PrelimsNational Affairs
Four Indian Sites Added to UNESCO Tentative List
September 21, 20262 min readSource publication
GI Tags & Culture
Why in News?
India added four cultural sites from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam and Rajasthan to UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List, taking the total to 73 properties.
Key Points
- The Colonial Penal Settlement of the Andaman Islands includes Cellular Jail, Viper Island, Chatham Island and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island, reflecting the post-1857 penal system.
- Nicobarese Cultural Continuity covers the Nancowry group of Central Nicobar and represents a living indigenous system closely linked with the coastal environment.
- The Rangpur–Sivasagar Historic Ensemble in Assam includes Ahom monuments such as Talatal Ghar and Rang Ghar, along with historic water-management systems.
- The Painted Haveli Towns of Shekhawati proposal covers 14 towns across Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar districts of Rajasthan.
Exam Connect
- UNESCO Tentative List → mandatory first stage for World Heritage nomination → property must remain on it for at least one year before final nomination
- Moidams of Charaideo → Ahom heritage → inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024