Ancient
Buddhist Site of Sarnath
Prelims:
Art & Culture, History
Mains:
GS Paper I-Indian Culture, GS Paper II- International
Organisations
Current relevance:
At the 48th
Session of the World Heritage Committee held at Busan, South Korea, the Ancient
Buddhist Site of Sarnath was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List,
becoming India's 45th World Heritage Property.
Highlights:
Historical Significance:
1.
Sarnath is the sacred site where Gautama
Buddha delivered his first sermon, known as Dharmachakra
Pravartana (Turning of the Wheel of the Law).
2.
The establishment of the Buddhist Sangha
and the dissemination of the teachings of the Noble Eightfold Path.
3.
It is regarded as one of the four principal
Buddhist pilgrimage sites, as identified by the Buddha himself.
4.
Flourished as an important Buddhist centre under royal,
monastic, and lay patronage for centuries, before falling into decline
after the 12th century CE and being rediscovered in the 18th century.
5.
Excavations at Sarnath led to the discovery of
the Ashokan Lion Capital, later adopted as the National Emblem of
India, and the Dharmachakrapravartan Buddha of the Classical Gupta
period.
About the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath:
1.
It is located near Varanasi in Uttar
Pradesh.
2.
Sarnath was historically known as Rishipatana,
Ishipatana, and Mrigadava.
3.
The inscribed serial
property comprises two component parts:
i.
Chaukhandi Stupa
ii.
Archaeological Remains of
Sarnath, including Dhamekh Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, Mulagandhakuti Vihara,
Ashokan Pillar, and other monuments.
4.
The site contains a continuous sequence of
monuments dating from the pre-Mauryan period (5th–4th centuries BCE) to
the 12th century CE and is one of the most extensively excavated
archaeological sites studied by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
UNESCO
Inscription Process:
1.
Sarnath was placed on the UNESCO Tentative
List in 1998.
2.
In 2026, the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath
was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India's 45th World
Heritage Property.
3.
India now has 45 World Heritage Sites, ranking 6th
globally and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific region.
4.
The site was inscribed
under Criteria (iii) and (vi) for:
i.
Its enduring spiritual
significance as one of the four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
ii.
Its direct association
with Buddha's first sermon and his meeting with the first
disciples.
Source: PIB- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2289399®=48&lang=1