he 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee took this decision at Fuzhou in China, days after announcing Indian state Telangana’s Kakatiya Rudreshwara temple, known as Ramappa Temple, in the list
The inclusion of Dholavira, a Harappan city in India, in World Heritage site list, days after inclusion of Kakatiya Rudreshwara temple in Telangana, has delighted many in India and abroad.
Soon after the decision Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressed his happiness and said in a tweet, “Absolutely delighted by this news. Dholavira was an important urban centre and is one of our most important linkages with our past. It is a must visit, especially for those interested in history, culture and archaeology.”
“While the Harappan city of Dholavira has borne witness to the entire trajectory of the rise and fall of an early civilisation of humankind, the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple stands as an outstanding marvel of the Kakatiyan culture. Both sites make great contributions to the shared heritage of humanity.”
— Eric Falt, UNESCO New Delhi Director
Dholavira’s inclusion in the World Heritage site list matters a lot for India as this the second recognition of Indian heritage sites by the international heritage body. The 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee took this decision at Fuzhou in China, days after announcing Indian state Telangana’s Kakatiya Rudreshwara temple, known as Ramappa Temple, in the list.
With Dholavira inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, 40 Indian locations have come in the World Heritage site list.
The site was under UNESCO’s tentative list since 2014, but the Indian Ministry of Culture made representation in January 2020 to inscribe Dholavira on the UNESCO’s prestigious list.
The site, which is located on Khadir Island in the Great Rann of Kutch (GRK) in Bhachau taluka of Kutch district, was discovered in 1968.
Dholavira site, according to UNESCO, has some unique characteristics like water management system, multi-layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction and special burial structures.
The history here goes back to around 3,000 BC. It is the fifth largest site of the Indus Valley Civilisation and spread over 22 hectares.
Most of the Indus Valley Civilisation sites are located in Pakistan. Dholavira is located on the Indo-Pakistan border.
Eric Falt, UNESCO New Delhi Director issued a statement endorsing the importance of both the Indian sites that got into the World Heritage site list.
“While the Harappan city of Dholavira has borne witness to the entire trajectory of the rise and fall of an early civilisation of humankind, the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple stands as an outstanding marvel of the Kakatiyan culture. Both sites make great contributions to the shared heritage of humanity,” he said.