mehmud Begda captured the fort on November 21, 1484 after a 20-month siege. For 23 years, the city of Champaner was under construction, after which the city was renamed Muhammadabad and the capital of Gujarat was transferred to it from Ahmedabad. In 1535 the capital was captured and abandoned. In the UNESCO list since 2004
UNESCO sites in West Bengal
Sundarban National Park
National Biosphere and Tiger Reserve in the Indian part of the Sundarban region - the outer part of the common delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe region is about 1 million hectares. More than half of the land is in India, and the rest is in Bangladesh. The Sundarbans are covered with dense mangrove forests, which are considered to be the most extensive mangrove forests in the world. The Sundarban is the natural habitat of the Bengal tiger and other rare and endangered animal species. The park is also home to many species of birds, reptiles and invertebrates, including the saltwater crocodile. During British colonial rule in 1911, the Sundarban region was described as an impenetrable and unexplored jungle, stretching 266 km from the mouth of the Hooghly River to the mouth of the Meghna River and covering a total area of \u200b\u200b17 thousand km. Sundarban National Park was established in 1973 as a tiger reserve with the aim of preserving the population of Bengal tigers. In 1977 he received the status nature reserve, and on May 4, 1984 - a national park. The park was given the status of a biosphere reserve in 1989. In the UNESCO list since 1987.
UNESCO sites in Uttarakhand state
Nanda Devi National Park
National park in India in the region of the mountain of the same name (Western Himalayas), in honor of which it got its name. The park was created in 1982 on an area of \u200b\u200b630 km². There is no permanent population in the park. In the biosphere reserve, such rare species, like blue rams, snow leopard, black bear, some sunbirds. The alpine meadows contain endemic plant species. Another part of the national park is glaciers located at an altitude above 6000 m. The entire park, with the exception of several valleys and gorges, is located at an altitude of over 3500 m. One of the attractions of the park is the Skeleton Lake. In the UNESCO list since 1988
Valley of Flowers
National Park in India, located in the Western Himalayas high in the mountains, famous for its meadows with flowers of extraordinary beauty. It is home to rare animals including the Himalayan bear, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep. The flora of the park is represented by birches and rhododendrons growing in alpine forests, as well as orchids, poppies, primroses, calendula, daisies, anemones, etc. In the UNESCO list since 2005.
Mountain railways
The Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1999. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was added to the UNESCO list in 2005. The Kalka-Shimla Railway was added to the list in 2008.These roads were recognized as an outstanding example of bold, an ingenious technical solution to the problem of creating an effective rail link in rugged, mountainous terrain ”.
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The list of World Heritage Sites in India is impressive. Thirty sites are already considered as such and thirty-three are awaiting approval (for comparison, in the whole of Southeast Asia - 33 World Heritage Sites).
I have already noted in my material on World Heritage in Southeast Asia that one of the criteria for determining the significance of one or another tourist facility - this is information about whether it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This does not mean, of course, that if a temple complex, historical park, temple or palace is not on this list, then there is nothing to see. This list is actually not that long and it does not contain a huge number of objects worthy of the attention of tourists. It's about something else. The fact that if this or that object was included in this list, this means not only evidence of its uniqueness, but also the need to preserve this object for posterity.
Shiva Temple. Ellora.
By researching the Indian list, I found that in my ten Indian trips I visited the vast majority of World Heritage sites and many of them included in my Hit Parade of places worth visiting in India.
The list of objects awaiting approval also contains many places where I have been. Not all of them impressed me as much as the Pin Valley, which is on this list as an integral part of the Greater Himalayan Park. For example, what urban Chandigarh does on this list is completely incomprehensible.
Let's move on to the list itself. Hopefully, over time, I will prepare materials on many of its points.
List of World Heritage Sites in India.
Taj Mahal.
Center of India.
1. Jantar Mantar (Jaipur)
2. Red Fort (Agra)
3. Sanchi (Buddhist monuments)
4. Rock dwellings of Bhimbetka.
6. The abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri (near Agra).
7. Forts of Rajasthan.
North of India.
Victory tower. Qutb Minar.
8. Mountain Railways of India (Kalka-Shimla Section).
10. Red Fort (Delhi).
12. Keoladeo National Park.
14. Nanda Devi National Park and the Valley of Flowers.
North-East of India.
15. Kaziranga National Park.
16. Manas National Park.
East of India.
Wheel. Temple of the Sun. Konark. India.
17. Mountain Railways of India (Darjeeling Section)
18. Mahabodhi Temple (Bodh Gaya)
19. Sundarbany National Park.
South of India.
21. Mountain Railways of India (Nilgiri Section)
22. Mahabalipuram.
25. Chola Temples.
West of India.
World Heritage List Candidates
For 2014, another 47 properties in India are candidates for inclusion in the list.
Geographic location of objects
Write a review on "List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India"
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Excerpt characterizing the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
- seconded, on duty.They were silent.
“She let the falcon out of her right sleeve,” said the song, involuntarily arousing a cheerful, cheerful feeling. Their conversation would probably have been different if they had not spoken at the sound of a song.
- Is it true, the Austrians were beaten? Dolokhov asked.
- And the devil knows them, they say.
“I'm glad,” Dolokhov answered shortly and clearly, as the song demanded.
- Well, come to us when in the evening, you will lay the Pharaoh, - said Zherkov.
- Or have you got a lot of money?
- Come.
- You can't. Zarok gave it. I don’t drink or play until it’s done.
- Well, before the first case ...
- It will be seen there.
They were silent again.
- You come in, if you need anything, everyone in the headquarters will help ... - said Zherkov.
Dolokhov chuckled.
“You better not worry. I will not ask what I need, I will take it myself.
- Well, I am so ...
- Well, I do.
- Goodbye.
- Be healthy…
... and high and far,
On the home side ...
Zherkov touched the horse with his spurs, which three times, hot, kicked him, not knowing which one to start with, coped and galloped, overtaking the company and catching up with the carriage, also in time to the song.
Returning from the inspection, Kutuzov, accompanied by the Austrian general, went into his office and, having called the adjutant, ordered some papers related to the state of the arriving troops, and letters received from Archduke Ferdinand, who commanded the advanced army, to be submitted. Prince Andrey Bolkonsky entered the commander-in-chief's office with the required papers. In front of the plan laid out on the table sat Kutuzov and an Austrian member of the Hofkrigsrat.
"Ah ..." said Kutuzov, looking back at Bolkonsky, as if by this word inviting the adjutant to wait, and continued the conversation in French.
“I’m only saying one thing, General,” said Kutuzov with a pleasant grace of expression and intonation that made him listen attentively to every leisurely spoken word. It was evident that Kutuzov himself was listening to himself with pleasure. - I only say one thing, General, that if the matter depended on my personal desire, then the will of His Majesty Emperor Franz would have been fulfilled long ago. I would have joined the Archduke long ago. And believe my honor, that for me personally to transfer the higher command of the army to a more knowledgeable and skillful general, which Austria is so abundant, and to give up all this heavy responsibility for me personally would be a joy. But circumstances are stronger than we are, General.
And Kutuzov smiled with such an expression as if he were saying: “You have every right not to believe me, and even I do not care whether you believe me or not, but you have no reason to tell me this. And that's the whole point. "
The Austrian general looked displeased, but could not answer Kutuzov in the same tone.
“On the contrary,” he said in a grumpy and angry tone that so contradicted the flattering meaning of the words spoken, “on the contrary, your Excellency's participation in a common cause is highly valued by His Majesty; but we believe that a real slowdown deprives the glorious Russian troops and their commanders-in-chief of those laurels that they are used to reaping in battles, - he finished the apparently prepared sentence.
Kutuzov bowed without changing his smile.
- And I am so convinced, and based on the last letter that His Highness Archduke Ferdinand honored me with, I suppose that the Austrian troops, under the command of such a skillful assistant as General Mac, have now won a decisive victory and no longer need our help, - said Kutuzov.
The general frowned. Although there was no positive news of the defeat of the Austrians, there were too many circumstances confirming the general unfavorable rumors; and therefore the assumption of Kutuzov about the victory of the Austrians was very similar to a mockery. But Kutuzov smiled meekly, all with the same expression that said that he had the right to assume this. Indeed, the last letter he received from Mac's army informed him of the victory and the most advantageous strategic position of the army.
“Give me this letter here,” said Kutuzov, addressing Prince Andrey. - If you please see. - And Kutuzov, with a mocking smile at the ends of his lips, read in German to the Austrian general the following passage from the letter of Archduke Ferdinand: “Wir haben vollkommen zusammengehaltene Krafte, nahe an 70,000 Mann, um den Feind, wenn er den Lech passirte, angreifen und schl konnen. Wir konnen, da wir Meister von Ulm sind, den Vortheil, auch von beiden Uferien der Donau Meister zu bleiben, nicht verlieren; mithin auch jeden Augenblick, wenn der Feind den Lech nicht passirte, die Donau ubersetzen, uns auf seine Communikations Linie werfen, die Donau unterhalb repassiren und dem Feinde, wenn er sich gegen unsere treue Allirte mit ganzer Macht, wenden wollte Wir werden auf solche Weise den Zeitpunkt, wo die Kaiserlich Ruseische Armee ausgerustet sein wird, muthig entgegenharren, und sodann leicht gemeinschaftlich die Moglichkeit finden, dem Feinde das Schicksal zuzubereiten. So erdient [We have a fully concentrated force, about 70,000 people, so that we can attack and defeat the enemy in the event of a crossing over Leh. Since we already own Ulm, we can retain the benefit of commanding both banks of the Danube, therefore, every minute, if the enemy does not cross Lech, cross the Danube, rush to its communication line, below cross the Danube and the enemy, if he decides to turn all his power on our faithful allies, not to allow his intention to be fulfilled. Thus, we will cheerfully await the time when the imperial Russian army is completely ready, and then together we will easily find an opportunity to prepare the enemy the fate he deserves. "]
Kutuzov sighed heavily, having finished this period, and looked attentively and affectionately at the member of the Hofkrigsrat.
“But you know, Your Excellency, a wise rule prescribing the worst,” said the Austrian general, apparently wanting to end the jokes and get down to business.
He involuntarily glanced back at the adjutant.
“Excuse me, General,” Kutuzov interrupted him and also turned to Prince Andrey. - Here's what, my dear, you take all the reports from our scouts at Kozlovsky. Here are two letters from Count Nostitz, here is a letter from His Highness the Archduke Ferdinand, here's another, ”he said, handing him several papers. - And out of all this, neatly, in French, compose a memorandum, a note, for the appearance of all the news that we had about the actions of the Austrian army. Well, then, and introduce it to His Excellency.
Prince Andrey bowed his head as a sign that he understood from the first words not only what was said, but also what Kutuzov would like to tell him. He collected the papers, and, giving a general bow, quietly walking on the carpet, went out into the waiting room.
Despite the fact that not much time has passed since Prince Andrey left Russia, he has changed a lot during this time. In the expression of his face, in his movements, in his gait, there was almost no sign of the former pretense, weariness and laziness; he looked like a man who has no time to think about the impression he makes on others, and is busy with a pleasant and interesting business. His face expressed more satisfaction with himself and those around him; his smile and look were more cheerful and attractive.
Kutuzov, whom he caught up with back in Poland, received him very affectionately, promised him not to forget him, distinguished him from other adjutants, took him with him to Vienna and gave more serious assignments. From Vienna, Kutuzov wrote to his old friend, the father of Prince Andrei:
“Your son,” he wrote, “gives hope to be an officer who is one of the best in his occupation, firmness and diligence. I consider myself happy to have such a subordinate at hand. "
