Consider the following properties included in the World Heritage List released by UNESCO: 1) Shantiniketan 2) Rani-ki-Vav. [2024]

Consider the following properties included in the World Heritage List released by UNESCO:

Santiniketan, a town in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2023. It comprises Viswa Bharati University. Originally, Santiniketan began as an ashram or hermitage founded by Debendranath Tagore, the father of Rabindranath Tagore. Over time, it evolved into a centre for art, culture, and learning. It promotes open-air classrooms that foster a connection between students & the natural world.

Rani-ki-Vav (Queen’s Stepwell): Built on the banks of the Saraswati River at Patan, Gujarat.
Built: Initially built by Queen Udayamati in memory of her husband, King Bhima I of the Solanki dynasty, in the 11th century.
Purpose: The stepwell was constructed as a religious as well as functional structure and designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water.
Architectural Style: Rani-ki-Vav was built in the Maru-Gurjara architectural style.
National Monument: The property is protected as a national monument by provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Act of 1958.
World Heritage Site: In 2014, it was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.

The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2023. It consists of a collection of Hoysala temples. The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas is a serial property comprised of the three most representative Hoysala-style temple complexes constructed between the 12^th and 13^th centuries in the present State of Karnataka, namely the Channakeshava Temple in Belur, the Hoysalesvara Temple in Halebidu, and the Keshava Temple in Somanathapura.

Hoysala architecture is the building style of Hindu temples developed under the Hoysala Empire between the 11th and 14th centuries in Karnataka. It is influenced by the Western Chalukya architecture and is part of the Karnataka Dravida tradition of temple architecture in the Deccan. The temples are known for their detailed carvings on soapstone, which cover almost all the surfaces of the walls, pillars, and ceilings.
Hoysala temples have a distinctive star-shaped plan, with multiple shrines arranged around a central hall or mantapa. The shrines have tower-like structures or vimanas on top, which are also decorated with carvings. Hoysala temples feature sculptures of deities, mythological scenes, animals, birds, dancers, musicians, and floral motifs. The sculptures reflect the religious diversity of the Hoysala empire, as they include Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist themes.

The Chennakesava Temple was built by King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE to commemorate his victory over the Cholas.
The temple is dedicated to Vishnu and has a magnificent image of him as Chennakesava.
The temple is also famous for its bracket figures (madanikas) that adorn the pillars of the hall.

The Hoysaleswara Temple was built by King Vishnuvardhana and his queen Shantala Devi in the 12th century CE.
The temple is dedicated to Shiva and has two identical shrines facing each other.
The temple is renowned for its extensive & intricate carvings that cover almost every inch of the walls.

The Kesava Temple was built by King Narasimha III in 1268 CE.
The temple is dedicated to Vishnu and has three shrines arranged in a trikuta (three-peaked) plan.
Each shrine has an image of Vishnu in a different form: Kesava, Janardana, and Venugopala.

The Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2002. It is located on the banks of the Niranjana River. The temple stands to the east of the Mahabodhi Tree, where Gautam Buddha is believed to have attained nirvana. The temple has a unique shape and stands 170 feet tall. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is the first temple built by Emperor Asoka in the 3^rd century B.C., and the present temple dates from the 5^th–6^th centuries. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick.