Sarnath Becomes India's 45th UNESCO World Heritage Site: Site of Gautama Buddha's First Preaching

Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh has now been inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. It is the 45th entry from India to the list.

With 45 sites on the list, India ranks 6th globally and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific region for the largest number of World Heritage Sites. The 1972 World Heritage Convention has been ratified by 196 countries, the Ministry of Culture said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it “a proud moment for every Indian!” and said, “This recognition celebrates India’s deep civilizational and spiritual heritage.”

“It will also inspire more people across the world to come to Sarnath and connect with the ideals of Lord Buddha,” PM Modi added.

Everything you need to know about Sarnath

PM Modi said that Sarnath has a close association with Lord Buddha, whose timeless message of wisdom, compassion and harmony inspires the world.

The ancient Buddhist site near Varanasi is the sacred site where the Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon in the 6th century BC and where he met his earliest disciples.

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According to UNESCO, the serial property contains the architectural and archaeological remains of Sarnath.

It consists of two parts – Chaukhandi Stupa and Sarnath Archaeological Remains (Dhamekh Stupa, Dharmrajika Stupa, Mulagandgakuti Vihara, Ashokan Pillar etc.) – located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

“These two components together preserve the architectural and archaeological remains of the ancient site of Sarnath, known in Buddhist tradition by various names – Rishipatana, Ishipatana, Mrigadava,” the culture ministry said in a press release on Saturday.

All refer to the sacred geography where the Buddha visited in the 6th century BC and delivered his first sermon known as “The Turning of the Wheel of Law” (Dharmachakra pravartana).

Identified by the Buddha himself as one of the four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites, Sarnath grew over many centuries through royal, monastic and lay patronage, leading to the construction of numerous stupas, temples and viharas.

After seeing decline in the 12th century AD and subsequent destruction, it fell into obscurity until its rediscovery in the 18th century.

“After flourishing as a major Buddhist center in the 12th century AD, Sarnath declined and fell into obscurity until its rediscovery in the 18th century,” UNESCO added.

The site includes a collection of ancient monuments built from the pre-Mauryan period (5th-4th century BCE to 3rd century BCE) until the destruction of Sarnath in the 12th century CE (with some later additions).

Sarnath was one of the most extensively excavated sites by the Archaeological Survey of India, resulting in a stratified settlement spread across 16 centuries (5th-4th century BC to 12th century AD).

“Today it is preserved as two archaeological zones and remains an important tourist destination as well as a lively pilgrimage site for Buddhists around the world,” the UN body said.

The Ministry of Culture said that following the declaration of Sarnath as a World Heritage Site, three of the top four Buddhist pilgrimage sites; i.e. Lumbini (Nepal), Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya (Bihar) and now Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) are now included in the World Heritage along with several other major Buddhist sites such as Sanchi, Nalanda, Ajanta (all three in India), Anuradhapur (Sri Lanka), Paharpur (present day Bangladesh-Bahi-Taxi-Taxila and Taki-Taxila).

Sarnath as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Sarnath was provisionally included in the World Heritage List in 1998.

A proposal to list the site on the World Heritage List was sent to the World Heritage Committee for consideration in January 2025.

After a rigorous eighteen-month process that included several technical meetings with advisory bodies and a visit by the ICOMOS mission to review the site, members of the World Heritage Committee made this historic decision this evening in Busan, South Korea.

The purpose of including these monuments on the UNESCO list is to preserve and promote the shared heritage based on OUV (Outstanding Universal Values) found in cultural, natural and mixed areas in 196 countries.

Meanwhile, India became a member of the coveted World Heritage Committee for 2021-25 and also hosted the World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time in July 2024 in Delhi.