Context: Recently Abathsahayeswarar Temple was selected for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

• Abathsahayeswarar Temple has been given this award for preserving the heritage of the temple while keeping it intact.

Abathsahayeswarar Temple

• It is located in Thukkachi in Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu.

• This temple is dedicated to Lord Dakshinamurthy (Lord Shiva).

• It is about 1,300 years old.

• This temple was built by King Vikrama Chola and Kulothunga Chola.

• Earlier there used to be five prakarams in this temple.

• The temple has many shrines for deities, including Soundaryanayaki Ambal, Ashtabhuja Durga Parameshwari, Aadhi Sarabeswarar, Pillayar, Murugan, Chandikeshwara, two Bhairavas, two Suryas and two Nagars.

UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation

• The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation was initiated by UNESCO in the year 2000.

• This award recognizes efforts by individuals and organizations in Asia and the Pacific region in restoring, conserving, and transforming structures of heritage value. 

• The objective is to protect cultural heritage sites. 

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO)

• UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations whose objective is to promote world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, science and culture.

• UNESCO was established in the year 1945.

• Headquarters- Paris

• It is a world-class educational, scientific and cultural organization of the United Nations.

• Currently it includes about 195 member countries and 8 associate member countries.