Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas in Karnataka designated UNESCO World Heritage site

UNESCO on Monday designated the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas in Karnataka in its World Heritage list. Shortly after the announcement by UNESCO, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement.

'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala', the Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in Karnataka, have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The world body made the announcement in a post on X on Monday, a day after Santiniketan, the famed place in West Bengal where poet Rabindranath Tagore built Visva-Bharati over a century ago, received the coveted tag.

"Just inscribed on the @UNESCO #WorldHeritage List: Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, #India. Congratulations!, UNESCO posted on X.

The decision was taken during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"More pride for India! The magnificent Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas have been inscribed on the @UNESCO World Heritage List. The timeless beauty and intricate details of the Hoysala temples are a testament to India's rich cultural heritage and the exceptional craftsmanship of our ancestors," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.

"Good news keeps coming in. A deserving recognition for our traditional art and architecture," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X.

'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala' were on UNESCO's Tentative list since April 2014. India had sent this as a nomination for consideration as world heritage for the year 2022-2023.

They together represent "one of the highest points of human creative genius and stand testimony to the rich historical and cultural heritage of our country," the culture ministry had said.