India and South Korea are both culturally rich nations, boasting a deep history intertwined with
art, architecture, and traditions. One of the most captivating aspects of their shared history is
their cultural heritage, which enhances their value and beauty. Cultural heritage encompasses diverse elements such as artifacts, monuments, buildings, museums, and sites. It
includes tangible heritage, including movable, immovable, and underwater artifacts,
and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) ingrained within cultural and natural landscapes.
In this article, we are going to delve deep into the cultural heritage of South Korea and India.
cultural heritage of South Korea
1) Namhansanseong ( emergency capital)
Namhansanseong is a UNESCO heritage situated in a vast beautiful nature landscape. it is a
historic mountain fortress city in Gwangju, South Korea. The fortress lies atop The Mountain
Namhansan and stretches 12 km in length. Namhansanseong was constructed as an emergency
capital city during the Joseon dynasty ( 1392-1910) it’s earliest remains date from the 7th century but
it was re constructed several times specially in the early 17th century in prediction of an attack
from the Sino manchy Qing dynasty. the city contain a synthesis of the defensive military
engineering concepts of the period based on East Asia , embodying aspects of Korea , the
Azuchi- momoyama period of Japan , and Ming Qing China . A city that has always been
inhabited and which was the provincial capital over a long period of time , it contains evidence of
a variety of military, civil and religious buildings and has become a symbol of Korea’s
sovereignty.
2 ) The secret garden of Changdeokgung palace.
Changdeokgang palace is one of the five major palaces in Seoul. It was Registered as a
UNESCO world heritage site in 1997 for its beauty and historical significance. Changdeokgung
palace was originally built in 1405 but it was tragically destroyed by fire during the Japanese
invasion of Korea in 1592. Among many palaces that got burnt Changdeokgang was the first
palace to re constructed in 1610 . Since then it served as a primary palace of the Joseon
dynasty for more than 250 years . The Secret Garden is located at the rare end of
Changdeokgung palace . The garden is most famous for its beautifully planned landscape and
architecture; each building is thoughtfully designed. The king and the royal family spend a lot of
time in this private Garden .On the other building the king and his scholars used to read poetry,
study literature and show off their knowledge on old textbooks. On other times the king would
host a grand feast in the garden. 100 people were invited and they enjoyed the performance by
the best dancers and singers in the country. From academics to Grand parties, the secret
garden served a variety of purposes throughout the years .
3) Hwaseong fortress
Hwaseong fortress was registered as a UNESCO heritage site in 1997 . Hwaseong fortress is
located in suwon , Gyeonggi Do province in the central part of the country the fortress was built
more than 2 hundred years ago in between 1794-1796 during the joseon dynasty by king
jeongjo in a show of respect for his late father .
Hwaseong fortress has 4 huge gates: The janganmun gate located in North , The hwaseong
mun gate located in West side, The paldalmun gate which is located in the south last but not
the least The changnyoungnum gate located in the east side . janganmun and. paldalmun are
the largest gate of the 4 main gates . Changnyoungnum was greatly destroyed during the
Korean war and it was restored in 1978 .
as we know Hwaseong fortress was built over a two and a half year from 1794-96 according to
the design of the architect yeong yakyong who would later become the leader of shilhak (실학)
movement, shilhak stands for “practical learning” which encourage the use of science and
industry and jeong embraced fortress design from Korea and china along with contemporary
science into his plans . the use of bricks as a building material for the fortress. and cranes were
also started using due to the influence of silhak .
The Hwaseong fortress has had a great influence on the development of Korean architecture.
4) Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple
Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple located in the Gyeongju province of South Korea . The
Seokguram Grotto is a Hermitage and a part of the Bulguksa Temple. Seokguram Grotto and
Bulguksa Temple are both built on the mountain named tohamsan. Although both of them are
located at a distance of 3km from each other, in 1995 . Seokguram Grotto was added to the
UNESCO world heritage list together with the Bulguksa Temple. It symbolizes some of the best
Buddhist sculptures in the world . Bulguksa Temple is famous for being one of the most
important Buddhist temples in Korea . It is renowned for its historical and cultural significance as
well as architectural beauty . It was the ancient capital of the Silla dynasty.
Cultural heritage of India
1) Taj Mahal ( symbol of love )
Taj Mahal ( crown of the palace) known as the symbol of love . It is listed in seven wonders of
the world and as the cultural UNESCO world heritage site in 1983 . Taj Mahal which is situated
in the district of Agra in Uttar Pradesh , India . It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan ( 1628-1658) to house the tomb of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal . It also
houses the tomb of shah Jahan himself. The construction of the mausoleum was entirely
completed in 1953 . It has a wonderful indo – Islamic style of construction which depicts
balanced aesthetic qualities. which attracts millions of tourists across the world every year .
2)Hampi – Karnataka
Hampi which is situated in Hampi city of vijayanagara district Karnataka, India. Hampi is also
known as Pampa Kshetra, Kishkindha kshetra and even Bhaskara kshetra. These names were
derived from the famous Tungabhadra River Pampa. According to mythology, it is said that
Pampa was
Brahma’s daughter who was later married off to Shiva. It was here where the city was built.
Hampi word in is another version of Hampe, a Kannada name.
Today, Hampi is also known as Vijayanagara who used to rule the city. The city was ruled by
four different dynasties from 1336 – 1565. Sangam dynasty, saluva dynasty, tuluva dynasty and
Aravidu dynasty .
As you walk through the remains of
Hampi’s magnificent forts, palaces and gateways, you will get to see the excellent architecture
of those times.
The monuments speak volumes about the history of Hampi that used to be a prosperous and
rich kingdom in the 14th century which was eventually ruined owing to the attacks made by the
Moghuls.
Hampi was declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1986. This city used to be
considered one of the richest cities in the world when it was at its Peak .located inside the
Vijayanagara city. Hampi has-been one of the most significant tourist destination.people all over
the globe visit Hampi for its elegant monuments and history.
3) Fatehpur Sikri , Uttar Pradesh
Fatehpur sikri was the first planned city of the mughals dynasty in India . It is located in Agra
district in Uttar Pradesh, India . The city was founded by Emperor Akbar it is believed that the
blessings of the Sufi saint shaikh Salim chisti gave Akbar a son. The Sufi saint lived in a city
called Sikri . As a sign Akbar built a whole new city named it Fathabad . This came to be known
as Fatehpur sikri or city of Victory . Akbar shifted his residence and Court from Agra to Sikri for a
period of 13 years from 1572-1585 the city opened through the Buland Darwaza which is known
as the highest gateway in the world . It is 54 km high from the ground. It was built in 1575 to
celebrate the emperor Akbar’s success conquering Gujarat. Entering the Buland Darwaza one
comes across the tomb of shaikh Salim chisti decorated with delicate carvings .
DIWAN – I – AAM
Diwan – I – aam is a multi bayed rectangular structure and was used to meet the general public.
DIWAN – I – KHAS
diwan – i- khas was the royal chamber of the emperor Akbar . built in the persian style of
architecture there are four kiosks located in the middle of the Court . A central pillar dominates
the interior of diwan-i – khas .
The panch mahal is one of the most fascinating sikri . It is a five story building which was meant
to be a shelter for the royal ladies . The top of the building has a beautiful chhatri decorated
with a cupola . it is patterned on the persian badgir or wind – catcher . Fatehpur sikri is a
valuable part of Indian heritage.
4)Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
The Great Stupa is situated at Sanchi , Raisen district in Madhya Pradesh, India . The great
stupa at Sanchi is one of the oldest stone structures in India. It is an important monument of
Indian architecture. It was originally commissioned by the Maurya emperor Ashoka the Great in
the 3rd century BCE .The highest of the great stupa is around 54 feet . The stupa symbolizes
the high rank . Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the
Buddha . The Stupa has four intricately- curved gateways called toranas.
The carving depicts scenes from life of the Buddha and jataka tales. Sanchi stupa is considered
a major pilgrimage site for buddha. It was abandoned in the 14th century and later restored by
the British in 1989 . Sanchi stupa was declared a UNESCO world heritage site . It is a significant
symbol of India’s cultural and religious heritage.
In conclusion, if you are planning to visit South Korea or India, do not forget to visit these
meaningful, elegant and stunning places .