Sirpur, the ancient Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava and Bauddha city of Chhattisgarh, enters UNESCO's Tentative List
UNESCO's World Heritage Centre added three Indian sites to its Tentative List: the Sirpur Cultural and Archaeological Landscape in Mahasamund district, the Baratang karst and mud-volcano complex, and the Narcondam and Barren Island subduction volcanoes in the Andamans.
- ETV Bharat
UNESCO's World Heritage Centre added three Indian sites to its Tentative List: the Sirpur Cultural and Archaeological Landscape in Mahasamund district, the Baratang karst and mud-volcano complex, and the Narcondam and Barren Island subduction volcanoes in the Andamans. Sirpur, known in ancient times as Śrīpura, was the capital of Dakṣiṇa Kosala under the Pāṇḍuvaṃśī kings.
Its brick Lakṣmaṇa temple, built around the 7th century, carries an image of Śeṣaśāyī Viṣṇu above the doorway.
Key data
King Mahāśivagupta Bālārjuna reigned for 57 years. Xuanzang recorded about 100 monasteries and 10,000 monks. The site is about 78 km from Raipur.
Why it matters
A site must sit on the Tentative List before India can nominate it for full World Heritage status. India's mission credited the ASI's documentation work.
GK: did you know?
Queen Vāsaṭā built the Lakṣmaṇa temple in memory of her husband Harṣagupta. She was the mother of Mahāśivagupta Bālārjuna.
