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Sarnath is India's 45th UNESCO's World Heritage Site

 

India's ancient Buddhist site of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The decision to include Sarnath in the list was taken during the ongoing 48th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) being held in Busan, South Korea. 

"New inscription on the @UNESCO #WorldHeritage List: Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath, #India," UNESCO said in a post on X.

The nomination for UNESCO tag was for the 2025-26 cycle.

Sarnath Buddha / Image credit

Now India has 45 of its sites on the list. The country ranks sixth globally and second in the Asia Pacific Region for the most number of World Heritage Sites. 

Last year, 12 Maratha forts of 'Maratha Military Landscapes' were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee held in Paris. 

It was at Sarnath where in Deer Park the Buddha delivered his first sermon after the attainment of enlightenment under the tree of wisdom at Bodh Gaya (now in Bihar). The event of his deliverance of first sermon at Sarnath is known in the Buddhist tradition as the turning of the wheel of Sacred Law or “Dharmachakra Privartan”. 

Lumbini (in Nepal), Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Sarnath and Kusinagar in Uttar Pradesh, where the four key events of the Buddha’s life, namely birth, attainment of enlightenment, deliverance of the first sermon and death took place respectively, are looked upon with great reverence. 

The Buddha journeyed to Sarnath to preach his first sermon to those five ascetics who were his disciples but had left him in disgust when they found that the Buddha became convinced that rigorous self mortification is not the way to obtain final bliss. These five ascetics were so impressed by Buddha’s sermon that they became his disciples once again and stopped practising austerities. 

Located 10km north of Varanasi, Sarnath was previously known as Isipatana.

Places to see in Sarnath 

Dhamekh Stupa 

The most important highlight of a trip to Sarnath is the Dharmekh Stupa, a major tourist attraction in India. Dating back to the 3rd century AD, the stupa, which is now in ruins, is impressive at 31.3 meter high, and 28.3 in diameter. It marks the spot where the Buddha is said to have delivered his first sermon.

Ashoka Pillar 

The Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar, excavated in 1904-06 , was later declared the national emblem (Source: Archaeological Survey of India)

Erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath is an important attraction in Sarnath. The splendid lion capital which was once placed on top of the pillar can be seen in the Sarnath Archaeological Museum which also possesses some of the most beautiful images of the Buddha. The capital has been adopted by India as its national emblem. 


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