Pulse - Red Fort beats 45 world sites for UN heritage structure tag

THE 17th century Mughal marvel, Red Fort, has joined the ranks of 26 other Indian sites, including the Taj Mahal, to be included in Unesco’s list of world heritage sites. Unesco’s world heritage committee at its meeting in New Zealand on Thursday decided to bestow the honour on the red sandstone monument built by Mughal emperor Shah Jehan in Delhi. It beat competition from 45 other sites from across the globe in finding a place on the list. Japan’s Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, Turkmenistan’s Parthian Fortresses of Nisa and Australia’s Sydney Opera are the other sites that will now be inscribed in the world heritage list. The Red Fort is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity, which under emperor Shah Jahan was brought to a new level of refinement. The planning of the palace is based on Islamic prototypes, but each pavilion reveals architectural elements typical of Mughal building, reflecting a fusion of Persian, Timurid and Hindu traditions, Unesco said in a statement.

The other Indian monuments which have been given world heritage status in the past include the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra, Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh, Sun Temple in Orissa, monuments at Hampi in Karnataka and Khajuraho Temples in Madhya Pradesh. The other monuments in the capital besides the Red Fort in the list are Humayun’s Tomb and Qutub Minar. India had proposed the Majuli Islands in Assam for the status last year, but it was not included in the list. The Red Fort almost got nominated by India for the honour in 1993. The government deferred nominating it at that time as a major part of the fort was occupied by the army. Later on Archaeological Survey of India took charge of it and carried out conservation and beautification work as it chose the monument as the country’s nominee for this year’s world heritage list.

The Red Fort’s innovative planning and architectural style, including its garden design, strongly influenced later buildings and gardens in Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and further afield. Through, its fabric, the complex reflects all phases of Indian history from the Mughal period to independence, it said.