Top 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
On Monday 18th of April, World Heritage Day was celebrated. I am late though in celebrating the day. Wanted to share the top 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites in India. India is truly a country wrapped with eccentric beauty and ancient historical glory that is unparalleled and alluring. It has unlimited places to visit each with its unique attractions, drawing thousands of visitors every year.
I feel proud to think about the innumerable monuments, buildings, caves, educational institutions, etc which are part of the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in India. Here goes my top picks.
Taj Mahal
Located in Agra, this awesome, stunning, and majestic monument is a symbol of love. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan had created this magnificent monument for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. It proudly occupies the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in India. The intricate designs, marvelous sculpture works, and architectural carvings are a treat to the eyes.

Ajanta and Ellora Caves
The 29 caves of Ajanta and 34 caves of Ellora are a true picture of the artistic skills of the ancient craftsmen and artists. The elaborate paintings and incredible sculptural designs are a testimony to the fact. It is an astonishing display of architectural and eternal charm belonging to three different religious sects – Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. The caves are on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in India.

Keoladeo National Park
The Park was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in India in 1985. It is one of the popular bird-watching destinations in the country. You can find a plethora of bird species in the park namely ducks, pelicans, geese, cranes, hawks, eagles, larks, flycatchers, shanks, stints, wagtails, warblers, pipits, and wheat eaters.

Hampi
It is a city filled with ancient monuments, temples, beautiful structural remains, street markets, and several other artifacts belonging to the empire of Vijayanagara. You will feel a sense of grandeur as you walk past the streets of the city, portraying the beautiful history of India. Its inclusion in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in India is deserving.

Pattadakal
It is a temple town in Karnataka, comprising 10 temples symbolizing the aura and charm of the Chalukya dynasty. Created between the 7th and 8th century AD, the intricate design and rich architecture of the temples entice tourists from the different regions of India. rapped within Hindu mythological facts and tales, they are architecturally attractive and interesting too.

Sunderbans
One of the prominent forests of the country; listed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites in India. Spread across an area of 40,000 sq. km, it houses 78 species of mangrove trees and many species of birds and animals. The forest is famous for the inhabitance of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Jaipur
The pink city of Jaipur in Rajasthan is an iconic tourist destination adorned by forts, museums, gardens, lakes, and many more captivating locations. The key attractions of the city are Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, Amber Fort, Albert Hall Museum, City Palace, Jaigarh Fort, and Nahargarh Fort.

Kaziranga National Park
The park houses the highest number of rhinos. ts flora and fauna lure millions of wildlife lovers and nature admirers from different parts of India and the world. Surrounded by the plains of Brahmaputra, the park acts as a healthy habitat for innumerable species of animals and birds.

Elephanta Caves
Elephanta Caves is listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in India. It is essentially a collection of caves comprising images of Lord Shiva carved out of stone. Historians believe that the caves date back to the 5th and 7th centuries. You can find the figures of Nataraja, Sadashiva, and Yogishvara portraying the various Hindu mythological characters.


Author
Kuntala
A travel enthusiast craving to explore the exotic destinations in the world, deciphering the mysteries and the thrill concealed in them.
There are so many amazing places to visit and see in India, just gorgeous…
Ahhh these all look amazing! It’s my dream to return to India and visit some of these. I’ve previuously travelled around Kerala but next time these will definitely be on my bucket list.
Great list. Been to six out of these ten. Taj Mahal is high on my list.
I hope I have time enough to visit more.
I would love to see every single one of these one day. So much history and culture there!
I would love to see all of these beautiful places in person someday. India would be a fun trip for the whole family.
There are so many truly spectacular places to visit in India isn’t there? It’s a country I’d love to explore one day.
There seem to be quite a few of these great sites to visit there. I do love UNESCO sites as they can be quite stunning. I’m not surprised there are so many there.
Oh wow, so many of these sites are absolutely stunning! I love the look of old architecture.
Some amazing world heritage sites in India and I did not know about all of them before this. Looking forward to visiting the Ellora Caves as well as Pattadakal Temples
Everything looks so beautiful, so many lovely sights to see in India. I have never been but have always wanted to take a trip there.
It’s quite bad but I had only heard of Jaipur and the taj mahal before. But all of these sites look stunning and I’d love to visit them x
I didn’t even know there were that many species of mangrove trees. I only see one type where I live, that I recognize.
Wow so many great sites and with so much history!! I really hope to visit India one day, it’s high on my bucket list, would love to come to see these places with my own eyes
Laura x
Pingback: A Day in Incredible Hampi, Karnataka, India - Kuntala's Travel Blog