Geography of India Current Affairs Analysis
Telangana's Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs added to India’s tentative UNESCO World Heritage list
highlighting their historical and archaeological significance.
About Menhirs
iMenhirs are large upright standing stones, often part of megalithic burial or ritual sites.
iiFound across Europe, Africa, and Asia, they are most numerous in Western Europe.
What are Megaliths?
iMegaliths are stone structures used as burial sites or commemorative (non-sepulchral) memorials.
Significance of Mudumal Menhirs
iArchaeological importance: Considered one of South India’s largest megalithic-era burial sites.
iiThe site covers 80 acres and contains:80 tall menhirs (10-14 feet high).
iii3,000 alignment stones in rows (20-25 feet apart), likely linked to ancient funerary rites.
Astronomical Significance:
iserved as an ancient astronomical observatory.
iiMenhir alignments coincide with solar events such as:
a)Equinoxes (day and night are equal).
b)Solstices (longest and shortest days of the year).
Cultural and Religious Significance:
iThe local population worships some menhirs, calling them "Niluralla Thimmappa"
Telangana currently has only one UNESCO World Heritage Site—Ramappa Temple, inscribed in 2021.
iAdded to the UNESCO Tentative List in 2025, along with:
iiKanger Valley National Park (Chhattisgarh).
iiiAshokan Edict Sites (Multiple States).
ivChausath Yogini Temples (Madhya Pradesh & Odisha).
vGupta Temples (Multiple States).
viPalace-Fortresses of the Bundelas (Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh).
viiIndia now has 62 sites on its Tentative UNESCO List, a mandatory step before full inscription.
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