World Heritage Sites in India

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by countries which are signatories to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. There are 40 World Heritage Sites located in India. Out of these, 32 are cultural, 7 are natural, and one, the Khangchendzonga National Park, is of mixed type. India has the sixth largest number of sites in the world. The first sites to be listed were the Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, and Taj Mahal, all of which were inscribed in the 1983 session of the World Heritage Committee. The most recent site listed was Dholavira, in 2021. India has 49 sites on its tentative list.

 

1. Ajanta Caves

2. Ellora Caves

Til bhandeshwar Mahadev Temple Varanasi

The Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Temple is one of the oldest temples in the holy city of Varanasi. Shri Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir is situated in Pandey Haveli, Bhelupur, adjacent to Bengali Tola Inter College, 500 meters East of river Ganga, 3.2 kilometers North of Banaras Hindu University and 1.5 kilometers South-West of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir.  It is believed that the Shivling in this temple emerged by itself 2,500 years ago and its size increases every year by the size of a 'til'. Watch this report to know more about Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir.

The temple opens in 'brahmamuhurt' (ब्राह्ममुहूर्त). It remains open for the devotees from 4:30 AM to 9 PM. The priests perform the ‘shringaar’ (श्रृंगार- decoration) of the deities and temple before the shrine is opened for the general public. The ‘Mangala Aarti’, the first aarti of the day, is done when the temple is opened for the public. Thus, the devotees also happen to be part of the aarti. Since last three hundred years, the temple and adjoining ‘ashrama’ is being looked after by the saints of Kerala. The arrival of saints and sages from Kerala to this place took place at the time of Adi Shankaracharya's arrival in Kashi.