India is home to incredible natural wonders and man-made marvels and is definitely a beautiful place when one is looking for history, nature or culture. While we take pride in the grandeur of our country, we should be equally worried and be responsible for few extinctions, mainly due to climate change and global warming. Infact, there are places in the country which are craving for attention or need to be preserved.
It’s been so heart breaking for us to have listed down 10 places in India that will disappear soon from our map. If not disappear, they are surely on the verge of sheer damage.
Sundarbans, West Bengal
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and covered with the largest mangrove forests in the world, the Sundarbans is home to many gems, one of them being the endangered Bengal Tiger. It also houses around 334 plant species, various bird species, snakes, crocodiles and other fauna. Located in West Bengal, an ominous threat lies to the entire region. Low lying in nature, the rising sea levels have already submerged some parts of it. Due to global warming the sea has already taken down a count of four islands. It is alleged that around 10,000 inhabitants are now environmental refugees. The fear is that the entire site would be under water one day.
Bhitarkanika Mangrove, Odisha
Steeped in the abundance of biodiversity, Bhitarkanika Mangrove supports one of the largest mangrove plant diversities in India. Located in Odisha, this extensive mangrove wetland is the second largest mangrove forest. It has one of the largest populations of saltwater crocodiles in India - nearly 700. Even after being one of nature’s best-preserved assets, Bhitarkanika is could soon disappear from our map. Thanks to the climatic changes taking place, tree looters and poachers have been greatly damaging this wetland for years now. If this continues, soon these animals will have nowhere to go. A true spectacle to behold, this natural heritage is soon going to be counted among the doom tourism places in India.
Chadar Trek Trail, Leh
The Chadar Trek is considered to be the most challenging trekking spot in India. The frozen extent of Zaskar River on Leh is thrilling and a bit scary as well. This 105-km long trekking trail mostly follows stretches across frozen Zanskar River which is on the verge of disappearance. Hence, there are high chances the Chadar Trek could be soon one of the places in India that will disappear in couple of years. Chadar in Hindi means blanket, as the river is covered with a blanket of ice all throughout the year with water flowing underneath. And it’s equally heart shaking to realize how various climate changes have already started doing damage to this beautiful river.
Hemis National Park, Jammu Kashmir
Hemis National Park was specifically established in 1981 to protect the decreasing population of wildlife and hence is also known as the Snow Leopard Capital of India. It’s quite disheartening to see the Hemis National Park, home to world’s endangered animal – the Snow Leopard in the list of places in India that will disappear. As humans are continuously shifting along with their livestock into the mountainous areas, the snow leopards’ habitat is now at risk. Overgrazing is another reason that is indirectly affecting the leopard’s population. It has greatly damaged the limited high altitude grasslands, thereby leaving less food for the wild sheep and goats that are the snow leopard’s main prey. This Himalayan natural sanctuary is now on the verge of no life, thanks to all the damage we’re doing to our planet.
Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand
This enchanting floral valley is blessed with meadows of alpine flowers, cascading waterfalls, sparkling glaciers, a diverse range of endemic flora. This place holds a great significance in Hindu mythology, as it’s the same place from where Hanuman had collected the Sanjeevani buti in Ramayana. The wild untamed blossoms flanked by crystal peaks, the charming meadows of alpine flowers – the bouquet of nature won’t be there to inspire your future generations. Blame it on our destructive attitude that’s directly resulting in adverse climatic changes.
Chiktan Castle, Kargil
If you are a Game of Thrones fan then you can quickly relate this spooky-looking castle now in ruins yet standing tall 75 km from Kargil. Because of its dilapidated condition, this doom tourism spot is now listed amongst the places in India that will disappear soon. Even if it’s not a natural attraction, this histrionic 16th-century castle will soon fall down taking all its glory. This castle was built by Balti craftsmen and served as a royal residence for centuries for different rulers. This magnificent castle, which is older than the Leh Palace was attacked several times but had never been abandoned until the late 19th century. Neglected by the Govt. and climate changes have led the castle in the verge of destruction.
Majuli, Assam
The North-East of India, generally known as the Seven Sisters, has always been underrated. Hence, we know very few of these places. But, this land is full of mystery and amazing sights. For example, did you actually know that Majuli in Assam is the largest river island in the world? Lush green, scenic beauty and wildlife will greet you once you visit this place. However, the experts predict that this wonder will vanish in near decades due to the devastation wrecked by flood waters every year. So, before it submerges, one should explore this place to experience the natural beauty of Majuli.
Rama Setu, Tamil Nadu
Rama Setu is a bridge that is reputed for its references in the epic Ramayana. It starts as a chain of shoals from the Dhanushkodi tip of India’s Pamban Island and ends at Sri Lanka’s Mannar Island. A symbol of unity, geological evidence alludes that this bridge was once a land connection between India and Sri Lanka. However the proposal of the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project by the Indian government would damage it. The project would entail the unfortunate breaking of the limestone shoals of Rama’s Bridge.
Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan
India’s last living fort - Jaisalmer Fort has withstood many wars and earthquakes, without crumbling for a single time over 1000 years. But, climate change and commercialisation have had a disastrous effect on this golden fort. Due to modern plumbing, water drainage has become an issue. This fort is facing a problem of water seeping out into the clay-rich soil, it was built of. This resulted in early collapse of around 87 glorious structures out of 469, which is a huge damage and a sad plight for such a symbol of a great dynasty and history.
Taj Mahal, Agra
Surprised! Well that’s true, every year Taj Mahal is visited by around 8 million tourists every year. Conservationists from across the world have already warned us that both air and water pollution is affecting the 7th wonder of the world adversely. If sources are to be believed, Taj Mahal would crumble within 50 years or even earlier by 2050. And with the alarming level of pollution in Delhi, Taj Mahal may be severely affected in the future. Tourists, who had visited Taj Mahal recently, have also share their disappointments.
So, these were the 10 places in India that will disappear by - may be 2050. While climate change and man’s destructive approaches are the major reasons, we can still initiate some small yet effective measures to preserve our national assets
