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PoliticsTamil Nadu MP Durai Vaiko urges nomination of Srirangam Temple for UNESCO World Heritage status
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Tiruchi MP Durai Vaiko met Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi on July 23, 2026, urging immediate steps to nominate Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The temple was included in the UNESCO Tentative List in 2014 but the formal nomination dossier has not been submitted. Vaiko highlighted the temple's Outstanding Universal Value, noting it is the largest functioning Hindu temple complex in the world and a foremost Divya Desam. The temple received the UNESCO Award of Merit in 2017 for conservation. Vaiko argued the temple satisfies four of ten UNESCO selection criteria and urged coordination with the Archaeological Survey of India, Tamil Nadu government, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, and UNESCO experts to prepare the dossier, following the model of the Mahabodhi Temple Complex.
Source report
TIRUCHI — July 23, 2026
Tiruchi MP Durai Vaiko met Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi on Friday, urging the Ministry to take immediate steps to nominate the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Key Points from the Representation
- The temple was included in the UNESCO Tentative List submitted by the Centre in 2014, but the formal nomination dossier has not yet been submitted to UNESCO for evaluation.
- The temple possesses Outstanding Universal Value through its architectural grandeur, spiritual significance, living heritage, and centuries-old cultural traditions.
- It is the largest functioning Hindu temple complex in the world and the foremost among the 108 Divya Desams.
- The temple received the UNESCO Award of Merit in 2017 for exemplary conservation and restoration of its historic complex.
Compliance with UNESCO Criteria
Mr. Durai Vaiko noted that under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, a cultural property must satisfy at least one of ten selection criteria. The Srirangam temple meets four of the ten criteria, reflecting its Outstanding Universal Value through:
- Remarkable architectural achievement
- Continuous living religious traditions
- Historical significance
- Profound cultural influence
Call for Expedited Action
The MP urged the Ministry to initiate and expedite the nomination process by following the model successfully adopted for the Mahabodhi Temple Complex. He recommended coordination among:
- Archaeological Survey of India
- Government of Tamil Nadu
- Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department
- UNESCO experts
- Heritage professionals
"Granting the UNESCO World Heritage Status to the temple will be a matter of immense pride for the nation, and it will not only provide well-deserved heritage conservation but also promote academic research and encourage sustainable cultural tourism." — Durai Vaiko
Published — July 23, 2026 07:46 pm IST
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Durai Vaiko urges Ministry of Culture and Tourism to nominate Srirangam Temple for World Heritage Site status