UNESCO Heritage Sites of South India

UNESCO World Heritage Sites of South India

UNESCO World Heritage sites are important place of cultural or natural heritage. In 1982, International Council of Monuments and sites declared April 18th as the World Heritage Day. World Heritage Day is to raise awareness about Monuments and other sites which form a part of our history and culture.

World Heritage Sites of South India

1. Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram

The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram was built by Pallava Kings in the 7th and 8th century. These monuments have been carved out of rock along the coromandel coast. Monuments at Mahabalipuram was inscribed under the UNESCO World Heritage list as cultural propery in 1984. The monuments includes Ratha Temple, Mandapas, 11 Cave sanctuaries, Arjuna's Penance

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Lalbagh Flower Show 2019

Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Lalbagh Flower Show 2019

The Republic Day special Flower Show at Lalbagh will pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi - The Father of the Nation. The Nation will be celebrating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2nd 2019.

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Veera Narayana Temple - Belavadi

Veera Narayana Temple of belavadi is one of the finest examples of trikuta Temple built by the Hoysala Empire. This temple is at a shorter distance from the famous Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebidu. The temples of Belur and Halebidu are known for its intricate sculptures, but this temple is known for its architecture. Vera Narayana Temple of Belavadi is one of the largest temple built by the Hoysala Kings.

Veeranarayana Temple Belavadi

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Gandikotta - The Grand Canyon of India

Gandikotta, known as The Grand Canyon of India is located near Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh in India. Gandikotta got its name due to the ‘gorge”, in Telugu called as gandi, formed between the Erramala range of hills and the river Pennar that flows at its foot.

Gandikotta Gorge

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Shettihalli Rosary Church - Hassan

Shettihalli Rosary Church, built by the French missionaries in 1860 is one of the best examples of Gothic Architecture. Shettihalli Church is located on the banks of Hemavathi River and is at a distance of 22km from Hassan. The church was abandoned after the construction of the Gorur Dam on the banks of Hemavathi River in 1960. Since then it has been a famous tourist spot for travel lovers to see the half submerged church during the monsoon.

Shettihalli Church

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Bucheswara Temple - Koravagala

Bucheswara temple, located in Korvangala village of Hassan District in Karnataka is one of the finest example of 12th century Hoysala Architecture. Bucheswara temple is also spelt as Bucesvara or Bucheshvara. The temple was constructed in 1173 AD by a rich officer called Buci, to celebrate the coronation of the Hoysala King Veera Ballala II. This temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archeological Survey of India. Nearby to Bucheswara Temple, there are two more temples that are in ruins. From inscriptions it is evident that these temples were constructed by Buci's older broters Govinda and Naka and hence it is known as Govideswara and Nakeswara temple

Bucheswara Temple

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Panchalingeshwara Temple - Goivndanahalli

Panchalingeshwara Temple in Govindanahalli Taluk of Mandya district in Karnataka is a rare example of Panchakuta construction in Hoysala architecture. This temple was constructed by King Vira Someshwara in 1238 AD. The name “Panchalingeshwara” literally means “five linga”. This temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archeological Survey of India.

Panchalingeshwara Temple

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Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple - Nandi Village

Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple is a Hindu temple located in Nandi village at the base of Nandi Hills in Karnataka. This temple dedicated to lord Shiva is one of the oldest temples of Karnataka, dates back to the early 9th century. Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple was constructed by the rulers of the Nolamba Dynasty and the Rashtrakuta Empire. The temple was later under the patronage of south Indian dynasties like Ganga Dynasty, Chola Dynasty, Hoysala Empire and the Vijayanagara Empire. This temple is now protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple - Pushkarani

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Lakshminarayana Temple, Hosaholalu

Lakshminarayana Temple of Hosaholalu is a Hoysala Temple built by King Vira Someshwara in 1250CE. The temple is located at a distance of 2km from the taluk headquarters of Krishna Raja Pete in Mandya Districts of Karnataka state. There are many lesser known temples built under the Hoysala Empire between 11th and 14th century in Krishna Raja Pete. Lakshminarayana temple is one among the many unknown Hoysala temples.

Lakshminarayana Temple

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Madhugiri Fort Trekking, Tumkur

Madhugiri Hill or Madhugiri Betta is one of the largest monoliths with a height of 3930ft and is one of the adventurous trekking spot located at a distance of 105Km from Bangalore. The Madhugiri fort is said to be built around 1678 during the reign of Raja Hera Gowda. Madhugiri fort trekking is little technical and steeper than most of the treks around Bangalore.

Madhugiri Fort

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Shivaganga Trekking, Tumkur

Shivaganga is a small hillock located near Dabaspet in the Tumkur District of Karnataka in India. The hillock looks like a Shivalinga when seen from one of the sides and spring water found here is believed to be the sacred water from Ganga and hence the place got the name Shivaganga. Shivaganga is a place where trekking and religion comes together

Nandi Statue on top of Shivaganga

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Shravanabelagola

Shravanabelagola is a historical temple town and pilgrimage center located near to Channarayapatna of Hassan district of Karnataka in India. Shravanabelagola is famous for the Bahubali Statue which is supposed to be the tallest monolithic stone statue in the world with a height of 58 feet carved out of a single block of granite. The largest number of Digamber Jain Basadis in India is found at Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is also famous for the largest number of rock inscriptions, concentrated at a single center.

Gomateshwara / Bahubali Statue at Shravanabelagola

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Panchakuta Basadi - Kambadahalli

Panchakuta Basadi is a Jain temple located in Kambadahalli village of Mandya district in Karnataka. It is 18km from the famous Jain Temple of Sravanabelagola. The name Kambadahalli means a village with pillar. Panchakuta Basadi and Shanthinatha Basadi are the two important temples in this village. This temple complex was built by the kings of Western Ganga dynasty in 900-1000CE. It is believed that there were 72 Jain temples in Kambadahalli village. The monument is protected by the Archeological Survey of India as a National Monument

Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli

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Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary also known as Pakshi Kashi of Karnataka is a bird sanctuary in the Mandya District of Karnataka in India. It is the largest bird sanctuary in the state. The Sanctuary includes six islands on the banks of river Kaveri and was declared a bird sanctuary in 1940. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is an important nesting and breeding ground for the thousands of bird species

Painted Stork, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

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Rajiv Gandhi Memorial - Sriperumbudur

The Rajiv Gandhi Memorial is a memorial located in Sriperumbudur District of Tamilnadu state, to commemorate the death of former Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. The town was the place where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a bomb blast in 1991. He was killed at this place by the LTTE using a human suicide bomber while campaigning for the local Loksabha candidate. Rajiv Gandhi is the former Prime Minister of India (1984 – 1989).

Tamil Nadu Government donated around 12.19 acres of land to build the memorial. The Central Public Works Department constructed the memorial at a cost of around INR21.15 crores.The construction of the memorial started in June 1994 and on 10th October, 2003, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former Indian President, dedicated it to the nation.

A long view of Rajiv Gandhi Memorial

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Barachukki Falls, Sivanasamudra

Barachukki is a waterfall situated near the island town of Shivanasamudra in the Mandya district of Karnataka. A twin water fall Gagana Chukki (90 meters) is located near to Barachukki. The island of Shivanasamudra divides Kaveri River into two parts that form these two waterfalls, Gaganachukki and Bharachukki. The eastern branch of the waterfall is known as Barachukki while the western branch is known as Gaganachukki.

Barachukki falls during a coracle ride

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Belur - Chennakeshava Temple

Belur was the early capital of the Hoysala Empire. It is one of the major tourist destinations in Karnataka. The main attractions in Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which contains the Chennakesava Temple (chennakesava means handsome Vishnu) built by King Vishnuvardhana, surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya Temple built by Shantaladevi, queen of King Vishnuvardhana and Sowmyanayaki Temple (form of the goddess Lakshmi)

Things to See

1. Darpana Sundari (Lady with Mirrior) carved on the walls
2. Intricate sculptures of Elephant,Lions,Horses
3. Sculptures of episodes from the Hindu mythological epics
4. Sculptures of Dancers(Shilabalikas)
5. Ornate Pillars inside the temple
6. Narasimha Pillar

Chennakeshava Temple

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Talakad - A Land Buried in Sand

Talakad or Talakadu is a desert-like town on the left bank of the Kaveri river 45 km (28 miles) from Mysore and 133 km (82 miles) from Bangalore in Karnataka, India. It once had over 30 temples, most of which now lay buried in sand

Among the temples of Talakad, the Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanatheshwara and Mallikarjuna temples, the five Lingams believed to represent the five faces of Shiva, form the Pancha pathi and have become famous. In honor of these five Shiva temples, a fair is held once every 12 years called Panchalinga Darshana, last held in 2009.

Talakad is famous by the curse of Talakad - by Alamelamma of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore - "Talakadu Maralagi, Malangi Maduvagi, Mysooru Arasarige Makkalagadirali"- the female Alamelamma cursed this way. (translation- "May Talakadu be filled with Sand, Malangi be a Whirlpool and Mysore Kings shall not have offsprings")

Things to See

1. Vaidyanatheshwara Temple 
2. Maruleshwara Temple 
3. Pathaleshwara Temple 
4. Arkeshwara Temple 
5. Mallikarjuna Temple
6. Coracle Boat ride in Kaveri river

Vaidyanatheshwara Temple, Talakad

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Melukote - The Temple Town

Melukote in Pandavapura Taluk of Mandya District is one of the Sacred places in Karnataka. It is Known for Cheluvanarayan Swami Temple and Yoga Narasimha Temple. The Raya Gopura of Melukote is famous shooting spot. Films like Padayappa, Guru(Hindi), Sivaji etc was shot from this area. Melukote is famous for the Puliyogare which you can have from Subbana Mess in Melukote.

Things to See

1. Yoga Narasimha Swami temple
2. Kalyani
3. Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple
4. Akka Thangi Kola
5. Rajya Gopura

Mantapa near to Kalyani

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Lepakshi - The land of Veerabhadra

Lepakshi is a small village located in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. Lepakshi Temple is historically and archaeologically significant as it has three shrines dedicated to Shiva,Vishnu and Veerabhadra. These shrines were built during the Vijayanagara Kings' period (1336–1646). Lepakshi is famous for the Hanging Pillar in the main hall of the Veerabhadra Temple.The place is known for mural paintings of the Vijayanagar kings. Many Kannada inscriptions dating back centuries can be seen on its walls. Legend has it that the Naga of the Nagalinga in Lepakshi was carved out of a single stone by sculptors while they waited for their mothers to prepare lunch.Another attraction in Lepakshi is the largest Monolithic Nandi Statue in India

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