Executive Summary:
This document provides details regarding India's national heritage sites recognized by UNESCO as of August 11, 2025. It lists the 44 World Heritage properties in India, including those in Tamil Nadu, as well as the 62 properties on the Tentative List for future consideration. The document also details the budget allocated for the maintenance of World Heritage properties protected by the Archaeological Survey of India over the past three years (2022-2025).
Key Points / Main Content:
* **World Heritage Properties:**
* As of August 11, 2025, India has 44 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
* These properties are detailed in Annexure I, including their state and year of inscription.
* **Tentative List:**
* There are 62 properties currently on India's Tentative List for consideration as future World Heritage Sites.
* These properties are listed in Annexure II, with their state and date of submission.
* **Budget Allocation:**
* Annexure III provides details of the budget allocated for the maintenance of World Heritage properties protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
* The budget details are provided for the fiscal years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25.
Impact Analysis:
* **Ministry of Culture and Tourism:**
* Impact: Responsible for providing the information on heritage sites and budget allocations to the Lok Sabha. Oversees the maintenance and nomination processes for World Heritage Sites.
* Action Required: Continue to oversee the maintenance of existing sites and prepare nominations for sites on the Tentative List.
* **Archaeological Survey of India:**
* Impact: Responsible for the maintenance of specific World Heritage properties.
* Action Required: Utilize the allocated budget to maintain the protected World Heritage properties as per established guidelines.
* **UNESCO:**
* Impact: The sites listed are either already designated or under consideration for designation as World Heritage Sites.
* Action Required: Continue to evaluate nominated sites from India's Tentative List for potential inscription on the World Heritage List.
* **State and UT Governments:**
* Impact: States and Union Territories with World Heritage properties or sites on the Tentative List are impacted by preservation and development considerations.
* Action Required: Support the preservation efforts and potentially contribute to the preparation of nomination dossiers for sites within their jurisdiction.
Key Entities Referenced
UNESCO World Heritage List: A list maintained by UNESCO of sites with outstanding universal value.
Tamil Nadu: A state in southern India with several World Heritage Sites and properties on the tentative list.
Archaeological Survey of India: Indian government agency responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country.
Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh: A historical fort in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, recognized as a World Heritage Site.
Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra: Rock-cut cave monuments in Maharashtra, featuring ancient Indian art, and a designated World Heritage Site.
Ellora Caves, Maharashtra: One of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in Maharashtra, India.
Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh: An ivory-white marble mausoleum in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, designated as a World Heritage Site.
Ministry of Culture: A ministry in the Government of India responsible for the preservation and promotion of art and culture of India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3591
ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
TENTATIVE SITES FOR WORLD HERITAGE LIST OF UNESCO
3591. SHRI THIRU THANGA TAMILSELVAN:
Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the total number of national heritage shrines
/temples/locations/memorials in the country, State/UT-wise including Tamil
Nadu nominated by India and recognized by UNESCO (United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as World Heritage Sites;
(b) whether the Government is maintaining any list of tentative sites from the
Country for consideration of nominations for the World Heritage List of
UNESCO;
(c) if so, the details thereof, State/UT and site-wise; and
the details of the budget allocated by the Government to maintain these World
(d)
Heritage Sites in the country during the last three years?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) There are 44 World Heritage properties, including those in Tamil Nadu,
inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The details of these World
Heritage properties are attached at Annexure-I.
(b) Yes Sir, there are 62 properties currently on the Tentative List for consideration
& for nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The list is attached as
(c) Annexure-II.
(d) The details of the budget allocated for the maintenance of the World Heritage
properties protected by the Archaeological Survey of India in the last three years
are attached as Annexure-III.
*****Annexure-I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 3591 FOR 11.08.2025.
INDIA: WORLD HERITAGE PROPERTIES
Property State Year of Criteria
inscription
Cultural Properties
1. Agra Fort Uttar Pradesh 1983 (iii)
2. Ajanta Caves Maharashtra 1983 (i)(ii)(iii)(vi)
3. Ellora Caves Maharashtra 1983 (i)(iii)(vi)
4. Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh 1983 (i)
5. Group of Monuments at Tamil Nadu 1984 (i)(ii)(iii)(vi)
Mahabalipuram
6. Sun Temple, Konârk Odisha 1984 (i)(iii)(vi)
7. Churches and Convents of Goa 1986 (ii)(iv)(vi)
Goa
8. Fatehpur Sikri Uttar Pradesh 1986 (ii)(iii)(iv)
9. Group of Monuments at Karnataka 1986 (i)(iii)(iv)
Hampi
10. Khajuraho Group of Madhya Pradesh 1986 (i)(iii)
Monuments
11. Elephanta Caves Maharashtra 1987 (i)(iii)
12. Great Living Chola Temples Tamil Nadu 1987, 2004 (ii)(iii)
13. Group of Monuments at Karnataka 1987 (iii)(iv)
Pattadakal
14. Buddhist Monuments at Madhya Pradesh 1989 (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
Sanchi
15. Humayun's Tomb, Delhi Delhi 1993 (ii)(iv)
16. Qutb Minar and its Delhi 1993 (iv)
Monuments, Delhi
17. Mountain Railways of India Darjeeling, West Bengal; 1999,2005,2008 (ii)(iv)
Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu;
Kalka – Shimla,
Himachal Pradesh
18. Mahabodhi Temple Complex Bihar 2002 (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
at Bodh Gaya
19. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka Madhya Pradesh 2003 (iii)(v)
20. Champaner-Pavagadh Gujarat 2004 (iii)(iv)(v)(vi)
Archaeological Park
21. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Maharashtra 2004 (ii)(iv)(formerly Victoria Terminus)
22. Red Fort Complex Delhi 2007 (ii)(iii)(vi)
23. The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur Rajasthan 2010 (iii)(iv)
24. Hill Forts of Rajasthan Chittorgarh, 2013 (ii)(iii)
Kumbalgarh, Jaisalmer,
Ranthambore, amber,
Gagron
Rajasthan
25. Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Gujarat 2014 (i)(iv)
Stepwell)at Patan
26. Archaeological Site of Bihar 2016 (iv)(vi)
Nalanda Mahavihara at
Nalanda
27. The Architectural Work of Le Chandigarh 2016 (i)(ii)(vi)
Corbusier, an Outstanding
Contribution to the Modern
Movement
28. Historic City of Ahmadabad Gujarat 2017 (ii)(v)
29. Victorian Gothic and Art Maharashtra 2018 (ii)(iv)
Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
30. Jaipur City Rajasthan 2019 (ii)(iv)(vi)
31. Dholavira: a Harappan City Gujarat 2021 (iii)(iv)
32. Kakatiya Rudreshwara Telangana 2021 (i)(iii)
(Ramappa) Temple
33. Sacred Ensembles of the Karnataka 2023 (i)(ii)(iv)
Hoysalas
34. Santiniketan West Bengal 2023 (iv)(vi)
35. Moidams – the Mound-Burial Assam 2024 (iii)(iv)
System of the Ahom Dynasty
36. Maratha Military Landscapes Maharashtra&Tamilnadu 2025 (iv)(vi)
of India
Natural Properties
37. Kaziranga National Park Assam 1985 (ix)(x)
38. Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan 1985 (x)
39. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Assam 1985 (vii)(ix)(x)
40. Sundarbans National Park West Bengal 1987 (ix)(x)
41. Nanda Devi and Valley of Uttarakhand 1988, 2005 (vii)(x)
Flowers National Parks
42. Western Ghats Karnataka, Kerala, 2012 (ix)(x)
Maharashtra, Tamil
Nadu
43. Great Himalayan National Himachal Pradesh 2014 (x)Park Conservation Area
Mixed Properties
44. Khangchendzonga National Sikkim 2016 (iii)(vi)(vii)(x)
ParkAnnexure-II
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b)& (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 3591 FOR 11.08.2025.
INDIA: PROPERTIES ON THE TENTATIVE LIST
No. Site State Date of
Submission
Cultural Properties
1. Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh 1998
Varanasi
2. Group of Monuments at Mandu Madhya Pradesh 1998
3. Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam Kerala 1998
4. Temples at Bishnupur West Bengal 1998
5. River Island of Majuli in Assam 2004
midstream of Brahmaputra River
in Assam
6. Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar Punjab 2004
7. Mughal Gardens in Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir 2010
8. Silk Road Sites in India Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, 2010
Union Territory of Pondicherry,
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra,
Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir
9. The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Telangana 2010
Hyderabad Golconda Fort, Qutb
Shahi Tombs, Charminar
10. Delhi - A Heritage City Delhi 2012
11. Apatani Cultural Landscape Arunachal Pradesh 2014
12. Archaeological remains of a Gujarat 2014
Harappa Port-Town, Lothal
13. Baha’i House of Worship New Delhi 2014
14. Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2014
15. Chettinad, Village Clusters of the Tamil Nadu 2014
Tamil Merchants
16. Ekamra Kshetra-The Temple City, Odisha 2014
Bhubaneswar
17. Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar 2014
India Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, Assam
18. Monuments and Forts of the Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh 2014
Deccan Sultanate
19. Monuments of Srirangapatna Karnataka 2014
Island Town20. Mountain Railways of India Maharashtra and Himachal 2014
(Extension) Pradesh
21. Padmanabhapuram Palace Kerala 2014
22. Sites of Satyagrah, India’s non- Gujarat, Maharashtra, West 2014
violent freedom movement Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar,
Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Uttar
Pradesh, Delhi
23. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Tamil Nadu 2014
Srirangam
24. The Neolithic Settlement of Jammu and Kashmir 2014
Burzahom
25. Thembang Fortified Village Arunachal Pradesh 2014
26. Evolution of Temple Architecture Karnataka 2015
–Aihole – Badami-Pattadakal
27. Sites along the Uttarapath, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, 2015
Badshahi Sadak, Sadak-e-Azam, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar
Grant Trunk Road Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand,
West Bengal
28. The historic ensemble of Orchha Madhya Pradesh 2019
29. Hire Benkal, Megalithic Site Karnataka 2021
30. Temples of Kanchipuram Tamil Nadu 2021
31. Iconic Riverfront of Historic City Uttar Pradesh 2021
of Varanasi
32. Geoglyphs of Konkan Region of Maharashtra and Goa 2022
India
33. Jingkiengjri: Living Root Bridge Meghalaya 2022
Cultural Landscapes
34. Sri Veerabhadra Temple and Andhra Pradesh 2022
Monolithic Bull (Nandi), Lepakshi
(The Vijayanagara Sculpture and
Painting Art Tradition)
35. Sun Temple, Modhera and its Gujarat 2022
adjoining monuments
36. Rock-cut Sculptures and Reliefs of Tripura 2022
the Unakoti, Unakoti Range,
Unakoti District
37. Vadnagar – A multi-layered Gujarat 2022
Historic town, Gujarat
38. Serial nomination of Coastal Maharashtra 2024
Fortifications along the Konkan
Coast, Maharashtra
39. Gwalior Fort Madhya Pradesh 2024
40. KhooniBhandara, Burhanpur Madhya Pradesh 202441. Rock Art Sites of the Chambal Madhya Pradesh
Valley
42. The Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple, Madhya Pradesh 2024
Bhojpur
43. The Gond monuments of Madhya Pradesh 2024
Ramnagar, Mandla
44. The historic ensemble of Dhamnar Madhya Pradesh 2024
45. Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs Telangana 2025
46. Serial nomination for Ashokan Madhya Pradesh 2025
Edict sites along the Mauryan
Routes
47. Serial nomination of Chausath Madhya Pradesh 2025
Yogini Temples
48. Serial nomination of Gupta Madhya Pradesh 2025
Temples in North India
49. The Palace-Fortresses of the Madhya Pradesh 2025
Bundelas
50. Salkhan Fossil Park, Sonbhadra Uttar Pradesh 2025
Natural Properties
51. Namdapha National Park Arunachal Pradesh 2006
52. Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Gujarat 2006
Kutch
53. Desert National Park Rajasthan 2009
54. Neora Valley National Park West Bengal 2009
55. Chilika Lake Odisha 2014
56. Narcondam Island Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2014
57. Satpura Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh 2021
58. Bhedaghat-Lametaghat in Madhya Pradesh 2021
Narmada Valley
59. Kanger Valley National Park Chhattisgarh 2025
Mixed Properties
60. Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of Jammu and Kashmir and 2015
India Himachal Pradesh
61. KeibulLamjao Conservation Area Manipur 2016
62. Garo Hills Conservation Area Meghalaya 2018
(GHCA)Annexure-III
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d)OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 3591 FOR 11.08.2025.
Details of the budget allocated for the maintenance of the World Heritage properties protected by
the Archaeological Survey of India
S. Name of Site State Budget Allocation
No
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
1. Agra Fort Uttar Pradesh 30447695 34643842 23192766
2. Ajanta Caves Maharashtra 18607730 39575601 11059386
3. Ellora Caves Maharashtra 27764143 65411091 9607284
4. Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh 28443366 31776447 25813898
5. Group of Monuments at Tamil Nadu 11621560
11819435 8619791
Mahabalipuram
6. Sun Temple, Konarak Odisha 30249010 24989,85 12904875
7. Churches and Convents of Goa 42537165 81772937 52560719
Goa
8. Fatehpur Sikri Uttar Pradesh 48625437 52809325 33942053
9. Group of Monuments at Karnataka 47709092 83681075 29285386
Hampi
10. Khajuraho, Group of Madhya 43002632 29051512 14260152
Temples Pradesh
11. Elephanta Caves Maharashtra 19025620 22174430 6935952
12. Great Living Chola Tamil Nadu 15080506 21473356 16780409
Temples at Thanjavur,
Gangaikondacholapuram
and Darasuram
13. Group of Monuments at Karnataka 100800000 90750000 72000000
Pattadakal
14. Buddhist Monuments at Madhya 5456571 6460252 2076740
Sanchi Pradesh
15. Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi Delhi 11534853 11302414 15743606
16. Qutb Minar and its Delhi 15017741 12309367 14743015
Monuments, Delhi
17. Rock Shelters of MadhyaPrades 2504364.00 5287312.58 796980.00
Bhimbetka h
18. Champaner-Pavagarh Gujarat 13309594 14797567 17996279
Archaeological Park
19. Red Fort Complex, Delhi Delhi 89408517 84809135 90977487
20. Hill Forts of Rajasthan Rajasthan 34380666 66267698 55453712
(Chittaurgarh,
Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer
and Ranthambhore, Amber
and Gagron Forts)
21. Rani-ki-Vav Gujarat 6894938 3953587 4771202
(The Queen’s Stepwell) atPatan
22. Archaeological Site of Bihar 12112698 20745263 8189603
Nalanda
Mahavihara(Nalanda
University) at Nalanda
23. Kakatiya Rudreshwara Telangana 24693550 14884496 9474234
(Ramappa) Temple,
Telangana
24. Dholavira: A Harappan Gujarat 16813542.32 2639159.55 1909230.74
City
25. Sacred Ensembles of Karnataka 198499925 173349537 50499895
Hoysalas
26. Moidams – the Mound- Assam 1539552 16834395 31699494
Burial System of the Ahom
Dynasty
27. Maratha Military Maharashtra& 16373868 18677928 26001077
Landscapes of India Tamilnadu