India formally includes the nomination of a preliminary assessment of the birthplace of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vadnagar, in Gujarat, in the nomination list of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre at Paris. The submission came during the birthday of the Prime Minister on Wednesday, giving the historic move a symbolic touch.
The permanent ambassador of India to UNESCO, Vishal V. Sharma, pointed out the rich heritage of Vadnagar, saying, “Vadnagar is a treasure of antiquity and heritage dating back to 800/900 BCE. We congratulate the Prime Minister on this splendid birthday.”
The nomination is the initial stage of a two-stage process of UNESCO. Under the preliminary analysis, the World Heritage Centre assesses the site in terms of the following criteria in order to determine whether the cultural or natural site has demonstrated Outstanding Universal Value, has specifics of cultural or natural significance, and has appropriate protection and management processes. It is after passing this phase that a site can be advanced to formal inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Evidence of ceaseless habitation can be found in Vadnagar in the Mehsana district, dating back to almost total of 2,700 years. The Directorate of Archaeology, Gujarat, and Archaeological Survey of India excavations have revealed seven consecutive cultural phases that run back in time up to the 2 nd century BCE to the 19th century CE. Historically, Vadnagar was a fortified settlement, a merchandise centre, a religious centre, and also a crossing point of major inland and maritime trade routes.
Pieces of evidence of the vast trade connections, discovered in archaeological sites, point to the existence of Mesopotamian torpedo jars, Roman coin impressions, Greco-Indian coin mould, Mamluk gold coins of the 15th century, Maldives cowry shells, and Indo-Pacific beads. Sharmishtha Lake has a town constructed around it with its medieval fortifications and gates. The layered and multi-faceted cultural history of the town has also been highlighted by the findings of Buddhist monasteries, stupas, and industrial remains in excavations.
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News