Dholavira joins UNESCO World Heritage Sites: CLATalogue GK Series

Welcome back to the CLATalogue GK Series! With only a few months to go for CLAT, we hope you have been revising the topics we’ve done and participating in quizzes. Today, we’ll be talking about Dholavira which has joined the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The topic primarily deals with a new site being added to a UNESCO world heritage sites list from India. UNESCO world heritage sites is a topic that confuses a lot of aspirants. Understandably so, considering it covers static history (which a lot of us aren’t the biggest fans of), and has numerous dates and facts to remember. So be sure to make notes and tables as when you see fit and keep revising them!

Dholavira enters the list as India’s 40th World Heritage site.

1. Located in Gujarat
2. It is also the first site of the Indus Valley Civilisation to be included on the list (It is important that you read some basic information about the Indus Valley Civilisation as it is a potential question).
3. This is a matter of huge significance considering that India now enters the ‘Super-40 club’ (other countries with 40 or more World Heritage Sites)
4. Other countries in the Super 40 Club: Italy, Spain, Germany, China and France.
5. Quick Tip: A lot of students have trouble connecting information, as you read a specific point, for instance, point Number 3 which talks about how India has now entered the Super-40 club. If this is an achievement, it means very few countries have gotten there, so naturally you will see how many countries these are, and who are they.
6. Out of these 40, India has 32 cultural sites, 7 Natural sites and 1 mixed property
   (Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP), located in Sikkim as India’s only ‘Mixed World Heritage Site’.)
7. India’s 39th site was the Ramappa Temple in Telangana.

Let’s talk about Dholavira:

1. It is located in the Kachchh District of Gujarat (on the Tropic of Cancer).
2. It was discovered in 1968 by archaeologist Jagat Pati Joshi.
3. Dholavira is the fifth largest metropolis of the Indus Valley Civilization.
4. The other four are Mohen-jo-Daro, Ganweriwala and Harappa in Pakistan and Rakhigarhi in Haryana.
5. It comprises two parts: a walled city and a cemetery to the west of the city.
6. The walled city consists of a fortified Castle with attached fortified Bailey and Ceremonial Ground, and a fortified MiddleTown and a Lower Town.
7. A series of reservoirs are found to the east and south of the Citadel.
8. Other than Dholavira, there are 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Gujarat:
   1. Ahmedabad
   2. Rani ki Vav, Patan
   3. Champaner & Pavagadh

About the 40th Session of UNESCO:

1. Took place in: Paris, France
2. UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France
3. UNESCO Director General: Audrey Azoulay

Other quick facts:

1. First World heritage site in India: Agra Fort, also known as “Laal Quila”.
2. It is tagged as a world heritage site in 1983.
3. State with Highest Number of World Heritage sites in India: Maharashtra with a total of five UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
4. Highest Number of World Heritage sites: It’s a tie between China and Italy with 55 entries. 

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