{"id":63843,"date":"2025-09-17T11:14:41","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T05:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=63843"},"modified":"2025-09-17T11:14:41","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T05:44:41","slug":"asi-to-revise-sarnath-plaque","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/asi-to-revise-sarnath-plaque\/","title":{"rendered":"ASI to Revise Sarnath Plaque, Credits Benares Ruler\u2019s Family"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Sarnath Plaque Latest News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is revising the Sarnath plaque to credit the Benares ruler\u2019s family, instead of the British, for preserving the heritage site ahead of a UNESCO team\u2019s visit.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>About Sarnath<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarnath, located about <\/span><b>10 km from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is one of the most revered sites in the Buddhist world.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It holds immense historical, cultural, and religious significance as the place where <\/span><b>Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Known as the <\/span><b><i>Dharmachakra Pravartana<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turning of the Wheel of Dharma<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this event marked the formal beginning of the Buddhist Sangha (community).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Historical Significance<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Buddha\u2019s First Sermon:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Around 528 BCE, Buddha preached the <\/span><b><i>Four Noble Truths<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b><i>Eightfold Path<\/i><\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here to his five ascetic disciples. This sermon became the foundational philosophy of Buddhism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mauryan Patronage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Emperor <\/span><b>Ashoka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (3rd century BCE), after embracing Buddhism, visited Sarnath and commissioned several stupas, monasteries, and pillars. The famous <\/span><b>Ashokan Lion Capital<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India\u2019s national emblem, was erected here.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Medieval Flourishing:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Over centuries, Sarnath grew into a vibrant monastic and educational hub. Numerous monasteries, stupas, and sculptures were added, especially under the Gupta dynasty (4<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-6<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> century CE), which produced exquisite Buddhist art.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Decline:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> With the decline of Buddhism in India (around the 12<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> century CE) and repeated invasions, Sarnath fell into ruin and was largely forgotten until rediscovery in the colonial era.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Key Monuments and Structures<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dhamek Stupa:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Built initially by Ashoka and later enlarged, this massive cylindrical stupa (43.6 meters high, 28 meters in diameter) marks the exact spot of Buddha\u2019s first sermon.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lower portion is decorated with intricate floral and geometric patterns, characteristic of Gupta art.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Chaukhandi Stupa:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An early stupa commemorating the meeting between Buddha and his first disciples.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later, a Mughal-era pavilion was added to the top.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ashokan Pillar:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pillar, erected by Ashoka, bore the famous <\/span><b>Lion Capital of Ashoka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, now preserved in the Sarnath Archaeological Museum.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The capital, with four lions back-to-back, is India\u2019s <\/span><b>National Emblem<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and also featured on Indian currency.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mulagandha Kuti Vihar:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A modern monastery built by the Mahabodhi Society in 1931, it contains impressive frescoes depicting scenes from Buddha\u2019s life.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Monastic Ruins:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The site contains remains of monasteries that once hosted thousands of monks, serving as a leading centre of Buddhist learning.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Debate Over Historical Attribution<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For decades, the mainstream narrative credited British officials such as Duncan and Mackenzie in 1798 and later archaeologists like Alexander Cunningham for discovering and preserving Sarnath.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, recent scholarship and archival records challenge this view, pointing to <\/span><b>Jagat Singh\u2019s excavation in 1787-88 as the actual turning point<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His digging at the ancient mound unearthed Buddhist relics, shifting the perception of who deserves credit for uncovering Sarnath\u2019s legacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This change is not merely a matter of rewriting history; it reflects a broader attempt to decolonise India\u2019s historical narratives and recognise indigenous agency in heritage preservation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Background of the Case<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jagat Singh, a descendant of Benares ruler Chait Singh, ordered excavation at Sarnath for construction purposes, which unexpectedly revealed Buddhist relics. Parts of these relics remain housed in the Asiatic Society in Kolkata.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The existing plaque at Sarnath emphasises British-led excavations from 1798 onwards, overshadowing Singh\u2019s contribution.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier this year, following a petition by Singh\u2019s descendants, the <\/span><b>ASI revised a separate plaque at the Dharmarajika Stupa, removing language that labelled him a \u201cdestroyer\u201d of monuments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new version acknowledged that the stupa came to light through his actions, highlighting the contested nature of colonial-era historical narratives.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Summary of Recent Developments<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The upcoming plaque revision at Sarnath comes as <\/span><b>UNESCO evaluates India\u2019s proposal to include the site in its <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">World Heritage List<\/a><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>ASI\u2019s New Decision:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The corrected plaque will formally acknowledge Jagat Singh\u2019s role in exposing Sarnath\u2019s importance in 1787-88, predating British accounts by a decade.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Research Support:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Former National Museum Director B.R. Mani\u2019s excavations have revealed evidence of Buddhist activity at Sarnath even before Emperor Ashoka, strengthening the case for recognising local contributions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cultural Impact:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Singh\u2019s family has also requested the ASI to revise accompanying cultural notice boards to reflect the corrected history.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Broader Context:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India\u2019s cultural diplomacy emphasises its Buddhist heritage globally. The revision of plaques aligns with this strategy, especially as South Asian tourists form a large segment of visitors to Sarnath.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>UNESCO Candidacy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Sarnath, long on UNESCO\u2019s tentative list, is now a strong contender for inclusion, with the government keen to assert its cultural and historical primacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/sarnath-on-unesco-radar-asi-prepares-to-install-corrected-plaque-to-show-local-role-10254258\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IE<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ahead of UNESCO\u2019s review of Sarnath\u2019s World Heritage nomination, the ASI plans to rewrite the sarnath plaque.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":63848,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,2738,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-63843","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-sarnath-plaque","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63843"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63843\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}