India's 7 Lesser Known UNESCO World Heritage Sites

When we talk about UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, we are instantly reminded of the Taj Mahal or Qutub Minar. Some of us may also be aware of a few others such as Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Humayun’s Tomb, Fatehpur Sikri, etc. But you know there are a total of 38 World Heritage Sites located in India? But today we’re going to list 7 lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:
1. Rani ki Vav, Gujarat
Located on the banks of the Saraswati River in Patan, Gujarat, this was built in the 11th century AD. Constructed during the rule of the Chalukyas dynasty, it was excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India in the 1970s. The stepwell has 7 levels and the 4th one is the deepest and will lead you to a tank at a depth of 23 m. The stepwell also has more than 500 major statues of Hindu gods and goddesses, and over a thousand little ones, cover the walls and pillars of seven terraces that descend to a central water tank. 

2. Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Madhya Pradesh
The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka are located on the foothills of the Vindhya Range, it dates back to the Mesolithic Age, and has traces of earliest human life on the Indian subcontinent. Here within the sandstone shelters, you will find paintings that appear from that era, and moreover, the cultural traditions that are followed by the inhabitants surrounding this area bear close resemblance to these paintings. There are more than 750 identified rock shelters; 243 of which are in the Bhimbetka group, while 178 are in the Lakha Juar group.

3. Chandigarh Capitol Complex, Punjab
This surreal capitol complex located in Chandigarh’s Sector 1 is yet another lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage sites in India. Designed by architect Le Corbusier, the Swiss-French architect who has designed buildings all over the world. Spread across almost 100 acres, the complex includes Open Hand monument, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Tower of Shadows, Geometric Hill, the legislative assembly and also the secretariat. If you are in Chandigarh, then you must visit the capitol complex.

4. The Western Ghats
The Western Ghats among its eight biodiversity hotspots in the world with at least 325 plant and animal species that are globally threatened flourish here. The length of the range—it stretches 1,000 miles through six states—means it incorporates quite a variety of sights. In late summer, Maharashtra’s Kaas Plateau becomes a carpet of 1,500 varieties of flowers. Giant herds of Asian elephants roam the thick forests of the range’s southern half. And the lion-tailed macaque, one of the world’s rarest primates, lives in the treetops in Kerala.

5. The Churches and Convents of Goa
Goa’s Convents and Churches have been on UNESCO’s list for over 33 years. The most famous is the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which houses the remains of St. Francis Xavier, known as the “Apostle of the Indies.” Goa’s oldest surviving church is the Church of Our Lady of Rosary, build in 1510. It’s decorated with naval motifs like anchors and seashells to reflect the Portuguese mastery of the seas. Se Cathedral is one of the largest in Asia. The 16th-century structure had two towers of which the only one still stands today. This contains the gigantic Golden Bell, named so for its dulcet tones.

6. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park in Champaner, Gujarat
The various monuments at the site show the transition between Hindu and Muslim culture and architecture during the 15th and 16th centuries. It thus houses both, step-wells and mosques, ancient temples, and even forts with bastions.

7. Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim
The park has tremendous geographical diversity. The landscape varies from slopes covered with thick rhododendron forests to the Rocky Mountains with 18 glaciers. There are 19 peaks towering more than 19,000 feet, apart from the world's third-highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga.