Sarnath Inscribed on the UNESCO World
Heritage List
The ancient Buddhist site of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh
has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 48th session of
the World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea. With this inscription,
Sarnath has become India's 45th UNESCO World Heritage Site, marking another significant
milestone in the country's rich cultural heritage.
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The site has been
inscribed under UNESCO Criteria (iii) and (vi) for its exceptional testimony to
Buddhist tradition and its direct association with Lord Buddha’s first sermon
(Dharmachakra Pravartana) and the establishment of the Buddhist Sangha.
¨
It was included in
UNESCO’s Tentative List in 1998.
With this inscription
¨
India now has 45 UNESCO
World Heritage Sites, ranking 6th globally and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific region.
¨
India also has 69
properties on UNESCO’s Tentative List.
¨
Sarnath is Uttar
Pradesh’s fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site.
¨
The recognition is
expected to strengthen India’s Buddhist heritage, cultural diplomacy and
sustainable heritage tourism, particularly the Buddhist Circuit.
Sarnath
¨
Location: Situated near
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
¨
Ancient Names: Known as
Rishipatana (Isipatana/Ishipatana) and Mrigadava (Deer Park) in Buddhist
tradition.
Religious Significance
¨
Lord Buddha visited
Sarnath after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya.
¨
He delivered his first
sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartana/Turning of the Wheel of the Law) here.
¨
The event marked the
establishment of the Buddhist Sangha and the beginning of the propagation of
the Noble Eightfold Path.
¨
Buddha himself identified
Sarnath as one of the four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
The serial property comprises two
component parts:
¨
Chaukhandi Stupa, and
¨
Archaeological Remains of
Sarnath, comprising the Dhamekh Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, Mulagandhakuti
Vihara, Ashokan Pillar, along with other monasteries, stupas, and
archaeological remains.
Historical Development
¨
Developed through royal,
monastic and lay patronage from the Pre-Mauryan period (5th–4th century
BCE)until its destruction in the 12th century CE.
¨
It was rediscovered in
the 18th century after centuries of decline.
Archaeological Importance
¨
One of the most
extensively excavated sites by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
¨
Preserves a continuous
archaeological sequence spanning about 16 centuries (5th–4th century BCE to
12th century CE).
Excavations led to the discovery of
¨
Ashokan Lion Capital,
later adopted as the National Emblem of India.
¨
Dharmachakrapravartana
Buddha of the Classical Gupta period.
¨
These artefacts are
preserved in India’s earliest Site Museum, established in 1904.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
¨
A UNESCO World Heritage
Site is a cultural, natural or mixed property recognised for its Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV).
¨
The objective is to
preserve and promote heritage of exceptional importance to humanity under the
World Heritage Convention, 1972.
¨
UNESCO was established in
1945, and India has been a UNESCO Member State since 1946.
World Heritage properties are classified
into
1. Cultural
Heritage
2. Natural
Heritage
3. Mixed
Heritage
To be inscribed, a property must possess Outstanding
Universal Value and satisfy at least one of the ten UNESCO selection criteria.
Sarnath was inscribed under
¨
Criterion (iii): Bears
exceptional testimony to the Buddhist cultural tradition through its
long-standing role as one of the foremost centres of Buddhist pilgrimage.
¨
Criterion (vi): Directly
associated with Lord Buddha’s first sermon and the meeting with his first
disciples, events of outstanding universal significance.
Nomination Process
¨
A property must first be
included in the Tentative List.
¨ Each State Party can nominate only one site annually for inscription.
¨ In India, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)is the nodal agency for all World Heritage matters.
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