Monuments are the grappling-irons that bind one generation to another –Joseph Joubert, French essayist
To create awareness about the country’s rich cultural diversity through sites and buildings of historical significance, each year on April 18, we celebrate International Day for Monuments and Sites.
Also known as World Heritage Day it is being celebrated since 1983. It was proposed by the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in 1982 and was approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO the following year.
Celebs share memories of their visits to monuments or heritage sites and also tell us what they would like to visit next.
Old-world charm – Arun Mandola:
I am from Delhi and this city has many places of heritage—the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Purana Qila, Humayun’s Tomb and the Lotus Temple to name a few. I had visited the Purana Qila with my school friends. We bunked classes and went there, so it was memorable day of my life because it was the first time I saw something of historical importance. The actual plan was to visit the zoo. When we saw that old fort (Purana Qila), we went there. Before the pandemic I revisited India Gate with my Delhi friends. I want to visit the Taj Mahal next.
Wah Taj! Ajay Singh Chaudhary:
My first-ever visit to the Taj Mahal is etched in my memory. The ivory white colour and the gorgeous minarets took my heart away. The planning and its execution get full marks. We also got a chance to see the underground area containing the tombs of Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz. It opens only twice a year, so I was among the fortunate ones who got a chance to see it.
Dream palace – Ayush Anand:
I have been to Jodhpur before, but I couldn’t explore the city like I did during my recent trip. I went to the Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada and Umaid Bhawan. Umaid Bhawan is amazing. Spread over 26 acres of gardens, it one of the largest private residences in the world.
I want to visit the Great Himalayan National Park next. It is home to 180 species of birds and mammals.
Eternal energy – Kanwalpreet Singh:
I and my wife visited Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple) before heading to Dubai for a vacation. The peace, the energy and the satisfaction you find there is beyond comparison to any other monument in the world. Awareness about heritage should come from your roots, lineage and religion. I would like to visit Hemkund Sahib in Uttrakhand next.
Gateway to the memory – Aniruddh Dave:
I love to visit India Gate each time I go to Delhi. It gives an amazing feeling. The India Gate (formerly known as the All India War Memorial) stands as a memorial to 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian army who died in between 1914 and 1919 in the First World War.
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