SARNATH, Jul 30 (INS): The ancient Buddhist site of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh
was officially inscribed as India's 45th UNESCO World Heritage Site during the
48th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, that
ended on Wednesday.
The total new global sites announced was 25. Only Sarnath is Indian in the
new list. The UNESCO World Heritage List now comprises 1,273 sites across 173
countries. India's total is now 45.
The global list of new 25 sites includes 22 cultural sites—such as India's
Sarnath, Finland's Aalto Works and France's Normandy landing beaches—and 3 natural
sites, including the Aqaba Marine Reserve.
India ranks 6th globally with 37 Cultural, 7 Natural and 1 Mixed sites. The
key Cultural Sites include the Agra Fort and Taj Mahal (1983), Khajuraho and
Hampi (1986), Bhimbetka (2003) and recent additions like Dholavira (2021), Santiniketan
(2023) and Sarnath (2026). The Natural Sites (7) Includes Kaziranga, Keoladeo,
Manas, Sundarbans, Nanda Devi, Western Ghats and Great Himalayan National Park.
The Mixed Site is Khangchendzonga National Park (2016).
About Sarnath
Sarnath is the sacred place where Gautama Buddha delivered his very first sermon
(the Dharmachakra Pravartana) to his first five disciples after attaining enlightenment.
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering
ascetic and religious teacher who lived in the eastern Indo-Gangetic plains
during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. Gautama Buddha attained
enlightenment at Bodhgaya, in Bihar, but he delivered his very first sermon
at Sarnath, near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Bodhgaya (NOT Bodh gaya) in Bihar is where Prince Siddhartha sat under the
Bodhi tree and attained supreme enlightenment to become the Buddha. The Mahabodhi
Temple Complex here is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2002).
After achieving enlightenment, the Buddha travelled to Sarnath. In the Deer
Park of Sarnath, he preached his first sermon (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta),
an event known as "Setting the Wheel of Dharma in Motion," to his five former
companions.
Sarnath features the massive 141-foot-tall Dhamek Stupa, the Chaukhandi Stupa
and the archaeological remains of the Ashoka Pillar. All built later. During
Buddha's time no structures were built.
The famous Lion Capital of Ashoka excavated here is the official National Emblem
of India.
Key monuments in Sarnath
Dhamek Stupa: A massive, 143-foot-tall stone and brick structure marking
the exact spot where Buddha gave his first sermon.
Chaukhandi Stupa: An ancient mound with an octagonal tower built later
during medieval period to commemorate Buddha's meeting with his first disciples.
Ashoka Pillar: The remains of the monolithic pillar erected by Emperor
Ashoka, which originally held the Lion Capital.
Archaeological Museum: Houses the original Lion Capital of Ashoka (India's
National Emblem) and exquisite Buddha sculptures from the Gupta period.
Mulagandhakuti Vihara: A beautiful modern temple featuring stunning
frescoes of Buddha's life painted by a famous Japanese artist.
The World Heritage Committee added 25 new sites to heritage list at its 48th
session in Busan, Republic of Korea, that ended on Wednesday.
25 new global sites: They include: The Appian Way (Italy)—The ancient
Roman "Queen of Roads," an its engineering marvel; The Flow Country (United
Kingdom)—A vast peat bog landscape in Scotland celebrated for its outstanding
natural ecosystem; and, Schwerin Residence Ensemble (Germany)—A historic palace
complex showcasing romantic historicism.
Note: The Stupas: There was nothing particularly built in Sarnath
during Buddha's time. He gave his lecture in a deer park. Of course, there were
wooden or bamboo shelters for the Buddha and his monks.
The mound (hemispherical)-like, dome structure has pre-Buddhist origins. The
earthen structures were designed for graves. Referencea are in Rigveda. It gathered
bearings of spiritual overtones later on. Buddha adopted the concept but did
not build any. Only after Buddha stupas proliferated. Ashoka (3rd BCE) replaced
mud domes with permanent brick and stone architecture seen in major stupas like
Sanchi and Sarnath today.
As Buddhism gathered momentunm, later on the Mauryas (3rd BC), Satavahanas
(1-2nd AD), Kushans (1-3rd AD), the Guptas (4-6th AD) and Palas (8-12th AD)
bult emples, stupas and lecture halls and Buddhist universities like Nalanda.
But the Dhamek Stupa breaks with the traditional design. The massive, taller,
cylindrical style tower design was added by the Guptas. Later came the pagodas.
The Dhamek Stupa ia a massive 43.6-metre-high stone and brick structure marking
where the Buddha gave his first sermon while the Chaukhandi Stupa is a tiered
brick stupa topped with an octagonal tower, marking the place where the Buddha
met his first disciples.
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