UNESCO Heritage Sites in India by State

Rank	Region Name	UNESCO heritage sites
1	Maharashtra	13
2	Madhya Pradesh	4
3	Uttar Pradesh	3
4	Assam	2
4	Bihar	2
4	Gujarat	2
4	Karnataka	2
4	Odisha	2
4	Rajasthan	2
4	Tamil Nadu	2
4	West Bengal	2
12	Andhra Pradesh	1
12	Chandigarh	1
12	Goa	1
12	Haryana	1
12	Himachal Pradesh	1
12	Jharkhand	1
12	Kerala	1
12	Puducherry	1
12	Punjab	1
12	Sikkim	1
12	Telangana	1
12	Uttarakhand	1
23	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0
23	Arunachal Pradesh	0
23	Chhattisgarh	0
23	DNHDD	0
23	Delhi	0
23	Jammu and Kashmir	0
23	Ladakh	0
23	Lakshadweep	0
23	Manipur	0
23	Meghalaya	0
23	Mizoram	0
23	Nagaland	0
23	Tripura	0

As of November 2025, India is home to 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty.

These sites include ancient structures, diverse ecosystems, and remarkable engineering achievements, attracting worldwide interest in the country’s legacy.

The accompanying table categorizes India’s states and union territories based on the number of these esteemed designations, highlighting significant inequalities.

Maharashtra stands at the forefront with 13 sites, bolstered by the recent 2025 addition of the Maratha Military Landscapes, which consists of 12 forts.

Following closely are Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with three and four sites respectively, reflecting their historical Mughal and ancient temple traditions.

In contrast, 13 regions have no designated sites, pointing to inconsistent preservation efforts. This uneven distribution can be traced back to historical centers of power, colonial legacies, and recent initiatives for nominations.

The table not only measures this heritage but also emphasizes the need for equitable recognition across India’s varied regions.

Analyzing these trends is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies and tourism policies, ensuring that India’s cultural legacy is preserved for future generations.

The Rise of Maharashtra’s Heritage Leadership

Maharashtra’s leading position with 13 sites signifies a crucial transformation in 2025, driven by the UNESCO designation of the Maratha Military Landscapes on July 11 during the 47th World Heritage Committee meeting in Paris.

This serial site encompasses 11 forts in Maharashtra—like Salher, Shivneri, and Rajgad—and one in Tamil Nadu, highlighting the strategic brilliance of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century.

Engineers crafted these hilltop fortifications to utilize the rugged landscape for defense, merging architecture with geography in ways that shaped South Asian military history.

Before this, Maharashtra was home to two sites: the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, rock-cut wonders from the 2nd century BCE to the 11th century CE that illustrate Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain stories through detailed carvings and frescoes.

Ajanta’s murals, preserved within a horseshoe-shaped ravine, convey emotional richness in ancient art, while Ellora’s Kailasa Temple stands as a remarkable single-monolith excavation.

The state’s prominence underscores its position as a historical nexus, where the dynamics of the Deccan Plateau spurred artistic and military advancements.

Strong state investment and advocacy, including the digital mapping of forts, expedited this nomination, enhancing eco-tourism that produced over ₹5,000 crore in revenue in 2024.

Western and Northern States: The Legacy of Empires

Madhya Pradesh ranks second with four significant sites, representing the spiritual core of the subcontinent.

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986, comprises 20 Hindu and Jain temples built between the 9th and 11th centuries, famous for their erotic sculptures that reflect the cyclical nature of life according to Chandela dynasty beliefs.

The Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, a prehistoric site dating back 30,000 years, showcase early human migration through 750 painted shelters. The Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, originating from the 3rd century BCE during Emperor Ashoka’s reign, contain relics within stupas that facilitated the spread of Buddhism throughout Asia.

Additionally, Sagar’s Rock Shelters contribute layers of Paleolithic art. This rich concentration of heritage sites is attributed to Central India’s stable geological conditions and river valleys, which fostered early human settlements and monastic communities.

Since the 19th century, archaeological surveys led by British explorers such as John Marshall have uncovered these historical treasures, while contemporary conservation efforts utilize laser scanning technology to address erosion issues.

Uttar Pradesh’s three sites represent the zenith of the Mughal era.

The Taj Mahal, commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1632 as a memorial for Mumtaz Mahal, showcases exquisite symmetrical marble inlay work adorned with semi-precious stones, attracting 8 million visitors each year and generating $1.5 billion for the economy in 2024.

Agra Fort, constructed from red sandstone in 1565, functioned as an imperial residence, with its palaces reflecting Persian architectural influences.

Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s brief capital established in 1571, features a blend of Islamic, Hindu, and Christian design elements within its red sandstone structures.

These historical sites are situated along the Yamuna River, a vital trade route that bolstered the empire’s wealth and facilitated grand architectural projects.

Following independence, restoration efforts supported by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have safeguarded these sites from pollution, with the implementation of solar-powered lighting systems aimed at minimizing carbon emissions.

Eastern and Northeastern States have lower number of Heritage sites

Assam has achieved a four-way tie with two sites, including the 2024 addition of Moidams—the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty located in Charaideo.

These 90 pyramidal tombs, dating from the 13th to the 19th centuries, pay tribute to Ahom kings and embody Tai-Ahom animist beliefs, featuring terracotta plaques that illustrate royal life.

Kaziranga National Park, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, protects two-thirds of the global population of one-horned rhinoceroses.

The park’s grasslands flourish due to annual flooding, which rejuvenates biodiversity. Assam’s ascent underscores the increasing prominence of Northeast India, a region that has historically been eclipsed by mainland interests.

The Ahom’s remarkable 600-year resistance against Mughal invasions safeguarded their distinctive burial customs, while the conservation achievements at Kaziranga—where rhino populations grew from 1,700 in 2010 to 2,613 in 2022—are attributed to community-led patrols and advanced anti-poaching technologies.

Bihar’s two sites, the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya and the Nalanda Mahavihara, serve as cornerstones of Buddhist heritage.

The temple marks the location where Siddhartha Gautama reached enlightenment in 531 BCE and features a 55-meter diamond throne alongside a descendant of the sacred Bodhi tree.

Nalanda, a ruin of a 5th-century university, once accommodated 10,000 scholars and boasted a library that rivaled that of Alexandria.

The fertile Gangetic plains of Bihar nurtured early agrarian communities, facilitating the development of knowledge centers that significantly impacted global philosophical thought.

Recent digitization initiatives are making these narratives accessible worldwide through virtual tours.

Southern and Island Enclaves: Maritime and Vernacular Voices

The Southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana each boast two significant sites, highlighting the architectural brilliance of the Dravidian style.

The Hampi ruins in Karnataka narrate the splendor of the Vijayanagara Empire from the 14th century, with the gopurams of Virupaksha Temple dominating the rocky terrain.

The 8th-century Chalukya temples in Pattadakal exhibit a fusion of North and South Indian architectural elements.

In Tamil Nadu, the Mahabalipuram Shore Temples, carved from granite in the 7th century by the Pallavas, overlook the Bay of Bengal, representing the region’s early maritime commerce.

The Maratha fort at Gingee introduces a northern influence. Meanwhile, Telangana’s Ramappa Temple, dating back to the Kakatiya period and inscribed in 2019, showcases innovative techniques with its floating bricks and sand-box foundations, which have proven to be earthquake-resistant for centuries.

The coastal access of these areas facilitated cultural interactions with Southeast Asia, leading to the incorporation of hybrid motifs.

The engineering marvels of Telangana, such as the acoustics of Ramappa, stem from the hydraulic expertise of the Kakatiya dynasty.

In contrast, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, despite their rich biodiversity and coral reefs, do not have any recognized sites, as nominations tend to favor mainland landmarks.

Goa and Puducherry each have one site—Bom Jesus Basilica, which houses the relics of Vasco da Gama, and Auroville, an experimental township—both reflecting the influences of colonial and utopian ideals.

Northern Frontiers and Untapped Potentials

Rajasthan’s two forts, Amber and Chittorgarh, symbolize the valor of the Rajputs, with their advanced water-harvesting systems that supported prolonged sieges.

Punjab’s Qutb Minar and the Iron Pillar in Delhi (though technically, Delhi does not possess it) are noteworthy, but Punjab itself has no such sites; rather, Haryana is home to Sultan Ghari.

However, the complexity of multi-state serial nominations adds to the confusion. For clarity, Rajasthan is recognized for its Hill Forts (six in total, but counted as a single serial nomination).

To ensure accuracy, Jaipur was inscribed in 2019 along with the Hill Forts serial. Odisha’s Konark Sun Temple and the Bhitarkanika mangroves highlight the artistic achievements of Kalinga sculpture and the ecological significance of estuarine environments.

Source

• Jagran Josh. (2025, July 13). 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India till 2025, Check Complete List. https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-india-1727769443-1