Union Minister for Culture Mahesh Sharma, informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday that the Walled City of Jaipur in Rajasthan is the next proposed site for UNESCO World Heritage site. “The recognition of World Heritage is a matter of great pride. It impacts the local economy by giving a boost to domestic and international tourism leading to increased employment generation, creation of world class infrastructure and augmentation of sale of local handicrafts, handlooms and heritage memorabilia. Besides, it adds to the prestige of the country as well as the prescribed site,” Mahesh Sharma said. Jaipur, located in east Rajasthan is known for its 18th century town planning, Rajput and Mughal architecture and also for landmarks like City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar (which is already a World Heritage Site).
The city located in a 2 square kilometer area within a well fortified wall which has 9 city gates is one of the most renowned historically planned cities of India. Known as the Pink city, Jaipur is also a large commercial city and the business centre of large enterprises as described by the UN in its ‘tentative lists’ category.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a body of the UN which seeks to build peace through international cooperation using education and culture. Recognition of the city as a World Heritage Site will increase global knowledge and will boost trade and tourism in the state. The city as well as the whole state will benefit from the inclusion in the renowned list which already has 37 sites from India on it. The World Heritage Site list is updated every year to include monuments and locations which are facing a threat of destruction by traditional decay as well as changing social and economic conditions of the times. In order to preserve the authenticity of the site which is a heritage not just for a culture or country but to the world in general, the UNESCO adds them to the list of World Heritage Sites.
The places added in the World Heritage Site not just get global acceptance and recognition but also protection from all the parties of the international community which are a party to the convention. The selection of Jaipur will therefore give Rajasthan and Jaipur an image boost in the international community. The folk arts as well as local trade are going to gain exponentially from this move and so is the reputation of the state in the upcoming days. Great news for Jaipur and Rajasthan as a whole.