The cluster of monuments and forts of the Deccan Sultanate, spread across Bidar, Vijayapura and Kalaburagi districts in the State, have been nominated by the Union government for inscription as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
“The dossier was prepared by the Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN) with which we have an MoU. It was approved by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) and the proposal was submitted to UNESCO by the Centre last week,” according to T. Venkatesh, Commissioner, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage.
These are the only cluster of monuments recommended by India this year and hence the chances of being inscribed as a world cultural heritage site are bright, he added.
The proposed group of monuments — the Bahmani monuments at Kalaburagi; the Bahmani and the Barid Shahi monuments in Bidar, and Vijayapura’s Adil Shahi monuments — are already in UNESCO’s ‘Tentative List’ under ‘Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate’ along with the Qutb Shahi monuments of Telangana.
Mr. Venkatesh told The Hindu that once proposed, a team of UNESCO experts will pay a site visit for evaluation and to assess if the sites meet the criteria of being culturally significant.
“There are 10 criteria by the UNESCO as per which the proposed monuments should an outstanding example of any architectural style, or be a testimony to a tradition etc. Even fulfilling one of the 10 criteria is sufficient to qualify for inscription as a world heritage site,” said Mr. Venkatesh.
If included among the World Heritage Sites, it will help in better maintenance of the monuments.
This will result in mapping of the area, receiving of funds and it will bring them on the global tourism map, according to the commissioner. At present, Hampi and the Pattadakal group of monuments in Karnataka are inscribed as World Heritage cultural sites.
To be declared as a World Heritage Site, the monuments should be in the ‘Tentative List’. The proposed monuments are in this list since 2014, along with two other group of monuments from Karnataka: the temples of Belur and Halebid, described as sacred ensembles of Hoysalas, and the group of monuments of Srirangapatna.
Gavisiddaiah, in-charge Director, Department of Archaeology, said the department has a long-term plan to get the remaining group of monuments for inclusion in the final list for which it would enter into negotiations with INTACH, IHCN etc. to take forward the exercise.