Varanasi, July 25 -- After a 28-year wait, Sarnath, the sacred site where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon and laid the foundation of the Buddhist Sangha, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India's 45th World Heritage Site and Uttar Pradesh's fourth.
The announcement, made during the 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee, marks a historic milestone for India's Buddhist heritage and places one of the religion's most revered pilgrimage sites among the world's protected cultural landmarks. The recognition is also expected to provide fresh momentum to Uttar Pradesh's Buddhist Circuit and boost international tourism to the region.
Sarnath was included in UNESCO's Tentative List on July 3, 1998, and its ...