18 April is internationally celebrated as the WORLD HERITAGE DAY. Rajasthan is home to 8 World Heritage Sites, namely:
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur: is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. It includes a set of some 20 main fixed instruments.This is the most significant, most comprehensive, and the best preserved of India's historic observatories.
Keoladeo National Park: This former duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas is one of the major wintering areas for large numbers of aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. Some 364 species of birds, including the rare Siberian crane, have been recorded in the park.
And, 6 Hill Forts of Rajasthan as listed below:
Chittorgarh Fort: Spread over an area of 280 Hectares, it is situated on a hill 180 high making it the largest fort in India. It is said that the fort was built by the Mauryans in the 7th Century AD. The Chittorgarh Fort also boasts of having 84 water reservoirs within its campus in the past, which could hold enough water to meet the needs of 50,000 soldiers of the kingdom for 4 consecutive years.
Kumbhalgarh: The Invincible - with the continuous 38 Km wall (the second longest wall in the world, after The Great Wall of China), it is the birthplace of the Great Indian Warrior “Maharana Pratap”. The fort remained impregnable to direct assault, and fell only once, due to a shortage of drinking water, to the combined forces of Mughal Emperor Akbar, Raja Man Singh of Amber, Raja Udai Singh of Marwar, and the Mirzas in Gujarat.
Ranthambore Fort: The fort lies within the Ranthambore National Park, which used to serve as a hunting ground for the Maharajahs of Jaipur before Indian independence. The fort is known for the glory and valour of Hammir dev of the Chauhan dynasty. Rajput King Sapaldaksha of Chauhan Dynasty started the construction of the fort on 944 AD. And since then many of his successors contributed towards the construction of Ranthambore Fort.
Gagron Fort: The Gargoan Fort’s is a fascinating place and its uniqueness lies in the fact that is surrounded by water from 3 sides and a by a deep moat on the fourth. The Gargoan Fort lies at a distance of 12 Kms from Jhalawar in Rajasthan. Inside the fort, there exists a temple of Lord Shiva, Ganesha and divine Durga, whereas just outside the fort there is mosque of Sufi saint Mittheshah where a grand fair is organized every year, on the Eve of Moharram.
Amer Fort: Located high on a hill, it is the principal tourist attraction in Jaipur. Constructed of red sandstone and marble, the attractive, opulent palace is laid out on four levels, each with a courtyard. It consists of the Diwan-i-Aam, or "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-i-Khas, or "Hall of Private Audience", the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), or Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas where a cool climate is artificially created by winds that blow over a water cascade within the palace. Hence, the Amer Fort is also popularly known as the Amer Palace. The palace was the residence of the Rajput Maharajas and their families.
Jaisalmer Fort: This World Heritage Site in Rajasthan stands on the Trikuta Hill in Jaisalmer, amidst the golden stretches of the great Thar Desert. The Fort camouflages in the yellow desert as its massive yellow sandstone walls shine in a lion color during the day fade to honey-gold color as the sun sets. This is why the fort is also known as Sonar-Quila or Golden Fort. With as many as five to six hundred thousand tourists visiting it annually, the Jaisalmer Fort is one of Rajasthan’s most popular tourist destinations.
