More pride for India: Modi over Hoysala temples' inclusion in UNESCO World Heritage list

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed happiness over the inclusion of Karnataka's Hoysala Temples' sacred ensembles in the World Heritage sitelist and said these temples are a testament to India’s rich cultural heritage.

Taking to X, PM Modi said, “More pride for India! The magnificent Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas have been inscribed on the @UNESCO World Heritage List. The timeless beauty and intricate details of the Hoysala temples are a testament to India's rich cultural heritage and the exceptional craftsmanship of our ancestors.”

More pride for India!

The magnificent Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas have been inscribed on the @UNESCO World Heritage List. The timeless beauty and intricate details of the Hoysala temples are a testament to India's rich cultural heritage and the exceptional craftsmanship of… https://t.co/cOQ0pjGTjx

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 18, 2023

Today, Karnataka's Hoysala Temples' sacred ensembles have been inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list. This comes just a day after Santiniketan, the town in West Bengal, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list on Sunday.

"BREAKING!Just inscribed on the @UNESCO#WorldHeritage List: Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, #India . Congratulations!" the UNESCO wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) today.

Notably, the Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid, and Somnathapura in Karnataka that are now included in the UNESCO World Heritage list make them the 42nd UNESCO World Heritage Site of India.

The Union Government had proposed the Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura as India's official nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2022-2023.

Yesterday, Santiniketan was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list during the 45th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Saudi Arabia. Responding to the post by Vishal V Sharma, India's ambassador and permanent representative to UNESCO, on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Congratulations. A fitting tribute to our first Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and all those who have kept his message alive."

Earlier, taking to his social media 'X', Vishal V Sharma said it is a great day for Indians as Santiniketan had been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List."Santiniketan inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List (Agenda 45COM.8B.10). A great day for all Indians. Bharat Mata ki jai," he posted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called the inclusion of West Bengal’s Santiniketan in the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites as a "proud moment for all Indians". Taking to X, PM Modi posted, “Delighted that Santiniketan, an embodiment of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's vision and India's rich cultural heritage, has been inscribed on the @UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a proud moment for all Indians.”

Established in 1901 by Tagore, Santiniketan was a residential school and center for art based on ancient Indian traditions and a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries. A ‘world university’ was established at Santiniketan in 1921, recognising the unity of humanity or “Visva Bharati”.