RAS question
How many Hill Forts of Rajasthan are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites?
Correct answer: (D) 6.
Six Hill Forts of Rajasthan are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amer and Jaisalmer Fort.
Explanation
The answer is six because the Ministry of Culture's Hill Forts of Rajasthan page states that this UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2013, comprises six forts in Rajasthan. The six forts are Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amer and Jaisalmer Fort. The group matters as a heritage property because these hill forts reflect Rajput architectural skill and military strength, using defensive walls, hills and forests along with palaces, temples, settlements and water-harvesting systems. So the question is not asking for all famous Rajasthan forts, but for the specific UNESCO-inscribed serial group.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Four is too few because the UNESCO-inscribed Hill Forts of Rajasthan group comprises six forts, not four.
- (B) Three is too few because the 2013 World Heritage inscription covers a six-fort group in Rajasthan.
- (C) Eight overestimates the listed UNESCO property; the Hill Forts of Rajasthan comprise six forts.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan's UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites, a recurring RAS area because it links art, architecture, Rajput polity and tourism heritage. The count is often asked directly because the Hill Forts are a serial UNESCO property rather than a single monument.