SR News Bulletin
The Harappan-Era City Dholavira in Gujarat and Telangana’s Ramappa Temple Bag The UNESCO World Heritage Site Tag
D
uring the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO recently held in China, over 17 of the 21 member nations supported the inscription of the 800-year-old Rudreswara/ Ramappa Templein Telangana as a World Heritage site. Besides Ramappa temple, the World Heritage Committee also inscribed the Harappan-era city of Dholavira, which is located in the present-day Kutch district of Gujarat on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.India now has 40 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Ramappa Temple, also known as Rudreswara temple, is located at Palampet near Warangal in Telangana. The temple has been on UNESCO’s tentative list since 2014. The Indian government proposed Ramappa Temple as its only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site list for the year 2019. It was inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List as “Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana.
Ramappa temple, Telangana, Hyderabad
UNESCO quotes about the Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, “The building features decorated beams and pillars of carved granite and dolerite with a distinctive and pyramidal Vimana (horizontally stepped tower) made of lightweight porous bricks, so-called ‘floating bricks’, which reduced the weight of the roof structures. The temple’s sculptures of high artistic quality illustrate regional dance customs and Kakatiyan culture.” Dholavirahad also been on UNESCO’s tentative list since 2014, and India had shared its dossier in Jan 2020, as per the Culture Ministry statement.Along with becoming the fourth site from Gujarat and 40th from India to make a list, Dholavira has also Ramappa Temple depicts the beautiful craftsmanship of the great Kakatiya dynasty
Harappan-era city of Dholavira, Kutch, Gujarat
bagged the first site of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) in India to get the UNESCO tag. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elated by this development and shared a series of tweets about this crucial ‘urban centre which is one of our most important linkages with our past.’ “The ancient city of Dholavira is one of the most remarkable and well-preserved urban settlements in South Asia dating from the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE (Before Common Era). Discovered in 1968, the site is set apart by its unique characteristics, such as its water management system, multilayered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction and special burial structures,” In its release, UNESCO termed in its press release “The two newly inscribed World Heritage Sites offer great insight into the knowledge and ways of life of earlier societies, customs, and communities.” Why has Rudreswara/ Ramappa Templein Telangana and Harappan-era city of Dholavirabeen conferred the tag of UNESCO World Heritage site? What is special about them? Get to know at wwwsurfacesreporter.com
august-september 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 16
