India: Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami- Pattadakal (Tentative)

The property constituting of groups of monuments in Aihole (including Nagral) and Badami as an extension to Pattadakal (WH property, Ref: 239rev) which is the culmination, together represent the experimentation in Hindu cave and temple architecture under the Early Chalukya developing fundamental prototypes for later temples in the peninsula.

The card show Cave temples at Badami.

India: Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of India (Tentative)

The Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of India is situated in the Himalayas and stretches from Ladakh (in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, or J&K) in the north to Kinnaur (in the state of Himachal Pradesh, or H.P.) in the south. Administratively, it can be said to comprise the Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh division in J&K, Spiti region of the Lahaul and Spiti district in H.P. and a part of Kinnaur District in the state of H.P.

The card shows Lamayuru Monastery in Ladhak.

India: Jaipur city, Rajasthan India (Tentative)

Located in the eastern Rajasthan State of India, the city of Jaipur is well known for its 18thcentury town planning and Rajput Mughal architectural icons including architectural landmarks such as the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and the World Heritage Site of Jantar Mantar along with its diverse and thriving historic bazzars. Confined in a 2 sq km area within a well-defined city wall and 9 city gates, it boasts of magnificent architecture and is the one of the most renowned historic planned city of India from the 18th century. Though enclosed by city walls and protected by a range of forts on surrounding hills, the city of Jaipur was conceived not just as the military retreat of feudal warlords but as a commercial city, a business centre of thriving enterprise.

India: The Glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways (Tentative)

The fort of Warangal referred to as Orugallu, Orumgallu or Ekasilanagaram in the inscriptions and literature rose to prominence, when it was the capital of Kakatiya kingdom during the reign of Ganapati Deva Maharaja (1199-1261). The group of temples and temple complex related structures in Warangal of Kakatiyan empire, signify a distinct architectural pattern, style and technology of the period and representative of the distinct regional style, exhibiting local innovation in temple building tradition and establishment of a prominent temple of Ramappa during 1213 AD by General Recherla Rudra, during the period of the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva. The representative temples and temple complexes include Archaeological remains of Swayambhu temple and Keerthi Thoranas at Warangal fort, Rudreswara Temple, locally known as Veyi Sthambala Gudi (Thousand pillars temple) at Hanumakonda and Rudreswara (Ramappa) Temple, which is located about 65 km from Warangal.

India: Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (Tentative)

The Hoysala era is one that contributed enormously to the development of several creative fields as well as spiritual and humanistic thought. During their reign, the Hoysalas built more than 1500 temples all across their empire of which only a little over 100 survive today. Art historians recognize the exceptionally intricate sculptural artistry of the Chennakeshava temple at Belur and the Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebid to be among the masterpieces of South Asian art making the name of Hoysala synonymous with artistic achievement.

Postcard : Chennakesava Temple, Belur