Dholavira, The Harappan Metropolis In Gujrat Enters UNESCO World Heritage List

Dholavira, one of the major archaeological sites in India of the Indus Valley Civilization has made its proud entry into the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It was announced on Wednesday by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee after examining the nomination of the Dholavira for inclusion in the World Heritage list at its 44th convention, which was held at Fuzhou, China.

UNESCO World Heritage Committee described Dholavira  as ‘one of the best preserved urban settlements from the period in Southeast Asia’. Situated in the Kutch district of Gujarat Dholavira is one of the 5 largest Harappan sites. It is the first site of Indus Valley Civilization in India to be marked as such.

The excavations at Dholavira, have found enough evidence that mark the rise and fall of the Indus Civilization, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet expressed happiness that the Dholavira has been recognized as a World Heritage Site.

“Absolutely delighted by this news. Dholavira was an important urban center and is one of our most important linkages with our past. It is a must visit, especially for those interested in history, culture and archaeology,” he wrote. In the same thread, PM Nadrandra Modi also added, “I first visited Dholavira during my student days and was mesmerized by the place. As CM of Gujarat, I had the opportunity to work on aspects relating to heritage conservation and restoration in Dholavira. Our team also worked to create tourism-friendly infrastructure there.”

Absolutely delighted by this news.

Dholavira was an important urban centre and is one of our most important linkages with our past. It is a must visit, especially for those interested in history, culture and archaeology. https://t.co/XkLK6NlmXx pic.twitter.com/4Jo6a3YVro

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 27, 2021

Dholavira was discoverd in 1960 by ASI’s Jagat Pati Joshi. Spread across 100 hectares on Khadir, an island in the Rann of Kutch, Dholavira has thrown light on the study of Indus valley civilization. Dholavira is the 40th Indian site on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.