BHIMBETKA ROCK SHELTERS IN MADHYA
PRADESH DECLARED WORLD HERITAGE
Bhimbetka Rock
Shelters in Madhya Pradesh have been declared World Heritage by
UNESCO. The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO accepted the recommendation
of Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, in this
regard unanimously yesterday at Paris. The decision was conveyed
to the Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Shri Jagmohan today
by UNESCO.
Expressing happiness
over the decision, Shri Jagmohan said that it would go a long
way in reinforcing the antiquity of Indian civilisation and also
promoting cultural tourism.
Rock Shelters
of Bhimbetka covering an area of 19 square kilometres are located
45 kilometres from Bhopal. This area has the highest number, density
and variety of painted rock shelters found in India. The site
also has a wealth of archaeological remains and presents evidence
of a tradition continuing from the Palaeollithic to the medieval
periods. It has been inscribed in the category of cultural landscape.
The Rock Shelters are amongst the mankind’s oldest heritage. Last
year, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture was able to secure inclusion
of Mahabodhi Temple Complex of Bodhgaya in the World Heritage
Sites.
