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NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 26, 2003: The Union Ministry for Tourism and Culture has recommended to UNESCO World Heritage Center that the Golden Temple at Amritsar and the city of Varanasi be included in the world body’s list of heritage sites.



The Golden Temple is the principal place of worship of Sikhs, a three-storied shrine crowned with a golden dome. Rising from the middle of the Amrit Sarovar Lake, the monument atop a rectangular platform is surrounded by a white marble corridor and linked to a causeway. Its lower storeys are made of white marble while the upper portion is done with gold plating. Four hundred kilograms of gold-leaf were used for the renovation of the upper parts of the shrine which was sponsored by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1803. The inner walls are decorated with carved wooden panels and elaborate inlay work in silver and gold.



Also known as Kasi and Benaras, Varanasi is considered to be the ultimate pilgrimage spot for Hindus. A great hub of culture, the city literally breathes history and is know as a “city of thousand temples.” The city is internationally-renowned for its nearly 100 ghats along the river Ganges. Although many of them are bathing ghats, some are meant to be used for cremation.



There are now 24 World Heritage Sites in India, of which 18 are cultural and five natural. Information on recent site declarations and sites being considered for World Heritage status may be found at the “source” above.

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