The Great Himalayan National Park in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh and Rani-ki-Vav, an 11th Century stepwell of the Solanki era in Patan (Gujarat) have been accorded the World Heritage Sites status by UNESCO in its 38th General meeting on June 22-23, 2014 in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area was declared the World Heritage Site under ‘natural’ category while ‘Rani-ki-Vav’ stepwell got this honour under the ‘cultural’ category.
The GHNP was declared a National Park under the Wildlife (Protection Act), 1972 by the Himachal Pradesh government in 1999.
The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (GHNPCA) consists of GHNP (754·4 sq km), Sainj (90 sq km) and Tirthan (61 sq km) Wildlife Sanctuaries. The 905·40 sq km GHNPCA includes the upper mountain glacial and snow melt water source origins of the westerly flowing JiwaNal, Sainj and Tirthan Rivers and the north-westerly flowing Parvati River.
The GHNPCA is home to several rare and threatened species including the Western Tragopan, Chir Pheasant, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Musk Deer, Asiatic Black Bear, Himalayan Tahr, Blue Sheep and Serow.
Rani-ki-Vav, which has been described by UNESCO as “exceptional example of technological development in utilising ground water resources in ancient India is a unique type of Indian subterranean architectural structure. Rani-ki-Vav is the second world heritage site in Gujarat after Champaner-Pavagarh archaeological park.
Rani-ki-Vav is a large and complex example of a stepwell with seven storeys of ornamented panels of sculptures. After the GHNP and Rani-ki-Vav’s inclusion in the UNESCO world heritage site list, the number of such sites has gone upto 32 in India.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Sites in India
Cultural
• Agra Fort (1983)
• Ajanta Caves (1983)
• Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
• Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)
• Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
• Elephanta Caves (1987)
• Ellora Caves (1983)
• Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
• Great Living Chola Temples (1987)
• Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
• Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
• Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)
• Hill Forts of Rajasthan (2013)
• Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi (1993)
• Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
• Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
• Mountain Railways of India (1999)
• Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
• Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (2014)
• Red Fort Complex (2007)
• Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
• Sun Temple, Konark (1984)
• Taj Mahal (1983)
• The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)
Natural
• Great Himalayan National Park (2014)
• Kaziranga National Park (1985)
• Keoladeo National Park (1985)
• Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
• Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988)
• Sundarbans National Park (1987)
• Western Ghats (2012)